|
| Firefly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Afraid |
Everyday | Succeded by: Already Gone |
- Once in a lifetime.
- Means there's no second chance.
- So I believe that you and me
- Should grab it while we can!
- Make it last forever...
- And never give it back.
- It's our turn and I'm lovin' where we're at...
- Because this moment's really all we have...
Chapter 1 - Delusional[]
"Is she alright?"
"When will she wake up."
"Jynx was right, we should've killed her, look at that mat of fur!"
I shift, groaning. The voices fall silent before starting up again.
"She'll be alright."
"Cinder, pass me some herbs...":
"She's just dead weight...."
"Shut up Boots."
I don't know where I am. I don't know who these cats are.
Am I dead? I should be dead. I have no home, no friends, no family. I am alone.
I feel lightheaded and try to open my eyes only to find myself drowning in a dark black hole...
"Here, put this under her nose."
"Why?"
I flop about in anguish. I'm too weak to do much else.
Why won't these cats leave me alone?!
"The scent will wake her up." a she-cat voice says patiently.
"Oh, okay." That's the tone of a younger cat.
Suddenly, my nose is flooded with the scent of catnip. My mother once came down with a horrible sickness and Hawk-eye wouldn't rest until Cobweb found some of the miracle herb. Lela ate it and got better quickly.
The thought of Cobweb sends a piercing pain through me. My best friend....
Before I can comprehend, my eyes are wide open and I'm standing, fur on end.
A group of cats stares at me. One approaches me, he's a ginger tom with bright, but wary eyes. I distinctly recognize him, but I have no idea from where.
"Firefly, calm down." he soothes me. "You're safe, you just passed out for a day or two from hunger and exhaustion. You're okay now, we won't hurt you."
I stare at the other cats, some look hostile but most just look nervous. Some even look terrified. I think of what I must look like after the last few days. Dirty, feral. Not the glowing creature I was that night. That horrible night...
"How do you know my name?" I finally manage to whisper. My voice is cracked from days of no use and lack of water.
The tom's eyes are worried and he searches my face.
"Firefly, you know me. My name is Thorn and I'm one Drakon's Wanderers."
Chapter 2 - Dreamers[]
There are so many loners here.
There's Thorn of course who I haven't seen that much. That could be because I tried to attack him when he told me he was with Drakon. Who could blame me? But he also has to stay with Drakon some of the time so Drakon 'doesn't become suspicious'. Whatever that means.
There's Jynx, who's pretty much leader while he's gone. At first she's breathtakingly beautiful, a tortoiseshell with tan, black, and brown splashes on white fur with amber eyes. But she's clever as well and not as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside. She's one of the cats they were talking about when I was out, the one who wanted me killed.
Boots is a black tom with brown fur on all of his legs. He's rash and young, and pretty much is Jynx's lackey.
There's Cinder and Nox. Cinder is a gray she-cat with pale blue eyes who is like the group's Healer. Nox is a small black she-cat who's kind of like her Learner.
Those are the main ones, but there are plenty more. I have no idea what they're all doing here. Apart of me is just grateful to have a home and cats to stay with, but another part keeps watching for someone who will try to chase me out, or kill me.
Ethics-wise, things like that aren't uncommon in my Twolegplace. In the two main groups, there are plenty of little groups. In Drakon's half, they're more organized and he does the killing and driving away. In Hawk-eye's half, families will kill intruders and drive off weak members to save the strong ones. It seems in my new group that I'm the weak link.
When I spot Thorn sneaking in with some much needed prey, I take the chance. Whenever he comes, he always bats away my questions, saying he doesn't have time.
When I see him dropping a scrawny mouse and turning to go, I tackle him. Because we're near the open door, we tumble out and roll for a bit until we stop, nose to nose. I pull away quickly, blushing.
Thorn growls, then sees it's me, "For stars' sake Firefly!" he pants. "What is it??!!"
I take a moment to catch my breath, then giggle. "You've got a pebble in your fur. Above your eye." he tries to looks at it which makes him look more comical and the situation harder to think about.
Finally we both stop laughing and I find that I'm staring into his eyes far to hard. I glance away and meow. "You never have told me what you're doing here."
He sighs, "I've wanted to. But Jynx didn't think we could trust you and-" He tips his head.
"So what? I thought you were the leader around here!" I feel a rush of dislike for Jynx.
"Shhh...." Thorn murmurs.
"Oh? So that's what-"
"Sh!" he snaps. "I hear something!"
I listen.
And I hear it too.
Cats. Lots of them.
And then I hear something I never thought I'd hear again.
Cobweb's battle cry.
Chapter 3 - Hidden[]
I gasp. Then I grin. "Cobweb!" I start to rush forward before Thorn grabs my tail in his teeth. Gently, but enough to make me stop running.
"Let me go!" I cry.
"Are you an idiot?" he growls. "They're here for us."
That takes a moment to sink in because I don't count myself as one of these cats. "Why?"
Thorn shrugs. "We've been living on their territory for a while now. It's really amazing that they didn't come after us sooner."
"Now he tells me!" I growl. I started to walk off again but Thorn darts in front of me.
"You can't see Cobweb." he says. "Other cats will be with him, maybe even Drakon."
I shiver at the memory of the dark leader of the other side of town. "Okay, point taken. Let's go."
Thorn runs off but I take a moment to look back. Sometime soon, Cobweb will be here. And I will have to hide. From my best friend.
Suddenly Jynx is behind me. "Are you crazy?" she growls. "Let's go!"
She half drags, half-carries me inside. The old Twoleg nest we use as a hideaway suddenly feels dark and foreboding. Jynx takes me up the stairs, then into a hole to a dark room. "Stay here." she says curtly before leaving me.
I quickly sniff around until I find a hole to spy from. I expect to see a raging battle, maybe even some blood. But there's nothing, no one. It's all silent.
When I hear paw-steps I nearly jump out of my fur, my heart pounding. What if they find me? What if Drakon wants me dead?
I'm scarcely breathing and I listen intently as a cat growls, "Doesn't look like they're here."
Another cat says something inaudible. They leave and I'm left, exhaling thankfully. I have just enough time to wonder when I can leave this dark hiding spot when I notice something glowing in the opening.
Two blue shapes.
Two startling, bright blue eyes.
Chapter 4 - So Close[]
I'd recognize his eyes anywhere.
"Cobweb!" I half-shriek. He slaps his tail across my mouth, eyes wide. "Shhhh!!!"
"What're you doing? Oh, I'm so glad I found you!" I whisper around his tail. He pulls it away.
"What are you doing?" he asks. "I mean, I know you're homeless and all, but there's gotta be better places to live then this."
I laugh. I'm just so glad to see him. I thought we'd never see each other again, what with his father and me being me...The good bye in the alley had just seemed so....final.
I squeeze out of my hole, not caring if Thorn or Jynx or anyone else is watching. I lick Cobweb's ear and he touches his nose to mine. We stay pressed against each other for a moment before he draws away regretfully.
"You have no idea what's been going on..." he murmurs.
"Well then catch me up." I grin.
He rolls his eyes. "It's not that simple. You'll have to meet me....tomorrow night?"
"Why can't it be tonight?" I plead. His eyes soften then harden again.
"No, Drakon'll notice. I'm sorry...." he presses against me soothingly.
"Cobweb..." suddenly I feel a need to tell him everything like we used to. Back then. "It's all been so confusing and-"
Suddenly he shoves me back into the hole. I claw at him, getting a small tuft of fur before I recognize the scent of another cat.
"Find any of those nasty rogues?" a rough voice asks.
"No, they must've scattered. Again." Cobweb's voice is like a song compared to that of the other cat. I take quick shallow breaths until the other cat leaves.
"That was too close..." mutters Cobweb as I scramble out of my hiding spot.
"Tomorrow night?" I meow hopefully.
He nods and licks my ear. "See you then." He bounds to the door and lingers for a moment, eyes focused on mine.
Then he leaves.
Chapter 5 - Clans[]
It takes everyone a while to come out.
I'm sitting in the biggest room, staring at a wall. Wondering what Cobweb has to tell me. After what seems like an eternity I can hear cats stirring.
I hear Cinder persuading Nox to come out. I scent thorn and Boots somewhere close by. I wonder where Jynx is when she suddenly yowls.
"FIREFLY!!!!" I jump and spin around. Jynx glares at me, amber eyes smoldering.
"When I tell you to stay somewhere..." she growls, stepping closer with each word, "I mean for you to stay there!!!"
"Sorry." I squeak. Luckily Thorn comes in and makes Jynx back off. She stalks out of the room, still muttering.
There's a weird silence for a bit and I can't help comparing Thorn and Cobweb. Thorn is ginger, Cobweb is gray. Thorn has green eyes, Cobweb has blue. Thorn is mysterious, Cobweb trusts me. Thorn is infuriating, Cobweb is my best friend.
"I should tell you the truth..." Thorn begins.
"Oh really?" I explode. "You keep me here for two days with a bunch of strange cats! And you don't let me see my best friend! And you make me hide and I have no idea what's going on!!!"
"Okay, well I'm leaving." he smiles. I growl, blocking his way.
"You're a stupid, infuriating, pile of fungus." I tell him. He grins and we sit.
"Do you know about the Clans?" he asks.
I've heard legends about the strange wild cats who live beyond even our farthest borders. Who eat bones and terrorize kits and fight each other to the death. I shudder. "The bone-eating murderers?"
Thorn actually laughs. "That's just a myth."
I roll my eyes. "Gee, I can die knowing that now. So what do they have to do with anything?"
"I've gathered everyone here." he says, ignoring me. "Boots was a rogue. Jynx came from another city. Nox and Cinder were kittypets."
"Kittypets?"
"Oh," his eyes flicker to mine, then out the window. "You would call them house-cats."
I nod, "So...? Why did you gather them?"
"We all wanted the same thing." Thorn says, looking at me directly with a firm gaze. "We all wanted to join the Clans."
"That's crazy!" I gasp.
"It's not crazy Firefly." his eyes burn into mine. "We're going. In 2 sunrises."
I stare at him, eyes wide. "Why are you telling me this?"
Thorn takes a deep breath. "I want you to come with us Firefly. To join the Clans."