Zayn now lives his life in a local fish market. The hallways are always buzzing with hurried steps of the patrons, sometimes hurling him sideways as he's so weak. It's not as if the mongers doesn't give him anything; in fact, that's the only reason he chooses to stay there. They gave all the cats the leftovers of their dealings, lots of them, but the number of cats that resides there out numbs the number of their good will. Zayn fights, real bad, using all of his will and might to continue his living. He got blind on his left eye, and that makes it even worse as he can't see any of his enemies from the left side. It makes him look rugged; much feared in the community of the market cats and he's got the advantage of being the most agile. He towers the others and has much weight to pin them. Zayn always feels so different, causing him to feel so much unease to his surroundings.
The patrons of the market aren't much of a help. The market Zayn's lucky to habit is on the most ashen part of the city. They don't usually give attention to the pitying mew as they themselves struggles each month for their own food. As lucky as Zayn is of the other cats fearing him, he's unfortunate that the patrons also feels the same thing about him. One time, he almost got kicked, the look on the patron's face is truly terrified that Zayn can't really forget about the incident. He doesn't stop his ministrations despite the incident, but he does wonders on it and he makes sure to bow down his head and remain meek instead of mewling loudly for food. Cats learns from the repetitive outcomes of a situation or an action, and in Zayn's mind, he's made to believe that his face alone can bring many different circumstances on him; both pleasant and not.
Despite his unholy guise, Zayn has a strong urge as any other cats to clean himself; maybe even more as that's the only pleasurable things that he can reward himself. He's very particular about his hygiene and he cringed on the dried blood that he can't spend the time to clean; sometimes it flows and he despises it. Zayn cleans his whole body and rubs it on the course of the road. He lick at his paws until it's wet of his saliva and then rubs it on the corner of his eyes and on top of his head. He uses his teeth to nibble gently on the areas that needed extra cleaning. His favourite spot of just relaxing and bathing himself is on the high of the brick wall that is on the other side of the fish market. He can lost himself on it for hours; not that he can count of the time, of course. He jumped on the wall through a small leverage of a misshapen protruded brick. On his days of good food, he will just laze around to look at the birds and enjoys the harsh treatments of the wind. He will close his eyes and feels it hitting his face, remembering that he can't sleep and let his guard down from his serenity; as from the unnerving threats of a fight on territory.
The market is his home now. He's fond of that. Sometimes, he do think about his mother and his owner, though it's slowly fading from his conscious as he has bigger things at stake. He won't admit nor would he realise the little gutting feeling of forgetting it; the only true kindness and happiness he had ever felt.
***
Liam has a new way to fulfil his sustenance. He doesn't stay on the exact place for a night, instead he frequent on the place with many people and stay docile enough for the passer-by to give him food. The places he chooses to find his foods are always full of the other cats but he doesn't find a problem of it since he would be finding a new place on the next day.
He has got good food but not good bed. After the fearful night of his first fight, he spends most of his days; his free time, trying to find a new bed but no luck. He slept at random places and the weather is starting to take a tool on him. He finds his fur drenched and too brittle on his occasional licks. He makes the decision to go back to his latter place; in which the orange cat's territory, hoping that the cat wouldn't be there, but really, he just don't dwells and thinks much on it.
The scent still present and it lingers strongly about the place. Liam paces slowly around the corners and he sneakily slips pass through the walls. The walls blocks the cold wind away and Liam stops his paws; closes his eyes to enjoy the sensation. He looked around and saw a crunched up polyester box, still new and he bet it would be warm enough after a good five minutes of staying still. He walks to it and sniffs around it; finding no queerness, he curls his body on top of it. He hides his palm under his warm body and wrap his tails around himself. He starts purring to heal the sore bones due to his long walk to go back to this dark place.
Just about the time that his mind dozes, his senses prickles up to the familiar yet menacing scent. The orange cat sits perching up on its four paws and he looks at him alarmingly with his big, green slit-like-eyes. Comically, the orange cat tilts his head to the side a bit then righted himself up and started to pace silently towards Liam. Liam can't muster how he should act around the other cat. He stays still and averted his gaze to the still wall ahead of him. His instinct calls out to him to rather run or fight, he can feels his heartbeat and the coarse rush of adrenalin in his blood.
One pace short for the orange cat to touch upon Liam, Liam lets out a hiss to the other cat. His body vibrates with his effort, confused in rage and terror. He automatically shapes to bend his head forward and raises his rump. His paws tested the grounds under him and he can't help that he swishes his rump due to anticipation. The orange cat is glazed-eyed as he stares at Liam. He raises a paw to Liam and Liam quickly slaps it away with his own. Liam is quite shocked of his own reaction as his claws are out and his ears flattened to his head. The orange takes a step back but he lets out a low growl to Liam. Liam hunch his body to prepare his flight and takes a side step out of his opponent. He manages a few strides before the orange cat thump him down with his body upon Liam's back.
The orange cat bite at the back of his neck and Liam's body shudders with the feeling. He feels weakened on his joints and sort of wanted to just surrender to the bigger cat. He slumps but can't command his mind to rest assure and not be aware of his condition. The orange cat releases Liam on his neck but moves around to trap Liam with his weight. Liam takes the advantage to put their combined weight on his front paws and rolls around his body forcefully. The orange cat yowls with surprise as their bodies tumble around in the dirt. Unlucky for Liam, he loses the fight as his body surrenders to the orange cat.
