The World's End

|| CHAPTER FOUR ||

CHAPTER 4 ||

Henna's POV

The sunset bloomed just above the landscape, the sun's rays cascading upon the grassy land like rivers snaking through a valley. The gentle flow of water could be heard, the quiet croaking of frogs just audible over the murmuring of cats in the small clearing.

Birch trees cascaded over the clearing, their black and white wood shining from beneath the spiked leaves that overhang the cats' heads. The slowing songs of birds could be heard, as it slowly got quieter and quieter, finally stopping, just as the last of the brilliant orange sun began to disappear underneath the landscape, going anywhere.

The moon hung about level with the cats' vision line, it's faint white moonbeams flowing peacefully from the crescent-shaped celestial body.

The stars shone with the fierceness of fire, the twinkling lights gazing down upon the living things that conversed in the clearing. The light was faint, but enough to provide the small amount of light needed for the cats to see each other.

"Willow, I really think you ought to sleep," the mew of Henna could be heard, her voice worrisome and tense. "If something attacks us, you might just get in the way, and you could be ki-"

Her voice was interrupted by Willow, who had shoved his fluffy cream tail in her face, succeeding at silencing the pregnant she-cat. "Hey, I'll go to sleep! If it makes you shut up, I'll go to bed!"

"Good." Henna nodded her head, a successful look in her bright green eyes, her tail curled around her paws. "Now, Thistle, what were we talking about?"

She turned to the gray-and-white-patched tom, only to find him curled around his mate, her blue-gray fur melting in with the gray patches. "Oh... Good night, you two..."

Their three kits lay curled at the couple's stomach, their pelts somewhat matching. Cosmo's pelt blended in with his mother's, the two almost twins. The small kit let out an audible snore, causing a small chuckle from Henna, whose eyes had focused on the blue-gray tomkit.

The brown tabby she-cat widened her jaws in a yawn, blinking tiredly. She padded over to her nest in the center of the camp, laying next to Chocolate, who was curled in the center, her rosy pink nose sticking out from the clumped mess of brown and black fur. Henna snorted, and curled around the young cat, her swollen stomach moving awkwardly to avoid being crushed.

Thistle had said the kits should open their eyes soon, after all, it had been about two weeks. Maybe they'll open their eyes tomorrow... Henna thought sleepily, closing her eyes, her lids drooping upon her face.

Exhaustion overwhelmed the expecting mother, and she fell asleep as gentle snores echoed from her nose, silence surrounding the clearing.

--

When Dawn's rosy fingertips met the land of the earth, the horizon, blocked by the large pine trees that surrounded the clearing, Chocolate's eyes opened. Henna saw it happen, too, as she was awake.

"Good morning," she purred, licking the she-cat's ears. "It's a lovely morning, is it not? I've been up before dawn."

As the pregnant she-cat turned her gaze to the east, the faint pink light of dawn could be see spreading across the sky, like the sugary food twoleg kits used to eat. They seemed to love it.

"It is. I'm happy to be awake," Chocolate responded, yawning widely. "I love the morning."

The dark brown tabby stood up, arching her back in a stretch. Henna stood up next to her, copying the she-cat's moves. "Like this?" She asked, arching her back.