Wednesday

That night Asp met up with Ad and they snuck towards the northern clearing. Everyone knew that it was forbidden territory. But only a very few know that some cats actually went there. Alonzo had told him that Deuteronomy knew he and the twins went there at times. It was amazing to Asp that Alonzo went behind Munkustrap's back like this, not even the protector knew of this little escapade.

"Are we here", Asp asked after a while and Ad nodded.

"Come on." He said. They walked in and Asp stared in shock. He recognized Alonzo, Exotica, the twins and Plato but there were ten or twelve other cats there too. When she saw them Exotica hurried over to Ad and Asp and nuzzled their shoulders and then grabbed their paws and pulled them towards the others.

They were seated around a barrel with burning garbage and on an old table behind it was a cat statue. Asp cocked an eyebrow.

"What's this", he whispered to Ad.

"This is where we meet our leader."

"Your leader is a cat-statue?" Ad punched him in the arm. "Ow!"

"SH", Ad hissed. "Watch." Asp grumbled and then saw the twins walk up to the statue and chant something and then the moon shone down on it and it blinked and seemed to grow. As did Asp's eyes. He could that now a queen with golden pelt sat on the table with her right leg draped over her left. She had shining emerald eyes that were lined with black coal and he noticed that a darker part of her chest fur looked like the ankh.

"Who is that", he asked in awe.

"Our leader, the lady Bast", Alonzo whispered.

"Bast loves all those who are homeless and keep an eye out for them", Exotica explained.

Lady Bast looked around the group.

"My family", she said and her voice was soft and smooth as honey. "My children we have new members among us and I bid thee welcome. I am now your informal leader and I am in a case the mother of thee. I will keep an eye on you and help you through the harsh winter of these lands." She looked around. "I can sense that you are here and yet you hide in the shadows?"

There was a chuckle. "Nothing escapes you lady Bast", a voice said and a black tom came out of the shadows.

"Chimera", Alonzo said and walked over to him in shook his paw. "Your 'family' has been handling the winter no?"

"Yes we have." Asp could swear he heard two different chuckled from the dark and he saw Chimera look back to the dark smiling.

Lady Bast chuckled. "Now is there any questions from my newest children?"

A queen raised her hand, she looked depressed.

"How come you are so happy", she asked. "You live your life on the street for EC's sake… who wants that life."

Bast giggled. "My child we are never so happy nor so unhappy as we imagine."

"What? I don't understand."

"I do", Asp said and everyone looked at him. "We may imagine that we are the saddest bunch in the entire world but truth is we are always happy… sometimes. And if we are always happy we can sometimes be sad too. We might be unhappy not having a house to go home too or get food with just a meow but we are happy to be together."

Bast smiled at him and Asp blushed and sat down again.

"I didn't know you could be so deep", Cori said.

"Me or lady Bast?" Asp asked and everyone laughed.

"You found your place quick", Tantomile said.

"I had a good teacher", Asp said and sent a small smile to Exotica who blushed madly. They continued to talk to the other cats long after Lady Bast took her leave and the next morning they headed home.

Only to be met by Munkustrap glaring at all of them angrily.

"Munk", Alonzo began as he walked forward.

"Save it Alonzo", the protector spat. "What were you doing in the northern parts of the yard?"

"We were only talking and walking."

"Shut it! I don't want to hear more of your lies!"

"He's not lying", Asp yelled and Munk glared at him.

"I expected better of you", he growled. "After all you're a house cat the son of-"

"Jellylorum and Gus the theater cat", Asp cut him off. "And I've expected more from the son of DEUTERONOMY, how can you be so unwise and cruel?"

Everyone froze when Munk punched him in the face. Asp growled darkly.

"That proof my point", he said and stalked off. Ad followed him as did Exotica. As they walked they heard Munk and Alonzo screaming at each other, sometimes another cat would join in.

TBC Okay this chapter suck... But I couldn't come up with anything!