Chapter 12:
It had taken Francis quite some time to convince Yao to follow him down the section where the alley split. The curly furred tom could simply take no more of being out here like this. The alleyway they had currently been walking was spread wide and open, with plenty of vantage points for others to spot them from and numerous places to hide in the shadows, and all of it put Francis on edge. After their encounter with the vicious rouges from earlier, his nerves had been rocked to the core, and now his non-confrontational instincts told him to run and hide in the smallest corner of the darkest part of this retched place until his Nofur came and found him.
He almost wanted to cry at the thought. His poor Nofur! She had to be worried sick about them, and constantly walking around was not going to help her find them any sooner. He just wanted her to locate them, to pick him up with secure arms and stroke friendly paws down his back, to coo over his head affectionately and take him back home, out of the denning place forever. He wanted so bad to curl up by the fire and forget about all he had seen, all that had happened; the destruction, the danger, the chaos; just to leave it all behind. He couldn't stand it! So taking this different path, which looked small, safe, and secure, called to his cowardly nature instantly.
Yao, on the other hand, was of a different opinion. He was a stubborn cat, had been since kithood. Never one to let an insult slide or an impossible task undone, fear did not shut him down like it did Francis, but pushed him forward instead, made him mad at his own weakness and quick to lash out. He wanted nothing more than to slash his claws down those flee bitten cat's faces, but even they scared him. Broke that brave persona and turned him into a fleeing coward just like his friend. But now that they were gone, he was angry. And each stride he took filled his body with agitation. He cursed the Nofur for leaving them there, cursed the rouges for having no one else to torture, and cursed the earth itself for getting them into this mess in the first place. If they just kept moving, maybe they could find a way out, and everything could go back to normal. So when Francis suggested the back way…
"The back way?!" Yao's fur practically burst off his body in rage. "Why on this whole star forsaken earth would we take the back way?!"
"Well… because… a fence lined rout seems like the better way." Yao sent him a glare. "And because it seems small and out of the way…"
"Oh, this is just like you, Francis! Running away again, never able to stick to one plan. We should keep going straight, ride this one out until we hit a wall. We don't need to get lost again!"
"We won't be getting lost! And besides, who's to say this isn't the wrong way? It hardly looks safe at all, it goes deeper into the denning place, and we want to get out! It was a bad idea to come here in the first place!"
"You picked this way!"
Francis was stumped. He had no smart retort or clever idea to get him out now. He eyed the alleyway again.
"Maybe, but… but now I'm trying to fix it!" He fluffed indignantly. "I'm sure this is the wrong way, and being out here could be bad news for us!" Unable to hide his fear any longer, his voice dropped to a whisper. "What if those cats come back again?"
It'll be good riddance for them, I'll tell you. Yao thought. Lost in day dreams of slashing rouge throats and ripping tails, oblivious to the fact that they would be the ones tearing him apart.
The desperation was clear on Francis' face. It was evident all this made him very uneasy and uncomfortable. So Yao gave in with a sigh, anything for his friend.
"Alright, alright. Let's try the back way."
The sun was noticeably high in the clear blue sky as Yao and Francis continued onward. Fences lined in each direction, and not much had changed, aside from a few times where the path split into new directions. Francis was thankfully following Yao's plan now of sticking to one path until it ended. After a few moments of walking in this more secluded spot, the golden tom had loosened up a bit, going back to his eloquent talking self, head and tail held high and proud as usual.
Since not much interesting was located in the alley, staring at wooden posts and trash bins all day was not exactly riveting, the cats had switched to short, pointless conversation. Which devolved into Francis just complaining about aches in his paws, his back, his tail; everywhere, really. Yao rolled his eyes and flattened his ears in an effort to drown out pointless prattle. He should never have remarked that he thought there was a pebble wedged in his pads.
But despite all that, something was lifting the fur along Yao's spine. Even though the sun shone directly and bright, strange shadows where thrown across the posts. A cold wind blew down Yao's spine, and the cat shivered with uneasiness, hackles rising. Despite that he scented nothing weird, heard barely any sounds, none abnormal, something was just… off.
"Hey, Francis?" He whispered. "Do you… feel something? Like there's… someone else here?"
"What? No." His friend remarked in a loud, unconcerned voice. "I don't feel anything-"
Francis' words died in his throat as they turned the corner and came face to face with a swinging, brown and white tail. The large body it was attached too was currently reaching up to a trash bin, head ducked inside. Down the alley, several more bodies with swinging tails snuffed and rummaged in other bins that littered the way. As the cat's entered, all heads turned to them.
"DOGS!" Francis and Yao cried in fear.
Huge heads with long mussels stuffed the air before them, and lips drew back in a snarl revealing sharp, white teeth. The pack growled low, all dropping to the ground, saliva dripping to the dusty floor.
Shrieking once more, Yao and Francis turned and ran, yipping pack straight on their tails. The toms pelted as fast as physically possible, all other pains and qualms forgotten in high paced fear. Growls and barks sounded not far behind, the dogs slowly gaining speed. The pack was numerous and many of the dogs were large, all with snarling faces and intense eyes, the thirst for blood noticeable in their hungry gaze. Split laces their mouths, coating their tongues as they lolled out of their mouths. The beasts barked and yelped with excitement and the desire to rip, tear and eat.
Yao's eyes stretched wide at the sight, painting heavily as they streaked ahead, struggling to find some way to lose them. Francis' eyes spotted a split.
"This way!" He shouted as Francis turned fast down the other alley, Yao not far behind.
The dogs slowed for a moment and struggled to fit themselves through, so anxious they could not wait until the dogs in front cleared the entrance to follow the cats. Yao and Francis ran farther still, howls of the hunt sill ringing the air as the starving strays continued the chase.
Making another turn, Francis stopped short and Yao cried in anguish. They had rain smack into a dead end. The cats turned wide eyed towards the entrance, fur fluffed to twice their size in fear. The high toned barks and spit filled growls grew louder, pounding of heavy paws on dirt becoming stronger as death approached their last stand.
Yao and Francis huddled close, panic radiating through their bodies and spreading to the tips of their fur. As they saw the first tooth filled mussel come into view, the cats shut their eyes, waiting for it all to end.
Something clattered from above, one of the may trash tins stacked several high by the fence wall rattled and shook from where it stood at the top. And just as the first few dogs ran through, the cans fell one after the other and onto the unsuspecting beasts. They let out whines of pain and surprise as heavy metal crashed on top of them, sending dog tumbling over dog as they piled up in front, stopping the rest of the pack from running through.
Before the dumb creatures could gather themselves and figure out a way around, a battle cry broke the air, and a white flash flew from behind the cans and onto the face of the first dog. It shrieked, whined, and howled as its slim brown form twisted in an effort to shake whatever was currently trying to claw its eyes out. One of the others came to its assistance, only to have the white creature latch onto it.
Panic broke out throughout the pack as it leapt from dog to dog, biting and scratching at eyes, noses and ears. Several tried to counter the thing, only to have it leap from view and clamp down hard on parts of themselves and their brothers. Dogs flailed and tripped on one another, trampled smaller dogs, and whined in desperate confusion. The white blur was everywhere at once. Cutting slashing, hitting, blinding dogs by taking out their eyes, boxing them hard in the face and sometimes removing teeth. One small dog was kicked squarely in the chest, and ran from the alley screaming with its tail between its legs. The struggle continued to the wide eyes of Francis and Yao.
At last when all the dogs were sufficiently cut and beat, the flash of white flew off the pack, and landed squarely at the mouth of one of the trash cans. Light shone through a hole in the bottom, and tossed its shadow across the back wall. The dogs cowered from the monstrous form that loomed behind them. The white beast inside let out a huge yowl, which was amplified by the trash can to such a volume that it filled all corners, and sent shivers down the dog's spines. With a yelp from the leader, all the skimpy mutts turned and fled, crying and whimpering all the way. The white form from the can stepped out, and perched himself at the top, standing firm and tall, gazing sternly after their fleeing forms.
Francis and Yao gazed at the white furred tom with awe and open jaws while the pitiful cries of the once fearsome pack faded into the distance. The tom sighed in relief, tense muscles going slack as he turned to the frightened felines currently backed against the fence.
Francis recoiled from his face. He had such a warm and caring smile, but the eyes. The eyes were dark and bleak, colder than snow and more desolate than a dessert. Francis looked at him and saw nothing but chilling blackness and fear gripped his body in response. The curly tom whimpered and hid behind Yao, shivering slightly. What cruel fate, saved from a pack of dogs only to be clawed to bits by the incarnation of death itself!
Yao saw the same shadow within the gaze of the imposing figure before them, but the calico pushed against that wall of cold nothing with intense vigor given strength by the uneasiness coursing his pelt. He rose stubbornly to his paws and posed rigid over his friend, glaring daggers at this new comer.
Ivan flinched slightly after Francis ran and hid behind Yao.
Oh, not again. Not with these cats, too. Come on, Ivan, be friendly!
"H-hello, there!" He waived his tail slightly in greeting.
Francis was still hiding, and Yao was giving him funny looks. An awkward silence descended for a moment, Ivan holding an awkward smile. He sighed and sat back on his haunches. The white tom forced himself to remain calm and speak naturally.
"So, um… are you and your friend all right?"
Francis peaked out from behind Yao for a moment, the gentleness of his voice surprising the tom. Yao, however, was not sure if he was trustworthy. Despite being the one to save them, the dark, coldness in his gaze still set Yao on edge.
"Who wants to know?"
"Oh, yes! Forgive me for being so rude. My name is Ivan."
Yao said nothing, believing this cat to be in no place to receive introduction. He felt a tug on his tail.
"What is it, Francis?" he hissed quietly.
"Introduce us."
"What? Why?"
"Well because it's only proper etiquette, Yao. We don't need this cat believing us to be a bunch of street ruffians. We were raised with manners."
"Then you come out here and tell him!"
Francis shifted farther behind him.
"No, that's okay. You do it."
Yao rolled his eyes and turned back to Ivan.
"I am Yao. And this cowardly thing is Francis."
"Hello, Yao. And hello, Francis. I'm sorry I scared you."
Francis ducked his head out again, feeling calmer now that Ivan was no longer staring directly at him.
It's working! The white cat thought to himself.
Yao cleared his throat.
"Well, thank you for saving us from the dogs. That was quite impressive."
Ivan's chest swelled with pride at the complement. He got so few that were not worthless praise driven by fear. He found this calico to be quite interesting. He showed no signs of being afraid as he stood before Ivan, never crouched or waivered in his voice. It was a new feeling to be talked to as an equal. But another thought crept into his mind, and a pit of anxiety opened in his stomach.
"About that. I wanted to ask, what were you thinking coming down here?"
Yao and Francis stared questioningly at him, Yao a bit peeved that Ivan might be calling them stupid.
"Wait, did you not know about the pack of dogs?"
"Of course not!" Yao shouted, anger getting the best of him as he shoved his mussel into Ivan's face. "We're not even from here! How were we supposed to know that?"
"You're not from here?"
"No, we live with the fancy female Nofur outside the denning place. Neither of us have ever been back here in our lives!"
Realization struck Ivan's face. No wonder he didn't recognize them. Of course he would know two of his own cats, but Yao and Francis were clearly lost. Yao turned, abandoning Francis as his cover to walk carefully around Ivan.
"Now if you don't mind, we'll be going." Francis yelped and ran over to Yao's side, opposite of Ivan, whom he was staring warily at.
Ivan's heart sank. He couldn't let them get away! These were the first cats to talk to him normally! Well, Francis was still afraid, but Yao clearly was not. This could be his only chance to make a real friend.
"Wait!" He called. Yao halted abruptly.
"I can help you."
Yao turned curiously towards him.
"You can?" Francis spoke up this time in surprise, his desire to get home overwhelming the grip of fear.
"Yes. You may not know this, but I'm sort of the big authority around here. As the strongest cat, all the other rouges and loners respect me as some sort of leader. I know every inch of the denning place. I could get you out of here." Yao would have originally thought that to be a proud statement, but the melancholy way in which he said it seemed to suggest he hated having such a title pressed upon him.
Joy appeared on the golden tom's face, but Yao interjected.
"No thanks," he replied coldly. "We'll be fine."
Ivan was downtrodden as the calico tom turned back again, but Francis stopped his way.
"He's coming." He demanded.
"What? But we have no idea if he is trustworthy!"
"I don't care. I just want to get home, and if we keep stumbling around at this rate, we'll just end up starved or chewed to bits! He's coming."
Yao sighed.
"Fine, fine. Hey, fuzz pelt! Ivan, or whatever. Get up, you're coming with us, at least to the edge of the denning place."
Ivan grinned with glee. Rising to his paws, the giant tom took the lead, taking them the opposite direction of where they had been headed.
"See, I told you it was that way." Yao replied smugly as the cats trotted off down the fence lined path.
I will be taking a vacation for a few days, and school starts soon after that, so it may be a while before the next update.
I was also considering a new series to make in between these chapters that involves a different reality, where the human countries encounter and adopt these cats that share their names and personalities. It would involve mainly one shots of cats doing cute things, but it would be a nice way to fill content space in between updates as well as a way to work out writer's block.