*sing-songy voice* IIIIIIIIIIIIII'M BACK!!! YAAAAAAAAY!!!! XD Finally! You guys haven't heard from me in forever! =D So, I had a poll on my profile, if you guys noticed, and it's saying what long story topic I should use next. There's only one vote so far, but I just decided to use the results of that, so don't bother to vote now. XD So here it is: A Raven's Peppered Wing. Macey-the-Invisible's long story NUMBER TWO!!!!

A Raven's Peppered Wing

Chapter One

An old abandoned household, rotting to the edges, sagged on Windover Hill. At first there is silence; then shouts. Crashes. A small, scrawny mottled brown tabby cat with white paws burst from the piteous house, racing until the reached the edge of the wilted garden.

She glanced back, panting, and slipped into the blackening bushes. Weaving around through them, she didn't eve notice that twigs were pulling at her pelt. It's already dull anyways, the she-cat thought. Doesn't make a difference. She sat down by some dried orange flowers that would hide her from her angry housefolk. What were you thinking, Pepper? She could almost hear her deceased mother in her slightly torn ear. Staying with a human like that? He's a bit loony, I'll tell you that much.

It's not like I didn't know that much already, Pepper argued with herself. She was hit by a sudden pang of homesickness and grief as she realized that was exactly what she would have said. Pepper remembered the last time she saw her family all too well.

~*FLASHBACK*~

Fire. Fire everywhere. Where's Momma? Where's Daddy? Where's Pixie?

"Pepper!"

Three moon-old Pepper spun around in confusion. "Momma!"

"Pepper, here!"

The den was on fire. Their precious den was up in flames.

She felt someone grab her by the scruff. Her older sister, Pixie.

"I've got her, Mother!"

"Get her out!"

Cracking.

"Julianne!" Her father calling her mother's name.

"Branch, help! Take Pepper!"

"But--"

"Take her!"

Daddy pulling her away from Momma and Pixie.

More cracking. Then a crash. Screams from Momma and Pixie, the breaking of wood and burning of grass, Daddy throwing her out of the inferno...

~*END OF FLASHBACK*~

Why didn't they get themselves out, too? Pepper sighed, lost in her guilty memories. She didn't notice the door opening and the massive human lumbering out until he started thrashing the bushes, searching for her. Pepper's eyes widened and she darted from her hiding place. Too late. The human had seen her.

He lunged and grabbed her scruff roughly, yanking her away from the ground and hanging her high in the air as he carried her back inside the pathetic house. Pepper struggled feebly, for she knew what was coming next. No use.

The giant human flung her down on the hard floor of the kitchen. Pepper hit the ground with a thud, grunting in pain. The human started yowling at her in words she could not understand, waving his front legs about and pacing. His eyes bulged, and the veins stood out on his face and neck. He grabbed a long wooden thing (a spoon) and raised it over his head. Pepper shut her eyes and braced herself.

Down it went. Pain lanced through her spine. Down again. Momma... Down again, and again, faster now. Down again, and again, and again... The hitting stopped, and Pepper heard the human screeching again. She eased open her eyes. The door was still open, and strength was slowly seeping itself back into her limbs. The human wasn't hitting her (for now), she could make it...

Leaping to her paws, she dashed in between his legs and made haste for the open door. Things the human was throwing crashed around her, but she dodged them nimbly. The human followed her, trying to snatch her up in his front paws. Pepper accelerated, faster, faster, out the door, through the garden, over the fence...

She was out. Pepper screeched to a halt and looked behind her. Through the thick foliage she barely noticed she had run through, the moldy fence was just visible. The yowls of the human still sounded over them, angrier than ever, but Pepper knew that he wouldn't follow her. She kept running, ducking out of the way of low branches and leaves, leaping over roots. She still had to get as far away as possible.

The concept that she was free seemed to creep into Pepper's mind slowly. When, finally, it thoroughly clicked, she stopped. A smile spread itself across her face. She was safe. She'd never have to have anything to do with that terrible human again. A yowl of joy and triumph erupted from her throat, and she pranced around. She knew that she looked silly, but everything was just so right! She'd never have to go back, and he'd never come look for her. She was free!

Suddenly pain pierced into her hind leg, and Pepper collapsed on the ground, writhing in a desperate attempt to get away. Her struggles only made it worse, and she lay still, dread seeping over her. The human had found her! Pepper glanced back, afraid of what she would see. But the angry giant wasn't leaning over her. Oh no, she thought as she realized it was a bear trap. The huge iron jaws clamped over her leg, making it and her immobile. Pepper tried to wiggle free again, but jerks of agony shot through her again, not stopping this time.

"Help!" she shrieked. "Help me, please!"

Silence met her words. "Help!" she yowled again. "Please!" Nothing. Fear joined in with her pain, adding up to some emotion that she never wanted to think about.

A twig snapped behind her and her head snapped up. Pepper started to shake, knowing that it could be a fox, or a badger, or... Her head spun as it conjured up every horrible thing under the sun that could have broken that twig.

"Hello?" Her voice was shaky. No answer, but more rustling as whatever-it-was crept closer. "Who's there?!" Pepper called again in a vain attempt to sound defiant. She jumped as she heard someone behind her exclaim, "What the-- Who are you?"

IIIIIIIIIT'S......... SOMEBODY THAT I BET YOU HAVE ALREAYD GUESSED BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU ANYWAYS!!! Lol XD That turned out WAY longer than I expected, but I think that I'll have a bunch of fun with this! =D Oh, and another thing: In a way, this is a true story. Pepper is a real kitty. She lives down the road with my neighbors. Who found her in a bear trap in the woods. Who happen to own a barn. And a black cat. Coinky-dink? O.o

..................

Yeah, it is! Cuz their cat is a girl, and WAY fluffier than I would expect Ravenpaw to be. So, READ AND REVIEW PLEEEEEZZ!!! KTHANXBYE XD