Chapter Four
Search For Tiny
Annoyed, Ruby scampered through the passageway lazily, whipping her head around whenever a new scent tinged onto her nose, grumbling, "Tiny? Are you there?" She scurried in the hallways, staring at her surroundings each time she stopped. I'm the best tracker in the world, growled Ruby. Why can't I find Tiny? I want to get this over with! Placing her nose close to the cold floor, she quivered as a cool breeze trailed in from the windows. Her belly groaned loudly, annoying her. How come I'm hungry again? Ruby pounded the floor with her paws. Feeding time was merely a heartbeat ago! Crawling onto the flat, icy surface of the floor, she crept onto the base quickly.
When Quince called for feeding time, Tiny didn't come. Tiny usually came first, but this time, he didn't and that was it. Quince got so worried when she couldn't find Tiny; Ruby was sickened by her mother's attitude towards Tiny. So she, Socks, and Quince began searching for the small black tom. But wherever and however Ruby looked, she couldn't find her brother. What a dumb furball, she thought cruelly. Wasting my precious time! Stalking through the hallways, she yowled, "Tiny! Where are you? Get out of your hiding place!" As her voice echoed in the long corridor, she growled when no reply returned. When she entered the living room, something caught her eyes.
The small door leading to the outside world. Since Tiny was never good at hide-and-seek (he mewled to much), and was nowhere in the house, he must be there. Outside, exploring, or just sitting there enjoying the breeze. He must be there, no matter what. Fleetly, she pounced towards it. Within a flash, she was outside. Once again the fresh air embraced her. Ruby gazed out into the vast world. Shaking her head, she scolded herself, No, that's not the point of coming out right now. She pressed her nose against the spiky grass, hoping it wouldn't harm her. A strong scent of Tiny mingled onto the fresh fragrance of grass. Tiny's been here! Pushing her snout even closer against the ground, she scented a trail of his scent, leading to a hole in the fence that blocked his way to the forest. Oh, I still remember. When Socks and I walked away because Tiny spoiled the game, Tiny began to ask Mother millions of questions about the forest. It turned out Father had explored the outside before! Her brother must've gone exploring. But he won't make it back as far as I care! Amber eyes gleaming smugly, she stepped back into the house.
"Ouch!" grunted Socks as Ruby punched his black, exposed belly with her small gray paws. "You deserved it," meowed Ruby mockingly. "You were the one who gave away your belly!" They were playing the game they had invented two moons ago, "Hide-Fight-Seek". It could be played by two kits or more (except they never included Tiny), and the rules were to have both of them hide somewhere and creep towards each other quietly. They have to find where the other kit was first, and then attack him or her. Ruby and Socks were no longer searching for their useless brother, and Quince was worried sick. Although Ruby knew where Tiny was, she didn't bother to tell her mother, though guilt was beginning to expand inside her belly. She had pleaded the housefolk for some more water and ginger chunks along with Socks, and with their bellies full they began to play. Quince was upset with them. Not just upset, but fairly cross.
She was half-wailing when she pleaded, "Oh, Ruby, Socks! How can you two not have the littlest worries for your brother? Where could he be?" When Ruby saw the desperate look in her mother's eyes, the words "The forest" nearly spilled out of her mouth. Nearly. Staring at the ceiling of the nest, she wondered, Why had Tiny gone into the forest? Though she was curious, she'd be fairly fine if Tiny never came back to answer her questions. Suddenly she heard her mother storm through the house, her pawsteps loud as thunder. Mother's going insane! I must tell her where Tiny is, then, she told herself. She couldn't stand upsetting her mother, though she would be perfectly fine leaving Tiny behind. I don't want Mother to go crazy, she replied to herself.
"Mother!" yowled Ruby, and in a flash, Quince emerged from the hallways, looking concerned. "Did you find Tiny?" the pale gray she-cat fretted. Sighing, Ruby replied, "I know where he—"
"I'm back!" A squeaky voice sounded from the outside ever so loudly. Tiny, Ruby realized. He made it back! Quince, Ruby, and Socks treaded outside, and saw the small black tom scampering towards them. On full volume, she and her brother yelled, "Did you get lost? Were you scared?" Quince was shouting joyfully, "Tiny! Where have you been?" Oh, it's back to normal boredom all over again, sighed Ruby. Tiny's back and everything will be the same.
Their mother was so delighted that the small tom was back. That was, until Tiny meowed the words.
"The forest! I've been in the forest!"