Snowflake's Story

Chapter Thirteen

"I've got you, little kitten!"

Cocoa's playful growl came from the middle of the clearing; this was the first time they all trained together.

No, no it wasn't. They weren't all together and never would be. Snuggle wasn't there.

A paw to Snowflake's shoulder snatched her thoughts away. Bird swatted at her again, claws carefully sheathed.

Snowflake laughed and pounced at her, tumbling her over onto her back.

Bird pawed at Snowflake's belly with her hind paws and sent her backwards.

Snowflake crouched and waited for Bird to pounce on her, then lifted her up and made her tumble away.

"Free for all!" James called, tackling Cocoa, who had pinned Glow down.

Glow got up and wiggled the dirt out of his fur, then turned back around and pawed at Cocoa's tail.

"I'm being ganged up on!" Cocoa yowled, laughing.

"You said you were the best youngcat around!" James meowed.

"You guys!" Milk called, padding into the clearing. "All your yowling is scaring the prey away!"

Snowflake glanced mischievously at Bird, who had giggled quietly.

Milk lashed his tail. "We should hunt."

After they had all hunted (Snowflake caught a dove, Bird caught a fish, Cocoa caught a mouse, James barely caught a squirrel, and Glow got bad luck and didn't catch anything; Milk didn't, either), they went back to the brick building.

Snowflake padded over to Blizzard with her dove.

Blizzard smiled. "Why are you bringing me prey every day, all of a sudden?"

Snowflake dropped the dove at Blizzard's paws. "I've planned a future, and it starts with this."

Blizzard seemed interested. "Really? What do you plan?"

Snowflake flicked her tail and sat down. "I'll bring you prey every day, for one. I'll train with my friends as a youngcat until we're all growncats. Then, I'll congratulate Bird on her kittens--"

"What? Bird's pregnant?" Blizzard interrupted.

"What? No! Not yet, at least. I don't doubt her having Cocoa's kittens."

Blizzard blinked. "You're right. I like them together. Bird makes sure Cocoa has enough sanity, and Cocoa makes sure Bird has enough insanity."

Snowflake twitched her whiskers. "Then, i'll probably help Glow find someone new."

Blizzard nodded, her green eyes suddenly sad. "He loved Snuggle."

Snowflake nodded as well. "Then.. Well.."

Blizzard looked at her expectantly. "Well, what? There's gotta be more to your life then that! Don't you plan to have a mate, and kittens? A family?"

Snowflake nodded but stared at her paws.

Blizzard flicked her tail. "With who?"

"Err.. Someone," Snowflake replied, hurrying away. She didn't feel like telling anyone yet.