Thanks to Through Another's Eyes for reviewing, again! Thank everything, this update was earlier than some of my previous ones. Maybe I'm getting better at this again :3 And here, as I'm sure will make all of you happy (all of you with a soul, anyway) we have a Snapdragon chapter!

DISCLAIMER: Um, do you really think that?

Thirteen

The worst thing was, it was just far too tempting to jump up and make a reckless snatch at Marigold's tail.

Snapdragon's paws twitched restlessly as his mother's tail flicked the ground. Summoning all the self-control he could muster, the ginger-furred kit tucked his paws under his belly and looked away.

It was moonhigh. The only shelter Heather had been able to find that night was a rocky overhang that barely counted as a cave in the middle of the blustery moor. In the moon's weak light, Snapdragon could make out the dark shapes of clouds scurrying across the sky.

The night wasn't warm, and many cats were huddling together. For himself, Snapdragon was trying as best he could to snuggle into Marigold's grey fur, turning over every other heartbeat so that each side of him had a chance to feel warm. When he turned onto his right side - facing away from Marigold's tail - he could still see the bright lights of Twolegplace winking in the distance.

They reminded him of Chicory, and her bold insistence to stay behind. Snapdragon still shuddered when he remembered Holly saying what she had... Since then, Holly's only remaining daughter, Lilac, stayed with her constantly, snarling if anyone approached. Not that Snapdragon wanted to - Holly's wild eyes and ruffled fur unnerved him.

The wind sliced through Snapdragon's kit-soft fur, whistling enough to hide his sigh. He still missed Chicory, even though he knew better now than to voice this to Marigold and Foxglove. His parents only murmured vague consolations than told him they didn't really understand.

What was more, Snapdragon thought that Ivy - who was renowned for being sickly and frail in any case - was a poor guard. True, Chicory had her brother, Pine, but he hadn't looked very pleased to be going.

I could do better than all of them! Snapdragon boasted internally. I'd protect Chicory from foxes and badgers and Twolegs, and... and monsters!

Immersed in his dreams of accompanying Chicory on what he envisioned as her great quest, Snapdragon closed his eyes and curled his tail around his nose. He had just about drifted off when a striking thought brought him abruptly back to consciousness.

Why shouldn't I?

Now he thought about it, he couldn't see any reason why he shouldn't go back and join Chicory. After all, the journey across the moor had only taken a day, and if he ran it, it couldn't be all that bad. He would find Chicory, help her deliver the Twoleg kit with the funny name, and then all of them could come back to their families.

Sleepiness gone, Snapdragon jumped up, careful not to disturb his mother, and tiptoed away from the group of sleeping cats. When he was sure he was out of earshot, he started to sprint towards Twolegplace, buzzing with excitement.

To a young kit, Snapdragon's plan had no flaws in it whatsoever.

###

Twolegplace, as it turned out, was further away that it appeared.

Snapdragon had to stop running after long, and had collapsed into a dramatic ginger heap on the ground to get his breath back. After this, he had decided that 'walking fast' was a suitable alternative to running, but just before dawn, his eyes began to grow weary.

Firmly, Snapdragon tried to keep open his closing lids by thinking of what he could do when he found Chicory, but to no avail. In the end, defeated, he crawled under a low-hanging tree and gave in to sleep.

When he awoke, it was sunhigh. It quite alarmed him that he had lost so much time, so he sprang to his paws and set off at once.

He had stopped at a couple of streams the day before to quench his thirst, but now another physical need was overtaking Snapdragon's small body - hunger.

The worst of it was that he wasn't sure how to hunt at all - but it can't be that hard, right? he reasoned.

When his belly started to growl loudly in protest, Snapdragon made his mind up to take a break and attempt to catch something. Tasting the air, he caught a familiar scent - rabbit - and immediately started towards the source.

It didn't take Snapdragon long at all to stumble upon the carcass of the rabbit - clearly dead, freshly killed, but barely touched save for a long, ragged wound down its side.

"Oh, thank you, every star in the sky!" mewed Snapdragon aloud out of sheer delight. This meal was obviously a sign that he was doing the right thing - it had to be.

Without another thought, the young tom raced towards the prey and tore a strip of flesh off the bones, fluffy tail sticking straight up in the air.

He had almost polished off the whole rabbit when a low growl made his ears prick up. What was that? He could have sworn he hadn't imagined it... Slowly, Snapdragon raised his muzzle, licking scraps from his whiskers, and listened intently.

There it was again. Snapdragon's heart began to thud in his chest as he realised it was close, very close.

Use your nose! If there's danger, scent it! Despite the sudden ringing in his ears, the ginger cat's memory managed to produce a valuable sliver of information, given to him previously by Foxglove.

The smell didn't calm him in the slightest - a rotting, choking stench not unlike the monsters in Twolegplace. An unpleasant jolt in the region of his belly reminded Snapdragon that this scent had also lingered on the fur of the animal he had just eaten, but he had only noticed the smell of food in his hunger.

For fear of freezing in terror, Snapdragon didn't look around. Instead, he placed all his faith in his instinct and tore away as quickly as his stubby legs could carry him, fear-scent leaving a clearly marked trail.

He imagined the evil-scented creature following, snapping at his heels, its breath hot and greedy for revenge. I'm sorry! Snapdragon wanted to wail. I didn't know it was yours!

So blinded by his fright, Snapdragon didn't see when his paws stepped off grass and onto hard Twoleg stuff - he only felt the surface he was running on suddenly turn firmer, scraping his pads.

This could only mean one thing. He had reached Twolegplace! Glee marred Snapdragon's fear, making him forget about his pursuer and stop.

He was only allowed a moment's elation before a snarl ripped from jaws close behind him. Unthinking, he whipped around, only to come face-to-face with a sandy-furred, bushy-tailed creature, its tawny eyes narrowed in fury.