Dark Moon: Tell-Tale

Chapter 10

The day seemed to stretch on for years as the cats travelled deeper into the woods. Pine trees towered above them, blocking the sunlight and making the woods eerily dark. A crow let out an alarm call, its wings beating the air as it fluttered away. Homer gazed up at it, struggling to see the bird silhouetted against the blackness.
"Do you think our humans made it out?" Venus broke the silence.
"You mean if they survived the fire?" Homer asked, bounding forward so he matched Venus pace-for-pace. "I'm not sure."
"I hope they did." Blizzard muttered, peering through the trees at the still visible glow from the burning village. "I want to see them again. They always looked out for us."
Tonks just stared at her paws, her tail still laying protectively over Marley's shoulders. Monty had scuttled ahead, chasing after a bumblebee.
"Something bothering you?" Jasper murmured, quickening his pace so he was walking beside his old mate.
Tonks just glared at him with threatening, narrowed eyes, before looking away and walking faster. Jasper huffed angrily, lashing his tail and re-joining Blizzard at the back of the group.
"Woah!" Monty suddenly meowed in wonder. As the cats stepped from the dense trees, they saw a huge lake beyond them. The sun was setting, a crescent moon shape above the water, turning the sky pink.
Venus and Homer let out a sigh of happiness in unison, and Blizzard's smile grew. Tonks smirked, her fur lying flat, but Jasper just sat back in the shade of the trees, with his tail wrapped neatly around his forepaws.
Monty scampered to the water's edge, gazing down into the shimmering blue depths.
"You remember what I taught you?" Tonks whispered into his ear.
Jasper let out an inaudible hiss. Once he had thought Tonks was his friend; his mate. Now she had forgotten about him, and used the skills he had taught her to train her kittens.
Monty's hindquarters fidgeted, his tail lashing with anticipation. With the speed of lightning, his paw flashed out into the water, and hooked out a large, silver fish. He dropped it on the shore and bit down into its throat, growling with triumph.
"Well done!" Tonks purred, gazing down at Monty with pride.
Jasper huffed and looked away.
"He'd be better off drowning in that lake." He murmured under his breath.
"I'll catch another one." Marley splashed his front paws into the water. "That way we'll have enough food to feed all of us!"
"I'm afraid you're not gonna catch anything if you splash around in the water like that." Blizzard chuckled, stepping up to Marley. "You should try-"
He trailed off as Marley sat back with a large, black fish at his paws.
"I got one!" He closed his eyes and smiled up at Blizzard, who chuckled.
They settled around the two fish and each tore off a piece to eat. Jasper ripped a chunk of the black fish and sat by the trees again, far from the rest of the group.
"You're not going to sit with us?" Venus asked with her mouth full.
Jasper just sighed and looked away from him, his green eyes fixed on his meal. As he gazed down at it, he saw Monty, laying on the grass, bleeding, his yellow eyes staring at him with terror. Jasper sank his claws into his neck, growling menacingly.
"Jasper?"
Homer's voice snapped him out of his trance. Monty was no longer at his paws. Instead, his claws dug into the scales of the fish, spilling a trail of crimson.
"You alright? You just started growling at nothing." Homer asked curiously.
"I'm fine." Jasper muttered, avoiding eye contact.
"Jasper, I'm just trying to make sure you're okay. I mean with everything that's happened recently. The fire, Tonks, the kittens-"
"I said I'm fine!" Jasper snapped, baring his teeth. Homer flinched, his ears falling flat.
After a long pause, Homer's eyes narrowed, and his fur lay flat. He huffed, turning and padding away from Jasper, who sat staring after him fiercely.