리틀팍스

Chapter 13

Snowpaw followed Molly into her room. There was a bowl full of brown pellets along with some water.

“What is that?” Snowpaw asked.

“It’s food!” Molly crouched down and lapped up some water. “It isn’t my favorite, but hey, I need to eat to survive.”

“Speaking of food,” Snowpaw leaned forward. “Would you like some vole? I know where to get some.”

“Vole?” Molly meowed. “I’d love to, but no thanks.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you say you would stay here?” Molly laid her tail on Snowpaw’s shoulder. “What if you meet your sister out there? What are you going to do about that?”

Fear crept through Snowpaw’s fur. Molly was right.

“But hey,” Snowpaw frowned. “Why are you trying to keep me here?”

“Have you noticed?” Molly grinned sheepishly. “I was getting lonely living here by myself.”

“What about your house folk?”

“He’s working, remember?” Molly rolled her eyes. “I barely see him rest.”

“So you’re lonely?” Snowpaw’s ears twitched. “And you want a playmate? Is that what you want?”

“Anything that gives me company,” Molly meowed hopefully. “Are you going to be my playmate?”

“Of course,” Snowpaw laughed. “I’ve got a place to stay! Where else can I go?”

“Far far away?”

“Never mind,” Snowpaw pressed her flank against Molly’s. “I’m not leaving. We’re together.”

That night, Molly and Snowpaw shared a cushion. Feeling uncomfortable, Snowpaw slowly got up to her paws, trying not to wake Molly. She went outside to the woods and settled down under a tree. She sighed softly and fell asleep.

When she got up, it was already dawn.

“Molly might have gotten up and realized that I was gone!” Snowpaw mewed anxiously. “I broke her promise!” She was about to race down a hillside when she heard a gasp behind her.

“Snowpaw?” It was Brightfang.

Terrified, Snowpaw dashed away from her former mentor, half running and half tripping down. She was spotted!

In a flash, Snowpaw was back at home. To her relief, Molly was still sleeping. Then, for the first time, she recognized a purple collar on the kittypet’s neck.

“My dear,” Snowpaw gasped. “You look beautiful with that collar.” She looked up to see the house folk stretching. He turned to her and held a pink collar in his hands. He said something that sounded like This is for you then wrapped it around Snowpaw’s neck. Feeling weird, Snowpaw scratched it with her hind paw, but soon got used to it. She thanked the house folk by look, who waved its front paw and left the house.

Snowpaw was about to settle down and sleep when she heard a cat gasping for air at the cat flap. She raised her head and saw Brightfang.

“Snowpaw!” Brightfang mewed, out of breath. “Please, help!”

“Did you follow me here?” Snowpaw asked, astonished.

“Yes,” Brightfang nodded. “Look, Snowpaw, there’s no time to waste. There’s a big fire at camp, and we need some help!”

Snowpaw could guess what a terrible situation it was, the Clan asking a tiny little apprentice for help.

“Why should I?” Snowpaw meowed. “Can’t you forest cats take care of it? Leave us kittypets alone.” She held up her neck to show Brightfang her new collar.

“But Snowpaw! Sandygorse and Dandelionfur are missing!” Brightfang yowled. “How could you leave your family for the soft life of a kittypet?”

Snowpaw felt her stomach lurch. She looked behind her. There Molly was, sleeping soundly. I can’t leave again, Snowpaw thought, remembering Molly’s lonely eyes as she begged her to stay. I promised her.

“My place is here,” Snowpaw mewed defiantly. “And I will never help you.”

Brightfang’s eyes darkened. She opened her jaws to say something, then stopped. “Enjoy your kittypet life,” she spat sarcastically and turned for the exit.

After Brightfang left, Snowpaw felt empty. What had she done? Her sisters were missing, and here she was, inside a Twoleg den! She wanted to go save them, but...

“You want to go, don’t you?”

Snowpaw whirled around. “Molly? Weren’t you asleep?”

“I was,” Molly stretched. “But your conversation woke me up.”

“Please, forget what you just heard,” Snowpaw begged. “I’m going to stay here, okay? You need me.”

“So that’s why you didn’t leave,” Molly mewed wistfully. “Snowpaw?”

“Yes?”

“I give you permission to leave,” Molly licked her chest fur. “And if you do, I will follow you.”

“But it’s too dangerous!” Snowpaw almost howled. “There’s a big fire!”

“I’ve experienced fire before,” Molly meowed between licks. “I was a forest cat once, but my home caught in flames. My mother and I managed to escape, but she soon died from the smoke. I had no place to go except here.”

“I’m sorry,” Snowpaw meowed.

“No, it’s nothing,” Molly got up. “So, are you going or what? I can help you deal with the fire.”

StarClan help us! “Yes,” Snowpaw declared. “I will be glad to.”