Snowflake's Story

Chapter Three

"HELP!"

A loud yowl came from the entrace.

James.

"Somebody help, please! Someone killed Tim!"

Cocoa.

Someone killed Tim?!

Snowflake trembled next to Snuggle, Blizzard wrapping her tail around the two kittens protectively.

River leaped down from his ledge to be closer to James and Cocoa. "What?!" He hissed.

James began to have a full mental breakdown.

Cocoa was shaking--his back fur was spiked and his claws were extended. His tail looked like jagged rocks.

"T-Tim told us th-that h-he'd be watching us f-from a t-tree, and wh-when we were almost f-finished training.." James couldn't finish his sentence.

"We heard a thud. Next thing we know, T-Tim is dead."

Red, Spider and Apple raced over to the scene. Apple was shaking. Tears were dripping from Spider's eyes. Red's teeth were shown clearly in a snarl.

"How do you know somebody killed him? Was it you?!" Red hissed at James.

James's tail swished in panic.

Cocoa shoved himself between the two toms. "James doesn't know one fighting move yet! How and why would he ever kill Tim?! Also; James was training with me when Tim died. And we smelled cat scent; a scent other than ours or Tim's. We would have been able to tell you, but the scent of death was too strong."

Red nodded, his green eyes now glistening with sadness instead of fury.

Snowflake suddenly felt a sharp pang in her heart for Red. He was Tim's brother--his littermate. He grew up with him.

She saw Crow get up and pad toward Red. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Red only replied by head-butting Crow's forehead. They sat there together, her consoling him.

"Someone go get Tim's body--" River was cut off by a panic-striken yowl.

Ash and Milk came running up to River. "Squirrel went missing," Ash reported.

River's tail swished. "And Tim is dead."

Ash and Milk looked at each other, then back to River. "We think he slipped and tumbled into the stream. He might of been swept away."

"The Ghostcats are angry with us!" Sara, a pale tabby queen with green eyes, yowled. Snowflake remembered that Sara was Tim's mate.

River swished his tail. "Ash, Milk. Go retrieve Tim's body from the training area. Hop, Falcon and Dusty, go search for Squirrel by the stream."

Snowflake padded over to James. "Are you.. okay?" She asked, even though she knew James wouldn't tell her the real answer.

James blinked at her. "I could ask you the s-same question."

Snowflake swished her tail. "I'm fine, but you were with Tim in his last moments, and you saw the body. Are you okay?"

James nodded.

Snowflake blinked at him. "There's something you're not telling me."

Cocoa's eyes widened as James's ears flicked. "I have to protect you," James hissed. "Just trust me and believe i'm okay, and everything is alright." He ran off towards Stars.

"Why do you have to protect me?!" Snowflake yowled after him.

James turned around to look at her. Something was shining in his yellow eyes; something she'd seen from Blizzard, Glass and Snuggle.

Affection.