First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1321304917/ Previous: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1321304917/ Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1326628365/ Space key for Thumbnail " " are cats talking * * are Cross' thoughts or if * * is there while someone's talking then that's the word being emphasized ~ ~ are notes from me Chapter 2—Cross~ Wednesday, May 8th, 2026, 7:57pm-12:00am, Thurs ~The time zones aren't our real world time~ “Faster, Cross!” I fell to the ground. “He’ll never get better.” A paw pinned me down. I tried to open my mouth, but another paw clamped over it, and suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. “Brindle!” Someone yelled. Starling. I felt the weight lifted from my jaws and back as my best friend shoved Brindle away, and I gulped down the air. “Cross is a girl,” Starling sighed at the brown and white queen-cat. I lifted my head to see the two cats facing each other, radiating very different energies. That was my thing. Shadow energies. I could see the emotions a cat was feeling through the different colours of their shadow. No one else in the forest had abilities like me, and only Starling and a few other cats knew. I saw Starling’s green shadow shining slightly. Green was the fierce colour of pride or loyalty, while Brindle’s dark copper symbolized angry emotions or jealousy. While almost no one knew about my ability, most of the forest knew of my questioning of gender. Though I didn’t mind whatever I was called, I usually was known as a queen-cat or neutral [they/them]. I was born a boy, though. Some cats just didn’t care about what I wanted. I considered Brindle to be a good friend, most of the time, but there were also times like this, where she would get upset and occasionally be irrational. That was alright, though. I rose on shaky, nervous paws, and Starling shifted so I could lean on him. *Stupid leg*. I scolded myself. I was born with a medical exception on my back left leg. Over the years, I had learned to balance and control it, but sometimes, when caught off guard, I fumbled on it. Brindle glared at me. “Fine,” she hissed. “You guys have a good night. See you tomorrow for another round of failure.” Brindle turned and left. I crumpled to the ground, head between my front paws. “Sorry,” I told Starling. “I got her upset at you again! What am I doing wrong?” I lay down and turned my head to the sun, which was slowly starting to set. Starling crouched beside me. “How about we have this conversation somewhere else?” He said gently. “I smell rain, and the sun’ll be down soon.” He stood up. I sniffled and then nodded. “My place is close to here,” Starling began, “So we can go there. Will your parents be alright with you being there for the night?” I nodded again. Mom and Dad were never home anyways, Creek and Jinx were doing who-knows-what, so Ruby would be the only one home. Ruby was just annoying, so I wouldn’t mind being away from her. As we walked through the forest, a light drizzle arrived. Just as a boom of thunder and a streak of lightning split the sky, we reached the entrance to the den. A hole in the ground, probably as big as a fox, from the stories I’d heard. A small tom inside, with the same black and white fur as his brother, perked his head up as we stumbled down the hole. As soon as he saw that there was a visitor, he got up and dragged a large nest [which must’ve been at least twice his size] out of the corner, but not quite in the same space as the three other nests. Starling’s was decorated with starling feathers. I limped over with the help of Dale and settled down, my leg hanging limply out of the side. Starling was standing guard next to me. “I’m fine, y’know.” I spoke. My friend blinked. “I know.” He said. “I’m just... chilling.” I nodded, half-smiling. “Well, since you’re here, you didn’t answer me earlier. What did I do wrong to Brindle?” As I said the words, Starling sighed and shook his head. “It’s not you, it’s me...” Note from Lyrid! ~Keep reading in the notes and credits!~ ↓
~Story Continues!~ “What do you mean?” I asked, my paw tugging at the blue and pink string around my neck. Starling growled. I instantly regretted my question. “Sorry,” I whispered. “Never mind.” “No, it’s just... can we have this conversation tomorrow?” “Of course.” I hesitated before adding, “Good night.” “Good night.” He said, his voice hoarse. He crossed the den and slid into his nest. I closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to come, but after a while, I gave up. A few minutes of staring into the wall, and I heard a faint sobbing. Starling. I considered getting up, but then I saw his shadow. His dark blue shadow. I rarely saw dark blue shadows in the forest. He must’ve been really upset. And it was my fault. The worst part is that I didn’t even know what I did. I got up, careful not to make a sound. Thankfully, Starling wasn’t facing me, so I was able to exit the den, barely tripping on the slope. I peeked back in, and saw Starling lifting his head, tears sparkling the white fur on his face. His shoulders drooped as he turned to see my empty nest, and he looked to the den entrance/exit, I moved my head away quickly. “Who’s there?” He rasped. I sprinted as fast as I could to get away. Away from Starling. Away from problems. Away from home. *What did I do?* I asked myself. I thought to the fight yesterday. Red and green shadows. Brindle’s glare. Starling’s concern. *Why does Brindle hate me?* It was probably something to do with Starling, because of his answers to the questions that I asked. My thoughts went in circles for a while before I tripped and fell to the ground. Just like yesterday. *What do I do now?* I looked at the sky. The stars twinkled in response. I curled up for a moment, before a cat nudged me. “Cross?” I recognized the voice of Creek. “What’re you doing out here?” He asked. I looked up at my brother. “I don’t want to go home.” I grunted. Creek pushed me to my feet. “Well, you’re going to have to, Mom and Dad are calling one of their ‘Gatherings’.” TN~drawn by me on ibisPaint X Story~Written completely by me Warriors based story~ Warriors by Erin Hunter
