Cynder's Journey

Prologue
Wildly thrashing winds whipped the barn’s wooden wall furiously, threatening to force them in. The pale gray she-cat grimaced as a shower of sharp rain drops hit her pelt mercilessly. This storm was the worst one by far. The she-cat glanced out a small crack in the wall near her and saw only blackness; no way to see the dark gray tom who she waited anxiously for.

As she stared out the creak of the wall with frightened blue eyes, the fear washing off her like the rain that pelted her. She quickly turned her head away and began to claw at the hay that surrounded her nest. If her mate didn’t arrive soon, she wasn’t sure she could hold on much longer. ‘’My love, where are you?’’ she whispered, looking up towards the sky sadly.

Suddenly, she was aware of her swollen belly rippling again. Pain shot through her body, making her gasp. The kits wouldn’t wait much longer. Soon, her premonitions came to life. She felt a yowl of pain shoot up her throat as another rush of pain shot up her body and forced her to catch hold of one of the clumped stalks of hay and bit down harshly.

After a few silent moments, the she-cat felt something wet press against her flank. Turning her head slightly, she saw a small wet bundle lying on the nest. She found herself frozen on the spot, unable to comprehend what the small bundle was. When the small bundle began to yowl, she realized what she was doing. Quickly, the she-cat picked the kit up by its small scruff and set it against her belly where it began to suckle.



After a few more agonizing moments, four wet bundles of fur lay in the curve of her belly, suckling at her milk. She felt more tired than ever before, she was barely able to keep her eyes open. Three were similar in fur color to herself, the only one who looked like the father was the tiny she-kit, her dark gray fur separating her from her three brothers. Seeing the dark gray fur gave the she-cat some hope that her mate would soon arrive.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Or at least until, she arrived. ‘’Fawn.’’

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">The she-cat blinked her eyes in surprise and glanced over the side of the ledge and towards the barn’s floor. There stood a solid black she-cat with dark orange eyes and a scar over both eyes. Behind her stood four cats, all toms and all menacing.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Fawn quickly ducked her head back into the shadows as the she-cat’s gaze swept the top floor. She had no chance of getting her kits out without either leaving one or two behind or getting hurt trying to get all four out. Her gaze moved to her kits who continued to suckle. If she let even one of her kits fall into her paws, she would never forgive herself.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">As she gazed at her kits, the dark gray she-kit flinched and began to wail with a cry. Fawn blinked in surprise at the cry then noticed the she-cat’s head snap back to the upper level and charge toward the latter with the four toms right behind. The pale she-cat wrapped her tail protectively around her kits as the black she-cat leapt over the top rung of the latter and glanced at Fawn with bright eyes.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">‘’Fawn…’’

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">‘’Mirage…’’

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Mirage looked pleased at Fawn’s venomous tone.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">