Me: Sorry for the wait. I started back up with school this week, so now that my life is back on schedule the updates should be coming once a week again. . . we hope. Just as a warning though, not much action in this chapter, just talking. Kind of setting the scene a little more before the real stuff happens, and believe me, a WHOLE lot is going to happen before the end.
Sandy: Whoop-dee-doo. . . a whole freakin' month and THIS is what we have to show for it.
Sheena: At least she did SOMETHING productive. (glares)
Me: (sweatdrop) Well, yeah. Gomen! XD I'll do the reviews this time for a change of pace:
SchoolBoredom: Thankies! Good to hear from you again!
Hutchy: Wasn't it great? Yeah I'm sure liked it too. Bad kitty Kai, bad. . . XD
Nubia: Hey yeah, I didn't think of that. Hee, hee! (grins)
Beda: Well I didn't update soon, but at least I updated! (sweatdrop)
Kais Devil: Poor Kai. This ain't the end of his troubles though. . .
Kitty-Kris: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter too.
Jen-beyblade-fan: Muahahahaha! Torturing Kai is very fun. (grins) But I'm sure that deep down he would really like to take a bath with Hiromi. (cackles)
Fan of Yugi Moto: My fic Blade Zero is on hiatus right now, but it will be brought back in due course. Sorry if the suspense is killing you. (hits self)
Pink-Phantom: You know I am! Hope you like this chapter and I'll try to update regularly.
Kai Hiwatari1: Neat name. Here's the next chappie just for you!
ERALDA: Thankies very much! Hope you like this chapter!
Jani Rieme: YAAAAYZ! I love your fic The Bonds, and I'm sorry you can't update it for a while. It's good to hear from you! Yes, I love the ideas you have! They're so funny! Hope you review me soon.
Well that's it for the reviews. Thank you guys so much for the support. It's the only thing that keeps me motivated sometimes. So READ AND REVIEW!
Ciao!
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CAT TALES
Chapter Six:
Black Moon
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A human would've been close to blind in Black Moon, but Kai's cat eyes quickly adjusted to the gloom around him. Cats of all kinds filled the area that had once been a basement. They sat in pairs or small groups, chatting quietly amongst themselves. Several lone cats sat along a large rotting beam of wood, chewing on some fragrant leaves.
'It's a bar,' Kai thought. 'A CAT bar. . .'
-SCRAK! Dam kat! Diz plaze need no more of da tings, SCRAAK-
Kai nearly jumped out of his fur. On a perch next to him was large black raven, feathers mottled and a single beady eye glaring at him.
-Aw, don't mind him- a fat old black and white tom cat called out. -Ol' Black Jack's like that to everycat that comes through here. Coldfire- The black and white cat's eyes widened as the she-cat jumped through the grate.
-Hello Hawthorn- Coldfire greeted.
-Well bless my wiskers- Hawthorn, who was the cat equivalent of a bartender strode over to where they where and greeted Coldfire by tapping her on the nose with his. -It's always wonderful to see you here, and you've brought a guest-
-This is Kai. It's his first time here.-
-Well may I be the first to welcome you to Black Moon, Kai. I've just got some fresh 'nip in the back. Would you care for some- Hawthorn was a stocky older cat who was rather grimy and smelled funny, but he was friendly and seemed trustworthy.
-Just two bundles would be nice, thanks- Coldfire answered.
-Two it is then. Make yourselves at home.-
Kai watched as Hawthorn trundled off to the back of the dimly lit room before following Coldfire to one of the empty "tables" which was actually a brick.
-You seem a bit startled- stated Coldfire as she sat down.
-It's just hard to believe all of this is here- he said looking around. -I had no idea cats lived like this.-
-Normally no, but with recent events Black Moon or something like it was to eventually come around. You came into our world at a very dangerous time, Kai.-
Kai looked up at her confused. Coldfire only looked at him sideways, with that burning serious look that made her famous. Hawthorn came by at that moment with two bunches of leaves wrapped up with a piece of vine. The plants had an irresistible smell to them, but Kai forced his cat instincts back. Coldfire thanked Hawthorn and politely nibbled on a single leaf.
Kai continued to look around him. It hit him that most of the cats here were ether very old or very young. There was even a mother cat with some young kittens. All were cats that didn't seem fit to survive on the surface streets for one reason or another. He then understood what Coldfire had meant when she called Black Moon a "safe haven." Something big was happening in the background of all this, that was for certain.
-Coldfire-
-Hm-
-What is going on here? I know you know what I'm talking about.-
Coldfire's gaze softened a little. -I was beginning to wonder when you would ask that.-
Kai shifted a little as Coldfire sat up.
-There is an order to the way we live- she began. -We all live together, especially in and near human living spaces. With the exception of LionClan most of our cousins in the great wilds are loners, but when we first came about, back when humans saw us as a valuable tool in keeping rodents away and we saw them as a good source of food and shelter, we knew we would have to deal with many others of our kind living in close quarters. The result where area based groups, or Clans, who would tolerate only other cats of their areas, but still drive out foreign cats, like we would have done out in the wild.
-When our numbers increased and we began to spread into the greater spaces of the world our Clans as we know them now came about. We cats who live without human interference live by the Code of the Warrior. We swear all loyalty to it and out Clan. It is the Code made by the warriors of old who have long since passed into history and the realms of StarClan. Every warrior that leaves this life becomes one of the countless stars in Silverpelt, the thick band of stars that stretches across the night sky.
-Every Clan is made up of warriors, apprentices, queens, elders, a medicine cat, a deputy, and a leader. Apprentices are given the first part of their name with the suffix "'paw" and are assigned to a warrior as a mentor. When they prove themselves worthy, they earn their individualized name as a sign of their warrior status. The queens are the she-cats who have kits to care for. The elders are retired from patrols and hunting and serve as a kind of counsel, drawing from their long years of experience. The medicine cat is the healer and the only cat of the clan who can receive direct messages from StarClan. The deputy serves as second-in-command of the Clan. The leader is a cat of great power. When chosen, the leader is to go to the nearest StarClan shrine and sleep, "sharing dreams" with StarClan, and thus gaining nine lives and losing the last part of his or her name, changing it to "'star."
-That tree you fell asleep under is called the Moon Tree and it is one of the many places in this world that serves as a direct connection to StarClan. Under the full moon, when connection to StarClan is strongest, sleeping under that tree could very well be the answer to you problem.-
-But what does everything else have to do with me- Kai asked, trying to grasp everything she had told him.
Coldfire dipped her head and flicked her tail, a cat equivalent of a shrug.
-Maybe more than we realize- she said casually. Then she turned serious. -Cases like yours are rare, but they have been known to crop up every now and then, and if StarClan felt it necessary to make you a cat, then there is something else going on here that cannot be ignored.-
-Like what- Kai could feel his fur stand on end.
Coldfire leaned in closer and spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper.
-Grappleclaw.-
Kai's ears perked. The birds had mentioned that name this morning.
-Even in cities like this the Code of the Warrior lives on- She continued. -But right now, everycat is in terrible danger. Grappleclaw is a very evil and powerful cat who has seized control of this city. He has warped the Code to his own greedy regiment by using ten captains to control areas of the city. These captains are just as despicable as their master, as they each lead a select group of warriors and subjugate all the cats in the area. That cat you met, Gutterfang, is one of these captains.
-Under Grappleclaw's orders there is no freedom. Kits are taken from their mothers far too early and are forced to perform grueling tasks that are often fatal. The training is geared toward weeding out the weak and turning the survivors into cold killing machines. But the worst part by far is how they are initiated into Warriors: they are paired off and forced to fight each other to the death. Just like that, two apprentices who have grown up together, hunted together, eaten together, they suddenly turn on each other and so willingly battle to the bitter end. These are the kinds of cats Grappleclaw is raising: unfeeling, uncaring, mindless tools.
-Female cats that are too weak to fight are forced into cramped holding areas to produce litters of kits one after another until they can produce no more. What happens to them then I don't know, but this is just from what I've observed.
-The few that oppose him find themselves here, because they cannot travel anywhere else safely. Even the Moon Tree, the connection to StarClan, is the camp of Grappleclaw, and no cat is allowed anywhere near it without consent. You were lucky he wasn't around when you showed up, and that Gutterfang was the only captain guarding it at the time. Are you alright-
Coldfire noticed a change in Kai. His eyes were narrowed and glaring and his hackles were raised.
'I know what it's like,' he snarled to himself. 'To be brought up without any kindness, or any kind of care at all, just so I could be a puppet. . .'
Kai's mind flashed with the visions of his nightmare, of his grandfather and of his life in the Abbey.
-Things are getting worse you know- Coldfire said, cutting into his thoughts. -Just the other night one of Grappleclaw's captains was found dead, probably killed by one of her own warriors who wanted her position, or by another captain that was jealous for some reason. It won't take long for things to get out of control.-
-Someone has to stop it somehow- Kai said suddenly. -Isn't there anything you could do-
-Me? Oh, no. I would certainly like to end Grappleclaw's reign, but it is certainly not something I could do on my own. But for some reason, I get the feeling that you may be key in all this. I don't know how, but you have resources at your disposal, and you have a knack of attracting good allies. All I'm saying is keep you senses and mind open, you never know when a good thing might come your way. Now, are you going to let that catnip wilt or may I-
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'An ancient feline cult, magic trees, communicating with the dead who supposedly lives in the stars, and a cat dictator. With everything that's happened to me already this week, I don't see why the hell not. All I want is to get my body back! Is that so much to ask!'
Kai trotted back 'home,' as he called it, carrying the bundle of catnip from Black Moon. He thought he'd give it a try when he got back to Hiromi's house. He had until the next full moon until he could get his body back so her thought he'd give the 'nip a try. How bad could it be?
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Me: Ok, I know it's a little short and not very exciting. It'll get good! Promise!
Sheena: Kitty Kai with catnip? Now THAT'S something to look forward to next chapter. (evil laugh)
Sandy: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! BYEZ!