AN: Hi there! I hope you will enjoy this story of mine. Well, here goes! :D
Chapter One
The law of the Alleycats is harsh. But it is the law.
"The white cats are of the highest rank, followed by the gray, ginger and brown. This is the law of the Alleycats. We black cats are and will always be at the very bottom. We live to serve. We will be rewarded for our service, though rarely, but we lowly cats will never get anything better than this. No matter how many times we try, the others will still outrank us. This place that so many generations of us have stayed in will always be the only thing that is ours. This is the law of the Alleycats.
The moon was at its full that night, its glare casting elongated shadows down the sidewalk. The streets were empty; no one would venture alone down the alleys of Elm Streets at night. But this wasn't any normal night for two particular cats.
A tom was padding across the rooftop, his black fur ruffling in the gentle breeze. With little effort, he leaped off and landed on the ground gingerly. Shaking the dust off his coat, he glanced at his surroundings. Everything was the same. The street signs, shops and smell. Nothing changed for the ten years of his life. Ten years ago… when he was just a small black kitten, where he could have changed the law, where he could have done something to help. But he didn't even try. Not once, even when he could. He dug his claws into the ground at the thought of it, igniting a sense of self-hatred.
I'm a coward, he thought. A coward who wouldn't even try.
The wind whipped through the night air and he suddenly paused in his pawsteps. His instincts told him that something was not right. A look of terror crossed his face when he glanced up from his paws. He had unknowingly walked all the way to the end of Elm Street, and before him stood a massive iron gate. His mother had described it so many times to him but he had never seen the gate before. This was the very end of the black cats' territory. His mind dared him to set foot across, to have a taste of freedom but his body refused to move. He trembled slightly and took a few steps back, uncertainty in his eyes.
There you go. Given a second chance and you can't do it.
"Straying out of your designated territory would be considered an attempt to escape and a sign of disobedience." This was the second law.
He feared the punishment. Everybody did. Those who broke the law were sent away and they never came back. The wind howled and slam into him, sending him staggering backwards into the darkness.
"Why can't I be brave?" He mewed aloud, bitter in his voice.
"Bravery is not something you're born with."
The wind whispered into his ear and he froze, his eyes widened in alarm.
"But there is another cat that has courage in his heart, much more than you will ever have."
"What are you? Who is this speaking?"
"I am merely a presence; I go where the wind goes. You may call me Gaia."
"But…"
"Wait. Listen. Someone's coming."
The black tom kept silent, his eyes riveted onto the silhouette of a kit bounding across the streets past him. He looked young, probably just a few months old. His eyes glazed for a moment before realization dawned upon him.
"The cat with courage, is it him?"
There was no reply. Gaia had gone with the wind.
The black kitten slowed down to a stop as he neared the gates, panting to catch his breath. His fur fluffed out from his exhilarating run, which he stopped to give a smooth lick. Without a moment of hesitation, the kit pelted through the open gates and beyond until he was seen no more.
The tom stared at the retreating figure, disbelief in his eyes.
"Gaia did you see that? The kit just ran through the gates. Ran through the gates."
"I heard."
It was Gaia's voice, no doubt of it, but what startled him was the silver she-cat standing a few tail-lengths apart. Her pelt shone in a different way from others; not solid but shimmering faintly. Her golden eyes were full of mystery as she padded up towards him.
"You look surprised," She commented, looking amused. "Did I frighten you?"
He wanted to lie and say that he wasn't but her presence gave him a bit more confidence and he nodded. "Your fur… there's stars in them. Why?"
"I'm from a place in the stars," Gaia sighed, tilting her head to look at the night sky. Softly she mewed," It would be better if you didn't know more."
She began to pad away but soon broke into a run, her coat glowing. With a single leap, she soared into the night sky, fading away into nothingness. His eyes followed her until she vanished and there was a sinking feeling in his heart. The wind brushed past him, whispering one last message into his ear.
The kit will bring us hope.