FAIRIES IN THE WILD

CHAPTER 1

A small she-cat sat curled up in her lumpy cat basket. Her chin resting against the rim of it, small chain rubbing her fur the wrong way, as she watched her human fill her food dish with tasteless dry pellets.

She'd had that dream again, sitting out in the forest in a moon washed clearing, staring up at the stars. Then they had moved, swirling around her until the star's formed cats surrounding her. They spoke words to her, but she had never been able to make any of them out.

Then that would be the end, she would wake up in the stuffy kitchen cramped in her uncomfortable bed with a thin chain around her neck.

The chain was silver and very light, and a small golden key hung down from it. Another thing she had noticed, was she was free of the chain, yet the golden key that was latched to it was by her paws.

Lulu climbed out of her cat basket and trotted over towards her newly filled dish. Her belly growled at the thought of food, but just thinking about having to swallow another mouthful was dissatisfying. Instead, Lulu padded towards the backdoor and slipped through the cat flap. It snapped shut behind her, barely missing her tail. She hated the confinements of the big house she lived in, so much preferring to be outside.

The moon shone brightly outside, much like it had done in her dreams, though, it did not have the same effect on her garden as it did in the clearing.

She sniffed around, but nothing interesting caught her sense, so she turned her attention towards the tall dark wooden fence that lined the perimeter of her garden.

She headed towards that, and once close enough, haled herself up it till she was at the top, sitting on the thin bit of wood.

There was a small stretch of long grass between the fences that lined the gardens, until the trees that boarded the forest.

Somewhere out there; was the place from her dreams.

She wanted to find it. To see if the stars would fall to her. But she was too nervous to do so.

So instead, she tipped her head back at stared at the stars in the dark blue night sky. They glistened like tiny drops of rain caught on a spiders web. She loved to spend hours, just gazing up at the stars, sitting still and wouldn't move until her owners called her to come in, she felt so free when she was able to just bask in the sight of the stars, it was an indescribable feeling but it made her feel… unbounded to her owners, to the house, to be free.

Something suddenly caught her attention, drawing it away from the dazzling stars, towards the forest. There was something out there, something watching her.

A burst of sudden spirit coursed through her small body, willing her to jump down and find what it was. To find the place from her dreams.

She tensed her muscles, crouching preparing to spring down.

"Lulu, where do you think you're going!" a shrill call sounded, it caught her by surprise and she fell forwards from the fence. She landed in an ungraceful heap, the key on her collar swinging around madly.

Lulu jumped to her paws and turned, looking for who had caused her to fall from her perch.

It was Spetto, an elderly dark purple cat who lived next door to her, she was standing unsteadily on the fence, looking down at her with wide worried extremely dark blue eyes.

Spetto acted like a mother towards Lulu, always threating and worrying about her safety and lecturing her. But was also her only friend.

"I was going to go and explore," Lulu replied, sitting down in the grass that separated the fences from the forest and curling her tail over her small paws.

"Don't even think about it, get back up here, its dangerous out there," Spetto snapped, her eyes darting about anxiously, as if waiting for an attack at any moment.

"I'll be fine, I won't stay out long, there's just something I need to check out," Lulu argued gently, trying to get the old cat to see reason.

"Deary, there's nothing out there that a kitten like you needs to 'check out'," Spetto, flicked her tail, gesturing her to join her back on the fence. However, Lulu made no move to go back.

"No, Spetto, I really need to do this… I don't know what it is, but it's like something's drawing me towards it," Lulu tried miserably to explain to the old cat, but she couldn't quite explain why it was she needed to go.

Spetto looked doubtful for a few moments before sighing, twitching her ear and tipping her head to one side.

"There never was any point in arguing with you, please stay safe Lu," Spetto purred, yet narrowed her eyes in worry for her closet friend.

"I won't, I'll see you soon Spetto!" Lulu called, before turning tail and trotting happily toward the thick trees that bordered the forest, Spetto watched until she had disappeared from sight before jumping back down into her on garden while shaking her head.

Lulu had only taken a few strides into the forest, before something red and bushy caught her brown eyes.

The rancid smell of rotten meat hit her sensitive nose and she stumbled back. It ate meat that's for sure, Lulu felt worry shoot through her, making the fur along her spine and tail rise, what if it ate her?

It wasn't a cat or dog, that's for sure, Lulu had never seen anything quite like this, and she wanted to stay away from it. Slowly, she backed away, keeping her eyes on the red fur, then suddenly it was whisked away. She lost sight of it, and began to panic, what if it tried to sneak up behind her?

She heard a sound behind her and spun around, there it was, it was going to get her. The rustling got louder and closer, it didn't take her long to realise if she stayed there any longer she'd die.

The creature came at her like a bomb and Lulu was thrown backwards into brambles, the attacker gripped to her back, she felt a searing heat burning her where there was pressure on her back, and for a moment she could have sworn she could smell smoke. She wiggled this way and that but the claws digging into her only seemed to sink deeper. She forced her mind to slow, and the first thing that came into her head was incredibly stupid, yet the only thing she thought would work.

She fell back, onto her back, though she was only small and light, it had taken the creature by surprise. The claws in her fur loosened their grip, and she managed to spring free.

She didn't even bother to look back, to see what had attacked her. All instincts told her to run. Yet the fast beat of heavy paw steps warned her that her attacker was chasing her.

Lulu quickly realised if she kept going, she'd lead the creature right to her best friend, Spetto, this creature would easily be able to kill the old she-cat.

She had no choice, out of pure stupidity, she stopped dead and spun around, to face her attacker head on.

Her attacker was another kitten. A very odd looking one at that. He had a salmon pink pelt, with fiery red and orange markings licking their way up each leg like flames, the same pattern on his ear tips and half way up his tail. Black eyes narrowed, as he charged on, but widened in surprise as he saw she had stopped, he quickly recovered his shock and rammed into her.

Lulu gaped at the impact and bunched her muscles, ready to do the next most stupidest thing in her short life, attack back.

However, before she could do so, the tom sat down and began to lick his paw like nothing had happened. She saw extremely sharp claws, still unsheathed from their quick scuffle.

Now he had calmed down, she saw that he did indeed have black eyes, it had not been her imagination, and he also had some sort of object around his neck, something she had never seen before.

She continued to stand there, stiff and tail lashing with nerves. The tom seemed to have finally noticed this, as he stopped mid lick and looked at her.

"Sup kitty!" he meowed, way too excitedly to the cat he had just been attacking like he was going to kill her. "You're quite good, for a female house cat" he returned to grooming his oddly pigmented fur.

"You could have killed me!" Lulu cried suddenly, angry at the fact he could go from begin so aggressive to so friendly.

"Yeah, could have," he retorted. "But I didn't, now if you had been Icepaw then I would have!" he lashed his tail as he mentioned, what Lulu thought to be someone, however she didn't understand why anyone would be called such a stupid name.

"I'm Flamepaw, what's your name?" he added thoughtfully.

She stared at Flamepaw, 'what odd names these cats have' she thought, still glaring at the offending pink tom.

"Lulu," she replied tensely.

"Nice to meet you Luigi! I'm training to be a Fairy Tail warrior, how cool is that? Fairy Tail's the best clan there is, the others are stupid and dull and weak. We're strong, and can defeat anyone in a fight 'cause we're the best clan!" he rambled on. Lulu remained silent, staring at him with interest, deciding to ignore the name he'd called her.

She'd heard of the clans before, there were four main ones out there, but there where other's, she she'd often wondered what it would be like to join one when gazing at the stars. But she'd never been brave enough to enter the forest until now.

Now that she thought about it, she should have guessed that this cat would have been part of one of the clans. She heard that they were great fighters, strong, huge, sharp teeth and claws. This kitten had certainly proved they were strong and had sharp claws.

"What where you doing out here anyway, it's dangerous, if you'd come across a Phantom they would have ripped you to shreds, ate you then asked questions," he said that, way too seriously. Lulu gently licked her chest fur before replying.

"I wanted to explore… and besides, if you're the only thing prowling about at night, then I think I can survive," Lulu pointed out.

Flamepaw purred in amusement. "You're not all that bad Lu."

Lulu ruffled up her fur and hissed lightly. "I suppose you're not half bad," she grudgingly agreed.

"You should come join the clan! It's so amazing, being free, not having to live by any rules to be your own cat, fresh kill not slop or rabbit droppings, the fresh wind in your whiskers…" Flamepaw trailed off, getting lost in his own words.

Lulu stiffened, she had always imagined it, always wondered what it would be like… but to leave her home… "I don't know…"

Before Flamepaw could reply, he stiffened, raising his head to sniff the air. "Quick, go! I smell cats from my clan!" he hissed, shoving against her.

But she reacted too late, before she could do as instructed, a firm yet warm voice called out behind them. Lulu turned to see a cat, no bigger than her, strolling towards them from the bushes. He was a dusky gold, nothing like the bold colour she was, and clearly aging with grey flecks in his coat.

"Smallstar!" Flamepaw greeted, tipping his head to the side, staring at him wide eyed. "But what are you-" his words where cut of as a second cat followed. She was brilliant scarlet red and had pricing brown eyes, she was clearly angry at the tom beside Lulu.

Flamepaw cried out and ducked behind Lulu the moment he spotted her, "Armourheart! Lu save me," he crouched down low to the ground, shaking violently.

Lulu was dumbstruck, she had no clue what to think at that moment.

"Flamepaw, you shouldn't be here, I should fail your assignment right now," Armourheart snapped, lashing her tail as her eyes narrowed at the cowering tom.

"Armourheart, calm down, Flamepaw, what reason do you have to be here?" Smallstar flicked his tail in front of the red pelted she-cat to tell her to step down.

"Funny story, I was hunting this mouse, then I smelt this little kitty here, so I followed the sent, attacked, chased and then we chatted a bit," Flamepaw purred nervously as he finished explaining.

Little kitty? what sort of game was this cat playing at? Lulu bristled, but held back.

"Yes, who might you be?" Smallstar turned his dark green eyes on Lulu. Even though this cat was so small, she still felt afraid of him, sensing he was a lot more powerful than he looked.

"Lulu, I was exploring until this lump jumped me," Lulu retorted. Flamepaw squeaked behind her, and Lulu didn't understand why, until Armourheart stepped forwards.

"How dare you speak to our leader like that!" she hissed.

"Armourheart, back away," Smallstar sighed. "Lulu, I'm sorry for the trouble Flamepaw caused you. Yet I did happen to observe the way you reacted. You did well for someone with no training what so ever. You crushed him, even though he is bigger and stronger than you, and even when he chased you, you stood your ground," Smallstar looked thoughtful as he praised her.

Lulu's eyes widened at his words, and she couldn't help but feel some sort of pride. Flamepaw tapped her back leg and when she turned to look down at the still shaking tom, he was smirking at her as if to say 'you're welcome'.

"Flamepaw, though attacking unnecessarily, you did well," he had turned his gaze on the crouched tom and nodded at him.

"Flamepaw, for Mavis' sake stop being such a cowered, get up, you're making Fairy Tail look bad, hiding behind a kitty pet," Armourheart sighed as she glared at the pink tom.

"Aye," he mumbled, before slinking back beside Lulu and raising into a sitting position. 'Just what had this cat so scared of her?' Lulu wondered, intrigued by Flamepaw's behaviour.

"I often see you sitting on your fence, gazing at the stars, looking into our forest with such wonder in your eyes. I see you could no longer hold off your curiosity," Smallstar spoke with something unnameable in his eyes as he stared intently at Lulu.

"Smallstar, send her home, the forest is no place for a soft she-cat such as her," Armourheart demanded, her eyes flickered from Smallstar, to Lulu, then to Flamepaw then back again.

"What?" Lulu looked slightly taken aback by the she-cats harsh words. Sure, she may not live wild like these cats do, that there was no need to be so rude about it.

"Armourheart is right Lulu, these forests are no place for a kitty pet like yourself, you're lucky its Flamepaw you ran into and not one of our other… less understanding, warriors," Smallstar had a look of shame in his eyes when he spoke of his warriors not being so understanding.

"But-" Lulu was cut off before she could utter even her second word.

"However, you show much potential, and although I can make no guaranty, you could turn into a fine warrior… would you like to join Fairy Tail?"