The Purebreds

Chapter Six

dedication: for being the first person to read and comment on all posted chapters (at the time). Again, thank you xx

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

I tensed, turning towards the bobcat, towards Brian who let out a triumphant purr. Oh, shucks. So maybe I did still care about what happened.

“Yeah, payback’s a bitch Hunter.”

I chuckled despite myself, “You’re a natural drama queen, aren’t you? I mean, you’re not very good at taking insults...” I smirked, “Though, I’m surprised you even got the insults. You seem more of a brawl than brains guy, which I’m assuming is why your boss even acknowledges you. Tell me, how does it feel to know you’re being thought of as a living bullet proof vest of sorts?”

I backed up slowly as Brian advanced. Riling him up probably wasn’t the best idea, but hey, didn’t they say people made more mistakes when they were angry? Granted, they probably hit harder too... maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

Brian watched me incredulous. “You just don’t learn, do you Hunter? You accuse me of being dense, but hell, you’re no better.”

I tilted my head to the side, hell, I was too far gone to stop with the taunts now, “Actually, I do learn. It’s just called not giving a rat’s ass. Of course, the fact that you can’t tell the difference, speaks volumes...”

Brian pounced. I realised too late that in backing up, I had in fact reduced the amount of room I had to move in, thanks to the mountain slope. With nowhere else to go, I flattened myself against the ground, steeling myself for the impact, for death.  

Woosh. Thump.

I flinched as I felt something land on me, and clenched my teeth against the oncoming pain. A ferocious growl ripped through the air, and it was then I realised that I was in no pain. Opening my eyes in shock, I found myself underneath another cat. Standing over me protectively, this one, while bigger than me, had the same leopard like print on its back that I had. With a golden yellow base, brown spots and black markings to outline the spots, we would’ve been identical had my own colour scheme not been paler.

The cat above me growled another ferocious challenge at Brian, who was now standing stock still, his face a mask of absolute shock and incredulity. My eyes flickered to the lynx, to find that he was absolutely livid. And I mean, trembling-with-his-claws-digging-into-the-ground livid. I flicked my tail smugly, but kept my face void of emotion; there was no need to make my rescuer’s job any harder than it already was.

A wary appreciative chuckle rumbled above me, and had I not been so close to him, I doubt I would have heard it in the first place. Though, as it were I wasn’t entirely sure I hadn’t just made it up.

The lynx stepped forward, breaking Brian out of his daze. Striding towards us as Brian retreated, the lynx towered over the both of us, looking just about ready to snap our heads off.  

“WHAT are you doing?” The lynx rumbled quietly, with barely contained outrage.

“I could be asking you the same thing.” My rescuer responded coolly, “Since when did you resort to threats, torture and kidnapping? You used to be above that.”

The lynx spat venomously, “That was before half of us were massacred and our homes destroyed! Now it’s all or nothing. And you know, as well as I do, that getting one of her kind to speak will involve nothing short of torture.” He smirked down at me cruelly, “Though in this case, it appears it will be futile. And we can’t let her escape back to the place, can we?”