The Echo Of Crows

~*'Chapter 1'*~

~~~SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING. This chapter contains adult themes such as murder, infanticide, and depression. You have been warned.~~~

Darkness

The female exhaustedly dropped down in the secret burrow she had been working on ever since she'd discovered her future kitting. Moss, feathers, leaves, and other soft materials lined all corners of the rough den. It had been the best she could do. The recent loss of Nix still pained her, as he hadn't even known that he was soon to be a Sire to her kittens.

Their kittens.Another contraction rippled through her, causing her to grind her teeth and whine into her paws.

Alone.

That's what she was. Alone, in the darkness. This was her fate.

For who would she tell? Her Tribe was suffering enough. There was already barely enough food for the members they had, much less an extra litter. Their emaciated frames was what made it so incredibly difficult for her to hide her expectancy in the first place. 

She rolled onto her side to breathe a bit easier. It was so hot in here.As another contraction hit she held her breath to avoid letting out another whine. This was her punishment for finding happiness while her Tribe suffered. A cold breeze blew down into the narrow burrow, providing the female with a moment of short-lived relief while she was deep in thought. Then she heard it.

A branch snapping. She was sure of it.Mouse's ears pricked as she quickly forced herself to sit up with a quiet huff of effort. Gazing out of the burrow into the inky blackness of the night, she listened while whimpering through another contraction. She squinted and watched through the trees for any signs of movement.

Then there it was.

If she hadn't been paying attention she wouldn't have noticed the sly movement of white fur between the trunks of the trees. The way the crickets became silent. At this, dread filled her and she stood and shuffled as far back as she could.

Maybe she couldn't scent me. The wind is in my favor. The female desperately thought while curling her tail protectively over her heavily pregnant belly. 

The wind hadn't been in her favor moments before. 

A snap of the twigs she had carefully laid around her den to alert her of intruders warned her that her pleading with the Ancestors hadn't worked. 

"Well, Mouse. I knew I was correct when I saw that belly of yours." A soft voice purred from directly outside the den. Mouse hissed loudly. "Whittle, why did you follow me if you knew? There is no way that you came to offer your assistance." 

The white female poked her maw inside the den and chuckled. 

"Of course not, darling cousin. I came to do what should have been done many Seasons ago when we were banished from our home."

Dread filled Mouse, and she quickly lashed out at her cousin with a snarl. The females maw quickly disappeared out of the den tauntingly.

"Come now, cousin! I know our Alpha cannot possibly be that slow!" Her voice teased.

Mouse growled, slowly exiting the den with her fur prickling. Whittle had moved to the treeline, allowing the moonlight to illuminate her long pure white coat. It was an odd trait to begin with, Mouse thought to herself. Ashen cats born with white fur typically didn't last long. It should have been a warning sign that this female was dangerous to begin with.

"I'm not slow, you piece of filth. I'm expecting Nix's kittens." She spat out.

Whittle turned to face her, her different colored eyes lighting up. "Yes, Nix. Didn't you ever wonder what happened to him? How he just... left? Does that sound much like your Life Partner?"