Warriors: Deserve's Beginning (Short Story) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 11

Deserve padded through the forest, sniffing for prey. He couldn't smell anything, and the trees around him were unfamiliar. However, somehow he knew exactly where he was going, and that a mouse was near. He looked around the shadows and spotted it sitting by the jagged trunk of a pine tree.

Aha! He ran at it, surprised when the mouse didn't move or react to him at all. He trapped it in his claws and bit down into its neck. Blood spurted into his mouth, and he immediately shot back, staring in shock. Blood gushed heavily and unrealistically out of the mouse's throat in a heavy stream.

He watched the blood splash onto the grass, fascinated by it. Though it sickened him, he couldn't look away. The crimson liquid oozed and spread through the grass toward his paws, and he snapped out of his trance, taking a step back before the blood touched his paws. He raised his head and looked around the shadowy forest.

White fur rushed past him, and he froze. "Velvet!" He gasped out. 

The cat paused and looked over her shoulder at him. She looked... Different. Her fur was just the same snowy white it had always been. But she was horribly thin, and her face was sunken in, her blue eyes dull and emotionless as she stared at Deserve.

"Mom! You came back!" Deserve let out a cry of joy and started toward her. But to his surprise, she turned away and began racing away through the trees. "No!" He gasped. "Where are you going?" He shot after her. "Come back!"

But Velvet acted as if she didn't hear him. She ran through the trees, her white tail streaking behind her.

"Mom!" He called out desperately, trying to run faster, but instead he seemed to be moving slower, his paws floating over the air. "Don't leave us! Please!"

He heard a snarl and turned his head to see dark figures slip out of the shadows of the forest, their fangs glinting and eyes glowing red. They were the shadowy cats! The same ones he'd dreamed about attacking the barn! 

"No!" He let out a terrified wail and desperately tried to run, but he slowed into a walk instead, unable to control his paws. He looked ahead anxiously. "Mom!" He cried. "Help me!" But his mother had vanished. She was nowhere to be seen.

The shadowy cats began circling around him, drifting like smoke as they grinned and snickered at him. Deserve tried to avoid their fierce red eyes, but he couldn't. He shut his eyes and crouched low to the ground, wailing in terror. Go away! Leave me alone! They began closing in on him, their snarls and laughter ringing in his ears until he couldn't take it anymore. 

"No!" He screeched.

***

Deserve jerked awake, letting out a gasp. His fur was hot and bristling. He turned his head rapidly, his eyes darting around as he breathed heavily. 

Two she-cats were laying asleep in nests close to him, as well as three kits. One, a black kit, raised his head, looking bewildered. "What's wrong with you?" He exclaimed. His brothers stirred.

Where am I? Who are those cats? This isn't home! For a heartbeat, panic bolted through his veins. It took a moment for him to remember the events of yesterday. I'm in ShadowClan... Velvet left us...

He let out a sigh and rested his chin on his paws, his fur slowly flattening. He recognized the kits as Blackkit, Brownkit, and Snakekit, and the queens as Sunflower and Green-something. Greenflower? Greentree? He wasn't sure. These cats have weird names. It was very early in the morning. The sun hadn't risen yet. Beside him, Boost and Song sat up, looking worried. 

"Are you okay?" Song whispered, while Boost stared at him anxiously, still holding his bundle of hay under his paws.

Deserve nodded, dropping his gaze. "I-I just had a nightmare." He heard a snort and looked up to see the other kits padding up to them, looking annoyed. Brownkit had his jaws wide open in a yawn.