One of a Wild Heart

Chapter 1
Kate licked her paw and brought it down over one ear.

"I don't see what's wrong with it Sunshine." Kate's friend- Sunshine had come to her grouching about how she saw her near the forest. It was a common thing, so she was used to it.

"Do you have ANY idea what forest cats could have DONE TO YOU?! Or what if a wild dog saw you? Or a fox! Or even worse, a badger!" Sunshine ranted, her voice was full of worry. Sunshine stopped, then sighed.

"I'm sorry Kate...I just worry about you..." Kate shrugged. And flicked her dappled tail.

"Maybe if you would just come with me- just once! You would understand why I go there so much!" Sunshines green eyes widened in horror.

"Oh I could never Kate! Wild cats would swallow us whole!" Kate rolled her eyes.

"Swallow us whole? Really Sunshine? That's a kit story! For all we know wild cats might not even eat other cats!" Kate tried to reason.

"For all we know they could kill you on sight!" Sunshine snapped back. The golden tabbys fur was now bristling. Kate but back a hiss if frustration. Her friend was acting like a kit listening to her mothers wild cat stories!

"You know what Sunshine? I'm going back to those woods tonight and you'll be to afraid to stop me! I'll come back perfectly fine and show you theirs nothing for you to be afraid of!" Sunshine gasped. She stared at Kate in shock.

"You can't possibly be willing to do such a thing Kate! I'm telling you you'll get yourself killed in there!" Kate rolled her light blue eyes...

"I'm going in there! And this time...i-i'm going past the tree line!"

Chapter 2
Kate sat at the edge of the woods. She gulped, just as she had told Sunshine she was going back into the forest... But deeper than she normally would. "I can't just put it off all night can I?" She sighed and finally got up. Kate made her way into the usual woodland. She looked around and pricked her ears. Seemingly jumping at every sudden movement. Kate finally reached the tree line. A strange scent was always here. A fox perhaps? Or a dog with its own territory? She didn't know. She sighed. "No use in waiting here all night I suppose..." Kate gathered up all her courage and made her way last the tree line. She looked around this was a bit deeper than she would normally go into the forest. She walked forward and took in the air. She could hear a stream running and many plant scents. She heard a small mouse sqeaking. She looked around and found an injured mouse. She pounced at it making it squirm under her grasp. She let out a small laugh and let it go. She looked around saw a pile of leaves. She jumped into them and let them fly everywhere. The forest wasn't so bad. Kate pounced around. Trying to bring down leaves that were still in the air from the pile. She looked around for something else to do. She saw a bird fluttering abouth looking for some night food. She ran at it and pounced up at it as it flew off. She laughed again and started looking for something else to do. She suddenly froze. A growling sound was heard. Before she could react paws slammed into her side. 'Fox!' She thought in fear. She tried to tear herself away from the foxes grip. But the fox had her firm. It clawed her back making her let out a yowl.

"Help!" She called. Over and over again as the fox kept clawing her. She gave up and fell limp. No one was coming to help. She was as good as dead. Without warning the fox let out an angry bark and stumbled away from her. She heard paws land down in front of her. She looked up, it was a cat! She couldn't see anything but its green eyes in the darkness. "A kittypet!" By the voice she could tell this cat was a tom. She saw another figure come up. "The fox fled with a good few slashes on its muzzle." She could tell this one was female. The female had glowing hazel eyes in the darkness. "Thank you, Rainpelt... Now we should send this kittypet home." She could feel the two cats gazing down at her.

"Volefur! She's far to injured to go home! We should take to our camp and heal let Streamsplash treat her first!" Kate looked up at "Rainpelt" in surprise. "She's a kittypet Rainpelt! She shouldn't even be here!" The tom argued. The she cat let out a hiss.

"And if we make her leave without treatment, she could curl up and die before she could get back to her home! Where's the honor of leaving a helpless cat to die? She can barely even get up!" the toms ears flattened upon realizing: he can't argue with the she-cats statement. "Fine. Your carrying her back! I'm going to make sure the fox left the territory!" The tom stalked off without another word. The she cat gave a sigh. "I'm so sorry about Volefur he's not friendly towards cats outside the clan. What's your name young one?" Kate felt the she cat get her up on her back. And began to carry her somewhere. "K-Kate...my name is..Kate." Kate was almost to weak to speak. "My name is Rainpelt. Don't worry sleep if you must. I'll take you to our camp to get treated." Meanwhile Kate felt darkness consume her. As she fell into an uncomfortable sleep.

Chapter 3
Kate groaned she felt a paw gently prodding at her side. "Young kittypet? Please wake up. You must eat something." A gentle, she-cat voice spoke softly. Kate blinked open her eyes. She was in a small den around her were all sorts of plants. Light was coming from a corner in the den. What was going on? She looked towards the where the voice was coming from. It was a white she cat with a black spot on her eye and a couple black splotches near her ear. She had a black underbelly and chest. On her back colors collided where it looks like black or grey water was coming down her fur. As well as dark blue eyes. "Are you feeling well? That fox did a number on you. I managed to stop the bleeding but I think you should stay here for a day or so until the wounds have closed up enough for you to go home." The she cat carefully explained. Kate looked confused for a second. Suddenly it all came back to her. Going past the tree line into the forest. Plating around with the birds and mice. Getting attacked by that fox. Being saved by two cats. Being brought here but...falling asleep on the way. Kate looked back up at the she cat. "Umm what's your name?" The she cat let out a purr. "Oh right! How rude of me! My name us Streamsplash: medicine cat of Branchclan!" Now Kate felt even more shocked than she already was. "Branch...clan?" Streamsplash gave a smile. "Branchclan is a group of cats that live as one. We each care for each other from the youngest kit to the eldest elder. We have a law within our clan. Cats like you say we are feirce, savage animals. But we only seek to defend what's ours." Kate was still slightly confused. But nodded anyways. Suddenly a Russian blue tabby-like she-cat came into the den. "Oh Kate! Your awake!" Kate's eyes widened. How does this cat know her?! "How do you know my name?" Kate tried to hiss. The she cats ears flattened. "Kate, it's me....its..its Rainpelt!" Kate looked at her in shock. Last night this cat had been impossible to see in the shadow of the trees. Now she was in broad daylight! "Oh...Rainpelt...I umm thanks for bringing me here..when that tom wanted to leave me.." Kate trailed off awkwardly. Suddenly someone else came into the den. Rainpelts eyes widened. "D-deputy Birchclaw!"

Chapter 4
"This is the kittypet?" The tom known as...Birchclaw titled his head. Rainpelt nodded. "She is... Birchclaw please, don't be hostile to her..." Birchclaw gave a purr. "I'd never be hostile to a young one such as her my dear Rainpelt!" Rainpelt let off a purr. "Don't try and charm me now! Just be easy on her." With that she watched as the tom...Birchclaw come up to her. She could see him more clearly now. He was a strong looking tom half of his face was black. The black part of his face had a purple eye. The brown side had a blue eye. He had a scar over one eye and other than that was just a brown tabby tom with a stumpy tail. "Alright kittypet I just want to ask a few things." the tom..err...Birchclaw...started. Kate have a small nod. "First off what is your name?" She heard the tom ask. "Kate...." "Alright, what were you doing on our territory?" He went on. Kate gulped. "W-well my friend...her name is Sunshine. Told me that the forest was dangerous. Because I always went towards the edge...and a little ways in... I finally decided to show her that its not dangerous by going past the tree line... I got attacked by a fox and ended up here..." Kate had just explained everything that happened... Birchclaw was silent for a moment. "...Always going to the edge and little ways in you say?" Birchclaw asked. "Y-yes..." Kate could hear Birchclaw mumble something under his breath, but couldn't make out what it was. "I'm bringing my leader in for further questions. Until then eat something." Birchclaw left. Streamsplash gently set a mouse down in front of Kate. "A-a..mouse?" Kate was always curious of if she should try mice or not. She figured it would taste raw and rotten. She was hungry though..and she guessed she didn't have a choice here... "Have you never tried a mouse before?" Streamsplash tilted her head. Kate shook her head no. "No I figured the raw meat wouldn't taste good..." Streamsplash gave a kind smile. "I won't force you to eat it. But if your going to be here for a day or two if suggest you try it. Or you'd be to weak from hunger to return home..." Streamsplash trailed off. Kate now realized how hungry she truly was. She had forgotten to eat before she left for the forest that night... She gulped, she slowly forced herself to take a bite out of the mouse. Her eyes widened it tasted...good. She quickly finished the mouse and licked her lips. "I was expecting that!" Streamsplash amused purr was heard from the other side of the den. "I uhh heh..." suddenly Birchclaw came back into the den. With him was a black tom with a white underbelly and chest he had white speckled going from between his eyes to down his back. He also had blue eyes. "Nightstar! Hello brother!" Streamsplash purred the tom known as "Nightstar" gave a curt nod in greeting. "Nightstar" then went over to Kate. "My deputy says your the one going into the woods every night?" he tilted his head. "I-I ummm yes..of course..." Kate was nervous, Birchclaw had titled this cat as his "Leader". "Our patrols have been spotting you. It made me curious. I want to ask: Why is a kittypet like you- who can live under to luxury of two-legs- choose to explore a forest of all places? Not just that but go in there to prove something. Not just that but go in there often?" Kate was surprised. This "leader" is more curious than that "deputy" was! "I just hate being cooped up in my home all the time! I've even had thoughts of leaving them when I was younger... Before they started letting me out of the house every now and then. But why would you want to know? I'm nothing but a burden to wild cats like you!" Nightstar looked taken aback by these words... "Hmm....you haven't been taken to the cutter yet? Have you?" Kate tilted her head. "What's a...cutter?" Nightstar sighed "Cats are taken to the cutter...and when they come back. They Feb not have kits...and they become fat and lazy!" Kate felt realization strike her like a Dog biting on her head. This cat meant the vet! "You mean the vet! No but they've made some sort of time to take me there I think....by the looks of it. They got then pet carrier and all the toys out for it. I dread it to!" Nightstar now looked like he was in thought. "How about you get to know what its like to be a real wild cat? You seem to have been trying to... But if your taken to the cutter that will all be taken away from you..." Kate began to think. Nightstar was right. If she was taken to the vet shed never go into the forest again! Kate looked up and saw Nightstar staring back down at her. "Kate, would you like to join Branchclan?"

Chapter 5
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