OK my wonderful, dedicated readers you are about to learn the truth about where Kat came from and her family. So is Kat, which is what has made this chapter quite fun to write! Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any part of Power Rangers SPD, and in particular I do not own the character Kat Manx.

I looked around, self-consciously.

"Are you okay Kat?" Felix asked, sprinting over to me desperately. "They didn't hurt you did they?"

"No." I muttered. "What do they have against me, Felix?" I suddenly felt young – I was young but I felt even younger – and petrified.

"Scrouge doesn't look kindly upon strangers. Ice, Snake and the other two guards don't either, because, well they are the guards – Scrouges best friends – and it's the clan law that you have to agree with Scrouge anyway. The clan won't trust you yet because we have… enemies from over the border and the clan have no proof that you are who you say you are." Felix explained, gently. "How have you coped?"

"I was fine by myself, just worried about you. Why'd Sasha leave me?" I asked.

"I'm not entirely sure Kat. Even I think she's changed. Here she is a changed woman believe me, edgy and snappy all the time…" Felix's tone told me he wasn't lying. "I've been perfectly alright. I'm training to be the clan's healer you know!"

"Um… great?" I murmured, not really knowing what he meant.

"Come on, you're tired, frightened and confused. Let me take you to your hut." Felix nuzzled me comfortingly. He showed me to a recluse hut, on the far side of the camp. It was empty, except some dried up hay. "You'll be able to make a bed from that, I'm sure. SO much more comfy than sleeping on the floor in that den trust me! Now, I will just fetch you some herbs to improve your strength."

"I'm very hungry," I told him, looking into his eyes hopefully.

"Ah yes, you see that pile of fruit over there?" I looked, and saw a mountain of fruit, fruits I'd never seen before, such a contrast to theboring peaches I used to pick outside my jungle den. My brother continued to explain: "Many patrols go out every day to pick fruit, and some people do it for leisure. You'll be expected to help of course, and then in the evening, it'll all be shared evenly between us. Sometimes the experienced hunters will make a big kill, a deer or something, and that will be when we truly feast. If you want to make any kills, like mice or birds, that is your choice and that food will be yours alone." He tipped his head pityingly on one side. "I'm sorry that your home coming wasn't the best. I have to go now, Hope – my mentor and the healer of this tribe – will be needing me, but try talking to the she-cats around." With that he dipped his head in goodbye, and left. I watched him go, wondering what on felle I was going to do with myself now. Then I spotted a young she-cat with long silver looking hair, and heather coloured eyes. She had two 3-year-old looking children, one girl with similar silver hair and one boy with black hair, screeching and tumbling round her in a mock play-fight. Just like me and Felix. I approached her warily.

"Hi," I said, ducking my head with embarrassment.

"Hello," I jumped back at her soft voice. This catuman was younger than I was.

"Well… I…. err…" I struggled to find the words. "These are your children?"

"Yes." She replied, laughing as one of them scrambled over her back escaping from her brother. "They are."

"You're very young." I breathed, the words escaping from my lips.

"Not really," she looked at me in confusion. "It is perfectly normal to be a mother at the age of ten. In fact, it is vital for the clan." I fidgeted. I was ten. "I'm Breath. You are?"

"Kat," I said, feeling somewhat at ease with this girl, although we were strangers.

"Well Kat, I promise you will have loads of friends here," she looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back.

"Ah, Kat," a voice behind me made me jump and spin round.

"Good evening, Blood." Breath whispered respectfully.

"Hello my dear Breath. Your kits are faring VERY well. Not long until they can train now am I not correct?" Bloods voice was as smooth as honey.

"Another couple of years and they will be ready," Breath sounded uncomfortable.

"Kat," the huge Blood turned back to me with a sigh, thrusting his dark, scarred muzzle into my face commandingly, his black hair falling slightly over his face.

"Scrouge wants you on patrol first thing tomorrow morning, as soon as the sun rises. You are to go with Bolt, Tiger and Tabbi. Collect as much fruit as possible and make sure that Lithe's clan have not crossed our border." As I looked confused he added, "The clan of catumans who have betrayed Scrouge, who disagree with him, go against him! They try to steal our territory every last second of the day. I trust that that is not too difficult a concept for you." With that he turned and stalked away. I stared after him, scared of his height and watching as his long black tail flicked back and forwards over the floor.

"Is he your children's father?" I asked timidly.

"No." Sighed Breath, bitterly. "I don't like him much, but he won't see it. He's just like all the other males, sucking up to me and Summer." Mentioning the name Summer she gestured towards a taller, perhaps slightly older she-cat with golden hair longer than her hips, who, like me, was manxual, with no muzzle or tail. She was standing close to another she-cat with pale brown hair down to only her shoulders. She too was manxual. "That's Heather with her." Breath explained. "The males are always sucking up to us, like I said, obvious reasons – it's a man thing. The more children you have in this clan the higher up you are. You do get used to it, and erm… I see Scrouge put you on patrol with all males for tomorrow."

I snorted, "That is the last thing I want to think about. I just want to be accepted here first."

"That won't take long." Breath assured, though I knew she wasn't so sure.

"Why are they all horrid to me?" I questioned.

She gave a pretty similar answer to Felix, "You weren't born here. The clan don't know for sure you have our bloodlines. So they are concerned you may be spying for our enemies and will do them harm."

"You were born a rogue," a hiss startled me. Sasha. I whipped round. "Hope and I knew that Felix was destined to be a great healer – plus he came back with ME so he was accepted without fault! The clan already knew he existed – I had told them all, but they didn't know of you! And you came back without me, with no real proof of your origins!"

"You hate me." I whispered, angrily. The thought was dancing around in my head and I had to let it out. Sasha hissed and stalked away. I tensed my shoulders, ready to leap at her when Breath hissed a warning at me: "Do you want to be accepted or not?" I relaxed, watched her leave.

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Well who'd have thought it? A mother hates her daughter. Ok, is this too stereotypical for you guys? Please review and let me know (it's too late now but at least I'll know not to do it again! No flames please.