Why do cats meow?
Right, chapter 1 is here again! Am sorry about the previous chapter, am using a new computer and the words don't seem to come across right. So here it is!
The silence.
That was the first thing I ever noticed.
Instantly, I knew I liked it.
I liked the way I left me to think, without invading my thoughts. It didn't distract me, but it was always there.
The silence.
After a moment of relaxing in it, I took note of other things.
Everything was black. It was dark, but strangely comforting.
I was pressed up against a warm, fluffy material. It seemed to rub over me, bringing warmth with it. I curled up closer into it.
The warmth. It spun around me, catching me in the middle of it's web. It was so hot that it seemed to be smothering me, but it's weight felt reassuring.
Tiredness was pulling at my eyes, and after observing everything in the darkness, I succumbed to it, and fell back into the ocean of sleep.
XXXXX
I was woken again. This time the silence was gone, and was replaced by noise.
From the bundle of soft… Fur, I think it is, came words. From across the fur, more words arrived.
"What are you going to call her, Snowberry?" The far-away words.
"I'm not sure…" Closer this time.
"Come on. The whole Clan want to know!"
"Hmm…" Somehow, I knew they were talking about me. "I know! Birchkit. She will be called Birchkit."
I felt my heart warm up. I was called Birchkit. Birchkit.
"Do you think her eyes should have opened by now?" The far-away voice continued.
"I'm sure it's fine." The close voice said, but it still sounded worried.
Open my eyes? I considered it. How? Slowly, I found muscles in my eyelids, and pushed them up.
The world was nothing like my black. It was bright, and I had to blink a couple of times before I could see clearly. But when I saw, what I saw took my breath away.
I was nestled in a bed of a green plant. Moss. A bed of moss. Wrapped around me was some grey fur, though mine was a lot lighter. It was silver, a soft silver. Above my head was a roof of tightly woven branches. When I looked slightly down, I saw another cat, black this time. Her eyes were a green-brown, and they were staring at me.
"Her eyes have opened!" She called out.
I tumbled over onto the floor as the grey fur around me moved.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Birchkit!" The close voice exclaimed. "You're right, Ravenspark! They are open!"
I just stared at them with wide eyes.
"Hello Birchkit," Snowberry's voice was soft. "Can you speak?"
I considered this. Speak? Probably.
I stared at her.
"Birchkit?" Snowberry prompted.
Oh! I realised. She wants me to tell her the answer!
I opened my mouth, but just before I could talk, another cat slipped into the room, through a a gap in the wall I hadn't noticed before.
"Hello, Snowberry," The new cat purred, then turned to me. "Oh! She's opened her eyes!"
I blinked at her. She was black, with long legs. Her eyes were a light blue, and were filled with laughter.
"Hello, Whitepaw," Snowberry mewed happily. "This is Birchkit." She said the name with pride.
Whitepaw? I continued to stare at her. She was black, but I suppose the name could come from the one white sock. I looked down at my leg. I had the same white mark.
"Birchkit?" Whitefoot looked at me. "It fits her."
Snowberry smiled happily. "Birchkit, say hello to your sister, Whitepaw."
I watched her. Whitepaw blinked. "Can she speak?" She asked.
I fluffed up my fur. Of course I could! I opened my mouth and was about to talk when Snowberry interrupted.
"I'm not sure." She mewed worriedly. "She hasn't said anything yet."
They stared a me. It was then that I realised my moth was still open, making me look like I was in the middle of a long yowl. I closed it.
Ravenspark sniffed. "Huh, maybe she's mute. I'm sure my kit won't be."
I glared at her, shocked. How could a cat be so… Impolite!
"Of course, your kits will be perfect," Snowberry said, sounding annoyed. Ravenspark began to groom herself, and the grey cat whispered, so only I could hear her, "And there will probably be a prophecy about them, and they'll have superpowers, and they'll save the Clans from doom. Mouse-brain."
I opened my mouth to laugh, but then I realised that wouldn't really be the best idea, as Ravenspark would wonder what I found so funny, so I opened my mouth and chuckled silently. Snowberry just looked even more worried.
XXXXX
I woke up again, and this time I opened my eyes. It was darker than before, but I could still see. And it was quieter.
I pricked my ears, and then I heard the sounds that I couldn't when the other cats were talking.
The trees rustled, despite being so far away.
An owl called. I knew what owls were, because my father was named after them. Owl-leap.
A far-away frog was croaking stubbornly.
And some-where, very, very far away, water rushed down a hill, making a calming, lulling noise.
You can hear a whole lot more if you don't talk. I realised. That was when I made my promise to myself. I will never talk, because when you, you miss out on a lot more than you get.
