Prologue - He'll Pay
Beneath the dim light of the pine forest, silently slipping between the trees, was the form of a cat; it's dark pelt almost blending into the shadows.
He lowered his head to sniff the trail in front before opening its mouth to taste the air. He relished the feeling of the breeze in its whiskers.
Suddenly there was a sound of rustling leaves.
The cat's ears pricked and it's muscles tensed in anticipation.
A fat mole poked its head out beneath the leaves.
In a flash, the tom was onto it. Killing it with a swift bite to the neck. A pleased purr rose from his throat.
Carrying the prey in its jaws, the tom began padding in the direction of the twoleg place, near the StormClan broader; his stride confident and tail raised proudly.
Unbeknownst to his pursuer. Watching through narrowed, slitted eyes.
He'll pay.
The observer began to follow.
It followed as silently as a hunter stalking a mouse, relying on the heavy foot falls of the pursued tom as cover.
He'll pay for all that he ruined.
Without warning a memory flashed in its mind.
Blue. Green. Red. Yellow.
Rolling fields of sun dappled green grass among a sea of roses. Two cats played, chased and leapt at each other under the clear blue sky.
"Can't catch me!" Called out the first cat. A beautiful blue eyed she cat.
"Of course I can." Called back a brown tom, a pure white feather braided next to his ear.
"You might be able to outrun me but you can't hide. Your pelt sticks out like a swan among blackbirds."
The she cat let out a beautiful sing song laugh. A sound that made the pursuer's heart ache with pain and joy.
"Admit it! You're just a slow hog." She retorted blue eyes teasing and playful.
"Hey! You take that back." Replied the brown tom in mock offence.
He raced after the she cat who danced away from him and into the roses. The tom leapt after her, landing right on-top.
Rose petals and pollen flew through the air. The pursuer could almost taste their perfume.
"Get off me you big oaf!" Exclaimed the she cat, pawing at the tom.
"Nope! Only if you apologize for what you called me earlier." He retorted with a playful smirk.
The she cat snorted. "It's not my fault you're so sensitive."
"Oh yeah? Guess I'll have to settle the score then."
"You can try!"
Without warning, the she cat rolled over until she was on top of the tom.
"Hey, cheater!" He protested, amber eyes gleaming.
The two cats continued to role and playfully tussel through the roses, sending petals drifting everywhere in the dappled sunlight. A small form followed behind before also playfully pouncing on both cats.
The pursuer let out a sigh.
Those were good times, happy times.
The cat slowed in its pursuit as more memories flooded him.
The tom proudly showed the she cat a small clearing flanked with a brick wall next to a small abandoned twoleg place.
"See! We'll be safe and warm in the nest and we can play around here." The tom gestured with his tail around the clearing.
"And the best part is it's not far from the pine forest!"
The tom turned round to the white she cat, amber eyes twinkling with apprehension.
"So, what do you think? Is it alright?"
The white she cat nodded. Before walking up and rubbing her head under the tom's chin.
"It's perfect. Our new home."
Suddenly a small blur burst from the bushes near the wall, running around and leaping excitedly. It slid to stop, blinking up at the older cats. A kit, it's nose yellow with pollen.
The she cat purred. "I don't think I'm the only one who agrees."
The kit nodded eagerly before sneezing, pollen drifting off its nose.
It's parents laughed, the father's eyes glowing with amusement and affection.
The pursuing cat struggled to stifle a purr from the memory, eyes glazing.
I remember that like it was yesterday.
Next came another scene.
The brown tom padded towards the she cat, a fat hare in his jaws.
Her eyes lit up when she saw him.
"You came!"
The tom ducked his head guiltily.
"I know we haven't been able to be together much lately. There...there's just been so much going on with the clan and I.."
The white she cat head butted his shoulder gently.
"It's okay. We're here together now and that's what matters."
The tom placed the hare down in front of him. "Let's eat."
Just then a blur of a kit came running out from its hiding place next to the small twoleg nest, tail lashing excitedly.
It slid to a stop in a pile of leaves, sending them drifting skywards. It's eyes widened with wonderment as it watched them drifting down again, before reaching up to bat them with his paw.
One stray leaf floated to where it's parents were, chuckling with amusement.
The kit waggled it's hind quarters in anticipation as it began to creep towards the leaf. In its mind it was now a hunted mouse. It strode forward before leaping, it's paws slamming down on top of it.
It looked up, leaf between his jaws, to see his father gazing down at him with pride.
"Well done." He purred. "We'll make a little warrior out of you yet!"
Darkness soon fell. Stomachs full of hare, the she cat and the tom curled up together in the twoleg nest. The kit curled between them.
"Goodnight my little warrior." The kit heard its father whisper before drifting off to sleep.
The pursuing cat suddenly closed its eyes and slid to a stop with a gasp, feeling a wave of nostalgia, joy and sadness overtake him.
My life. It was perfect. Until….
Until he came.
A scene flashed in its mind once more.
"Sorry I'm late!" Called the tom. "I got caught up with a patrol. Some rogues have been hanging round the territory, causing trouble recently."
"Oh?" Replied the she cat as she leapt down from the brick wall.
Next to the twoleg den the kit played with an acorn.
"Yeah." The tom said with a weary smile. "But you should be fine. They're being more active near the BrightClan broader."
"Is that so? And what business does she have, needing to know that? Hmm?"
The two cats gasped as a black tom slunk out from the shadows behind the other tom.
The kit squeaked with fright at the black tom's sudden arrival, before running to its hiding place next to the twoleg nest.
The brown tom turned to face the new comer through narrowed eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
"Me?" The black tom flicked his ear in an almost cocky gesture. "Well I could ask the same to you."
The kit shrank back in fright as the new arrival's piercing gaze turned to him. His amber eyes seemed to contain a hidden malice.
"Oh, I see now." Spoke the black tom, an almost triumphant grin splitting his features.
"It..it's not what it looks like." The other tom stuttered. His amber eyes flashing with unease and an almost pleading like gaze.
The black tom sat down on his haunches, tail tip flicking very thoughtfully.
"Very well. But my silence won't come without a price."
His gaze flicked to the pretty she cat. "I must say though, you certainly have a good taste in she cats. This one's a keeper."
A low growl erupted from the brown tom's throat and his jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
The pursuing cat felt a growl rumble from its own throat just as more scenes flashed in its mind.
The kit shrinking away back to its hiding place as the black tom once more came to the small clearing uninvited.
The she cat padded up to him. "What are you doing here?" She asked sharply.
The black tom ducking his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."
He flicked his tail. "I just came to check on you when I had a chance to get away because it's so busy at the clan at the moment. The rogue attacks are only getting worse. Thank StarClan that they're aren't around here though."
"Yeah. Everything's quiet around here." Agreed the she cat.
She hesitated thoughtfully.
"Did he...did he send you?"
The black tom looked up with a sheepish grin.
"Yeah."
"Okay then." Replied the she cat, touching her nose to his shoulder. "I guess it's okay for you to be here then. Thank you for worrying about us."
The tom purred, amber eyes glinting. "My pleasure."
Liar!
The pursuer clamped his jaws shut, stopping himself from screeching the word aloud.
He'll pay. That foxdung dirty liar will pay.
It's eyes opened once more, gleaming with bottled up emotion and rage.
The cat silently galloped off at pace, tracking the tom in front once more. It winced when more half memories came, thick and fast as he sped through the forest.
The feather adorned tom emerging from the bushes, prey in his jaws, only to find the white she cat already with company.
The black tom and the white she cat sitting close, pelts brushing, sharing a plump squirrel.
The she cat's voice slightly sheepish.
"Oh! Hey. Um," She glanced at the prey the brown tom was holding. "I've already eaten."
The brown tom's amber eyes glistening with hurt, his voice gruff and guarded.
"I can see that."
Turning to the black tom, voice fierce.
"I thought I told you never to show your ugly face here ever again."
The heated argument that followed.
"…. there's no need for that! He was just trying to help."
"..by getting me into trouble! Some help that was and for the recorded this is none of his business….
The kit pressing its ears against its head, trying to block the arguments of its parents.
The argument increasing, building, whirling, raging - like a new leaf storm.
The brown tom storming off leaving behind the sobbing white she cat.
The black tom slinking back to comfort the she cat.
The brown tom coming back to apologize only to find them curled up together.
"I'm sorry but...we - we can't be mates anymore."
A shocked silence followed.
The brown tom's eyes filled with pain and disbelief - and then anger.
An angry snarl erupting.
"How could you?! How could you do this to me. I thought you were better than that!"
Her voice high pitched and exasperated
"You don't understand what it's like! You're never here! At least he gives a rat tail about us enough to stick around!"
Then his voice, sad, hurt and defeated.
"...You..you don't mean that..I...I love you."
"I'm sorry." Rasped the she cat. "It just has to be this way. I can't do this anymore."
The kit's wide eyes filled with shock and sadness - and rage when he caught the mischievous glint in the black tom's eyes as he pulled closer to the white she cat.
The pursuing cat stopped abruptly, panting quietly and fur bristling from the painful memories.
He'll pay. For ruining my family.
Peering around, the pursuing cat recognised this area in the territory as the dark, crowded section of pine forest next to the twoleg place.
It pricked it's ears at the sound of slowing foot falls. It's target was found.
Looking through long, tall grass the pursuer saw the tom. Its black pelt blended in with the shadows, leaving him visible only by the unique white stripe running down his back.
He appeared to be padding with a purpose to a specific place, the vole still in his mouth. Ahead the observing cat noticed a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the shadows.
Meeting someone to share prey before the elders and kits? Breaking the warrior code? I wouldn't expect anything less after what you did to me. If only she could see you now.
The observer unsheathed its claws.
Without warning more visions of the past blurred across its mind - faster and faster.
Night.
A roaring twoleg monster booming across the thunder path.
Two forms clashing under torrential rain, surrounded by malicious glittering eyes.
A clap of thunder and flash of lightning illuminating a scared kit huddled under a small bush.
Watching. Waiting.
The screech of pain as the form of one of the fighting cats rolled in front of the path of a twoleg monster.
A white feather stolen.
Day.
The soothing voice of a she cat.
"It's okay. You're alright. We're both always going to protect you, isn't that right?"
The flash of a pair of malicious amber eyes, soon joined by others.
The terrified and bewildered voice of a she cat.
"What….what are you doing? We never agreed to this!"
The harsh, low and almost mocking voice of a tom.
"Leave. This is our place now. Leave and never come back or I'll make you."
The terrified footsteps of a she cat as she ran through forest, a deep gash in her side; eyes glistening.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
Swinging, blurring, bouncing trees and bushes.
Green. Red. Blue. Yellow. Brown.
Glistening blue eyes filled with sorrow.
Distant voices.
Silence.
The cat took a shuddering breath before snarling.
HE'll PAY!
The purser made a move to leap out towards the tom in front, all rage and emotions overflowing, but stopped just in time. The cat glanced toward the yellow eyes; the form of another cat now slinking from the shadows.
It would be foolish to attack now outnumbered.
The observer glanced at the vole they were sharing. An idea suddenly coming to mind.
Even so, he'll pay.
The cat glared at the tom as if trying to burn his pelt off with its scorching gaze.
He'll pay. For all that he did to me. All that he stole.
The cat's unsheathed claws glinted in the dim sunlit.
He'll pay.