Username: Aktori
Link to Partner/s Post:
AktoriCat Name: Thistleheart
Clan:
Cats of the EarthRank: Mountain Life Fighter
Gender: she-cat
Age: 18 moons
Prompt:
The cold crisp air wisped across the canopy of the trees, making the gigantic oak trees sway in the swift breeze, silence fell throughout the forest. Not a single bird sang their morning tune or the squeaking of rodents in the undergrowth. It was like a spell was casted upon the forest creatures, for they new that something immense was about to happen. Then it happened, a heavy rainstorm had struck the forest, rainfall hitting the ground so hard that dirt splattered up from the onslaught of rain. As the rain hit the ground, winds grew stronger with every second, thunder was heard, roaring up in the heavens above. The loud explosion of lightning crackled throughout the forest.
Three young kits wondered the forest alone, scared, cold and lost. They didn't know what to do nor where to go but they had one goal in mind, to find a sanctuary until the storm passes. The wind buffeted the kits fur, sending their fur to a small fluffball, snow clung to their glamorous fur as they trekked through the forest. Paw prints were left behind in the damp dirt as they walked, but were eventually swallowed up by mud.
"I'm cold!" Shivered Hawk, her teeth chattering as she tried to yell above the howling winds and the heavy rainfall.
"We'll find shelter soon." Reassured Thistle. Their eyes bright with determination.
Eventually they saw their safe haven, a cave hidden in a base of a mountain. The forest had ended and all were left were a few scattered trees here and there. They attempted to climb up the tower of wet rocks, however the surface of the rocks was extremely slippery. Heaps of grey stones fell behind them as they stumbled up and down, as they attempted to reach the cave. After a few falls, they reached their secret hideout. The kits all battered and weary from the constant falls.
"Finally." Hawk sighed in gratitude, she was able to find warmth as the kits huddled up. At last, they were safe.
That was until they heard hissing in the depths of the dark cave. It came closer and closer, Hawk and Thistle looked alert while Fox, didn't seem to take notice. He had a puzzled look on his face as he tilted his head and perked up his ears as he watched the other two kits get terrified of something lurking in the dark. Fox was born deaf, he cannot hear a single thing however he has learnt to communicate through body language.
He finally observed what was happening and understood the other kits alertness. The fur on the back of his neck started to bristle, he will fight anything that comes their way, even though he's chilled to the bone. The hissing came closer and closer, until lightning had lit up the cave. They saw the fearsome creature, a young python that was hiding out the storm, the kits had disturbed it as they entered the cave.
Hawk and Thistle screeched in terror, they ran away to the entrance of the cave but realized there wasn't anywhere to go. It's either the hissing snake or they could attempt to survive the harsh thunderstorm.
Fox, not taking another thought, charged at the snake. He puffed out his fur and his tail bushed up, he looked three times his usual size and was growling menacingly, or so he believes he was. He was intimidating, the other two kits understood that fox would protect them, they hid behind him as he had a stare down with the snake. The snake coiled defensively and bared its sharp fangs at the kits, he finally had enough of the suspence and lashed his razor sharp claws at the snake, scratching it and drawing a little speck of blood. The snake looked at the three kits, outnumbered and slithered back into the crevice it was staying in.
When Fox gets upset, he turns into an aggressive murderous fluffball who will protect his friends and family with his life.
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Thistle quickly started to nose their way through Fox's fur. checking for any bites or scratches. Not knowing exactly what to look for, they were trying their best to keep themselves from getting emotional about everything. Maybe it wasn't the best practice, to wear their heart on their pelt like they do, but they have yet to have been hurt by it. Finding nothing in the small grey cat's fur, they moved on to Hawk's. Again looking for something that just didn't seem right. Thistle could feel their throat getting tight, so they moved away and started to pace closer to the entrance. Their thick fluffy coat keeping the cold from affecting them too much. Why were they getting so worked up about all this? Was it the cold, and sudden fight, or was it the fact that the snow would make finding something for food harder than what the group needed right now? Did it even matter?
Sitting and trying their best to curl their fluffy tail around their front paws, Thistle tried to empty her mind fo the bad thoughts and only let the happy ones in. The cold helping them focus on other things as well, the feeling of the chilled wind touching their whiskers and nose. The flakes of frozen water collecting lightly on the smallest part of the tail that it could land on and slowly making the spot numb. Why was it that everything ever only seemed to go wrong? First the three of them were alone, then they couldn't find anyone to care for them, and now they are stuck in a cave with a snake and no food. Sure no one was hurt, but all Thistle wanted at this point was for them to have a warm place to sleep and no fear of going hungry for days on end.
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A couple of days after the traumatizing snake attack, the kits had ventured out from their secret cave. Hawk piped up, "I really think that snake didn't want to eat us. I thought about it for a while, but it would've ate us in our sleep!" Thistle nodded in agreement while Fox, lead the trio of kits through the dense forest. They eventually hit a twoleg village, where they encountered a snarky mean old she-cat. "What are you doing in my territory!" She scowled at the young kits in a loud booming voice. Terrified the kits huddled behind Fox while he puffed out his fur, he was their protector.
Hawk assessing the situation, took a deep breath in and faced the elder cat. "I'm sorry, we are just passing by. We don't wish you harm." Calmly said the little she-cat.
The old cat looked at the shivering little fluff balls and sighed, "You don't seem like a threat. My days on this earth had made me sour - and for good reason." The elder remarked. "You three look like you've been through a lot, where are your parents?"
The kits looked sadly at the older cat, "We don't know, we're orphans." Hawk answered quietly.
The elder stayed silent for a second, "I saw a group of older cats travelling through here a day ago. They headed north - perhaps you could catch up to them and they can find you a place to call home."
The trio looked at eachother, excitement filled their gaze. They thanked the elder, and headed north. They will find a place to call home.
Alas, the kits had separated. Thistle went on to their own clan that they thought would suit them better, while Fox and Hawk decided to stay together. One day they hope to reunite and to catch up. They will always have their unbreakable bond to each other.
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If there was ever one thing that Thistle could count on, was their friendship, no kinship, with Fox and Hawk. No matter how far away they might end up, they knew that those two would always be there for them. They had been through too much for them to not have that non-severable bond.
Being older now, Thistleheart wanted nothing more than to see how their old friends were doing, and also feeling that they need to tell them all about their adventures in their new home. Sure they felt guilty for having ever left the two in the first place, but this trip was for them. Wading through streams and shallow rivers, pushing through brush and grasses, they followed the old path to their old home. Scared of what they might find, they pushed on until smelling the familiar scents of Hawk and Fox.
'Soon my old friends, I will tell you about my new life and you can be angry at me for leaving,' Thistleheart thought inwardly, their pace gradually picking up, until they were bounding towards the territory, only stopping once at the border. Sitting and waiting patiently for a patrol to come by and take them to the others.
Who else would Thistleheart turn to for comfort and good times, besides the two that she grew up with before leaving to find a more accepting place?
