Varjak and Holly strolled together slowly, in no real hurry to be anywhere. Varjak couldn't wait to tell Tam the good news. He was going to be a father. The thought had never occured to him before today, but he liked the sound of it.
He kept stealing glances at Holly, who occasionally caught him in the act. He would flash her a smile and brush himself against her black and white fur. Sometimes she would smile back, but she still looked troubled.
Varjak leaped in front of her suddenly, stopping her. She dropped the mouse that she'd been holding. She looked startled.
"Come on, Holly!" He said, butting heads with her gently. "This is great news. I'm so happy. I want you to be happy too."
Holly smiled and let Varjak gaze into her eyes for a moment. "I am happy." She thought. "See?" Varjak could see. Her excitement was almost visible in her mind. It was warm and bubbly and soft, but very strong. He could also see fear. She was beyond scared. She was terrified.
"Don't be scared." Varjak murmured, leaving her eyes. It seemed easier every time. "Everything will be okay."
"I know." Holly said softly. She shook her head. "I'm just being paranoid. Don't let me bring you down." A true smile spread across her face. "I really am excited. I was going to figure out some way to tell you soon, I swear." She stepped around Varjak and continued walking, after picking up the mouse. He fell into step beside her.
"Oh blast it, Varjak!" He tried to imitate Holly. "I'm pregnant...and why are you dancing?"
Holly raised an eyebrow. He quickly read her thoughts.
"You would have danced?"
"I feel like dancing now!" He exclaimed. Holly threw back her head and laughed when he swung his rump back and forth in a happy jig. She nearly dropped the mouse in her amusement.
"Well isn't this a surprise?" A hostile, bitter voice made Varjak and Holly both turn quickly on their heels. Varjak cursed himself silently for not using his Awareness. He had forgotten, somehow, in his happiness that the city was still an incredibly dangerous place.
It was Luger. The big cat's scarred face was calm. He was sitting comfortably on a wall behind the pair. Varjak drew his lip back in a snarl. He let is tail stand tall and hostile. The fur along his spine bristled.
"Hey, Jackie." The striped male drawled. He licked one paw and drew it over his ear, as if having a chat with a friend. His blatant disrespect surprised Varjak.
"You're not allowed to come here,Luger, you know that." He challenged the grey cat. Luger would always be bigger than Varjak. He knew that now. But he could still fight. Varjak withdrew his claws from their sheaths.
"So?" Luger replied casually. "You touch me, and you will die."
Varjak was confused. He tried not to let it show.
"You were exiled with the rest of Bones' cats. Get out of here." Varjak tossed his head. Luger didn't budge.
"Hmph. Nice seeing you, Holly. You look well. Kind of fat. Are you pregnant?"
Varjak growled. Luger ignored him.
"None of your business, you rat." Holly snapped angrily. Her own claws had come out. Varjak stepped in front of her. He wasn't going to let her fight. She spoke around him. "You know the law. Leave now or go down like your boss."
Luger chuckled and leaped heavily from the wall. His eyes were as emotionless as ever, aside from black pupils narrowed down to slits. Varjak started breathing deeply.
In...two three...four.
The world started to slow. He felt his body shimmering with power and strength.
Out...two three...four.
Luger kept coming, not backing down from the powerful cat. Varjak breathed deeply. He could feel energy in his own breath, hot and strong. He lashed out at Luger, hooking his claws deep into the grey cat's scarred face.
Luger recoiled. His cheek was dripping with blood now. His expressionless eyes flashed for the first time. Varjak snarled again.
"Now leave!" He commanded, positioning himself in front of Holly again. She growled behind him viciously, backing him up.
"Never." Luger said, and lunged for Varjak. The Mesopotamian Blue was caught off guard. He hadn't expected this.
Luger's weight nearly crushed the smaller cat. He silently prayed that Holly would stay out of the sudden fight. Varjak thrust his hind legs hard into the big cat's soft belly. He was thrown off of Varjak with a satisfying grunt.
Varjak arched his back and wreathed like a snake, stretching his muscles to their fullest extent, and then a little further. His Moving Circle stunned Luger, who had been making an advance.
The cat faltered. Varjak took the opportunity to let him have it. He blasted his enemy with a barrage of savage teeth and claws. Luger stumbled and fell.
And then, suddenly, they were everywhere. Out of the shadows came cats, big and burly, muscular and strong. Varjak counted seven of them. They rained down upon him, shattering his Moving Circle. His defenses were down.
Varjak was smothering under hot, heavy fur. He breathed in deeply, falling into Slow Time. He could hear the cats panting with effort as they battled him. He felt their fur and skin tear under his sharp claws. And he heard-
"Get off of me!" Holly was snapping. Luger cried out in pain, but hit her in the next moment. Varjak heard it all. He was furious. The small cat tore through the attack with an anger he had never felt before. Many of the cats fell back in fear.
Varjak felt sharp claws tearing through his shoulder. He was jolted from slow time with a howl of pain. An orange tom cat was overpowering him, its brute force had the wind knocked from his lungs.
He saw a black and white blur, a hissing tornado of claws battle the cat away from him. It was replaced with another. Varjak knew instantly that this one wasn't quite as strong as the other. Varjak stumbled away and executed a Moving Circle. He twisted and turned and tumbled. The cat couldn't get through.
And then, he released it as he had on Luger. He and his assailant came together and fell apart moments later. The cat turned tail and ran for its life.
Varjak glanced around and realized that he and Holly were the only ones left in the alley. Everyone was gone. There was blood everywhere. A lot of it was coming from Varjak's injured shoulder.
Both cats were breathing hard. Holly snorted when she had caught her breath.
"Cowards. Attacking us unprovoked."
Varjak limped over to the black and white cat to inspect her scratches. She had a nasty one on her chest, but was otherwise fine.
"Did Luger do that?" Varjak asked, gritting his teeth at the thought.
"Yeah. But I gave him worse than that. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up looking like his one-eyed Boss." Her ears flattened.
"That's my girl." Varjak said as she licked the blood from his shoulder. He was suddenly jolted with a frightening thought.
"Holly!" He pulled away from her. "How are you feeling?" His heart was beating fast now. He had sworn to keep Holly from the fight, but it had found her.
"I'm fine, Varjak." She said reassuringly. "I promise."
"Don't do that again, okay? No more fighting." He pressed his muzzle to her cheek. She rolled her eyes.
"Now, don't you start babying me." She snapped. There's the Holly he knew and loved. They shared a smile. Everything was okay.
"Come on." Holly told him. "Let's get out of here before those thugs come back."
And with that, she and Varjak Paw limped home together.
"So, Luger's got his own gang now?" Tam was saying. She was in awe.
Varjak and Holly had made it back to the alleys some time before her. They had fallen asleep together and woken to find Tam panicking. Both of her best friends were unconsious and bleeding.
They, along with Ozzie and Omar, had calmed the distraught brown cat eventually, and had just finished explaining the attack to her. They were all sprawled together on their bellies.
Tam was munching on her mouse, happy to have it. There had been plenty to eat at the restaurant, she reported, but the walk home had made her hungry.
"We don't know for sure if he's the boss or not." Holly answered Tam's question.
"Yeah," Omar put in. "but they did defend him."
"Gang cats are selfish. They look out for themselves, unless its their leader." Ozzie said, nodding. "He's probably the boss."
"Well then." Varjak said. "I guess that's settled. Now we just have to watch our tails until we can figure out what they want."
"Territory." Omar said.
"Revenge." Ozzie added.
"Our food." Tam groaned. "We should just get the dog pack to come eat them up."
Everyone laughed. Tam would always be Tam.
Ozzie cleared his throat.
"So, you two. How was the rest of your day?"
Varjak and Holly looked at each other. Neither of them had forgotten the good news, or that they were ready to deliver it to their friends.
"Looks like they had a good time." Omar wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Perhaps we shouldn't push."
"Oh, no, you can push all you want." Holly said dismissively. She waved a paw. "Nothing we need to hide."
Varjak nodded seriously. He concentrated on hiding his smile. "Really, she's right. No hiding here. Go ahead, you can pry."
Ozzie and Omar glanced at each other in surprise.
Tam perked her ears and cocked her head to the side. She had finished the mouse and was watching her friends curiously.
"You two are acting weird." She said slowly.
"Okay. I'll bite. What's going on?" Ozzie asked.
"Now I'm sure that we don't want to know." Omar muttered. Varjak caught his eye. The golden cat winked. Varjak almost broke the act with a smile.
"Trust me, you want to know." Varjak said, maintaining his seriousness. He glanced at Holly. Her whiskers were twitching. Her excitement was beginning to show. Varjak wondered how obvious he was.
"Something's up." Omar peered at the rooftops overhead. "Is something going to drop down on us? Do I need to move?"
Varjak and Holly both shook their heads.
"Nope. Nothing coming from above." Varjak said.
"Well. Depends on how you look at it." Holly added.
"Oh yeah! Some do say-" Varjak began.
"That's the legend alright." Holly finished his sentence.
"I think they're broken." Tam furrowed her brow. "Luger hit them on the head."
Omar held out a paw to silence her. "Wait. So...something is coming?" He asked.
The pair nodded seriously.
"You got it." Holly said.
"Something's coming alright." Varjak added.
"And it may or may not come from above." Ozzie mused.
"No, they said that bit's a legend, isn't that right Holly?" Tam butted in. She smiled in a friendly way. She had no clue.
"That would mean that it's not a bird." Ozzie said. "I thought for a while that it was a bird."
"How did this come from asking about their day?" Tam wrinkled her nose. "Did you two spend today working on a surprise for us?"
"Hmm..." Varjak pretended to think long and hard about the question.
"Oh, we definitly have a surprise." Holly said, dangling the information just out of reach of Tam's understanding. Tam flattened her ears with frustration and lashed her tail. Holly and Varjak shared another glance. They were having fun teasing their friends, but they were both bursting to give the secret away.
"It's Holly's work, really." Varjak played along. "But she's been at it for a little longer than just today."
"Not much longer." She responded, wrapping her tail around Varjak's. It was Omar who noticed the gesture. He grinned hugely, but kept the realization to himself.
"Um..." Ozzie closed one eye. "You've been working on a surprise together. It's coming from above, but not really. It's not a bird. Holly's in charge of it."
Tam gasped suddenly. All eyes landed on the fat brown cat. Her green eyes had widened and her mouth was open.
"Holly!" She practically yelped. "You're pregnant!"
"Finally!" Holly exclaimed. She and Varjak released the smiles that they'd been holding back. Varjak placed a paw on Holly's. "We practically had to feed it to you." She rolled her multicolored eyes in a good natured kind of way.
Omar and Ozzie were on their feet now, howling their excitement wildly. Tam was laughing. There were tears in her eyes.
"Aha!" Omar threw back his head and laughed with Tam. He pulled her in for a hug and danced with her. "I knew it!"
Varjak was happy. Happier than he'd ever been before. He had good friends, plenty of food to eat, and Holly was having his kittens. He felt as if he would burst with joy at any moment. He wanted to tell everyone now, everyone needed to know the good news!
But no. Not everyone needed to know. The less who knew of his family, the better. Luger would surely seek to harm. Varjak was shaken from his thoughts by Ozzie's big paw clapped around his shoulder. The shaggy cat was grinning from ear to ear.
"Congrats, Varjak!" He enthused. "Knowing you, and knowing Holly, she probably didn't tell you until today." He gave a deep throated laugh, and then he was serious.
"Luger's gonna be after you." He told Varjak, who looked away. "Does he know?"
"He only knows what he assumes." Holly answered for Varjak. Everyone was silent now, tension permeated the air. Varjak knew what he had to do, as much as it pained him. He needed to protect his family.
"Varjak!" Holly said desperately. "I don't mind telling Tam and the Twins about us, but your family is a totally different story. They hate me. I mean- Really, really hate me! You know that!"
Holly had been protesting all the way to the hill. Tam had sorely refused to come along. She had stayed behind with Ozzie and Omar. Varjak turned to Holly.
"They don't care for me either." He said, nuzzling her ear comfortingly. She grumbled under her breath.
"That doesn't help anything."
Varjak sighed softly. He didn't want Holly to be unhappy, but he did want to keep her safe. If dragging her to the house on the hill did the trick, then that's what he was going to do.
"I was raised there, Holly. It's boring. Nothing ever happens. It will be a nice, safe place to have our family." Holly said nothing. "When they're old enough, we'll come back home. I promise."
Holly gazed at the hill thoughtfully.
"If you say it's for the best, I believe you." She said finally. "I just hope that your family isn't horrid to our kittens."
Varjak was afraid of this himself, but he didn't want Holly to know that. Instead, he gave her forehead a few reassuring licks.
"They won't be. We're going to have the most amazing children in the world, they won't have a choice but to love them."
Holly gave a small smile.
"I know I do. Now come on. I think it's going to rain."
She was right. The first drops began to fall heavily before they had made it halfway up the hill, and by the time they reached the top, it was pouring. Varjak could hardly see his paws in front of him. He and Holly laboured up the brick wall, which was slippery and covered in moss. Many times it crumbled under Varjak's paws, making him slip.
They sat on the top to rest for only a moment before racing to the house. The two cats leaped through the window without a second thought, only wanting to escape the downpour outside.
Varjak shook his silver blue fur out in all directions. Holly did the same beside him. It was then that they realized that they had a tiny audience. A small Mesopotamian Blue Kitten with wide green eyes was watching them in awe.
Varjak gave him a friendly smile.
"Hello. May I speak to your parents?" He asked gently. The poor thing was terrified. It raced away in silence. He wondered if it was a brother of his.
Varjak shivered. His wet fur was chilling him to the bone. He pressed himself to Holly's side, hoping that she was faring better. She rolled her eyes.
"If they come in here and catch you with me..." She whispered. "You need to ease them into things gently, Varjak." She pulled away only slightly. The two cats were no longer touching.
Varjak could hear voices now. He perked his ears eagerly. He hadn't seen his family in a long time. He wondered if they had changed in any way, aside from the new kitten.
"See! I wasn't lying. There are two cats here!" The kitten was squeaking excitedly. He bounced into the room ahead of everyone, and then remembered that he was supposed to be afraid. When he set eyes on Varjak and Holly, he retreated behind a pair of bigger paws.
"Varjak?" An aging cat at the head of the parade called disbelievingly. His green eyes were as wide and curious as the kitten's. Varjak saw Holly shrink a bit at the sight of the regal Blues.
"Hello, Father." Varjak said. He was certain that he was quite the sight to see. He was soaking wet, and he was covered in scars.
"Varjak!" Another voice called. A younger cat, thick and muscular, rushed forward. His eyes were alight with excitement upon seeing his lost brother.
"Julius!" Varjak countered with a smile. Holly was behind him now. No one had noticed her yet. He let his silver tail rest on her shoulders reassuringly.
A clamour arose. Mother and Varjak's younger brothers were chattering amongst themselves excitedly. Varjak is back! It's Varjak! He's come from far away, look! He got caught in a storm.
Varjak did not see his aunt, but he recognized Cousin Jasmine. The little kitten clung to her. She was whispering comforts to him.
"Varjak." Father looked confused. "We haven't seen you since last spring. What brings you here, Son?"
"Are you well?" Mother called out.
"I am, I am very well." Varjak nodded curtly and cleared his throat. He felt Holly stiffen under his tail.
"The city is wonderful. I love my home." He began. "But I have...a lot to be concerned about right now. The city isn't very safe. So, I was hoping that we, meaning-"
"We?" Father broke Varjak's sentence at the same moment that Mother noticed Holly.
"You've brought your friend." She said, stepping forward.
"Ah...hi there." Holly said, sounding rather awkward. "Just tagging along, don't mind me." She crept from her hiding place behind Varjak and gave a toothy smile.
Both Father and Mother cast suspicious glances between Holly and Varjak.
"You know Holly." He said, reintroducing the black and white cat to the Blues. They stared blankly. Not in an unfriendly way, but simpy shocked that Varjak hadn't made his homecoming alone.
"We need a place to stay." He said softly. He didn't want to sound like he was barging into their home uninvited.
"Of course." It was Julius that answered, sounding sure of himself, but not quite as friendly as he had moments ago. "That is, if you offer an explanation." His eyes were narrowed to slits. Varjak had forgotten that his older brother was head of the family.
Varjak let out a gusty sigh. He had a bad feeling that he would regret this later. He looked at Holly, who was studying her muddy claws. She was flexing and watching them as if they had become the most interesting things in the world.
"Holly is pregnant. She and I are having kittens." He closed his eyes and listened to the chorus of astonished gasps that had risen across the room.
"What's going on? What! Tell me!" The kitten was squeaking in the uproar.
"What?" One brother, Jay, gasped. His voice had deepened.
"Impossible!" Jerome echoed.
"Only you, Varjak." Father shook his head slowly.
"Need I remind you all, that Holly is the reason why you are still alive today?" Varjak looked at his father. "Jumal? Julius? Jethro? Can any of you deny this? She is more noble than any cat with 'pure blood'."
Every blue head bowed in defeat, save the kitten, who was still pestering his mother to answer him, and Julius, who was still watching his brother in shock and anger. Varjak gazed into his eyes challengingly.
"If you refuse us, we will leave." He said. "We came here looking for security. I will not fight you."
Julius finally dropped his green eyes.
"We owe you both our lives. You are welcome here." He said, sounding almost sad. "Our door is always open." And with that, he turned and walked away.
Varjak released a breath he had been holding. He looked at the rest of his family. They were still standing, watching him with bewildered expressions on their silver-blue faces. Varjak had betrayed them in a way that they had never expected.
Father turned to follow Julius from the room.
"Don't expect a warm welcome from me, Varjak Paw." He muttered under his breath as he passed his son. Varjak's spirits fell, then rose again when he realized that he had faced his family, and aquired a safe place for Holly to give birth.
He had done the unthinkable.
The family was dispersing now. They were reluctantly creeping away to another room, presumably following Julius. Varjak was soon left alone with Holly, which was more than he had expected. The Blues were too shocked to speak to him.
"Well." Holly said eventually, looking at Varjak. "That went horrible." Her voice was laced with a sarcastic, fake cheer.
Varjak imitated her eye roll.
"They didn't lecture us." He offered.
"They will." Holly said stubbornly.
"But we're safe."
"Not from foul mouths and big heads." Holly returned.
Varjak changed the subject. "You need rest."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do." Varjak smirked. "If you rest for me, I'll show you the best place in the entire house to hide from the big heads."
Holly perked her ears.
"You can do that?" She said in surprise.
"If you rest I can."
"Fine." Holly growled. "Lead the way."
"Are you sure about this?" Holly was saying. The two had ascended as high into the house as they possibly could be. They were standing in the dusty attic side by side. The place was crowded with ancient human junk.
"It's filthy up here." Varjak said proudly. "When I was a kitten, this was my favorite place to hide from Mom and Dad and Julius." He kicked up a tiny cloud of thick dust to emphasize the point.
"See?"
Holly laughed. Her gravelly voice echoed pleasantly among the rafters.
"You've outdone yourself this time. It's perfect."
Varjak bowed.
"Thank you, thank you. Now you've got to hold your end of the bargain." He said.
"I am a little tired." Holly admitted.
"I knew it." Varjak smiled.
The two poked around the attic for a while before settling down together in one dusty corner. Varjak rolled onto his back and batted Holly's face playfully.
"Hey, Holly?" He began. When she looked at him, he spoke again. "Can I go into your head again? Please?" He felt silly for even wanting to ask.
Holly slapped his paw down onto his chest and locked eyes with him, but didn't let him in.
"Why?" She said shortly.
"I want to feel the kittens again." He mumbled. Holly's eyes glinted invitingly. He melted easily into them.
And there it was.