To avoid any claims of plagiarism, I will state that this story is heavily inspired by Clare Bell's "Named" series. My ideas and inspiration came from her books, which are quite amazing! Enjoy~
Chapter One
Many leaders bear a story, sometimes a great one. Most have a tale to tell to young, a tale that makes their eyes sparkle as though they were living through it themselves. They can understand the hardship and heartbreak an individual life suffers just through words, for that is how intelligent youngsters can be. Words formed together so perfectly into this…Story. This story is to live on until it fades from memory and such perfect words are no more, but stories are only the beginning. An image, a deeper understanding of a superior figure, is able to grow from these words, but it is never precise. It never captures the full beginning, the full story of what they have accomplished and what they have lost. A leader may have a tale so great, that no one can ever truly relive the tale of their life.
This is what Tekavi, a young male feline bearing the body of a mountain lion, although different in many ways, believed. He had never been too fond of any leaders in his time, but he believed a true leader was not chosen based on the blood running through his veins. He was based on his actions and true dedication to his followers. Maybe one of my cubs will be a leader… Although he seemed confident, he couldn't help but feel doubtful. How could he, just a normal follower, produce a cub worthy of being leader? Everyone knew Fentara's first born would be leader. But anything could change…
His thoughts raced like the river as he slid through the crass bracken, avoiding thistles and nettles as he headed in the direction of the valley. It skirted the edge of the mountainside, all the way down to the river where it broke off into a lush, pine forest. Tekavi tried his best to avoid the forest at many times. He was never comfortable being close to Dagger-tooth peak. Over the peak lied the camp of their enemies. So many lives had been lost in battles and constant conflict with their neighbors. Tekavi growled, a sudden cold, barbaric feeling crawling through his fur. The thought of his journey across the valley ceased the feeling as he began to focus once more. He heaved a sigh, his pallid, chartreuse eyes glowing unusually bright in the morning light.
Paws stroked sodden ground as Tekavi approached the edge of the river, otherwise known as the end of the valley. He bent his muscular frame close to the sand, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he bent to drink. The icy water soothed him and raced down his throat in one big gulp. For a moment it stood stuck at the the back of his throat, but after lapping at the shimmering surface of the river several more times the lump subsided and he sighed heavily as he sat up to glance at his surroundings. Across the river stood a couple of scrawny spruce trees but as the ground cascaded it rose into a forest of towering pine trees standing tall and proud. He had already decided to avoid the area and take a muddy path that would lead him downriver and over a slope where at the bottom his destination lie. With a huff he heaved himself to his paws, shaking out his short mane as he galloped downriver, curving off onto several different paths that eventually all led him back to the water's edge. Every so often he glanced off across the river to the forest that lay beyond it or he waded into the water to cool off or cure his thirst every so often.
When he felt grass beneath his muddy pads he knew he was close to the grassy slope that would lead him down to a cave. He felt his fur bristle as he took a sharp turn down a path littered with pebbles and leaves.
He knew that their rivals, the Stone-claws liked to take place behind boulders that lay on the side of the path to hide and ambush any of the clan followers coming down. He had once been ambushed by a passing group, but the Stone-claws had been badly outnumbered by him and other clan folk and escaped with fatal wounds. Luckily he left the path safely and hurried down the slope at the edge of the trail. He went dashing into the cave positioned at the edge of the slope, his veins pulsing from his shoulders as he raced through the suffocating darkness, curving to and fro at a dangerous pace. Once he came into an open hollow he stopped to catch his breath. The hollow was lit by golden sunlight shining from a hole in the roof and the golden rays gathered together into one wavy sheet of light that bathed a stone boulder rising from the roots of the cave floor. Stalagmites hung from the roof in a way that one might be threatened by their dangerously close presence. However they steered clear of the boulder. It seemed to be a reliable place to gather around.
Tekavi slowly padded forward, the sound of his steps echoing around the cave. Water droplets falling from the stalagmites created pools that some could easily gather around to drink from. At the back of the cave was a small opening that only one of a certain size could fit through. It was round at the entrance but the walls grew thinner if one were to venture on and attempt to make their way out. The stone walls of the cave were coated in dry, thick mud and stones stuck out awkwardly from the wall creating a rocky staircase that no one would be able to climb on from ground level. Tekavi's light ginger fur shimmered with golden highlights as he clawed his up onto the top of the grey boulder, his hackles raised and his back arched. He almost seemed to be standing in triumph. The warm stone made him feel lazy and he only wanted to roll on the surface and relax, but he had a job to do. One of the stone steps arching out from the wall was positioned quite close to the gargantuan boulder, and if one jumped, they would be able to make it. Demonstrating this ease, Tekavi leapt onto the stone which was just large enough for him and possibly another cat of his size to stand on. He had enough room to face the wall in which the stone emerged from. Sticks and leaves were weaved into a curtain-like sheet that spread over the wall above the stone. They fell in wavy streams and shafts of light crept out of the speckled holes in the curtain. Tekavi shoved aside a few strands and stepped inside an opening engulfed in darkness that had been hidden.
Once inside he cowered down so that he would fit as he crept down the tunnel. His whiskers brushed the smooth walls on both sides as he crawled down the tunnel in absolute silence. He kept on moving for a while, his senses screaming at him to run and flee from such a dark place, but the milky aroma lingering up ahead encouraged him to keep moving. Finally a strip of light appeared in a hazy streamer and bombarded him and he was blinded momentarily by the sudden appearance of sunlight. He hissed and felt the tunnel open up around him. He smiled and padded forward, the mud on his paws dry and now stuck between his serrated claws. He wasn't looking forward to cleaning it out later.
A sudden shape moved up ahead, causing him to lift his head in curiosity. A silver feline with a body much like his purred as she saw Tekavi emerge. She was laying in a nest made of leaves and moss lined with alabaster feathers. The sunlight coming from a few diminutive holes in the roof shined down on her, revealing a glossy pelt. She was lying on her flank, the aroma of milk floating around in the air. Lying and nursing at her belly were two newborn cubs. One had the same silver pelt as her mother and the other had a coat consisting of a copper pigment. Their pelts were both spotted and fluffy.
"They have been born," Tekavi rasped quietly, happiness and euphony bouncing in his voice. He slowly crawled forward, careful not to frighten his mate. He knew the presence of a male could frighten her.
"Yes, and their mother wishes to stretch and eat. She has been nursing her cubs all night. They are greedy little ones," she huffed, her spindly tail flicking with contempt as she sat up. The cubs began to writher and cry, curious as to why their mother had taken away their food source. Well, she was their food source.
"You don't mind me watching them? Well if I'm going to I'm going to need to know their names," he purred, wagging his tail awkwardly as he padded forward to bend and sniff his young. The male seemed to have something odd and sour in his scent, while the female smelt warm and inviting. He chuckled and rasped his thick tongue over his daughter.
"No, they are your young. Fentara has already come to look at them so I don't mind visitors. For some reason she was very interested in seeing them. She said I should get out to stretch my legs and run over to the clan base to eat at the next kill, so you don't have to catch anything for me today. Fentara was so pleased when I agreed to come, seems she's a little paranoid about raising Dyrithar and she's desperate to have another nursing female give her advice. But I understand, it's probably not easy to raise a cub to be clan leader and have him become as perfect as Melitarva wants him to be," she shrugged, staring at the male with mixed emotions. "Ah, yes. The little male is Marcei, and the female is Aridal."
"Interesting names, I like them. Okay, Naveir, you run along. They are safe with me," he promised, wrapping his paws around the cubs protectively. "When do you plan to present them to Melitarva? He wasn't too pleased you left to birth them outside the clan. He wants them to come to the clan base as soon as they can walk that far or even sooner..."
Naveir scowled and turned her back on Tekavi, scrapping her sable claws over the stone. "Aye, Melitarva is unwise then. He should understand that a female ready to birth her first litter may want to be away from others where she feels safer. He will see my cubs when I wish him to see my cubs, although I fear Marcei will not be worthy of presentation..," she mumbled, turning to stare at her mate with anguish in her icy blue gaze.
Tekavi cocked his head in confusion. What did she mean Marcei was not worthy of being presented to the clan leader? "W-What are you talking about? He is my son, and Melitarva knows I could produce nothing less than strong young. Is it because he bears a coat of copper shade? Or are you ashamed of your own cub that you can't even show him to the clan?" he growled, his fur beginning to bristle with anger.
"Tekavi, he is ill! Are your eyes stuck shut? He is ill," she snarled, snatching her son from his grasp and placing him beside her roughly. He let out a soft cry which echoed around the den, but he then feel silent and didn't stir. "He bears a sickly scent, he only wishes to sleep. He rarely nurses and he coughs a terrible cough in the dead of night. He is a sickly one and I fear he will not live long."
"M-My cub is sickly? How could this be?" he whimpered quietly, cuddling close to Aridal. She pawed at his chest, searching for a teat. He sighed and slightly pushed her away. She growled softly then swiped her paw through open air, still blind and not very skilled at her aim.
"I do not know, these things happen, Tekavi. He rarely makes a sound and I try and try, but it is no good!" she cried, shoving her face into her paws helplessly. Tekavi got to his paws, approaching Naveir and rasping his tongue over her shoulder.
"Go and eat, stretch your legs and do what you wish. Although if what you say is true, and Marcei is ill, he is still our son and I will not give up on him until he breathes his last breath." Tekavi wrapped his tail around Marcei before picking him up in his jaws and gently placing him in the nest. Naveir stared up at him before whispering a few words of gratitude and disappearing down another dark tunnel that would lead the female outside. Tekavi sighed and collapsed in the nest, huffing as Aridal cried in confusion. "Your mother will return soon, my cub. I'm afraid until then you will not eat." He brushed his pad over Aridal's fur, admiring the smooth silver coat she had. Remembering the mud in his claws he began to pick it out, spitting out the excess pieces of grit and mud. He stayed with them until dark, occasionally trying to get Marcei to do something. But the longer he watched his young the more he was convinced he would not live.
Finally as dawn approached he heard the scrapping of claws on rock and saw a moving figure appear out of the second tunnel. Naveir approached the nest, chuckling quietly as she found Tekavi curled up in the nest with Aridal grasping his tail, her snoring proving she was in a deep sleep. She poked Tekavi with a paw although he was already awake. He opened a luminescent, green eye and mumbled unhappily. Naveir shook her head and grabbed Aridal, who cried in surprise. Naveir settled onto the nest as Tekavi removed himself and began to nurse her cub. With a sigh her gaze journeyed over to Marcei, who lie still. She prodded him with a paw but he did not move. Tekavi stared down in horror, his jaw dropped. The female looked up at him, appearing to be planning her next words by the shift in her gaze.
"He is gone. I fear he developed a fever overnight and passed on…Will you do the honors of going to bury him?" Naveir said to her mate, her voice rising over Aridal's noisy purr. Tekavi swallowed uneasily and nodded, grasping the deceased cub in his jaws and hurrying out the other tunnel.
The soft light of dawn came rushing at his face as he stepped out onto a stone platform. He sighed and set down Marcei's limp body, taking a moment to grieve. As he did so he said, "You would've made a great cat for the clan, my son. May you rest peacefully with the stars..." With that said he picked him up and leapt off the platform, hurrying down a steep slope to a stream at the edge of the grass. He found a soft patch of ground and began to dig, his paws working at the ground tirelessly. It seemed as though anger was driving him to dig so fiercely.
Once he was content he laid the cub in the hole and slowly filled it up with soft soil. He patted the ground and hurried back to clan base, deciding to stay near Marcei's burial ground or Naveir's den no longer. He would visit Naveir the following day once he had cleared his mind. He would spread the word of his son's death, but he would mention how he would've made the clan proud. Now he only had to look forward to training his remaining cub in the future, Aridal.