Shattered Ivy

Chapter 1

   Sunlight shone through the forest, and a cool breeze rustled the trees and bushes. The city in the distance glowed bright in the sun. A golden and white tabby kit called Ivy yawned and awoke as the light reached their tunnel. She began to groom herself when a something rolled on top of her. "Mrrrw!" She squeaked in surprise.
   A tan head looked at her. "Mama said we could go hunting!"
   Ivy purred as her sister Turtle leaped idiotically into the air, almost bumping her head on the tunnel roof.
   Ivy glanced at their mother's tortoiseshell pelt who was still resting, but Ivy could see one of her eyes were half open. She smiled and flicked her tail towards the entrance.
Ivy grinned at Turtle. "Lets go!" She hurried out of the tunnel. "Don't go far!" Her mother called. Turtle followed Ivy and meowed. "We won't!"
Ivy sniffed around for prey scents. She wrinkled her nose as she spotted a strange smelling creature. Ivy padded hesitantly closer to it curiously.
What is that...?
The creature jumped onto a small rock nearby and Ivy yelped and leaped in the air. She stared wide eyed. Turtle laughed and looked at the creature.She poked a paw at it and it suddenly leaped on her chest fur. Turtle squealed and rolled on the ground.
Ivy heard an amused purr and looked at the tunnel to see their mother watching.
Ivy licked her chest in embarrassment.
"It's called a frog." Her mother meowed. " Turtle what are you-.....oh goodness.."
Ivy looked at her sister and burst out laughing. The frog had somehow sat on Turtle's nose and Turtle was looking at it cross-eyed.
Ivy laughed. "You hippo-brain!"
Turtle smiled nervously. "Please get it off...."
Ivy took a step forward to help but jumped as the frog leaped on her. She whirled around trying to see where it was when Ivy felt smooth slimy skin on her paw. She shook out her paw and the frog hopped towards a river a few fox-lengths away.
Ivy chased it and pounced but the frog slipped out of her grasp. " Hippo-terd!"
Turtle purred and ran after Ivy as they both tried to catch the frog. Ivy smiled at her younger sister as she hit the frog with her paw. Ivy gasped smiling. "Turtle you hurt it!"
They watched the frog roll a few times, its legs going in all directions. It soon got back up and the two sisters continued their game. The river was nearby now. As the frog drew closer, Ivy gave chase and pounced on the frog. She slipped and fell over the edge into the river.
Turtle gasped. "Ivy!"
Ivy struggled for air as she felt herself sinking. Currents threatened to suck her under but Ivy managed to keep her nose up as she was swept downriver.
Water washed over her head. She looked around but all she could see was darkness. As Ivy closed her eyes, she flinched as something struck her side. She opened her eyes and saw a blurred shape and realized it was a log.
Ivy's lungs burned as she felt weaker.
I'm going to drown....
A distant voice whispered in her ear. " paddle your legs....it's almost like running."
Ivy looked around and saw a scarlet cat who looked transparent.
How can this cat breath underwater? Ivy wondered in her mind. And why is she transparent?
The scarlet cat smiled with sympathy. "It's not your time yet. You have a mysterious destiny. Come on. Swim."
Ivy moved her legs clumsily but soon felt herself lift. Her head broke the surface as she coughed and spluttered for air. She struggled to stay afloat and just when she became exhausted, something gripped her scruff and pulled her out of the river.
Her mother stood over her and licked her fiercely. Turtle crouched behind her, tears glistened in her eyes.
Ivy shivered and coughed.
I am NEVER going near water again...
She stared in horror at the river and how it almost killed her.
Who was that scarlet cat....
Her mother grasped her scruff and carried her back to the tunnel. Turtle followed with a worried expression.
How could I scare my sister like that? It must have been horrible.
Ivy sighed tiredly. She glanced around and soon her mother reached the tunnel and laid her in her nest. Turtle curled up by her as their mother walked to the entrance. Ivy curled up and looked at Turtle. Turtle whimpered quietly as she fell asleep. Ivy stared at her.
Did I scare her that badly?
Ivy suddenly felt extremely guilty and wished she would have been more careful when trying to catch the frog.
She leaned over and licked Turtle's ear comfortingly.
Turtle smiled sadly and looked up as their mother approached with a mouse and a vole.
Ivy sat up still shivering. Her mother smiled. "Y'all had a wild adventure today." She said as if trying not to show how much she had been scared.
Ivy nodded. "I'll be more careful in the future."
Her mother sliced the prey into small pieces." I'm sure you will. You learned something today though." She sighed.
Ivy looked at the prey as her mother pushed a piece toward her and one to her sister.
Ivy took a bite and realized how hungry she was. She let the warmth of the prey bathe her tongue. As Ivy and Turtle were eating, their mother stood up and curled herself around them. "Would y'all like to hear a story?"
Ivy smiled. "Yas!"
Turtle, who had prey in her mouth, meowed. "Yaaaaaaa!"
Her mother chuckled and thought for a moment. " There was once a young cat named Nightmare. He was misunderstood by his siblings because of his .... connection to other animals. He was about eight moons old and would talk to foxes and help squirrels climb trees. He was a strange cat. The strangest. But one day, his mother told him not to help other animals, for they were merely prey or dangerous animals that could kill cats.
"Nightmare was furious and confused. He walked through the forest to think and spotted a cat being attacked by a fox. The fox was about to bite her neck when Nightmare showed up. He gasped and ran to stop the fox.' Don't fight!' He screeched. The cat stared at him confused but ran to a tree quickly while the fox was distracted.
"Nightmare spoke to the fox and said it was a misunderstanding. He had this way with other animals....as if he could control them.
"And soon enough...the two cats fell in love and had kits. But then one dreadful day, a badger attacked and slaughtered his mother before his eyes. His siblings scattered trying to fight, but never having proper training....two died and Nightmare and another survived."
This drove Nightmare mad and he killed prey for fun. The she-cat was heart-broken to see him like that ...He disappeared soon after and no one has seen him since. They say he went to find a sacred place of peace where he would gain knowledge and power to keep the ones he loved safe."
   Ivy yawned, her heart pounding with worry. "Do we get nightmares because of Nightmare?"
   Her mother chuckled." No little one. But he  was named for his strange dreams. A lot of his story is a mystery. Now go to sleep my wild adventurers." She whispered.
   Turtle was shaking a little and Ivy licked her ear. "It's only a story...nightmare isn't real."
   The two kits curled up beside their mother's belly as she wrapped her tail around them.
   Ivy closed her eyes, her mind awake.
I wonder if Nightmare was real. And if he was, is he still alive?
   Ivy sighed and let sleep wash over her, forgetting all about the scarlet cat.