Spark's Grief - Chapter 8

Spark growled sullenly as she poked at the rabbit she had caught. It was thin and skinny and most of it would be going to her kits, anyways.

You can't help them. You're so weak you can't even feed your kits. They're supposed to be the most important things in your life.

Shut up! Spark yowled. Shut up!

"Mother?" Emberstorm's voice broke into her thoughts.

Spark gazed down at the rabbit to see it was all torn apart, its blood spattered on the floor.

"Sorry," she muttered. "I'll hunt another one."

Spark left the cave gratefully and took gulps of air.

You can't even hunt. You've been looking all day and that rabbit was all you found.

Angered, Spark searched even harder until she caught the scent of a mouse. Above her, the Greenleaf sun warmed her body as she stalked the mouse.

You're horrible at everything. You should just die.

I thought you were going to help me!

I changed my mind. This is what needs to- Grief cut herself off.

Spark glanced back at the mouse, but it had scurried off.

"You damned being!" Spark shrieked, convulsing in guilt.

"Calm down."

"Shut up, Grief." Spark snapped.

Then, she realized it wasn't Grief.

"Grief?" the voice hissed.

Spark turned to locate the voice, but her senses were foggy. Then, the cat stepped out from behind a tree.

Spark stared at the black she-cat who stared right back.

"Who're you?" she asked rudely not caring anymore.

"Eclipse. And I'm here to help you."

"Help me hunt. I have kits." Spark rasped.

"Shhh." Eclipse mewed. "I know."

Spark's head pounded as her heart squirmed.

Why do I like Eclipse so much? I barely know her.

I can't tell you. You will be in the dark forever. No one will tell you anything.

Eclipse supported Spark as they stumbled back to the cave.

"Mother! You're back!" Emberstorm was immediately at the entrance, his fur bristling as he saw Eclipse. "Who's dat?"

"She's Eclipse," Spark choked. "And she'll take care of you."

Wild Wind came to the entrance too, but he was wailing. "Hungry!"

"Well, I don't have food!" Spark growled.

Don't treat them like this!

"Scary!" Autumn yelped, having followed Wild Wind.

They find you scary, don't treat them like that!

"Shut up!" Spark roared back. "All of you! Including you, Grief!"

No, I won't.

Shut up. Please.

I will if you leave your kits.

No. They're my kits. They're my responsibility.

Leave them.

No.

Leave.

No?

Leave!

Fine. But Eclipse stays.

Fine.

"Eclipse," Spark turned to the black she-cat. "Will you take care of my kits for a few days?"

"Sure! They seem like nice kittens." Eclipse flicked her tail.

"Wild Wind, you better behave," Spark warned the tom.

"No."

"You know like three words and one of them is no?" Spark yowled, her rage bubbling.

"Hungry." Wild Wind mewed quietly.

"I don't have food!" Spark caterwauled.

Beside her, Eclipse winced, disappointment in her eyes as she watched Spark talk to her kits.

"Hungry." Wild Wind repeated.

Spark lost all sense.

She leapt towards Wild Wind, catching him by his scruff and storming out of the cave. She took Wild Wind down to the river and glared at him. "Stay. There. Until I come back and get you."

Wild Wind stared up at Spark with shock and disappointment on his face as well. Guilt pierced her and she took one last look at him before running.

Spark ran away from her family's bodies. Tears pricked her eyes as claws latched onto her back.

"Go away!" Spark cried.

"Alright, little kit." The tom snarled, his teeth red with blood.

It had been exactly forty-two sunrises since the deaths. Forty-two sunrises since the tom had decided to chase her. To hunt her down.

Spark squeaked in terror and ran, ducking underneath bushes, not caring if they scraped her, all too aware of the large crashing of footsteps behind her...

Spark strode away from Wild Wind and the river, the terror from her flashback still in her.

All you do is run, little kit.

How did you know-?

I can see into your mind.

Suddenly, a weird feeling came over Spark. It felt like there was a bug buzzing around her head, but inside her head.

Aha.

W-What?

Day one hundred and eighty-six.

Spark stopped in her tracks. Her thoughts swirled around in a circle as she remembered how close to death she had been.

The tom leaned over her, his eyes wide and threatening. "Time to die, little kit."

Spark had scrambled back, hitting a tree.

The tom plunged his teeth into her neck.

Spark yowled in pain, her body thrashing as she tried to rid herself from his teeth.

"Help!" she cried. "Help!"

Pain spread through her, choking her. The world suddenly seemed to fade as her vision dimmed.

When she opened her eyes next, it was to see a strange creature bending over her. Panicked, the strange creature's face flashed from the tom's and back. It had two legs and no fur apart from some on its head. It lifted a furless paw.

The paw was holding a long pointy thing that was stabbed into her fur.

That was all Spark had remembered of that day.

Spark opened her eyes to see large claw marks in the ground where she had dug them in.

Two hundred and twelve days, Grief. He was after me for two hundred and twelve days. Then he disappeared.

I know. Are you alright, little kit?

Stop!

Spark hurled herself at a tree angrily, trying to throw Grief out of her body.

"Get...OUT!"

Yet Grief still clung on.


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Author's Note-

Short chapter sorry. I promise I'll have a longer one next time.

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