The Forest's Shadows: #1 The Runaway

Chapter 17

The four cats came back sometime in the afternoon. Cloud had caught two rodents -  a shrew and vole - Mouse had caught a thrush and a small but plumped squirrel, Dust had caught a sparrow, and Cliff caught a rabbit and a mouse. The cats slowly walked over to the barn. They stepped inside of the barn and placed their prey down.

Cliff didn't feel hungry, but he did feel tired.

The light brown tom walked pass Ash. Ash finished his meal and came over to Cliff. "Hey Cliff, wanna tel-"

"Not now Ash," Cliff interrupted. "I'm going to sleep."

Ash sighed then nodded. "Well, okay." Cliff flopped down into his bed and before he fell asleep, he saw Ash smile at him. Cliff tiredly made a smile back. Cliff wrapped his tail around himself and drifted off to sleep.

Dust opened his eyes. He saw a beautiful purple-pink sky. The grass was a light purple color and trees were also purple, but a dark shade of it. Dust slowly walked as he admired the beautiful scenery.

This place was extremely beautiful.

Dust looked around and saw a light brown and white tom with his back turned. Dust instantly recognized him.

"Cliff?" Dust called. Cliff turned around.

"Oh! Hey Dust!" Cliff meowed. "Whatca doing in my dream?"

Dust blinked. This was a dream? This was Cliff's dream? That wasn't right. Dust remembered laying in his nest. "Your dream?" Dust meowed with a bit of confusion. "But this is my dream!"

Cliff's eyes widen. "So you're saying that we're sharing a dream?"

"No," Dust snapped. "I was saying that this was my dream. I didn't say anything about sharing dreams."

Cliff flicked his tail. "What if we are sharing a dream?"

"Why would we share a dream?"

"I don't know," Cliff answered.

Dust heard footsteps. He looked to his right and saw a starry brown tabby she-cat. She had small nicks in her ears and had a scar near one of her rear legs. She had dark yellow eyes. Her eyes were showing love.

Why is she looking like that? Dust wondered.

"Hello little ones," the she-cat said with a smile.

"We're not young!" Dust said with a flick of his tail. Then Dust looked at Cliff. "Maybe Cliff is, but not me."

Cliff ears flattened. The starry cat laughed. "Oh, but you will both always be young to me," the tabby meowed. She has stars in her fur... She's from the Star Grounds! She's a Star cat! Dust blinked. She said that we'll both always be young to her.. What does she mean?

Cliff spoke. "Why are you here? Why are we here? Why are we sharing the same dream??"

The Star cat smiled. "There is a reason why you both are here." She sighed. "My name is Ashlyn by the way, dears. I brought you here because I wanted to tell you both something."

Cliff walked closer. "What is it?"

"I am your mother."

Cliff and Dust both gasped. "Our mother?" Dust said, still in shock. "Why couldn't you tell us earlier?"

"Because I want to let you two know that although you will be far away from each other, you will always be close to each other. In your hearts."

Dust just remembered that he was leaving with Snow, Night, and Bird.

Dust nodded.

"I better go now," Ashlyn said. Their mother was beginning to fade.

"Wait!" Cliff called. "Don't leave yet! Tell us, do we have more kin?"

Ashlyn was almost completely gone now. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes you do."

Mmmmmm Finally finished another chapter. I taste my pride in completing this chapter.