Chapter 3

Evening sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, speckling the forest floor like a cheetah's pelt. The expansive forest outside of the denning place consisted mostly of tall oaks that kept the area thickly in shadow. In a cleared area of the wood, a squat woodland cottage sat in the mists of a sprawling vegetable garden. The aging cottage was situated at a slouching, leaning angle, the panels covered in dirt and dust.

Atop the brown shingled roof of the den, a brown tom paced back and forth across the edge. The cat's pelt was a deep brown, with pale colored patches on his paws, face, and spine. Stopping in the midst of his lap, the tom lifted his gaze out towards the top of the trees in the area. Rising even higher above the oaks were the peaks of metal spires that made up the denning place farther out in the distance.

Lovino growled in frustration, gazing longingly at the tops of the metallic Nofur structures. He began to bite and scratch at the thick grey collar strapped tightly around his neck for the tenth time that day; the effort was as fruitless as usual. Yowling in rage, the tom flopped onto his back and lay there in a slump of depression. Another day, still not out of this cage. If only this star forsaken collar would come off, then he could get past the garden wall without getting the life shocked out of him.

The sound of clinking eating dishes drifted from the open window bellow his perch; the elderly Nofur was preparing for her afternoon meal. Which means he had enough time to watch the sun finish sinking before getting called and locked in the rest of the night. Sighing, he allowed past memories to flood his mind as he watched the sun tick past in the sky.

How long has it been now? Lovino questioned somberly. Moons? Seasons? I'm losing track in this star forsaken place! The elderly Nofur was kind to him and all, but he could never forgive the one who keeps him away from the one cat he cares about, no matter how sweet she was. My brother. Lovino practically moaned in his head. My poor brother! How could I have left you there like that?

His attention returned to the denning place. Are you out there somewhere? Are you even still alive? Is my entire reason to keep going pointless? Sadness gripped his soul at the possibility of his defenseless little brother, dead in an alley or by the side of a Black Path. But, there was also the possibility that he still lived; was wondering around on his own and needing his help.

No! He rose to his paws in determination. He was out there, he had to be! Lovino's brother was no quitter! Lovino's family is a family of survivors! I swear, brother! I will find you again! Just wait for me a little longer.

At last the sun was down, night covered the land, and a high pitched call came from inside. The Nofur wanted him in. Lovino sat perched on the roof, sitting as still as possible in the darkness. He hoped that the Nofur's damaged sight would pass him by if she came to look, and that she would give up and leave him in the garden tonight. It's not like he could really go anywhere, but some feeling was tugging at his fur, like tonight would be his chance.

At last, the lights within flickered off, and Lovino breathed out in relief as full darkness settled across him, the moon barely a slit of light in the sky.

Now what? It was the one thing he hadn't thought out. Now what? He was stuck on the roof of a place surrounded by mysterious poles that shocked him when he tried to get past. How to get out? Growling, the tom flopped on his stomach again, heavy collar smacking with a thunk against the roof.

That's it! The collar was the secret! If Lovino could get it off, he would be free to pass through the lightning barrier. He leapt to his paws, head swiveling, pupils widened in the dark. Across the roof, he spotted a piece that jutted slightly out from the rest. He had seen that twisted slab of bark so many times before, even tripped over the piece of fox dung from time to time. Yet he never even thought of it as an escape until now!

Gah! I'm such a dung faced bee brain! My brother's out there in the denning place and I had a possible escape for a while now! He bounded over to the wood block, and slipped the edge of the strap around the pointed edge.

Let's hope this works. Lovino began to rub his neck back and forth across the stick, the collar's material making a low scratching sound as it slid past the splintered wood. It was very slow going at first, but at last, Lovino felt a layer of the fabric give, strings tearing in half as he continued to saw.

It's working! Lovino's mind flooded with pleasing thoughts of finding his brother again, to rejoin him at that box they called home in the alley, to hunt by the rubbish bins once more, perhaps catching the occasional mouse in the park. Life was looking up again! Too bad the worst thing possible decided to happen at that moment.

It started as a sound in the distance, low and rumbling like an empty stomach. Then, something moved in the distance. Huge oaks were rippling across the ground, moving up and down like floating logs on a wave. It was shifting closer and closer. Lovino's eyes widened in fear, struggling to free himself as the ripple ran smack into the den.

With a huge surge, the ground gave way ripping all plants and structures from the ground. The already weakened cottage gave out, the entire building tipping backwards and caving in on itself. Lovino screamed in terror as the roof buckled and slid back. The force of the launch snapped the collar at last, and sent him flying past the barrier into the forest beyond.

Sun blaring through the trees warmed Lovino's head, and coaxed his eyes into blinking open again. It was morning, and he was somewhere deep in the forest, surrounded on all sides by sturdy trees. The tom groaned as he tried to move his body. That was a bad idea. The shock of pain crippled his legs and sent him to the floor again. Everything hurt. His ears rung and his eyes stung from excess dirt and dust. The force of that ground roar and sent him soaring into the tree line somewhere, and thought the impact hadn't broken anything, good stars did it hurt!

At last, his body loosened enough to allow him to stand, rubbing a sore spot on his neck with a paw. Wait. His neck. There was nothing around his neck! Leaping to his paws, Lovino craned his head to look at his chest. The grey strap was gone at last! The cat practically leapt with joy, dancing around on the forest floor, kicking up leaves and fallen sticks in excitement.

"I'm free! Free!" The yowl echoed throughout the forest, scattering birds in trees and sending mice into their holes. With a gasp, his sight became trained on those familiar black spires that rose like mountains scratching at the sky.

"My brother… You're somewhere in there. Don't worry, big bro Lovino's coming at last!"

And ignoring his worn muscles, the brown tom dashed through the trees and over roots and rocks in his way.

Life's finally looking up!