Hello 2017! It is kind of amazing, actually, to think that I started writing in 2013 and it's already four years later...

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Chapter 19: Fight Or Flee

The dry wind whizzed over the landscape, catching the dry stalks of grass and rustling them and crunching them against each other. The sun seemed more distant than previously, though it still shed warm light over the valley. The rich scents were gone, replaced by a wilting, receding taste as the undergrowth died back and the trees started appearing worn and weary.

The height of green-leaf had passed, and with it, the hope of most cats for a brighter future.

Nearly a moon since the cats from beyond the crescent arch-way in the mountain- they called themselves 'StarReaders'- had simultaneously taken control of both the Ivy Cats and Python's cats without a struggle, and the situation had only continued to grow worse for almost every cat.

Not so for Jay. She lived that moon as if it were a perfect dream that would never end. Away in her thick green walled den, she spent days on end with only her kits- leaving them only to hunt, drink, and make dirt. Her kits grew quickly, and within days of being brought to her den they were opening their eyes and speaking their first words.

They opened their eyes- at first robin-egg blue but then changing into their own colors. Flint had her own dark blue eyes while Ice and Hail each had a matching pair of green eyes. The kits learned to walk, to play, and learned about the outside world from stories Jay would tell them in the den as long dark shadows encircled the valley. Before long, they were romping around in the meadow outside the den and always begging her to take them with her when she hunted.

Jay adored them. Every night she slept like she hadn't in moons, their soft fur against her belly and their sweet scent in her nose. And every morning she woke purring as she watched over their sleeping, squirming, bodies until they awoke.

Their was a light of worship in their eyes as they watched her return with a massive hare or impressive bird, three pairs of round, bright eyes staring from the darkness, Jay felt their love. Every time they complained when she washed them clean, but stood still anyways, she knew they loved her. When they whispered little secrets in her ear, she knew she loved them.

But even that dreamlike moon was not without its own troubles and worries. The night Jay had returned to her den, exhausted and falling asleep with her kits on a moss nest that- a moon ago- had been perfect but which was now rough and smelly, Amelia had woken her with perturbing news.

Python was dead and strange cats had come and conquered all on the battlefield. The Ivy Cats, Python's cats, the cats from the Mountain pass, everyone. Somehow, cats they hadn't even known existed, managed in one evening become the most powerful group in the valley.

Jay wasn't particularly sad about Python's death, it was more of a loss to the valley than to her. The news of this new force brought up worrisome issues though. Jay had little doubt that this group were the rumored occult cats that she had brushed to the back of her mind as a fairytale.

But now she could surmise that these were also the cats from beyond the crescent arch that she had briefly fought before being brought back to the valley with hardly any memory of what had transpired beyond the arch. The first difficulty that was brought up was, how did they even know what was going on in the valley?

Had they frequently come to the valley, they would have been notice. nd the signal of attack- her leaving the Ivy Cats- had been given not even a whole day in advance of the battle. So how had they known when the fight would happen if they were tucked away secretly in the mountains? It was obvious they had planned on the fight to be able to conquer the cats without any risk to themselves.

Unfortunately, Jay had to admit it was probably Ash's doing. That was why he had seemed so sure, so calm to betray both sides. It didn't matter how many enemies you made if you were allies with the strongest. However, the tom had disappeared from the valley during the fight and Jay assumed that meant he had died before he could see his works come to fulfillment, it brought some relief to Jay that Ash was no longer breathing.

So now there was a powerful force occupying most of the valley that had declared that every cat left in the valley would either have to join them or would be driven out. Jay has been hoping that insubordination would take place among their ranks before she had to pay them much mind, but it had already been a moon- more than enough time for every cats' woulds to heal- and still nothing.

Jay knew that it was foolish and dangerous to keep ignoring them as if that would make them disappear. And yet, she didn't want to get involved in something as messy as this, but the only other option would to flee. And with her kits at their age, it wasn't safe, and she didn't want to leave the valley right now.

This was what she knew as she sat with Amelia outside of the den as twilight's charming grayness swept over the valley, construing the shapes around them to look misshapen and ghostly as the distant glow of orange faded over the western mountain peaks.

"First we have to find where their camp is. They haven't left Ivy Cat territory, or at least not in a huge number, and the cave is too small for all of them," Jay murmured, not wanting to worry her kits which were playing in the soft grass not more than two tail-lengths away, dabbing at a moth that flitted around over their heads with soft, sheathed paws.

"Maybe they went back into their former territory?" Amelia suggested.

Jay growled, "You know that they wouldn't do that if they planned on taking over the valley. They're still here," she mewed, looking at Amelia harshly, "And you already know where they are," she added, in an accusatory tone.

The black she-cat looked up at where the half moon was rising, a few stars appearing over the eastern mountain. "They have two camps, conjoined, but separated by a stream that runs through the middle. I'm not sure, but it seems that all of the 'Star Reader' cats and a number of the others are on one side, while the rest live on the other side. I couldn't tell you exactly how they are organized or why the cats haven't rebelled, but as far as I could tell, no cat is being held hostage or mistreated."

Jay frowned, her tail thumping against the ground. "Your opinion is that they won't rebel then?" Amelia shook her head and shrugged. "Do they look unhappy?" Jay asked, watching her kits as they play-fought with little squeals, tumbling over each other in the hazy light.

"No..." Amelia began slowly, "They didn't seem unhappy, but I wouldn't say they seem happy either. They all seemed... apathetic."

Jay felt a chill along her spine and shivered, a lack of emotion was not good. Cats like that were the least likely to excite to anything. Of course, it could all be in act to not get in trouble but still, none of those cats were good at acting like she and Ash were.

"One more question, where exactly is their camp? And have they gone past the Ivy Cats territory?" Jay asked.

Amelia sighed, "Their camp is in the woods, a little north-west of the center of Ivy Cat territory, there's a tall hill that rises up near it with a slab of rock on it where the cat who seems to be leader- Blanche- spends most of her time. Though she seems to be treated with more respect and is the highest authority, her daughter is the one that does the most delegating and ordering. And no, they haven't gone past the border, though they are frequenting the borders more now then at first."

"Then they might be getting ready to start expanding their territory. And there isn't a cat in this valley with the feasible power to stop them except themselves," Jay muttered.

"Well? What do you want to do?" Amelia asked, looking at her with narrowed amber eyes.

Jay kept her eyes fixed on her kits, "I want to stay here with my kits and pretend that nothing else is happening. But I can't do that," she added painfully. She felt like her dream was coming to an end and it was slowly turning darker, not quite a nightmare, but less dreamy, less clear. The edges were being fuzzed and the facts turned blurry.

"I think that we should spread the news to all the other scattered cats in the valley," Jay mewed, standing up, "If we warn them and bring them together, we may be given one of two options."

"And what would those be?" Amelia asked, her voice grave for once.

"Fight or flee," Jay sighed. "I can't expect to take on these cats by myself, even knocking out all the StarReaders would be impossible. They don't seem to be normal cats. But there is still safety in numbers, even with such a large enemy. If we all banded together we could either flee the valley together or maybe fight them in guerrilla style to discourage them from expanding beyond the Ivy Cats borders," Jay sighed.

"You don't seem excited about either option," Amelia murmured.

"I'm not!" Jay raised her voice in a flash of anger, but when her kits looked at her quizzically she calmed down and purred, waving her tail at them to continue and sat down again. But she plucked at the grass with her claws and her pelt rippled.

In a low voice, she murmured, "I spent two moons fighting and working to get here," she looked around the meadow, "I don't want to have to leave now. And I also don't want to fight anymore, I'm tired of it." She felt a wave of weariness, her mind reeled away from the problem at paw and her body felt heavy as if she were slowly being crushed.

"This is even worse than living in the Clans," Jay sighed, she had left hoping for less responsibility then before and less conflict so that she could forget everything. But she'd had to bloody her paws every step of the way since she had left and now it seemed she must either become a refugee and make a new home or fight everyday for the rest of her life.

"But now you have your kits," Amelia mewed, almost gently, nodding at the three bundles of fluff that were yawning but still running around as if determined to prove to themselves that they weren't tired while they fell asleep on their paws. "They give you every reason in the world to either fight or flee, whichever you choose."

Jay relaxed against those words and her mind returned to its normal state, "Alright, we'll take turns going out and warning the remaining cats of the valley of what has happened. We'll tell them that a tyrannic force has conquered both the Ivy Cats and Python's cats, that Python has been killed, and that these cats are trying to either force us to join them or drive us out. Tell them that there will be a meeting at Eagle Tree in five days."

Eagle Tree was a large, old, dead tree. It was very tall and stood on a slight hill in front of the southern-most mountain, the tops of the tree was full of old eagle nests- long abandoned- that covered the top of the splintered gray tree like a covering of gray-brown leaves.

Jay stood up again, shifting her weight from one paw to the next, "You'll go out tonight and contact all the cats in the eastern half of the remaining free territory, and then I'll go out when you return to comb over the rest of the territory while you watch my kits and get some rest."

Amelia nodded, the twilight had turned to night and the black shadows laid heavily on the edges of the clearing. But silver moonlight lit up the meadow and fell softly upon her three kits who had fallen asleep in a pile of black and gray fur.

Jay purred, "Go quickly, and keep careful track of the names and numbers, I want a full account," Jay ordered. The black she-cat nodded her head, a slight movement in the dark light, and headed off at a brisk trot, tail in the air.

Jay padded delicately toward her kits, the cool air fresh upon her face as she drew in their soft scents. Their pale noses were silver in the purple moonlight, their stubby tails twitched occasionally, fluffy fur stood on end from their tumbling play and they were encircled by a carefree air that made Jay's heart fill with love and pride.

With a contented sigh, Jay woke them quietly and helped them hobble- half asleep- back into the den and into the new nest that was covered with layers of plush moss. Jay kneaded the moss to make it softer and then they plopped themselves down in the middle of the nest.

Jay circled around them, the darkness of the den broken only by the silver light that crept in through the small entrance. The kits nursed and were shortly back to sleep, their paws twitching in intervals as they dreamed. Jay purred, feeling sleep drag at her own eyes, but her anxiety about the future stole away some of the softness as she laid her head down on her paws. "Sleep well, little ones."

…...

The overcast sky kept the day from being too hot, though the air that blew in from the south-west was warm and humid which made her fur feel sticky against her skin. Jay loped over the wind-blown hills, her tail steaming behind her and ears flat to her head. It was barely past dawn and her kits would grow tired of Amelia before too long, wondering where she had gone.

Amelia had only managed to find four cats last night, all of which had agreed to come learn more about this threat at the meeting and had promised to pass the word on to their family and friends. Jay hoped she could find more or else the decision would be made before they could even discussed it.

She paused at the crest of a hill, her eyes scanning the vale of pale green grass. There was fresh cat-scent in the air; tom, young, blood, mouse. The tom-cat had recently been hunting in the area. Although the wind made it difficult to track cat scent, the scent of mouse blood was easy enough to follow as she stood at the top of another hill and looked down at a short plain that was dotted with hawthorn, gorse, and heather.

Jay spied a yellow tail snaked out behind the green hawthorn bush, the tiny white petals trembling slightly. She vaguely wondered what kind of cat this was as she trotted loudly toward the bush- she didn't want to startle him.

As she rounded the corner of the bush she saw the tom standing defensively over a pile of small mouse bones, blood flecked on his muzzle as he stood ready to meet her. He was a burnished yellow with a white chest and paws, an ugly scar curved around his shoulder even though he could be no more then eight moons old.

His brown eyes glared at her, despite his defensive position, there was no fear in him. "Who are you?" he grumbled, his voice a little too high-pitched to be taken as a threat.

Jay purred and sat down, making herself seem smaller so that he would relax. "My name is Jay, what is yours?" she didn't use the silky, fake voice she had used with the Ivy Cats. She used the kind of tone she would with her peers, indicting that she wasn't going to belittle him for being so defensive even though he was younger than her.

The tom relaxed a little, lowering his hackles but keeping the space between them. "Adder," he answered shortly, eying her suspiciously, "What do you want?"

"From you? Nothing. Or perhaps, very little," Jay began, standing up again and looking at him seriously. "I don't know if you're aware, but last moon Python attacked the Ivy Cats, the Ivy Cats had the aid of the cats who guarded the Mountain Pass."

"What does that have to do with me?" Adder growled, his pelt twitching in irritation as if flicking off a fly.

"Lots, both sides were defeated by a third party," Jay mewed. Adder's ears pricked as she continued. "This third party call themselves the 'StarReaders' and they forced the defeated cats to join their ranks. When Python protested, he was killed."

Adder flinched, looking at her with wide eyes, "No way," he murmured, dropping his eyes and for a moment Jay thought she saw a flash of pain in his eyes.

"The StarReaders have declared that they will force every cat in the valley to either join them or leave. My friend and I are telling as many cats left in the valley to see if we can try to band together and survive this threat. There will be a meeting in four more sunrises at the Eagle Tree at dusk."

Adder frowned, scanning her eager expression carefully. "I'll go," he mewed slowly, "But I'm not agreeing to anything just yet. I like to work alone," he added.

"I'm not asking you to," Jay dipped her head. "Now I have to be off, oh, if you have any friends or family, could you tell them about it?" she added, looking over her shoulder.

"I don't have any," Adder growled, looking defensive again.

Jay only nodded once and headed off again. She managed to find three more cats, all of them started off wary but then relaxed and expressed concern over the situation- agreeing to tell those they knew and to come to the meeting.

The last cat Jay met was a little troublesome. "But if you do nothing, all on your own, you may be killed!" she argued, feeling hot and flustered.

The stubborn old tom sniffed, "I've lived for more moons then you've seen in this valley; no one's ever hurt me none," he rasped, his yellow eyes glaring out from the dark tree trunk he used as a den.

"It won't hurt you to come and listen," Jay pleaded, wondering how much time she had wasted trying to reason with this senile coot. But in this situation, any and every cat was a valuable asset. She tried one more time as he grumbled threats at her.

"If you come, I promise to hunt for you and groom your fur," she offered.

The old tom's eyes lit up and he inched his muzzle out of the gloom, a curly mess of black fur surrounded an opening mouth that exhibited broken and missing teeth. Jay could smell the rank stench and the foul breath from where she stood and she wondered if he was worth so much effort.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," he purred- a harsh, growling sound.

Jay forced herself not to shrink back, "I'll see you then," she mewed, not wishing to ask him anything more and keeping her voice carefully polite, trying not to show her relief as she padded away. She was at the woods of the western mountains; there was no where left to go except where Midnight's den was.

She had debated whether it was necessary to tell the she-cat since Midnight's den was the most remote and she doubted that neither the elders nor Midnight- with her new kits- would be much help. And yet, she was curious to see the black cat again and keeping her updated on the news wouldn't hurt anything.

The sky had lightened so that the outline of the sun could be seen behind the clouds and the clouds- torn apart by the breeze- sometimes allowed a few golden rays to stream through like glittering mist. The lushness of the grass had worn off and it lashed her legs and chest sharply, Jay had to narrow her eyes against the dust that the wind carried off the top of the mountain slopes.

She soon reached the base of the western mountain, the mountain where she'd looked upon the valley for the first time more then two moons ago. But now was no time for nostalgia, her kits would be getting hungry and they couldn't eat hard food yet.

The slope was ridged horizontally up the mountain and Jay found the bank where Midnight and the elders lived. She pricked her ears as she approached it, the slab of stone which provided the roof for the dugout prevented her from seeing the other side, but she could hear soft voices up ahead.

Bounding the last few lengths, she paused with one paw elevated on the top of the stone, her faint shadow cast down on the cats beneath her. There were a few startled squeaks but Midnight's voice spoke over them, a warm, welcoming tone, "Hello Jay, I was wondering when you would visit."

The dark gray she-cat dipped her head, "I'm sorry to disturb you," she apologized, leaping down as three tiny shadows hid themselves behind Midnight's fluffy flank. Jay looked at them curiously, "Are those your kits?"

The black she-cat nodded and purred, turning to her kits and encouraging them with soft murmurs, "It's alright, she is a friend of mommy." The first kit stepped out boldly, head and tail up and meeting Jay's eyes with timid defiance.

Another kit slowly followed its littermate, its eyes flicking tentatively between Midnight and Jay. The last kit had to be prodded by Midnight to stand between her paws and there it buried its little nose in its paws. Jay purred, now being able to appreciate kits in a way she hadn't before. "They're all so precious," she murmured, looking softly upon the three, "You must be proud."

"I am," Midnight mewed, "And very happy," she added. "This one," she pointed to the one between her paws, "Is a little timid around strangers, but she's a bundle of energy with her littermates," Midnight purred. There were two she-kits and a tom, the opposite of what she had, Jay noted.

The kit who had first stepped out was a long-furred, pale, gray brindle tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes. The one that stood next to her, keeping his eyes on both his mother and the stranger, was a skinny-looking brown tom with subdued ginger stripes and amber eyes.

The one nestled between Midnight's paws with her paws over her head and her eyes closed tight was black in color, but with a shorter pelt than her mother. "The gray one is Breeze, the brown one is Rusty- he looks a bit like Stretch, doesn't he?- and the black one is Panther."

"Panther!" Jay mewed, "That's a fierce name," she purred, finding it ironic that the most timid kit had the most powerful name.

"She may seem timid, but she's strong in her own way," Midnight defended her kit who snuggled deeper into her fur.

Jay dipped her head, knowing well how defensive a mother could be over her kit. "I wouldn't doubt it. And although I wish that I'd only come here to see your kits, I'm afraid something else brings me. Where are the elders?" she asked, peering into the dugout but not seeing anything in the gloom, nor scenting or hearing anything from the den.

"They went out to some rocks to sit and talk in comfort," Midnight explained, "It's been a bit... difficult for them, living with three kits at their age."

Jay nodded her head in understanding, "Well, you can tell them when they come back," she mewed, turning serious. "About a moon ago Python launched his attack against the Ivy Cats."

"What, really? First I'm hearing of it," Midnight mewed, eyes wide and ears at attention. After a moment she continued, more pensively, "How did it go?"

"Not well," Jay admitted, lowering her head, "For any cat. The Ivy cats had the aid of the young group that was controlling the Mountain Pass so the battle was pretty even. But at the end another group of cats, the 'StarReaders' showed up and defeated the cats without lifting a paw- since they were already nearly keeling over in exhaustion. Python resisted them but he was killed," Jay mewed, allowing a pause of respect.

Midnight's eyes were saddened and her kits gave offered her comforting mews as they sensed her distress. "Well, what now? Have these 'StarReaders' won, then? And if so, what does that mean for us?" she asked, brushing off her sadness and looking at her kits with concern- they stared back with large, trusting eyes.

Jay sighed, "They've declared that every cat in the valley will either have to join them or will be driven out. Amelia and I are gathering all the remaining cats for a meeting at Eagle Tree in four days, you're invited of course, but I bet your kits are more important. I can come here afterward and tell you what happens," she offered, wondering afterward why she'd done something so impulsively when she was loathe to leave her own kits for such a long time.

Midnight frowned, "I'll be there," she promised.

Jay's fur prickled with surprise, "Who will watch your kits?"

"Who will watch yours?" Midnight retorted.

Jay shifted her paws, "I was going to bring them."

"Then I'll do that to," Midnight mewed, sitting back with satisfaction, "I bet my mother, Pummel, and Stretch will want to come as well."

"Alright," Jay mewed, dipping her head and starting to back away, more eager to get back to her kits after seeing Midnight's. "Then at dusk in four sunrises we'll all come together and decide whether to fight or to flee."

She turned and started running, focused on returning to her kits. But she fancied that she heard Midnight's quiet voice even with the wind in her ears. "Fight, flee, or fuse."

...

Things have hit a new problem, though, it kind of is the same problem, just a different form?

Well, this was they last chapter during Christmas Break, school starts up again for me tomorrow. It should be easier then last semester since I have two less classes, but there have been some things going on in my life so I can't say I'm sure about that. Well, I'll keep writing and updating and we shall see!

Please Review!