Dirty Paws [Warriors]

Z E R O

"YEARS AGO, AGES BEFORE MY FATHER'S FATHER WAS BORN, THERE LIVED A CAT NAMED TALL MOUNTAIN."

The words flowed like running water on Chasing Stars' tongue. She had expected them to; she'd rehearsed them constantly as an Acolyte. In her time, the memorization of the tale of Tall Mountain was expected of them. She'd had to recite it perfectly before becoming a Paladin, and though she hadn't understood why then, she knew exactly why now. It was the most important story a Quondam could ever tell a Fate, and it carried a powerful message:

Never defy your ancestors.

The Fates perked up. They'd never heard this story before. And, unlike the ones Red Dust told them, it was rarely found on the tip of a storyteller's tongue. It was one of the darker kit's tales, and there didn't seem an obvious purpose at first other than being a simple old myth. But it was more important than any of them would likely ever realize.

"You've never told us this one before," squeaked a young tom. His fur was black and white and utter tangled chaos— the result of a rambunctious kitten's lifestyle. Crow Talon.

Star glanced down at him fondly. "You're right, I haven't," she purred, though she was anxious to continue her tale. "It's a story you probably won't hear again, so you might want to listen as hard as you can!"

If the exciting newness of her story hadn't gotten the Fates' attention, her next line surely did. Skeleton Tree perked up, his eyes just as wide as Crow's. He was silent, waiting for her to continue.

"He was a Paladin, and a good one at that. Some say he could run like the wind and had the strength of ten Guardians, and his bravery was unmatched in the clowder. Truly, he was a hero."

She paused. Licked her lips. Thought of how to word the next line.

"But, unfortunately, his ancestors didn't share his clowder's love for him. In fact, one spirit in particular utterly despised him. Her name was Twisted Thorn, and her heart was stained black with jealousy, for he had stolen her mate Fallen Oak. And despite the fact that the two toms loved each other dearly, she thought Oak was better off with her."

The kittens were wide-eyed and completely hooked. Star couldn't blame them. She had been compelled too when she was their age. Tiny traces of shock registered in their eyes— was it because of the female villain, or the two gay tomcats? Neither subject had been explored in the stories they were used to hearing.

It didn't matter. Star pushed on.

"One night, unable to watch him any longer, she hatched a plan. It would destroy Tall Mountain's life and reputation forever— and, she hoped, convince Fallen Oak to resume his relationship with her once he passed on into the next life. Power tingled in her claws, power she had never before put to use, and Twisted Thorn wondered why she hadn't thought of such a thing seasons ago."

A shadow passed across the den entrance, turning the white spots on Chasing Stars' pelt to deep gray. The sounds of voices drifted in, underlined by the steady rhythm of raindrops hitting the cave walls. For a while, neither Star or the Fates spoke.

"She cursed Tall Mountain with the worst thing her cruel mind could dream up. Every leafbare night, when the moon rose silver and bright above the mountains and outlined the world in silver, he would change into a wolf, the unspoken enemy of the clowder. And like every wolf, his prey would become the cats of the clowder. His mind would awaken as the sun rose and the flesh of his brothers and sisters would fill his jaws."

It was the kind of visualization that nightmares were made of. The kittens' eyes were wide and fearful. Crow Talon was shaking. They've never heard of cannibalism before, have they? Shaking her head, she rebuked the thought. Of course not. That subject is far too morbid for three-month old kittens.

"For six months, she waited. The world lost its warmth and its leaves turned red and gold, and then the rivers froze. Leafbare was coming. As the days got colder and colder, she got happier and happier. Twisted Thorn was finally getting her revenge, sick as it was. And, on the first night of leafbare, under the crescent moon, Tall Mountain was hunting when it happened. He started changing.

"His body and his thoughts fell away, and his canines grew into massive fangs. His eyes glowed in his new body, and he had one thought on his mind: Hunt and kill. For that is the way of the wolves."

Silence greeted her words. For the first time Star could remember, the three most active kittens she'd ever taken care of were speechless during a story. A sardonic smile fluttered onto her lips. So that's what it takes to make them listen.

"The wolf that had once been Tall Mountain ran through the shadows of the forests, looking for prey. Of course, there was only one other cat hunting at that time. It was Fallen Oak, who had left his nest to take a walk because he could not sleep. The wolf did not know this, for all the wolf saw was food. And when Fallen Oak ran for the nearest tree to climb up, he was undoubtedly fast. But the wolf was faster.

"It chased him down at the edge of the tree line, with jaws slavering with hunger and wild golden eyes. The wolf ripped open Fallen Oak's throat, and as the tom lay dying beneath the canine's massive paws, the sun began to rise and his last sight was the distraught face of his mate."

Star told the story with no emotion, only cold logic, though her voice trembled slightly on the last sentence. The kittens were shocked. Heroes in their stories always won, so why was the villain of the story getting the victory?

Welcome to real life, Fates.

"Tall Mountain was understandably anguished. The rest of the clowder saw it as a simple animal attack, but only he knew the truth, and his guilt festered like a disease inside of him. He refused to eat and spoke not a word to the cats he had once regarded as his closest friends. He suffered from grief of the worst kind: longing for a life he'd snuffed out with no guilt.

"He lived the rest of his days in isolation, deciding to flee the lands of the clowder. He had nothing left for him there but nostalgic memories of a mate who probably no longer loved him, but the world had nothing to offer him either. On the first day of the next year, Tall Mountain was found floating in the river, his eyes closed peacefully. No signs of a struggle were found. It was concluded that he had inflicted his own death upon himself."

Star was silent. She had nothing more to say. The kittens were speechless, and the trace of tears lingered in Skeleton Tree's eyes.

Finally, Crow Talon broke the silence. "Why did you have to tell us that?" he whispered, his voice laced with sorrow. "It's not a kit's tale."

The ghost of a smile threatened to show itself on Chasing Stars' face, but she ignored her dark sense of humor. "Because your kit's tales don't show how life works, little one. This story does. The heroes don't always win, after all..."

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10/10/17
WORD COUNT: 1261