Chapter 1(Sand)
Sand was still snuggled against the little tabby and white she-kit. She let out a sigh. I'm not sure or we'll be able to find her mother…
She thought back at her own kit-hood, or at least the parts she remembered. She remembered playing with her litter-mates in their housefolk's den, her mother watching them with a loving smile on her face, her eyes shone as she watched her kits play. She loved us so much…
Sand closed her eyes, trying to shut out her thoughts. She did love us. I know she did. But still, her mother had abandoned. She didn't want to blame her mother, she knew her mother had done what she did only to protect her, but she couldn't help but feel resentment towards her. You didn't have to leave us. If you hadn't, then Rush, Mark and Sash would have still been here, with me, with us.
Thinking about her lost litter-mates made Sand's heart ache. Her housefolk had thrown her and her kin out. Her mother had stayed with them and they had strayed for days. The gentle mother that Sand had always known had changed into a always-growling and always-angry she-cat. She was not the cat she used to be.
Sand had always felt like she was the reason why her mother acted like that. She had grown quiet and barely talked. Her litter-mates had tried to cheer her up, especially Sash tried her best, but the ginger tabby she-cat couldn't manage to cheer Sand up. Sash had given up after that, leaving her alone.
Sand's litter-mates never seemed to care that their mother had changed, they had changed as well, they'd become more… more aggressive, they acted like rogues.
Mark, the only tom in the litter, had left first. Sand still remembered what he had said. Mother is growing weak, and rogues keep bothering us. I think it would be better if we split up, it would be easier to live that way.
Sand had never understood what her brother had meant. Easier to live that way? She had asked. In a group we take care of each other, if you leave you have no cat to care for you if you get hurt or sick.
Mark had shrugged. That's the thing. It would be easier if I only had one mouth to feed. And be realistic, Sand, non of us can take care of the sick.
Sand and Sash had tried to convince Mark to stay, but the yellow tabby tom hadn't changed his mind. But then Rush announced that she would also leave, stating that Mark was right.
Sand still remembered that blank look in her mother's eyes. She had urged her mother to say something, but all she had done was give Sand a helpless look.
Mark and Rush had both gone their separate ways. Sand refused to talk to her mother, but that wasn't a problem, her mother had also not tried to speak to her daughter, she hadn't spoken at all since two of her kits had left.
Sand's mother eventually became sick, something Sand had feared all along. Sand and Sash had done everything they could, but they couldn't safe her mother.
Sash wanted to bring her mother to some twolegs, hoping they'd be able to heal her,but her mother had refused, stating that; Twolegs are good for nothing, even if they heal me, they'll just dump me right back onto the street.
Sand and Sash had tried to convince her time and time again, but their mother had refused.
Sash was devastated when her mother died, but Sand couldn't help but blame her. You allowed Mark and Rush to leave, then you leave us. You could have survived! We could have been a normal family!
Sand had never spoken her thoughts out loud, she wanted to be there for her grieving sister. Sand also grieved, but her resentment was holding her back slightly.
Sand and sash had continued traveling, they traveled for moons. They had stopped near a twoleg place, the landscape was beautiful and they had decided to stay for a while. Sash had gone on more and more alone hunts, she kept on telling Sand that she needed alone time.
Sand had excepted that, but her curiosity and paranoia had kept her thought busy until she couldn't bare it any more. She had followed her sister on her next "hunt". Sand had been shocked when she saw her sister with a kittypet tom.
The next day she had confronted her sister, it ended with a fight, spitting curses. Sand felt like her sister had betrayed her by taking a mate. Sand knew that a kittypet wouldn't want to leave his housefolk and Sand knew that her sister wouldn't want to leave her new mate.
The fight had ended with Sash telling Sand she was expecting kits. Sand had been devastated. She had begged her sister to stay with her, but her sister had just shook her head. I can't risk the kits' health. I need to stay here. I want to stay here. The kits will be safe, and that's all I care about.
Sash had then asked Sand to stay with her. Sand couldn't believe her ears, with a angry lash of her tail she had turned around. That was the last time Sand had seen any of her kin.
Thinking back at those terrible memories, Sand's heart ached. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have said that. She swallowed back a wail that was raising in her throat. What's done is done. She didn't agree with her own statement, but that was the only thing that made her feel a slight bit better.
Sand felt Rock steer. She lifted her head, she hadn't meant to fall asleep, but her eyes had grown heavy and she figured she could close them for a bit.
The bright sun was shining through the rocks they had taken refuge under. It was sunhigh. Sand realized that she'd slept for way to long. I known we probably won't find the kit's mother, but if we want to tried we'd better get going.
She looked down at the fluffy gray tabby and white kit, her heart softened. She gently nudged the already half-awake kit. "Wake up, Rock. I think the hawk is gone." Sand knew that hawk was long gone for sure. She couldn't hear its wings flapping, she couldn't see its shadow and no hawk would wait for its kitten-prey for half a day.
Rock stirred again and looked up sleepily, she seemed to have forgotten where she was, confusion showed in her eyes.
Sand smiled at the kit. "It's me, remember? The brave cat who saved you from that mean hawk." She gave a she-kit a teasing look.
Rock seemed to wake up fully at last. She jumped to her paws and shook out her pelt. "We were going to search for my mother, right?" She looked at sand with pleading eyes.
Sand hesitated, she didn't want to disappoint Rock again, but the small she-kit needed to eat. "I should hunt first, after you've had a good meal we can go look for her." She noticed that Rock was about to object, she quickly spoke again. "I know you're worried about your mother, but I promise that we'll search for her as soon as we can. The hunt wont take long, I'll be as quick as a mouse." Her gaze drifted over the she-kit's skinny frame.
Rock shook her head, her voice small as she spoke. "We've already waited to long. I told you she left three days ago, the longer we wait the more chance we have that she's in danger. I don't want her to get eaten by a hawk." She shuddered as if she could already picture her mother being torn apart by a hawk.
Sand stood up and placed her tail reassuringly over the she-kit's back. She wanted to tell Rock that her mother wouldn't be a hawk's target, only small cats are, but she swallowed back to words. She knew what Rock had meant, the kit was afraid of anything that could hurt her mother, not just hawks.
"But you should still eat. Like I said; I'll make the hunt as fast as possible, I promise." Sand meowed softly, trying to persuade the kit.
Rock looked down at her paws, her fur slightly ruffled. "Then why did you wake me?"
Sand sighed. "Because I didn't want to leave you without you knowing where I am." Sand thought about the kit's mother. Like she has done.
Rock looked up at Sand, her eyes filled with worry. The kit stayed quiet for a moment, then she let out a small sigh that ended in a whimper. "I just want mother."
Sand was about to reply but Rock continued.
"Okay, but you've promised to hurry. I want to find her as soon as possible." Rock squared her shoulders as if facing an enemy. Determination showed in the she-kit's Yellow eyes.
Sand admired she kit's attitude. I would have been wailing like a new born kit. She reflected, feeling shame wash over her.
She nodded at Rock. "You're brave, kit." She nudged the she-kit gently, then she turned towards the opening between the rocks. "Take some more rest," She looked sternly at the kit. "And don't go exploring." She didn't wait for an answer, knowing the Rock would probably be to scared to go out alone anyway, but she couldn't help feel slightly worried. Would she really stay inside?
Sand padded onto the moor, the sun was hot now that the mist clouds had cleared. She took a deep breath, relishing the scents of the newly growing flowers. The chilly breeze that blew in the morning had now changed into a soft, lukewarm blow of wind. The birds chirped up ahead. Sand quickly looked up, but she could only see small birds, not the hawk she'd saved Rock from.
Sand had always been better at hunting in forest then on the moor. She quickly glanced back at the pile of rocks, but she didn't see the kit. She is smart. She won't leave. Sand considered hunting on the moor anyway, so she could keep and eye on the kit's shelter, but she had to believe that Rock would stay. And it'll be her own problem if she leaves. I'm not the one that's supposed to be looking after her! But she couldn't help feeling anxious about leaving the kit alone.
With a heavy sigh she made her way over to the forest. A small twoleg path ran past the side of it, it was covered in dead weeds and fallen leaves, it clearly hadn't been used in some time.
Sand wasn't familiar with this place, she'd traveled and traveled and not stayed long in one place. She loved the feeling of traveling, finding new places, discovering new prey, it always made her feel at ease. But this time she'd liked to know the place better, she didn't want to get lost, not with Rock waiting on her.
Sand made sure to stick to the side of the forest, so she could keep track of where the moor was. She padded through the overgrown forest, lifting her muzzle and slightly opening her jaws ever few paw steps in the hope of catching the scent of prey.
After not long Sand picked up the scent of mouse, no, multiple mice! She licked her lips. Mouse wasn't her favourite, but she was hungry enough to eat crow-food, so she wasn't picky.
She dropped into a hunters crouch and started stalking forwards. She hadn't seen the mice jet, she just knew they were there. She had her ears pricked and eyes wide open, and at last she saw a tiny creature sitting under a bush, nibbling on a seed.
Sand looked around. I smelled at least two. She quickly pinpointed the second mouse, who wasn't far of. She could pin down both mice at once, she hoped.
She wiggled her hind quarters, keeping her tail slightly of the ground so it wouldn't make noise, then she leaped, paws extended. One of the mice ran away, faster then Sand had expected, but she did manage to pin down one of the mice. She quickly gave the struggling creature the killing bite.
"Rabbit-droppings." She muttered quietly.
With a sigh of disappointment she picked up the single mouse. She didn't want to hunt another one, after all, she had promised Rock to some back as soon as she could.
With the mouse in her jaws she made her way back to the pile of rocks. She ducked inside and dropped her catch. Her heart leaped when she didn't immediately notice the kit. Where is she? Did she go out to search- Her thoughts were cut of when she felt fur brush her hind paw.
She whirled around to see Rock slip through the opening between the rocks. Anger burned inside Sand. "Where have you been?" She demanded angrily, she didn't give the kit a chance to explain herself. "You weren't supposed to leave the shelter! What if the hawk had come back? I told you not to go search alone, it's dangerous." She looked down at Rock and saw the kit's fur ruffle uncomfortably. That's right, you should be ashamed! She thought, even though she felt a pang of guild.
Rock looked up at Sand. "I was only out to make dirt, and I stayed as close to the entrance as I could." The she-kit meowed defensively.
Sand's guild increased, mixed with shame. I should not have snapped at her. She let her neck fur lay flat. I shouldn't take my anger out on this kit. "I'm sorry, Rock. I was just…" She was going to say 'worried' but she couldn't say it. She didn't want the kit to get to attached to her. Eventually we'll have to go our separate ways.She let out a small sigh, knowing that it wasn't the kit's attachment she was afraid of, Sand herself didn't want to get to attached to the kit. Every cat she loved had left her. Even Sash left me. She choose to be with that filthy kittypet! Sand shook her head, trying to get rid of the thought.
She noticed that Rock was still looking at her, she turned away from the she-kit. "I caught a mouse. Go eat. The sooner you're finished the sooner we can search for your mother."
Rock looked at the mouse, a concerned expression on her face.
Sand realized that Rock had probably never eaten prey before. She ducked down and ripped some of the soft flesh of the mouse's flank, creating an easier excess to the meat inside. The mouse blood dropped on her tongue and she was tempted to eat a piece, but she wanted to feed the kit first. She's way to skinny for a kit. She dropped the piece she had ripped of and sat back. "You haven't got teeth for nothing. Use them." She nodded to the mouse.
Rock sniffed the mouse, and hesitantly took a bite. The kit's eyes lit up as she tore of a piece of the meat. She chewed happily and continued nibbling on the mouse.
There were only a few scraps of fur and bones left when Rock had finished eating. Sand quickly gulped them down.
"Are you ready?" Sand asked, as she licked her lips. She realized it was a stupid question to ask, of course the kit is ready to search for her mother.
Rock nodded and together the Sand and Rock left slipped from under the pile of rocks.
Sand looked down at Rock, the kit was walking with her head and tail down. They had been looking for some time now, trying to pick up the slightest trace of the kit's mother's scent, but all in vain. Sand wanted to cheer Rock up, but she wasn't sure how. Her mother is probably dead, and I think she knows it. Sand's hope in finding Rock's mother had never been high, but now it was totally gone.
She took a breath, readying herself to tell Rock that it was getting to late, when Rock's excited squeak sounded.
"I think I can smell her!" Rock had her nose in the air and followed it to a tree.
Sand sighed, Rock had done that multiple times by now, but there never was a single scent to be found. She padded after the kit.
"Listen, Rock, I really think we should find shelter for the night. We're to far away from the rocks we sheltered under before, but-"
Rock cut her off. "No!" Her meow was still filled with excitement. "Just smell, please. I mean it this time!"
Sand stopped herself from sighing again, she felt pity for the small kit. "Fine, but if it's nothing we're going to search for shelter and continue tomorrow." She padded over to the tree and sniffed. Her eyes widened slightly, she did indeed scent cat, but was it Rock's mother?
She turned her head to the kit. Her light-yellow eyes shining. "I told you!"
Sand nodded slowly. "you're right. There is cat scent here, but are you sure it's your mother's?"
Rock shook her head. "No." She paused for a moment before continuing. "But it's worth a try." Her voice was small and she duck her head.
Sand knew Rock must feel hopeless, she let out a sympathetic sigh. "Okay. We'll follow this cat scent." She looked up at the sky, which was already darkening. "We'll search until it's to dark. I just hope we find shelter in time." She added the last part with a grunt.
Rock ran to Sand's side. "I'm sure we will." She sounded unconcerned. "But I'm not stopping until I find my mother."
Oh, for nature's sake, why are you so stubborn? Sand swallowed back the words, she knew that the kit was just helpless and scared, but she still felt annoyed with her.
Sand and Rock followed the cat scent they had picked up. Sand was starting to be more and more doubtful. It doesn't smell like a milky scent, a scent every nursing queen carries. She observed. It does smell like a she-cat, though. She looked down at Rock. The kit was stumbling over her own paws with exhaustion. A kit isn't supposed to be traveling. She flicked her tail, she wasn't planning on slowly down. If Rock became to tiered then they would finally be able to search for shelter. Sand increased her pace.
Rock kept going, she fell once of twice, but the kit's determination was showing.
Sand stopped and lifted her tail in a sign for Rock to stop as well. The she-kit obeyed and opened her mouth, but Sand quickly silenced her by placing her tail over the gray and white tabby's nose.
Sand pricked her ears, the scent was very strong now, and she knew that they must be close to the source. She turned her muzzle back to Rock. "Stay here." She whispered. "I'm going to take a look." She was about to turn back when the she-kit unsheathed her claws.
"I want to come to!" She hissed, flexing her claws in half-excitement and half-anger. "I want to know or she's my mother."
Sand wanted to claw Rock's ears. Why doesn't she listen to me? I'm the experience one! She thought. Does she want to get in trouble?
With burning eyes she stared at Rock. "You better do as I say." She hissed back. "Or do you want to be ripped to pieces by some rogue?" She turned back to the scent trail, nose twitching. "Now be quiet." She muttered.
The she-kit huffed, but said nothing more.
Satisfied, Sand stalked forwards. The sky was now almost fully dark, not that that was a big problem, Sand could see a bit less, but she could still hear and smell. She slunk into a bush, it rustled softly from her touch. She froze, but she didn't hear anything else. She continued following the she-cat scent, and it wasn't long before she'd found the cat she'd been looking for.
It was hard to see the cat laying between some tree roots, but the cat's white paws gave her away. Sand sneaked closer to the black and white she-cat. Could this be Rock's mother? Was I wrong all along?
The she-cat seemed to be asleep. Sand stopped when she was a tail length away from her. She lowered her muzzle and studied the stranger from closer, but still far enough away so she could jerk her head back if the she-cat woke up.
The stranger seemed to be old, her gray muzzle were clearly visible in the moonlight. Sand was about to take a step closer when she heard rustling behind her. She quickly turned around to see Rock sneak out of the bush.
Sand wanted to hiss at her, to tell her that she should have listened, but she couldn't risk waking the sleeping she-cat. Instead she signaled with her tail and turned a questioning gaze on Rock.
Rock crept closer to the sleeping cat, but she quickly looked back at Sand, her expression telling it all; this was not her mother.
Sand jerked her muzzle towards the bush. Lets go. She thought. We've got no business being here. But as she turned her gaze back on the she-kit, Rock stayed where she was. Sand narrowed her eyes, and slowly sneaked closer, bringing her muzzle close to Rock's ear.
"What?" She hissed. "This isn't your mother."
Rock closed her eyes, as if she was thinking. Then she opened them again, annoyance showing in her yellow gaze. "No. She isn't my mother. But she's laying on the freezing ground and I smell blood."
Sand shrugged, she'd also smelled the blood, but this cat could take care of herself, she wasn't Sand's problem. "What are you meowing about?"
"I want to help her." Rock hissed the words with anger.
Sand growled softly, she was done with the kit's attitude. "You don't have to help every cat you meet!" She snapped.
Rock wasn't fazed. "You helped me, didn't you?"
"You are a kit, of course I'll help a kit, but this is an old she-cat with a lot of experience." Sand's patience were running out.
"But she's wounded." Rock meowed stubbornly.
Sand snapped her muzzle towards the sleeping cat. "Fine!" She padded over to the black and white she-cat and prodded her paw in the stranger's side. "Hey, wake up. This kit wants to lick your wounds."
The she-cat jumped up with a hiss, her neck fur ruffled and her back arched.
Now that Sand saw her standing she noticed the would on the she-cat's neck, it smelled like fresh and old blood. Sand figured that she'd probably ripped it open not long ago.
Sand moved in frond of Rock. She wasn't planning on letting anything happen to the kit. She just wanted to teach her a lesson that not every cat wants or can be helped.