Spreading Darkness

Chapter 1

 "Crow! Where are you?" Lark asked, tail dragging on the ground. "Ugh!" she hissed, in frustration. Crow chuckled, as quietly as he could, and smiled. Lark was never going to find him! 

    "I'm over here..." he quietly echoed. "Betcha can't find me!" he quickly cupped his paws over his mouth, realizing that he said it too loud. He slowly heard pawsteps, approaching his place in the long grass. The pawsteps suddenly ceased. He poked his head up, revealing his hiding place. "Hmm?" he whispered. Suddenly, he saw a flash of tan. Faster than he knew, his sister sloppily pounced on him. He let out a shocked squeal, and flipped over. 

     "Ha! Found you!" she mocked. "And so you know, you were the last one. Not bad!" she laughed, her tail high. 

     "Better than you last time!" he snapped back. "So, whe-" 

     "Kits? Come here!" they heard. Suddenly, Lark sprinted ahead of him. 

     "Hey! Wait up!" he bellowed. The two ran to their mother, father, and sister and brother, Snowflake and Panther. They slid in under the cat flap, since they lived with their housefolk. Their father, Smoke, was sitting next to their mother, slowly grimacing and looking away. Crow looked at his parents in uncertainty. "Wha-what happened?" he asked, pawing the wooden floor. "Is everyone ok?" He looked at his mother. "I'm scared." he mewed. 

     "I-I mean... everyone's ok..." Swift replied. "But you all are going to new twolegs." she said. "Smoke and I knew this would happen, we just... didn't expect for it to happen so soon..." she said, her words breaking into small sobs. Smoke touched the tip of his tail to Swift's shoulder. 

"Usually, it happens later. And your mother isn't used to this." Smoke said, dipping his head towards Swift. He looked to the giant, looming door behind them. "By my guess, they're coming soon. But... there's some good news. The twolegs we saw come were the ones that live next door... behind the forest. So we will stay close, just not as close. Now... it's time to eat. They left the food next to the beds. Come on." He got up, and entwined his tail with Swift's for a brief moment, and walked to another room, painted in bright pink. Crow looked at his mother and littermates in disbelief. How could mother and father never tell him, or his littermates about this! 

     "Well. Let's eat." Panther said, getting up and following after Smoke. Snowflake got up, and waited for Lark and Crow to follow. Lark got up, and stared at Crow. 

    "Come on." she whispered. "Let's go eat." Crow got up and followed Lark to the cat room, lashing his tail. As they entered the room, he saw Panther and Smoke eating, and Swift sitting on a bed, wishfully looking out the window. Snowflake was the first to go to Swift. Then Lark went too. Crow thought about consoling their mother, but then scowled at the thought. His mother didn't even tell them. He knew it wasn't a big deal. Kits always went to new twolegs... but... something felt different. He shrugged, and walked to his double bowl, colored in black. He ate some food, and then lapped some water, and then walked up to his bed, next to Lark's and Swift's.

     Suddenly, on of their twolegs walked in; she was a twoleg kit, with silky black hair on her head, and a light tan pelt. She flipped a white switch, and the room darkened. Everyone was one their bed, asleep. He sighed, and let sleep take him to a different world. One where they would be together.