Dandy's Dream

The short legged kit picked up her pace as she struggled to follow her mother who looked as though she were flying. Another kit dangled from her mouth and it mewled helplessly as it was dragged over the mossy forest floor. Dandy closed her eyes tightly as she raced after her, a pain striking her legs everytime she put her feet down. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and she was fighting for air but the smoke from the fire only made it harder for her to breathe. The flames licked at her fur but she trudged on after her mother, wincing each time it singed her fur.

"Mommy!" she wailed. "Help me!" Her voice was just a squeek and it was almost inaudible against the roaring of the fire as it fought to engulf them.

The pale ginger she-cat stopped only for a heartbeat. Her head swung around, the kit dangling from her jaws struggling in her grasp. Her green eyes shown with panic, but at the terrifying sound of creaking branches and crackling fire she took off again, moving faster than ever. Dandy stared after her, frozen in place. Suddenly she looked upwards and watched as a firey branch fell down onto the pathway, cutting off her escape from the dreadful flames.

Dandy's eyes flew open and she gasped for breath. It had felt like she was back in the fire again, but she was tucked safely in her nest deep inside the cave by the stream. She was left panting as she remembered the night. Dreams of it occured almost every time she went to sleep, almost like a flash-back. She could remember every little detail, but most of all she could remember the fear she saw in her mother's eyes.

The thought sent a shiver up her spine and her whiskers quivered. After giving her chest a few licks she got to her paws and stretched. A yawn escaped her mouth and she gazed out of the den with contempt. It was a beautiful new leaf day, many moons after the fire. Dandy wasn't a kit anymore; she was a full grown cat and she had taken care of herself all this time.

She popped her head out of the cave and gazed out at the stream. It flowed by carelessly, and at the moment a vole was getting a drink. Dandy licked her lips, suddenly realizing how hungry she was. Unsheathing her claws she slowly crept out of the cave, bowed down with her tail waving excitedly in the air. She knew that the vole had detected her when it looked up, startled. Dandy carefully reminded herself that she needed to keep herself hidden, including her tail. She lowered it slowly and picked up her paws with care.

The vole took in shallow breaths and it looked like it was bracing itself for impact. It's eyes flickered from side to side and it looked like it was frozen in place out of fear. Dandy let out a low growl. She liked making her prey feel fear the moment before she killed them. The vole had obviously heard her and it began to scurry away, breaking the tension. Dandy let out a war cry and chased after it, fighting back laughter as it slipped and tumbled through the rocky forest.

"Clumsy, aren't we?" she chuckled to herself and continued to race after it. A hollow log lay up ahead, and Dandy knew that the vole would try to hide in it. Dandy was no longer a small cat; she had muscles underneath her pretty golden tabby fur and it had bulked her up a bit. She wouldn't be able to fit in the log if it had gotten that far. She picked up her pace until it seemed as though she were flying through the forest. Her paws barely even touched the ground yet with each step she could hear it pound on the floor.

She was getting closer and closer to the vole, but it was moving swiftly. Suddenly Dandy's eyes widened and she skidded to a halt in front of the log as the vole slipped inside. She was panting from her hard efforts at recieving a new meal, but suddenly her appetite was gone. She stared at the hollow log with dull eyes. She couldn't go any further.

Dandy sat down and raised her paw and began to lap at it. It was covered in dirt and mud and a few rocks were embeded in it. She noticed a bit of blood welling from the cuts that laced her paw pads but she licked it away carelessly. Her breathing was normal again, and as she cast a lazy glance at the log she watched as the vole slipped out and raced out into the forest on the other side.

With a sigh she got to her paws again and turned her back to the log. It pained her to even be near it, but so long as she didn't go to the other side she was fine. It was morally wrong to her. She couldn't cross it. With her tail raised high in the air she continued down the path, back towards the stream. The watched the ground as she went, looking carefully at the paw prints that covered it's surface.

She suddenly stopped. The pawprints in the dirt were fresh, and they most certainly were not hers because they had come from behind the fallen log. She scanned the ground ahead of her, watching as the several pairs of prints lead down the path and towards her home. She opened her mouth and she could faintly taste the scent of intruders. Her smelling was never that good; at least not after the fire.

A pit of anger burst inside of her. What were cats doing in her home? She was the only cat in the forest, and this was her territory. She was going to make sure she defended it. Unsheathing her claws once more she headed down the path with an angry frown. Her burning gaze scanned the cave and the streambed. She couldn't see any cats but she was sure they were near by.

"Hahaha! That's so funny, Tom!" she could hear a she-cat chuckled.

The sound of the intruders told her that she was right; they were very close by. She turned around and glared around out at the bushes. Shrubs and flowers encircled a small fish-filled pond, and when Dandy angled her ears towards it she could hear the splashing of paws shooting into the water. Letting out a furious hiss she leaped past the grass and into the small stretch of soil that surrounded the pond. She was greeted with startled gasps and the sound of claws unsheathing.

Before she knew what was happening she felt claws and teeth dig into her sides and fur smuthered her face. The intruders had attacked! She struggled underneath them, writhing around on the ground before lying still. The intuders mumbled something and they slowly began to pick themselves off of her. When she knew she was in the clear she leaped to her paws and began to lash out uncontrollably. She wasn't sure if she had landed any blows but she could feel the cats backing away. Only one cat stood where he was, a look of contempt in his eyes.

Dandy suddenly stopped lashing out and gazed at him with confusion. "Aren't you going to run away now?" she asked.

The tom, with a smug grin, cast a glance back at his friends. "Nah. You hardly seem like a threat to us."

Dandy felt taken aback. "I'll shred you, mange-pelt!" she spat with fury. She flexed her claws and leaped at him, but the tom took a step to the side and watched as she fell to the ground on her face.

The golden tabby turned around to look at him. She tried to keep her worry hidden, but it was clearly showing on her face.

"Whatcha gonna do now, kitty?" asked a grey she-cat. It was the one she had heard before. "Threaten us some more?"

A pale brown tom stepped up beside her. They were both stalking closer to her. "You don't look like much but I'm sure you'd make a fine meal."

The two cats got closer and closer, and Dandy knew for sure that she was going to die. Memories of the fire flashed in front of her eyes and she pictured the blazing flames behind her, blocking her escape just like before. She felt her body heating up, and before she knew what was happening her eyes rolled and she fell to the floor.

I hope everybody likes what I have so far! Sorry if it's a bit short but this is only the first chapter; It should get longer and longer as I go. Your encouragement would be great, and constructive critisism would be appreciated. How can I make my story better?