This Is How It Starts

 This Is How It Starts

You’re all idiots!”

Hollypaw’s scream rang throughout the small den that her and three other cats were in. Her black ears were flattened to her head and her grey tail flicked angrily as she spoke. Eaglestar looked at her, his usually bright amber eyes dull and his often well-kept fur torn and ragged. The same stood for Owlheart, the deputy, who was slumped over in a hunch, her blue eyes glazed. Her mottled pelt was short and messy. The fourth cat stood with his bangs half-covering his green eyes. He was pale ginger with black flecks.

Eaglestar opened his jaws. “Calm down, Hollypaw,” the tom said, and then inhaled deeply, like he was struggling to breathe. His chest trembled as Owlheart stepped forward. “These are difficult times for all,” the she-cat meowed calmly, but her usually soft tone had a rusty edge to it.

She pricked her ears. There was the faint sound of crashing in the distance, the splintering of wood as it slammed against the ground. It was distant, but close enough to cause damage to the camp. “Do you hear that?” Hollypaw continued, her green eyes narrowed, her pupils slits. She had adapted into a fighting position with her muscles tensed and claws unsheathed. “That’s the sound of our lives being ruined!” hissed the black cat.

The ginger tom spoke up. “We can just move camp,” he suggested with a shrug, blowing his bangs out of the way.

“Shut up Cherrypaw,” Hollypaw spat. The tom’s eyes stared blankly at her, a neutral expression plastered on his face. His only response to the she-cat’s outbreak was a tip of his head. Eaglestar shot her a glare, which she ignored and looked away from, one eyebrow raised in defiance. Her eyes reflected anger, hatred, carelessness, and just a small sliver of worry. “Hollypaw, even in the darkest of times we must treat out Clanmates with upmost respect,” he scolded sternly. She responded by rolling her eyes.

Cherrypaw shuffled his black paws. “Well,” he began, his gaze sweeping the three cats. “What are we going to do?”

There was a pause. Nobody answered. Nobody knew the answer, to be frank.

“Hello? Eaglestar?” a small voice came from outside of the den and a grey head poked in through the entrance.

“Yes, Ashenfall?” the leader replied, dipping his head in greeting.

The grey cat stepped inside the den. Her shoulder blades were high and she was skinny and boney. “Both Honeykit and Stonekit have contracted sicknesses quite quickly,” the she-cat said, her voice trembling with fear for her kits. “Stingkit is close to dying.” Her blue eyes were milky.

Eaglestar’s gaze flooded with concern at both his mate’s appearance and the state of his kits. “Does Hawkface have anything?” he asked.

Ashenfall shrugged. “I haven’t checked yet,” she told him. Hollypaw watched the conversation, her eyes wide in disbelief as her gaze flipped from her to him. If your kits are sick, the first thing you do is go to the medicine cat’s den, especially if one is knocking on death’s door. “I doubt she has enough supplies to cope with the sickness contracted from eating diseased prey, and to curb our hunger pains.”

“Go and check,” Eaglestar ordered. Ashenfall was silent for a heartbeat, and then bowed her head and slid out of the den. Cherrypaw shook his head and said, “if your kits are so sick that they’re nearing death, shouldn’t you take them to the medicine cat den instead of consulting your mate?” he asked.

Eaglestar glared at him while Owlheart continued. “We should discuss this more,” the white and brown deputy meowed. Cherrypaw nodded, and Hollypaw stayed silent. Suddenly, we heard a scream pierce the air. It was Ashenfall’s voice, high pitched and sorrowful.

“Stingkit’s dead!”

Eaglestar rushed out of the den as soon as the words were legible. Owlheart followed close behind, her short tail bobbing up and down. Cherrypaw glanced at Hollypaw. “Are you going?” the ginger tom asked her. Hollypaw sighed deeply. She shrugged and padded out of the den.

A small body was lying just outside the nursery, surrounded by cats. There was Eaglestar, Owlheart, Ashenfall and Hawkface. Hollypaw could see the stream of tears that fell from Ashenfall’s eyes, which were tightly squeezed together as she leaned over the pale brown kit. “Stingkit...” she murmured. Hollypaw spotted Honeykit and Stonekit whisked behind their mother’s paws in an attempt to hide them from Stingkit. It wasn’t working. Honeykit had her paws over her eyes, like she was trying to strengthen Ashenfall’s strategies to keep them away from their brother. Stonekit blinked his bright blue eyes. “What’s wrong with Stingy?” he asked innocently, followed by a cough.

Hollypaw had never seen Eaglestar cry, but she saw him cry on her last night in camp. Tears that formed at his eyes and dripped down his cheeks. Tears that hit the ground as he bent down to nuzzle his dead son. Tears that he had kept in all throughout the tragedy that HiddenClan had gone through, and now they were finally here.

The tom turned away. “Bury him please. But wait...” he trailed off, and briefly glanced at his two living kits, hidden behind Ashenfall’s paws. He got close to his mate’s ear, and whispered. Hollypaw had edged closer since she left the den, and found herself eavesdropping on Eaglestar’s wish. “Wait till Honeykit and Stonekit die,” he murmured. “I want them to be buried together.”

He walked away and regrouped with the three cats. Hollypaw saw his eyes. The edges red, and slumped with sorrow. “That settles it,” the tom said. “Earlier today Lostshade, her mate and her kit left to become kittypets.” Hollypaw felt her mouth being drawn in a snarl. Those traitorous fools!

“So, now I’m thinking...” Hollypaw’s unease grew as Eaglestar continued. “We should all abandon camp to become kittypets. Everyone who stays can start a new Clan, or die trying.” Hollypaw’s eyes turned to slits, and they narrowed. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Maybe if she repeated it three times, it wouldn’t be true. He did not just say that. He did not just say that. He did not just say that. Panic seeped into her heart, anxiety clenching her stomach. Then she just snapped.

“EXCUSE ME?!” she screamed. Everyone’s gaze snapped to her. “WHAT THE HECK DID YOU JUST SAY?” Everyone had straightened, eyes wide with surprise at her sudden outburst. “DID YOU JUST TELL YOUR CLAN TO BECOME FRIGGIN’ KITTYPETS?!!” she screeched. Her eyes were alight with anger. She went up close to Eaglestar’s face.

“YOU’RE HARDLY WHAT I’D CALL A LEADER!!” she caterwauled. She hid her face, trying to hide the tears that had started rushing down her face. Hatred burned like a fire inside of her, scorching her heart. She barely understood why she was so angry. Eaglestar was just trying to do the best for his Clan.

She ran crying out of camp. She tore through the fallen branches and rogue plants, not caring about the thorns and splinters that were scarring her legs. She leaped over dangerous hunks of metal that reflected the evening light. She dodged around the machinery. She heard the others calling her back, screaming her name, but she didn’t reply. She leapt over a pile of logs that were stacked lazily. The black apprentice glanced back to make sure she wasn’t being followed, but this was one of the biggest mistakes she will ever make.

In this small, blind spot of time lasting a fraction of a second, she hit a wall. A wall of cold, hard metal slammed against her cheek and chest. It hurt her bones and smashed her jaw. She felt the most excruciating pain that she had ever experienced. Her skin felt like it was on fire. Her bones felt like delicate pieces of string that were constantly being torn apart. It that moment, she wanted to die.

But it only lasted a moment. Hollypaw looked down, and saw a large, gaping, pure pitch black hole. She wanted to scream but nothing came out. Fear hit her like a river of cold water, terror gripping her heart as she fell into it.

And then the world went black.