Snowflake's Story

Chapter Four

A little while later, Squirrel, along with Hop, Falcon, and Dusty, had walked in. The dark ginger tom was soaking wet. He told the clowder that he had fallen in the stream and passed out on the shore.

Snowflake didn't trust it. Something shimmered in Squirrel's brown eyes.

And it was menacing.

Over the months, James and Cocoa seemed unusually jumpy; Red, Spider and Apple haven't been eating or talking. Crow and Red had been spending a lot of time together, and Bird had been trying her best to console Cocoa. James usually stuck to Snowflake's side.

"Snowflake?" James's meow stole Snowflake's thoughts away.

"Yeah?" Snowflake replied.

"Before I tell you something very important..." James glanced at Squirrel. "I just wanted to thank you for being such a good friend and being there for me."

Snowflake blinked, surprised. "Y-You're welcome. You're a good friend too, James." She felt her face grow hot.

James smiled and put his muzzle close to her ear. She expected something better than what he was going to say.

"Squirrel killed Tim."

Snowflake wasn't surprised. "How do you know this?"

"Me and Cocoa; we saw. We saw and Squirrel threatened to kill us if we told."

Snowflake flinched. "Why did you tell me then?"

"I know. I'm stupid. This could get myself killed; this could get you killed. But I hated lying to you, and keeping it from you.

Snowflake's tail twitched. "Why would he do that?"

"I'm not sure, Snowflake, but I saw it. Cocoa saw it. All three of us could die."

"And all three of you will die," Squirrel hissed quietley to them.

Snowflake and James shrunk back from him and looked at him with terror.

"James will die, because he told. You will die, because I have a bad feeling in my gut about you. And Cocoa will die, because once you two are dead, he will tell. I will ask to take all three of you training, and I will kill all three of you."

"The clowder will be suspicious as to why you're the only one to come back alive," Snowflake hissed back. "I will tell River. River will take care of you. He will kill you for killing Tim. In front of the whole clowder. And if you kill me before then, Blizzard, Snuggle, and Glass. They will know."

"I'll just have to kill them too."

"Why did you kill Tim?"

"Because he stole Sara from me. I am going to kill Sara's kits once they are born. She needs me, and my kits. Not Tim, and his kits." Squirrel's eyes showed no emotion; he had no body language. He was empty, lifeless, emotionless. It was like he was a corpse that could walk and talk. And he was rotten inside.

Snowflake narrowed her eyes at Squirrel. James started shivering.

"I will tell River. I will tell him and he will kill you. You will perish."

"You have quite the imagination for such a young kitten. Why would River believe you, a thoughtless kitten, and James, a worthless youngcat?"

Before Snowflake could retaliate, a fourth voice joined in on the secret conversations. "Make that two worthless youngcats." Cocoa.

"I can snap all three of your necks right here, right now--"

Snowflake ran. She ran to River and stumbled into him.

Yowls of fighting happened. Snowflake regretted running.

"What's happening?!" River hissed.

"Squirrel, he confessed to killing Tim!"

River's eyes narrowed. "Knew it," he growled. He leaped at Squirrel but Squirrel dodged, his claws outstretched over a cat's throat. The cat was larger than Cocoa or James, but oddly familiar.

As the cat squirmed, Snowflake caught his blue gaze, his gray tabby fur ruffled.

"Glass!" Snowflake squeaked.

"You should have never told, Snowflake!" Squirrel yowled. "If nobody moves, Glass will live!"

Everyone froze.

"Now, you all will let me run free, and let me eat prey from your territory, and never kill me. You will let me grow old, you will worship me. Understand?!"

"Snowflake!" Glass called. "Snuggle! Blizzard!"

"Quiet, you!" Squirrel snarled, curling his lip.

"Snowflake, you did the right thing! You told River! Do not regret your decision! If me dying means that my clowder can live in peace without Squirrel in their lives, then so be it!"

Scarlet.

It scattered halfway across the floor of the building, leaving speckles on the hay. It began to pour from Glass's neck.

Snowflake expected Glass to be wide-eyed and filled with terror. But his blue eyes only showed love; for his clowder and his family.

With a yowl of rage, River lept at Squirrel and tumbled him over, then quickly pinned him down.

Squirrel hissed loudly and clawed at River's belly with his hind legs.

River raised a hind leg and pinned both of Squirrel's legs. "Y'know, Squirrel," River began. "I sort of knew you killed Tim. Did you think you didn't appear as shady to the other cats? You masked your scent, sure, but you should have masked yourself."

Squirrel growled.

"I've heard tales of murderers from my days as a kitten, and they take time to take down. But you? This is only chapter four! (There goes the fourth wall..) C'mon, man, you could've done better! And now, your clowder, the clowder you served for your whole life, hunted and fought for, is going to watch their leader execute you."

"What good will that do, River? It won't bring back Tim or Glass!"

"It will make sure no other cats die because of you."

More scarlet.

Squirrel's brown eyes widened and he screeched; he gazed at Snowflake with helplessness.

Did he expect her to help him?

No way. He killed her father. And Tim.

A cheer rose from one of the cats, and the rest of the clowder began to cheer as well.

Snowflake felt sick to her stomach, but sort of enjoyed seeing this monster perish.

Then her mind clicked.

She turned her head to see Glass again. His shining blue eyes, filled with care, were now closed.

Legs shaking, Snowflake slowly padded over.

Snowflake, you did the right thing.

Did she?

You told River.

Maybe she shouldn't have.

Do not regret your decision.

Snowflake took a deep breath. "Okay," she murmured.

If me dying means that my clowder can live in peace without Squirrel in their lives, then so be it.

Snowflake nodded. "You died honorably."

Thank you.

Snowflake flinched. That wasn't part of Glass's last words. But, she felt.. An understanding. His clowder was safe from Squirrel, and it was because Snowflake had the courage to sacrifice whatever it cost.