Shorts Stories

Splashclaw's Heartbreak

    Splashclaw was staring at the moon in the dead silence of night. He was sitting on a tree branch that he and Mistfoot used to sit on together and have their small chats. He wished he could sit there just one more time, or go back in time and convince her to stay with him before she left on her journey. She is gone now. She left Fireclan for Frostclan, to go live with her mate Leafstride, the father of her kits. Splashclaw let out a heavy sigh, letting his heart ache was the only way to forget about her. The moon was shining bright tonight, and leaves were falling and clans were preparing for leaf-bare. He wasn't ready for all the snow on the ground, it would remind him of when he and Mistfoot would train in it together and shove each other's faces into it. He shifted his paws, staring at the stars.

   One star was glistening more than the others, and Splashclaw wondered if it was a Starclan cat watching him, wondering what he was doing. Or they could be making fun of him for sulking by himself in a tree because a she-cat didn't like him. Maybe he was being mouse-brained, but he didn't care, he hurt too much to care.

   A rustle in the bushes below him made him jerk his head downwards, his hackles rising at the distinct sound. He crouched down, staring down at the bush's slight movement rippling through it. A small white cat poked it's head out, glancing around. It wasn't a Fireclan cat, but it didn't smell like a clan cat either. Then the cat stepped out of the bushes, and surprise washed over Splashclaw as he realized it was a kit. He climbed down the tree silently, hopping down. The noise of his paws hitting the ground made a loud thump, making the kit spin around. It was interesting, the kit had different colored eyes. One as green as the grass in Greenleaf, and the other as blue as ice. Splashclaw noticed the collar the kit had with a small bell, it was a kittypet.

   "What are you doing here?" Splashclaw asked, making sure his mew was hard enough to scare the kit a little but not too much. It was a kit after all. The kit's fur was puffed up and it's claws were unsheathed, "I was looking for my mother." Splashclaw crouched down, "she won't be here, this is clan territory, not a twoleg's place." The kit looked confused, "but the tom said she went this way." "Who?" Splashclaw asked. "He was a big red tom, he said Gigi came this way through the forest after leaving me in the alley." The kit sounded confident in his answer, but his eyes said differently. "Alley?" Splashclaw asked, what was that? The kit nodded, "it's between two houses. It's dark and has a bunch of garbage and boxes everywhere, she left me there after I got in trouble with my house-folk. She told me to wait there, but then a red tom told me she headed for the forest and wanted me to follow her. I can't find her anywhere." Oh. Splashclaw stared at the kit, she abandoned him. "Listen, Kit. I don't think your mom." "Gigi," the kit mewed. Splashclaw dipped his head apologetically, "Gigi came this way." Make up a lie, make up a lie. "I think the red tom sent her to a dangerous place and she wanted to keep you safe."

   The kit's eyes widened, "she must be looking for me right now!" Splaschlaw shook his head, "I think she's, well, gone kit." The kit twisted his head, "where did she go?" "Er," Splashclaw's brain scrambled to find an answer, "I think the tom led her to a bad house-folk who took her. She probably won't be able to find you because she got taken by a house-folk somewhere else, far away." The kit's eyes looked panicked, "I won't see her again?" Splashclaw sadly shook his head, "I'm afraid not." "What am I supposed to do? I don't have Gigi anymore," the kit cried. What do we do now? An idea struck Splashclaw's mind as he stared at the kit. "What's your name, kit?" "My house-folk called me Ace, but Gigi called me Baby." Ace's mew was broken. "Can you take your collar off?" Splashclaw asked. Ace sadly shook his head, "only my house-folk can." "Let me try." Splashclaw padded forward, now able to see the kit trembling with fear. He bent over, sniffing the collar. It smelt funny, but he had to get it off somehow. He tugged at it, ripping it off. "There," he mewed, pleased with himself.