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"I stared at him; my mouth hung open. He wanted us dead!"
Slimepaw is shunned, mistreated, tortured, and more.
Why?
Because she isn't beautiful in their eyes.
|===============================================...
The full moon shone its radiant light into the nursery, casting ethereal shadows on the nursery brambles. With a heavy heart, I looked down at my swollen belly, knowing that my kits would arrive any day.
I gazed at Moletail, asleep with her kits nestled beside her I couldn't help but feel envious of her good fortune. With three toms and a she-cat, Moletail had been blessed with a good, tom-filled liter.
The soft mewling of the kits broke the stillness of the night as they nuzzled closer to their mother. Suddenly, a sharp pain coursed through me, and I quivered in agony, trying not to wake the she-cat but also knowing that I couldn't do it alone.
Slimepaw was trying hard not to wake the others in the slave den as she whispered, "Moletail!" But the pain coursing through her made it difficult to keep quiet.
"Hm? What is it?" Moletail mewed groggily.
"I think- ow!" Slimepaw flinched as another wave of pain hit her.
Moletail quickly realized what was happening and grabbed a stick. "Here, put this in your mouth, and when it hurts, bite down."
Slimepaw nodded, biting down hard on the stick as yet another ripple shook her. Then, finally, her first kit slid out, blood-covered but beautiful in her eyes.
Two more followed, and she was panting hard by the time they arrived. "I think you're done!" Moletail said cheerily.
But Slimepaw wasn't so sure. She let out a silent yowl, tearing the moss with her claws. And then, to her surprise, another kit arrived.
"Four healthy kits!" she panted, exhausted but overjoyed.
"Congratulations!" Moletail cheered, licking one of the kits. Slimepaw did the same, her tongue rasping the kit's smooth fur.
But suddenly, a shriek of agony pierced the air, causing them both to freeze. What was happening out in the forest?
"That sounded like Cloudfeather!" Moletail gasped.
"He's ok. He's a tom, isn't he?" I said scornfully.
My little kits started suckling, pushing against each other to get more. I smiled and snuggled them closer.
"Don't be so rude, Slimepaw," Moletail chided. "Just because they're mean to us doesn't mean we can be rude to them."
I nodded but didn't listen.
***
I heard many paw-steps entering camp, so I knew the gathering was over. I looked at the cats and immediately knew something was wrong. Some cats' heads were low, others were whispering to each other, others looked horror-struck.
"All toms and she-cats trained or in training gather around Highrock for a clan meeting!"
Something was definitely wrong. That wasn't Pinestar's voice!
"Terrible things have taken course tonight. Pinestar and Firefang were murdered."
Pinestar and Firefang were dead?!
"Cloudfeather and Mouseclaw murdered him."
Murdered by his own deputy!
"I killed Cloudfeather myself, but Mouseclaw is still alive. Bring her out."
Mouseclaw looked terrible. Her ear was torn and gorgeous leopard-like pelt with was stained with blood. Her fur was covered in mud and twigs, and she hardly looked alive.
Kestrelstorm, Harrierstripe, and Privereat were dragging her by the scruff, and they didn't act very carefully either.
"What shall we do to this abomination of a cat?"
"Blind her!"
"Exile her!"
"Make her a slave!"
Brambletail met all these suggestions with silence.
"Scar her!"
"Duel her to the death!"
"Wait!" Moletail yowled.
I froze, my heart racing. Moletail could be killed!
"A she-cat has spoken!"
"An ugly one at that!"
"What do you want, she-cat?" Brambletail snarled.
"Maybe... maybe instead of making her a slave, you can make her... a slave that serves she-cats."
"That would be convenient for she-cats..."
"But the shame would hardly be bearable..."
"She used to be a beautiful she-cat..."
"I consent to this, for the rank will be lower than the lowest," Brambletail decided, his eyes flashing with anger. "Mouseclaw, for your treason and betrayal, I sentence you to be the slave of she-cats. You are forbidden to question them, talk to them unless permission is given, or resist punishment. Have you anything to say for yourself?"
The tension in the clearing was almost unbearable as Mouseclaw hesitated. Finally, she spoke, her voice trembling with fear and regret.
"I...I accept my punishment," she said, her eyes downcast. "I am sorry for what I have done, and I will do everything in my power to make amends."
The crowd fell silent as Mouseclaw lowered his head in submission. Brambletail's expression softened slightly, but there was no mistaking the gravity of the situation. From that moment on, Mouseclaw would be a slave to the she-cats, her fate forever sealed.
800 words exactly! Sooooo what do you think???? I tried to make the chapters exciting. Treachery, murder, and betrayal! Isn't that refreshing? Pinestar's POV will be great I hope....
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Credits to: Vanessa Chavarria on Pinterest
Kestsrelstorm is here! Be on your best behavior...
