Ocean Eyes/Six

"I can finally see that

You're right there beside me"

- meteor shower

~

starfish

A feeling surged into me the moment I saw Oceansplash running to me with a hopeless expression on her face. A familiar feeling. The feeling of anger.

All my loved ones had been taken away from me. What more did I have other than Oceansplash, who now I thought of as truly a friend? I narrowed my eyes defensively and slid to a halt, my fur bristling, as I ran into a small group of cats.

This must be them.

The strangers looked at me with a startled expression on their faces, but that quickly changed to one of ridicule. The cat at front rolled his eyes and hissed, "Get out of here, rogue."

"Why?" I retorted to the bigger cat, my fur bristling. "Don't I have a right to be here?"

"No," he hissed, "because this is our territory, not yours."

Rustling in the bushes behind me indicated Oceansplash's entrance. My heart quickened. What had I gotten myself into?

Oceansplash slid up next to me, glaring defiantly at the cat in lead.

He shot an unbelieveing glanced at her and spat, "Get away from the rogue, Ocean Eyes."

She shook her head firmly and stood her ground. "Lay a single scratch on him..." she glared and gave the tom a withering hiss. "Leave him alone, Stonestripe."

He set his gaze on Oceansplash, and then drew it along slowly until it was directed on me. Understanding crept into his eyes, followed by a cruel, crooked smile.

"So Ocean Eyes has aquired a friend now, has she?" He laughed. "I won't lay a scratch on him - whatever you say, Freak." And then he pounced on Oceansplash.

~

I was never quite sure what got into me the day I saw Oceansplash get into the fight.

Maybe it was a part of me I'd never had the courage to show. Maybe it was the feelings I had for Oceansplash. Or maybe it was just all the emotions that had been churning inside of me since the day my parents died that I'd never found anyone to confide with.

Whatever it was, without a moment's thought I leaped into the fray. I clawed at Stonestripe's ears. He growled and reared up on me, leaping at me with his claws outstretched, and missed by just a whisker as I ducked from his blow. With the twist-and-leap move I had learned from the rogues at my old home, I soon planted my paws on Stonestripe's flank, my face a tail-length away from his.

"Leave Oceansplash alone," I growled.

Now leaderless, the other cats in Stonestripe's band looked a lot less confident and began to back away, ears flattened.

Stonestripe tried to glare up at me, but a begrudging respect soon started to creep into them. "Fine," he muttered. "If you'll just get off me -- "

"I'd gladly do that," I replied curtly, stepping off and beginning to clean my paws. Stonestripe seemed to look mortified in anger for a moment, but it quickly was replaced with a winning smile. He turned to Oceansplash.

"Well, it seems there won't be someone too pleased about you helping out this...rogue," Stonestripe mewed silkily, giving a meaningful glance at Oceansplash.

She immediately got on her guard. "What do you mean?" she growled menacingly. "I've no time for your games. Spit it out."

"The Clan leader is going to be absolutely mortified with your doings for today," Stonestripe drawled. "Shall I be the first the bring him the news."

"Don't you dare -- "

"Oh, I do dare, Oceansplash. Because from now on, not only I will make fun of you, but the whole Clan will, because of your stupidity in defending this rogue today." He grinned at his companions. "Am I right?" They gave small, nervous nods of agreement.

"No they won't," Oceansplash mewed confidently. Stonestriped turned back, and even I looked at her with surprise.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I'm going with you," she replied. "Wherever you're traveling to, you're leading my way. I've had enough with these heartless, tormenting cats, and I would be better of with someone I can just talk to without a fight and... trust." She breathed the word with a sigh, as if it meant the world to her.

Because it did. It did for me too.

Trust.

Stonestripes face contorted with anger. "You freak. You StarClan-forsaken -- "

"C'mon, let's go," I murmured, and I took off away from the scene. After a moment, I heard Oceansplash begin to run to catch up with me.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me, Ocean Eyes!" Stonestriped yelled from the distance. His figure melted away into the soft horizon as Oceansplash and I ran away from our pasts to safety.

for I have been made new"