[ Chapter Nine ]

  Chorus of the Forest

  “My, oh my,” Schade mused as Sun burst into the clearing, his spotted fur turned brown with twigs and branches. Sun, out of breath, bowed his head politely at the spirit, “I’m sorry, I got tied up with something..” Schade nodded his head in understanding, the lotus in place of his eye dropping petals onto the musty floor of the forest. Sun sat himself down, waiting for Schade to start. Some time passed before the black cat spoke. “How about we do something else tonight? How well are you at battle,” before he leaped down towards Sun. The calico jumped out of the way, Schade’s claws barely skimming his fur. Sun dodged back, surprised, before Schade ran towards him again. Sun reared back on his hind legs, slicing Schade on the back. The two cats traded blows for a while, one gaining the advantage then losing it before being lost in the rhythm of the fight. It was as if a symphony had aroused within the dense forest, guiding the two souls in a glorious battle. Crickets sang, birds harmonized, It was not as much a battle as a dance, a rhythmic melody of moves and defenses. The world seemed to brighten and glimmer. The cats clung to each other, fighting hard enough to leave a mark but not hard enough to wound the other.

  ~~~

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  Finally, they both tumbled into a patch of ferns. The symphony quieted. The two cats rolled over, laughing as if they were friends their whole lives. Sun pulled Schade to his feet, minor scratches all over the both. The sun began to peek over the horizon, showering the world in golden light. Sun looked to Schade, “I best be off,” shooting a glance at the sun. Schade nodded -giving him a farewell lick- before melting into the darkness of the trees.

  Sun awoke from his dreams with a fun, bouncy feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time. Joy. Mother looked over at him from her nest, “You look like you had a good sleep, what was it about?” she asked. Dream-telling was a new standard ever since Dash had arrived. It was originally a way for the cranky cat to get his anger out, then they all started doing it. Sun tried to communicate about Schade, drawing the inky cat out on the ground. S-C-H-A-D-E he spelled, names were hard to communicate. Dash had happened to be passing by, glancing at the face. He stopped immediately. He bared his teeth in a hiss at the drawing, scratching it out quickly. “Where did you find this, boy.” He hissed. Sun tried to communicate, but Dash never understood. “In his dreams.” Mother translated, a hint of worry in her voice. Dash’s hackles raised, “How do you know about this… this creature!” The cat screamed. “There’s no need-” Mother began, before she could stop him, Dash began to speak so rapidly and quickly that the sounds overlapped.