"Hello?"

The mew was pitiful and small. Behind a house, a small black and white mottled she-kit crouched, shivering as rain pounded her fur.

The kitten sighed and scratched at the door with a loud meow. The door swung open, and a Twoleg foot caught her in the ribs. The Twoleg grunted in satisfaction and shut the door.

Humiliated, the kitten picked herself up with a groan. Her belly grumbled angrily.

I wish Mother was still here, she thought miserably.

She remembered how her mother had brought a fresh mouse every day. She would play with the kit, tumbling around in the sunlight.

Then the Twolegs came, and took her away. Took everything away.

The kitten let out a small wail, her fur soaked. Tears mingled with the rain on her face, and she keeled over, too cold and hungry to move.

"Are you okay, kitty?"

The sharp voice came from the right. The kitten shakily raised her head to see a wet crow staring at her. Immediately, her muscles locked up in fear.

The crow stepped forward. "Oh my gosh. You're starving. Um, I'll be right back. Don't... don't die!"

The kitten whimpered and rested her head on the muddy soil again. The relentless pounding of the rain created a soft rhythm, making the kit sleepy.

"Hey, I'm back. Eat!"

The kitten gasped as the smell of food wafted past her nose. Stiff, shuddering limbs forgotten, she darted forward and began to gulp down the meat.

"Hey, hey, slow down. Don't overeat," the crow warned, giving the kitten a poke. The kit ignored the bird and kept swallowing the meat until there was nothing left.

The crow studied her. "You look to be about three moons old," it murmured. "I can probably carry you to my nest."

The kitten froze at these words, the meat suddenly weighing heavily in her belly.

"W-What?" she croaked out, taking a shaky step back.

The crow hopped forward. "I'm not gonna eat you. Just come here."

Hesitantly, the kitten moved forward. The crow jumped into the air and latched its talons into the kit's fur.

The kitten squealed as her paws left the ground. "Agh!"

The crow carried her to a small nest just outside of the fenced yard. It was sheltered by a thick canopy of leaves and filled with soft, furry moss.

The kitten sighed as her paws touched the nest. The crow landed beside her and settled down in the nest.

"What's your name, kitty?" the crow questioned.

The kitten coughed, then responded. "Sunset."

The crow looked confused. "Why... oh."

Sunset had lifted her head to reveal one bright, shining orange eye and one dark blue eye.

"What- what s your name, crow?" Sunset shot back, settling in the plush moss.

The crow laughed, a cackling sound. "My name is Julie."

Sunset nodded, her eyes drifting to the crow's beak. "Are you a..."

Julie fixed her with a sharp, black eye. "I am a female," she answered firmly.

Sunset sniffled, wiping her nose with a paw. "M'kay."

Julie's gaze softened. "Come here. You'll get warmer if you lay down next to me."

Sunset hesitated, her mismatched gaze lingering on Julie's steely gray beak. Then she shuffled forward and curled up next to the black bird.

"Goodnight, Sunset."

Life went on. Sunset settled into life as a half-bird, half-cat. She usually ate worms, though she found the texture very unsettling. Julie taught her how to leap from branch to branch like a squirrel and understand Twoleg-speak.

Then Julie decided that they were going to leave the nest and find the forest.

"What?" Sunset cried, swaying on her branch. "Why are we leaving?"

Julie kicked the nest to the ground, wincing when it shattered on the grass. "I feel the need to leave, deep inside me." She gestured to her chest with a wing. "Right here."

Sunset didn't understand, but followed her somewhat-mother across the Twolegplace. They would half-flap, half-jump from fence to fence until nightfall, then rest under a hydrangea or in a birch tree.

Sunset noticed that by the end of the second week, Julie looked a bit discouraged.

At the end of the third week, she was moving slowly.

When the end of the fourth week rolled around, the black bird refused to move.

Sunset tried to get her up. "Come on, Julie! We just have to keep going!"

Julie shook her head. "No, Sunset," she rasped. "There's no end in sight. I can't go on. We never should have left the nest."

Sunset, however, was determined to get her somewhat-mother to the end of the Twoleg place and into the forest. She began to carry the discouraged bird on her shoulders.

They moved across the thin, wooden fences slowly. Sunset passed across an average of five houses per day.

Finally, the end was in sight. Julie lifted her head with a sharp caw, her black eyes lighting up with the sight of trees for miles.

Sunset purred at the bird's reaction, then gestured to the next house. "How about we rest here for the night, then we'll sleep in the forest tomorrow?"

Julie simply cawed again, too excited for words. Sunset smiled and leapt down into the garden. Julie followed.

A flurry of frenzied barks exploded from the right. Sunset screamed as sharp teeth fastened themselves in her shoulder. Julie was screeching.

"Help!" Sunset shrieked as the beast flung her against the fence. She scrambled back, pressing her bleeding shoulder against the fence. She recognized the creature as a dog, thick-muscled and short-furred.

"Cat not good!" it growled, advancing. "Cat bad! Cat die!"

Sunset squealed as it flung itself forward. Hampered by her injured shoulder, she managed to drag herself away in time.

"Sunset! I'll get help!" Julie called, then fluttered off.

Sunset tried to leap into a wilting willow tree, crying out when a sharp bit of bark embedded itself in her shoulder wound. Where will Julie get help? she thought in frustration.

The dog rushed forward, barking like crazy. Sunset gasped.

There was a shuffle of feathers from far away. Sunset backed away from the fast-approaching dog. It barked loudly.

The back door to the house swung open, revealing a Twoleg with a long, metal object cradled in its arm.

"Rufus," it barked, "where's the threat?"

Sunset gulped as the Twoleg's eyes locked on her. "A cat," it growled, and aimed the metal object at her.

Sunset froze when she realized what it was. A gun.

There was a rustle of flurried feathers, a bang, and a sharp caw.

Sunset coughed, waving black feathers away from her eyes. She froze.

Black... black feathers... no!

There was a dark, huddled shape on the ground. Sunset rushed forward with a wail, burying her nose in her bird-mother's bloody form.

The dog barked again, and another Twoleg's voice joined the fray. "Harold, leave the poor thing alone. We've gotta get it to an animal shelter before it attacks Rufus."

The first Twoleg, Harold, grumbled something. Sunset sniffled as Julie's still form stopped bleeding. The metallic tang of the bullet hung in the air.

A strong hand lifted her up. Sunset didn't protest. She kept her eye on Julie's black, blood-surrounded form. The dog, Rufus, crept forward and sniffed the bird. He then whimpered and cast an "I'm sorry" look at Sunset.

The black and white mottled she-cat sighed. It's okay, Rufus. I'm... okay.

:(

Ugh, so saaaaadddd

This is a prompt from the lovely GreenBlackTea! Yes, my friend, you can have I'm Lost. I'll PM you the details later this week.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS:

Sunset- black-and-white mottled she-cat with one bright orange eye, one dark blue eye.

Julie- a female crow with sharp eyes.

Rufus- a ginger and white bulldog.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Bai!

-Cherrystone