[Shuurock]

username: Shuurock
cat name: Acornpaw (Acorntail)
gender: Tom
age: 9 moons
clan: Tidalclan
rank: Apprentice

prompt:

Acornkit hated staying in the nursery, there was nothing to do there at all. He wanted to be out in the forest where all the other cats were. He wanted to be an explorer finding new land for his clan and discovering things.

One morning he awoke to find that his mother was leaving to share tongues with those outside. Usually she would bring him with so this was unusual. This was finally his chance to explore the territory. Quickly he scanned the camp, noticing that no one was looking in his direction. As quietly as he could he walked out of the camp, he was in shock no one had noticed him. He giggled now filled with excitement as he started to run through the forest, seeing so many new things. He saw trees he’d never seen before, rock formations that were beautiful, and the beautiful view of the mountains and valleys.

However as excited as he was he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going and by the time his legs were sore he stopped and looked around. “Oh Starclan help… I don’t know where I am.” He looked up at the sky, the sun was setting soon, he had to find somewhere safe, and fast. He spotted a large rock structure in the distance. He squinted because he knew it was just rocks, but at the same time he saw the figure of a large lion. That must be Father Rock! He’d heard so much about it, but did not expect to see it so soon. He knew there was a cave system underneath that would keep him safe and warm during the night.

Sliding into the caves Acornkit saw a soft pink light from inside the caves. Following the light he found himself at a giant glowing red rock. He gasped in amazement as he marveled at its beauty. All around him he felt like he could see the figures of cats, but whenever he looked there was nothing there. He also heard faint voices, some guiding him to touch the rock. This must be how others meet Starclan. Puffing his chest out he stepped forward, closing his eyes, and touched his nose to the rock. Quickly the air felt different and he felt a light static enter his body. His eyes flew open and he was in a forest, misty but beautiful.

“H-hello? Is anyone there?” Acornkit wandered forward through the forest. Then he felt the presence of other cats.

“Acornkit,” A figure larger than any cat he’d ever seen spoke, “You are awfully far from home. I’m glad you found your way here.” The figure stepped out of the mist, revealing himself to be a large scared male lion. “Do not fret, we will bring you home” A female lion stepped forward with a soft smile on her face. Acornkit could feel the presence of other lions, but couldn’t see any others.

The female lion gently picked him up and before he knew it they were traveling through the forest at speeds he never imagined possible. He saw landmarks he had passed on the way there, it felt like he blinked and he was being placed back in his nest. “Now don’t go wandering off again young one.” she gently licked his head and faded into the walls of the nursery. The male lion nodded at him and did the same.

Acornkit looked around uncertain, poking his head out of the nursery to see his mother still sharing tongues with the others.

“I met them… I really met the ancient lions…”

(596 words)

[Kazin]

username: Kazin
cat name: Cocoa
gender: she-cat
age: 11 moons
clan: Twilight Drift
rank: Trainee

prompt: (loose 600 word limit)

Small paws kicked up the snow, the flakes floating down as if another storm had come. Claws gripped fruitlessly at the ice that lay underneath, the traction poor as paws slid. But still, the running must continue. It had to continue, or she would be trapped. Cocoa couldn't even tell that her feet were cold, so caught up in running away. Her heart thudded anxiously in her chest, threatening to jump out if she wasn't careful.

All thoughts of being careful had jumped out of Cocoa's head long ago.

The lake was up ahead. All the rational parts of her brain were telling her to stop, to try and run around, but she knew they would be waiting for her to try that. They were chasing her here for a reason, the others lying in wait to catch her. She needed to do something unexpected - and she did just that. With only a split second hesitation, Cocoa's paws were sliding on the frozen surface of the lake. She held her breath as she carefully slid across, knowing even the tiniest breath could crack the ice. From behind her, the shouts of outrage carried across the forest, giving her heart a skip of hope. Maybe she could beat them after all! Her paws picked up as much speed as she could, blindly trusting the ice not to break underneath her. It wasn't long before she had reached the other side, panting.

"She's across the lake!" The yowl was from those that had been chasing her through the forest. Movement to her right, and more shapes appeared in the treeline. Cocoa didn't have time to rest, not now, for she had to run. Snow again flew up behind her paws as she scrambled to escape, but she was tiring. She was outnumbered. She couldn't win.

They're going to catch me. This thought, unlike the many others flying around her head, was clear. Yes. They were going to catch her, of that she was certain. But she could certainly give them hell while they tried. Cocoa was not one to go down without a fight.

Taking a deep breath in preparation, Cocoa allowed her feet to stop, sliding a bit as she did so. The ones chasing her let out a whoop of victory as they watched her slow. This won't be the end of me, she thought, whirling around to face her opponents.

"You'll have to beat me in battle if you want to catch me!" Cocoa said, her voice a higher pitch than normal, claws unsheathing, eyes blazing. No, this would not be the end of her legacy.

The cats facing her exchanged a look, glancing at her claws in uncertainty. "Well, geez, Cocoa... it's just a game of tag. Can't you admit you finally lost after all these moons we've tried to catch you?"

"Never!" Cocoa yowled into the forest, crying out like she had been captured by rogues. "I must fight for my right to remain the champion!"

"Er... yeah... we won't fight you, Cocoa. But you did lose this round."

"Noooo!"

[SandSpider]

username: SandSpider
cat name: Yewberry
gender: Male
age: 12 Moons
clan: Echoclan
rank: Loner

prompt:

"Save us Yewberry! Free us! It's your fault! You've killed us! We're doomed! Your own family Yewberry! Die! Help! Go away! Come here! Stop! Save us Yewberry! HELP US!"

Yewberry startled awake, skin crawling and heart racing as he took in his surroundings.

The tom sighed. He doubted he could ever sleep peacefully again.

No, not after what he'd done.

Yewberry shuddered, the warm air suddenly seeming very, very cold.
Or was it very, very hot?
He couldn't tell anymore, he wasn't really sure of anything.

The tom had lost all sense of directions and the hunger was getting to him.

He looked up at the harsh and unforgiving stars and shivered before disappearing into the forest, desperate to escape their accusing glares of treason.

"Stop it!" He cried out suddenly at the empty space around him. "It wasn't my fault!" The tom protested, trying to convince himself along with his demons.

No, it wasn't his fault!

But it was.

Was it?

He shook his head, but couldn't shake the image from his mind.

His family, trapped.

The building was burning up and they were inside and he wasn't.

He didn't even try to help them.

Why?

At the time he was sure the fire would kill him and prayed to the spirits they could escape.

But of course, they didn't.

It was his fault they were dead. He didn't go into the building. He had feared death so much then, but now, he almost wanted it.

Almost.

The only thing that kept Yewberry going was the guilt. He couldn't ever meet with the spirits of his family after what he'd done.

He stumbled forwards on bloody paws.

He would survive.

No, he would fall and rot into the ground.

But he was already dead, right?

Was he?

He stared down at his paws. Were they his? Or is this somebody else's body he'd possessed to escape?

He'd better give it back, he thought miserably.

And with that troubling thought, Yewberry's paw slammed against a rock and he pitched forwards, stumbling over the cliff he'd been walking along.

Falling...

Falling....

Falling.....

Gone.

• • •

Yewberry awoke with a start and yelped at the sudden pain the hit him like a wall.

He snarled and thrashed, the surroundings unfamiliar and the air strange. Something was wrong, was he dead?!

Would that be a bad thing if he was?

He surged up and yowled, slashing and biting the air as he thrashed and turned.

Yewberry was being attacked from all sides, invisible demons biting and attacking, getting worse every time he moved.

If only he would lay still.

Maybe then he would realize it was simply his injuries and that there was no enemy here, only a very concerned and lost medicine cat watching him with wide eyes.

Yewberry screeched out furiously. The air here was wrong. The atmosphere was different and strange and wrong!

He shot up, knocking over herbs and bedding and scaring the medicine cat half to death as he shot out of the den like a bullet.

Cats. Cats everywhere. Spirits?

Yes! The spirits were here. He was dead and they would torment him forever.

He ran as far as possible into the mountains, body aching fiercely before collapsing in a clearing painfully.

It wasn't long before Owlsong caught up with him and nudged him nervously. "Hey... don't panic. It’s okay.." she murmured tentatively.

He stiffened and looked up, afraid to see the stars.

That's when he realized there were no spirits here, the stars were even calming, no, these were different ancestors, his own fought off at the border.

He was free.

No, he was trapped. He was surrounded on all sides. He couldn’t leave, or the demons would be back on him.

What now?

[liightning]

Reminder that this kid ends in 30 minutes!! No edits or forms will be allowed after it closes <3

[houndpine]

username: houndpine
cat name: patchkit (patchpaw -> patchflame)
gender: male
age: 3 moons
clan: clan fell
rank: pàiste (kit)

prompt:
Patchkit waved his tail in the air happily as he trotted across the moor, his nose full of the scent of heather blooms and the lazy buzz of bees filling his ears. He'd never been allowed this far out of camp before, but his friend Adderkit had finally managed to convince him that it was worth sneaking out of camp to have an adventure. Patchkit smiled brightly at Adderkit, who padded beside him and offered a small smile back.

"This was a good idea!" Patchkit mewed, crouching down for a moment before pouncing at a fat bee, which bumbled away from his batting paws. "Being out here is way more fun than being stuck in camp."

"See? I told you you should always listen to me," Adderkit said smoothly, watching him with those dark eyes. "Hey, you know what would be really neat? If we went to see the loch."

Patchkit's ears perked, then drooped. "My mama said I'm not to go near the loch. It's too dangerous."

Adderkit scoffed. "For two brave kits like you and me? We'll be fine! It's really cool, I promise."

Patchkit thought for a second, tail waving from side to side, then nodded, grinning. "Alright, let's go then!"

The two kits set off, Patchkit laughing and bounding through the heather as Adderkit, as always, calmly watched.

It was further to the loch than Patchkit expected, and he became tired before they even got there. But Adderkit seemed unbothered, so Patchkit resolved to ignore his aching legs and burning lungs and show that he was just as strong as his friend. So he followed Adderkit.

"There it is!" Adderkit cried as they crested the top of a small rise, looking down into the small valley beneath. The loch stretched out in front of them, a flat sheet of gray-blue water that a slight breeze ghosted small waves across.

"It's big!" Patchkit mewed, exhaustion temporarily forgotten.

"It's small, for a loch," Adderkit said, another one of those pieces of knowledge he somehow possessed. "Wait 'till you see the sea." He got quiet, for a long moment, his eyes distant and dark like they got whenever he talked about the sea. Patchkit shifted on his paws nervously, then perked up as he got an idea.

"Race you to the edge!" he said excitedly, before running off down the slope towards the loch. Adderkit didn't reply, but a moment later he was beside Patchkit as they ran and half-stumbled towards the water's edge.

Patchkit got there a moment before Adderkit did, skidding to a stop on the small dark stones that lined the edge of the loch.

"I win!" he cried, triumphant, and Adderkit gave him a small indulgent smile and nod as he came to a stop beside him.

"You know what would be even more fun?" Adderkit said, after a heartbeat. "Going swimming!"

Patchkit wrinkled his nose. "Cats don't go swimming, silly."

"You could be the first, then." Adderkit said, voice curiously devoid of humor.

Patchkit giggled uneasily. "You're weird," he said, then returned his gaze to the loch. "Hey! I can see myself."

Both kits peered at their reflections in the water. Patchkit stuck his tongue out at his mirror, then turned to look at Adderkit's reflection.

The water shivered, sending ripples across the gray surface. It made Patchkit unsure of what he was seeing for a moment, until the water cleared.

Adderkit had no reflection.

Surely it was a trick of the light, though? Patchkit felt a cold shiver run down his spine, and he mustered a small smile.

"Hey, I'm tired. Let's go home."

Adderkit turned to look at him slowly. "You haven't gone swimming yet."

"I-- I don't want to go swimming," Patchkit said, feeling his heart start to hammer in his chest.

A gust of cold wind blew across the loch, and Adderkit's image seemed to ripple as the water had.

"It'll be fun," Adderkit said softly, stepping closer. For the first time, Patchkit noticed that his paws made no impressions on the ground, that his steps were soundless and weightless. For the first time, Patchkit noticed that the light seemed... wrong, not reflecting off of Adderkit's fur like it should. The heather behind Adderkit was faintly visible through where solid fur and muscle should be.

"Who-- who are you?" Patchkit squeaked, stumbling backwards away from Adderkit.

Adderkit grinned. "I'm your friend, silly." His eyes flashed darker than ever before, for a moment, and a soft red glow rose from his translucent fur. He took another slow, measured step towards Patchkit.

Terror filled Patchkit's throat, and all he could do was turn and run.

[liightning]

This is now closed for judging!! <3

[liightning]

This was a really tough decision - I'll be awarding an HM to houndpine!

A huge congrats to Kazin! The growth is already posted underneath the kit. Enjoy your new curly baby! <3

username: Kazin
cat name: Cocoa
gender: she-cat
age: 11 moons
clan: Twilight Drift
rank: Trainee

[Kazin]

Oh my gosh! Thank you so so much! I am going to absolutely treasure this gem. I already adore her <3

[houndpine]

Thanks for the HM, and congrats to Kazin on your new curly child!!