Lilypool's Lullaby

Chapter 14 The Creatures Outside Are Frightful.

I lay snuggling my kits for the remainder of the day and when dusk came and Nightclaw was in the den snuggling the kits I dicided it was time to go. I stood up and started to walk out of the den but heard a thud and then the mewling of a kit. I turned around and saw that Goldenkit fell out of the nest. I licked her then placed her back on the nest and gave her and the other two kits licks and left the den. I ran all the way to Ralphs denish place. Meowed and he came literally rolling out of a bush. He looked up and me and beckoned me with him tail. I walked over to him and sat. 

"You here for Snips kit I prosume."he yawned. I noded and he pointed with his paw to a small but beautiful bush with roses on it. "A rose bush?" I said curiously. He noded "it was the only place that was safe enough from enemys of all kinds." with that in mind I stood and walked over to the rose bush and creeped through a small and barley noticable hole. The thorns snagged at my fur and scratched my ears so I layed them flat to my head I cursed as a thorn pricked my paw. I then made it to an opening. The center of the bush. I looked around and saw Snip laying down with a small dark cream colored kit that almost looked like the bark on an oak tree. Snip looked uo as I slid the rest of the way into the bush. 

"Hello Lilystar.How do you do?" I stood in front of her before answering. "I'm fine I have three kits that are healthy and well." I state and she seems pleased that my family is doing well. She then nudges the small kit and it mewls softly and weakly. "I did have two but the other was sick and weak it couldn't even eat or do anything. It died at sunrise."she said frowning. "Oh I'm sorry why do you want me to have this kit?"I ask feeling a pang of sympathy.

 "Because I want to have it live a meaningful life and not be some soft Kitty-pet like me and Ralph."she said. She picked up the kit and placed it on the dloor the moonlight makeing its soft Kitty-pet fur shine beautifully. "I named her Oakkit if thats correct."  I nod and she smiles. I pick up the small kit and Snip nuzzles it before pushing me out through the prickly bush and into the cool night air. Snip nods for me to go and I jump up the fence and look at Snip and a sleepy Ralph before jumping off the fence and trotting into the forest. The kit shivers as a gust of cold air blows against us getting stronger and stronger. I stoo and place the small and helpless kit covering it with my tail.

I crouch as the wind gets very strong pushing my fur so I cant lift it against the cold. I take the kit and place it in a log for safty and before I can get in it with Oakkit a sharp feeling barrels me over. Shadow cats! I try to fight back but to no avail. I feel it slice my underbelly and gasp as cold wind meets my blood and flesh. The cat laughs maniacally as I squirm and then it latches its teeth around my neck and I feel it snap and the world starts to faid as i see a light appear and the wind stop as the tom from my dreams starts to fight the shadow cat. 

The world goes dark and next thing I see Duskfur. "No! Am I dead! I can't be dead my kits! Nightclaw! My clan!" she shakes her head and says "you only lost a life. Do not worry my kit you still have eight lifes." she rests her head on mine and next thing I know I feel someone dragging me. I hear my mother singing the lullaby and then open my eyes and the singing vanishes before I can get to know the words. I see the tom from my dreams staring down at me and I look around. We are in the log. I see a shuffling in the corner of the log and crawl to it. Oakkit! I feel relife wash over me and I start licking her happily. I remember the presence of the tom and look at him curiously.

"What is your name?"I ask he stares at me blankly for a moment but answers none the less. "I am Whitebolt. I already know your name Lilypool" he says emotionlessly. There is a yowl in the distance and he looks out and perks his ears flicking his tail angrily. He kneads his claws on the floor of the fallen tree his whiskers twitching. I stand up and grab Oakkit and walk over to where Whitebolt is sitting and look out and see a shadow cat sniffing around the area I lost my first life. I sit and start thinking of what to do then it hits me. 

I'm the one who's supposed to get rid of these creatures so might as well start here. Without hesitation I jump out of the log and race torward the shadow cat and rake my claws down its flank. It screeches in surprise and I jump on it and lean down to whisper in its ear. "Tell your leader I will find him and there will be no mercey!" I hiss and release it it is shaking violently then runs off i remember where it runs in the direction of and turn to see Whitebolt sitting behind me with Oakkit sleeping with her front paws and head on his tail. 

"Well that was unexpected."he says tilting his head. I just shake my fur and pick up Oakkit. The sun was slowly rising over the trees and i turned and started walking back to camp. Whitebolt follows me and keeps looking around like a shadow cat was gonna attack at any moment. Soon we are at the camp and all the cats were sleeping. Whitebolt seemed uncomfortable in the camp but still followed me. I stopped before entering my den and set down Oakkit to look at him. "Can't you just disappear back to where you where?" I ask seeing him look like a real cat and not a starry ghost cat. "Well not really when fighting that shadow cat it slashed me so I became real once agin like you and the other cats in the world." it felt strange to think of him as real he still had white fur with ginger stripes that looked like lightning bolts. I picked Oakkit up and walked in my den Whitebolt following me closely. I walk to my nest and set Oakkit down with my kits.

Nightclaw opens his eyes and sits up. Looking at me and ruffling his fur a bit when he sees Whitebolt. I introduce them to eachother and dicide that Whitebolt is joining the clan. Then after that there is a loud anger filled roar off in the forest somewhere. Was that the leader of the shadow cats?