Withered/Nine

insert poem here ugh

~

''"Autumn!" I wake up to see a little dappled she-cat looming over me.''

"Owl...?"

''"Shhh! Come on, Autumn!" I climb out of my nest and walk over to where she is standing.''

"What are we going to do, Owl?"

"Scare Grass and Pipes to death!"

We both stifle laughter as we go and stand over our respective siblings.

''"Ready, set, go!" I whisper.''

''"WAKE UP IT'S A MURDERER!" we both yell as loud as we can.''

''"MURDERER! MURDERER!" Grass starts screaming.''

I know he's in stealth mode, and i poke him with my tail.

''"Wha-?" he looks around and realizes that there's no murderer.''

Pipes woke up and tripped over her nest.

Owl and I fall over laughing.

''"You have the best ideas." I shake my head, smiling.''

~

''"Owl, why are you leaving?" I whisper.''

It's the dead of night, and I heard Owl sneaking away.

She turns to face me, her hazel eyes shining in the dark.

''"It's a good place, Autumn. We could be protected, and we could protect others." she mutters.''

''"What is?" I whisper, not wanting to wake up Grass.''

Pipes sleeps too deeply to be woken up.

''"The Clans." Owl replies. "I have friends there who could help me."''

"So you're just going to leave us here? What happened to your childhood friends? What about our pact?"

"Autumn, the pact wouldn't have lasted forever. We wouldn't be able to stay with each other. We have our own lives. We can't live like this."

''I stare at her. When did Owl get like this?''

"There's a whole world to explore. New things to see. New things to experience. The Clans can offer that. I can see it."

"Owl..."

"I'm going Autumn, and you can't stop me."

"B- But Owl!"

"Join me if you wish. I'm going to the Clans. I'm never coming back."

She starts running.

''"Owl!" I call.''

She doesn't turn back.

Then she's lost in the shadows.

~

''"Grass?" I run up to my littermate and lick his cheek affectionately. "What should we do today?"''

None of us are the same without Owl.

She added joy to us that we can't get without her.

Her sister Pipes isn't the same without her.

"Autumn... listen. Don't be mad, alright? Please."

''"Grass... what's happening?" I ask, panic creeping into my voice.''

"I'm leaving."

"Why? We've already lost Owl. We can't lose you too."

''"I'm going with Pearl." Pearl was a journeying loner that had stayed with us for a few days.''

"I'm going with Pearl. We're going to journey around, looking for new places. Goodbye, Autumn. May your life be full of goodness."

And just like that, he walks away.

A pure white she-cat joins him in the distance, and they start running.

''"Goodbye, Autumn!" he calls.''

~