I am once more sorry for spelling errors, they just seem to happen more often on IPads. it isn't because my sister turned off the spell check either, I just am used to typing fast. So here is the third chapter! Enjoy, read and review please! I won't make a fourth chapter until I have 8 reviews. And what is up with Redhearts dream
After much difficulty, and freeing a bear from somewhere else in the building, we got through the door.
"Thanks Ruby, I hope you find your den!" I shouted after the bear. She truly was a nice bear. It was kind of her to break down the door so we could get out.
"Now where?" Asked Johnny.
"Now, to face the truth." Dusty said.
"No, now to find a hiding spot. We are still in front of the twoleg place." I argued.
"I like Redhearts idea." Johnny meowed. "We can talk and walk at the same time."
We nodded agreement and headed out. It was a nice green-leaf day, and the prey knew it. There seemed to be no trees in sight though, just a bunch of tall yellow grass. The one twoleg building they were fleeing was like a beacon in the plain place. Mice rustled the grass stems though, hinting that if a cat ever grew hungry there would be plenty for him or her to eat.
We had been walking for about half an hour when Dusty spoke up. He had stolen the blood bags and was carrying them. "I vote we give Johnny here a taste of his first blood."
Johnny stopped surprised. "I'm not thirsty though!" He protested.
"We just had something to drink too, and I want to keep moving. Just because you two have been trapped there for years doesn't mean you were always sitting on your lazy butts." I meowed. "Also, walk and talk at the same time? You wanted to talk about this 'truth' Dusty."
We started forward again. "Yes." Dusty meowed. "The plain truth is, you two can't go back to your regular lives."
This angered me. "Why not!" I demanded, though I knew why.
"You know why, because you escaped from the lab, but not before they turned you into a blood crazed monster." Dusty meowed cheerfully, like he enjoyed breaking bad news to me.
"You are enjoying this too much." I accused.
"Johnny can't go back to the city unless he wants to infect or kill a cat everytime he fights. Unless you plan on using claws alone?" Dusty continued brutally.
"I didn't like it there anyway, I planned on following Redheart." Johnny meowed stiffly. "Say Dusty, you haven't even hinted at your plans."
"Haven't you noticed how this has increased our strength? Granted not a lot, but it increased our strength enough to make any cat think twice before tangling with us!" Dusty meowed eagerly. "I plan on following Redheart, I figured we could start a superior clan together."
"You are insane Dusty!" I meowed. "I wouldn't let you be deputy, let alone leader. Oh, and where is this proof that we are stronger than the average cat?" I snorted.
"Don't tell me you blacked out while fighting that dog!" He laughed. "We totally took it down, granted not before it swung you around like a chew toy."
I bristled. I didn't like remembering my kills. I had done a lot of it since I went to the lab. "It seems," I meowed coldly, "that unlike you, I hate remembering my kills." And leaped forward, easily leaving the other two behind in the dust.
I knew they were talking about me now, well let them talk. Soon they would tire because they had never walked long in there lives. No, maybe Johnny had walked long distances, but not Dusty. He had been born in the lab. Maybe that was why Dusty was so mean and friendless? The second he made a friend it was taken from him, that was how he acted.
Still, we would have to stop soon, of that I was certain. I had a feeling Johnny had been stuck there for over four seasons. Being unable to walk a lot in that time would have decreased his stamina. Still, I would enjoy the silence until one of the weaker two would come run up and tell me they were tired.
As I predicted, an hour later Dusty ran up. "Could we take a pause?" He panted. "I never walked this much in my life!"
I nodded. "Sure. Maybe I can tell you stories about how much I walked when I was little." I meowed pleasantly.
As Dusty walked back I studied our new surroundings. During the small walk trees had gradually began to appear. They were now easily spaced out, and we had our pick of shelters. I picked a large tree with odd roots that were perfect for sheltering us. After sweeping away the uncomfortables I settled down.
The two cats appeared and joined me, looking a little better.
"My stamina is not what it was." Johnny admitted.
"I have none." Dusty declared. "This is like, all my lifes walking done in one day. I lived a very pathetic life before you came along, Redheart." He purred.
I felt a little better at the thought of making someone's life better, and purred softly. We must of left around dinner time because the sun was starting to set. "Ever see a setting sun?" I asked Dusty.
"Hell, I haven't seen a setting sun." Johnny interrupted.
"Well, they are beautiful." I meowed. "Afterwards, we can enjoy the blood bags."
They nodded agreement, and I put my unspent energy to use. I fixed up our temporary den, making it feel better. I put branches above us to block out any potential rain and I gathered things like moss for our bedding. When I was done I almost went out hunting, but stopped myself. No, tonight I drank from the blood bags.
When I was done and the sun had set we gathered around the blood bags. "Where did you get the third one Dusty?" I asked. The twoleg only had two for us, I thought.
"Oh, other cats in there drink blood too. I just took one of their bags, the twolegs will get them more."
I sighed. "Ok then. We each get one, so dig in." I meowed unhappily and took one.
Dusty grabbed his with great gusto and bit it open with a loud, pop. He greedily gulped the contents down then sat back satisfied. He seemed to enjoy blood, I wondered how he would react to hunting. He grinned at me, then frowned at the floor. A most curious thing.
I gently made a small hole in my bag with my claws. I refused to be so messy, I quickly drank my meal, without the huge mess. "How come you insisted on being a pig?" I asked Dusty.
"Blood is delicious." He declared.
Johnny looked doubtful of that, he still hadn't touched his bag. "C-can I wait?" He mewed.
"No Johnny." I said gently. "If you wait the fog sets in, that is bad."
He still looked doubtful so I sat next to him. I dragged the bag closer and made a tiny slit, hoping the smell of blood would get him to drink. Unfortunately, that made Dusty thirsty to.
"Redheart, if he doesn't want it-" He began.
"Well he needs it, Dusty!" I snapped back.
Johnny didn't like us fighting it seemed, for he said, "Don't fight guys! I am drinking it, see?" With that he finally drank the contents within the bag.
The awkward moment passed and I sighed in relief. "Ok, from here on we hunt our blood!" I meowed.
"Uh hunt?" Johnny meowed. "We didn't hunt often in the city, and Dusty was born in the lab. We don't know how to hunt."
I nearly yelled at them, but I knew it wasn't there faults. "Ok then," I meowed, "I will teach you how to hunt."
Dusty nodded. "I want to learn how to hunt, I don't want to live like how I did in the lab. Some stupid cat who never had a chance at a true life. Well night all!" With that he curled up to sleep.
"I suppose we should sleep to." Johnny meowed, eyeing Dusty with dislike.
"Yeah, I want to get up early. Before I teach you to hunt I want to hunt for us all, no chances with that mind fog."
Johnny nodded and curled up to go to sleep. I stepped into my own nest, whiskers quivering with amusement. Two full grown male cats who couldn't take care of themselves, let alone hunt! With that funny thought in my head I slipped into blissful sleep.
"Doubt me did you? Well no, you were the smart kit who listened to her elders!" Brambleberry meowed.
Taking it as a compliment I grinned. "Hullo to you to, Brambleberry."
He only shook his head. "Dark waters rising, the dusty clouds of the desert are dangerous too. Beware!" He whispered and faded.
I woke up confused, to say the least. I felt this was something I should keep to myself though, it was just to weird a dream. When I looked beyond our makeshift shelter it seemed to be an hour or two before dawn, perfect time to hunt. I slipped out, stealthy as a mouse, and entered the forest.
It was beautiful, the feeling I got just being out there. I felt energy re-enter my limbs and like a kit on my first time outside the camp I ran. I ran for the pure enjoyment of it, and knowing I was wild. I jumped high and batted the lowest branches, which were quite low. I ran fast, matching even the slowest rabbits. I was in a forest again!
Finally I settled down and got to the serious buisness of hunting. I tasted the air and mouse hit the roof of my mouth. With my mouth watering slightly I got into a hunting crouch and moved forward on silent paws. When my prey was close enough I pounced and landed squarely on it, I killed it quickly.
I burried it and hunted two more fine fat mice. I couldn't wait to have my friends eat there first mice! Happily I nearly skipped back to the den, but I managed to stay alert. For all I knew that while mouse scent clogged my nose, a fox might lay nearby. I was safe when I made it back though, and the sun was just starting to rise.
"Wakey wakey." I meowed, confused to why they weren't up yet. Did they actually sleep in like kittypets every morning?
"A little more longer." Johnny meowed.
"What he said." Agreed Dusty.
I frowned. "Boys, do you want your mice to get cold?" I asked. "No, we are sleeping on forest time. Up at dawn!" I insisted.
Johnny moved reluctently while Dusty didn't move at all.
"Mouse?" Asked Johnny, only semi-interested.
"Yes. I assume you didn't have these in the city?"
"We had a few, I had mouse once."
That disappointed me, but I didn't let it show. "Well forest mice are better." I prodded Dusty harshly in the ribs instead. "Up." I commanded.
He made a face and sat up. "I am getting there!" He complained.
"Well, I know as a lab cat you never had a mouse before." I meowed. "And mice are delicious. Mice also have blood, in every yummy bite."
I took a bite of my own mouse and purred. I prefered mouse over kittypet food any day! The blood was nice, and more noticeable, but I liked just being able to eat the mouse a lot more. I finished it off in a few neat bites.
Johnny was half way through his. "I didn't remember the taste of it, this is amazing!" He meowed with a full mouth.
Dusty didn't seem imperssed though. "I don't see why you think this tiny rodent would taste delicious." He meowed and went to take his first bite. To my satisfaction, a surprised look swept across his face. He seemed to really enjoy it, I could tell by how he devoured it after. "You have to teach me to hunt!" He pleadd.
"Yes, you should teach us today." Johnny agreed woth a happy nod of his head.
"I told you I would teach you two." I grinned, happier then I thought I could be away from my clan. "For now though, we really should get moving. I am not sure those twolegs are done searching for us."
That got both of them up. We set off at a brisk walk, but about half an hour later I slowed down for there sake. With full stomach we were making good time, but poor Dusty hadn't walked a mile in his life and we were forced to stop three hours later.
"Nows as good as time as any to learn how to hunt." I meowed. We had walked into a denser forest, the twolegs would have a harder time spotting us here.
Johnny looked up. "We just sat down." He complained. "I may have walked miles before, but I have been stuck in the lab so long I lost track of time."
"Can we please wait a few minutes?" Dusty asked.
I made a face and sat down. If only they had more endurance! Oh well, they would get some sooner or later. Maybe now I could find out a bit more about my traviling compainions. "Ok, just don't get too comfortable." I warned them.
"Yes ma'am." Johnny replied with a grin.
"So Dusty, you are really small." I remarked. "You seem grown up though, how old are you?"
"Seeming grown up? Yeah the lab has that effect on cats, I'm eight months old." He meowed, relaxed.
I sat confused. Months? Did he mean moons? Probably. "I am 12 moons, I have been a warrior for a few weeks." I replied proudly.
"I am 11 moons myself." Johnny meowed, he seemed to have gotten his breath back.
I jumped up. "Lets start our training now." I urged.
They got up. "Ok." Dusty meowed.
We found a small clearing and I gulped nervously. Being a brand new warrior, I hadn't had an apprentice yet. How did the older warriors teach me? "Ok, just copy my moves and hold them, then I will tell you how to better them." I meowed and got into a hunting stance. "This is how you hunt mice." I informed them.
They copied me and I inspected their stances. "Johnny, you are lopsided." I informed him. "Dusty, you have to much pressure on your front paws." They corrected themselves and I nodded satisfied.
"Now I will show you how to move. This is more important then it sounds, if a rabbit or mouse hears you, there is a slim chance of catching it afterwards." I said. I got into a crouch and moved forward with slow purpose. "Note that only my paws touch the ground, but I don't have my butt in the air and waving it around." I meowed.
The copied me and I watched. "Johnny, don't let that stomach touch the ground! Dusty, your front paws are still causing you trouble." I meowed at them.
It helped knowing they were younger then me, even if Johnny wasn't younger by much. I might of sounded confident, but I wasn't sure I was teachingt them right. Well, they were doing the hunting technquie correctly, so I must of been teaching them correctly. I sighed a breath of relief when they reached the end of the clearing without mistake.
"Well done." I meowed. "Now, lets see if you can really hunt a mouse. Meet back here at sunhigh." I meowed. "Don't get lost!" I ordered and walked off.
I did it, I taught them! I was so happy. I ran into the forest to hunt for my own food, confident nothing could go wrong now. I quickly scented a mouse and pounced on it. I killed it with a swift hit to the back of the neck and jumped up grinning. It went quickly, and I got there before both of them.
Knowing they wouldn't be back for a while I sat down and enjoyed my kill. It was as I remembered last nights kill, delicious with the flavors of freedom. Today was turning out well, maybe a little to well, but I ignored any negative thoughts. I heard rustling to my left and turned to see Johnny emerging with a mouse. His head and tail held high.
"It took two tries, but I got one!" He announced proudly.
"Eat it then." I purred.
He did just that, and as he ate and we waited for Dusty I told him about the clans. If we were going there together he would want to know about them. I told him of all the important places, and about StarClan in whole. I told him how working with others made life in the wild easier then being alone. I think I had convinced him it was awesome, living with the clans.
Sunhigh came and there was still no sign of Dusty. "I think it is because of how much pressure he puts on his front paws. It will make noise and make him slip." I meowed, trying not to worry.
"He could be lost." Johnny suggested. "He has no idea how to track, never been outside the lab I bet."
"Lets wait a little longer." I meowed.
Johnny nodded. So we sat there and wait. A half an hour passed, then a whole hour. I knew it, something had gone wrong on this seemingly fine day. I junped up, unable to wait. "We must find Dusty!" I meowed and ran off.
I smelled the air and followed Dustys scent, he had made no effort to hide it. Finding him was easy, though he had traveled a bit farther then I expected him too. When the scent of blood mixed with his I got worried. I felt that we were close, the scent of his smell and that of the blood was very strong. I rounded a tree and found a terrified Dusty looking at a badly scratched body.