A Shot to Remember

The End Begins

Police sirens and car honks echoed through the city. Dog barks and hungry meows ran through the alleys. Rat squeaks and scurrying mice sounded at every alley corner.
The five kittens crept out one by one out of the wooden crate, Dane leading. They coughed from the strong stench of smoke. Almost everything in the alley was burned and charred. Bones remembered waking up at some point during the night and peeking out of the cracks of the crate and saw humans with giant snake-like things that spit water and put out the fire. The smoke fogged up his memory and he shook his head. He saw Dane and the rest of his siblings gathered at the body of his mother, Rose which was pushed back from the powerful water. He slowly and quietly padded towards them.
Rose's body was very stiff, dried up from the fire and water but her fur a little wet in some spots. Her deep wonds were visible and her neck stayed at a crooked angle. He imagined her alive again, before the beating, before the fighting, on a walk with her through the city. She was a beautiful cat. Sleek black fur with a white muzzle, paws and underbelly. Her green eyes sparkled whenever she had found food for Bones and his siblings to eat. She was proud of them. Bones whimpered to himself as the memory faded. He looked at his four siblings.
Dane was the oldest. A jet black male with a white tail tip and amber eyes. He was the perfect example of a leader. He always did take the first step and was always courageous and strong. Bones was surprised that he didn't even cry during the fighting. He just sat stiff, watching. But Bones could tell he was hurt inside.
Bella was the second born. She was a dark gray cat with a white chest and paws and blue eyes. She looked a lot like Horus but she did not have his spirit. She sometimes acted brave and courageous like a leader, like Dane. But most of the time she was kind and preferred to help out the younger of the litter. Like Rose. Lily was gray with dark stripes and green eyes. Very shy and jumpy but kind. Bones was next. Black with a white chest, paws and tail tip and he had his mother's green eyes. Bones couldn't really say anything about himself other than he was wimpy and sensitive. He cried for almost everything and Dane always told him to buck up and encouraged him. It did make him feel better and more confident.
Lastly was Coal. He was just a solid dark gray with dark blue eyes. Quiet and shy. Bones sometimes teased him but Coal never really showed any emotion. He's still young. He barely knows what's happening. I doubt he realized he was even born. He'll learn someday. Bones used to think. He looked at his little brother now and did see that he was with his eyes closed, face crunched up and crying. Each kit licked and groomed Rose's ashy fur. Her scent was covered by the smoke and her body was cold. Bones felt his body go numb. She's gone...she's really gone. He closed his eyes and buried his face into her fur and cried. "Oh mother...I love you...I hope you are happy where you are now..." the kittens spent their last several moments with their mother's body and decided to move on.
"We can't stay here." Dane said. "There won't be any food here and the stench of this smoke will kill us before we scent a mouse. We're old enough to travel on our own and hunt. Come on." Bones admired his brother deep down. He wished he could be like him.
The only way out of this charred alley was towards where Horus set up the wall of fire. As they started walking, they passed by their father's charred, disfigured, melted body. Each kit looked at it as they walked in line. Dane snorted at it. Bella did not even look. She walked on with her head forcefully raised and eyes closed. But she seemed to feel that he was still watching them. Creepy. Bones thought. Lily looked at the figure with fear and Coal stopped at it. He looked to scared to move. Bones walked up to him and nudged him. "Come on, bud. Lets keep up. He's not worth looking at." He nudged the tiny tom again and Coal slowly walked after his older siblings. Bones walked after him, bringing up the rear of the line. Before he caught up, he turned and looked at his father's body. He felt really upset now that his parents were gone. No. He killed mom. He is not my father! He spit atthe body and kicked dust and ash at it. "I hope you are rotting where you are!" he turned away and walked after his siblings with his head and tail low but his fur spiked up.
The kittens' goals were to find a place to call home. A place that had food. A place they would claim as their own.
The end begins.