Post by loon on May 14, 2020 4:23:28 GMT
TW: Violent thoughts, Murder, Paranoia(?), Manipulation by a Dark Forest cat. Lemme know if I should add any other warnings!
"Now, now, quiet down you two, let me tell you a story." Finchsong purred at Stempelt's newest litter, Spark-kit and Sorrelkit, who were now 3 moons old. The small tom stopped his playful batting at his sister's ears, looking to the elder with wide, curious eyes,
"What's it about?" Sorrelkit looked curious as well, although she was too shy to ask.
"Well, a long time ago, there was a warrior named..."
Shadowfang bolted upright, his dark fur ruffled as he woke from yet another nightmare. They had only worsened since the birth of his kits, and the whispers in the back of his head only got louder as the days went by. He kept seeing visions of a large grey molly looming over the three kittens, darkened eyes peering into his own, threateningly.
Shaking his head as though getting rid of the thought, he padded into the clearing, grabbing two pieces of prey and heading into the nursery. "Good morning, Dawnleap." He greeted his mate, touching his nose to her head. Sunnykit clambered up onto his flank, mewing loudly, "And good morning to you as well, sunshine," The warrior laughed lightly at the kit's antics. Perhaps he was just overthinking things, everything would be just fine.
The air around Shadowfang suddenly turned cold, and his ears began to ring. "I– I'll be a moment, if you don't mind." He murmured to the rest of his patrol, wandering off as his senses further failed him, body going numb and vision blacking out. The ringing cleared just enough to hear, and the whispers overlapped.
"–on't let them replace you." Images began flashing in his mind, bloody and loud.
"The beast..." The grey molly held a small, limp body. "They'll be the downfall." The whispers became louder, and the images came to him faster, each more disturbing than the last. The whispers blended together and became shrieked into his ears.
Shadowfang felt flesh tear beneath his claws warmth spread across his claws. An image of his three kits, bloody and lifeless beneath his paws flashed in his head,
"DON'T LET YOURSELF BE REPLACED!" The voice screamed, but his senses returned. Below his claws was a mutilated rabbit, almost unidentifiable if it weren't for the ears.
He buried the rabbit and washed his paws, rushing back to his patrol.
Crickets sung and moonlight shone through the nursery walls. His mate and kits curled in their nest below, peacefully asleep, but he felt wide awake, staring upon the small kittens as whispers and images flashed through his head. It wouldn't stop. The voice wouldn't go away, the images just got worse, and worse, and worse. They wouldn't stop unless he did something. "Go ahead... Do it..."
An image flashed with the whisper. His kits, right as they were in reality, but bloodied and limp. Somehow it was worse than the others.
He turned to leave the nursery, but something stopped him.
The forest was empty, but the moonlight shone bright on the ground. Three little kits held in his maw, peacefully sleeping despite being moved. Shadowfang set them gently on the cold forest floor, looking at them sadly. The runt of the litter, a small grey she-kit named Pigeonkit, began to stir, looking up at him curiously. "... Where are we...?"
"... I'm sorry... I..." His throat clamped up, he didn't know what to do, he just wanted everything to stop. "Dad??" Thornkit, oh, Thornkit... I'm so sorry for this... Hurry up. The voice came back, and it felt like his paws were moving on their own.
Sunnykit had always been such a heavy sleeper.
Sharp claws unsheathed, tentatively placed against the sleeping kit's throat. A shrill scream rung in his ear as small bones crunched under the dark tom's paw.
Thornkit ran, and part of him wanted to let him get away, but again, it was as though his limbs had a mind of their own. Shadowfang grabbed him by the scruff, not wanting this to be too painful for his son, he bit down until the tan kit's struggle stopped. He rested him gently on the floor.
Where's Pigeonkit...? Shadowfang looked around, the small molly nowhere to be seen. The ringing in his ears quieted, and he swore he could see the large grey molly, padding away with a malicious smirk.
Shadowfang collapsed, pulling what were once his kits near him. It felt as though he hadn't been in his own body. He felt detached. But now, it all felt too real.
Multiple sets of pawsteps thundered ever closer, and the warrior allowed himself to be thrown away from the two kits. A distraught scream sounded from beside the kits. It sounded like Dawnleap. If only she understood how he didn't want to do this.
He closed his eyes, knowing what would soon come to him. It was an almost peaceful bliss, knowing that he would soon no longer be amongst the living.
The ringing in his ears returned, blocking out all sound. He felt claws rip into him frantically, and he soon found himself with his throat being torn. The cold peace overtook him.
At last, he was free of the whispers.
Wordcount: 858 For the May Writing Challenge.
"Now, now, quiet down you two, let me tell you a story." Finchsong purred at Stempelt's newest litter, Spark-kit and Sorrelkit, who were now 3 moons old. The small tom stopped his playful batting at his sister's ears, looking to the elder with wide, curious eyes,
"What's it about?" Sorrelkit looked curious as well, although she was too shy to ask.
"Well, a long time ago, there was a warrior named..."
Shadowfang bolted upright, his dark fur ruffled as he woke from yet another nightmare. They had only worsened since the birth of his kits, and the whispers in the back of his head only got louder as the days went by. He kept seeing visions of a large grey molly looming over the three kittens, darkened eyes peering into his own, threateningly.
Shaking his head as though getting rid of the thought, he padded into the clearing, grabbing two pieces of prey and heading into the nursery. "Good morning, Dawnleap." He greeted his mate, touching his nose to her head. Sunnykit clambered up onto his flank, mewing loudly, "And good morning to you as well, sunshine," The warrior laughed lightly at the kit's antics. Perhaps he was just overthinking things, everything would be just fine.
The air around Shadowfang suddenly turned cold, and his ears began to ring. "I– I'll be a moment, if you don't mind." He murmured to the rest of his patrol, wandering off as his senses further failed him, body going numb and vision blacking out. The ringing cleared just enough to hear, and the whispers overlapped.
"–on't let them replace you." Images began flashing in his mind, bloody and loud.
"The beast..." The grey molly held a small, limp body. "They'll be the downfall." The whispers became louder, and the images came to him faster, each more disturbing than the last. The whispers blended together and became shrieked into his ears.
Shadowfang felt flesh tear beneath his claws warmth spread across his claws. An image of his three kits, bloody and lifeless beneath his paws flashed in his head,
"DON'T LET YOURSELF BE REPLACED!" The voice screamed, but his senses returned. Below his claws was a mutilated rabbit, almost unidentifiable if it weren't for the ears.
He buried the rabbit and washed his paws, rushing back to his patrol.
Crickets sung and moonlight shone through the nursery walls. His mate and kits curled in their nest below, peacefully asleep, but he felt wide awake, staring upon the small kittens as whispers and images flashed through his head. It wouldn't stop. The voice wouldn't go away, the images just got worse, and worse, and worse. They wouldn't stop unless he did something. "Go ahead... Do it..."
An image flashed with the whisper. His kits, right as they were in reality, but bloodied and limp. Somehow it was worse than the others.
He turned to leave the nursery, but something stopped him.
The forest was empty, but the moonlight shone bright on the ground. Three little kits held in his maw, peacefully sleeping despite being moved. Shadowfang set them gently on the cold forest floor, looking at them sadly. The runt of the litter, a small grey she-kit named Pigeonkit, began to stir, looking up at him curiously. "... Where are we...?"
"... I'm sorry... I..." His throat clamped up, he didn't know what to do, he just wanted everything to stop. "Dad??" Thornkit, oh, Thornkit... I'm so sorry for this... Hurry up. The voice came back, and it felt like his paws were moving on their own.
Sunnykit had always been such a heavy sleeper.
Sharp claws unsheathed, tentatively placed against the sleeping kit's throat. A shrill scream rung in his ear as small bones crunched under the dark tom's paw.
Thornkit ran, and part of him wanted to let him get away, but again, it was as though his limbs had a mind of their own. Shadowfang grabbed him by the scruff, not wanting this to be too painful for his son, he bit down until the tan kit's struggle stopped. He rested him gently on the floor.
Where's Pigeonkit...? Shadowfang looked around, the small molly nowhere to be seen. The ringing in his ears quieted, and he swore he could see the large grey molly, padding away with a malicious smirk.
Shadowfang collapsed, pulling what were once his kits near him. It felt as though he hadn't been in his own body. He felt detached. But now, it all felt too real.
Multiple sets of pawsteps thundered ever closer, and the warrior allowed himself to be thrown away from the two kits. A distraught scream sounded from beside the kits. It sounded like Dawnleap. If only she understood how he didn't want to do this.
He closed his eyes, knowing what would soon come to him. It was an almost peaceful bliss, knowing that he would soon no longer be amongst the living.
The ringing in his ears returned, blocking out all sound. He felt claws rip into him frantically, and he soon found himself with his throat being torn. The cold peace overtook him.
At last, he was free of the whispers.
Wordcount: 858 For the May Writing Challenge.
