The Shadows - A Cat Story ✔

Chapter 2

[Author's note: If you notice any errors in my writing, find something confusing, or have any suggestions, please feel free to let me know! Thanks for reading!]

Stream sniffed at the edge of the forest. It smelled fresh, and the darkness felt warm. She could pick up the scent of more cats, but it was stale. Squeezing into the undergrowth of the forest, she felt like she was being watched.

The white cat flicked her ears to listen for any signs of danger. There were voices, but they were faint. She pushed herself deeper into the trees.

All the other house cats said it was dark and scary in the forest, full of evil Shadows who gave no mercy and killed cats for the fun of it. Stream felt that they were wrong, and that they were just cats that had adapted to life in the forest.

A low growling spooked the she-cat as she sat down. She sat still, hoping all the tales about the Shadows weren't true. "What are you doing in our territory?!?" A large black cat jumped from the dark, skidding slightly, leaving a trail of dust.

"I was exploring," Stream mewed, trying to hold in her sudden fear.

"I saw you earlier. You were at the edge," a smaller black tom meowed, his gaze revealing nothing. He didn't seem angry and his fur lie flat.

"Y-Yes. I was at the edge of the forest earlier," She didn't know what to say, the larger cat was bristling with hatred.

"That's what all the cats say, 'exploring'. Haven't you heard all of the kitten's tales about us?" The yellow eyes of the large cat pierced her own.

"Y-Yes, I have. But they aren't true, are they?" Stream guessed.

"Of course not! We'd never murder our own species!" The smaller cat with deep blue eyes started to bristle.

"What are your names? While we're standing here we might as well know who we're talking to. I am Stream," The white she-cat lifted her chin.

"I am Night, the leader of the Shadows. This is my successor, Ash," the yellow-eyed tom growled lightly.

"Could I join you?" Stream blurted out, surprised by what she had said.

"You? You're a stand-out!" Night gasped, suddenly not angry.

"But, I was split from my mother when I was a kitten and I never knew my father! My human abused me and the dog always tried to eat me!!! My head burns from the slap on my head!" Stream poured out her thoughts.

"We could try her. We need more Shadows, and maybe she can learn extra stealthy moves to be a Shadow," Ash argued.

"Let me think about it! So much has happened today! An elder died and now this? Come back here tomorrow and I'll have my answer," Night turned and stalked away without waiting for a reply.

"Thanks, Ash." Stream whispered as the small tom turned and padded away.

She decided that she would just stay in the place she was in for the night while she waited for an answer. Thanks to Ash, there was a possibility she would be accepted. She knew she could adapt to the life of a Shadow cat. Stream was confident she'd find a way to blend in with the darkness.

Her dreams were filled with visions. She stood not far from the forest again, except the world seemed to be carrying her deeper into it, showing her the heart of the territory. The Shadows seemed to have made their camp in a huge hollow rock that had no roof for protection from rain.

There were dens in their camp that could protect them from rain, though, she realized. Then the world threw her back out of the forest and back into it, where she saw something. The 'something' seemed invisible, leaving only a trail of glowing black smoke behind. It swirled around the Shadows' camp, engulfing them in its smoke. Then her dream was over.