Part Three: A Queen is Born
Silk sighed quietly, wrapping her tail around the tiny kits at her belly. She was exhausted. Tiredness seemed to drag at her very bones, tugging at her eyelids, begging her to sleep. Her kitting had be long and hard and lonely.
When she had felt her time was near, she had slunk off to a small bramble bush a little ways away from her normal sleeping spot under the ferns. The bush was more secluded and protected than her nest. Last evening, as the sun set, she had felt her instincts hissing at her to go to the most remote, protected area she could manage, and they had only quieted their screaming when she had clawed her way under the bush, the thorns tugging at her white fur until the bush opened up into a small hollow around the base of it. There she laid restlessly during the night as her contractions grew stronger, hissing at King when he got too close with his pacing around the bush. She had tried to claw him once too, when he tried to force his massive form under the bush to check on her after she had cried out in pain from the contractions.
Silk shivered. Her pelt had crawled at the thought of King being so close to her when she was so vulnerable, so she had sent him away with a flurry of slashes. Lucky for Silk, King seemed to have not taken it too personally since he had left her a mouse later in the night, placed carefully outside of the bush. He also seemed to have gotten the message, and he hadn't tried to force his way in again.
Silk had finally given birth after dawn in the early morning, to three kits, all toms.
The three Brothers, all born again, Silk thought, a bit ironically as she looked down at her sons.
She closed her eyes, sighing again.
I wish Whiskey could have been here, she thought.
Unlike King, she would have let him join her inside the bramble bush.
Silk's eyes flickered open again as she felt her kits stir at her belly, mewing softly as they wiggled around, nestling more closely into her fur. The largest kit was predominately white, but he had a black tail, black ears, and black markings around his face. Silk studied his dark, striking mask. There was no question who he resembled.
'Dark,' she thought. Named for his markings and for being King's son. I wonder if they will share that darkness.
Silk's gaze flickered to her other two kits. One was mostly white with just a faint dusting of a few small light brown tabby patches.
'Dusty' would be a good name for him, Silk thought, looking at the kit. He looks like me, if I had tumbled a bit in the dirt.
Silk looked at her last kit; he was mostly light tabby brown, with white just on belly, chest and muzzle.
And, he will be 'Bronze,' she thought, looking at his rich fur color.
Silk bent her head and breathed in the scent of those two kits, almost imagining that she could smell Whiskey's scent in their fresh, new ones.
Whiskey's sons.
Silk felt a rush emotion and a sudden lump appeared in her thought. She longed for Whiskey. She wished she was here. She wished she could take her kits and steal away to him. She'd take all of them, even King's son. Whiskey had promised her "either way."
"Silk?" King's deep voice meowed from outside of the bush, causing Silk to jolt. "Can I come in? I want to see them."
Silk hesitated, curling her long white tail protectively around her kits. She felt a rush of cold fear.
What if he knows? What if he kills them?
Silk gazed down at her sons.
He knows nothing about Whiskey. He'll think they're all his.
Silk took a deep, trembling breath.
Besides, I wouldn't be able to hide them. He either accepts them all as his own right now. Or, we are all dead.
"Yes," Silk said, her voice miraculously coming out evenly.
The whole bush shook as King forced himself under it, cursing as the thorns dug into his black and white furred shoulders. But, he managed to make it to the more open hollow where Silk lay, and he huddled over her, shoulders hunched and blue eyes glowing softly in the dimness of the den.
"All males," he commented, looking down at Silk's sons.
Silk nodded.
"Just like you and your brothers," Silk said, studying his face carefully for any hint of suspicion there.
King looked pleased at Silk's words, and she felt a pinprick of relief.
"I had expected we'd get an all white one," King commented, looking at the kits. "Considering that I've got a lot of white fur, and you are as white as fresh-fallen snow."
Silk's stomached flipped, but King looked curious rather than suspicious.
"My brother was a tabby," Silk said with a shrug, hoping that King couldn't hear her racing heart.
King nodded, and Silk decided to press on before he had any more time to dwell on the kits' fur color.
"I've named them," Silk continued, gesturing to each kit in turn. "Dark, Dusty, and Bronze."
"'Dusty?'" King echoed, screwing up his nose at the name. "That's not very regal. I don't get to name any?"
Silk hesitated. The thought of King naming any of Whiskey's sons made her want to heave in disgust. But, she had to have King believe that they were his sons, and as a father, he had a right to pick their names.
King glanced at Silk as the silence stretched on, and he finally shrugged.
"Whatever," he meowed. "Names aren't important. It's what the cat does that is."
He bent his head and nuzzled Silk. Silk held herself still, even though her instincts were to shy away.
"You did well, Silk," he said quietly. "They look strong and healthy. They will be fine princes."
"Thank you," Silk muttered, not looking in his eyes.
"I'll bring you some prey," King said, then he turned and shoved his way back out of the bush.
Silk bent her head down, resting her face by her kits and finally gave into the black embrace of sleep.
"Mom, watch me!" Bronze meowed, tearing as fast as he could across the clearing on his wobbly little kitten-legs.
Silk's sons were just a little under a moon old, and already they were turning into boisterous little things. Silk watched Bronze run proudly, purring encouragingly at him. Her sons were strong kits, and she could see Whiskey in them. Even though she had been unable to leave to visit him for about a moon now because she had to be here to care for her kits, their sons made her feel like he was right here with her every day. She saw Whiskey in Bronze's brash and goofy nature, and in Dusty's warm sensitivity and leaf-green eyes.
Dark sprung at Bronze as he rushed past, sending the two kittens tumbling.
"Did you see me Mom?" Dark bragged, icy-blue eyes gleaming from his dark face as he raised his head to look at her from where he stood over Bronze.
"Don't play too roughly, Dark," Silk scolded, her brow furrowing.
"Nonsense," King scoffed, striding into the clearing with a squirrel in his mouth. "They need to play rough to grow strong."
"Dad!" the three kits chorused, rushing over to King.
King blinked down at them, dropping the squirrel in front of them. Silk blinked in surprise when its body twitched. It was still alive. Dusty bent his head to sniff the squirrel curiously.
"What is that?" Silk asked.
King snorted.
"Are you blind, my dear?" he meowed, sarcasm dripping from his tones. "It's prey."
"I know that," Silk said, rolling her eyes. "But, they're too young to eat it. They are still drinking milk."
"That doesn't mean that they're too young to learn to kill it," King pointed out, and he bent his head down and nudged Dark, sending him stumbling towards the squirrel that was bigger than him. "Go on, Dark. Kill it."
Dark shot a glance up at Silk for a moment, before turning to look back at King.
"How?" Dark asked in his high-pitched kit voice.
"Use your claws to scratch at its throat," King said.
He nodded at Bronze and Dusty.
"Help your brother," he ordered.
Silk held her tongue as her three sons cautiously approached the squirrel. The first hit, by Dark, was hesitant, his paw barely brushing the squirrel's fur. The squirrel gave another twitch at the movement, and, spurned on by their instincts, suddenly all three of the kits were on the animal, slashing and biting.
The squirrel started to twitch more violently as the kits clawed at it, but then it fell still, finally giving one more trembling breath and dying.
Silk was quiet as her kits still curiously prodded at the now dead squirrel. Dusty bent his head and took a small, experimental bite from it.
"Dusty, you're too young to eat that. You'll make yourself sick," Silk scolded.
"But, it smells good Mom!" Dusty protested, blinking his big green eyes up at her.
"No," Silk said firmly. "None of you will eat the squirrel. It will make you sick."
Silk's eyes flickered up from her kits to King. King looked stonily down at Silk, looking like he might protest. Silk put on her sweetest voice.
"I'm sure your father or your uncles would be delighted to eat the squirrel you killed from them though," Silk said, blinking innocently up at King.
"Oh? Will you Dad?" Bronze asked, turning to King.
Her kits turned to look up at King, their chests puffed up in pride at their first kill. King glanced down at them, and Silk saw the thoughts flickering in his eyes. Silk could tell that a part of him wanted to tell the kits to eat it, if only because Silk said they shouldn't, but also he didn't want to disappoint the kits by not eating it himself.
Silk twitched her whiskers.
What strange games I've learned to play, using my own kits as pawns.
Silk looked down at her kits. Of course, she knew that one day they would have to learn to hunt. But, King having them kill the squirrel while they were still so young… it seemed almost needlessly cruel.
"Of course," King said in a smooth voice.
The kits squealed in excitement, running around King's ankles. King bent his head and devoured the squirrel in just a few bites. The squirrel already forgotten for the kits, they began tumbling around together, a tussle of brown, white and black. Dusty, the smallest of the three kits, was thrown out of the fray rather quickly. He stumbled back to his paws, tottering forward on his little kit-legs to attack his brothers again, when he paused to cough, his small body shaking with the force of it.
Silk rose to her paws, all of her attention snapping to her son.
"Dusty, are you okay?" she meowed.
"Yeah," Dusty said as the coughing subsided.
He swiped his tongue around his lips, and Silk spotted a flash of crimson blood on his lips.
"Is that blood?" Silk said, her brow furrowing in concern as she walked over to Dusty.
"Relax," King drawled, lying his tail across Silk's back. "It's just some blood from the squirrel. I bet he breathed in a bit of its fur, and that's what making him cough."
Silk shrugged off King's tail, but she didn't protest with his explanation. She settled back down, sitting on the ground as she watched her sons closely.
Silk was awoken in the middle of the night by the sound of coughing. Her orange eyes snapped open, and she looked down at the kits at her belly. Dusty was doubled over, his shoulders shaking with coughs. Silk saw him hack up something from his mouth, and her fur prickled in fear as it gleamed crimson in the moonlight.
"Shh, shh," Silk said, doing her best to sound soothing, although her heart was pounding in concern.
She rasped her tongue over Dusty's small back as his coughing faded away, and he drifted back to sleep nestled against his brothers, exhausted. Bronze stirred slightly.
"What was that?" Bronze meowed, yawning.
"Your brother was just coughing a bit. Go back to sleep," Silk murmured, forcing the words to sound calm.
Bronze drifted back off at his mother's words. Although Silk remained awake, her heart hammering with fear as she stared tensely out into the night.
"We need to do something," Silk hissed.
Every part of her felt frazzled. Her fur stood on end. Exhaustion dragged at her eyelids from the past several sleepless nights. She grit her teeth in anxiety and frustration as she glared at King. They were cramped under a small juniper bush together, deep in conference, away from the curious ears of other cats.
King shook his head, his blue eyes stormy.
"What can we do?" he muttered through gritted teeth.
"Dusty is so weak he can barely leave the nest," Silk spat, the fur down her back bristling in rage. "Two days ago, Bronze started to cough up blood too. And, don't think I haven't noticed Lancer coughing into his shoulder either!"
"I know!" King growled.
He shook his head.
"There are some cats in our gang that know about plants that can help with sickness, but none of them have heard of this Bleeding Cough," King said. "I've already asked them."
Silk lashed her tail.
"Then we need to look harder!" Silk spat. "Ask more cats!"
"Where? Who?" King demanded, whirling to look at Silk.
"I don't know!" Silk cried dejectedly, sinking her claws into the ground in frustration. "Maybe we have to take Dusty and Bronze to some two-legs. House-folk know things that can help cats—"
"YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY SONS TO TWO-LEGS!" King thundered, looming over Silk, blue eyes sparking threateningly.
They aren't your sons!
Silk bit back the words.
"Fine," she hissed. "Then you must find a cat that can help us."
"I'm try—"
King was interrupted by a cough that shook his wide shoulders. He bent his head, and Silk saw a few droplets of blood fly from his mouth and onto the dirt below.
"Rat-dung," Silk whispered the curse, and she took a step back from King to avoid the blood.
King's coughing subsided, and he glanced back up at Silk.
"We will find a cure," he growled, then brushed past her, out of the bush, and padded away.
Silk padded through the cold, stone streets. Her fur prickled as she looked at the brick walls rising around her and the long shadows that they cast in the night. It was the first time that she's set a paw outside of the Park in moons. She had forgotten how miserable it was out here.
But, I have to keep going. For Bronze and Dusty.
No cure had been found for their sickness yet. Now, it had King in its claws too, along with Lancer. King was putting on a strong face, but Silk could see it tearing him up from the inside. And even little Dark didn't know what to do with himself. With his brothers and father sick, the kit had become lonely, sad and confused. Silk hardly had time for him, with all of her attention focused on her sick kits.
With King growing too weak to travel, Silk left her kits in the Park in the care of a few queens that she trusted, and she went out to search for the cure herself.
Well not by myself, Silk thought, shooting an annoyed glance over her shoulder.
Dragon was following her like a hulking, black shadow. Silk thought that maybe King sent him with her to watch her, to make sure she didn't run off. Even after all these moons, Silk knew that he didn't trust her completely. But, maybe Dragon really was her for her protection, like he said. Or, maybe it was something else entirely. Maybe King wanted Dragon away from him, so he didn't fall sick like King and Lancer.
Silk shook her head. Whatever it was, despite her annoyance at being shadowed, she had to admit that she was a little grateful to have the huge cat here to help her against whatever threats that they came across.
They were heading towards the very edge of the city, out of even the Brother's expansive territory. They were going to where the city ended, and apparently, there was nothing but harsh, unlivable wilderness beyond, filled with beasts. There were creatures that were said to be like a mix between a dog and a cat, but had bright red fur and loved to feast on kits. There were even said to be larger creatures that were black and white, which could eat grown cats.
Silk clenched her jaw at the thought.
But, by asking around, Silk had a lead that this Bleeding Cough had been heard of before, by some cats that lived in that area. So, that's where her paws were set to lead her next… whatever monsters she may find there.
Silk and Dragon padded on. She was using the sun to judge their general direction since now that they've left the Brother's territory, they were in entirely unfamiliar territory. It was risky to travel during the day with so many two-legs around, but they had no other option for navigation. And, now that night had fallen, they would have to find shelter soon, or risk wandering in the wrong direction.
"Silk," Dragon's deep voice rang out, snapping her out of her thoughts.
She glanced back at the big cat, her bright orange eyes meeting his blue ones.
"I smell dog. It's close," he growled.
Silk lifted her nose into the air, sniffing cautiously. The strong, familiar scent of dog met her nose. Silk could feel Dragon's eyes on her. She was the Dog-Speaker after all, and so he deferred to her to see what she would do.
"Let's find it, but stay alert in case it's aggressive," Silk said.
Dragon nodded, and the two continued forward with more caution. It wasn't hard to follow the strong scent. After a bit of walking, the cats rounded a corner and Silk's gaze flickered to movement in the shadows at the edge of the street. A tan dog with long, floppy ears and a skinny tail was sniffing around the ground, searching for food. Silk quickly evaluated the animal, her gaze scanning over him. He wasn't a very large dog, although he was bigger than Velvet was. And, although he was thin, he wasn't starving. This was a good sign. That meant that he wasn't desperate, and would likely not attack.
"Hello," Silk said, padding a little closer to the dog, the words grating in her throat.
Silk licked her lips. Her dog-tongue was rusty since it has gone moons without use. At the sound of her voice, the dog's head snapped up in surprise, his long ears raising slightly as his gaze flickered to Silk.
"Was that you?" the dog asked, his dark eyes flicking nervously from Silk to the big, scarred Dragon behind her.
Silk was relieved that she could understand him well, his dog accent was light; just a faint growl that underlaid his words.
"Yes," Silk said, her voice sounding bark-like. "I speak dog."
"I haven't met a cat that could speak dog before," the dog said, taking a nervous step back, his tail lowering.
"We mean you no harm," Silk said quickly, lowering her tail in a gesture she knew dogs found unthreatening. "I just need some directions. We are heading to the edge of the city."
The dog stopped backing away.
"Edge?" the dog asked, his eyes blinking in confusion.
"Where there are no more streets. Where there is forest and trees and plants as far as the eye can see," Silk explained, her voice friendly and soothing so that the dog would feel at ease.
"Oh," the dog said, giving his head a shake. "You mean the Beyond. You are close."
The dog raised his long muzzle, pointing his nose to the left.
"Follow those streets in a straight line. You will start to smell air that is sweet before you see it," he said.
"Thank you," Silk said, her pelt pricking excitedly.
The dog gave a nod, looking pleased that he had been able to help her, the strange cat that spoke dog.
Silk turned to go, but then hesitated a moment.
"Wait," she said, looking back at the dog.
He glanced at her, lifting an ear expectantly.
"The reason that I've come here… have you ever heard of a sickness that makes you cough up blood?" Silk said hesitantly.
The dog took a jerky step back, his eyes widening in fear.
"By Lupus," he whispered.
Silk didn't recognize the words, but the way he said them made her think they were a curse.
"What?" Silk said, her voice losing the friendly edge and becoming demanding as she felt icy tendrils of fear creep through her as well.
"Yes, I've heard of that sickness," the dog said, his voice a growl. "Although I have not seen it for seasons. The last time I've caught scent of it was when I was a pup."
"Do you know how to cure it?" Silk asked, trying to keep the desperation she felt out of her voice. "I've heard of a plant…"
The dog nodded.
"It's a flower," he agreed. "But, you need its roots."
"Do you know where to find it?" Silk asked.
The dog shook his head.
"I cannot help you with that," the dog barked. "As I said, I've not seen this sickness, or those flowers, since I was a pup."
"I understand," Silk said quietly.
The dog glanced at her, hesitating.
"The flowers were blue with yellow centers, and they grew by water," the dog added, seemingly taking pity on her. "And, the roots taste foul. Those are the plants you need."
"Thank you," Silk said.
"If I may give one more piece of advice," the dog continued, his voice dropping low with a growl. "Don't bother with the flowers. Run. Before it's too late. Get as far away from that sickness as you can, before your insides are clawing you up too."
Without another word, the dog turned and dashed away.
"What did he say?" Dragon rumbled, interrupting Silk's thoughts.
She gave her head a shake, shoving the fear that swirled in her at his words deep, down inside of her, where she could no longer feel it.
"He told me where to find the plant," Silk said, her voice even.
Silk and Dragon followed the dog's instructions. As they rounded the final corner, Silk was surprised to see the houses falling away and being replaced by trees as she gazed down the street. The houses became less and less frequent in the distance, instead more and more trees towered up around them, until, the very road itself was swallowed by the woods and by darkness. Silk's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at the endless expanse of it.
In the deep recesses of her mind, Silk felt a memory surface. It was her and Delilah, on a roof one starry night, much like this one, looking out at the Park in the distance.
"Is it a forest?" memory Silk asked, about the Park.
"Not even close," Delilah had replied.
A real forest, Silk thought, her eyes wide in awe.
"I thought the city went on forever," Dragon's gruff voice snapped Silk out of her thoughts.
She glanced over at him. She was surprised to see that the big tom looked unsettled, his fur bristling slightly as he gazed out at the trees.
"You mean you thought we would never actually make it here?" Silk asked, her brow furrowing. "And your brothers, and my sons, your nephews, would die?"
Dragon winced like her words had struck physical blows.
"I do not want them to die," Dragon rumbled, a hint of anger in his voice in response to the accusation in hers. "But, the edge of the city sounded like a kit's dream to me."
Silk shrugged.
"Well everything must end, right?" she asked. "Even that forest."
Silk flicked her tail to indicate the sea of green in front of them.
"Must eventually stop."
Dragon clenched his jaw, looking out at the trees.
"Come on," Silk said to him, pulling his gaze away from the forest.
The scent of freshwater nipped in her nose, and she could just faintly hear the sounds of a trickling stream.
"Let's find this plant."
It took them two full sunrises of searching the edge of the stream, but Silk and Dragon finally did it. They found the blue flowering plant that matched the dog's description. The two of them dug up the roots, then stuffed their mouths with as much as they could carry, and headed back to the Park.
It took them another full day of travel to make it back. Silk was exhausted by the frantic pace of their travel as she limped across the street into the trees of the Park. But, Silk didn't shaken her pace as she walked to their nesting sight. She head straight for her kits. As she walked, it took her a moment to notice Dragon was no longer behind her.
Went to his brothers, no doubt.
Silk brushed around a patch of bracken, her gaze finding her den. There was a light grey she-cat in there with her kits. Silk let out a sharp breath of relief to see that all of her kits' flanks still rose and fell in breath.
"Silk," The grey she-cat said, her eyes blinking in relief to see her.
"Hello Flower," Silk meowed after she dropped the roots from her mouth and on the ground. "How are they?"
"Dusty and Bronze are weak," Flower murmured in a quiet voice. "But, Dark still seems healthy. Did you find a cure?"
"Yes," Silk said, pawing at the roots.
"That's all of it?" Flower asked, her eyes stretching wide as she looked at the small pile. "In the days you've been gone, more and more cats have started to fall ill…"
"My kits will have the roots first," Silk snapped, her fur bristling.
Flower cowered, her ears flattening back.
"Well, of course they will Silk," she stammered.
Silk felt a stab of guilt as she thought of some other she-cat's poor kits being wracked by this sickness.
"There are more plants," Silk meowed. "We can send more cats to get more roots for everyone."
Flower nodded.
"Good idea, Silk," she meowed.
"Thank you of watching my kits, Flower," Silk said. "You may go now."
"Thank you," Flower murmured, rising to her paws and slipping off.
Dark stirred as Flower jostled him while rising.
"Mom!" he meowed, his blue eyes flying open wide as he saw Silk.
"Hello Dark, how are your brothers?" Silk asked, barely shoot him a glance before bending her head down to breath in her son's scents.
They still had that sweet kit-scent, but it was overlaid with a blanket of sour sickness.
"They sleep all of the time. They don't want to play with me," Dark complained.
"They're sick," Silk scolded, her brow furrowing as she glanced at Dark. "But, don't worry. I brought them the cure. They will be able to play again soon."
"Really?" Dark asked, his tail sticking straight up in excitement. "Tomorrow?"
Silk let out a quiet purr.
"Maybe not tomorrow, but soon," she said, her voice softening.
Dark took Silk's softening demeanor as an invitation to pad over to her, burying his face in her white fur.
"I'm glad you're back Mom. I missed you," Dark said.
Silk rasped her tongue over his head briefly.
"I missed you and your brothers too," Silk meowed. "Now let's wake them up. They need to eat this."
Silk managed to rouse Bronze with two nudges to his flank. His orange eyes flicked open weakly.
"Mom?" he rasped.
"Eat this," Silk said, shoving a piece of root at his muzzle with her paw.
Bronze crunched it obediently, but then screwed his nose up after one bite.
"Yuck! What is that? It tastes gross!" Bronze protested.
"You need to eat it," Silk said firmly. "It will make you better."
Bronze looked like he might refuse, but Silk's burning gaze warned him against it, and he ate the rest without complaining.
"Water," Bronze rasped.
"Dark, go find someone to get your brothers some moss soaked in water. Tell them Silk told them to do it," Silk said.
"Alright!" Dark said, seemingly happy to be given a task, and he dashed off.
"Dusty," Silk said, nudging her other kit.
Dusty didn't stir.
"Dusty wake up," Silk said more loudly, giving his little body a firmer nudge.
Dusty's eyes drifted open, but reminded half-lidded, his green eyes glazed.
"Eat this," Silk said, pushing the root in from of his muzzle. "It will make you feel better."
Dusty slowly choked down the root, only letting out a little mew of protest at the taste. He coughed weakly, small droplets of blood flying from his mouth, some collecting in his jowls.
"Dark is bringing you some water too," Silk said to him.
But, Dusty's eyes were already drifting shut again as he slipped back into sleep. Silk's stomach flipped anxiously as she gazed at him. Dark returned with a brown tabby who was carrying moss soaked in water. Bronze drank deeply, but after Silk woke Dusty again, he barely had the strength for a few licks. Both Bronze and Dusty fell into a deep sleep, and Silk felt her own exhaustion dragging at her. She glanced over at the meager supply of root that remained. She split the pile in half.
Half for another dose for Dusty and Bronze tomorrow, she thought.
Then the other half…
She could give it to King and Lancer, although she was sure that was where Dragon took his roots to. So, she could give it to some of the other cats that were sick. Or she could…
"Dark," Silk said. "You should eat this."
She pushed at root towards him.
Dark wrinkled his nose up.
"But, I'm not sick! And, Bronze said it tasted gross," Dark meowed.
"It will keep you from getting sick, just in case," Silk said. "Here, I will eat one too. We can do it at the same time, okay?"
"Okay…" Dark meowed slowly.
Silk lapped up her root, and Dark obediently did the same. As Silk crunched down, a strong bitter taste flooded her mouth, and she felt an urge to spit the root out. But, instead she forced herself to swallow, and was relieved when Dark did the same. Silk curled herself around Dusty and Bronze.
"I'm going to sleep now," Silk murmured, lying her head down on her paws. "Don't go far, Dark."
Silk didn't hear what he replied before she drifted off.
Silk awoke the next morning to the feeling of an oddly cold touch to her belly. Her eyes flickered open and she glanced down. Her three kits were curled at her side. Dark and Bronze's flanks rose and fell in a steady rhythm, but Dusty seemed strangely still…
"Dusty!" Silk screeched.
Dark and Bronze startled at her scream, but Silk ignored them. She was too busy frantically licking Dusty's sides, her heart hammering so hard that she was sure it was going to burst right out of her chest. But, her licks had no effect. The little white and tabby kit was cold and stiff, long gone from this world. The little crimson drops on his lips were the last signs of life in him.
There was no point in trying. Silk finally managed to slowly pull herself back from Dusty, a hollow ringing in her chest.
He's gone. He's gone.
"Mom?" Dark mewed in a quiet voice.
"Silk," A deeper voice echoed.
Silk's head jerked up at the sound of the voice.
It was King. Silk's gaze barely flitted over him. He looked weak, a bit wobbly on his legs, but it seemed like he still managed to make it over to Silk rather quickly at the sound of her cry.
"He's dead," Silk meowed, her voice empty. "Dusty is dead."
Silk hung her head, her eyes shutting as grief shuddered through her.
"He was sick," King said.
The aching sadness inside of Silk was replaced with fiery rage as the fur down her back rose.
"I found the cure!" Silk snarled, launching herself out of her nest and lunging at King.
King didn't flinch. Silk stopped just short of him. The two stood nose to nose for a moment, whiskers almost brushing.
"I found the cure," Silk repeated in a growl. "He wasn't supposed to die."
"He was already too weak," King said. "The bitter-root couldn't heal him."
"How can you say that!" Silk spat, digging her claws into the ground. "You didn't care about him at all!"
"I did," King growled, narrowing his eyes at her. "But, he wasn't strong enough. There is no room for weakness here. Now you will be able to focus your energy on Bronze and Dark, and there is a better chance that they will survive."
"You fool!" Silk spat, all of her fur bushing out. "If there is no room for weakness, why did you and Lancer even bother taking the cure?! Maybe you two are weak. But, I didn't get sick. Maybe I am the one who is meant to survive. NOT YOU!"
King snarled, looming over Silk. Silk felt a flash of cold fear in her stomach, but she did not flinch back.
"I will forgive you for those words because I know right now you are mad with grief," King growled, his voice low and dangerous. "But, if you ever speak to me that way again, I will claw your tongue out myself. Understood?"
Silk glared mutinously at King, wishing she was able to burn through his skull with the heat of her gaze.
"Yes, King," Silk growled.
"Good," King growled. "Now your kits need you. I will see to Dusty's body."
King turned, padding over to Silk's nest, where he bent his head down and picked Dusty up. The kit seemed so tiny in King's jaws.
Silk gazed at Dusty, limp in King's grip.
He didn't even get a chance to meet his real father.
King turned away and carried Dusty off into the trees. As his form disappeared, Silk crumpled to the ground, unable to find the strength to stand any longer.
Whiskey… she cried in her mind. I wish you were here. You would know what to say. What to do.
"Mom?"
Silk glanced up. It was Dark. He had padded over to her, concern in his blue eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm trying to be," Silk rasped, her body trembling.
"What's Dad doing with Dusty?" Dark asked.
"He's taking him away," Silk murmured, feeling her eyes drifting shut.
"Why?" Dark asked. "When's he coming back?"
"He's not coming back, Dark," Silk said, her voice tight, the grief pounding even harder in her chest at the words.
"What! Why?" Dark asked again.
"He's dead!" Silk snarled, her eyes flying open as she glared at Dark.
Dark took a frightened step back from her.
I wish Dusty hadn't died. He was Whiskey's son. He was good. I wish it had been you that died instead. You are filled with your father's darkness.
Silk immediately felt a sharp stab of guilt at the thought.
No! she argued back at herself. I don't wish that. It's not true! Dark is much my son as Bronze and Dusty are.
"I'm sorry Dark. I didn't mean to scare you. It's like Dusty has fallen asleep," Silk murmured in a softer voice. "And, he won't wake up again."
"But, I'll miss him," Dark said, blinking hard.
"I'll miss him too, Dark," Silk said.
Silk managed to pull herself to her paws. King was right about one thing. She still had Bronze and Dark to take care off. Silk staggered back to her nest. Bronze had fallen back asleep. Silk roused him with a touch from her nose, unsure of how much of their conversation he had heard. Bronze's eyes flickered open, and Silk shoved a piece of root at him.
"Eat. It will make you stronger," Silk said.
Bronze ate the root without a word.
"Mom," he meowed in a quiet voice after he finished chewing. "You told Dark Dusty is dead. Am I going dead too?"
"No, Bronze, you aren't going to die," Silk meowed firmly. "The root will help you heal okay?"
"Okay," Bronze murmured.
Silk curled herself around him.
"Soon you will be strong again," Silk said.
An image of Whiskey formed in her mind.
And, once you are healed enough to be left alone, I will meet with Whiskey. Then we will wait until you grow bigger and stronger we will take you, and Dark, far from here. Away from King, we can leave the city and travel into the forest. There will be no more politics, no more games, no more lies. The four of us will finally be a family.
Silk closed her eyes, sighing.
Although, Dusty won't be here to see it.
It took many many sunrises, but the root did its work. Bronze, King, and Lancer, all began to heal. Their coughing subsided, and their strength and energy were slowly returning. Silk watched Bronze playing with Dark with shining eyes.
"Go easy on your brother, Dark," Silk said as he bowled Bronze over.
"I'm okay Mom!" Bronze said, regaining his paws, and giving his tabby coat a shake.
Silk nodded and the two continued their wrestling.
Bronze is healed enough that I'll be able to leave him alone tonight, and go meet Whiskey. I wonder if I can even find him. Will he be at the usual spot? I've been gone for almost two moons now, what if he's given up…
Silk shook her head. There was no point in worrying. She would find out tonight if he was there or not.
The day passed and the sun dipped towards the horizon. Silk waited until it was deep into the night before slipping out of her nest, leaving her two kits sleeping soundly there, and heading out into the trees. Silk stalking silently through the undergrowth, heading to the place where she first met Whiskey at the edge of the Park. When she reached there, there was no sight of any other cat. Silk slowly padded around, scenting the air and searching for any sign of him.
"Silk?"
Silk whirled around, and there he was, Whiskey, padding out of the bushes, his green eyes bright in the moonlight, his brown tabby coat sleek.
"Whiskey!" Silk meowed, running over to him.
He greeted her with a purr, pressing his body against hers as they twined around each other. A bit startled, Silk noticed that he was skinnier than when she last saw him, his bones faintly poked out from under his fur.
"Are you okay? How are the kits! How many! What are their names?!" Whiskey bombarded Silk with excited questions.
"Wait, you first," Silk meowed, her brow furrowing. "Why have you gotten so thin?"
Whiskey shrugged her concern away.
"Well the Brothers have been expanding their territory, as I'm sure you know. It makes hunting a bit more difficult," Whiskey said. "But, don't worry about me! Tell me about you!"
Silk purred at his enthusiasm, her heart already warming just from his presence.
"Alright. There are three kits, all male," Silk said.
Whiskey let out a louder purr of delight, looking at Silk with expectant eyes, waiting for her to continue.
"Their names are Dark, Bronze, and Dusty. Dark is black and white. Bronze and Dusty are brown tabby and white," Silk said.
Whiskey continued to purr.
"Bronze looked just like you," Silk said, her eyes becoming misty. "But he has a white belly and my orange eyes. Dusty has your greens eyes though… But… Dusty is dead…"
Whiskey stopped purring.
"Oh no. Silk what happened? Are you alright?" he asked.
Silk blinked hard, feeling slightly sick to her stomach.
"He died of a sickness. We found the cure, but it was too late," Silk muttered, her whiskers drooping.
Whiskey licked Silk's head comfortingly.
"My love, I'm so sorry," he murmured.
"I wish you could have met him before…" Silk swallowed, getting choked up.
"I wish I could've too," Whiskey said. "I'm sure he was an amazing kit."
"You will meet your other son though. And, Dark," Silk said, conviction strengthening her voice and driving away a bit of the grief.
Whiskey pulled away from her a tiny bit.
"Silk… are you sure that is a good idea?" Whiskey asked. "I need you and your kits to be safe…"
"But, I need to be with you," Silk said, her eyes searching Whiskey's desperately. "I can't stay here. I won't say anything to the kits yet. We will wait a little bit longer, until they are bigger and stronger, then we will all run away. I know where the city ends. There is a forest there. We can leave this place forever and be together. All of us!"
Whiskey blinked down at Silk.
"If that's what you want…" he said slowly.
"It is," Silk said firmly. "Whiskey, I love you. I was a fool to not leave with you before. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out, be we will make it right—"
"TRAITOR!"
The voice shook Silk to her very core. She and Whiskey spun around and out from the bushes stalked King, his black and white fur bristling, his blue eyes on fire, the likes of which Silk had never seen before.
"King!" Silk said, her claws unsheathing and her back arching defensively. "What are you doing here?"
"I followed you, you snake-hearted she-cat!" King spat. "I saw you leaving the dens, and I wondered why you would leave our sons alone in the middle of the night."
King narrowed his eyes at her.
"Although now I know why. They aren't my sons," King growled.
He looked over at Whiskey, taking in his light tabby fur.
"At least, Bronze isn't."
"Leave Silk and her kits alone," Whiskey said in a low voice, taking a step in front of Silk. "I'm the one you want. I'm the trespasser, prey-stealer. They have done nothing wrong."
"'Nothing wrong?'" King echoed incredulously, letting out a harsh purr of laughter. "Silk is a traitor and her son is proof of that treason."
King bared his fangs at Whiskey, a growl shaking through him.
"But, if you want to die first, you piece of rat-dung, be my guest," King said. "Then it'll be you Silk. Then Bronze."
With a ferocious yowl, Whiskey launched himself at King.
"Whiskey!" Silk cried desperately.
King reared up on his hind paws to meet him, snarling savagely. Claws met flesh and blood flew from both tabby fur and black-and-white. King cuffed Whiskey across his head, knocking him to the side.
I need to help him! Silk thought, her heart hammering.
The fighting lessons King taught her came rushing back, filling her from the tips of her ears down to the tips of her claws.
I've never beat him before.
Silk bounded forward.
But, this time I have help.
Silk sprung on King from behind, digging her fore claws into his shoulders and biting down towards the back of his neck, aiming to sever his spine. But, King, having taught her, knew that was where she was striking, so he withed under her, and her fangs met only the loose skin of his scruff instead. With a powerful shake, King threw her to the ground. She landed on her side, her breath knocked out of her for a moment. As she struggled to regain her footing, King and Whiskey resumed their terrifying dual, blood and fur splattering the forest floor around them. Silk noticed that King seemed a bit slower than normal; he was likely still recovering from the Bleeding Cough. But, he was better fed than Whiskey, who was a big cat like King, but frail with hunger.
Silk came stumbling back to her paws, and darted forward to slash at King. King whirled towards her with a furious snarl, but then Whiskey was slashing at him from the other side. King's head snapped back and forth, trying to decide which way to strike. In a moment of distraction, Whiskey managed to land a debilitating blow, slashing a gash across King's stomach. King grunted in pain at the attack, staggering backwards.
He can't beat us together! We've got him! Silk thought, her lips curling up in a victorious snarl.
King panted, blood dripping from his wound. She and Whiskey stalked closer to King. Silk growled menacingly. King cowered down, flattening his ears back.
Ha! Coward!
King sprung up from his couch so quickly, he was only a black-and-white blur in Silk's vision. Silk flinched back, but it took her mind a moment to realized that he was not leaping at her. King had launched himself at Whiskey, and his jaws were latched onto Whiskey's throat.
Whiskey was screeching and clawing at King's sides with his claws, but the blows seemed to have no effect on King. King ripped his head back, tearing out a huge chunk of Whiskey's throat. A yawning red hole gaped in Whiskey's neck, as he gasped and sputtered, blood flying from his lips and collecting and dripping out of his jaws just like how Dusty had coughed up his life. Then the blood began to pour from his neck wound like a river, and Whiskey collapsed to the ground.
"No!" Silk yowled, springing at King.
The leap was messy, and King dodged her easily, swatting her down and pouncing on top of her. King slashed a long, jagged wound down her right side with his claws, causing Silk to cry out in pain.
"Your turn," he snarled down at Silk, opening his jaws wide.
Silk's mind flying franticly, she jabbed her paw into the big wound on King's stomach, clawing it up more from its red inside. King gasped in pain, recoiling slightly. He moved just enough for Silk to wiggle her way out from under him, and slash her fangs at his throat before stumbling back. King was growling and panting, but still standing. His legs were trembling, a small patch of red staining the white fur around his neck.
Did I miss?
King growled and took one trembling step towards her. The red grew bigger. He took another step. The blood was pouring from his neck now, dripping into the dirt.
"Silk…" King snarled, the blood bubbling out of his throat more quickly at the word.
He collapsed, the pool of his blood growing around him. He began to convulse. Once. Then twice. Then nothing.
Silk turned from him and ran to Whiskey. But, she already knew deep in the dark part of her heart, it was too late. Whiskey's pool of blood mirrored King's. His green eyes were wide and had lost the light that had filled them in life.
Silk fell to the ground next to him, the emptiness inside her profound. Somehow her body was still here, but there was nothing inside it anymore. There seemed no point in doing anything.
"Whiskey," Silk murmured, licking his quickly cooling fur.
She looked over at the wound on her side that stretched from her shoulder to her hip. It burned fiercely, but it wasn't fatal. As long as it didn't get infected, Silk would live. Silk wished that King had done a better job in killing her.
Silk closed her eyes. She could still die. If she waited here, without drinking she would die from dehydration in only a few days.
No. Some cat would find her first. Then there would be questions about what happened to King. She could confess, and they would kill her.
No. They would kill her and Bronze. She must protect him. He was the only thing left.
Silk's eyes flickered open, a new plan being to form in her mind.
Her dreams of starting a new life and family in the forest died with Whiskey. But, she still had Bronze and Dark. Now she must do all she can to protect them and herself. King was dead, who did she have left to fear? There is no one who could stop her from doing anything she wanted now.
Silk rose to her paws slowly. She padded over to King. She stared down at his body for a moment before bending her head, grabbing him by his scruff, then beginning the slow walk back, dragging him to the dens.
"King is dead!"
"King is dead."
The words rang out around her, some of them whispers, some of them yowls, but all of them said the same thing. Their King was dead. Silk stood over King's body in the weak light of dawn, her head bowed. She was in the center of the nesting area, and cats had begun to gather around her, attracted by the commotion. She closed her eyes, her body shuddering. It wasn't hard for her to play the role of a grieving mate. That was what she was, after all. Except, not for King, but the others didn't have to know that.
"Flower," Silk murmured to the nearby grey cat.
Flower's ears pricked in attention.
"Take some other cats and follow my scent trail back to the edge of the Park. You will find the body of a tabby there. Bring him here. He was the one that murdered King," Silk said.
Flower nodded, gathering up some other cats, she quickly disappeared into the trees.
"What's going on here?" A loud voice rang out.
Lancer came striding through the crowd of cats, Dragon following him like his hulking shadow.
"King," Lancer gasped, rushing forward a few steps before stopping just short of King's body.
Dragon remained behind Lancer, his eyes wide. Silk spotted grief there, but also surprise.
"King…" Dragon rumbled in his deep voice, his face filled with sadness and confusion.
Silk remembered how Dragon admitted that he thought the city went on forever. She wonder if he had thought his brother was the same kind of invincible. That he would have gone on forever.
"What happened?" Lancer growled, taking in the bloody wound down Silk's side.
"King and I went out for a night hunt," Silk meowed, the lie coming out so smoothly that she almost believed it herself. "We were ambushed by a strange cat. King and I nearly beat him, but he killed King. Then I managed killed him in revenge."
Silk nodded to her wound.
"Not before he did this to me, of course," Silk said.
"Mom? What's going on?" Dark said, twining around the legs of the cats in the crowd, Bronze behind him.
"Dad?" Dark gasped, running over to Silk and King, Bronze right behind him.
"Shh it's okay," Silk murmured, wrapping her tail around Dark and Bronze and pulling them close to her.
She looked at Bronze's pelt and felt her grief for Whiskey rise up in her throat.
"Your father's dead," Silk meowed to her kits in a broken voice, well aware of all of the eyes on her.
She had to show enough grief for to gain their sympathy and to make them believe her story, but she could not show so much grief that they would think her weak.
"What happened?" Bronze rasped, blinking up at Silk.
Silk flinched, the image of Whiskey standing there with a gaping hole in his throat appearing in her mind.
"A horrible cat killed him," she murmured. "But, don't worry, we are safe. He is dead now."
Silk lifted her gaze from her kits to Lancer.
"King's dying wish was that I would lead in his place, until his sons are old enough to take over," Silk meowed steadily, managing to get her emotions back under control.
"What?" Lancer meowed, his brow furrowing. "I've always been King's second, from long before you showed up. It was always planned that I would take over if something happened to King."
Silk narrowed her eyes at Lancer.
"You would betray King's final command?" Silk asked, her voice slightly accusatory.
"I was not there to hear it, so how do I know it's true?" Lancer growled. "In fact, to me, it seemed like you and King weren't always the closest. How do I know that you didn't kill him to take power?"
"How dare you," Silk snarled, baring her teeth. "King was my mate and the father of my kits!"
Lancer narrowed his eyes at her.
"But, I don't need to justify myself to you," Silk said, collecting herself. "I sent some cats to retrieve the rogue's body. Soon they will be back, and you will be able to smell King's scent on him, and see for yourself that I'm telling the truth."
Lancer looked more uncertain.
"This doesn't change the fact that I have always been King's second. I will rule now that he is gone," Lancer said.
"Lancer," Silk said, dropping her voice. "You know, I've never sought to rule. I was a simple house-cat who got lost one day. I was alone and struggling, before I met you Brothers. I fell in love with King, but I never desired to be Queen."
Silk shook her head.
"I'm just trying to do what he asked," Silk meowed, her voice sad and low. "I think perhaps he feared you were still weak from the Bleeding Cough…"
Silk spoke in a soft voice, but it carried enough into the crowd that she saw the ears of the cats around her peak in interest at her words. Lancer nervously looked at them from side to side.
"I have fully regained my strength," Lancer insisted. "I will lead this group, and that is final."
Silk's gaze flittered from Lancer's to Dragon's. Dragon looked less certain than Lancer. Dragon glanced at Lancer, but he didn't say anything to protest his brother's words.
"Very well," Silk murmured. "I hope you will not disappoint King."
Silk spent the day sleeping in her nest, regaining her strength from her battle with King. She would need it.
That night, she woke and again slipped silently from her nest. She gathered a big chuck of moss and, carrying it in her jaws, she headed towards Lancer's den. In truth, he was healing from the Bleeding Cough. But, Silk knew that he was lying about having regained his strength. He had been struck by the sickness for longer than King had, and it had ravaged him more thoroughly. He only recently had regained the strength to walk. He was still unfit to hunt or even run. He was definitely unfit to fight.
After making sure there were no cats other around, Silk slipped silently under the thorn-bush he made his nest under. Lancer was curled up, sleeping soundly in his nest. Silk stood over him for a moment, steeling her nerves.
There would be no going back.
Moving quickly, Silk dropped the moss over his muzzle. Lancer's eyes flew open at the touch, but it was too late, Silk was already on him. With one paw, Silk pressed the moss over his nose and mouth, stopping his cries and his breathing. The other paw Silk pressed to his throat, to keep him in place and to aid the other in choking him. Lancer's limbs withed silently on the ground, his green eyes rolling wildly in his skull. Then they rolled back into his head and he suddenly went still as he passed out. Silk didn't move her paws though. She waited until his struggling lungs and jerking flanks went still as well. And, even then, she lowered her ear to his chest to make sure his heart had also gone silent.
Moving quickly, but silently, Silk, wiped all of the traces of the moss from Lancer's muzzle. She rearranged his limbs so it looked like he was sleeping again, before slipping out of the den and heading back to her own.
Silk curled around her kits, back in her own nest, and she closed her eyes, falling into an easy sleep.
Silk sat in the mid-day sunlight, watching her kits. They were playing together, but it was subdued, the grief of losing their brother, then King, hanging over them. Silk glanced over at Bronze's brown tabby pelt and winced. She suddenly wanted to get up and run away. Or let out a miserable wailing cry and bury her face in her paws.
He looked too much like Whiskey.
Silk looked away and bent her head instead, carefully grooming the wound down her side. Her head snapped back up as a roar shook through the trees. Silk pushed away her grief.
"Lancer is dead!" Dragon roared, bounding into the clearing.
"What!" Silk said, her eyes stretching wide. "What happened?"
"I found him in his nest," Dragon said, blinking hard. "I thought he was just sleeping, but then I went over to him, and he was dead!"
Cats were gathering, drawn in by Dragon's cries.
"Did you see any wounds on him?" Silk asked.
Dragon shook his head.
"No. No blood. It was just like he was sleeping…" he whimpered.
Silk blinked as sympathetically as she could manage at Dragon.
"It must have been the Bleeding Cough. I thought maybe he was still weak from it, but he must have been hiding how much it affected him from us," Silk murmured, reaching a comforting paw out towards Dragon.
Dragon stepped back, away from her touch.
"No," Dragon growled. "He was getting better. I was sure of it."
Silk's brow furrowed.
"But, he must not have been," Silk said gently.
Dragon studied Silk with narrowed eyes and Silk began to feel a trickle of worry that maybe he was not as dumb as she thought he was.
"There was no blood, but I could smell your scent on him," Dragon growled quietly.
Silk flattened her ears.
"So? You saw us speak yesterday. I'm sure your scent was also on him," Silk said. "What are you saying, Dragon?"
"You did something," Dragon growled. "I don't know what, but you want to be Queen, so you did."
Silk's tail twitched.
"Don't be ridiculous Dragon," Silk snapped. "Although, it only makes sense that I become Queen now, since Lancer is also dead."
"You liar!" Dragon thundered, his blue eyes flashing wildly. "My brothers are dead! They're gone! Murderer!"
Dragon sprung at Silk with a snarl.
Silk dodged his attack as quickly as she could manage, flashing a paw out to score her claws down one side of his face. Dragon screeched as her claws slashed through one of his eyes.
He stood there, stunned for a moment, blood dripping from his face. Panting, Silk straightened.
"How dare you attack me unprovoked," Silk growled.
Dragon looked up at her, one blue eye, and one bloody red one.
"You are being irrational. I know you are mad with grief at the loss of your brothers," Silk said. "But, I also lost cats I cared about. I just lost a son and a mate."
Silk stood up straight, to her full height.
"Pull yourself together Dragon," Silk growled. "I have done nothing wrong! And, by attacking me, you are going against King's wishes for me to Queen."
Silk shook her head.
"I don't want to fight you Dragon. I want you to be at my side as you were at King's, and I want you to help me," Silk said. "I need you. And, my sons need you."
Silk nodded towards her kits. They were watching the situation from the growing crowd with wide, frightened eyes.
"They don't have a father anymore," Silk said. "You are their only uncle left. They need you to step up and replace King as the father figure in their lives."
Dragon still seemed stunned, but Silk couldn't tell if it was from pain, or if her words were finally getting through to him. But, she watched as he slowly glanced over at the kits before looking back over at Silk. He blinked his good eye rapidly, and she saw the rage that had filled his gaze earlier beginning to fade.
"I… I'm sorry," Dragon said, lowering his head. "King and Lancer's death have both been so sudden... You're right; I lost control. I would never try to hurt you, or your sons. It'll never happen again. Forgive me… my Queen."
Silk felt a jolt go through her at the title, and she raised her chin.
"You are forgiven, Dragon," Silk said.
She swept her gaze over the gathered cats.
"King is dead. Lancer is dead," Silk said, her voice loud and powerful, ringing out through the trees. "But, we are not. We will recover. No. Not just recover; we will grow, and become strong. Stronger than we ever were before. I will lead us there. I accept the position as your Queen."
"Queen!" some cat shouted.
"Queen Silk!" echoed a reply.
Silk raised her head and tail. She was a bit surprised at the pride she felt flooding through her. She felt strong, and certain, and… not afraid. For the first time in ages, she didn't feel like she had to look over her shoulder. Silk blinked. She made it. There was nothing left for her to fear.
"Queen Silk!"
"Queen Silk!"
"Queen Silk!"
The sun was rising on the first full day of her reign.
Silk rose from her nest, blinking the light out of her eyes. The wound on her side stretched uncomfortably, giving a stab of pain as she stepped over her two, still sleeping kits and padded over to where Dragon was sleeping under a bush a few tail-lengths away. Silk took a breath, pushing the pain away and smoothly composing herself.
"Dragon, wake up," Silk said, sitting and curling her tail over her paws.
Dragon stirred, his eyes opening. One eye icy-blue. The other eye still a red, bloodied mess. Silk looked at the eye that she ruined, and she was surprised that she didn't even feel a twinge of pity or guilt. The only thing she felt was a strong rush at the thought of feeling so powerful.
"Yes, Queen Silk?" Dragon said, rising to his paws and bowing his head.
Silk's gaze snapped to his good eye.
"We have a lot of work to do today," Silk said briskly. "I want you to spread the word. Have it be known through the farthest reaches of the Kingdom that I, Silk, am now Queen. And, I expect to be treated with the same respect King was before me."
Silk's gaze darkened, and her gaze drifted back to the bloody crater in Dragon's dark face.
"Or, there will be consequences," Silk said in a low voice.
Dragon blinked, and Silk imagined he was thinking about her claws slashing through his face.
"Yes, Queen," Dragon said in a quiet voice.
Silk raised her chin, her chest swelling. She could almost not believe it. Could she have ever imagined this massive cat bowing before her? That she would have dozens of cats doing what she said?
Silk blinked, her mind flying back what felt like eons ago to a gentle cat with soft white fur and clean, bloodless paws. A cat who spent her days napping in the sunshine of the window or chatting with a small dog. A cat who knew nothing of the violence that waited just outside of her house-folk's door. But, who also knew nothing of the thrill of a hunt, the love of another, or the sweetness of strength… and power.
Could that soft little cat once have been her? That life felt like a dream. But, not a dream that could have belonged to Silk. Not a dream of a Queen.
Silk blinked, her thoughts interrupted by Dark dashing past her, purring tauntingly at Bronze from over his shoulder. Bronze went rushing after him as fast as he could, his pelt bushed out.
At the sight of his brown tabby fur, Silk inhaled sharply. The powerful feeling that had filled her chest just moments before was knocked out of her, leaving her rattled and hollow inside. Silk gazed at her kit, feeling paralyzed. An aching pain appeared in her chest, blossoming, then spreading, like hot poison in her blood.
How can I be this Queen when the sight of my own kit nearly knocks me off my paws?
Whiskey…
Silk closed her eyes, the pain burning like fire inside of her.
Whiskey is gone, Silk reminded herself harshly. Your memories of him now only bring pain. His body is buried within the ground. Now bury him within you.
Silk's eyes opened again, and she stared at the brown fur of her son as he tumbled with his brother, and she felt her chest twisting. She could feel Dragon's icy blue eye on her, his gaze curious, and she swallowed, trying to regain her composure.
Don't let them see your weakness, she thought.
The Queen does not grieve. Silk loved Whiskey, but the Queen did not. I need to bury Silk in me along with him.
"Bronze. Settle down; you're still recovering from your illness," Dragon rumbled to the kits in his deep voice, his voice scolding.
"Don't call him that," Silk said quickly.
Her kit came to a stop and turned to look up at her, blinking his big orange eyes in confusion.
"What? Why not?" Dragon asked, the bewilderment in his voice echoing her kit's look.
Silk blinked her eyes, feeling like her chest was being torn open by claws as she looked over at her son. Her son and the only son Whiskey had left. The only part of Whiskey that was left for her. She would see him everyday. She knew when she looked at their kit's bronze pelt, she would only ever be reminded of Whiskey.
I may be able to bury Whiskey within me. I may also be able to bury Silk. But, his son? I will never be able to rid myself of him. In him, I will see Whiskey… and Silk, forever.
Every moment, every new sunrise she spent with her kit, he would rip her heart in two again. And, again.
Her son was padding over to her now, on his short, teetering kit-legs. Silk turned her head away from him, unable to look at his face.
"Call him Ripper," Silk said quietly, her voice barely a breath. "It fits him better."
"What?" her son, Ripper, said, his voice confused.
Silk closed her eyes, feeling another stab of pain in her chest.
Turn your heart to ice. Silk may hurt, but the Queen doesn't.
Silk opened her eyes again.
"Now Dragon. Go, do what I asked you," Silk said, her voice becoming stronger.
"…Yes my Queen," Dragon said in his deep voice.
"Mom?" Ripper said, trying to walk around Silk's ankles, his big, wide orange eyes peering up at her.
Silk rose to her feet, turned, and walked away from him, her eyes locked on the trees in front of her. The pale morning sunlight was streaming through the branches, falling faintly on her white fur, warming the long wound that marked her perfect pelt, starting at her shoulder and snaking down her side. Her heart was pounding in her chest, even and slow and powerful. Her Kingdom stretched out before her, open and ready for her taking. Her chin was head high, and her cold orange gaze didn't once waver.
"Mom?" Ripper said, his voice trembling slightly. "Mom!"
Silk didn't look back.
Author's Note:
That is the end of Silk's Reign! It's not a very happy story, but I hope you enjoyed it! If you would like to read more about Silk and Ripper, they appear in my story Lightning's Destiny.
Also, if anyone is confused about the kits having two fathers part: if a female cat mates with multiple males close to the same time, then her kittens can end up having different fathers from each other (so they are biologically half siblings.) In this case, Dark is fathered by King, but Dusty and Ripper are fathered by Whiskey. This isn't something that the Warriors books have ever addressed before, but I felt it was a great way to add some fun drama to the story lol.
Also, I just wanted to say I know I pulled a total "Yellowfang naming Brokenkit after her broken heart" move there at the end haha. I hope it didn't come across as too cheesy. Although, Silk's naming of Ripper is more angry/spiteful than Yellowfang's motivations. By calling him "Ripper" she's branded him, and turning her back on him/motherhood. Truthfully, in real life, I named Ripper after Jack the Ripper, since the two of them both slash up/mangle their victim pretty badly. But, of course that doesn't make sense in context of the story, since these are cats who know nothing about human serial killers. When I started to develop Silk's backstory, it became clear that I had to come up with the origins of Ripper's name. I thought about it just being a nickname that he adopted as he got older and became a proficient killer, but it seemed more meaningful coming from Silk. Let me know what you think!
Review response:
Blue Pineapplez: Thanks a lot! I hope you enjoyed the ending too :)
Princessaurora2004: Thank you! The faster pace in this story is sort of new to me; I've found that normally the timelines I write are slow and packed in tons of details lol. But, this was a good learning experience on pacing! And, surprise! The kits are both Whiskey's and King's haha. Did you know cats can have kittens in the same litter with different fathers? When I learned that, I felt like I had to incorporate it into one of my stories some how :)
BrightMind: Interesting observations! Hm yes, King is ruthless, but he is also smart. He has no qualms about killing to get what he wants, but he knows he also has to govern. He knows that he must be strong and scary, but he can't be needlessly cruel since he wants his cats to keep following him, not rebel. His relationship with Silk is also very interesting. I wouldn't say that King loves her, but he admires her greatly, although he cannot make himself fully trust her (and rightly so, considering her affair with Whiskey ha. In fact, I would say that the only cats that King does trust completely are his brothers.) But, if Silk did love him, I think King would have opened up more to her in response, and they probably would have been a fearsome team. Unfortunately, though, King is too good of a teacher to Silk, and from him, she learns how to lie and scheme. Which ultimately leads to his demise. Silk does turn out a lot like him in the end; she learned everything she knows from him after all ;)