Chapter 4: Survival

Ink woke up from her hastily thrown together nest, shivering.  It had been cold in the cave, but she had always been able to snuggle up against her mother and stay slightly warm.  Now there was no one to keep her warm, or protect her.  I have to survive. she thought.  First, she would need a shelter. Looking around, she saw a tree with a little cave in the roots.  Padding over to it, she inspected the cave, and began pushing the leaves into place. She then regarded her work.  It needs something else.  She looked around and spotted some moss. Aha! She started to tear up the moss, working furiously.  When she finally decided she had enough, she took it and spread it out in the hollow.  Standing back, she looked it over.  It looks okay, she thought.  Suddenly, her stomach growled.  She had been working so hard that she had forgotten she was hungry.  Well, I'll go hunt... her thoughts trailed off.  She didn't know how to hunt.  Realizing this, she almost began to cry.  For the first time, she realized how completely helpless she was.  She sat there for a long time until she realized she was exhausted.  Padding into the den she had made, Ink fell into an uneasy sleep.  It was a long, nightmare riddled night.

Dun Dun Dun!

Authors Note:  at last, the chapter!  I promise, from now on I will write a chapter at least once a week.

Chapter 3: Regret

Shadow woke up on a bitter cold morning, with the scent of death lingering on the air.  Blinking, he sat up.  "What happened?" he muttered to himself.  Then in flash of horror, he saw his mate's dead body lying on the ground, and it all rushed back to him like a wave of blood, drowning him in the cold reality he had caused.  "No..." he whispered, the sound rattling against the air like dry bones.  "They're dead.  All of them..."  Sobbing, he slumped to the ground.  "What have I done?"  After hours, he finally got up stiffly.  "I have to bury them, at least.  I wish I could do more...."  Weakly, he forced himself to where the three bodies lay, and gazed at them numbly for a few minutes.  One big, two small.  One mother, two kits.  Pearl, Stone, Dew, and Ink...wait a minute.  Ink wasn't there!  She was missing!  Shadow drew back with gasp.  Frantically, he looked around the cave, searching for the dark blue body.  But she wasn't there.  Breathing a sigh of relief, he sobbed with joy.  If she wasn't there, then she might not be dead! He had something to live for!  Padding to the cave mouth, he smiled.  I will find her.  I will make things right.  Then he looked back into the cave, and sorrow blurred his sight.  Right after I bury my family.

Chapter 2: alone

Ink woke up.  At first she was confused, wondering where her mother was.  Then she remembered the events of the last night.  She stood up slowly, and set off towards the nearby forest.  She was totally, completely, utterly, ALONE.

Author's note: short chapter, huh?  Depressing.

Chapter 1

Ink shivered. For the entire 3 moons of her life so far, it had been brutally cold. However, it had been getting colder and colder. One of her siblings, Dew, had already died. Her father had disappeared when he was hunting. She wonders if her mother, Pearl, would be going out to hunt. As if reading her mind, Pearl got up. "I'm going hunting." she announced. "Good!" cried Ink. "I'm starving!" Her brother, Stone, barely even looked up. "I will be back in a little while" said Pearl, walking out of the cave entrance. "Look after your brother" "okay" replied Ink. With that, her mother walked out of the cave. Ink turned to her brother. "You hear that, Stone? Mom's going hunting! We'll have food!" Stone didn't move. "Stone? Wake up! W-wake up!" Stone was still as a rock. "WAKE UP!" shouted Ink, shaking her brother. He was motionless. Hesitantly, she leaned closer to listen for breathing. Nothing. Her brother was dead. "Stone..." she whispered under her breath. "No.." Just then, her mother walked in. Her head was down. "I'm sorry.." she whispered. "I didn't get any prey..." Ink looked up. "mom..." she didn't want to break the news to her. But Pearl saw. "Oh.." She walked over to Stone and sank to the ground, her eyes glazed over. They stayed like that for hours, mourning the death of Stone. That night, a dark gray cat walked in. "Pearl?" he called. Pearl slowly lifted her head. "Shadow." He walked to her side, confused. "Where are the kits?" He asked. Ink opened her mouth to speak, but then Shadow saw the body of Stone on the ground. "Dead?" he croaked. Pearl nodded. suddenly he grew angry. "YOU LET THEM DIE!" he shouted. Shadow lunged forward, and before Pearl or Ink could do anything, Ink's mother was dead. Shadow stood above her body, panting. Ink's eyes widened, and staying in the shadows, she rushed out of the cave into the freezing night. That night, before she drifted into oblivion, her last thought was "my mother was killed by my father. I will never make her mistake"