Warriors: Frecklesky's Heart

[ Wandering ] Bonus Chapter

The she-cat's yellow eyes glistened under the green-leaf sunlight. From her perch in the trees above, she watched the forest cats, her interest rolling like waves through her body.

The cats grew further and further from her view, until eventually, she needed to move to remain in sight. Unsheathing her hindclaws, Rachel nimbly leaped from branch to branch, her passage camoflauged beneath the rustling of a cool breeze.

It amused her whenever these foreign felines would pass underneath her. Though they claimed to be conquerors of the forest, senselessly attacking any 'trespassers', they failed the basics of forest-dwelling. And that was to take even a moment to look up.

When a passing stray had first told her of this, she'd taken it as folly. There was no way in the world the mysterious, vicious forest cats would be so foolish. But, when that stray had offered to take her into the woods, Rachel knew she'd have to give it a shot.

And the experience had completely opened her eyes.

Being stuck in the town whenever her owners would lock her out was always disappointing. Other cats, strays and housecats alike, would eat the food her owners left out for her, leaving her to fend for herself on the streets. Scavenging had futile offerings, and on the lonely nights where her stomach would pulse with hunger, she was stuck in measly rubbage with rolls of sodden paper for entertainment.

But the stray, a wanderer, they called themself, showed her that there was more beyond the fence. More than what the measly town had to offer. And though the forest cats had harmed her before, finding a hidden passage through the trees thrilled her.

Upon seeing her delight, the wanderer offered themself as a guide. A cat to tour her through the world, to seek unimaginable sights and adventures. Alas, she'd declined. She'd been too afraid.

It had been seasons since the encounter, and Rachel regretted every passing moment.

As her confidence grew with her age, she was only beginning to realize the flaws of her life. What other housecat was left on the street, stripped of her claws? She couldn't hunt, and she certainly couldn't fight. She was trapped and alone, simply put, and left at the mercy of those around her.

Rachel stopped in her tracks as the branches parted to reveal a road. The cats below her all glanced at each other as a truck roared by, sending a spray of black water against them. What are they doing? She wondered, lowering her belly to the branch, watching as one by one, the cats raced across. I've never seen them do this before.

She considered turning back. After all, she couldn't use the trees to cross the road, and on the other side, the forest appeared to thin out, oaks dispersing into scattered swamp cypresses with tall grass rising from the sodden ground. It was different from the forest, but beautiful in its own right and full of smells.

And so, on impulse, she decided to follow them. Why in the world not? She thought, lowering her forepaws along the trunk and using them to guide her while her hind claws kept her from falling. I'll only regret it if I don't. I can't pass up another opportunity like this.

Her paws touched the grass, and her breath hitched. Her heart twisted in her chest, hoping that none of the forest cats would catch her scent. She'd rolled in lavender as she usually did before entering the woods, but she was never sure if she smelt plant-like enough. They were all brutes, and she still bore the scars, though physically absent, of their hostility.