The Autumn's Holly

Prologue

  Cold wind drifted quickly throughout the dead woods. No plants were alive, and prey was scarcer than ever.  The she-cat coughed violently, her sickness was getting worse. Everytime she breathed in, the harsh frozen air cut her throat, making her let out a wheeze of pain.

  Her strength was running low, and any food she ate did nothing. She was pregnant. Her ribs were showing, and her hips were sticking out like spikes. Her stomach was bulging, she looked unnatural. Groaning, she stumbled through the thick snow, creating a long path of flattened powder. Her paws were frozen, and the white frost clung onto her as if it were the color of her pelt.

  Ever since the new groups of cats came a couple of moons ago, cats have been kicked out of their dens. Including her, now wandering the cruel winter. She had to find a new home and fast, her kits would come any day now. She couldn't risk giving birth in the open, and a predator attacking her.

  She sniffed the air, trying to scent any form of food. She hasn't eaten prey in days, and resorted to the dead branches and twigs to keep her breathing. It wasn't strengthening her, but it kept her alive.

  Her scent led her to a scrawny mouse scurrying around a root. She crouched, even though her belly made it hard. Walking slowly, she shivered as her stomach rubbed the floor. She ran as best as she could. The mouse tried to slip away but she quickly got mouse in her grasp. She began to devour it, not giving a killing bite before eating.

  She hesitated for a second, but began to eat the bones. She wasn't sure when she'd find another creature, so she couldn't waste anything. She licked her muzzle, finished, and sat down.

"I hope that is enough for my kits," she groaned. It took her a second before she was able to get up and begin her walk again.

•••

  Dawn had faded and the night grew colder. The she-cat couldn't move any longer, so she was curled behind a rock, trying to dodge the wind. The snow fell aggressively, and she didn't know how long of this she could take before her body gave up. A long whistle ached in her ears. She didn't quite know where it was coming from.

  Opening her eyes, she tried to look around, though the snowfall made it hard. Her ears pricked, the whistling came from her left. She focused her eyes on a small hill. Squinting, she saw a small hole half way covered in snow. Gasping, she rushed over to the hole, and began to dig her way through.

  Her paws ached as she dug, but she ignored it. Quickly, she pawed the snow away so she could enter. Eventually, she managed to make a big enough hole to slip through. The stone was cold, and she flinched every time she touched it, but it was much better than the wet snow.

  She coughed harshly again, and heard it echo across the walls. This wasn't a cave, it was a tunnel. It was dark to the point that it made her eyes hurt. She decided that she would wait until day to explore. There was no chance of foxes or badgers, it was too small; but she could  easily get lost.

  She wobbled to a chilly stone wall, and laid with her tail covering her nose. The stone is uncomfortable, but it will do for the night. She told herself. Slowly, she drifted to sleep knowing that if she would've stayed outside, her life could've been cut short.

•••

  The sun was high and the clouds were gone. The snowfall had stopped leaving another blanket of untouched snow. The she-cat slowly woke up, half the day had passed. She got to her feet and pushed her way to the hole, warmth flew on her face. This would be the perfect place to have and raise her kits.

   "Maybe I'll find some moss or feathers to make bedding," she mumbled to herself quickly followed by another cough. She made her way out the mouth of the tunnel to search for bedding for the night. She managed to get some moss from on top of a rock and feathers from a bird carcass most likely eaten from a fox.

  She hauled her things back to the tunnel and set it out. She curled herself into the nest to test it, it was soft and kept her from touching the cold stone. She purred, she hasn't felt this much hope in a while.

  She stared into the tunnel since it was now brighter she could see where it led. To more tunnels, twisting and turning to the point she couldn't see anymore. The she-cat gulped, she grabbed some moss and feathers to create a path so she knew her way back. She turned left and right exploring all it had to offer.

  Eventually she reached a large opening with a hole on the roof where the sun shone bright and lit up the place. A river ran through at the side where she saw the shiny scales of fish swim through. She licked her lips and ran towards it. I haven't tried fishing before but I must try.

  It took awhile for her to get it but she managed to get a good sized fish. She ate it without waiting and was so satisfied she could curl up to sleep. She had to bring her bedding first before she could sleep though. Following back where her line of moss is, she found her bed and dragged it to her new home.

•••

  A few days had passed after she made herself home. Her limbs and face began to fatten and her ribs were beginning to disappear from sight. A long purr escaped her throat as she took her last bite from a fish she just caught. She was beginning to like the fresh favor of fish over mice or birds. As she swallowed she began to cough again.

  Her throat and lungs were sore from her coughing, it burned every time she took a breath. The she-cat didn't know what to do about it either, the only thing that would help was the cold water. Taking a couple sips from the river her throat began to soften and freeze, making her flinch slightly.

  Though the cave was nice she was beginning to get lonely. She roamed the tunnels and knew them by heart, every twist she knew where it led to. Occasionally, she would see the group of cats walking across their territories. They looked skinny, which made her heart sink knowing that was her once. But at least they have each other. She thought.

  She considered asking to join but after hearing what the other rogues had said about them, she wasn't too sure. They seemed aggressive and if she were to step in the wrong place they would tear her to shreds. So she would just wait until her kits arrived.

  As if they knew what she was thinking, her body convulsed making her let out a gasp. She jolted backwards and ran to her nest, her kits were coming. Her body was in immense pain as she huffed. This was going to be a long day.

•••

  The moon was peeking through the roof, it reflected into the stream brightly. It made fish that swam through it glow brightly with their scales of silver and brown. A light snowfall was falling through the hole, looking like diamonds floating in the air. The night wasn't as cold, the spring was beginning to come.

  The she-cat had three kits, all so beautiful but not all living. Two were gone before they even left the womb, their small bodies limp and cold. Her tears shone like stars as they fell onto her face. Her birth was hard and it took her too long, making her lose her two she-kits.

  The only one left was a white and orange tom. His fur was short except for a little tuft of hair on the back of his head. There were orange patches on his fur that resembled leaves. He was tiny and didn't squeak very much. He was suckling at her belly, pushing at her to have more access to her milk.

  The she-cat licked his delicate head as he was being fed. The other two kits she had picked up and placed them behind her. She would have to bury them tomorrow. Staring down at her son, she began to look for names. He is orange like the autumn leaves. She wondered. Then it hit her.

  "Autumn Leaves," she meowed, "his name will be Autumn Leaves.”