Username;; TheSongOfTheStars
Cat Name;; Chirka
Gender;; male
Age;; 56 moons
Clan;; SongclanRank;; warrior
Prompt;;CatalystChirka flinched and crouched lower to the wet cobblestones of the bridge as lightning tore the sky apart and sent thunder rolling down from the broken pieces.
But it wasn't the wrath of the storm he feared, but the anger of the shadows that gathered and wove into the night around him, over bright eyes catching flashes of lightening and glaring at him.
They were all around him now.
No escape.
Not by foot.
"Chirka, come away from there," an authoritative voice rumbled in much the same way the thunder had rolled.
Up on the railing with the water rushing beneath him, Chirka ignored the voice.
"Chirka don't be a fool."
Was that what he was being? Or for once was he doing the smart thing.
"You aren't yourself Chirka," most of the shadows hung back, but one melted out of the rain and stepped closer, hard green eyes like cold poison locking onto Chirka, Raven, "Are you really going to abandon your family? Over such a small disagreement?"
Were they really his family? Or where they his jailers? He'd lived with them his entire life, but did they care about him?
"Chirka?" Leigh solidified out of the rain, her soft orange eyes dim in the darkness, but still stabbing straight to his heart "Don't leave me."
Chirka wavered, three paws on solid wet ground, one hovering in thin air.
He looked back and forth between the water and the shadows around him.
He could be free. He'd be alone.
He could stay. Safety in numbers. He'd never have control over his own life.
There would be consequences for this.
Path one"They're beautiful Chirka," Raven purred hoarsely as he beamed down at the litter of kits nestled inbetween Chirka's paws "How is Leigh?"
"She's okay, tired, but okay," Chirka sighed and looked down at his three children. They were all on the small side, but the third was really a runt. Absolutely tiny and fragile. Chirka was already fighting with himself not to have a favorite.
"Imagine if you had left us," Raven said, a velvet paw sneaking out to touch the smallest kit gently.
Chirka shivered and closed his eyes. Raven had shown him uncommon grace after his shameful escapade.
"Imagine what an example you are."
Chirka's eyes shot open at the sudden change in Raven's voice. It went from warm to ice in a second.
There was a squeal and Chirka looked down to see Raven's claws curling around the runt.
"No," he whispered.
"Yes Chirka," Raven arched his neck and his eyes burned into Chirka's "Time to pay your due."
Chirka wanted to move, but he couldn't breathe and he was frozen as Raven's claws sunk deeper.
Too deep for any hope.
"It'd be a pity if you were to lose the other two," Raven said, stepping back and wiping his claws against the ground. He turned to leave, calling over his shoulder "I'd hope you'd never even think about betraying my trust again Chirka."
Path twoChirka closed his eyes and listened. The sound of a forest was so different then the sound of the city. A city was discordant, a cacophonous of voices all competing to be heard over each other while the forest was a chorus, a hundred songs woven into each other. It was so strange to think he was one of those songs now instead of a shout lost in the screams.
He wasn't alone, the way he'd thought he'd be. There were cats living, thriving, out here. They had taught him how to survive and how to enjoy being alive.
He took in a long breath and let it out slowly before standing up. The branch shook beneath him and he dug his claws in reflexively as he tensed his muscles for the leap. He soared towards the earth and landed with the softest thump.
He paused for a moment, ears pricked. Better safe than sorry was something he'd learned a long time before coming to this place and the clan cats didn't need to teach him that. Then he broke out into a flat out run for the simple joy of feeling his heart hammer against his chest.
He was free.
And he was never going to be weighed down again.
OutcomeStay, stay, stay, go, go, go.
"Please Chirka," Leigh shouted again to be heard over the storm.
"Leigh," Chirka swallowed in a breath against his pounding heart "Leigh please..."
"Don't you go, don't you dare leave."
"Leigh..." lightening flashed and thunder rolled, drowning out Chirka's voice "Leigh! Leigh..."
Might as well say it now.
"I love you."
Leigh flinched and stared at him, clearly not expecting that. But they'd been close, hadn't they? They'd spent so much time together, spent so much time talking and laughing.
The silence was cut short by Raven roughly shouldering again Leigh, causing her to start out of her shock.
"Chirka...I..."
"She loves you too, Chirka," Raven snapped "Don't leave her."
But for a long moment Chirka held Leigh's gaze, searching for something.
He found nothing.
"Chirka!" Raven's screeched split the air harsher than any thunder, but it did nothing as the errant tom made his choice. launing himself upwards, into the air.
For a moment, Chirka was as untethered as a bird, no obligations to the earth or Raven or Leigh.
Then he was falling.