Are We On Mars?

Chapter Thirteen

Lionshine sits at the control desk, checking all the functions to make sure it's safe to get off. 

"Everything's A-okay!" said the computer cheerfully.

"Hey! Who messed with the computer's voice function?" asked Lionshine angrily. 

Lionshine whips around to see Shadepelt, who is stiffling a purr.

"That is NOT FUNNY!" hissed Lionshine. "Because of this, you're not exploring...well, first anyway. Pebblepounce, you're coming with me!"

Shadepelt's grin melts away to be replaced by a look of horror. Pebblepounce, on the other hand, looks delighted and leaps up. 

"At your service, Captain!"

Lionshine gave an approving nod. "Okay then. Suit up!"

Lionshine and Pebblepounce quickly put on their space suits and walk down to the door. It slides open and the two cats step out, then freeze in confusion.

"Where is everything?" asked Pebblepounce, looking around. "It's so...flat."

Lionshine nodded. "I know...no sign of civilization, either." She paused. "Maybe we should go back to the ship..?"

Pebblepounce hesitated, then shook his head. "Let's just go a little ways to see if we can see anything."

Not wanting to look like a coward, Lionshine nods and leads the way forward. Nothing. Nothing but blankness. No large hills, mountains, or craters. And DEFINITELY no civilization.

Lionshine's paws began aching, and she turned around and saw the ship far in the distance. "Well..."

Pebblepounce shook his head. "No! Just a little farther! I think I see some good rock samples up ahead!" He gestured with his tail. 

Lionshine squinted in that direction. "Um...I don't see anything."

"No, no!" Pebblepounce insisted. "It's a different color!"

Studying it closely, Lionshine sees that he is right--the rocks ahead are indeed a slightly lighter grey than the dark grey around them. She shrugs, then begins walking towards them.

The cats reach the rocks, and Pebblepounce crouches down and studies one. He suddenly brings out a small chisel he had randomly been carrying and whacks the closest rock at hard as he can. He tosses it over to her, grinning from ear to ear. 

"Look, Lionshine!! Diamond!" mewed Pebblepounce.

"What???!!!"

Lionshine leans down to inspect the stone, and sees the place that Pebbelpounce struck chipped away, revealing a beautiful clear diamond underneath. She nearly passes out in astonishment.

"But...but...HOW??"

Pebblepounce strikes the surface of the planet with his chisel, reavealing that the ENTIRE PLANET in fact consists of a giant diamond!

"What in the name of StarClan..." mewed Lionshine in astonishment, turning on her suit camera to take a picture. Her paw hovered over the button when she suddenly heard a scream.

"What was that?" she asked, worried.

"It sounded like Alderwood!" mewed Pebbelpounce, dropping his chisel.

The two cats turn to each other, nod, and take of back towards the ship.

Written by Ember, who is beginning to think she's forgotten how to write spoofs...