The scent of dog fills my nose as I leap up onto the fence. I scowl down at the little dog as it jumps up and down energetically, barking loudly.
"Shut up," I snarl at it.
"Do ya want me to shut its muzzle for ya, Boss?" Stoney asks, glancing at me.
"That won't be necessary," I growl. I spring down nimbly into the yard, baring my claws eagerly. "If you don't shut your garbage-hole right now," I spit at the dog. "I'll send you squealing back to your little Twolegs—minus an ear."
The dog doesn't stop, so I launch myself at it. My fur is fluffed up, and my face twisted with rage. I raise one paw and bring it slicing down onto the dog's carefully groomed face.
The dog's barking changes to a whimper faster than you can say "trash". I grin in delight as the dog backs away, blood running down its nose.
I jump after it as it flees, determined to keep my promise. My outstretched claws aim for his ear, falling just short and landing a hit on his neck instead. It yelps and runs faster.
A Twoleg yowls, and I manage to slither to a halt just in time to avoid a large round thing. Scrabbling for a hold in the dewy grass, I sprint away, ducking to avoid another Twoleg object.
The dog barks at me. I can almost hear it's words: "That's right, run!"
"I'll get you later," I promise with a snarl. Bunching my muscles, I leap up onto the fence next to Stoney, Milak, and Pyrto. The Twoleg yowls at me, and I turn and run on top of the fence, easily balancing.
"Remind me to send some cats to rip that garbage-spawn's ear off," I growl to Pyrto.
"Sure thing, Boss," he mews, flicking his ears.
I stop for a moment, catching my breath. My gaze flicking to the lawn below, I spot a fat black tabby sunning himself. I stare, the fur along my spine lifting.
"Why, he looks just like ya, Boss!" Stoney exclaims.
"Hey, John!" A sleek ginger-and-white she-cat leaps from the yard beside his. My pelt prickles. John... John...
It can't be... can it?
I know only two things about my parents. Their names were John and Bess, and they abandoned me at a young age.
Ever since I had come to the head of Twolegplace, I had searched for them. My cats raided dens, stealing away all cats named Bess or John. I've had yet to find either one of my parents. Do you have any idea how many Johns and Besses there are? I'm only a quarter of the way through Twolegplace, and already have amassed over twenty cats with each name.
Wherever they are, they better hope that I never find them... for their sake.
For once I find them, I will make them suffer.
"Who are you?" I yowl, leaping down and stalking towards this John.
"Boss? Whatcha doing?" Milak asks, he and his companions hurrying after me.
"Boss?" John's eyes narrow as he stares at me. "So, you're that bit tough cat that picks on the weaker cats and steal them away from their Housefolk in the night."
"That's me," I snarl, "and if you don't tell me who you are right this second, you'll be next in line!"
John sits up. "I'm not scared of you," he growls. "You're just a big bully."
"John, don't," pleads the she-cat. "The Boss is capable of more cruelty than you can imagine.
"It doesn't matter what you call me," I snap back, ignoring the she-cat. "What matters is what I can do. What matters is feeding my cats. What matters is... WHO IN THE NAME OF GALBATORIN YOU ARE!"
John leaps back, ears flat. "I'm John," he growls slowly.
"How did you get here!" I demand.
"My Housefolk brought me here."
"Where were you before here?"
"Why would you want to know?" he asks suspiciously.
Pyrto stalks up to him. "Answer the question," he hisses.
"In another house, on the other side of the Twolegplace." John stares into my guard's eyes.
"Before that?" I flex my claws, hoping he will say "on the streets".
"On the streets."
"Did you have a mate named Bess?" I ask. "And a son? Sammy?"
John's eyes narrow. "How did you—?"
I cut him off and turn to Stoney and Milak. "Take him!" They surge forward and pin him down. I glance at Pyrto. "Run back and tell them to release all the other Johns. I have the one I want."
"You haven't answered my question!" John yowls.
"And I don't intend to," I snarl in response. I think for a moment, then slowly growl, "Where's Bess?"
"Why should I tell you?"
I glance briefly at the guard, a solid-looking she-cat. "Leave us."
"Yes, Boss." She dips her head and is gone.
I turn back towards John and lean in close. He hisses and lashes out, but I don't flinch. "I want to know where my mother is."
"Why should I know where your mother is? I don't even know her!"
"Are you really that naïve, Father?" I spit. "You know my mother. You are my father, John, and Bess is my mother."
"Sammy?" He stares at me, shock lighting his eyes.
"Yes," I snarl. "You, you and Bess abandoned me when I was little. Just went off purring with your little Twolegs without a thought about me!"
"Sammy, they took us!" John cries. "We tried to escape, but they wouldn't let us!"
I ignore this. "Where. Is. Bess."
"Dead." His mew is a whisper.
I don't move. "How?"
"A Monster ran her over," he mews, shoulders slumped.
"Hmm. Shame." I lick a paw thoughtfully. "I would've enjoyed killing her too."
John sits up. "Kill?" he echoes.
I raise an eyebrow at him. "You're not deaf; you heard me. You're finally going to pay for leaving me behind all those months ago. Although, I suppose you did me a favor."
"Sammy, I told you," John splutters. "The Twolegs took us!"
I pad close and shove away the boulder that blocks the entrance to the cage. "Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. That doesn't matter. It's in the past now. What matters is that you left me, whether you wanted to or not. What matters is that I almost died because you were foolish enough to let yourself be taken. What matters"—I unsheathe my claws—"is that you must pay for it."
I leap, he falls, and it was all over. I raise my muzzle, stained with the blood that was rapidly pouring out of his gaping wound.
"Sammy is dead," I hiss. "The Boss of Twolegplace is all that remains."