Spirit's Journey

CHAPTER 12- Spirit: Divergences

"Alright, time to send out hunting groups!" I said loudly to be heard, just as Fallan yawned widely in my ear.

Everyone had started to wash themselves after the game as I rose my voice from the heap of dirt. Wind swirled through the dusty clearing, but it didn't bring with it the scent of rain.

Diamond's eyes got big at that, her head bobbing up and down from under Hannah's rough tongue. I could tell she thought she might get to go into the forest and try for her own prey.

"I'm sorry, Diamond. You're not big enough yet- but we'll bring you back a soft mouse."

Midnight was the first to get to her feet, and looked rather exited at the prospect of catching something to eat.
"I'd like to help," she meowed shyly, looking up at me with bright, shiny purple eyes.

I was about to reply when Fallan rudely sneered.

"You're too small! You won't be able to catch anything but a sick mouse. Maybe not even that," she added matter-of-factly, causing my fur to spike on the shoulders a bit. Where did that come from? Fallan didn't even know how to use a tone like that.

Midnight flinched at her words; as did Hannah, as she sat and cocked her head a little ways off.

Fallan had never been that rude to anyone! Well, maybe she gloated a bit, but she had never gone any farther than that. The short, stubby cheetah barely had room to talk. After all, she'd only caught her first piece of prey two days ago. And she was overweight for being a cheetah, whose species were naturally long-legged and thin.

And she herself knew she was pretty small for a cheetah, so speaking out about Midnight was unjust.

I didn't know why Fallan was undersized and so chubby, even when she'd had almost nothing to eat as a cub, but you didn't see me running around talking about it.

Mother-cat once told me that I was slightly oversized myself, and I knew that I was muscular in my shoulders when it came to a cheetah's build.

Hannah was the skinniest of all of us, and she had the prettiest pelt as well. It was a yellowish color, much lighter than our pelts were. I was the fastest, and Fallan the slowest.

None of these things bothered me- I loved her no matter how she was, but when she insulted another cat I couldn't help but think of how anyone could insult her much worse. Was that a horrid thing to think about your sister?

Heck, the only time Fallan moved remotely fast was when she was scared. Like the other night when the bear had literally sent her clawing up a tree in panic.

"I can catch things!" Midnight hissed at Fallan, interrupting my thoughts and arching her back.

"If I had someone to train me, I'd be hunting all the time," Midnight said less hostile but her stance was still stiff.

I bounded off of the dirt-mound and stopped right next to her, ignoring Fallan and bending down to whisper in her ear.

"She's the smallest out of me and Hannah, and she has short legs and is clumsy. So why don't you just show her who can hunt better? I can help," I added mischievously.

The black kitten was stiff for a few more seconds, still glaring angrily at Fallan. Then, straightening up, she smiled and whispered back while Fallan stared in confusion, seemingly lost and wondering why her sister was whispering.

"I'm going to catch the whole forest! And.." Lowering her voice even more, she said "Could you teach me how to do that?"

Winking at her, I raised my voice so that Fallan could hear. "What a good idea! Fallan, your coming with us to hunt. Hannah, I need you here to protect Diamond and our nests. Just yowl if you hear anything." Hannah waved us off with her tail, distracted while picking fleas out of Diamond's pelt.