TFOAITS ch2: In Which I Meet Equius

3 sweeps later:
"Get up you lazy, worthless cat troll," the Orphanage head told me one morning. It was my sixth Wriggling day. That meant I had to leave the orphanage and get a job. I was too old for them to care for me. I could live on my own. Just watch me. As I said my goodbyes I saw the gate slam behind me as my backpack flew over as well hitting me in the side. Today was the start of a beautiful journey.

I hiked through the snow as my tail dragged behind me. My ragged trench cost had seen better days as did my hat which a white eye needed stitched back on. On my back was a blue backpack holding only the few belongings I owned plus the toiletries I owned as well. My horns shimmered but that was it. I wasn't scary like most trolls, yet I was glad to leave the orphanage behind.

Sitting alone, I start to question my paths. Should I go left or right? I had no clue of who I was except my name was Nepeta. I guess I was an olive blood because I cut my hand off a rock trying to jump over it. Um, right, I was also six sweeps old. No family or no one to care, just me.. Peachy.

Speaking of peaches, now I'm hungry, Thanks a lot. I looked at a tree noticing the contents were probably peaches, yet I couldn't climb that well, for the most part. I had no recollection of fighting, or climbing so I stood at the bottom of the tree like an idiot. The orphanage let me go into a workforce so I could look after myself, for the most part.

I sighed as I ran into the tree thinking it was a bright idea. Bouncing off and groaning with no peaches fallen made me feel like an idiot. "Please show me a sign.. I'll starve of starvation.." I groaned. I heard footsteps behind me as I saw a cat. This cat purred at me as I held a hand out towards its head. It hissed at me as I pulled my hand away. It climbed into the tree as peaches started to fall.

I looked shocked as I grabbed one washing it off in the snow before taking a bite. The juice ran down my chin as I was happily in content. It was weird yet, I was happy. Whatever happiness was, I didn't know. I sighed as the cat jumped down and laid beside a peach eating it. I didn't want to be the lonely troll with no memories.

I wanted to be a troll with memories of the past and try new things. If you gave me the option, I would follow this cat. The pale white cat was as big as me and invited me to sit on her back. "I'll name you Pounce," I smiled as the cat settled down rubbing her soft head against my hand after she hissed at me before.

The cat showed me the twists and turns of the forest. It was almost familiar until night when I saw a young troll walking around with a bow. He looked like a huntsmen as I got nervous. Usually huntsmen like this would take you into the night and you wouldn't be seen again. His arrow glistened off the moonlight as I kept my head low.

He was walking this way as Pounce hissed. We needed to drive him away from our campsite as grabbed a sharpened spear that Pounce made next to the awful one I made. "Who goes there?" His strong raspy voice asked as I walked out (not one of my finest moments) and started towards him. On my face was red paint. Pounce showed me red berries were also war paint.

The male troll saw me come into his view as he pulled back with an arrow that was ready to shoot. He was about half my size taller, with dark grey pants and a black wife beater with the sign of Sagittarius. He had long black hair and wore dark broken glasses. I wanted peace with this troll. "I mean no harm." I said walking to him. He backed up. "Who are you?" His bow lowered as I took a step forward he raised it again. "My name is Nepeta," I said quietly as the strong troll put his bow down.

"Equius Zahhak, a blue blood from the Zahhak clan," he bowed. His blood rank was higher yet he began to sweat. "What are you doing in these woods?" He asked as I sat beside him. "Well, I have no recollection of who I am. I was sent by the orphanage to start life on my own.. I'm six sweeps old.." I mumbled as he grinned pulling out a feather making an arrow as it broke from his strength. "I'm too STRONG.." He grinned as I giggled slightly.

"That's a good thing sometimes," I said as he shook his head. "Being STRONG can be good, but it is also bad.." He told me as Pounce walked out of the clearing growling at Equius as I stood in front of Pounce. "That's a guardian." His eyes went wide behind his dark shades. "Guardian?" I asked as he reached into his bag pulling a slab of meat tossing it for Pounce who went and ate.

He reached into his bag pulling out a radish as he started to nibble on it. I didn't like vegetables all that much. Fruits and meats were my favorite as Pounce went off to hunt for me leaving me with the young bow troll.

"I have a tent if you do not wish to dream under the stars," he told me as I nodded. "I also have Soper sleeping bags," he yawned as I held my hand out. I trusted him as I smiled. "Troll romance states the four quadrants; Mewsprite, Meowrail, Kismesis, and Ausmitust. I think by this quadrant I'm pail fur you," I smiled as the troll took my hand. It was strong as I felt my fingers crack. "Sorry.." He said as he nodded. "A bl00 bl00d and an olive blood. I'll give you my at most attention and from today, I'll protect you."

These words were strong as I hugged my new moirail. It felt weird but I was very trusting and felt like I could accomplish. Soon Pounce returned with a squeakbeast as I ate it raw; earning a look of horror (or fascination) from Equius. He was shocked but noted I was a Leo. "This is rather confusing.." I noted as Equius finished another radish without breaking it.

"After the revolution, some famous clans became lost," Equius sighed as I watched the embers of the fire smolder. We pitched the tent when he told me to get ready for bed first, then he'd join. Soper sleeping bags were like cacoons for sleeping, downside you couldn't wear anything or the Soper would stain clothes.

I got nervous on the idea and told Equius because we did just meet. He agreed he would sleep in the tent since I had a guardian. I was okay with the stars. Pounce would protect me. I built another fire the same way Equius showed me as I got it down. The stars in the sky welcomed me as I watched the planets of Derse and Prospit. The planets were aligned as I smiled. "Look at that Pounce," I smiled rubbing the cats head.

"Alternia, even Earth has the great suns. We are lucky." I giggled as Equius popped his head out. "It is beautiful," I got up and started to run around in a circle happily laughing without a care before falling on my back. "Derse and Prospit, Alternia is bright, and I wonder where my Dream Bubble will take me," I sighed as the cat laid beside me only for me to get on her back. She brought me back to the fire as I noticed Equius sitting there.

A smile was on his broken smile. "You're right Nepeta." He said as I giggled. "I think today was an amazing day," I grinned as he pointed up to the sky. "See that star pattern? That's mine," he grinned looking at the centaur holding a bow and arrow.

"I don't even think I have one," I sighed. "With missing clans, the stars fall," he sighed. "Until your clan rises back up, the number of stars become unbalanced until you can find them once again. I will help you on the search," he told me with honest sincerity. I trusted him as we tied food up into a tree following the way of the forest. "There are claw beasts that will try to steal food. I'll keep watch," Equius told me as I nodded.

"Nepeta?" He asked as I looked at him. "Yes Equius?" I asked. "Do you trust me like you say?" He asked. I nodded and curled up for a cat nap leaving the two to protect me. My dream bubble had a boy in it. He was a troll who looked alone as I saw an older man.

"The number in the stars are falling, rise up and claim the power to restore your clan. It won't be clear until the end of your journey, but peace will bring back the number. Rise up! Take it! The journey begins now!"

This jolted me awake once morning came. I was confused as I let Equius sleep after I smoldered the rest of the fire. Pounce showed me the hunting skills I lacked. By using my claws and keeping stealth I was able to catch some squeakbeasts which I used twine to tie their necks and carry back to camp.

I ate in the comfort of the tent as Equius rested outside with Pounce. I wondered why this male troll had found me. As I finished my meal, I went to the springs which were a few feet away from the campsite and drank my fill of water before watching some scalebeasts swimming around. I knew Equius wasn't a meat eater yet I wondered if he liked fish. For a cat troll catching fish was natural (or at least I thought it was)

After a few tries, I gave up and decided to bath. I hung my clothes in a tree as I waded out into the lukewarm water. In my backpack that I carried, I had shampoo that gave my hair shine. I bathed for 30 minutes until a sense of warmth took over me. I was happy yet something moved in the bushes that scared me. It was a Hopbeast. I hissed at it as it stood on its hind legs as it's floppy ears went up listening. I saw an arrow fly as it went flying towards the tree.

Equius was awake. "Nepeta.. Where are you? I caught a Hopbeast." He yelled as I got out slowly drying off pulling my clothes on as Pounce ran into me. She grabbed onto the Hopbeast as I got onto her back with my backpack on. Pounce took off towards camp as we met back up with Equius.

"Where did you go? I don't need that much sleep so I'm fine now." He told me as I took a breath. "Just went for a bath," I said as he grabbed onto a carrot in his bag as he ate it. "Fascinating." He replied. "There is a spring close by," I told him as he shook his head. "This cannot be, speaking of springs, we are close to a town," he told me pulling out a map as I looked.

"Yes, and I can give you boondollars to gather supplies," he told me as I nodded my head. "I'd like that," I smiled as we got up and got ready to travel to the town.