"Hey! You there, stop!" I gasped out. I was running as fast as my paws could carry me. "Please!" My long tail was streaming behind me and my belly fur was brushing the ground. I don't think I could last much longer. The tom in front of me was really fast. With one last burst of strength I got within a tail length of him and jumped onto his back.

I felt like I was flying for a heartbeat and then it was over. I landed clumsily on the toms back. With a yowl of alarm he lost his balance and fell over. I managed to hop off him before he took me down with him. The slim bluish-gray tom got up fast. His fur was bristling all over his body. His lips were drawn back in a snarl, his claws were unsheathed and ears laid back.

I didn't want to fight this cat, just wanted to talk. "Stay back," he snarled. His blue eyes were looking for a way to escape. I slowed my breathing down and spoke as calmly as I could.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I tried to explain. "I'm just…" I stopped. Why did I chase this cat, I wondered? He was just walking though my little patch of forest. I looked at the cat crouching in front of me. I looked at him strait in his eye. He flinched and took a paw step back. Fear flashed in them and something else…. disgust.

I felt small all of a sudden; I almost forgot that I am different. I flattened my ears to the back of my head. He must have taken this as a threat. He launched himself across the small clearing were I stopped him and raked my shoulder with his claws. A burning sensation flared through my shoulder, then it went all though me. It wasn't pain now. It was anger, no, fury

Why couldn't they understand that I am just like them? That I do have feelings and it wasn't my fault I was born different. I wanted to hurt someone. I turned to face the tom, but he was already started running away. He would not get far. I knew this patch a forest like the back of my paw. I let out a small purr of satisfaction, like a cat who knew her prey was already caught.

I followed him at a safe distance. Shadows crossed the forest floor, which my black fur melted easily into. Every so often the tom would stop and take a break or smell the air. I wasn't worried about him smelling me out, the forest would help with that. During one of the breaks I tended to my wound. He got me good and is clearly trained in one way or another.

Finally he stopped; he was near some no-furs nests'. Slowly I eased forward. Fury stilled burned inside me, like the dreaded fire every cat fears. The tom was making a small nest between to gnarled roots. I could imagine him under my claws, his life force draining out of him. Me; bathing in his blood, letting him feel the pain that I felt for moons upon moons.

Go ahead, I thought. Make your next nice and soft for it will be the last place you ever sleep. A little while after, he slumped down into his nest. That is when I made my attack. I threw my muzzle back a yowled a battle cry into the air. The tom jumped into the air and turned to face the noise, me.

It was too late really. Yes, it is true that he is fast. However, when angry I am faster. My pure white claws slid out when I was a fox length away. It was one of the only things that made me visible in the growing darkness, that and my eyes. I shot my paw out; claws extended so much it hurt. They raked his muzzle. The tom lashed out blindly catching just the tip of my ear.

He must have recognized my sent when I swiped his snout. "You again!" he meowed in fright. "Get away from me!" That only fueled my anger. I reared back on my hind legs and batted at him, aiming for his eyes and muzzle. My white claws looked like thin streaks of lightning flashing toward him. He dodged them easily, ducking from side to side and getting and in a few blows of his own.

After a few heartbeats I thought I was done for. My pitch black fur was soaked with blood, all of which my own, and he barley had a scratch on him. "Leave n-now," he stuttered. Why was he still afraid of me? Am I really that much of a monster? That was it I had enough!

I crouched down and launched myself in his direction. He was started by the movement and didn't even have time to react. My claws found his neck and sank in. The forest went quite except for a gurgle now and then from the tom. He was dying. Fear and disgust that was in his eyes only moments ago was gone. Now there was just a growing empty space.

It scared me. I retracted my claws from his neck and backed off of him. The only white part of my body is now stained red. I didn't mean it. I didn't want to really kill him. I just wanted someone to talk to, to not be afraid of me.

I ran. I've been doing that since the day I was kitted. I ran away from the body. Not even looking back to see if he still alive. I'm not sure how long I ran. I just know that I collapsed by a small stream in a clearing.

My legs were burning. They felt like they were on fire. I had to rest. Not even bothering to make a nest I flopped down by the stream. I couldn't help but to look at my refection. The image I saw wasn't me. Well, it was but it wasn't.

I saw a black she-cat. Her once beautiful fur now matted with dry and wet blood. The tip of her ear torn and empty eyes. Quick as a flash I darted my paw out and hit the water. My reflection distorted, but as soon as the water calmed it came back.

Wind rustled the leaves and dust around me. Warm air seemed to settle on top of me. Leaves seemed to gather and take form of cats. They rushed in and out of the outlining trees trying to catch each other's tail. If I weren't so tired I would have wanted to join them, but then again I just would have scared them off.

At that thought the leaf cats came to me. Swishing all around me in colors of green and yellow. Whispering that it wasn't my fault, that I would be fine and to watch the stars. They said the stars would take care of me. I wanted to thank them and ask what they meant about the stars. Of course, whenever I tried to talk or look closely at them they turned back to leaves in the wind.

I must have been seeing things. Leaf cats aren't real, are they? And stars are just stars, the shine and disappear when the sun arrives. Turning my attention back to the water I took a long drink. It felt wonderful on my tongue and throat. I was hoping it would also clear my head, it worked. I stretched my front paws and laid my head on them.

Tiredness overwhelmed me and I fell asleep almost instantly. I thought about the tom before I went completely asleep. I hope he is alright. I opened my eyes one more time and looked down into the water. Violet eyes stared back, the eyes that have caused my trouble all of the moons I have been alive. I hated them. I closed the tight and rapped my tail around my head ignoring the stench and stickiness of blood. Within a heartbeat I was asleep.