Chapter Eleven
"Not long after I was born, twolegs began visiting our house folk's nest," I whispered. "Mother taught me how to act around them- purr, rub against their legs, and lick their hands occasionally. She told me that I would be leaving soon, and I had to be on my best behavior so that I could find good house folk to take me in. A few different twoleg families came through, playing with me and stroking my fur. Then, one day, a family decided they wanted me as their kittypet. They took me to a new den, and even though I didn't know where to find Violet, I was happy. Things were good."
I paused, memories crashing through my mind like water from a broken dam. A twoleg kit stroking me as she closed her eyes for the night. A small male playing ball with me. The parents smiling down as they fed me the crunchy pellets for dinner.
Finally, Ravenpaw broke the silence. "Then what?" he wondered quietly.
I sighed. "My uncles," I growled.
"Hoot and Jumper?" Ravenpaw demanded, stiffening.
"I think so," I muttered, "but they went by Snake and Ice."
"That's definitely them," he meowed stiffly. "What do they have to do with this?"
"Everything," I murmured. "I couldn't have been more than four moons old when my twolegs decided to leave the den for the day. I think I heard them meow something about water." I shrugged. "Anyways, I was curious. I had never explored my house folk's territory alone before. I had only seen bits in the back. I had never even climbed to the top of the fence. So once they were gone, I squeezed out of the open window in the back. I hopped down and rolled around in the garden, chased bugs across the lawn, and lounged in the shade beneath the tree. I had never felt so free, so alive. I thought I was having the best day of my life. I had almost convinced myself to attempt the climb up the tall, wooden fence, when they showed up.
"I noticed two cats sitting on my twolegs' fence. I had never seen them around before. With the bravery of a kit, I confronted them for trespassing. Ice scrambled down quickly, closely followed by Snake. That's when I realized I had made a mistake. These cats weren't just any cats, they were BloodClan cats.
"'Trespassing?' Ice echoed, mock surprise thick in his voice. I felt my blood go cold.
"'Are you really going to chase away your own kin?' Snake spat.
"I remember freezing at his words. I glanced back and forth between Snake and Ice. 'Kin?' I repeated.
"'Hardly,' Snake had snarled. 'Your mother betrayed us, her own brothers.' The world seemed to tilt. My mother had been part of BloodClan?
"'She couldn't handle the lifestyle,' Ice agreed with a hiss. 'She left us to become a kittypet! She was weak, and I'm sure she taught you to be the same.'
"Something in me snapped. 'I am not weak,' I snarled. 'And neither is my mother!'
"Danger glinted in Ice's eyes. 'Oh, really?' he taunted, drawing out his claws. 'Prove it.' Then he attacked. It wasn't much of a fight. Within moments, he had me pinned. 'Not weak, eh?' he jeered. 'I should kill you now, but I won't, because you're kin. Isn't that right, Snake?'
"'That's right!' Snake sneered. 'Kin can also be…useful.'
"'What do you want from me?' I gasped, blood soaking my pelt.
"'Snake and I need a little help with food,' Ice meowed casually, as if we were discussing this over milk.
"'Fine!' I panted. 'I'll bring my bowl out. You can eat as much as you want.'
"They purred without amusement. 'We don't eat kittypet food!' Snake spat.
"I taught myself how to hunt after that. I snuck away from my nest in the afternoons, gathering as much as I could in a nearby forest. They visited every night after my house folk were asleep. If I didn't catch enough…, well, they'd give me a mark to remember. And more often than not, they did." The old scars seemed to burn into my fur, each with a story of failed attempts and blood-thirsty claws.
I felt Ravenpaw press into my side and realized I was trembling. I wanted more than anything to turn my face into his soft pelt and hide from the terrible memories, but now that I had started my story, I couldn't stop. I had to finish. "Soon, it was leaf-bare, and prey was scarce. I wasn't finding enough food to satisfy their hunger. After days of poor haul, they grew impatient. They threatened to end my life if I didn't catch enough by the next day. I stalked the forest all day long and well into the night, but I only found a mangy squirrel. So I did the only thing I could do: I ran away. I've been wandering as a rogue ever since."
"You've been alone since you were a kit?" Ravenpaw demanded.
I opened my eyes slowly and nodded.
"And you snapped at us because you thought we'd betray you to your uncles?" he checked.
"Yes," I whispered hoarsely.
"We would never do that to you," he meowed softly. "Do you honestly think we're anything like them?"
I shook my head. "No, but Barley is their brother. Doesn't that mean something?"
"No," Ravenpaw disagreed firmly. "We've fallen out with those two before. They won't be showing their sorry faces here anytime soon."
I peeked up at Ravenpaw's fiery green eyes. When they met mine, however, they softened. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," I mumbled.
His gaze was sympathetic. "You were scared," he murmured.
I nodded meekly. "Terrified."
"I understand," he meowed, staring off into the distance.
"What do you mean?" I wondered, curious.
Ravenpaw glanced at me and smiled a strained smile. "It's a long story," he warned.
I grinned. "I have time."
A/N: ._. I am so sorry! I can't believe I left for over a month. But I am back. I will update this at least every other day until it is complete. Can you guys forgive me for leaving? c: As always, please review!
