Chapter 6

Strong winds whipped Timber's fur around and deafened him to the point that he could only lay his ears flat. Never in Timber's life, had he ever experienced such strong winds; His paws lifted off of the ground a time or two.

"Stella…" Timber tried to call above the loud wind. "Stella, where are you!?"

The only sound was booming thunder and heavy wind that whistled and blew most of the trees sideways. Leaves and large debris flew into Timber's eyes and face as he struggled to walk forward. The strong winds slammed the heavy tom down and slid him far from where he originally was. The toms' dark brown tabby fur was pressed flat to his body as Timber struggled against the heavy winds; digging his black claws into the earth to keep from being lifted by the wind. Timber screeched with pain as a large rock was ripped from the ground and slammed onto his paw. Fiery pain flooded through Timber's paw, and he struggled to pry the large stone from his paw and find his lost mate. The stone was moved and Timber ripped himself from its painful grip, only to find he couldn't put his weight on it.

Timber gasped when the wind lifted him from the ground and slammed him into a yew bush before blowing him across the forest floor; trying to hold on, Timber was tossed and pummeled by debris and the strong winds that dragged him farther and farther away from home and his expecting mate.

A dark mystified shadow circled Timber; a cold chill blowing through the dark tabby's spine. Let me guide you. The mist whispered, the voice sounded familiar. Timber let go of the earth and was surprised to be 'carried' by the strange entity through the forest. Timber ran within the ghost for it protected him from the thrashing and deafening winds.

"Where are you taking me?" Timber panted his amber eyes wide with terror. The mist stopped Timber before it spoke again; its body coming into focus and Timber seethed with anger and confusion.

"I will take you home…" The cat meowed. It was the black tom in Timber's dream; his icy eyes gleaming like blue stars. "But you have to help me before I can take you back to Stella."

"How can I help you?" Timber growled. "You are already dead!"

"Only a wandering soul…" The tom sighed. "I need you to fulfill the Seven Promises…If not, I am left to wander on this earth alone."

"Why would I help you?" Timber spat. "You killed a cat in my dreams!"

"Why?" The black spirit hissed with raging anger. Thunder boomed from behind the angry cat and rattled the earth on impact. The tom left Timber's reach and exposed the tabby tom to the harsh winds of the storm. Timber was snatched away from the tom by the heavy wind and rain that whipped onto earth. Timber instantly wanted the protection of the spirit again, but he was far away from him now; Timber could only struggle to grip the earth as he was thrown around like dead prey.

As Timber's body was blown into the horse field, terror nipped at his heart as he saw the scariest thing to walk the earth. A gigantic smoky-white hurricane was whipping across the land; digging up debris and dirt as it slowly spun around. Timber instantly tried running the other way, but was knocked unconscious when a large wood plank slammed into his face.

"The Seven Promises…" The tom hissed. "Fulfill them if you ever want to see Stella again!"