Prologue(Rock)
A chilly wind was in the air, even though Leaf-bare was coming to an end. The branches of an oak tree rustled every time the breeze hardened, its branches making clanging sound against the abandoned twoleg den.
Inside,a small gray and white tabby she-kit was curled up in a tight ball, trying to ignore the strange noises coming from outside. Her ears were pressed against her head, blocking out some of the sounds, but clearly not enough. With a soft grunt the she-kit stood up. She stretched her aching muscles, the cold and hard floor wasn't a good place to be curled up, but she didn't have much of a choice.
Her mother had left her here, three days ago the kit had seen her for the last time. She didn't know where her mother was, but she knew she was supposed to wait for her, even though the hunger was slowing driving her out of the twoleg nest.
The she-kit hesitated, then her belly rumbled. With a sigh of sadness she slowly padded up to the abandoned den's exit. She was unsteady on her paws, perhaps of the hunger, and perhaps because she was only one moon old. She stopped when she arrived at the exit, she stuck her nose in the air and sniffed, nothing. At least nothing that worried her, she didn't know jet what to look out for.
With a deep breath the tabby and white she-kit made her way out of the abandoned den, slowly putting one paw in frond of another, belly close to the ground, ears pricked, and nose twitching. As she arrived outside she felt the chilly wind ruffle her thin kit-fur. She shivered. Maybe I should go back inside? She shook her head to clear the thought, she had to find her mother.
Step by step she wandered farther away from the twoleg den. She slowly started to feel less anxious. There is nothing to be afraid of. She made her way to over to where the trees ended and a big grassy field opened up in frond of the kit's paws.
She looked out over the grassy landscape and her eyes widened. It's so big! She was half-astonished and half-amazed. Then a thought struck her that made her fur stand on end. How am I going to find mother out here? She looked around. It spreads out into all directions, where did she go? The grassy place, the trees, or did she follow the trees at the edge of the grassy place? Panicking, she made her way over to the grassy place, her nose twitching, hoping to catch her mothers milky scent.
Her paws started moving faster, she was now almost running. I have to find her! I'm sure she's on this grassy place, who wants to be in the big and scary tree place? The wind rushed through her fur, her nose felt like it was freezing of and her eyes started stinging from the chilly breeze.
Her paws were already becoming tired and her breath was quick. She let out a wail. "Mother! Mother, where are you?" Suddenly the she-kit's paw cached on a small stone, with a yelp of surprise she stumbled head first into the ground.
She stayed still, she was shocked and exhausted,and a little this hadn't been a good idea after all. She closed her eyes, inwardly wishing her mother would appear at her side and tell her that she'll be fine. The thought warmed her slightly, she could already picture her mothers worried eyes, her warm tongue rasping on her ear. The she-kit let out a small sigh, newly found optimism fizzed through her fur.
She was about to jump to her paws to continue her search, when a shadow fell over her. The tabby and white kit's heart leaped. Mother? Her eyes flew open, but instead of seeing the beautiful white shape of her mother she saw a big bird flying circles above her.
The kit got to her paws and looked up at the big bird. Her jaws were gaping. Wow, such a big bird! It's amazing, look at its white belly! She was still staring in wonder at the big bird that was starting to make its circles tighter, when she heard a yowl in the distance.
The she-kit quickly turned around. Mother?
The yowl came again. The tabby and white kit pricked her ears in the direction of the yowl. Suddenly she saw a flash of yellow fur coming towards her. Disappointment pricked in the she-kit's paw.
"Get away from there, kit!" The yowl came again, this time more audible.
The she-kit looked confused as the yellow she-cat ran towards her. Why do I have to leave? Am I on her territory?
Her mother had told her stories about cats who claim land as their own, the she-kit's mother had spoken with undisguised disgust.Those land-claiming cats love to rip the pelts of innocent cats. Her mother had showed the she-kit one of her back paws. One of her mothers toes was gone. I accidentally wandered onto a cat's land. Well, let's just say that he wasn't happy. The kit had listened to her mother as she started telling her story, she believed her mother, but she didn't believe her when the white she-cat had told her that ever cat was bad. So, no cat is good? Not even one? The she-kit had asked. Her mother had shaken her head. Not one.
The yowl rang again, ripping the she-kit out of her memory. She shook out her fluffy pelt, by now the yellow she-cat had arrived at the kit's side. The gray and white tabby looked up at her, but the yellow she-cat didn't look back at her, she was staring up at the sky, hissing.
The she-kit tipped her head. What is she doing? Is she trying to scare away the big bird? The big bird up-above was still circling, the yellow cat's hiss became louder.
"Scramble, you no-good kit stealer!" The she-cat's fur was ruffled and her lips were drawn back into a snarl. She looks fierce. The kit remarked as she stared at the stranger with admiration. She noticed a white patch on the cat's chest, barely visible in her yellow fur.
The yellow cat turned towards the she-kit, who was about to speak, but the yellow-furred cat didn't let her. She grabbed the she-kit by her scurf and started running towards a few rocks piled on top of each other.
The she-kit let it happen, she was to exhausted and confused to try and fight her way free.
The yellow she-cat and her gray and white tabby bundle of fur, arrived at the pile of rocks and she quickly duck underneath it. She dropped the kit and turned towards the opening they had came through, she looked worried.
The she-kit twitched her whiskers and was about to ask why the she-cat had hissed at the big bird, when the she-cat turned towards her with a furious growl.
"You could have been killed! Hasn't your mother taught you anything? Hawks are dangerous, especially big ones like this. You're only a kit, you aren't supposed to be out alone yet. You should be ashamed! I'm sure that..."
The she-kit stopped listening. The big bird wanted to... kill me? Her eyes grew wide and her paws started trembling. Did she save me? She looked back up at the she-cat, who was still growling at her.
The she-kit's eyes had grown wide, it looked like the yellow she-cat noticed. She took a breath, seeming to calm herself and placed her fluffy yellowtail on the kit's back. "It's okay," She meowed soothingly. "Perhaps I shouldn't have hissed at you, but you gave me the scare of my life." She puffed out a breath, her eyes soft. "What's your name kit?"
The she-kit was still trembling, not because of the scolding, but because a thought, one that she didn't want to think about, had popped up into her head. Is everything dangerous out here? And if so... is my mother okay? She let herself fall onto her belly. "Where's mother?" She whimpered softly, not expecting an answer from the she-cat.
The yellow-furred cat crouched down beside her. "Did you lose her?" She asked softly.
The she-kit nodded.
"We could search for her. I'm sure she's close. Where did you last see her?" The yellow cat was softly stroking the kits back.
The kit looked up into the she-cat's blue eyes. "At the abandoned twoleg den. Three days ago..." She added the last part with a meow that was barely audible.
The yellow she-cat stayed silent for a moment. "Three days?" She meowed, pity showing in her eyes.
The she-kit looked at the opening between the rocks. "Do you think a hawk got her?" She asked. Please say no.
The yellow she-cat,once again,stayed quiet.
The she-kit stiffened slightly. This is worse then saying it straight up.
At last she spoke, very slowly, like she wanted to choose the correct words. "She may still be alive,"
The she-kit looked back at her, a small bit of hope in her eyes.
"But, I can't promise we'll find her today, or the day after..." The yellow she-cat's eyes were filled with concern. "But I'll help you search... until we find her."The yellow she-cat narrowed her eyes. "Queens are tough. They, out of all cats, have something worth protecting."
The she-kit's ears pricked up with happiness. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" She jumped to her paws. "Where do we search first? Do you know my mother's scent? She has white fur so she should be easy to spot-"
The yellow-furred cat cut her of. "First," She began firmly. "You need to rest. I'm not sure or the hawk is still out there, but if it is then we wont be able to search now anyway. And your paws are shaking, your eyes are tired and you look like you haven't eaten in a moon."
The she-kit's ears drooped, that was all true, except about that not eating in a moon of course! The she-kit fluffed out her fur. "But I want to find my mother." She protested.
"And you will." The yellow she-cat meowed softly. "But there is no use in searching for your mother if you collapse midway through."
The she-kit couldn't deny that the she-cat had a point once again. With a heavy sigh, to let the stranger know that she really didn't agree, she snuggled up against the she-cat's warm flank.
"Now tell me," The she-cat meowed with an slightly amused look. "What is your name, little one."
The kit yawned. "Rock." She meowed softly as her eyes started to droop shut.
"That's a beautifulname, kit. I'm Sand."
The she-cat's voice faded away as Rock felt sleep take her. I'll find you, mother. I promise.