A soft purr radiated from within the softness which was another cat's fur. The kits joined in, purring in a slightly higher note. The warmth surround the kits, but it wasn't quite suffocating.
* * *
"Doris, it's daylight. We need to keep moving. Movement will keep us warm as well, though I do know how much the kits like cuddling with you." Oliver whispered, gently prodding Doris's paw until she woke.
"Huh? Yeah, yeah.. I got it. Torrent, Forest, Acorn, come on lovelies it's time to get going." Doris softly mewed, attempting to wake the kits. As she slowly uncurled her tail, Acorn could feel the cold creeping back in, starting to bite at his paws once again.
"No! I wanna sleeeep." He sleepily protested, squirming a bit in an attempt to get closer to Doris.
* * *
A few fox-lengths away, Ripple was curled up by himself in a small hole in the snow. Last night he had refused to sleep near the others, in fear he'd disturb their sleep. He had had a particularly bad dream last night, but he wouldn't let that ruin his mood today. After all, he might get to see his sister again!
He blinked the sleep from his eyes as he swiveled his ears towards the others to hear what they were up to.
"Glad to see you've awoken." Gild meowed, startling Ripple a bit. "Oh, sorry if I startled you."
"It's.. fine. It's nothing." He muttered as he got onto his paws. He stretched his front paws out in front of him and shook off his pelt to free some of the snow that had clumped in his fur overnight.
* * *
"Hey Torrent, Forest, and Acorn watch this!" Gild meowed, jumping onto the frozen over the river, attempting to glide over it with her claws unsheathed.
"Woah!!" Acorn mewed, "I wanna try!" He mewed, then sprinting and jumping into the frozen over the river as well, only to stumble and fall.
A faint cracking noise could be heard as suddenly, the ice started to crack. Gild instinctively jumped off of the ice, leaving poor Acorn all alone. Acorn struggled to stand as the ice started to crack underneath him. Ripple ran up and tried to grab Acorn by the scruff, but to no avail. Acorn was plunged into the ice cold flowing river below.
All Acorn could make out were warped and warbled faces and sounds, as he tried desperately to cling to something, even clawing at the ice that trapped him. Cats rushing over the ice, trying to break to set him free, but no use. The last thing he saw was the horrified face of his father, and the last thing he felt was overwhelming panic. Then an overwhelming sensation of numbness came over him, as everything faded to black.
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Hey guys!! It's been so long! It's a bit weird for me now, writing about the cold during the hottest part of the year. It's summer where I am! Man, I guess I am just in the mood to kill of characters, aren't I? Being honest, it pains me to kill of a character, especially a kit, in such a horrible way. Right after Terra died too. Oof. Anyway, try to have a good day!!
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Updates on @jackson.rps on instagram!
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YOU ARE READING
The Ripple Effect (Stone In The Pond)
FanfictionIt's been about a moon since Terra had her kits, and they've started walking once again. The howling winds and the heavy snow prove to be trouble some to the cats, as they run into familiar faces.
