My Home

MY HOME

Episode 1 of Wild by Fox

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JALIVERYNN HAD ALWAYS BEEN HOME to Cairna. From the moment she opened her tender eyelids to her dying breath, Jaliverynn would always be her true home. At least, that's what they told her. Sylvanus and Chelsey were devoted hunters of Jaliverynn, parents to four kits, of one being Cairna, who, as her littermates, looked up to their parents dearly. Every night, along with the prey he'd bring, Sylvanus would also have a story to share every night he entered the nursery.

He'd call them legends when everyone knew they were just morals - but some were, in fact true, Cairna discovered later. From the simple rituals, transforming from The Young to Initiate, from Initiate to Warrior or Hunter, to the trials of crime. Jaliverynn was very organized indeed, a wonderful place for cats to live. Unlike those Clan cats who practically live on blood of their enemies all day long. Disgusting.

Cairna drew a dark brown paw over her back, smoothening it, as she waited for the signal. Training time would be soon and Cairna just couldn't wait. At least ripping through pelts and sinking fangs into tendons would be better than sitting here, bored to death. "How was your first day?" Cairna's littermate June materialized, her dark brown tabby fur rippling beneath her muscles and Cairna pushed away a wave of jealousy.

"It was fine. We learned our positions." The brown she-cat meowed briskly. "How about you?"

"Okay," June shrugged. "We learned the stalking position and just...stalked?"

"Stalked actual prey?"

"No. Leaves."

"Oh."

Then June disappeared, and the next moment Cairna saw her, the tabby she-cat was meowing to Jacinda, their other sister. Cairna sighed. That was how all her conversations with her family went. Why did they bother talking to her? No - why did she bother with them? The dark brown shook her head, blinking her bright blue eyes. She was aware of her friend, Marylu parting from her sister and heading down to the center of camp where the other Initiates were waiting for training to begin.

"Hi Marylu." Cairna murmured.

"Oh, hi Cairna!" The pinky-gray she-cat trilled. "How's training?"

"Good," Cairna repeated everything she said to June in a much more enthusiastic tone.

"We practiced our hunting moves." Marylu explained when Cairna asked her, expecting what June said.

"Oh." Cairna's face fell. "We didn't learn any moves."

"I'm sure you will soon." Marylu shrugged and wrapped a comforting tail around Cairna who just sagged. "Cheer up! I have the most amazing news to tell you! So you know ho-"

A sharp yowl intersected Marylu's sentence, who blinked apologetically. "Tell you later," was all she said before joining the other Hunting Initiates. Cairna sighed and joined the other Aemy Initiates. Hunting sounded way more fun; the ten moon old she-cat wished her parents had selected a different destiny for her. But no, it was always the parents who got first decision, rather than the cat itself. Still, Jaliverynn was very successful, Cairna had to admit. So she pushed her negative thoughts out of the way and forced herself to be ready for a tough training day.

General Ciera approached the Army Initiates with scrutinizing blue eyes as Commander Radcliffe went to the Hunting Initiates. She gave a simple nod and led them out of camp. Cairna lurked at the end of the patrol, listening to Shavonne and Jacinda. They were whispering excitedly about their crushes. None of them were aware of her presence. "Don't you think Bristol is so cute?" Jacinda gushed. Cairna cringed.

"I guess." Shavonne scoffed, lashing her dappled gray tail. "But I'd go for a more handsome one like Denver."

"Bristol's nice too!" Jacinda snapped, her tortoiseshell, ginger, and white tail bristling.

"At least Denver looks higher than a pitiful mouse!"

Cairna closed her eyes, trying to block them out. She thought she ought to warn her littermate of Shavonne's cattiness, but decided the better of it. Jacinda wasn't one to learn from friendships, from anything. They arrived at the Initiate Training Area where the Hunting Initiates weren't far from. The area was full of gorse and wildflowers, a pure scent evening up the air and Cairna never felt more alive than in this setting.

"Line up in pre-battle position." Ciera commanded smoothly.

Cairna took her spot behind Bristol, smirking as she noticed Jacinda and Shavonne content to be far apart from each other, noses high in the air. "Good, good." Ciera remarked, taking her position at her General position. "You've learned etiquette yesterday, so today we will be working on the paw blows. Please find yourself a partner immediately, and stand in front of them."

Bristol and Denver found each other almost immediately and Shavonne seeked out Wayn with a smug smile. Jacinda stared at her former friend for a long time before marching up to Cairna and glowered at her paws wordlessly. Cairna did not pry.

Ciera scanned the Initiates. "Now, one partner raise your paw."

Cairna raised her tail in question and Jacinda nodded, still looking glum.

"Make sure your claws are sheathed before you do this. Now bring it down your partner's face."

Cairna raked her sheathed paw across her sister's face and the latter was broken from her trance, stumbling backwards a few pawsteps before snarling.

"I had to!" Cairna protested. She looked into Jacinda's malicious eyes following to where Shavonne was pretending not to laugh and wondered how her own sister could ignore her that easily, as if she were nothing but a lump of mouse bile.

"Now the other partner may try it."

Jacinda gnashed her teeth and swiped at Cairna's face. The brown she-cat fell backwards, and got up a few seconds later. Her face stung and tears of pain clung to her eyelids. She pursed her lips, blinking back the threatening tears and walked back to face her sister with a glare.

"What?" Jacinda mocked. "I had to."

Cairna looked away.

For the rest of the training hours, they practiced back kicks and Cairna was sure her face would be covered in scars yet nobody said anything. As they walked back, Cairna stared at her reflection briefly. Nothing but some disheveled fur. Huh.

Cairna blinked rapidly as she carefully avoided both Shavonne and Jacinda as she went back into camp. Unfortunately, neither Marylu nor her sister Tahnee were there. The Hunting Initiates must be out still. The dark brown she-cat sighed and took a long drink from a pool, glancing at the pitiful once-a-prey-pile. The Hunters had to be back before midday.

Cairna stalked through the ferny camp of Jaliverynn until she found her parents speaking in low voices in a fern clump. The sight caught the better of her memories and tugged. She remembered herself, a six moon old kit in the safe comfort of her nest, curled up to her mother with June, Elsdon, and Jacinda all eager to hear their father's stories as they chewed up their prey. Cairna blinked and the memory was gone, and standing before her were her parents themselves.

"Draft...soon with League..." Sylvanus murmured quietly into his mate's ear.

"Really? And this means...Initiates as..." Chelsey spoke eagerly.

"Yes..." Sylvanus smiled, matching Chelsey's bright one as they curled up together, their ginger and silver fur reflecting the sun. They continued speaking but Cairna had heard enough. As she walked back to where the Hunting Initiates were meeting up with their parents, speaking eagerly, instead of seeking out Marylu or Tahnee, Cairna held her head down.

There would be another draft of Warriors sent out to fight The League.

And her parents would see to it that she would be one of them.

The End