Pineclan #1: Journey to the Unknown

Chapter One

Hissing and Yapping broke the silence. A blue-gray and black tabby she-cat struck out at a small yellow dog. Spitting, the she-cat hurled herself at the yellow dog. The little dog twisted under the cat’s weight, whipping its head around to bite her. A long-haired, white she-cat padded into the room, paws making no sound against the hard, stone ground. She clubbed the dog across the snout, and as it began to run, pounced to knock off the blue tabby. The yellow dog gone, the long-haired she-cat sat and delicately began to lick her paws. The tabby cat hissed and said, “Why can’t you leave us alone, Snow?”

“Why can’t you leave the dog alone, and spend more time with your nofurs, Cloud?” Snow calmly countered.

“That thing taunts me! Today it stole my food!”

“Not that you’d notice! You never eat the food the nofurs give you. You are too busy hunting for mice in the bushes.”

“It isn’t that bad. Mice taste a lot better than that nasty wet stuff the nofurs get for us.” 

Snow shook her head in mock defeat. “What am I to do with you?”

Cloud stalked through the bushes, aware of the strong scent of fox. The nofur fence loomed high above her, intensifying the feeling of being surrounded. As she caught the scent of mouse, rustling sounded behind her. She whirled around to find a brown snout inches from her face. The hot breath reeked of spoiled food. The cold, black eyes looked empty, vacant of life. A red coat and bushy tail identified the creature at once. Fox! It was a deadly animal, much more so than the yellow dog. Cloud knew that there was no getting away from the beast. She could only wait for the nofurs to come to her rescue and scare the fox off. Cloud calculated the possibilities of survival. I know the terrain… I could lure it into a trap! But what trap? I could push it into the rose bush… but that is on the other side of the garden! I’ll have to try. Cloud ran through all the moves she used on the yellow dog, knowing they would be her only hope against this blood-thirsty villain in front of her. I’ll use stealth and cunning. They are my best allies. The fox struck out at her. She ducked. She swiped its muzzle and drew blood. They battled through the garden; under bushes, through flowers, in the nofur fountain and came to the rose bush. She forced it back into the thorns, hoping they would slow it down. The fox’s blows became less powerful and less frequent. Cloud easily ducked each blow. The fox slowly inched forward with each attack, unbeknownst to Cloud. Suddenly, it was out of the rose bush. It leapt at her. She tried to duck but the fox’s fangs dug into her ear. Cloud bolted upright. She was in the nofur kitchen, sitting in her nest. Snow squirmed beside her, mumbling about something. Cloud reached up to feel her ear. It was intact! Not a scratch! She ran her tail over the places where the fox had landed blows, they were gone as well! Puzzled, she walked toward the nofur glass. Her reflection glowed in the moonlight. There were no scratches whatsoever. She padded to her nest and lay down beside Snow. It must have been a dream…

“Cloud!” Snow shook Cloud awake. 

“What? What happened?” 

Snow laughed. “Nothing has happened! Goodness you are jumpy today! I was only coming to tell you that the nofurs have put out our food.”

Cloud smiled disarmingly, embarrassed of her behavior. The dream from last night had shaken her. 

Snow looked at her and said “It could help to take a walk in the garden. It might be good to get some fresh air.”

Cloud nodded and stepped out the kitty door. The sun warmed her pelt pleasantly. She stretched luxuriously, taking in the sweet smells of catnip and other aromas. Purring, she checked her fur for uninvited guests. A gust of wind swept a rotting scent over her. She drew a sharp breath. “Fox!” she breathed. She padded over the worn paths in the garden, looking for the beast she knew she had to confront. She scented a mouse, and began to replay what had gone on in her dream. Just as the fox scent overwhelmed her, she turned around face-to-face with an evil, red face. The fox looked the same as the one in her dream, only bigger. Or was that just her imagination? She resolved to do exactly what she had done in her dream. Lead it to the rose bush. She whirled and exhilaration filled her mind, expelling the guidelines of the dream. She trampled the garden, overturning pots, churning the soil and dashing through catnip. Blue eyes wide, she came to the rose bush. Mechanically, she did everything the same as in her dream. When the fox began to wane his blows, Cloud only fell for it again. The fox latched onto her ear, fangs boring holes into them. Cloud twisted and turned, trying desperately to unhook the savage beast. She slipped under it, using its weight against him. As she jumped she latched her unsheathed claws into the fox’s belly. It writhed in pain, but still it did not release its hold. Enraged, she dug in harder, maddening the fox. Finally, her life-blood draining out of her, she bit the fox with all her might. It tore its mouth out of her ear, and barked in agony. All Cloud could see was the soft white under fur that was now soaked in blood. The reek of fox blood made her sick, but she held on. The fox began to run in circles, loosening Cloud’s grip. She fell off in a tumble, a mass of blood and fur. The fox turned and raced for her. Cloud prepared herself for the blow.