Hello everyone! You may know me, Essansee, from my Lady and the Tramp series, or perhaps you're just starting out here hoping for a good read about Varjak Paw. To start, I'd like to say a couple of things. First off, I do not own Varjak Paw, but I'm hoping that I can expand on the world that S.F. Said left us with in the books. Second, you may remember my...atrocious story that I tried to write about the books several years ago. I lost my account information and I am unable to delete the darn thing, but it sucks. In writing this, I hope that I can redeem myself somewhat. Third, welcome to the story, and I hope you enjoy it!
The pale, gentle fingers of a warm spring's dawning light was peeking between the roofs that sheltered the alleys. The rays beamed down in a single shaft, caressing Varjak Paw's silver-blue face as he slept.
The young cat blinked his eyes open easily under the quiet prodding of the sun. He lifted his head and gave a massive, tongue curling yawn. Beside him lay a spiky-furred black and white female. She was still sleeping soundly, curled into a tight ball. Varjak could feel her breathing against him. He tilted his head and watched her sleep for a few moments, admiring her.
He'd come so close to losing her recently...Varjak held back a deep shudder. Weeks ago, his world had been empty. He had surely thought that without her, his heart would never beat properly again. But how it flew when he found her alive, with Sally Bones of all cats, a prisoner of war she was! The need to save his beloved had been the driving force to defeat the wicked cat. He couldn't bear life without her, not then, and certainly not now.
"Ahem." Another cat's voice startled him from his reverie. He turned to see the second of his companions. The fat brown cat was watching him with an amused grin spread across her face. She was on her feet already, and she stretched until her toes spread wide and her claws emerged from their sheaths.
"Oh, Varjak. Sweet Varjak, you were alone last night! And I had Holly over here with me, keeping me warm. I'm not sure what happened." The long-furred brown cat teased.
Varjak couldn't help but smile at the good natured cat. She would definitly be his best friend, behind Holly of course. She had fought tooth and nail to help him in the war against Bones' gang.
"Maybe Holly realized that you have so much more fur than I do." Varjak countered. "Mine is short, but you've got that heavy coat."
"Excuses, Varjak! I saw you giving her that doe eyed look." Tam purred. Holly stirred at Varjak's side and gave a tiny groan. She was waking up.
"Well." Varjak said. He sat up and yawned again. "She deserves it. Look at her."
"I am, Varjak. She looks like Holly. A very sleepy, confused Holly at that."
Varjak and Tam both laughed at this. Holly's multicolored eyes were wide. She did look confused. She rolled onto her back and lay belly up, soaking in that brightening ray of sunshine that had woken Varjak.
"Hmm?" Holly looked at Varjak, who simply smiled at her.
"Just talking about how beautiful you are."
"And that constitutes a laugh." Holly mused. Her voice was as gravelly as ever, but she was smiling pleasantly. "I'm not sure if I like the sound of that."
"Sure you do." Varjak leaned down to lick her cheek. "Don't you like being called beautiful?"
Holly wrinkled her nose as though she was thinking. She closed her single blue eye.
"I probably would if it had ever happened before." She said. Varjak was about to reply that he needed to fix that, but was unable to continue their playful banter, as Tam let out a loud groan. Both Varjak and Holly were startled. They had quickly forgotten about Tam.
"Tam wants food. Tam hungry." Holly said as she flipped over. "Tam getting angry."
Tam glared, but groaned again.
"Holly is right! Tam is hungry." The brown cat went on dramatically. "I can hear my own stomach. Can't you?" Varjak didn't need to turn on his Awareness to hear the gurgling of Tam's empty belly.
"I'm hungry too. Really hungry." Holly admitted.
Varjak knew the uncomfortable feeling. In recent weeks, food had been much more plentiful. Or, as plentiful as a scroungy city could be. After Sally Bones had been defeated, there was one less gang to hoard or steal food, or punish others for having a bite to eat. It was wonderful. Everyone was enjoying full bellies more often.
"Me too. We should go find breakfast." Varjak stood and stretched one hind leg, and then the other.
"Holly's hungry, now we go get something! Thanks Varjak." Tam pouted. Holly rolled her eyes to the heavens.
"Oh shut up. He said he's hungry too."
Tam quieted for only a brief moment. "So what's for breakfast?" She asked with a smile. Nothing could take her mind off of food for long, even Holly telling her to shut up.
"I found a great place just yesterday that's crawling with mice. It's not far from here, we could get a bite there." Varjak suggested. "It's definitly worth checking out, I would think."
"I need more than a bite!" Tam whined. "Let's get going, before I...I die or something." This time, it was Varjak who executed an eye-roll.
"Show us the way, o' great gang leader?" Holly feigned a bow. Varjak held his tail high as if he was really giving orders. It was all in good fun.
"Just follow the Boss." He ordered. And they did. Holly, Tam, and Varjak slipped from the tiny opening that hid their alley and began to weave their way through the complicated maze that conceiled their home from the world. Across walls they went, through alleys, around sharp turns, and under fences of wood and grates of steel.
They finally exited their alleys, only to find themselves crossing another thick wall made of bricks. The three friends trailed after one another with Varjak in the lead.
The Mesopotamian Blue cat once more turned his Awareness on. He swiveled his ears and cast the Sense out in all directions, keeping track of his friends rustling fur, beating hearts, and padding paws behind him. He heard a breeze in a distant alley, blowing an empty garbage bag around. The cat pushed his hearing ahead and heard something that made him slow to a stop.
"Pawsteps." He called over his shoulder.
"How does he do that Holly? How does he do that?" Tam was in awe. Varjak couldn't see her from his position on the wall, but he imagined her mouth falling open. It never ceased to amaze her how well tuned Varjak's abilities were.
"The cat's got talent." Holly said modestly. Varjak almost laughed. He had never needed to explain the Way to Holly. She had read it in his eyes. Holly had an ability herself, to read minds through that one blue eye that Sally Bones had given her. Varjak admired it on her. It was much more impressive than it had been on the evil Bones.
"They're coming closer. But we don't need to worry." Varjak said as he resumed listening. The footsteps were familiar, and heavy. Varjak turned his head in the direction of the sound, on the ground far below the big wall. First one tawny head, and then another appeared around a corner.
"Hey Ozzie! Omar." Varjak called. The two massive cats looked around in confusion before finding the trio standing on the wall. Friendly smiles erupted on their faces when they saw their friends.
"Hey gang." The first, Ozzie, drawled as he stepped around the corner with his brother behind him. Tam let out a purr of joy and Holly called a greeting of her own, and the three leapt down to meet the Twins.
"Hey Tammie." Omar grinned. Tam, still purring, circled the big cat happily. It was no secret that the pair had been seeing each other often, but the enthusiastic greeting surprised Varjak a bit. He bit his tongue.
Holly cleared her throat.
"What are you guys doing over here today?" Varjak questioned. He tilted his head and waited for an answer from one or the other of the brothers. Tam and Omar were still grinning wildly at each other. Ozzie gave a silly shrug that made his shaggy shoulders heave.
"We were going to check out the bins around a new fancy restaurant. We've heard good things. You three could come with us if you want."
Omar looked at Varjak and Holly for the first time. His whiskers were twitching with amusement. He looked like a very happy lion, with that thick ruff of fur around his brown neck.
"We wouldn't mind tag-alongs. Not you all, you're our friends! We'd love to share our pickins'."
"You can count me in! Oh, Varjak, can we?" Tam bubbled. Her brown eyes were sparkling excitedly. For once, it seemed that she cared for something more than just the food that lay ahead. It was nice to see her happy.
"I kind of wanted to see that place Varjak was talking about. I'm in the mood for a mouse or two." Holly chimed in, nudging Varjak with her shoulder. He understood.
"You go on, Tam. We'll try to bring you back something."
Ozzie and Omar shrugged.
"Suit yourself." Ozzie said, then licked his lips. "We'll take good care of Tam for ya."
"Real good care." Omar purred. Tam had to tilt her head slightly to look him in the eye. Her bushy tail swished happily.
Ozzie made a face. "I just can't get used to that." He shook his head. "Alright, you two. We'll see you later, then?"
"Of course! Unless Omar kidnaps Tam instead of taking her home." Varjak stole a chance to get Tam back for the morning's teasing she had delivered.
She ducked her head sheepishly while the two groups said their goodbyes and set off on their own paths.
It wasn't long before Varjak and Holly found the place they'd been looking for. Nestled between several tall, stout buildings was a tiny, greying house. The place held no windows in its sagging frames, making easy entry.
The two cats hopped into one low sill and stood balancing there for a moment.
"Well, here we are." Varjak said to Holly. He could already hear mice scrabbling around the rotting, peeling floors and walls.
Holly's tail twitched, brushing Varjak's.
"Tam is so going to pout for not coming here." Holly grinned wickedly. "We really should bring her a mouse. A fat one."
"First one to get it wins?" Varjak smirked. He and Holly glanced at each other for only a second before leaping into the house in a furious competition to catch the biggest mouse.
Varjak leaped over Holly in pursuit of one terrified candidate, but lost it as it dove into the wall. In the next minute, he heard Holly's claws tearing into the floor as she chased her own.
"You'd better not cheat!" She called over her shoulder as Varjak was breathing into a Slow-Time. He let it fade before answering her.
"Of course I'm not!"
Just then, Varjak felt something tickling over his paws. It was a mouse, running for its life. He slapped his paw down on top of the unsuspecting creature, killing it.
Holly had already gotten two in that time. He needed to hurry. He spotted a movement out of the corner of his eye and whipped around to race after it. The mouse didn't stand a chance. He dropped it's limp body, suddenly remembering what his teacher, Jalal, had told him once.
"Enough." He said. Holly skidded to a stop, letting a mouse scoot into a hole in the wall. "Enough and no more."
"I've heard than in your head, but I didn't stay long enough to see what it means." Holly said curiously, walking towards Varjak. She only mentioned her ability to read minds when she was alone with Varjak.
"Come find out." Varjak invited. Holly reached the Blue and gazed into his eyes. It felt as though she had fully entered his thoughts and memories. She was gentle though, he could feel her pressing, asking for permission to peer through different parts of his mind. He opened his thoughts accordingly for her.
Varjak loved the way she tickled through his head. It left him feeling dizzy and weak legged. He sat down. When Sally Bones had entered his mind, she had intruded and crashed through with such force that it hurt. Being in one's head was an intimate thing, Varjak thought. Far too intimate for a stranger. Holly felt good though. Like she belonged there.
"Stop that." The black and white cat murmured quietly. Varjak felt himself grow warm.
Stop what? He didn't need to speak the question with Holly reading his thoughts.
"You're making me lose focus." She replied. "All those fuzzy feelings you're giving me."
He could feel his fur standing on end.
"It feels nice for me too." Holly answered.
Varjak blushed harder, apologized, and then tried to quell his thoughts. Without the distractions, Holly was able to find the memory that she was looking for.
Varjak felt her open it, and watch his first hunt with Jalal the Paw. The cricket that he had nearly killed. He had only been a kitten at the time, and he had felt terrible afterwards.
Holly pulled herself from his mind.
"I see now." She said softly. "We shouldn't take more than we need. It would upset the balance."
Varjak nodded. He was still at a loss for words. He stepped forward to nudge Holly's cheek. Her belly growled loudly, making him chuckle.
"Let's see who won, and then we can eat."
"Agreed. I'm starving."
The two pooled their catch together, four mice in total. It was Holly who won the competition. They sat the fat animal aside for Tam.
"I admit it." Varjak groaned as he settled into a mouse alongside Holly. "I'm helpless without the Way. You're the better hunter."
Holly gave a winning smile.
"Oh, I know." She said. Varjak bumped her shoulder with his own, and the two continued their meal, quietly enjoying one another's company.
When they had finished, and were licking their paws and muzzles clean, Varjak popped a question that caught Holly very well off guard.
"Can you teach me how to read minds?"
"You want to learn mind reading?" Holly sounded surprised. Her brow was raised and she was no longer cleaning her paws.
"No offense, but I don't think you can learn that, Varjak. I had to lose an eye for it. And I miss that eye."
Varjak pressed his face to her neck. He felt her muscles relax at his touch.
"I do too. But with or without it, I love the way you look. You're so beautiful."
There was a sharp intake of breath from Holly.
"Are you kissing up to me?" She whispered. Even her hushed tone held a hint of gravelly crunch to it.
"No. You are beautiful." Varjak paused, then continued quietly. "I love you, Holly." It was certainly not the first time that the grey-blue cat had told her this, but it left him feeling wonderfully light every time.
Varjak felt Holly's breath on his ear.
"I love you too." She said softly. "Now look at me. It doesn't hurt to try."
Varjak could hardly bear to pull his face away from her soft fur, but he managed. She met his amber eyes, but did not enter his mind.
"Look at me, Varjak." She said again. "Look past my eyes. There's more in my eyes than colors and life. Everything is in my eyes."
Varjak melted into the depths of her gaze, one ice blue eye and one mustard yellow. His vision grew weak, but her mind remained locked to him.
"Keep going." She urged. "You know how I feel when I'm inside. Do that to my eyes."
Varjak never broke his unwavering gaze. He felt as if he was leaning against a foggy window. He knew that there was something on the other side of it that he wanted, oh so desperately.
In the next moment, he crash landed into Holly's thoughts. She gasped.
"Not so hard!"
It was an out of body experience. He almost felt as though he was Holly herself, sharing her body with him. He made it a point to be more gentle with her. Varjak had a tentative look around her memories. He wasn't sure what he was allowed to touch. Even with Varjak, Holly withheld much of her past.
He focused on something easy, the mouse the cats had shared together. Varjak relived the memory beside himself. He felt his fur brushing Holly's cheek, the taste of the mouse on her tongue, and the warm feeling of food filling her belly.
Holly flushed and her thoughts grew lighter. She was feeling what he had felt.
Varjak nudged a locked memory and it opened at his gentle prodding. He watched the world from a younger Holly's eyes. She was hungry and scared. It was raining. The feeling of the rain was lost in time, but Varjak could see it coming down in heavy torrents as clearly as if he was there now. The little Holly was hiding from the rain, all alone.
"Where is your mother?" Varjak murmured.
"Gone." Holly thought simply.
Varjak retreated from the memory. He wanted more. He crept through Holly's mind, searching for another clue. He could feel her patience. She was allowing him this.
There was one...Varjak reached for it. This would yield an answer.
His attention was pulled from this corner of Holly's mind abruptly though, by a shocking sensation that was not his own. A butterfly light feeling radiated from Holly's abdomen. It struck a deep curiousity in him. He was pulled from her head then, stinging with her panicked thoughts.
"Ouch." He winced. Holly was on her feet now.
"I'm sorry." She choked. "I wasn't trying to hurt you."
"Why did you do that?" Varjak rubbed his head with one silver paw. He was hurt in more ways than one. She was hiding something more than a memory from him.
Holly was breathing hard. Varjak was concerned.
"Hey." He said, taking a step towards her. She backed up.
"I didn't know that was going to happen." She shook her head. "I am so sorry."
"Don't be sorry." Varjak protested. His own mind was swimming with confusion. Holly didn't panic like this. She was tougher than panic. It scared Varjak.
"Holly, what's wrong?" He took another step, and this time Holly didn't retreat. He nuzzled her cheek softly.
"Don't feel bad. It hurt when you pulled away, but I'm okay. Don't feel bad." He tried his best to soothe Holly.
"I wasn't thinking." Holly croaked. She sat down, and Varjak sat close beside her. "You were in my head, but it caught me by surprise..." She trailed off.
"It didn't feel bad." Varjak ventured. "But it wasn't your head."
"No, it wasn't my head."
Varjak and Holly sat in silence for a long time before the silence was finally broken by Varjak's daring question.
"What was it?"
Holly didn't respond. Instead, she pulled her face away from Varjak's to look him in the eyes. When he didn't feel her in his own mind, he entered hers, more gently this time. The window of resistance felt more like a soap bubble now that Varjak knew what he was dealing with.
He sat in Holly's troubled mind for a few minutes. Her memories didn't tempt him as they had earlier. He was searching for something else now.
Varjak could feel Holly's tightened frame, and the tension in her fast beating heart. His own picked up the rythm it thrummed. They were one cat, bound by the mind's eye. Varjak lingered in Holly's chest, relishing her heartbeat for a while.
"Go on." He heard her thoughts echo. He ventured further into her nerves. He felt her flinch at the bite of a flea on her back. He was as aware as she that her claws were nervously scraping the ground.
And then, there it was. That wonderful, mysterious butterfly feeling, right where the two had felt it last. Holly's fear enveloped Varjak's peeping mind, but she didn't make him leave this time.
"What is it?" He muttered, half to himself.
Holly's belly was swimming. He could feel it, light as a feather, tiny thumps against the inside of her skin. Thoughts of it filled her mind so strongly now that Varjak was nearly overcome with it.
"Holly?" He whispered. If one could stare with their mind, Varjak did. He was amazed. He focused everything he had on the sensation. The bumping ceased, and Varjak searched for it desperately for a moment before it returned briefly.
"They've just started that." Holly's thoughts reached him. "I was worried at first too when I couldn't feel them."
Varjak released himself reluctantly from Holly's mind. The desire to stay there was fierce. When she was free of him, Holly lowered her head. Varjak's chest ached to comfort her. He nudged her spiky furred cheek until she raised her head, but she quickly dropped it again.
"I know what you're thinking." She said quietly. Of course she knew. "I was going to tell you. I didn't know how."
"It was amazing, Holly." Varjak nudged her cheek once more. "Can I do that again sometime?" He said hopefully. He wanted more. He wanted to feel it again, as soon as he possibly could. A smile tugged at the corner of Holly's mouth, finally, but was gone in a flash.
"Of course you can." She lifted her eyes. She was still upset. Her tail was wrapped tightly around her paws, but Varjak could hear them scratching the wooden flooring in a nervous fit.
"You're scared." He said gently. He understood. Holly blinked hard and looked away again.
"My mother left me right before that rainstorm. She took my brother with her. I never saw her again."
"You won't do that." Varjak countered. Holly shook her head slowly.
"No, I won't. Not in a million years. But I don't know how to be a mother, Varjak. I don't know what to do. What if I hurt them?"
Varjak rested a paw on Holly's, trying to save them from being splintered by the wood that she was ripping apart.
"You'll know what to do when the time comes. I know you will. You're going to make a great mother." Varjak's heart swelled with happiness. The reality of this new adventure had taken hold of him. "And I'll be there to help you."
Holly met Varjak's eyes hopefully.
"Promise?"
Varjak leapt to his feet. His tail swished behind him like a living thing. He was grinning hugely now.
"We're having kittens." He let himself state the fact for the first time. It felt good on his tongue.
"Holly! We're having kittens!"
Holly let go of a small, crooked smile.
"I know." She laughed under her breath.
"Say it!" Varjak demanded happily, racing around the room excitedly, finally hopping into the rotting windowsill. "Say it, Holly, it feels great."
"We're having kittens." Holly said, laughing louder this time. Varjak could hear real happiness beginning to bubble in her voice.
"Hey everyone!" Varjak howled into the bright, shining day. "Holly is having my kittens!" The sound of his shout echoed and bounced off of the alleys and buildings in a way that made Varjak even happier.
He shouted again and did a little spin, right there on the windowsill.
"Hey, Moron. You're going to hurt yourself doing that." Holly rolled her eyes. She was still laughing. Varjak leaped from the window, feeling lighter than air. He landed beside Holly and buried his face deeply into her thick fur.
"Let's go find Tam. I need to tell someone about this before I just blow up." Varjak bubbled.
"Heaven forbid that happening." Holly grinned. "After that promise you made me. But, you're right. We should find Tam."
And thus begins my story. I hope its okay. Reviews please?