The Majestics

Chapter 1 - Part 3 (Teaser)

    Going in the direction of home, she stumbled and fought her way to a mud pile, blackness now surrounding the edge of her vision. She smothered her wounds in mud and laid in the sun to dry.
A little while later, she got up, still exhausted, and started walking towards the den. The sun would be going down soon and she couldn't get caught in the cold with these wounds.
"I don't know if I'll make it" she murmured lowly and dragged herself on, still limping on her paw.
She lumbered to her prey bush and dug out her mouse with the one good paw she could dig with.
With prey in her jaws and hunger in her stomach, she found enough determination to continue.
Walking a few tail lengths from the bush, something slate grey caught her eye. The contrast was stark compared to the red of the setting sun that every bush and plant had.
She looked at the color and focused on what it was, and she stopped cold. Her blood turned to ice and she almost fell. The pain seemed non-existent.
It was the cave. Excitement fizzed in her paws and she walked as fast as her battered, suffering body could take her.
She reached the cave entrance and stumbled inside, almost dropping her mouse.
Everything was dark and as her eyes adjusted to the light level, she saw an opening in the back of the cave. The cave was wide enough to support five full-grown cats and then some, but the back opening seemed could fit not even one. She was a kit though and as she walked to the hole, she crouched and pushed her way through with ease.
She continued crouching and pushing ahead for what seemed like a few seconds before she reached an opening.
There was almost no light and she could barely see but she could describe what was on the other side.
The tunnel widened into a cave twice as large as the cave entrance and water puddles in a U-Shape around the tunnel 3 tail lengths out.
She stumbled into the opening and could stand fully up without hitting the top, it seemed any cat could.
She walked to one side of the opening and laid down with her mouse and began consuming it.
Each morsel seemed heavenly as she gulped it down ravenously.
Licking her paws, she found herself wanting more. All she had to eat the past two days was the mouse.
She began cleaning herself and straightening her matted fur. Each lick made her more tired and the pain slowly seeped back. She licked her wounds clean of the mud and the blood started seeping again.
No! She thought. I suppose it will stop bleeding eventually.
Thirsty, she stood up and began to walk to the middle of the u-shaped puddle.
She reached it in a few seconds and bent down to lap up the waters, but stopped.
The water was turning red. Pain suddenly throbbed and ached from every bone and muscle in her body. She looked At the water and saw herself.
Her ear was torn and her muzzle was scratched. Blood was dripping from her chin into the water.
Every wound worsened as did the pain as she suddenly found it hard to breath. Blackness danced at the edge of her vision and threatened to envelope her. She struggled for breath but none came. The blackness was spreading. Her lungs ached for another breath but she couldn't seemed to draw one.
Her knees buckled as the world turned black and Smokey collapsed into the ice cold water.