Confessions of a Kittpet
Summary: Sox is the cat that replaced Firestar when he left. She is a proud, happy cat, but then, she meets a mysterious ginger tom...
Disclaimer: I own Sox's name and personality, but everything else belongs to Erin Hunter... oh, the plot's mine.
I stretched, sunninging myself on the back porch of my house. My housefolk had let me out for a few minutes, which was rare. I don't know why they worry so much... what kind of cat would leave such a nice home?
Yawning, I stood and thought to myself, trying to find something to do. Oh...
"Smudge!" I called, jumping on top of the fence. The fat black and white cat looked up at me from next door.
"Oh, hello Sox," He greeted me, standing.
My name is Sox. I am a light brown tabby with two white paws, both of them back paws, and yellow eyes. I am seven months old, and have been living with my housefolk for four months. I am very fond of them. They are kind, though they worry so.
"So, your housefolk let you out for once?" Smudge mrowwed with laughter.
My fur britled with embarrassment. "Yes. Why do they worry so much?"
Smudge had been in the neighborhood for much longer than I had, so he knew more about my housefolk.
His face fell, and he stopped laughing. "I think I know."
"Why?" I was intrigued.
Smudge sighed and hoisted himself onto the fence. "It's because of the last cat your housefolk owned," He began. "His name was Rusty. My best friend, before he left."
"He left?" I hissed in amazement.
"Crazy, I know," Smudge agreed. "But Rusty was a good cat. And very... startling looking. You would have loved him, Sox. A ginger coat that was like fire, and green eyes. Anyway, when he was only a bit younger than you, he disappeared. Gone without a trace. But he had spoken to me about the wildcats, and I think he had met one."
"Wildcat?" I asked.
"A cat that lives on it's own, out there," Smudge nodded his head toward the forest. My eyes widened on amazement.
"Cats live alone? Without housefolk?"
"Yes. Rusty had spoken of these cats, and was then gone. But a few months later, I met him again. He looked sp different! He looked stronger, more muscular, but he had scars! And he spoke different. Called me a 'kittypet' and housefolk 'twolegs' and even reffered to months as 'moons'."
"Really?" I was already fantasizing.
"It's true. He even had a new name. Firepaw. And he said that he lived in a place called 'Thunderclan'."
"Amazing!" I purred.
"More like crazy," Smudge grimaced.
Just at that moment, I heard my housefolk calling me. "Sox! Sox!"
Bidding Smudge good bye, I raced inside.
000
A flaming ginger tom stood in front of me. His coat, though sleek, was covered in scars, and he had obviously been in many battles.
"Hello, Sox." He purred.
"Er, hello," I mewed nervously.
"I see you are torn by Smudge's stories. Only you can see where your heart lies."
And then, I woke up.
000
A few weeks later, I was calmly grooming myself when a rustling came from the bushes. My ears twitched back and forth at the noise.
"Hello?" I meowed tentatively. "Please come out here. I won't hurt you."
"I have no doubt about that," A voice laughed. It was a tom's voice.
A cat then walked out of the bushes. My jaw hung open. He was magnificent, and... the cat from my dreams!
"Hello, kittypet," He said, blinking at me.
"I cocked my head. Where had I heard that...? Oh!
"Are you a wildcat?" I asked eagerly.
"If you mean clan cat," The tom purred, "Then yes, I am. My name is Fireheart. What's yours?"
"Sox," I mewed, feeling small under his gaze. "I live in that house."
He nodded. "I know."
"How?" I asked.
His darted around. Fireheart had obviously made a mistake.
"Uh, I've een you before here."
"Oh. So, you live with a clan!"
"Yes. Thunderclan."
Thunderclan... that name rang a bell...
"There are three others, though," He added. I bobbed my head.
"That sounds so exciting, living in the wild!"
"It is... but it's also a problem, at times."
000
Fireheart and I talked for hours, and finally, he had to leave. But a few days later, he visited me again, looking terribly sad.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Bluestar... she's dead." He sighed.
"Bluestar?" I asked.
"Our clan's leader-former leader." His eyes were clouded with sorrow. "She was my mentor. She taught me how to be a warrior."
"Oh..." MY voice trailed off. "Fireheart, I'm so sorry."
"Thanks, Sox," he sighed, "Now, I have to be leader, since I was her deputy."
"Deputy?" I meowed.
"Second in command," He explained. "By the way, I have a new name: Firestar. My leader name."
"You change names?"
"Yes. It depends on your rank. Kit, apprentice, warrior, leader."
"Well," I purred, "Sorry
about your leader, but congratulations about being leader!"
"Thanks."
Firestar murmured, "It's just... I don't know of it'll work.
Whether I'll be good or not."
"Don't worry," I mewed, licking his his ear, "You'll be wonderful."
000
Months (or as Firestar called them, 'moons') past, and he visited me. I found myself growing more fond of him every visit, and hoping that he would visit me more often.
That's when I found out.
"Sox..." He sighed, "I have to tell you something. A secret that I should have told you long ago."
"Yes?" My voice was fearful.
"I was a... kittypet. And... I was Rusty."
Rusty! The cat Smudge had told me about?
"You were?" I whispered. How could I have not known?
"Yes. I'm sorry for not telling you."
"Don't worry," I said, touching noses with him. "I forgive you."
He seemed surprised by my gesture.
"Er," Firestar exclaimed, "I have to leave."
And he did.
000
I thought about Firestar that night. He had told me many things. About 'Bloodclan', the dogs, Bluestar's death.
And I was happy when he visited me.
I loved him.
000
For some reason, Firestar didn't visit me again. I wondered why, until... that day.
I was worried about him, so I decided to look for him. Soon, I was into the forest, looking near a river.
"Wow," I whispered, "I'm deep in."
That's when I heard somehappy little mews. Like kittens. Quickly, I hid in the bushes.
"Sandstorm, they're so beautiful, just like you," I voice came.
Firestar.
He padded into view. My jaw dropped again. A tiny kitten, no more than a month old, was dangling from his mouth. Gently, he set it down.
"There you go, Squirrelkit."
She looked just like him.
No, she had the same pelt, but one white paw and lighter eyes.
At that moment, a beautiful pale ginger queen walked to his side, a tabby kitten in her jaws.
"And here's Leafkit."
The queens eyes were that pale green.
He had called her Sandstorm. His mate.
He didn't love me.
They had kits. Firestar had his life, I had mine.
We were never meant to be.
"Well," Sandstorm said after a while. "We'd better leave."
After they left, I stepped out, and stared into my reflection in the river.
I wanted to wail. I had loved him so much. I couldn't live without him.
There was only one thing to do.
I pluged myself into the river, not caring to try to swim. I was quiet as I drifted underwater. Darkness came... my senses shut down...
A voice came.
"You have a warrior's spirit. You deserve this gift."
I looked around. Cats were all about. A blue gray one walked up to me.
"Sox, welcome to Starclan."
000
I just realized that all my warriors stories so far have ended with a cat dying. When I finish my other stories, I'll write happier longer ones.
Maybe. R and R!
