Predator & Prey

Boq is a mouse living in ThunderClan territory, trying to escape the perils of the cats that hunt him.

From his eyes, Forestpaw13 tells a tale of love and hatred.
Because, where would we be without it?

I see it, finally.

A seed. Laying underneath a tree, about a cat-length away from me.

I am hiding underneath a leaf, hiding from the obvious predators around me- cats.

Roran, my best friend, is next to me, his nose twitching.

"You get it," I whisper. "If there's one here, there's more around."

Roran looks at me. "You sure?" he whispers back.

"Of course." I want to stay here, away from the cats I can hear coming with my highly trained ears. They are meowing loudly. I can feel their pawsteps vibrating in the earth.

Roran doesn't sense it. He scampers to the seed, squeaking, "Thanks, Boq!"

Boq. The name of my grandfather. I wonder where he is now. In a cat's stomach?

A cat's paw lands in front of me. I clutch the earth in fear, and hold back a squeak of terror.

Roran senses the cats now. It's too late.

He is swept off the ground with a cry of pain and fear.

That is the last time I ever see Roran alive.

But why are we here? I must tell you.

Chapter 1 - Out

"Get away from here," a mouse whispered.

"No," I insisted.

"Boq," my mother, Gina, murmured. "You can't leave for another two sunrises, and even then, you'll be escorted."

I cursed. "Why do we have to wait so long?"

"The cats," Gina replied.

"What about the cats?" I asked.

"They kill us mice," Gina explained. "No mouse has ever survived a cat's claws."

I shivered. Not from cold. "Why?" I asked, "why would they kill us?"

"For food," Gina explained sadly.

Another older mouse wandered up to the guard. "Can I go out?"

"You're too young," the guard sniffed. "You can go out tomorrow."

I looked on in wonder. This older mouse can't go out, either?

The older mouse looked annoyed. "I've waited for five sunrises."

"It's too late today," the guard replied snottily. "Leave me now."

The older mouse turned and saw me. I was a day younger, but it was already much bigger than me.

I feel hatred towards this mouse all of a sudden.

The other mouse must have seen something, because it squeaked, "What's wrong?"

I turned on it.

It walked away.

I scuffled through the pile of seeds, trying to find the biggest one.

It was down to two seeds, and I was deciding if the bigger one really was on the right.

It was. I was about to pick it up when the mouse from the day before came up to me and took it. "You don't mind, do you?"

I did. "No."

"Good." The mouse took the seed away from me and settled about a cat-length away.

I sighed and took the other one.

The older mouse waved me over, and I glared at it and walked away.

When the day finally came that I was allowed outside, the older mouse had been out all the time. I had rarely seen it.

But that day, I did.

It padded up to me.

"I'm Roran," it said. A male name.

"Boq," I sighed. "My name is Boq."

Roran nodded and his eyes shone like the sun outside. "Now we're friends!" he squeaked happily.

I sighed. "Sure."

And so it was.

Chapter 2 - Roran and the Cat

I watched as my mother disappeared into the inside world.

I glanced around.

I was outside for the first time.

My escort? Roran.

I couldn't help but hate the situation I was in.

Roran sniffed. "I passed my test yesterday," he squeaked. "I'm a full-fledged mouse now. I can go out and hopefully avoid the cats that live here."

I hated his bragging.

He looked at me. "I can help you pass yours," he said.

I snorted.

I heard a noise.

"Cat!" Roran cried. He grabbed me by the tail and pulled me beneath a leaf.

I peered out from beneath and saw two creatures- cats?- standing, facing each other.

I could understand them.

The first one, which was gray, snarled, "I won't give up my deputy for your Clan."

The second one made a noise deep in its throat. "Then ShadowClan will attack."

The other cat spat, "Why not kill me now?"

"I want to kill your Clan."

Roran gasped, I nursed my now-bleeding tail.

What was going on?