Ebullient



"You left me for them... why?"

"I don't know, but you aren't fixing this!"

"Things will get better, chị."

"I can't betray them!"

Adjective /; cheerful and full of energy ;/

Part of Sesquipedalian

(Partial predecessor to We Can't Stay ; contains spoilers for said fic)

The Blurb
“They told me… That I was supposed to be happy…”

Red was born outside the Clan, fathered by the ever-strong leader of SeaClan. With her brother, Gorse, nothing was ever meant to go wrong. But Gorse’s ambitions are different than her’s, and soon, Red finds a need to escape. SeaClan is waiting for her… but does she really want the offers of her father?

Prologue
A she-cat screamed.

The pulsing of her stomach had been so much, that for the last several hours, she'd been stressed and in intense pain.

Now, there was something lurking in the shadows, and her eyes narrowed.

I have to keep them away from my kits!

The shadow stepped into what remained of the moonlight, and the she-cat sighed.

"Honestly, Lionstar! I nearly had a heart attack!"

"Sorry."

The leader dipped his head, and the she-cat mewed, "So, you finally came?"

Lionstar nodded, "I knew you'd be kitting. Are you... alright?"

"I'm fine."

"What about the kits?'

The she-cat moved her tail, and revealed four tiny kits, "Aren't they precious?"

Lionstar purred, "I love them. Do they have names yet?"

The she-cat pointed to each of the kits.

"The gray she-kit is Minty. The one that looks like you is Sun. And the brown tom is Gorse."

Lionstar looked down, and nudged the dark ginger she-kit, the runt of the litter, "What about her? Does she have a name yet?"

The she-cat shook her head, "No, not yet. Do you want to name her?"

Lionstar nodded, and looked down at his tiny daughter.

"What about... Red?"

"That's perfect."

~

The kits scampered through the snow. Gorse tossed a bundle of snow at Red, who fell backwards with a thump.

Minty chuckled, and Red flung snow at her, as she kicked her way out of the pile Gorse had landed her in. Sun stayed out of the way, to avoid Hurricane Red.

"All of you! Behave!" Shouted their mother, from her nest.

Minty nodded, while Sun pulled Red out of the heavy snowbank, "Yes, mother!"

Gorse dipped his head, but the fierce look remained in his little eyes.

While they scampered, the she-cat purred to herself, "Oh Lionstar... if only you could see your children. They're growing up so fast..."

She watched, and she smiled.

But it would be her last.

~

"Hurry up and get the kits!"

A voice woke Gorse in the night. Out of reflex, he nudged Red, who opened her eyes.

"What is it? I'm trying to sleep, Gorse..."

Gorse nudged her again, "Something's going on outside. We need to go, Red."

Red rolled over, "Let me sleep, Gorse."

Gorse growled, and picked up Red by her scruff. The dark ginger she-kit struggled, but Gorse managed to drag her up a tree.

They were just in the nick of time too. Just as they were hidden in the safety of the tree, two cats tore into the den.

Minty and Sun were silenced within seconds. Red gasped, finally awake, as her siblings limp bodies were pulled away from the nest.

''They... They killed Minty and Sun! ''Gorse thought, in shock.

Red shook, and Gorse huddled near her, for moral support.

Voices drifted up from below, the the kits strained the hear them.

"I thought this one had more kits..." Said one voice.

"Maybe somebody got here first?" Another replied.

"Doesn't matter. Her kits are dead." The first voice said again.

"What do we do with the mother?" Asked a third voice.

"Kill her, obviously." Mewed the second voice.

"May SeaClan live forever!" They all chanted.

Then, a horrid sound came up. The sound of flesh being ripped, and smell of blood floated up till they surrounded Red and Gorse.

"I'll protect you, Red. Even if our family is dead... I'm still here. I'll protect you." Gorse murmured.

Red nodded, but she was shaken beyond repair.

''I'll teach you, Red. You're my sister... So I have to protect you. I swear it.''

"Sleep well... chị."