Ravenwhisper's Fall, by Bunneh

Ravenwhisper's Fall, by Bunneh

Prologue
"Applepelt...there is love in the air. I love you." Ravenwhisper's voice caught in heaviness as she thrust her head against Applepelt's chest. He cuddled her affectionately.

"You are very dear to me as well, Ravenwhisper," he uttered. She lapped at his chest, her tongue swiping over all of the painful scars he had gotten.

Suddenly, a cat walked through the brambles. "What are you doing?!" The shadow faded into fur, which connected to the furious glimmer of Vinefrost's eyes.

"Um...nothing...?" Ravenwhisper instantly pulled away from the warmth of Applepelt's chest.

Vinefrost glared, but Applepelt shut him up. "What are you doing here?" He said. His voice was filled with disgust. Shuffling his paws, he met the gaze of the angry tom. "I know that we are innocent. We have done nothing. What about you?"

"I have come to take what's mine!" Vinefrost leapt from his spot as he bowled Applepelt over, slamming his head against a sharp rock. "Ravenwhisper. Belongs. To me!" He sunk his teeth into Applepelt's throat, ignoring Ravenwhisper's cries of terror.

Once the ginger tom was dead, Vinefrost's gaze flitted to Ravenwhisper's shaky ruffled body. "Now you will come with me," he ordered. Feeling useless, Ravenwhisper followed.

"What are you going to do to me?" She muttered. He glanced at her, feeling anger in his belly.

"Not much. Now follow me to the shadows..."

Chapter 1
Ravenwhisper hung tightly onto the sharp rocky edge of the cliff, her claws ripping away. Blood seeped down her limbs, making her tremble in horror.

Vinefrost looked at her, pure hatred glistening in his eyes. "How could you choose Applepelt instead of me?" He whispered. His voice shook with remorse.

"I thought you were a fool," she gasped. Her limbs ached terribly, as the throbbing increased. "Please...help me!" The pain was growing as the dark sky hung above them.

"Yesterday still lingers in my mind. I guess I will have to kill you," Vinefrost sighed.

"No!" Ravenwhisper begged. But then, she thought against it. Everything was gone, anyway. "Go ahead." The moon spun rapidly around her tear blurred dazed vision. Something was going to happen sure enough.

Vinefrost padded forwards, and eased her claw grip on the rocks, until she was hanging by on limb. He shook his head softly as he pried her other limb off the rocks. She yowled as she fell.

Her head slammed the ground, making red fill her vision. Screaming in fright and terror, she felt everything go black.

Chapter 2
"Wake up! Wake up!" Blurred trees spun around Ravenwhisper's vision as she slowly opened her eyes. A small ginger kit stood in front of her. Her eyes were still dull with hunger. In her mouth were some dried leaves, and some black seeds.

"Who are...you," Ravenwhisper rasped. A terrible ache occupied the back of her head, making it impossible for her to move without feeling intense agony.

"I am Lichen. How do you do?" Ravenwhisper got to her paws, teen bared.

"How do you think I'm doing?!" She hissed. Lichen backed up, her eyes wide with fright at the muscles of the black cat. She trembled slightly. Seeing the kit's scared gaze, Ravenwhisper backed down. "Sorry to scare you," she mumbled. "My name is Ravenwhispee. I just...I don't know where I am...and everything is just crap." The kit nodded understandingly.

"I get it. But you took quite a fall! That's why Maple told me to help you." Lichen thought for a moment. "More like ordered me." Her head bobbed as she corrected herself.

"Why? Who is Maple?"

"A Healing Cat."

"Oh, I get it. So where is your camp?" Lichen hesitated for a moment. She looked unsure. Her blue eyes flashed for a moment.

"Um, I'll take you to it. Just follow me."

Chapter 3
Lichen paused as she made her way through the reeds. "Here it is," she shrugged. Ravenwhisper's eyes widened at a large area of grass, and a shimmering pool just swimming with fish. The sun hung high above them, shedding its powerful glow.

"It's beautiful!" Ravenwhisper gushed. She gasped at the size of the camp. Lichen looked doubtful.

A gray tom padded up to them. "Oh, hello," he said, looking them over. He grimaced at the bulge on the back of Ravenwhisper's head. "What happened to you?" He asked. She shuffled her paws.

"Um...I fell..." She mumbled. Lichen glanced around quickly, trying to change the conversation.

"This is Roger. Roger, this is Ravenwhisper." Lichen looked anxious. "Well...I better take you to..." Lichen gulped. "Maple." She briskly turned away from Roger, and headed for a talk den. Ravenwhisper followed curiously.

"H-hi Maple. This i-is Ravenwhisper." Lichen's voice was small. Maple swung his big head around, and gave Ravenwhisper a big glare. She immediately stared at her paws. He looked at Lichen. He seemed to show Ravenwhisper little attention. "We need to-"

"Shut up. I don't care," Maple interrupted. He ignored Lichen's words. She wasn't surprised, though. "Did you bring the marigold?"

Lichen's expression tuned sour and scared. "W-what marigold?"

"I asked for some marigold!"

"No, I didn't hear you." Lichen tried not to look up. Her voice trembled. Finally, Maple padded forwards, and drew a red line on her ear with his claw.

"You're an idiot. Don't forget that." Ravenwhisper gasped as she saw a whole stack of scars on Lichen's ear! How had she not noticed that before?!

"Ok...I'm sorry." Lichen's eyes filled with tears.

"Now go see Weed. Make sure he approves of you bringing this 'rogue' into camp." Maple gave Ravenwhisper a scowl as Lichen led her briskly away. She looked scared.

"That is the cat who killed my mother," she whispered as soon as they were out of the den. Ravenwhisper nodded softly.

"He is a bad cat. I feel your pain." They entered Weed's den.

Chapter 4
"Oh, hello." Weed barely glanced at the newcomer under a nest of moss. He closed his eyes again, and fell asleep.

"Um, Weed? Is it OK of Ravenwhisper stays in camp with us?" Lichen asked anxiously.

"I won't be any trouble," Ravenwhisper mewed. She shuffled her paws. But Weed's head jerked up.

"Who is she, Lichen?" His eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the young cat, waiting for an answer.

"Um, I found her unconscious below a cliff. Can she stay?" Lichen asked again. Weed sighed, but then reluctantly answered.

"Fine. But she only gets one piece of fresh kill. Oh, and she has to change the moss in Maple's den. She will sleep in the abandoned musty den." He glared at Ravenwhisper. " have a problem with rogues like you," he muttered. Taken aback, Ravenwhisper shuddered.

"OK, fine," she mumbled. Lichen hurriedly led her out of the den, leaving Weed to himself.

"I'm sorry about that. But get used to being bullied in camp," Lichen mewed. "I already have. But they'll never accept you." Her eyes glimmered ith sympathy. "I'm truly sorry."

"Its OK," Ravenwhisper sighed. "This must be hard...but I'll do my best." She shuffled her paws as she went to Maple's den.

"Hi, again," he hissed at her. She met his eyes once, but then focused on the moss. "You better get me some good moss," he hissed. She glared at him.

"Shut up and do your Healer business," she snapped. Her drew his claw across her ear, surprising her. She flinched. "You can't do that!"

"I can if I want!" He looked at her with ferocity in his eyes. She backed away.

"Alright fine. I'll be back." She ran off to get the moss.

Reaching the forest, she ran her claws along the side of a tree. Moss shredded from it, and her claws already ached. A sick cat shouldn't be working. Weed must be a horrid leader. Thinking about her past, Ravenwhisper sighed. Her memory was glitching, and she couldn't remember much.

Finally, she had a neat nest of moss. Picking it up in her jaws, she ran back to camp. "Here," she sighed, laying it out neatly against the ground. Maple glanced at her.

"Now leave." He bared his teeth. Feeling angry, Ravenwhisper left, blood wet on her ear.

Her den was musty, full of dried up moss. It smelled sickening. The floor was cold, but was the only sleeping spot available.

But a thought came into her mind. She wouldn't be copped up here at this disguing camp of bullies. She was a rebel. A fighter. Escape was her game. Lichen would be her companion, or maybe adopted...daughter. Something she had never gotten the chance to have.

Either way, she would escape.

Chapter 5
The night came later, when the moon rose up ahead. The stars twinkled in the sky, making her gaze grow bright.

Silently, Ravenwhisper padded to Maple's den, where Lichen was curled up, asleep.

Ravenwhisper quietly tapped the kit. "Wake up," she whispered. Lichen's head bolted up, fur ruffled from sleep. She blinked twice, then focused on Ravenwhisper. Looking weary, Lichen got to her feet.

"What is it?"

"We're going to escape." Ravenwhisper boosted the little cat up. Lichen looked a bit different. There was something new in her eyes...hope. She looked up at Ravenwhisper.

"Really? We're going to leave?!" Ravenwhisper nodded.

"Now hush. We don't want to be caught." She ran into the forest with Lichen, feeling better than ever.

Lichen even looked brighter under her dull fur and puny body. There was new light for the both of them.

Trews swirled around, and bushes dotted the forest. It was a free forest. Ravenwhisper and Lichen had risen from their falls.

Suddenly, a starry cat appeared in the distance. His eyes gleamed with triumph. He looked happy. Padding forward, he revealed himself.

Applepelt's aura was bright as the moon. Ravenwhisper padded forwards. She smiled a tearful grin.

"This is our daughter, Lichen," she whispered. Lichen remained mute, but glowed gleefully.

"She is beautiful."

"I know."

Applepelt glanced at her once more. There was pride in his gaze. "I see you're a fighter. A rebel."

"I know." Ravenwhisper knew this was true, and her world had come back alive. She had redeemed herself, drowning out the ringing sound of Vinefrost's wrathful darkness. Pain was strength.

"Some things never change."

END