HI again! I'm on a roll here so I'm trying to add a chapter each day so I don't lose my ideas! So, here's Chapter 5!
Panther trembled, "Mom's dead?" she asked in a hoarse voice. Root just sat there, eyes open wide in shock. Adder looked down. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth like he was about to say something but he shut his mouth and looked down instead.
"How did she die?" Root asked tentatively. Panther looked shocked.
"How could you ask such a thing?" Panther asked.
"Its okay, Panther. I think you should know." Adder replied.
"Was it terrible?" Root asked quietly, as if not wanting Adder to hear.
"Our mother died, Root, how couldn't it be?" Panther said in a loud voice.
"I think you two should go and hunt, I'm hungry and you should be too." Adder meowed. Panther and Root stared at Adder, as if he was a flying hedgehog. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Adder said, confused.
"We don't want to leave you here alone…" Panther couldn't finish before Root objected.
"Why do you want us to hunt? Do you not want us with you?" Root questioned, mortified and sadden.
"Root!" Panther said sharply, shocked into anger.
"Oh my, Root, of course I want you here! I just wanted some time to think about how to put mom's death into words." Adder calmly replied, "As for you, Panther, I think I'll be okay under these brambles."
"I just don't want to lose you again, Adder, I want you to stay here." Panther defended herself quietly.
"I understand, Panther, but I can't think while I'm hunting. So could you go? If you'd be uncomfortable, stay." Adder replied.
"No, I'll go. Have fun, um, thinking!" Panther said as she slid out from under the brambles. As Root turned to go Adder looked at her questioningly, as if wondering about the sudden change in mood. Root shrugged and followed Panther out.
Panther was pacing outside the bramble bush, waiting for Root. As Root came out she sighed and motioned with her tail to follow her. Root padded towards her, but stopped when she saw Panther licking herself with a ferocity Root never considered with grooming.
"What are you doing?" Root asked.
"Grooming, what does it look like?" Panther replied sharply. Root looked shocked at the tone of her voice so Panther apologized, "Sorry, Root, I just got a little worked up in the hollow."
"It's okay. But what caused you to get like that?"
"Adder, he just seemed so, changed! It was like we didn't know him anymore!"
"I don't get what you mean."
"Well, he just acted so superior to us, ordering us around! He used to be so soft, so quiet, but now he's like an older cat!"
"Oh yeah! I don't get it though, why would he act like that to us?"
"If only I knew, Root, if only."
"Should we, hunt now?"
"Oh, of course!" Panther said and shook her head, like shaking away her thoughts. "Let's get a move on!" Panther padded into the undergrowth, tail twitching.
Adder was confused, wanting to know why Panther had been so moody.
Why would she be so, snappy with Root and me? Adder wondered. He paceduntil Panther and Root come back.
"Hey! How did the hunting go?" Adder said as Panther and Root came in.
Panther set down the birds she was holding.
"Great! How'd the thinking go?" Panther said. The siblings ate and Adder sat up when he was finished.
"Are you ready for the story?" Adder asked his sisters.
"Yes." They replied in unison, and sat down to listen.
Oh yeah! 'nother cliffhanger! Chapter 6 coming up soon!
R&R!