The Forest's Shadows: #1 The Runaway

Chapter 18

Ash laid down with his paws under his chest on a pile of hay. He looked up to see Storm laying near the edge of the second story. She was letting one of her forepaws and one of her rear legs hang off of it. The tip of the dark gray she-cat's tail was also hanging off.

"Hey Storm," Ash greeted. "I smelled your scent when we were walking back to the barn after Cliff landed on my back. What were you doing there?"

"Oh I was just talking with Night," Storm replied. "When Cliff said he fell on you, I left because it was too funny to stay and watch." Storm chuckled.

"Oh," Ash said, he laughed a bit. Storm sighed. Ash tilted his head. "What's wrong?" he asked. 

"Oh, nothing really," Storm replied. The dark gray she-cat seemed to be a bit distracted. "I'm just bored... Heh.."

Ash flicked his dark gray tail. His ears twitched at the sound of footsteps. Ash looked over his shoulder. 

Night was pacing back and forth. The tom was staring at the floor as he ambled. He was muttering words to himself. 

"Hey Night," Ash called. Night looked up. 

"What is it?" Night meowed with a flick of his fluffy tabby tail. 

"I was just wondering when you and the others are gonna leave."

Night looked out through the opening of the entrance. "Hmmm.. Probably around sunhigh." The fluffy tabby tom looked over at Snow, Dust, and Bird. Snow was sleeping peacefully in a corner, and Dust was wrapped around Bird. "Hmph. If they don't get up soon, we'll have to leave later."

Cliff leaped out from behind some hay rolls. Dust twitched a bit and looked up. "Huh?" Cliff walked over to Dust. The small tom whispered something into his ear. Dust's eyes widen. The brown-and-white tom nudged Bird, and the she-kit woke up. Dust licked Bird. "Come on little one," Dust meowed. "We gotta tell everyone something." 

All the cats were finally awake. Dust and Cliff were sitting on top of some hay rolls. 

"Okay everyone," Cliff began. "As you know, we have something to say to you all."

Dust spoke. "Cliff and I shared a dream and we met a cat from the Star Grounds."

The gathered cats gasped. "So," Olive said. "You're saying you shared a dream and met a Star cat? What was his name?"

"Or her," Mouse added. 

"Her name was Ashlyn," Dust answered. 

"Told ya," Mouse said in Olive's ear.

"She told us something that.. surprised me and Cliff," Dust continued. 

"Ashlyn told us that we are littermates," Cliff meowed loudly. "She told us that we are siblings. She told us that we are brothers."

The cats gasped again. Cloud leaped onto her paws. "Really?!" she exclaimed. "I knew there was something with you two! I just didn't know what it was." 

Mouse nodded. "Same. I just thought - I don't know - that they were born together and then got separated or something...?"

"So you guys are siblings??" Snow said, although she already understood what they said. "What are you gonna do?"

Cliff tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Dust is leaving the barn with us," Snow explained. "Is Dust gonna stay? Are you, Cliff, gonna leave with us?"

Dust sighed. "I'm coming with you."

"And I'm staying," Cliff finished.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Spots questioned the brown-and-white siblings.