Snowflake's Story

Chapter Thirty-One

Another month passed.

Samuel became a youngcat.

Night gave birth to Dusty's kittens; a light brown queen with black ears and green eyes named Twig.

It had been raining a lot recently.

Carrot was close to having her kittens.

Poor Carrot, taking care of kittens as a cat that hadn't even become a growncat yet. Those kittens had a house cat father that didn't love them; an irresponsible parent that they would grow up without.

Good thing she had a father as good as River.

Snowflake shook her head; River wasn't Carrot's father! He wasn't anyone's father. Tim was Carrot's father. But Tim was long dead, and River had to take over. It was a good thing, Snowflake guessed. Sara's kittens had to have some sort of father figure.

Just as Snowflake was thinking this thought, River called a meeting.

"May cats of the clowder gather around for an announcement from me and Sara!"

Snowflake's tail flicked. River never gave announcements. But, just like any cat, Snowflake sat down and watched as River and Sara stood next to each other and intertwined their tails.

"It has been a long time since Tim died," Sara meowed. Red's paws shifted, Spider's tail tip flicked and Apple huffed. "I have learned to control my sadness. Unfortuneatley, Tim cannot be with me anymore, or the rest of his clowder. When Sand and Carrot were born, River, bless him, did an amazing job of being a father figure towards them. Me and River have grown close, and now I am expecting his kittens."

River raised his chin proudly.

Panic bursted inside Snowflake's belly. How could Sara do that to Tim? What would happen when Sara became a Ghostcat and flew into the sky? Would Tim forgive her? Who would she choose as a Ghostcat?

"You can't do that to Tim!" Spider yowled.

Sara seemed shocked. "I loved him just as much as you did, Spider, but--"

"Apparently not!" Apple snarled. "You don't see us looking for a replacement sibling!"

Sara's hackles raised. "River is not a replacement. Tim can never be replaced."

River's eyes were wide, and his tail flicked back and forth with obvious panic, stress and embarrassment. This was a side of River that Snowflake had never seen. He was usually a mighty, strong and calm cat who knew the answer to everything. But now, he was like a cornered mouse. What his clowder thought of him apparently impacted him greatly.

"Mate stealer!" Spider hissed at him. "Tim will snatch you up into the sky!"

Snowflake couldn't help but let her distress out in a wail. "Stop!"

Everyone turned to look at her.

Snowflake's pelt felt hot with embarrassment, but instead of digging a hole and dying in it, she made her way through the crowd towards Sara and River. She then turned to look at her clowder. "River and Sara clearly love each other," she began.

"Oh, and Sara and Tim didn't?!" Apple growled.

Snowflake felt like raking her claws across the tabby queen's face, but instead she gave her a look she didn't deserve.

Apple shrunk back.

"Sara and Tim did love each other, and they had two amazing little kittens," Snowflake went on, spotting Sand lift his head and Carrot shrink back with embarrassment. "But now, Sara loves River. I didn't know Tim well, but if he's as great as a cat his loyal siblings say he was, i'm sure he will forgive Sara and River. I'm not as experienced as some other growncats, but I do know a thing or two about love. No cat can help how they feel about another cat."

"If Sara moved on, why didn't Glow?!" Spider yowled. He suddenly realized he shouldn't have said that.

Snowflake's claws slid out with pure fury and her tail lashed viciously. She curled her lip back in a snarl. "Glow did move on!"

"Then why did he run away?" Spider retaliated, clearly wishing he hadn't spoken.

"Because that's what he wanted to do with his life! He didn't run away, he went exploring!"

"He still stayed loyal to Snuggle, so apparently cats can help how they feel." He now smiled, thinking he had proven a point.

River was clearly about to yowl for silence, but Snowflake was so incredibly overwhelmed with rage and anger that she leaped at Spider with her forepaws extended. With the sweet sensation of revenge in her claws she clawed the smug look off of the ignorant tomcat's face, then leaped off of him, sending him tumbling across the hay floor of the room. She waited for River to scold her.

"Spider, you should have never said that about Glow," River meowed calmly.

Snowflake felt astonished, but she slid her claws back in their sockets and sat down, forcing her fur to lie flat.

"Glow's whole life here wasn't just about Snuggle, and you know that well." The leader turned to Sara, his green eyes now showing concern.

James ran over to Snowflake, Cocoa and Bird close behind. "Are you okay?" James meowed. His voice shook.

Snowflake nodded. "Perfectly fine."

"Thank the Ghostcats," Cocoa huffed.

"That was so cool how you did that!" Hershey's squeaky voice came from under Bird as she peeked her chocolate-colored head out from behind her mother's leg.

"Can you teach us how?" Branch chirped.

"When you're youngcats, maybe," Snowflake replied.

"Snowflake!" Carrot's voice came from across the room. She was padding towards them alongside her brother Sand. Her belly had gotten big.

"Thanks for what you said about us," Sand purred.

Snowflake dipped her head. "No problem."

"RIVER!" Scorch and Sunshine came running into the building.

River bounded towards them. "Scorch? Sunshine? What happened? Why were you out there? Where's Skunk?"

"The water took him!" Scorch whimpered. "The water took Skunk!"