Cold Hearted Paths - Chapter 1

    The forest was a beautiful world. Dove enjoyed hunting in it, playing in it and watching its beautiful views. She couldn't imagine being anywhere else besides the forest. Most of the time, cats got along rather well here. It was rather peaceful, and no cat fought often. When cats did fight, it was over prey or territory, but even those moments were rare. The wild cats were well-fed most of the time, and didn't need to steal others' prey. Besides, Dove felt like stealing was wrong. Even if she was hungry, she still wouldn't steal someone else's prey that they worked hard to hunt for.

    Unfortunately, those moments no longer existed. Dove began to realize not that long ago that prey was becoming too hard to find. She and her family were always starving, and they hardly had anything to eat besides a couple of skinny, sorry-looking prey. Cats now fought for prey, and there were more short-tempered personalities because every cat had an empty belly. She knew that empty bellies would make cats cranky, but she wished she didn't have to fight now. Dove didn't like fighting, but she'd do anything to keep her family alive and safe.


    Dapple, Dove's mother, leaned over to Patches, who was her daughter. The calico she-cat looked depressed, her fur unruffled and patched with dirt as if she hadn't groomed in moons. Dove felt a wave of sorrow for Patches. The she-cat had recently lost her mate, Storm, due to starvation, and she was determined not to lose anyone else in the same way she had lost Storm. Patches blamed herself, but Dove knew that she should have hunted harder. If she had found more prey, perhaps Storm wouldn't have died.


    A tortoiseshell she-cat had arrived, and Dove's heart quickened with hope when she scented the scent of mouse. She looked over to see what the she-cat had brought, but frowned when she noticed that the two mice were very small, hardly more than a mouthful. Dove padded over to the she-cat and stared at the mice, letting out a sigh. She kicked one with her small paw.

    "That's hardly enough to feed all of us, let alone one cat." Dove murmured, feeling anger sparking through her. She wished that she could find more prey for her family. But no matter how hard we try, we never get enough. It's hardly more than a mouthful even if we do find something. Fear pricked her fur as she realized that if they couldn't find any prey soon, the family would have to move. But Dove didn't want to leave the forest. Even though prey was becoming harder and harder to find, she didn't want to lose the home she was born in.


    "I'm sorry." The tortoiseshell murmured, her green eyes flashing with guilt. Dove felt a stab of guilt for letting her frustration getting the best of herself. It wasn't fair to put the blame on her niece.

    "Don't worry about it, Scarlet." Dove reassured her. "It's at least enough to give someone energy. Take one mouse for yourself, and give the other one to Patches. She needs to eat, whether she wants to or not." Patches stopped eating ever since her mate had died. Dove knew that she was grieving, but she wanted to keep Patches' strength up. I will not lose someone else I love!


    Scarlet stared at the tiny, pitiful mouse, and picked it up. The tortoiseshell she-cat began to gobble it up, although it was hardly enough for a mouthful. She picked up the other mouse and gave it to Patches, who was laying down with her paws tucked underneath her chest. Dove wanted to wail for her. She looked so small and weak. Patches used to be a bundle of joy until she lost Storm.


   "Here, mother, eat," Scarlet begged, nudging the mouse toward Patches. But the she-cat glanced at the mouse, her eyes full of grief.

    "Storm should eat that," Patches murmured, looking away from the prey. Dove blinked. Doesn't she know that Storm is dead? The tom had died just a few days ago from starvation.

   
    "Little one," Dapple murmured, lapping at her daughter's head. "Storm is dead. But you are alive, and Dove and I want to make sure that you survive. Please, eat the mouse. It may not be much, but I want you to keep your strength up."


    Patches looked up at her mother, her eyes clouding with pain. Dove thought that her heart would break for the depressed she-cat. Patches looked down at the prey, took the smallest bite out of it, then nudged it away. "I'm fine. Go give this to someone else, or you ca have it." Patches stood up and padded away, her tail dragging onto the ground as she headed into the patch of dried grass. 


    Dapple must have noticed Dove's pain for the depressed she-cat because she mewed, "Why don't you and Scarlet spend some time together? I will take care of Patches. Don't worry about it for now." She padded after her daughter without waiting for an answer. Dove doubted that she would stop worrying. But she and Scarlet had spent so much time trying to hunt, that they hardly spent time together anymore. She's right. I should spend time with Scarlet.


    Dove padded over to Scarlet, who was staring after where Patches and Dapple had left. She sensed her niece's grief and she now understood why Dapple had suggested spending time with her. Scarlet is still so young, and she needs to learn how to live carefree once in a while.


    "Come on, dear." Dove purred, nudging Scarlet. "Let's go for a walk in the forest." She padded away without waiting for an answer. But she knew that Scarlet would follow. The two she-cats headed deep into the forest, surrounded by bushes. Leaves scraped against their pelts, although they felt very dry from the lack of water. Dove felt another wave of sorrow. My poor home is slowly dying!


   "What's happening to our home?" Scarlet shared Dove's thoughts. "It's so dry, and there's hardly any prey. It used to be so easy to live here and now it's hard!" she wailed. "Do you think we'd have to move?" Scarlet stared at Dove, her green eyes wide. "I don't want to! I love this place!"

 
    Dove flattened her ears. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "If it comes to it, we may have to move. I'm sure that Dapple would do whatever it takes to save us all."


    "This place should have saved Storm," Scarlet murmured, her voice tight with pain. "But it didn't. The forest will not help us. We will have nothing left!"


    Dove's heart quickened. Scarlet was losing hope that their home was enough for them to live here. She didn't want to think that they'd have to move away. "Don't lose hope," she begged. "There's still some prey. If we just give the rodents enough time to mate and produce more animals, then we should be fine."


    "That's what you said last time," Scarlet growled, lashing her black-and-orange tail. "But it's been too long, and we're not catching anything! We're going to starve!"


    "No, we won't." Dove growled, her voice cold. "We will not starve. I will make sure that we will all survive. Do you trust me, Scarlet?" Dove narrowed her eyes as Scarlet gave her a doubtful look. I'm doing what I can to keep us all safe. I'm not going to let anyone else die!


    Finally, after a long look, Scarlet dipped her head. "Yes, Dove. I trust you. Please make sure that my mother stays alive. I can't bear the thought of losing another one of my parents. I've already lost my father. I don't need to lose my mother too."

    Dove purred and lapped at Scarlet's head. "You need not to worry, my dear," she purred. "You're a strong, young cat, and so is your mother. Once she gets over her grief from losing Storm, Patches will be running along and happy again. Dapple may be old, but she too is still strong. We have a strong family, Scarlet. We will not lose this battle against nature!"


   Scarlet let out a purr and pressed against Dove's chest. Dove purred from the warmth of her fur. Yes, Dove thought I'm going to make sure that everyone survives. I won't lose another family member!


***

   The ground shuddered beneath Dove's paws. She let out a screech as the she-cat moved her paws to try to get a grip on the ground, but she was falling into thin air. The she-cat screeched in horror as she fell into the darkness, and she was terrified as it swallowed her up. The she-cat landed with a loud thump against her side and felt stinging pain and shock from the pressure.


   Suddenly, Dove's eyes flew open and she looked around, letting out a sigh of relief. I'm fine. She looked around and realized that her family was sleeping peacefully. That was a weird dream, though. Frightening, even. Dove hated to admit it, but she felt afraid of that dream. She never wanted to experience a dream of her falling again!


   After a few moments of focusing into the real world, Dove suddenly felt the ground shift underneath her. She let out a screech of terror and confusion when she felt everything shaking around her. The world was shifting underneath her. Cracks were splitting open, and she couldn't keep herself balanced right from the shifting land.


   "Get away from here!" Dove shrieked, but her family was already awake. Patches' sad eyes were wide with terror, Dapple, who was usually calm, had eyes round about the size of the moon, and Scarlet was letting out a terrified wail. Every cat was in panic. It looks like I'm the one who has to take charge here, Dove thought. Even Dapple, the calmest one out of the whole family, was in shock. And it's only natural. We've never experienced anything like this before! It's like the planet is moving.


   Dove shook her fur and cleared her throat. "Stay calm, and head for the nearest open area!" There can't be any trees or things that will fall from this.. this unnatural disaster! Dove flattened her ears and leaped away from her family, trying to find the closest area that seems safe. But there were too many trees shifting and making a creaking noise, and instantly Dove caught one of the trees split in half, beginning to fall. Dove whipped around and let out a yowl, "Look out!"


   No! One of the trees was about to fall right on top of Scarlet! But the tortoiseshell she-cat heard Dove's warning just in time and ran out of the way, and the tree fell, the leaves rustling from the fall. Dove's heart sank when she realized that she was separated from Scarlet between her and the tree. Dove craned her neck, pricking her ears forward. She hoped that Scarlet was okay.


   "I'm okay!" Scarlet shrieked. To Dove's relief, the shaking was slowing down, and, after a few more moments, it stopped.


   "Where are Dapple and Patches?" Dove demanded, lashing her tail. Her pelt was still spiked up with fear, but her voice was strong. She knew she couldn't show weakness while the others were in panic from the.. what just happened? What is this natural disaster even called? Dove tipped her head, feeling confused, though she knew that she should focus on gathering her family together first. She was separated from her family, thanks to the fallen tree, and it was too large and wide to walk around or jump over.


   "I-I'm o-okay," Dove recognized the old voice of her mother, Dapple. "D-don't worry about me. Patches is fine, too." Dove felt her shoulders sag with relief. Everyone is okay! She frowned. But now we'll have to find a way to look for each other.


   "Everyone!" Dove raised her voice to make sure that she was heard by everyone. "We will have to split up for now! Stay in the same area, though, and hopefully we'll find each other again soon! I won't leave anyone!" She hoped that she will find her way to Patches, Dapple and Scarlet soon,  to her dear loved ones. She wasn't sure how she'd cope without her family, being on her own. We're going to have a hard path to get through. But I think we'll be fine and pull through.