Chapter 1: Introduction
"Children, I'm sorry!"
"No, you're not! How could you?"
"Yeah, we're your kits!"
"Your father has left me! I cannot raise you anymore! …I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"
Lifting her head with a jolt, the limp cat glanced around. She jumped to her paws, wavering eyes flickering around from tree to ominous tree, searching for a mother who was not there.
"Mama?" she called, voice lonely and scared. "M-Mama? Where are you?"
There was no answer. Panicking, the female's paws started to move, thundering against the ground at a fast pace. She flew past trees and bushes and all kinds of rotting logs, leaping over streams and ruts in the grassy ground, hoping that her mother would appear around the corner. She never did.
As the thought of abandonment settled in her mind, the ginger cat slowed, eventually coming to a halt beside a broken evergreen tree. She leaned up against it, and found that the soft, dark wood's touch was quite comforting. Oh, how it reminded her of home!
Lying down in the shallow layer of pine needles that had fallen over the course of the half-moon, the bi-colored female would blink her deep blue optics slowly, followed by a large, gaping yawn. It was getting quite late, yes, and it was about time to settle in for the night. Hunkering down into the soft bedding, the older kitten would close her eyes.
Snap.
Flicking her ear, the small female wouldn't even bother with the noise, as it was probably just another woodland creature, like a rabbit that was rummaging about for any fresh plant shoots.
Snap, snap.
There it was again, only this time the sound was louder and it appeared to be getting closer. A bit frightened by this, the white-splattered feline rose to her paws cautiously, backing up so that her tail was brushing up against the bark.
"H-hello?" the she-cat called out, voice trembling. Another rustle answered her.
"Stay back!" she growled, trying to drown out her fear in a hostile tone. Maybe that would frighten the thing off. "I-I'm warning you! I'll attack!"
This time, there was silence. Maybe it worked, and she had tricked the animal into thinking that she was larger and full-grown. But her relief was short-lived as the creature leapt from the bushes a few bounds away. Her heart sunk. Racing towards her was a short, stocky canine. Its paws were seemingly too large for its body, and it was covered in almost baggy looking skin due to the amount of wrinkles and folds quivering with each leap it took.
Oh, no! thought the she-cat as she struggled to escape the dead end in which she was standing in. Whipping to her side, she leaped over the exposed roots of the pine, darting out from the overhang of sharp-smelling needles. The dog followed closely after her, and its hollow-sounding barks only added to the sense of fear that was already shooting through her.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins and her head was racked with such a headache that she felt as if it was about to explode, but she pressed on, weaving through the multiple species of trees that made up the forest. Finally, when the mongrel's panting breath was hot on her hindquarters, she turned sharply to the right and began to claw her way up a fair-sized tree, stopping on a branch extending outwards from the lower portion of the wood.
The canine reared up on its hind legs, howling and emitting caterwauls of frustration as it glared up at the female, who sat perched near the base of the branch, returning the evil stare through blue eyes that were narrowed to slits. Her flanks heaved as she took deep breaths, recovering from the terrifying encounter.
Somewhere farther into the woods, a twoleg called out, its cry sounding oddly worried. Who would be worried about such a mangy mutt, anyways? thought the two-toned she-cat as she watched the hound give one last snort before trotting off in the direction of the voice.
But the experience had left her exhausted and- literally- up a tree. Fearing that the dog would come back, the feline decided that the tree would be the safest place to be. Shuddering as she sunk her ivory claws into the bark to keep her in place, she curled up and let her eyelids droop, and she fell into a deep slumber.
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