Well, I spent quite a while on this since I couldn't think of how to put certain things and how to space it out a bit. It's quite long so I'll just be writing the next chapter while you read this.
Chapter 2-
Why? The question repeated itself over and over in Coals ears, filling her with dread. Dusk knew the reason, and yet Coal didn't, and their Mum didn't want her to know either. Anger burned deep within Coal's belly, and not even the beautiful sunrise could calm her flying thoughts. What if Mum prefers Dusk to me? Coal sat rigid as this thought sprang into her mind, but she pushed it away. What was the use of creating an argument, when Coal wasn't even sure whether her facts were true or not? She arched her back and stretched her paws one after the other, then started to groom her fur. It wasn't long until Dusk came bounding towards her, her tail fluffed up and scraps of moss hung from her fur, but her eyes sparkled like dew on a sunny morning.
"I can't wait to start finding a new home! It will be so fun!" Dusk mewed happily. Coal shifted uncomfortably. Should she tell her sister that she wasn't looking forward to a new home? No! Dusk already thought that she was weak, and Coal was not going to let her and their Mum think she was weak even more! Coal wrapped her tail around herself, her single white paw standing out against her night black pelt.
"I can't wait either! Who knows what adventures we might have together." She purred, hoping that she did sound enthusiastic. At that moment, Catnip padded over, her tail waving in the air and a smile on her face.
"I'm glad you two are alright with going to a new home!" Her green gaze lingered on Coal, and she realized that there was a hint of worry deep within her eyes. Coal huffed angrily, I am not a helpless kit any more! I can look after myself!
"It would be best if we left now before... before it's too late." Catnip meowed, her eyes darkening. "But first, I'd like to see if either of you can hunt!" All of Coals anger evaporated and was soon replaced with excitement and determination as her mother's words sunk in. "Yes please!" Coal mewled, her feelings clear as her voice gave a little squeak. Dusk ran around in circles, yowling,"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Catnip purred with amusement before she crouched down low, her belly fur barely off of the ground. She placed each paw down so gently that Coal couldn't hear a thing! She stalked forward a few tail lengths before trotting back to Dusk and Coal. "That particular hunting crouch was for hunting mice. Mice can usually feel your paw-steps way before they can see or smell you."
"So that's why you were putting each paw down so lightly." Dusk mused.
"Exactly!" Catnip purred, pride flashing in her eyes. Coal scowled. It was pretty easy to see that! Why is Mum always talking to and praising Dusk? And never me!? Coal thought bitterly. Lowering herself to the ground, Coal tried to mimic Catnips crouch, slowly and carefully placing one paw after the other, being as quiet as she could.
After a few tail-lengths, Coal focused on a long blade of grass, swaying in the light breeze. It twirled and danced in the warm sun, a lovely bright green, with a small purple berry lying beside it. She slowly, slowly, crept towards the grass and the berry. Something began to thud in her ears, Coal shook her head, hoping to get rid of the noise, but it just got louder and louder. Thud Thud! Thud Thud! Thud Thud! Thud Thud! Then, a white light filled her vision and she felt her entire body twist and spin, making loud cracking noises. Pain filled Coal's soul and the thudding got louder and louder. She screwed up her eyes, hoping with all her might that the pain would go away. The light faded. The cracking stopped, and then pain evaporated. The thudding continued, only quieter and quicker.
Coal decided to carry on hunting on the grass, but when she looked, the blade had grown! It towered up high, seeming to scratch at the clouds that scudded the pale blue sky. Little seeds dangled from the top, preparing themselves to fall and grow into more grass. Beside the grass was the juiciest berry that she had ever seen. She had to get it! Food. Not just for me, but for my family too... Coal jumped. Food? What was her mind telling her? She looked behind her to check whether Dusk and Catnip were watching and had seen the sudden growth in their surroundings, but she couldn't see them at all! What she did see was her body, now a light brown that was tiny! A long thin tail with no fur protruded from the end, still and silent. Coal realized that her snout had grown too, with a small berry like nose at the end. Thin long whiskers twitched as Coal examined herself. 'You are a mouse.' A voice whispered into Coal's ear.
'Who are you? And, aren't I supposed to be hunting a mouse?' Coal yowled at the voice.
'Go get food for your family, remember, mice like berries!' And with that, Coal felt the presence of the strange voice disappear.
Coal decided it would be best to listen to the voice and scurried forward towards the large berry. She paused a moment. How am I am mouse? I'm a cat! Did it have something to do with the pain? She slowly crawled to the berry, hoping that she would get it for her family. Coal sensed something move to her right, she swivelled her head in that direction, and saw herself, a small black cat with a single white paw and forest green eyes. Watching this cat was two others, one smaller than the other, but both very similar. 'Mum! Dusk! It's me! Coal...' She squeaked, and rushed forward to them. As soon as she took her first few steps, two gigantic paws pushed into her chest, squishing Coal into the ground, squeezing all of the breath from her. She looked up to see the black cat glaring down at her, her teeth bared in a snarl, preparing to snap around her fragile neck, and end her life. 'NO! My family!'
she squealed. Then, Coal saw her cat self lunge forward and grasp her spine, and bite down hard. The pain was unbearable, worse from the one she had just experienced, and she gave out her last squeak, waiting as the black mist covered her eyes and her breathing became ragged, slowly stopping. Thud Thud. Thud Thud. Thud thud... thud thud...thud... Nothing.
Coal opened her eyes, gasping for air. She blinked, allowing her eyes to adjust to the brightness after such a suffocating darkness. Looking around, she noticed she was a cat again, with everything back to it's normal size. Something warm was trapped beneath her paws, furry and small. The mouse? Coal stared at the lifeless body. I killed it. I killed it! It had a family! It just wanted to feed them, why did I do it? A feeling of dread spread thought Coal's body as she carried on watching the mouse. She felt tears fill her eyes. What if Dusk or Catnip was murdered, and left me behind to starve? Coal shook her head. She hadn't even been in control when she had killed this mouse. Somebody else must have done it. She jumped as her Mum nudged her shoulder, purring loudly.
"Well done! You managed to catch it on your first attempt!" She meowed.
Coal looked up into her mother's eyes, her praise not even touching her sadness from the mouse. She glanced back at the dead body. "Mum?"
"Yes, Coal?"
"Ummm... can we leave now?" Coal wanted to run far away, further then where they would be going. She had to get away from the mouse!
"Sure! We can go once you two have eaten!"
"Yay!" Dusk bounded to the mouse, "I'm going to have first bite!" Coal felt sick as Dusk chewed thoughtfully.
"Hmmm... I prefer it! It's delicious, why don't you try some, Coal?" Dusk stepped back, giving Coal space to try some. Coal eyed it, the sickening feeling becoming worse and worse. 'You did it. You killed that mouse's family. Now, the same might happen again when you go out with your family.' She flicked her ear. The voice was back again, haunting her mind.
"Um, no thanks. I'll eat later if that's OK." She mumbled.
"Alright! Just as long as you don't start complaining when we've only started the journey." Catnip teased. Dusk carried on eating her meal, Mum soon joining in. Coal backed off, hoping neither of them would notice her.
Coal padded over to the stream and lapped at the cool, refreshing water, shaking her head slowly. How had she done it? One moment she was hunting a blade of grass, the next she was being hunted as a mouse! She just wanted to leave. She heard paws thumping against the ground and turned to see Dusk rushing to her.
"We're going now!" She yowled, "Mum said that if you're ready, we can go and make it half way there by the time the sun is beginning to set!" Coal stared at Dusk. She knew where they were going, when and how long it would take, and yet Coal only knew it that they would leave once the mouse was eaten. Her previous anger returned, bubbling deep beneath her fur, churning up and spreading through her once more. Catnip does prefer Dusk to me! "So, you know where we are going?" Coal asked casually. Dusk nodded vigorously.
"Could you tell me? Please?" Coal tried to hide her hurt at the truth she had just uncovered, hoping that Dusk would think that she was curious instead. Dusk seemed happy that Coal was asking, annoying her even more.
"Well, Mum said that we are going to go and live by a lake not far from here, where apparently some other cats already live who are really vicious, but she said we could stay out of their way and be fine!" Coal glared at the ground. Her Mum was telling Dusk everything and wasn't telling her a thing! She spun around and stormed off toward the Hawthorn, where her comfy nest lay alongside her mother's and Dusk's. She heard her sister calling after her, but she ignored shadows cast by the thorny branches made pretty patterns on the grass floor, relaxing. This was her home.
"Coal!" Coal ignored the voice calling to her.
"Coal!" She sat with her back turned to whoever was trying to get her attention.
"Coal! Turn around you mousebrain!" Coal jumped at the sudden insult, and whirled around to find out whether it was Dusk or Catnip coming to pester her again. But, she saw neither of them, what she did see was a star! She sprang onto her paws and rushed over to the glowing light, despite the pain in her eyes she carried on staring. Coal's mouth was wide open and she stopped right in front of the star. It sparkled calmly, it's light casting shadows that danced and twirled. Coal gazed at the star in awe, transfixed by it's beauty. Suddenly, there was a load bang and the light exploded, the force of it sending Coal flying backwards, turning everything to a suffocating darkness, blacker than her own pelt.
She heard voices, voices that she didn't recognise, they were howling, screeching, becoming louder and louder. Closer and closer. Coal opened her eyes, but only saw the same suffocating dark that the star had given, entering her and filling her until she could hardly breathe. The howls kept getting closer, so close that Coal heard something she shouldn't know about, but she still knew what it was. The sound of claws ripping through skin, blood pouring onto the ground, pooling. Teeth digging so deep they scraped the white bone. The drip of blood from both enemies, falling from their muzzles and wounds, splashing onto the grass, rolling off before reaching mud. Tails lashing in an uncontrollable anger, whipping back and forth. The images flashed in her mind, the screeching becoming clearer. She had heard it all before. But where? When!?
Something grabbed her by the scruff and yanked her backwards, lifting her off her paws so she felt like she were flying! It didn't last long, and she was suddenly dumped onto ground, ground that she could see. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable, the blades of grass short so it didn't tickle her small nose. Coal looked up, and almost leaped out of her skin as she saw the grey tom with golden yellow eyes from one of her previous dreams. The look on his face was one of which Coal knew meant trouble, his eyes smouldering with anger. He lowered himself until his nose was whiskers away from Coal's, and he could smell his breath; it wasn't bad, it smelled of open air and stone mixed with cold, but Coal hated everyone's breath. She flinched away from him, but the tom only came closer, a low growl escaping his mouth. "I thought... I told you... not to go back to that place!" Coal stared up at him. Fear was churning up inside of her, making her heart thud quicker. Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud.
"Well?" The tom hadn't stopped glaring at the kitten, and Coal couldn't stand it anymore.
"I'm sorry!" She burst out, "I don't know why I go there! I just fell asleep and something happened! I didn't even know it was a dream. It still is a dream, right? It was as if I were awake, but..." Coal struggled to find the right word, "trapped." The tom straightened up, considering Coal for what felt like days, until he finally spoke. "What is your name, kitten?" Coal stared up at the tom. She didn't trust him, he had tried to hurt her! "What is your name?" Was all that she could come up with. Understanding glinted in the tom's eyes, "You do not trust me?"
When Coal kept quiet, he continued, "I am sorry that I scared you, but I swear on Starclan, that I wasn't going to hurt you."
"Wasn't Dapplefur Starclan, or something like that?" Coal mewed
"No, but she is part of Starclan, one of the many cats who hunt in the grounds of Starclan and give advice to the other Clans."
"Other Clans?" Coal echoed.
"Um, never mind," The tom meowed quickly, "that doesn't matter right now. What does matter is that you wake up now, and never go to that dark forest again!" His meow was so urgent that Coal nodded her head straight away. She suddenly felt very tired, and felt herself fall to the ground. Her vision was cut off by her drooping eyelids as she fell asleep once again. Something whispered in her ear, "My name doesn't matter, but yours? Yours does." There was a moments silence, before the tom continued. "What is your name?" Coal's mind wasn't working, and she heard herself murmuring, "Coal..."
"Well Coal," Grey Wing whispered, "take care." And Coal allowed the calming darkness to overcome her.