Chapter One

Almond was in her house, looking around. She had just woken up, and wondered where her beloved family was. “Mother? Father?” Her voice echoed through the empty house. She entered the kitchen.She saw a cat in the shadows of the kitchen and jumped back. “Who on Earth are you?” Almond saw his face clearly as he came out of the shadows.  He was a handsome tiger cat. It was love at first site. He was older then Almond, a kitten. But she still loved him. “Hello. My name is Tiger. Iwas sent by Queen Ella.” Queen Ella! He was important.

“Why would Queen Ella send you? Where is my family? Do you know?” “Please settle down! Iwill answer all of your questions.” Almond took a deep breth. “Sorry.” Tiger looked at Almond’s tail, and then to her eyes. “Almond, Queen Ella sent me because you are coming to her castle.” “Wh-” “Almond, I’m gonna answer that to. You are coming to her castle to tell of those stripes on your tail.” Almond turned her head to her tail and flicked it. Her tail was ringed like a racoon’s.

“Do you have a bag or backpack?If so, get it and pack the most valuable things to you.” “Why? Am I leaving?” “Well you can’t live here,” said Tiger, turning away. He was clearly trying to hide somthing. “And just why not,” asked Almond. “Your family is…well…” “What?” “Dead! They where all killed by the Kellicats!”

Almond was taken aback. All of them? Dead? Her brothers, Leaf, Pond, and Mist, and her sister, Forget-me-not ?Note:Almond’s parents named their kittens after the color of their eyes. Tears filled Almond’s brown eyes, and she started to sob. “There, there,” said Tiger, raping his tail around Almond. “Don’t cry.” Almond felt Tiger’s warm breth hit her ear.She heard his soothing voice, and she stopped sobing gradually as he kept trying to calm her down.She wiped her eyes with her tail. “I’ll get a backpack.” She ran over to the closet, now not crying at all and pulled out a large black bakpack. She put in some of her favorite toys,a fleese blanket, a bell, a sparkly colar for special occations, and a picture of her family. She could pack one more thing, and she saw it sparkle on the floor.

It was her mother’s colar of beautiful clear blue beads. Almond took off her own colar and put on her mother’s, stuffing her colar in the backpack. “That’s a beatutiful colar!” “It’s my mother’s,” said Almond, blushing. Tiger helped her get her backpack on and they headed out the door.

They ran through the dark night, their only light the stars. Almond had troble keeping up with Tiger. He was so fast! After about five minutes, they made it to the castle, and almond was flat on her back from the fast running. “Almond, get up. You can rest in the castle.” Tiger helped her up and they walked tword  large iron gates.

 ”It’s Tiger!” The guard in the tower heard Tiger and opened the gate. Almond watched the gate slowly open. As soon as the gate opened, Almond saw the melted pearl walkway. She slowly lifted her paw and began to step on the pearl path. Her small paw touched it. It was cold and hard. Tiger starred at her, wondering why she was going so slow. ”I’ve never touched the Queen’s walkway,” Almond said. Then she and Tiger walked up to the castle.

As they approched the castle’s door,they saw two burly cats, each with a spear tied to their back. Almond felt intimidated as she approched them. Tiger wispered to them words Almond could not hear, and the burly cats steped out of the way, allowing Almond and Tiger to enter. One of them, a brown cat, came in the castle and lead them through it.

The three cats went in and out of many doors, and finally made it to the Queen. She sat in a lounge room. Everything in the room was a rich crimson. There where many couches and chairs in the room. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, warming the room. there was a small coffee table, and on it sat some little cakes on a tray. Queen Ella sat in the middle of the couch closest to the table.

Queen Ella was beautiful. She was one of the most beautiful cats Almond had ever seen. She wore a dimond colar and had silky fur.her gold crown glittered in the firelight. “What is it Jordan?” The brown cat replied, “Your heir is here with your issistant.” “Oh do let them in!” The guard let Almond and Tiger in and ran off. “Hello. Come sit.” Almond slowly walked tword the couch the Queen sat on, and sat there. “Tiger, do you mind leaving?I would like to talk to Almond alone.” “Not at all ma’am.” Tiger left the room and shut the door behind him.

Now Queen Ella and Almond sat alone. “Help yourself to a catnip cake,” said Queen Ella, pointing to a tray of what looked like mini muffins. “I love catnip cakes!” Almond picked one up in her mouth. The smell was mouthwatering. She set the cake down in front of her and took a bite. She chewed the delicious cake slowly, savoring the taste. “High compliments to the chef,” said Almond after she swallowed the first bite. “I’ll let him know,” said Queen Ella.

“Tiger told me you where going to tell me that these stripes mean somthing,” said Almond. “You don’t already know? I supose I’ll tell you know. Those stripes mean you’re my heir.When I die, you become queen.” “Wow! I am?” “Yes, Almond, you are.” Almond thought of everything in the castle. It would all be her’s one day. “But Almond, you must understand, Queen Kelly is trying to kill you.” Almond’s enthusiasim died. “Why?” “Because if you die, the birthmark of a queen won’t live on,” said Queen Ella. “It’s very confusing. If the birthmark stops, she can take over my kingdom.”

Almond still didn’t quite understand. “Then why did the Kellicats kill my family?” “They did it to make you vonerable. Once you are vonerable, she captures you to kill you. That’s probobly her plan.” Almond ate more of her catnip cake. “So, am I living here?” “I’m sorry, I wouldlove to have you, but you can’t live here until I die. It’s the rules. But you are sleeping here tonight in one of the guestrooms,” Queen Ella said.

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Almond couldn’t sleep. Even though her cat-sized four-poster bed was so comfortable. Even though she loved the castle. Waves of thoughts washed over her. She couldn’t stop thinking about everything. That she had slept through the death of her family. That she was an orphan. It was to much.She had talked to Queen Ella for hours, and all of her questions where answered.

She was suddenly enraged. She screamed in her head. “I am an idiot,” she whispered angrilly. I slept while the Kellicats broke in! Why didn’t I wake up? Now I have to go to a stupid, fox-dung smelling orphanage!” She wanted to pick up somthing in the sharp teeth and throw it and break it to get out her pain, but she controlled herself.

She again screamed in her head. She felt her head would explode. Then she thought of a  freshly killed, just-cought dove by her. She thought of it’s warm blood in her mouth, staining her touge. Then eating the catch, the best part. Even thinking of this wonderful thing, she burst into tears. the tears made her lovely face-fur grow wet and salty, but she was silent. She cried herself to sleep.

Almond sat in a field of flowers, by herself. The pleasant feild made Almond feel good. Her fur was warm and toasty. She saw her parents up ahead. “Mother! Father!” They ran to Almond, and Almond ran to them.They hugged, and suddenly, Almond’s parents dissapeared. She heard a huge voice say, “Almond.” “Where are my parents?” ” Your parents are no longer in solid form. Now they are spirits, roaming the Earth. All I can tell you is look for this shadow.” A shadow of a ragdoll cat apeared.

Almond gasped. She lifted her head, and was in the guestroom of the castle. She had a strange dream. It was the day that Almond was going to the orphanage. “Curse this dawn,” Almond said, the bright dawn light shining through her window. She starred at the red and yellow sunrise. Then she frowned and shut her curtains.