bloodstained claws.

chapter 2

'Hey, what's your name?' Octavian asked, trying to find out more.

'A-Asher,' gasped the cat, too distracted to maintain eye contact.

'Are you okay? You seem scared.'

Asher stared at him, wide-eyed with fright. It seemed to Octavian that he was far too afraid to care about what he was sharing. 'I . . . I'm being chased by a few cats from my orphanage. They've been bullying me for a while, but today it's a bit more than usual.'

Octavian tried to keep his eyes off Asher's many wounds. 'I see. Don't you have someone you can tell?'

Asher let out a dry laugh. 'They only bully me at night, when no one's around. As soon as it's day, they're all super nice to me. No one is going to believe me if I tell them.'

Octavian wasn't sure how to respond. Asher genuinely seemed to be in danger. But there was nothing he could do to help him. Suddenly, he became aware of three cats slinking towards them through an alley behind Asher. His heart started to race, but Asher looked unaware. Octavian knew he couldn't get into a fight--his parents would be furious if they found out. But he couldn't just leave Asher . . .

Asher picked up their scent and froze, his paws shaking as he turned around. The cats stalked towards them, their heads raised in a silent show of dominance. Their claws were unsheathed and clinked with every step.

'We've been looking for you,' said one of them, his eyes boring through Asher. None of the cats seemed to notice Octavian, all of their focus projected onto Asher.

Asher let out a little whimper, backing away. He didn't try to run, knowing he wouldn't get far. Octavian normally wouldn't interfere, but Asher looked so powerless with his legs shaking and his eyes wide with fright. He wasn't going to even try to fight back. And that could be deadly for him. He looked around to gauge his surroundings. They were in a public area, but it was the kind of area where people didn't care about other people. If a fight broke out, cats would only turn a blind eye.

He took a deep breath and unsheathed his claws. No turning back now, he thought. He crossed Asher, blocking him from the three cats. He let out a warning hiss. He hoped they would back away, but they stood their ground.

Alright then.

Octavian let out another hiss as he leapt forward, dragging one of the cats to the ground. He had never been in a fight before, but now he was letting instinct take over and it did the job well. He flung out his paws, scratching violently as the other cats attempted to drag him off. He twisted his neck and sank his teeth into one of their paws. He tasted blood for a second and his pupils dilated in surprise. Because it tasted divine.

The taste of blood lingered in his mouth for only a moment, because the three cats pulled away from him, retreating back into the alley. One of them turned suddenly and let out a threatening growl before disappearing into the alley.

Octavian's heart was beating so hard he could hardly hear anything over it. His breaths were deep and shivering. He turned his head to look at Asher and felt a sharp sting at the back of his neck as he did so. He realised that he was covered in deep cuts. They bled all over his fur and dripped onto the ground. Asher was staring at his wounds in horror. He lifted his gaze, staring into Octavian's eyes.

'Wha . . .  you saved my life.'

Octavian frowned. 'Don't be so dramatic. It wasn't such a bad fight.' He stepped towards Asher, trying his hardest not to wince.

Asher regarded him with a mix of respect and amazement. 'Why? Why did you do that?'

Octavian was taken aback. He had never been looked at with so much admiration. 'I don't know. It just seemed like something I should do . . .' He flinched at the pain. He had never been in a fight before. This was all new to him. But going back home was going to be a problem. If his parents saw his wounds, they would be able to guess what had happened.

Asher abruptly turned around and began walking down one of the alleys. Octavian watched after him in confusion. But he looked back, making eye contact with him. 'You coming or not?' 

Octavian was bewildered. For a second he thought Asher was joking. But his eyes were fixed on his own and they seemed genuine. Octavian glanced up and down the street. No one was watching. No one was judging. For some reason, his heart seemed lighter than usual, like a hundred wings were beating to hold it up. He let out a deep breath before following Asher into the alley.