Twiggy

Chapter 17

The snow had started to melt. It was thrilling to think that in just a moon, the plants would be growing again. The bush we slept under had half-thawed mud and decayed plants from last season were starting to show.
Lark and Sap were growing fast. What had been the size of a small mouse was now twice as big. It had only been a quarter-moon, so they hadn't opened their eyes yet- that would happen in their half-moon mark. Sap was especially strong. Silver Sky joked that it was because I was- surely my little tom would be?
Lark was smaller and looked like she'd be better at climbing trees, hunting and running. She definitely wouldn't be the fighter Sap was, but he wouldn't be the hunter like her. They'd use teamwork and they could conquer anything.
Comet and Puff had come in shortly after we named them. Puff seemed mesmerized. He kept stealing glances at Comet and I could tell what he was thinking. He was in love with my baby sister, and was wondering if they'd ever have kits of their own.
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I awoke curled around Silver Sky. The kits squirmed at her belly. When I looked up at her face, her eyes were cracked open as she looked at them. She looked really tired. I mewed. "Have you even slept at all?"
      "Not much," she replied. "I can't stop looking at them. They're just too . . . perfect." She sighed as she licked Sap's tabby head. I agreed with her, but wanted her to get to sleep.
      "It's been a quarter-moon." I reminded. "And you still don't sleep like usual. You need your sleep, dear."
      "I can't." She frowned. "I need to watch the kits."
      "That's what the cat on guard is for."
      "But what if a fox got in?" She gasped. "I'd need to be there to fight. Not dozing away happily, dreaming about hunting mice and sleeping under a lazy sun. Nope, I'm not sleeping."
       "Well, it's almost dawn. Try and get some rest. Puff and I are going on a patrol around the park, and Comet's going to hunt. We'll make sure there's nothing strange around, and if there is we'll get rid of it. You don't have a single reason to fret."
      Silver Sky looked exasperatedly annoyed as I went to wake the white tomcat known as Puff. He sprang to his paws and turned sharply to me. "Sooo. . . . " he started. "Patrol today? That's good. We've been so busy since the kits came." We left the cozy bush shelter and walked into the damp air. Everyday the snow melted more, and green grass was pushing through the ground.
     We started to sniff the perimeter of the park. In the pre-dawn light there were only a few people here: some leading dogs on ropes and others jogging along the concrete path, wires plugged into their ears. It seemed to cold for that, but humans can make their own choices. I sniffed at a rotten log, which we had come to know as a shrew haven- they often came her for the insects and plants that gathered there. All I could smell was decay, and the occasional smell of prey. There was nothing strange over here.
      Puff was snuffing up the riverbank. It was his favourite place, and he guarded it heavily. Humans loved to walk across the wooden platform over the waiter (a bridge,) but they didn't mind the cats that lived in the park. In fact, I think they liked them. The riverbank was coarse with light brown sand some of which was clumped with water. It smelled fresh there, and Puff was looking across the racing water. "Anything over there?" I called.
      He shook his head, probably rejoicing that his favourite place was safe. He scratched at a few trees and rubbed against them, exclaiming that this territory was ours. Then he bounded back towards me, and we continued along the territory. When we came to the Smooth Rock we expected to see more action. The Smooth Rock was a large boulder in a clearing. It was gray and was either very cold or very warm. We suspected that it would be of good use in the times of sunny days.
      Puff padded forward and sniffed. What had been a calm and relaxed demeanour suddenly became very tense. "I smell dog." Puff announced.
      I flicked my ears once or twice before realizing what he had just said. Dogs? Here? "Are you sure it wasn't just from a person or something? Oftentimes they bring their dogs here to play."
      "No, this isn't any pet. There's no sign of even one human, and the dog scent is of many- and its fresh. Here, come check."
       I came close to Puff, sniffed the ground and realized he was right. The scent was so strong I felt as if my nostrils would burn, and there definitely wasn't human scent. I thought it seemed like there was at least five dogs. "This isn't good." Puff said.
      "Maybe we should get back." I mewed.
      "But the dogs might follow. What if they hurt Silver Sky and the kits?"
      "They won't. Because we are moving. As soon as we get back." I growled. It was an unpleasant thought. This place was so lovely, and we had only just arrived. I had hoped it would be much longer before we had to leave. Puff seemed just as upset. Growling, he shook his head, then started to walk back towards our den.
      I raced after him and knew that there was much more. After the dogs there would be something else. And after that another. I just hoped no one had to suffer too much.
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      We were walking away from the cherry tree. We had crossed the river with difficulty- the bridge was wet with spray- and the kits were getting hungry. Silver Sky was freakishly tired, but insisted that she must hold one. While she had Lark, I had the now heavy and squirming Sap, who was soon to open his eyes. He struggled in my grip and made vain attempts to free himself and get to the milk. Though he was getting bigger, he was still light compared to even a two moon old kitten.
       Comet and Puff walked at the front of the crowd, laughing, not realizing how serious this matter was. I wanted to slap them with my tail, but I was too concerned about Sap to do that. After we crossed the bridge we found a large but simple oak. It was thick and sturdy, so we settled at its roots.  Puff decided to climb the tree and suddenly yowled about found treasure. "There's a hole up here. We could sleep in it- there's room- even if only for Silver Sky and the kits."
      Silver Sky rolled her eyes tiredly. She struggled back up to her paws and started to climb. "Nu-uh-uh," Comet mewed. "You're too tired. You can climb yourself, but with Lark you'll probably fall and kill both of you." She took the small kit from my mate and began to climb the tree, depositing Lark once she reached the hole. Then I went up. Sap still struggled, probably not realizing that if he fell, he would most likely die. Once I reached the hole I was relieved. I put him in and clawed down.
      Silver Sky made her way up now, with clumsy and weak paws, but after a while she made it. I saw her tail-tip vanish as she entered. "I tell you, I don't see the point of this." She growled.
      I frowned. Silver Sky was being so grumpy, all because she wouldn't go to sleep. "It's so you don't die from dogs." Puff put out. "You should be grateful I found that."
      "Well, I'm not."
      We all settled at the bottom of the tree, hoping for a long and uneventful night. Oh, how I was wrong.