Sorry it took so long for me to update...this is the next exciting chapter of Stand By Me. Enjoy!
Chapter 6
The moon was high, the Twolegs were asleep. It was time.
"Smokekit, wake up." Samson whispered into her ear. The small kits yawned and opened her eyes.
"Is it time?" she asked sleepily. Samson nodded. Suddenly the excitement tingled her toes, she got up and followed him to the window.
"We can get out that, there is a see-through barrier blocking the way." Smokekit's hopes began to fall.
"The Twolegs leave it open at night." He mewed. Smokekit perked her ears. "Follow me." The large cat jumped next to the window, Smokekit did the same.
"Yay! I'm free!" she squealed. She was just about to charge through until Samson put his paw on her tail.
"Can't you see that there is a screen blocking the way?" he meowed.
Smokekit stuck her claw into the screen, suddenly her claw got caught in the tiny holes. "Help!" she mewed helplessly. "Get me out of this claw-tangler!"
Samson sighed and used his nose to unhook Smokekit's claws. "Thanks." The young kit meowed. "So, if this is blocking the way, how are we going to get out?"
"Just watch." Samson unsheathed his claws and lifted himself on his hind legs and hooked his claws onto the screen. Then he used his strength to break the screen. Two large holes appeared, Smokekit could fit out!
"Thank you Samson!" she pressed her head against his chest.
"You better go before my owner- I mean twolegs, wake up." Sansom nudged her out the hole. "Oh, yeah…carefully about the dog, he's asleep just try not to make a sound." He warned.
"Thank you Samson." She jumped down from the window onto the ground. "Good-bye!" And with that, she dashed away.
"Good luck." He whispered.
Fortunately, Smokekit made it out the yard without waking the dog. She went off in search for her siblings. She could smell a faint scent but she didn't know where to go. Suddenly she heard some rustling in the bushes.
"Dustkit? Fernkit? Is that you?" she gulped.
"Smokekit?" a familiar voice mewed. Suddenly a small pale brown kit jumped out. "It's me Dustkit."
Smokekit sighed with relief. "It's you!" she ran up to him and nudged him.
Dustkit backed away. "I thought you were mad at me?"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped and I shouldn't have been selfish and careless." She apologized.
"I'm sorry to have gotten you so mad." Duskit mewed. The two kits finally forgave each other.
"Where's Fernkit?" Smokekit asked, looking around to she if she could see her sister.
"I don't know. I lost track of her when I went hunting, I'm looking for her right now." Dustkit replied.
Smokekit and Dustkit went off to go look for their sister. As dawn came, they could see better. Smokekit spotted a few large rocks, and a river right beside it. Then she heard something familiar.
"I'm sinking!" the voice mewed. Smokekit knew exactly who that was.
Fernkit.
Without another moment to lose, she charged towards the river. Dustkit followed behind her. The two kits came to the edge of the river. Dustkit frantically searched for Fernkit. Smokekit saw Fernkit's small body clinging onto a small rock.
"Help!" she squealed again.
Dustkit crouched down and was ready to pounce. Smokekit came charging over to him, knocking him down.
"Don't go! What if you sink? We don't know how to swim." Smokekit scowled.
Dustkit got up and looked into his sister's green eyes. The dark gray kit stood her ground, finally Dustkit turned away. He stared at his helpless sister for a moment and sighed.
"What do we do?" he muttered.
"Look for something long." Smokekit suggested. Without another word the tow kits darted around searching to a long object. Dustkit came upon a long stick. Smokekit came rushing over to help her brother. Dustkit grabbed one end with his jaw and Smokekit grabbed the other. The two kits carried the long stick towards the river.
"Pull me back up once I get Fernkit!" Dustkit ordered.
"Wha-? Wait! Don't jump in." Smokekit yelled. But Duskit was already in the water swimming towards Fernkit. Smokekit pushed the half of the stick into the water. Dustkit moved along the stick to he would be pulled down stream. He finally got to Fernkit.
"Grab onto the stick." He mewed. Fernkit weakly leaned her head. She bite the stick and held on, Dustkit did the same. Now it was up to Smokekit to pull them up. She grabbed her end of the stick and began to pull them back to the shore. Smokekit used all her strength and pulled and pulled. Her grip got looser and she accidentally let go of the stick. Dustkit and Fernkit slipped into the water.
"Oh no!" Smokekit yelled. She ran down to the very edge of the river and looked into the water. She saw no sign of her siblings anywhere. Smokekit gulped and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and held it, without any hesitation she dove in.
She swam around aimless for a moment, struggling to get to the surface. Her nose reached the top of the water and she could breathe again. She managed to keep her head out of the water. She blinked a few times and gasped for air.
"Smokekit!" she heard Dustkit yell. Smokekit looked over and saw her brother clinging onto a small lump of grass hanging over the side of the river. He had Fernkit's scruff in his mouth, trying to keep her head out of the water. Smokekit let the river take her to them.
"Hold Fernkit, let me climb up." Dustkit handed Fernkit over to Smokekit and pulled himself up and onto hard ground. Smokekit raised her head and held up Fernkit. Dustkit stretched his head and leaned over to grab his sister's scruff. After, Smokekit made her way up. All the kits were on hard ground again.
"What happened, Fernkit?" Dustkit asked. He shook the water from his tired little body and sat down beside Fernkit.
The young it opened her eyes. "I was hunting near here and I was running fast…I could stop and I fell in." she meowed. After a few moments she coughed out water. "It's hard for me to breathe." She tried to meow but only a whisper came out. "Thank you."
"Rest." Smokekit mewed as she settled down next to her sister. The three kits stayed away from the river's edge in the tall grass. Dustkit was cleaning his pale brown fur and Smokekit keeping an eye out for danger.
Fernkit coughed out some more water, but there was more than just that. Smokekit and Dustkit both turned their head towards their sister. A trickle of blood ran out her mouth, then she cough some more but this time she coughed out a mixture of blood and water.
"What's wrong?" Smokekit asked. She stared at her sister wide eyed. Dustkit began to pace back and forth nervously, unsure of what to do.
"I'm sick." Fernkit mumbled. "I just need some sleep. I'll just take a little nap, then we can…go…search…for our…clan." Her voice began to fade, she closed her eyes and curled into a small ball.
"Fernkit?" Dustkit mewed. He walked over and lay right next to his sister. He was tired too, so he decided to take a nap. Smokekit joined in and sat on the other side of Fernkit. Smokekit could hear her sister wheezing and choking on blood, every now and then she'd cough. She was doing well but at least they'd be safe in the tall grass. The three kits remained hidden, they were safe…for now.
Poor Fernkit. Find out their fate in the next chapter! Thank you for reading!