Being Replaced

Part 5

I woke to whispering and Darkness. Blinking a few times I realized it must be night again. I stood and immediately groaned at the stiff and soreness of my body. I still wasn't used to doing things, I suppose.

I glanced down, seeing Howl awake but lightly playing with some bark she must have found.

"Sorry I slept so long, we should get going." I told her.

I forgot about the whispering. I fed her the last bit of herbs, I had only gotten enough for one more day and she seemed to feel much better.

As I carried her out of the trees, the stretching making it hard for me to walk from my soreness.

I saw movement towards the river and glanced, seeing that ghost cat. Or as Howl would probably say, a Starclan cat.

I glanced down, wondering if Howl had noticed or could even see it. She didn't seem able to.

She drank some water and I joined her, making sure not to drink from the ghosts reflection.

The thought made me uncomfortable, alright!

As we finished I scooped up the kit again.

"Hey I can walk!" She protested.

"Tis ish fashter" I mumbled around her. (This is faster)

She grumbled a bit but let me carry her. I broke into a light jog after the ghost cat. Eventually Howl fell back asleep. I felt the ache in my jaw and legs at the repeated use.

I panted, debating stopping to rest, but as I slowed, an unknown urgency filled me, causing me to run again as my heart raced anxiously. I noticed the ghost stop and wait for me if it got too far away.

As the sun rises in the second morning, I felt my legs shake and panted heavily, setting the napping kit down.

I desperately wished to sleep, but looking down at the kit, who shivered for a second before settling, reminded me I had to bring her food. It had been a few days since I had eaten as well and I felt the hunger gnaw at my belly. I looked around, not feeling up to hunting. Maybe I could find a house-folk camp nearby?

Sniffing the air was ineffective as I couldn't recognize anything around here by sight or smell. I sighed, giving up and just turning to the river, quenching my thirst. Then a silver flash darted past my nose.

"Fish!" I muttered excitedly.

I splashed a few steps in, up to my elbows and knees, despite the cold and gazed down at the water. I recalled what Sava had taught me in the hard ponds in the park, turning my head to look in the area I didn't cast a shadow.

I stood and watched, not twitching the paw in the water, holding one up out of it. I stared, glancing at the kit every now and then.

I didn't want her falling in while I hunted. 

Just as I thought that, I saw a shine in the water and lashed out, hooking the fish with outstretched claws.

"A carp! It's huge!" I exclaimed, accidently waking up Howl.

All the fish in the pond in the park were the size of a mouse. This one has to be the size of a squirrel!

I quickly dragged it to shore and killed it. Howl padded over and looked at it causiously.

"W-what is it?"she asked, sniffing it.

"It's a fish!" I purred, leaning down and sinking my teeth into it. The water that  soaked it's meat immidiatly rushing down my throat, followed by the tang of fish meat.

I leaned back to give Howl some room to eat, only to have her stare at me.

"Is...is it good?" She asked.

I nodded back happily, chewing.  She padded forward tentatively and stretched her muzzle forward uncomfortably and took a little nibble.

I chewed on the scales left in my mouth as she tried it. She chewed for a bit before swallowing. She smacker her maw and licked her lips hesitantly.

"Umm, it's...weird. Not bad, but a little weird." She mewed uncertainly.

"Isn't it?" I mewed appreciatively. It was weird, but I really enjoyed it.

I leaned down to eat more and like that we ate the fish, finishing it quickly. I stretched, feeling the ache in my legs.

"Let's find some place to rest" I told her, glancing around.

I wanted to stay close to the river, and the ghost cat seeming to guide us. I looked into the forest feeling an uneasy feeling of being watched.

I stepped a few paces and stared hard into the dim woods. I couldn't see anything, but didn't want to go into the forest. Despite this, I knew we wouldn't find shelter out in the open near the river.

"Howl, let's go." I mewed, trying to not show how nervous I was. I swept the kit close to me as we trudged into the forest.

Despite my thoughts, as soon as we hit the shade of the woods, my eyes adjusted and I could see the almost newly bright forest and the feeling of being watched disapated immidiatly.

I took a deep breath, feeling my shoulders relax. I sniffed, hoping to find a thick bush or the like. I kinda missed my den back at the park. It had been comfortable, and my own. Some random stray would probably take it over when they noticed the stale scent. I frowned at the thought.

I didn't even get to say goodbye to Sava, he would probably think I went back to HER. He always probably thought I would. He'd find another way to spend his time and move on, and that thought caused my chest to ache.

I guess he'd replace me eventually, too.

I felt my eyes burn a bit and blinked fast, tilting my head back to pretend to look at the tree-tops when I really was holding back my tears.

Then something caught my eye and distracted me from my thoughts. A crack in the tree.

The tree itself seemed dead and dried, like it had been struck by lightning. It left the tree cracked, and in that crack was a small area barely big enough for two cats to climb in and sleep.

"There" I said, pointing to it. I scooped the kit up and climbed up to it, setting her in before climbing in myself.

I curled around her, not wanting her to get cold from the draft blowing through the trees hole.

"What are you gonna tell the clan your name is?" Howl suddenly piped up.

"Hmm?" I hummed, eyes closed as I tried to sleep.

"Well, mama said if I was in the clans, I'd be called Howlkit. Cause I'm a kit still and stuff. Then it'd be Howlpaw and then a cool warrior name like Howlmoon or Howlpelt! But we can't tell them your name is Kit, cause that's just what we call you. But like you can't be kit-kit or Kit-paw." She rambled.

"Why not? Maybe I'll just let them name me then." I muttered, drowzy.

"What? No! I wanna give you a name! A cool one! I'll choose the best name!" She demanded.

"Okay, I'll go with what you want. But I won't take just any name" I told her, "now shh. I'm sleepy" I said.

I blinked a few more times as the sun rose, seeing the forest become alive with sounds as I fell asleep.