On The Edge

On The Edge: Season one, episode two of Flee The Warehouse

On The Edge
The gravel felt harsh beneath my paws as I padded over to the bushes. I'd let her sleep for a while longer, but she had to get up eventually. I was determined to leave this place. It was too close to the Warehouse and we'd stayed here for 2 nights. Heron seemed content not to move, but I didn't feel safe. Those upwalkers could be anywhere. I shuddered at the thought, and continued on my way towards the bushes.

After our short sprint away from the Warehouse, we'd come to the outskirts of the woods. I hated being close to the woods, for too many rumours were floating around about the terrible creatures that lived inside them. I didn't know whether to believe them or not, but I thought there would never be an opportunity for me to have to go inside. For now, we remained outside of the forest. Thoughts and decisions about the subject were for the future.

I nosed my way under the soft green leaves and into the tiny space the bush provided. Heron was there, sleeping softly. I nudged her.

“Come one Heron, you really need to wake up now.” I murmured quietly. I sat back, my gaze fixed on her, waiting for her to glare at me and protest. But she didn't, she simply sat up, her eyes wide and alert, staring at me. It made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

After a minute of awkward silence, Heron began to groom herself, her tail flicking lazily. She seemed relaxed. More relaxed than she'd ever been in the Warehouse.

Which was strange.

I coughed lightly, hoping to gain her attention. Which worked, but not really in the way that I'd hoped. She fixed her bright green gaze on me, her eyes seemingly brighter than I'd ever seen them before. She cocked her small head to the side, still staring at me.

I shuffled uncomfortably, glancing at the floor. “Um, Heron?”

She continued to look at me, her face showing no emotion. She flicked her ears impatiently and I began to feel a little embarrassed.

“What?” She mewed eventually, a slight smirk on her face. I blushed furiously, frustrated at myself. My younger sister had shown me up. A low growl formed in my throat.

“Heron...” I trailed off. A rush of realisation overcame me. We had no home… we were homeless.

Heron looked a little guilty, her eyes darting from me to the ground. “What are we going to do Rio?” She whispered. I heard her tired voice crack as a single tear fell from her eyes. I blinked back my own tears. Heron had lost it already. I had to stay strong for her.

Leaning forward, I gave her a swift lick over her head. “It'll be okay,” I murmured, “We'll survive. I know how to hunt, and I'll teach you. You'll be a natural, I know it.”

I hated the thought of Heron being able to hunt. She found the even the thought of blood too gruesome to handle and the possibility of her out and about searching for prey made me shudder. She'd never be able to kill a thing! She even complained about the prey she ate, saying there was too much blood. Although eating prey was a whole different matter. Killing it was something different.

She looked up at me. She'd stopped crying now, but her body felt tense beside me.

“So, you know where we're gonna go, right?” She mewed simply. I felt a little taken aback at the question, even though I knew it was coming. I'd even prepared myself for it. But when it came, I couldn't handle it.

“I… I don't know.” I admitted simply, hating every word.

I felt Heron pull away from me. She sighed, turning around to look me in the eye.

“Come on Rio!” She cried angrily, “Have you not noticed where we are?! We're camping out by the forest. Surely it's the best place to go to!”

I flinched at Heron's tone. She obviously hadn't heard the harsh rumours there were about the forest. Or if she had, they hadn't affected by her view on the place.

“Look, Heron,” I mewed uncertainly. I didn't really know what to say. “The forest… it's not safe. Well, I mean, I don't know. Cats have said… there's kinda a bad reputation about that place.” I finished weakly.

I could see Heron staring at me with disbelieving eyes. She let out a sigh, her whiskers twitching. “You don't really think those stories are true? They're kitten tales, complete and utter mouse-dung! Mutants? Yeah right.”

I gritted my teeth, blushing furiously. Now that I thought about it, the stories did seem a little far-fetched.

“The stories had to come from somewhere.” I told Heron, a little defensively. “Maybe not mutants, but something spurred the beginning of those rumours.” I mewed seriously.

Heron let out and amused purr. “It was probably a rabbit, or perhaps an upwalker. I'm pretty sure it was not a mutant.”

“Well, that may be the case, but I'm telling you Heron, we're not going in the forest.”

“I don't see a reason why we shouldn't.”

I hissed angrily, baring my teeth. “You don't? Well you're obviously not thinking along the same lines as me!”

She let out a short laugh, “You're right, I'm not! You're just a scaredy-mouse, believing dumb kitten tails about a bunch of trees!”

“Kitten tails! Heron, the whole “mutant” idea may sound stupid, but it's something to think about. It's my duty to protect you, and I'm not letting you in that forest! We don't know what's in there, and the stuff we've heard isn't good.” I seethed. I felt frustrated with myself. I sounded like a strict parent stopping my kitten from leaving the den. But Heron had grown up without a mother cat figure in her life, and I guess I had risen to the responsibilities of a mother when Heron was left without hers.

Heron hissed at me, her claws unsheathed. She widened her mouth, exposing her needle sharp teeth. “You know, I'm not as young as you think I am Rio! I could survive out in the woods on my own if I wanted to!”

My eyes widened as a rush of horrific images flooded into my head. “You're not thinking of doing that, are you?” I mewed worriedly.

Heron just hissed, giving me a defiant look.

I growled in return, watching Heron's green eyes flash with rage, before she settled down in the moss bed, eyes wide.

I guess I could let her rest for a little while longer. If only Orion were here, he could always calm down Heron.

Orion!