Chapter Three

Almond felt refreshed after a good night sleep. She made friends,and had no hatered for the orphanage at all now. She knew it would be a while before she started her queen training. She was in a good place until then. The morning light was shining through the window. Almond streched and sat up in the basket. Emmy soon awoke as well. Midnight, however, was snoring away in his basket. Almond and Emerson talked quietly.

The intercom turned on all of the sudden, causing Midnight to fall out of his basket and make a very unpleasent “angry cat” noise. What was that?” he said grumpily. The intercom spoke. “Good morning everyone. I’m not flame. I’m Misty.” Misty’s voice sounded choked with tears. “normally Flame would speak at this time, telling you to go to breakfast. Flame was murdered last night. When i found his body, i could tell he put up  good fight. The Kellicats did this to him. They left a note saying “Give us the heir or somebody else dies.”

All of the cats stuck their heads out of the doors to their rooms and starred at the intercom in the hallway. Emmy and Midnight starred at Almond. Almond’s face was cold. She felt terrible that Flame was killed because of her. Misty spoke again. “We are having a silent breakfast in honor of Flame, my amazing father, starter of this very orphanage, without which many kittens would be dead. I will say a few words at breakfast for him, as will my brother, Clavin, the janitor. Please silently report to breakfast.”

Everyone walked to the Dinning Hall at once; the only sound the sound of pawsteps of many cats. Lots of dirty looks were thrown at Almond. She felt as though she were going to burst into tears. She felt almost like she was the Kellicats that killed Flame. “Why do i have to do everything wrong!”she thought angrilly. Almond was furious with herself.

As she entered the Dinning Hall, with her friends by her side, a mouthwatering aroma erupted from the room. “It must be bird,” she thought. She loved bird. She silently sat down at the table with her friends on either side of her.

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“Don’t be so upset Almond,” said Midnight, hanging upsidedown from a pole in the Commonroom. “Midnight’s right. It’s not your falt” said Emmy, sitting next to Almond in a chair. Almond sat in her chair by Emmy’s. She had just told her friends why she wasn’t talking much. “Look on the bright side, the bird at breakfast was excelent!” ‘Midnight, is all you think about food?” “Usually,” said Midnight, smiling at Emerson. Almond laughed.

“Yay! she made a noise with her mouth! It’s like talking!” Midnight agreed that laughing was close enogh to talking. Almond finally spoke. the three joked so much that Almonds’ wiskers twiched from laughter.The rest of the day was fine for them. They had no more worries.

Later that night, Misty and Calvin had a big job to do. Misty stood in her father’s office, starring at his lifeless body. Calvin came in the room. His fur, like fire, practicly matched Flame’s fur. If Misty hadn’t know any better, she would think Calvin was Flame back from the dead.

Calvin and Misty didn’t say a word to eachother, they just exchanged looks. They gently lifted Flame’s body up by grabing his 2 front paws and dragging him. They went into the woods searching for a place to bury Flame.The fog made it hard to see in the dence woods. The two finally found soft, “easy-to-dig” soil.

They were about to start digging when Misty began to speak. “We should examine him one more time.” “Misty, we’ve examined him a bunch of times!” “Just once more Calvin.” “Okay, fine.” They looked at his fur, at his teeth, and his belly, all over. “Misty, look at this white fur,” said Calvin. There was a white tuft of fur in Flames’ claws. Misty lowered her pink nose to the tuft and inhaled. One word broke free from her tightly sealed lips. “Nico.”

Nico and Flame knew each other very well. They were good friends at one point. WQhen Nico chose the wrong path, though, Flame was enraged. He hated Nico for the terrible things he did, and Nico hated him back. The got into fights, and after years of fighting, they practicly wanted to kill eachother. Nico, being the top Kellicat, was ordered by queen Kelly to take the Kellicats and kill Flame, and leave a randsome note. Nico was overjoyed.

Billions of thoughts whirled through the siblings heads. Of corse, they forgot to tell Queen Ella of the death! They quickly ran out of the woods with Flame’s body, which was flopping around like a ragdoll (not the cat).

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  A few days later, dawn peeked over the horizon in a firey ball of sunlight. The sun rose  into the sky by the time it was seven AM. Even later the time grew, until it was eight AM. Almond steped out of her basket and streched. Looking around, she noticed her friends where missing from thier baskets. Looking over at the clock, she saw she was very late! Almond quickly groomed herself and ran down the hall.

 Almond was running very fast for a slow cat (which she was), and then crashed into Misty! Misty got up from her fall and shook her fur. “What’s the rush?” asked Misty. Almond rose from the ground and shook her fur as well. “I-I’m very late! breakfast just ended!” Almond tried to rush down to the Dinning Hall, but Misty jumped in front of her. “You were excused from breakfast.” Almond gave Misty a strange look. “Why?” she said, tilting her head to the left. “Queen Ella has invited us to breakfast at the palace.” Almond opened her mouth to ask another question, but Misty said, “We must leave now so we aren’t late.” So Almond quietly fallowed Misty out of the orphanage.

 Misty was clearly in a rush. If Almond were alone, she would dodle around the great kingdom, walking around the busy streets, admiring the tranquil scenery, and frolocking in feilds. She missed going out with her mom to the markets and such. Almond knew not to wander though. Eventually, the two reached the great iorn gates of the palace.

 A torticeshell guard walked up to them. “Who are you?” “My name is Misty. I am the daughter of Flame. This young girl is Almond, and she is the Queen’s Heir.” Almond flicked her tail to show off the stripes. “You are permitted,” said the guard. “Open the gate!” Suddenly a gate opperator cat sitting atop one of the colums opened the iorn gate.

 Almond and Misty walked up to the doors. A brown cat, the same one Almond had seen with Tiger, said politly, “I will escort you too the Dining Room.” Misty noded toward him and said, “Thank you, sir.” He is such a gentleman, thought Almond. After a short while, the three entered a colossal room.

 The room had a long table, for big royal parties. There were some other shorter tables, one at which Queen Ella and some of the Ellicats sat. The room had  shiney oak wood floorboards. The walls were painted burgandy. Through the pale pink pulled back curtains, the morning sun shined through.

 Almond and Misty walked over to the table of cats. There were two comphy pillows for them to sit on, along with silverwhere and plates set. Almond knew none of the cats sitting before her, but she knew Queen Ella, and ahandsome tiger cat with a sleek coat. It was Tiger. Almond sat up straight, and tried not to blush a Tiger.

Queen Ella smuiled at Almond and Misty and said, “Welcome!” Almond smiled back her nicest smile, though she was shy with all the new cats around. The table was covered in food. She saw all kinds of wonderful foods, including catnip cakes, smoked salmon with honey, seasoned chickadees, and many other amazing delacasies. If the sight of them was not overwhelming enough, but the smell was absolutely indescribable. It was sweet and spicey, but mild with hints of a nutty smell. There was so much more, too!

Almond looked around at the unfamiliar cats. They looked hungry. Almond was so attentive that she could see their very lips  moistening. Their eyes looked sparkely and happy. Then they turned their entire attention to Queen Ella as she began to speak.