Of Scotch and Chocolate

Of Scotch and Chocolate

Chapter Three

Firefly Ashes

A cliff dropped off the other side of the hill, covered in stone. Below, the land sloped down smoothly, and a flat area lay ahead, covered in trees, a stream running into the forest of birches, poplars, white oaks and other old growth hardwood trees.

His mother turned to him and smiled. “We’re here.”

But it was not the forest that had caught Chocolate’s eye. The land behind it was all burnt and blackened. There was no brush, just clear black hills, as if silhouettes against the pale blue sky.

Chocolate’s jaw dropped. His mother smiled weakly at him, sadness in her eyes.

“They saved the forest, they saved our home.” She whispered. “But they couldn’t save these hills.” She didn’t turn to face Chocolate as she said this, but instead stared out at the hills, her eyes remorseful.

Chocolate dropped his head solemly, closing his eyes and remembering the days when the hills were still lush and green. Firefly Hills they were know to all, for the huge population of fireflies that came there every summer. He figured the fire brigades had stationed in the woods while fighting the oncoming flames.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do by sitting here.” Chocolate’s mother sighed, getting up. “We came all this way to see the forest, so we might as well explore.” Carefully, she placed her paws on the edge of the cliff, feeling for paw-holds as she tentatively picked her way down. Just like old times, thought Chocolate.

Chocolate hesitated a moment more before looking down the slope and spreading his wings. He jumped off with grace, and then swooped down the side of the cliff before landing between the stone wall and the forest’s edge. He padded over to the cliff side as his mother ran down the last bit of the slope, not as steep as the beginning, but steep nonetheless. Little pebbles and rocks sprayed as her paws kicked them up while she ran, landing with a solid thud on the grass below. Without a word, the two headed into the shade of the towering trees. Chocolate’s eyes grew wide as he looked up through the branches and leaves to see the sunlight flickering and shifting, throwing shadows on the dappled forest floor.

The two cats followed the crooked trail through the trees until they came across a clearing where the trees parted and the stream flowed though, a small pool forming before it wound back into the trees and out of sight. A large rock sat on the edge of the pool, overhanging a bit over the water, splashed in sunlight.

There was a moment’s pause before Chocolate’s mother bounded up to the rock before flopping down onto it with a heavy sigh, the sunlight soaking into her pelt. She closed her eyes and began to purr.

Chocolate silently alighted and flew over the pool the second his mother’s eyes closed. He hovered there for a bit, taking aim, and then let himself drop directly into the water. With a splash that drenched his mother, Chocolate entered the water, back first.

“Hey!” his mother said, a grin on her face. “I knew you were going to do that!!”

Chocolate surfaced, shaking the water from his head and ears, grinning. “I couldn’t resist.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.” His mother replied, reaching out to lick one of his wet ears as he tread water with not only his paws, but with his wings as well. They cut smoothly through the water, keeping his head above the surface.

Chocolate dove back down suddenly, and his mother stretched her neck out to gaze into the pool as he swam down.

After a short time, he popped back up at the surface; droplets of water hanging from his long whiskers, his mouth partially open, holding a rock.

Carefully, Chocolate swam over to the rock his mother was resting on, and dropped the rock from his mouth right in front of his mother, who bent to inspect it.

“Very nice.” She praised as the rock glittered in the light.

Chocolate grinned and dove back under again, this time bringing up a small shell.

“Abalone” His mother confirmed with a nod, “washed downstream from someone’s meal.”

“A keeper?” Chocolate asked, happy with his newfound treasure.

He got a purr in reply, and gave a smile in return before paddling to the bank and dragging himself out of the icy water, only to have the air chill his wet skin, making him shiver.

Chocolate shook himself -each leg, each wing, and his head- until he was content with his state of dryness.

As he padded toward the edge of the clearing he called over his shoulder to his mother.

“I’m going out to catch some memories.”

“Have fun.”

With that, Chocolate departed, disappearing into a clump of ferns and the shade of the trees.

He had not gone far before he stumbled across and old, partially petrified tree that he remembered like yesterday. It was the tree that he had learned to fly from, climbing to one of its low branches and moving up as he got better. He moved on after brushing against it, leaving his scent.

For a while, Chocolate just wandered, finding a tree with his claw marks on it from long ago, even stumbling across what he figured had been the makeshift campsite of the fire brigades.

But then, with a growl of his stomach, Chocolate decided to hunt. It didn’t take him long to track down a plump vole and kill it with a leap and a bite to its spine. He took it in his jaws, and started back to the clearing where his mother rested.

After a bit of trouble finding his way, Chocolate emerged from the trees into the clearing, feeling triumphant that he had found his way back at last. But, to his despair, his mother had already left, probably to go hunting as well, and was no longer laying on the rock.

Chocolate’s stomach growled again, and so, dropping the vole, he ate his meal alone.

Soon, Chocolate bent over the stream, and after lapping up some of the water he ventured out into the woods again. He was enjoying himself quite a lot exploring, remembering years back to when he had last been there, when he had been first been there, and all the times in between. This rock had been where he had caught his first snake, this dip in the earth where he had had the run-in with the fox, and this birch his first tree he had ever climbed.

A shadow moved behind him though. A dark shadow followed, lean, with a pole sticking from its back. Chocolate continued on, oblivious to his stalker. The shadow followed on, with fluid movements, even and straight. Red pupils shone from it. It watched Chocolate. Chocolate continued to wander.

All continued this way until a twig got in the way. Its snap from under the shadow’s foot alerted Chocolate of his company. He spun around, confronting the red eyes.

“Who’s there?” He said, a bit scared, but not letting it show in his voice. Chocolate made sure that he sounded firm and sure, as not to warrant an un-wanted fight from seeming weak.

The creature that had been following him stepped out of the darkness, and was a shadow no more.

This creature was like one Chocolate had never seen before. He stood in awe, staring at what was before him.

The creature had the body, head, and back legs of a cat, but its front legs consisted of two long eagle’s legs with talons on the ends. It had the tail of a lion, and huge, cat-like ears. Two wings sprouted from its shoulders, black with red feathers. Red feathers started up on its forehead and ran down its neck as well. Two long ram’s horns curled around its ears, a dull gold color. It was grey, with red paws, tail tuft, ear fur, chest, belly, and talon ends. Black eyes with red pupils continued to stare at him.

But the part that fascinated Chocolate the most was its face, or what was on its face. The creature wore a jet black mask, covering most of its face, with cut outs for the eyes. Something else was strange about this creature as well though. It had a pole.

The pole in question seemed to be wooden, and a one time connected to more pole, for the top was broken and jagged. It was a lacquered black, with a ribbon of red twisting up and around it.

Chocolate froze as he saw where the pole was coming from. It was sticking out from the top of the creature’s back, almost between its shoulders.

“Hello.” Said the creature. It took a step forward.

Chocolate took a step back.

Check back soon for the next chapter. Reviews please?

-Rosebracken

Characters, places, and storyline belong to me, and are fictional.

Again, sorry for the time gap, its been a busy summer.