/ / / / Warriors : Truth-Seekers \ \ \ \
/ / / Part One : Hidden Fog \ \ \
/ / Interval \ \
/ A Cure To Boredom \
Zip whipped around, hearing a thud as something entered the alley.
Sometimes, you just had to take risks, you know? Sometimes those risks were…not for any good reason. Sometimes you just did something risky out of pure boredom and sometime that risks just didn't work out.
Zip was bored. Like. A LOT of the the time. He loved his owners of course. Free food, free sleeping spots, free…warmness? And all he had to do was show them affection from time to time. It was a good life and he liked it…for the most part.
But sometimes…day after day in that house? Oh, it was just so boring sometimes! Sure, they let him out into the garden, but he never tried going too far. When he did that they called him back and what kind of house cat doesn't follow an order?
Well…Zip, as of some time ago. He had ignored the cries of his owner and ran as quickly and as far as he could. He just wanted to explore a bit and then he'd be back.
And what was it Zip had found, out in what his mother had once told him was a cold, cruel world?
Food. Wonderful, delicious, free food. It had taken him a bit of walking but eventually he had found an alleyway with large metal cylinders full of food, some toppled over, others, not so much. The gruel that Zip's owners fed him was nice of course, but all these random scraps and pieces weren't just a change of pace; it was like he had discovered treasure.
But it was clear good things couldn't last forever. And the sound of something entering the alley might as well have been that bell that woke his owners up; it put him in a bad mood. Excepet, where his human felt grumpy at the interrupting sound, Zip felt fear.
That made sense, right?
Well, that fear only increased when two cats emerged, both impressively huge for what must have been other house-cats, judging by the collars around their necks.
The large brown one let out a very bark like laugh. "Well, well, well. Looks like we got a thief on our hands. And what is it we do to thieves, Bash?"
The second cat, Bash apparently, squinted at the first cat. "Eh? I dunno, what do we do to em, Bolt?"
"Oh, I'll tell ya what we do to em, OH, I'll tell ya what we do to em! If any cat dumb enough to steal from our territory comes along we- hey, HEY COME BACK HERE!"
Of course Zip started running. The two beastly-looking cats had made it clear that they were going to do something horrible to him for 'stealing' and if they were going to talk to each other, why shouldn't he take the chance to run? Being clawed up by a duo of cats was NOT on the list of things that would cure his boredom.
…well. He wasn't bored any more, but he would have preffered to move on to something that wasn't absolute terror.
That feeling only intensified when he heard the sound of claws scratching against the dark path that the twolegs must have built such a long time ago. Zip was just thankful that there were none of those metal monsters travelling the path right now. He was already being chased by two dangerous beings, he REALLY did not need a third.
His twoleg's nest. He just had to get back to his twoleg's nest and then they could…kick the cats or something. There was no way the two of them were going to chase him into the house right? This was Zip's thoughts as he took a sharp turn, stumbling over the odd blocks that twolegs used as barriers. Picking himself up, he risked a look behind him to see the larger cat chasing him and…and without his accomplice? Oh, that couldn't be good. And the look that the cat was giving him…
Shuddering, he picked himself and scampered along the road, his eyes now shifting about to look for the other cat. Where could they have gone? Was…was only one chasing him? Zip was sure he had heard the sounds of two chasing him…had he imagined it? But what if he hadn-
OH NO, THERE WERE TWO OF THEM!
Ahead, the second monsterious cat rounded the corner, the same hungry look in his eyes and a wicked grin on his face, cutting Zip off from his home. Thinking quickly (And with little choice), he took a sharp turn, running up a path to an unknown house. It look battered and beaten, something Zip hoped wasn't a sign of things to come.
He ducked under the fence, hearing the laughs of cats behind him, finding himself in a garden of overgrown grass and plant. He dove into said grass, crawling through it. He just had to stay quiet. Besides, what were the chances that-
"HEY, THIEF! WHERE YA HIDING? I LOVE A HUNT, BUT THIS IS GOING ON A BIT LONG FOR MY TASTS!"
Zip let out a weak whimper and began to hobble backwards, stopping when his tail hit the fence of the garden. This was it….the end of the line. Unless they gave up and left he was going to…to…to…
"Oof!"
A squeak was what emerged from Zip's mouth this time, a cat landing next to him. He prepared himself for a clawing, for something, but instead an…odd smell met his nose. It was the smell of…of things he didn't know about. It smelled somewhat like the gardens that hid behind the houses of the twoleg place but far more…natural. As if it had lost some sort of lesser essence.
More importantly, it smelled nothing like the two cats who had been chasing him.
He raised his head from his paws, having put it there in a weak form of defence. Sitting beside him was an oddly thin, black-furred cat. He didn't have a collar, his fur being wild and spiky, fitting the cat's eyes. For when the new cat turned to face him, his Amber eyes seemed to almost be laughing at Zip in a wild manner.
"Oh, good." The wild-cat spoke. "This makes things WAY easier. Thought I would have to-"
"Please be quiet. I-if they hear you they'll hurt both of us!" Zip begged. "I-I-I don't even know how you got here!"
The wild cat muttered something that sounded oddly like the words "Kittypets." Before continuing. "Thought I smelled fear. Well whatever. I climbed over the fence, obviously. Now. What's bothering ya?"
Zip didn't have to answer, the yowl of one of the cats speaking for him. "ALRIGHT, I'M GETTING SICK OF THIS! GET OUT HERE NOW, THIEF, AND WE MIGHT NOT-"
Whatever the cat was going to end the threat with, the wild-cat spoke first. "Ah. Okay, got it. Wait here."
Zip opened his mouth to protest, but whoever this cat was, he practically swaggered out into a less dense area of the garden, not even nearly a good hiding spot. What was this cat thinking? Zip inched forward, barely risking poking his head out of the grass to watch the odd cat.
With a click of his tongue, the wild-cat sat down. "Hey. You two over here."
Though Zip couldn't see them, the voices of the two chasers was clear. "Well, well, well. Didn't expect to find another cat round here. Look, we ain't here to cause trouble for you, we're looking for a no good-"
"Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. So what, that little furball stole something from you?" The wild-cat snickered. His eyes were locked onto something out of Zip's view.
"…that's it. Yeah. Now how about you run along and we-"
"This stealing thing." The cat interrupted once again. "Did he take it from right under your noses. Or was it in a more…" He thought for a moment. "…crafty sense?"
One of the chasers was getting annoyed now. "He took what was ours from our territory! That means that we get-"
"And that's all I needed to hear." The wild-cat sat up. "So, you two got territory? You the-" He seemed to hide a laugh. "-strongest cats around here?"
Silence for a moment. And then, in an interested growl, the chaser spoke.
"Yeah, maybe we are. But I don't like the way ya said it. You looking for a beating?"
The wild-cat shrugged, strutting forward, out of Zip's sight. "Nah. Just use to a better type of fighter really…"
"That's it come ere you lil-"
Zip sunk back into the grass and closed his eyes. A series of yowls and yells assaulted his ears and Zip couldn't help but cringe. But next? Grunts of confusion, followed by a screech of pain and a yell of, "BOLT! You-"
There was the only the sound of one cat grunting and yowling now, but now there were traces of fear in those cries that tried to sound brave. And when Zip really focused, trying to get a sense of what could be going on out there, he could hear…whimpering?
"NO PLEASE, I DON'T WANT TO-"
"Shhhhhhhhh, calm down."
There were few sounds now. Nervous breath and pained whimpering seemed to somehow echo through the garden. Zip risked poking his head complety out of the grass and took in the sight before him.
The small chat who had been chasing him lay on the ground, the whimpering coming from his shivering form. He held a paw up to his left eye, both his paw and the ground he lay on stained red, the same colour flowing from his eye, despite his best efforts. When he met Zip's gaze he closed his one good eye and Zip was happy to oblige him by looking away.
The wild cat stood triumphant, his front paw pressing down on the neck of the larger cat, whispering to him.
"Now, you said you were the strongest? Now, I'd recommend you not lie for this next part or something VERY bad is going to happen to you. Now, you thought you owned some territory in this place, so let me ask a question. Is there a large, wooden building near here? Probably old and abandoned, few-" He scoffed. "-Wild cats living there?"
"T-t-the barn? You're not suppose to go-"
"Finally…" The wild-cat purred. "Now there's some good news." He looked back to Zip, almost causing him to dive back into the grass. "Guess I won't have to ask you after all. I'm done here…"
The cat below his paws whispered. "You're…you're not going to-"
"Hm? Oh, right! Almost forgot!" He leaned in close to the cat beneath him, and Zip saw him place his paws in an odd position on the cat's leg. "Wouldn't be fair, would it? I mess up your buds eye and you walk away with just a scratch or two. Sides, this can be a reminder. Kittypets aren't suppose to have territory."
"What's a-"
*SNAP*
Zip shut his eyes and cringed again, hearing the scream burst through the air around him and for a moment, Zip couldn't have felt sorrier for the two cats who had been chasing him not even five minutes ago. The scream persisted, but slowly quieted down, leaving the sound of two whimpering cats in the garden.
And when Zip opened his eyes, he muffled a whimper of his own, the wild-cat having moved within a step of Zip, the same mocking eyes scanning Zip's collar.
"Welp." The cat nodded. "See ya." With that, he turned and trotted happily out of the garden.
And then, Zip did something that, looking back at it, was rather stupid and probably could have gotten him in more trouble then letting himself be caught by the cats earlier; Zip chased after the cat with a call of, "W-wait!"
Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you looked at it, the wild-cat had heard him, waiting for Zip as he ducked under the garden's fence onto the street once again.
"Walk and talk." The wild-cat said simply. "I gotta find some grub."
He took off walking at a speed that forced Zip to jog alongside him just to keep up. "H-how did you do that? There were two of them and…and you just-"
Whoever this cat was, he now looked awfully pleased with himself. "Oh, that? Cmon, those guys were just kittypets, and not particular strong ones either. Any warrior who earned the title could have done twice the damage I did to those two."
"W-warrior?" Zip asked. "Is…is that what you are?"
"Pffff, nah….well…not really. I got the training of one, but I ain't gone through apprenticeship, ain't part of a clan…" He laughed again. "Ah, listen to me. I bet you don't understand half the words coming out of my mouth."
"N-not really, s-sir." Zip stuttered.
"Hah! Sir? Cmon, you don't need to call me that." The cat spun on his heel and placed a paw on Zip's head, stopping him.
"Long story short? I'm from very far away and I got the training to shred any kittypet who thinks they wanna have a try, you're one of those, heads up. I'm here looking for a cat and now I know where that cat is. But first?" He lifted his paw from Zip's head. "Food. See ya."
Zip sat, dumbstruck, watching the the cat get further and further away. He looked so…confidant. As if wandering the streets was of no concern to him whatsoever. He was free to do what he liked and didn't need to run and hide in some grass like Zip did….or…if Zip had him on his side.
"H-hey!" Zip called, half his mind still telling him that this was a horrible idea. "M-my twolegs are going to feed me when I get back! You could come along if you want? I don't know if you eat the stuff but…"
This was a downright lie. Even if Zip showed up now, he wasn't going to get his food until the sun began to dip over the horizon. But if he whined to his twolegs enough, maybe he could? And then maybe, just maybe, this cat would walk the streets with him, if only for a little while…more importantly…
Zip wouldn't be bored any more.
The cat stopped, thinking for a moment…before turning and walking back towards Zip. "Kittypet mush, eh? Well, not like I haven't had it before. Sure."
Taking the tiniest, smallest step back, Zip quickly added. "B-but, you can't do any of…that stuff you did! C-cause then my twolegs will get mad at you and-"
Another scoff. "Buddy. I only do that to cats who aren't my friends." He leaned closer to Zip and winked. "So how about it. Wanna be friends?"
"Y-yes!" Zip squeaked.
"Cool." The cat leaned back. "Then lead the way, friend."
And as they began their walk, Zip found it in himself to speak up. "M-my name is Zip b-by the way. Do you mind if I ask you yours?"
"Not at all."
"…"
"…"
"…"
The cat smiled at him. "….well. Ya gonna ask?"
"O-oh, um, what's your name."
He laughed once again, shaking his head. "Names Flint. Now cmon, Zip. I feel like I could eat an entire nest of birds."
What a nice fellow. I sure hope he has the best of intentions.
No Cats&Characters this time. This is a little break between chapters, though there still will be a chapter on Saturday, unless something comes up.
Sorry if this one feels...I dunno, off? There's something about it but I can't place my finger on it. Ah well.
Another short one of these will probably happen at some point, but just keep Flint and Zip in the back of your mind when you're reading for now. Or don't. I ain't the boss of you.
Trust me, it'll all come together at some point, I'm sure.
(Real quick edited after I first posted this. With life and school getting in the way, I will have to take a break from this. Stuff gets hard and I gotta put my all into it, ya know?)
Hope ya enjoyed!