The Forest's Shadows: #1 The Runaway

Chapter 15

Cliff entered the barn with Ash and the others following. Storm and Olive were talking quietly to each other. Spots smiled at the six cats.

"Cloud told me that you left the barn. Would you care to tell us what had happened?" The brown spotted she-cat said.

Snow and Bird looked at each other. Snow looked back at Spots. "Yes. Bird would like that." Snow replied.

"And no because I won't like it," Night grumbled. He trotted away and went to Olive and Storm.
The fur on Olive's neck rose a bit.

Snow, Dust, and Bird went over to the storytime nest. Spots, Splash, Cloud, Mouse, and Flame were all going to there.

"So, are you going to go to the storytime nest thing?"

Cliff leaped, his fur spiking up.

Ash laughed. "Oh, uh, I didn't mean to scare you like that."

Cliff shook his head. "I guess I forgot that you were there?"

"Maybe you did."

"Oh, uh, no. I'm going to do something first," Cliff answered. Ash nodded.

"I'm just gonna talk to Night, 'kay?" The gray striped tom meowed. "When you're done, you could come and talk to us about.. something or whatever."

Ash went to the dark-furred cats and Cliff went up to the second ground of the barn. He looked up. The other day he had seen Splash and Cloud to up onto the roof. The light brown tom carefully went the way the two young cats went. When he got onto the roof, he sat near the edge but not too close so that he could fall. Cliff admired the scenery. The some trees were green, others were brown or orange. He saw some flowers in the distance. A few birds flew by and a few clouds rolled in. The sunset was the best part. It was glowing with pink, orange, and yellow. The sky seemed to be making the leaves and flowers light up. Cliff closed his eyes. He wanted to sit here with a special cat. But he had no special someone. He only had Ash.. and Night. Cliff opened his eyes. I hope I get to share this experience with someone besides me. Sometime in the future I will.

Night and Storm decided to have a walk and talk to each other their experiences.

Storm snorted. "And guess what Mouse thought? She thought that she couldn't eat a mouse because she would be a mouse murderer!"

Night laughed. "Poor little Mouse," Night chuckled. "Did you convinced her that she wasn't gonna go become a rodent killer?"

Storm thought for a second. "I told her that the mouse was already dead. She then told me that she still couldn't eat it. I told her that no one was going to track her down or anything."

"She's probably then like, 'Bwut what if swomeone does cwome and fwind me? Will they kill me? Maybe they might hwurt me?'"

"About so!" Storm laughed. Then the two heard a sound. It was as if a cat fell.

Night ran ahead of Storm and saw Cliff laying on top of Ash. Night frowned.

"Cliff?" Storm meowed. Cliff looked up, a bit unconscious.

"Huh? Oh hi." Cliff said, getting off of Ash. The tom looked at Ash, who was still laying there.

Ash finally got up. He sat up and looked beside him. He seemed to be distracted.

"What happened Cliff?" Night asked.

"Oh, uh..." The brown-and-white tom was clearly embarrassed. "I fell off the roof...?"

"That's it!" Storm spoke up. "I'm leaving." The dark gray she-cat whirled around and stalked away. Night watched her until she was out of sight. He was confused on why Storm left and especially on how Cliff fell on Ash. He turned his attention back to his two friends.

"Let's get you back to the barn, Ash," Night said. "Let's make sure that Cliff different break your spine."

Ash looked at Night and nodded. The two walked to the barn and Cliff ran after them.

"Hey! My fall couldn't have been that bad that I broke his spine, right?" Cliff meowed. Night knew that Cliff was worried for his friend.

The brown tom ran to Night's side. "My fall wasn't that bad right?" Cliff repeated.

"I don't knowwww..." Night said. "Maybe it was."

"I hope not," Cliff meowed. 

The cats were approaching the barn as the sun started to set. Cliff frowned. He already missed the beautiful sunset. The three toms entered the barn and Night called out, "Spots! Do you know if you could treat Ash?"

"Possibly," the brown spotted she-cat meowed. Night lead Ash to Spots. Cliff watched them. Had he broken Ash's back? Probably.. Cliff thought. He walked to the prey pile and picked up a shrew. The light brown tom took his prey to the storytime nest - or at least next to it. Cliff ate his shrew at a slow pace. He thought about how sore Ash's back was. What if I did break his back? Will he still be able to hunt? Could he fight? He would be an easy prey for foxes if his back is broken. Are we going to be able to travel together? Then a sudden thought hit Cliff. What if we can't be friends anymore because of this?? What could I do without him? Cliff shook his head. He knew it took more than a little accident for them to end their friendship. Cliff gobbled down the last pieces of the rodent. He went over to his nest - which was lined with hay and some moss - and laid down. He rested his head on his paws, and wrapped his white-tipped tail around himself. The small tom closed his yellow-green eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Wow that was long! Almost 1000 words again!!