Alright, here is my Ray of Sunshine! Warning, this is not a happy story. Ray is a manipulative, possessive murder. I really hope you enjoy the story, I thought it would be good for Halloween.
Review Replies:
succulentsofa- Thanks! River is best chef.
Phoenixlight of Fallenclan- Thank you so much!
He likes to play with his brother when he is a kit. Juno never understands why Ray always hurts him. He's sickly anyways, always needing herbs. Sickly kits aren't wanted in the Claws, they tend to give birth to more sickly kits. Juno dies at two moons old, but Ray is strong. He survives.
Ray misses Juno, he still has his brother. Father had encouraged the rough playing, saying it would toughen Juno up. Ray had enjoyed it, but he didn't want to. He knew he wasn't supposed to like it. He was supposed to protect Juno and now his brother was dead.
Ray grows harder and shields his heart, not letting anyone in. Then a bright ginger Flame burns down his walls. Flame is another youngling, swore to the ways of the Savior. That is how Flame acts around everyone else in their small division. Around Ray he is bright and mischievous, playing pranks on their fellow younglings and the younger followers. Flame is exciting and Flame is forbidden.
Flame's mischievous light keeps Ray's darker thoughts at bay- the ones that say everyone would look better cowering under his claws like Juno had. Juno wasn't a toy, he was family. Ray is scared as he reminds himself of that. He doesn't want to hurt Flame, he is a friend.
No, you want to get him killed.
Ray pushes the thought aside. He will find a pair and never approach Flame in that way. Flame must be around to keep the shadows at a distance.
But then, Flame approaches him and Ray knows he's going to get burned but he doesn't bloody care. Flame's kisses are hot and passionate, leaving Ray gasping for more.
"I love you Ray," Flame whispers in his ear, "My beautiful, golden Ray." Ray purrs happily.
"I love you too," he nods, his voice cutting through the darkness. The shadows shrink at the sound of his convicted. Flame is his and Flame loves him. Ray will not fall into the shadows, he will never hurt his Flame.
Flame gets snuffed out too soon. They figured him out, figured out that he loved Ray and his body was tossed in the center of camp, a broken husk of what once was. Blood stains the ginger fur, dampening it's once vibrant color. The Flame is gone and the darkness takes back Ray with a choking grip.
The leader of they're small subdivision has a beautiful pair, Flower. She was never as bright and happy as Flame. She used to smile at Ray, and he had liked that. Ever since being paired, she rarely smiled anymore.
Ray finds her in the woods by herself. He knew she was waiting to meet with her pair, she loved him to some degree. She screams as he pounces on her, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Ray, what are you doing?" she hisses in fear.
"Greetings Flower," he chirps, "What a cold night we had here! The shadows are growing oddly long, and the Flame that kept me warm is gone. Should I listen to the shadows? Become as cold as them?"
"No Ray, you shouldn't," she begs, "Please!"
He grins widely and whispers, "You really should smile more dearie." He carves his own red smile into her throat. She gurgles and sputters while Ray watches like a entranced kit. Afterwards, he sits there for a long time, admiring how the crimson if his claws glistens under the moonlight, it's beautiful almost. How undeniably tragic.
Tragedy, what a funny thing. It can drive cats to do things they would have never done before, twist and bend in a way that made them look like the shadows. Seth finds his pair's body and lets out a broken sob that is music to Ray's ears. What a mournful opening to this tale! He leaps down from his hiding place in a nearby tree.
"Cheerio Seth!" Ray calls, and the gray tom looks at Ray with unbridged rage dancing in his eyes. Ray squeals with joy. "Oh, the reality of your emotions excites me," Ray exclaims and slinks away into the darkness. He enjoys breaking Seth, the one who took his Flame. The ultimate prank, Flame would be so proud.
He leaves the Claws after, knowing Seth will swear vengeance. Let him find me and end this story, what a great way to end this arc. He never expected to find anyone else, just wait out the days until his demise. But there, lying on the forest floor is a small tom, collapsed from exhaustion. Ray takes him to an old barn in a nearby field, there is plenty of mice to sustain them.
Eventually, Ray's charge awakens. "H-Hello?" he stutters, and Ray gently strokes his back.
"It's okay, you're safe now," he croons, "Ray's got you, ol' chap. Now, why was a squirt like you out in the woods by yourself?"
"I-I don't w-want to talk about it," the tom sighs, and looks at Ray indignantly, "And I'm not a squirt, I'm seven moons old!"
"Huh?" Ray chuckles and pokes the tom, "You're a small little thing, I can see your ribs!"
"I-I-It's not my fault!" the tom frowns, "I-I can't hunt very well, n-no one ever t-taught me how."
"R-really?" Ray smirks, "Well, I'll have to fix that."
"Don't m-mock me," the tom growls, his ginger and silver fur fluffing out.
"Oh, I was just poking a bit of fun," Ray pouts, "No harm meant."
"E-Everyone always means harm," the tom mutters, "I-I'm T-Trout."
"Well Trout," Ray grins madly, "How would you like to learn to catch mice?" Trout looked at him, almost in shock.
"W-Why would you t-teach me?" Trout gasps, "W-What?"
"Let me show you a little care," Ray pats him on the head, "By showing you how to care for yourself." Trout's ears twinged a slight pink and Ray twitched his whiskers. What a cute little sprout.
Trout iss an eager, if clumsy student. Over the next moon he learns how to catch mice and slowly filled out a little. He is still a tiny thing, but he looks less like a kit at least. He looks healthier too, some gloss coming into his fur and meat beginning to build on his bones. Ray hopes he would begin building muscle eventually.
Ray also learns a lot in that moon. Trout was hurt by the world, just like him. He decides maybe, just maybe he will make space in his closed off heart for the tom.
He would protect Trout from the world and make sure he would never be hurt again. Ray understood, he could be the one who was there for Trout. And so he was, he makes sure he was the only one there for Trout.
"Ray, Ray guess what?" an excited Trout runs in to the barn one day, bouncing up and down, "I ran into a rouge today, and he told me where Fallenclan is. We can go meet my father!"
Ray grits his teeth and bites back a sharp retort. A rouge was talking to his Trout? He walks over and gently caresses Trout's cheek with his paw.
"Trout," he explains softly, as if he's talking to a kit, "Remember that the world is cruel, the world wants to take you from me. I am the only one who will ever care about you. The others, they'll never appreciate you the same way."
"But Ray," Trout looks insistent, "This is my dad."
"Is that supposed to mean anything?" Ray snarls, "We both know how much your mother loved you. Face it Trout, I am your only friend, the only one who will ever be here for you."
"Ray-" Trout tries to protest but Ray cuts him off.
"Did the last two and half moons mean nothing to you Trout?" he snaps, "I picked you up from the dirt and showed you love when the world turned it's back on you- turned it's back on us."
"N-No R-Ray, that's not… I-I'm sorry," Trout whimpers. Ray pulls him close and softly strokes Trout's fur.
"Shhh, my sweet," he whispers in Trout's ear, "I will protect you."
But a few days later, Seth finds him and sets the barn ablaze. He yells outside for Ray to come out and face his sins. Flames lick and the walls and Trout is scared, Ray can tell. He will be reunited with his Flame, let the flames take him and Trout both.
Seth will not get the satisfaction of killing them, they will die together as the were always meant to. It will be a most tragic romance, the two lovers lost to the ashes. He grins wildly at Trout, ready to die.
Then, the unthinkable happens. Trout leaves him there, alone. Ray is shocked, he loved Trout and protected him. He tells Trout that he loves him, wants him to know-
It is the first and last time he says those world's to the tom. His Flame comes to reclaim him, and Ray embraces the glowing fire with open arms.
Haha, he may still be alive...