Happiness on the Sunrise

 HAPPINESS ON THE SUNRISE

Episode Six, Season Three, of Rise.

Enjoy <3

Happiness on the Sunrise
“Bryce, come here,” Aura calls to me, “Smokey and I have something important to tell you.”

“What is it?” I scamper over.

''My mother sits me down and my father enters the den with a few pieces of prey. “Dinner is ready,” he announces.''

''I squeal and my mother passes me a mouse. “I’m about to tell her the news, Smokey.” My mother glances at my father meaningfully.''

''Smokey perks his ears and curls up next to us. Aura looks me full on. “Do you remember when the kits next door were born and you played with them, Bryce?”''

''“I remember,” I blink up at my mother, “but I was the same age as them. I’m too old to play now.”''

''In truth, our neighbors moved and I had no one else my age to play with. My father taught me how to hunt instead so we could stock up on more prey. “Well you’re going to have kits to play with again real soon.”''

“Are cats moving into our neighborhood?”

“No, Bryce, they’re going to be here, in this den.”

“Here?” I wrinkle my nose, “How so?”

“I’m going to have kits,” my mother smiles, “you’re going to be a big sister.”

''“A big sister?” My eyes widen, “I don’t know how to be a big sister though! What do I have to do?”''

''“Just be yourself, Bryce,” Smokey advises, “you’re going to be a wonderful sister to these kits. Your mother and I are busy all the time and we need to go out to hunt and to get prey. Promise me you’ll help us watch over them. You can’t let them be too rowdy, all right?”''

“Okay!” I grin, “I promise!”

~

I wake up from my nap. My sisters aren’t in the den again and when I head outside, I see them tumbling and playing with the other kits like they usually are lately. I see less and less of them as I spend a lot of my time wandering outside searching for Terran rather than watching my sisters.

They like the other kits as well. I know what it’s like to love to play with kits your age, instead of sitting around with only older cats for company. My heart aches at the thought of them sitting alone in my den with no one to watch over them, especially with Terran gone.

I decide to take a quick walk outside in the territory to clear my head and maybe do some hunting. I go alone, not in the mood to share.

As I take my usual route, starting along the Blood Army border and then moving towards the Dip, I manage to catch a rabbit.

The Dip is the same as always, lush and green. I head down to check the border, my eyes scanning for any sign of a white pelt that would indicate Terran.

Everything is the same except for one thing. Vicky is waiting for me at the bottom of the Dip. “I knew you’d come by,” she smirks, “I want you to meet me here tonight.”

“Tonight?” I ask, startled, “Why tonight?”

“Don’t question me.”

“You didn’t give me information last time,” I accuse, “you used Shadeflower but you never gave me the information I deserved.”

“You ran off,” Vicky shrugs, “hard to give information when the other cat isn’t present. That’s why I want you to meet me tonight. You did well, doing as I asked and now I should return the favor. I promise if you come tonight, you will get the information you’ve been wanting for a long time.”

Terran and Ruby flash in my mind. I nod abruptly. “I’ll come,” I agree, “but this is the last time.”

“The last time,” Vicky echoes, smirking.

She turns and disappears into Viper territory again. I watch her for a moment before heading back up the Dip, rabbit in my jaw. When I get back to camp, I contemplate telling Nightshadow and Feathershine but decide that they’ll worry too much.

It’s just one last meeting anyway.

“Bryce!” Feathershine waves me over, “Is that a rabbit?”

“Yeah,” I drop the prey next to them, “do you want it?”

“No thanks,” Feathershine smiles, “I ate already.”

I shrug and sit down next to her to eat the rabbit. I’m ravenous, as I haven’t eaten since I woke up. “Where’s Nightshadow?”

“Talking to Shadeflower,” Feathershine dismisses, “she’s getting a lot better since you took her on that walk. I know Vicky shouldn’t be trusted but I think Shadeflower is recovering.”

“That’s good,” I reflect, but I remember the dark gray she-cat’s words. I remember how she told me about the sleepy feeling and how she “woke up” at the battle. Vicky has some sort of way to control Shadeflower and I’m starting to fear how much control Vicky has.

“Bryce!” Nightshadow calls to me.

I turn my head and see him and Shadeflower making their way towards me. The dark gray she-cat stares at me with piercing amber eyes but her eyes don’t give away any of her thoughts.

“Hey,” I greet them both, “do you want to share?” I indicate to my rabbit.

“Nah,” Nightshadow plops himself next to Feathershine, “we already ate.”

Shadeflower delicately sits down next to her brother but doesn’t say anything. Feathershine gives her a warm smile that Shadeflower doesn’t return. Feathershine doesn’t look bothered, however, and I take it as a good sign that Shadeflower is out here.

“Are the kits still playing?” Nightshadow glances at the nursery where the kits are tussling.

“Yup,” Feathershine replies, “since morning. Your sisters are there too, Bryce.”

I see that she’s right. Jewel and Emerald are still there, tumbling with the other kits. They look so ebullient and cheerful that I can’t help but smile.

“Look at them play,” Feathershine purrs, nudging me, “I’ve never seen Jewel and Emerald this happy.”

The comment makes me warm inside but it also stings. How could I have been so blind, not noticing how much Jewel and Emerald wanted to assimilate to Coalition life by bonding with the other kits? They were so lonely in my den, with only Terran and my friends for company.

The elated looks on their faces does make me happy though. Jewel giggles as Emerald rolls over, smearing dirt over her gray pelt. Jewel then uses her paw to brush away the dirt before the two of them went back into the fray.

Emerald doesn’t seem to mind Jewel fussing over her, and I love how the two of them are adjusting to not having Ruby around.

“Nightshadow,” a whiny voice sounds behind us, “you promised to take me hunting!”

We all turn to see Applepaw pouting at Nightshadow. The tom sighs. “I’m sorry, Applepaw, I must have forgotten.”

“Let’s go now!”

“I can’t,” Nightshadow glances fleetingly at his sister, “we’ll go tomorrow Applepaw.”

“You’re training me tomorrow.”

“Then we’ll do both!” Nightshadow says, exasperated, “we don’t have to do something every day, Applepaw.” He turns to me, “That reminds me, you should come with us to the training session tomorrow.”

I nod in agreement. “I really need to boost my fighting skills.”

“Then you’re asking the wrong cat,” Applepaw rolls her eyes.

“Who are you to talk?” Feathershine laughs, “He’s your mentor!”

“I haven’t learned anything!” Applepaw insists, although she’s been boasting to me about how she’s learned four different moves this week.”

“The Adventures of Applepaw—no excuse me, Applestar—can’t happen if you don’t train properly,” I scold, grinning as I remember Applepaw’s hilarious story about herself.

Applepaw sticks her tongue out at me, reminding me of the way Ruby used to pretend she was the boss of everything.

The thought of Ruby is beginning to hurt less and less for me. I still miss her terribly, and I’m still hoping that I’ll find her and rescue her, but Applepaw helps fill that void. She’s not my sister, but she’s a friend. Jewel and Emerald are already adapting to Ruby’s absence, but I know they miss her too. Hopefully Applepaw is enough for now.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Applepaw smacks me lightly, “You’re not my mother!”

I purr, feeling overly affectionate. “I would have had you when I was nine moons old if I was your mother.”

“My age!”

“Which is weird,” Nightshadow mutters, “you act like you’re five moons old.”

“I do not!” Applepaw says indigently.

“Whatever,” Nightshadow ruffles her fur, “training tomorrow!”

Applepaw groans but I can tell she’s not upset about it. She scampers off to go talk to her siblings, who are waiting for her near the apprentices’ den. “She’s full of energy,” Nightshadow laughs.

“All apprentices are,” Feathershine agrees, “I’m glad the war isn’t affecting her that much.”

“I just realized something,” I blink, “Applepaw was from DawnClan, but Nightshadow is from DuskClan.”

“The war started when we were apprentices,” Nightshadow points out, “now that we’re a Coalition, there’s no point in deciphering the different Clans. Many cats are having mates from different Clans.” He smiles at Feathershine.

It’s true, but I can’t help but wonder what would happen after the Coalition defeated all of its enemies. Would the two Clans split?

I shake the thought out of my mind. That’s for a later subject; nothing for us to worry about right now.

I glance at my sisters, laughing and playing: happiness on the sunrise. There is hope in the world, I smile to myself, not everything is overshadowed by the war.

Feathershine and Nightshadow are lost in their own world and Applepaw is off with her siblings, doing whatever apprentices did these days. I stand and excuse myself quickly.

There was work for me to be doing.

~

I venture outside, heading for the border. I’m not sure what to expect. It’s nearly nighttime, and I know Vicky will be waiting at the border long before then. I don’t feel like waiting until midnight; it’s just one last meeting anyway.

As I approach the Viper border, all I could think about is whatever Vicky might present to me. She would only agree to one last meeting if she had something important to tell me, right?

Important might not have been the best word for me to use…

The End.