Post by Frost on Dec 11, 2007 20:59:25 GMT -5
Twilight- Journey to the Tribes
Chapter 1- Arrival
Chapter 1- Arrival
The wind howled like a wolf during the full moon, the rain came down in buckets, and clouds covered the moon. Two cats were silhouetted against the sky. The first one was a black tom. He stopped and looked down, into a deep gorge. Water sprayed up at him from the gorge, he stepped back to avoid getting sprayed. A tabby she-cat padded up to him.
“When will we get there Twilight?” The she-cat meowed.
Twilight looked down the gorge again, “I don’t know, Thorn.” With that said he leaped down into the gorge. He roughly landed on a rock ledge. Water splashed him from all sides.
Thorn looked down, she reluctantly followed him. Her pads slipped on the wet rock, and she started falling backwards, into the water. Twilight lunged forward and fastened his jaws in Thorn’s scruff. His paws slipped forward under her weight. Twilight tried digging his claws into the rock, but it didn’t help much.
Twilight felt another cat grab him by the scruff and tugging at him. He didn’t do anything; the important thing was to save Thorn. Twilight regained his footing, when the other cat started pulling him back. They soon got Thorn safely on the rock.
Twilight looked at the cat who had been tugging him. The cat was dark gray, but he was drenched with water. He was probably a lot lighter than he looked. “I’m Mist.” The strange cat said.
Twilight nodded, “Thanks.”
“It’s not everyday I get the chance to save another’s life.” Mist said simply.
Twilight was about to say something else but Thorn interrupted him, “Can we get out of here now?”
Twilight looked at Mist. Mist looked back the same question circled in their mind, ‘how?’. “There is an easy way back up through a rock tunnel.” Mist explained, “It’s a little narrow, but you two should be able to fit through it.”
Thorn stood up, “Lead the way.” She meowed quickly. Mist nodded and leaped away from the rock they were all perched on. He leaped over to a narrow hole in the rock side. He soon disappeared into it. His tail lingered in the entrance for a few seconds then disappeared along with the rest of him.
Thorn leaped after Mist, she lost her footing for a second but soon found her balance again. Twilight kept his eyes glued on Thorn, making sure she didn’t slip and fall back in the water again. Thorn quickly disappeared through the tunnel. Twilight soon followed.
Twilight was a few tail-lengths away from Thorn. He dropped his jaw open a little; using his scent glands he followed Thorn through the different tunnels. His night visions showed him where the rough edges of the tunnel were, so he could keep away from them.
The three cats soon made it to the end of the tunnel. Mist looked up at the sky, it was still raining, but lighter now. “You two can come to the place I live ‘til it stops raining.” He offered
Thorn looked at Twilight with pleading eyes. Twilight thought for a second, “Alright, thanks Mist.”
Mist nodded, “It’s not to far away from here. Plus, I enjoy the company.” Mist’s gaze drifted off to look at the forest. Then added, “But I’m not alone where I live.”
Twilight followed Mist’s gaze to the forest, “What do you mean?”
“I live in the Tribe of Running Wind.” Mist explained, and then he spotted Thorn’s ears prick up.
Thorn had kept out of the conversation, she had heard and smelled mouse. She dropped into a hunter’s crouch and padded forward lightly; her weight on her haunches. When she was close enough to the mouse, she leaped. Her forepaws landed on the mouse. She quickly unsheathed her claws, and sank them into the soft flesh of the mouse. The mouse squeaked, and Thorn silenced it by putting pressure on the mouse’s neck till she heard a faint crack.
She picked up her fresh-kill and padded back over to Twilight and Mist. “Nice catch!” Twilight meowed.
Mist blinked her thanks and dropped the mouse at Mist’s paws, “For helping save my life.”
Mist purred happily and bent down to take a bite of the fresh-kill. Twilight shifted uncomfortably, “What is the Tribe of Running Wind?” He kept eyeing the forest, expecting cats to jump out and attack him at any moment.
“The Tribe of Running Wind,” Mist said between bites, “is one of the four tribes living in that forest.” He flicked his tail to the forest, “The four tribes are Tribe of Running Wind, Tribe of Hidden Shadows, Tribe of Peaceful Water, and Tribe of Broken Thunder.”
“All the tribes live in that one forest?” Thorn asked doubtfully, “Surely not four tribes could fit in there?”
“The forest stretches farther where we can not see, right now at least.” Mist explained, “I’m in Tribe of Running Wind, as I said before and our leader is Tigersky. Everyone in the tribe has a normal name like you and I do, but the leaders and medicine cats don’t. Leaders’ names end in ‘sky’ because we believe that our dead ancestors go to Tribe of Endless Sky. And medicine cats end their names in ‘pool’ because they use the pools in their den to receive messages of Tribe of Endless Sky.” Mist added, seeing that Twilight and Thorn looked confused about the name.
Twilight and Thorn both nodded. They weren’t as confused anymore. “Will they accept us there?” Thorn meowed. The same question had been going through Twilight’s mind.
“Of course they will!” Mist meowed, “So you want to come?”
Twilight considered their other possibilities; there were none. “Alright, we’ll come.” He said at last.
Mist and Thorn both started purring, “I wonder what it’s like, living with so many other cats around!” Thorn meowed excitedly.
Mist rose to his paws; tail straight up in the air he started towards the forest. “Let’s go then!”
Twilight nodded and followed Mist. Thorn stayed by his flank. “Keep your guard up, just in case.” Twilight warned her in a quiet hiss so Mist wouldn’t hear.
“I will, you bossy fleabag.” Thorn hissed back just as quietly. Only Thorn could have gotten away with it when she called him ‘fleabag’. If any other cat were to have said it, Twilight would have clawed them alive.
