The Lost Kits

Chapter 7

Ace woke up in complete darkness, his head throbbing in pain. He blinked a few times, but couldn't see anything in the small, cramped space he was confined to. There wasn't enough space for him to rise, which he learned after hitting his head on the top of his prison. He was sure that was what it was, after he remembered what had happened to him. It was a bit blurry, but he remembered being very scared, and then an endless darkness, filled with pain. Alice... I think she was in trouble.
"Open it quickly, and make sure he doesn't cause trouble." A voice hissed, and Ace heard a whimper of pain from outside. The side of the prison was pushed away to reveal a small red-furred tom. Ace was tired and in pain, but he could tell that the strange cat, who's ribs were jutting out and was covered in scratches, was more scared of him than he was of the stranger. His eyes were an odd dull amber colour, and they were filled with fear, though Ace thought there was also a bit of curiosity in them as well. Ace glanced at his prison, a large box like the kind he had sometimes seen in the Twoleg nest, and shuddered, glad to be free.
   "Come with me." The tom, who looked about six or seven moons, a little older than Ace, did his best to sound menacing and important. Ace had a feeling he knew where the stranger was taking him, and trembled in fear. Who was Ice? The way Cora had said the cat's name put Ace on edge, and he studied his surroundings as he followed the tom, trying to distract himself from all the thoughts swirling around in his head. Alice, Cora, Ice... But mostly, he didn't want to think of his mother and the No-Fur  nest. Or should he call it a Twoleg nest? He wasn't used to change, and he wished he could be curled up with his mother and littermates, safe and warm in the soft pelt where they slept... He shook his head and tried to focus. The Twoleg nests towering above, the sun shining through the clouds, the hard, cold Twoleg path...
"We're here." The scrawny tom's voice trembled as they stopped in front of a tower of boxes. On the top was a large black and white tom who glared menacingly down at Ace, and Ace noticed  that around his neck was a collar pierced with dog teeth, like the kind May, his mother, wore. Or at least, used to wear. Ace's eye grew misty, and he glanced at the red furred tom, who was cowering in fear next to him. Ace pressed himself to the ground as the tom backed away slowly, his face filled with terror. Ace saw him going to stand beside Cora, who watched Ace, her eyes glittering coldly.
"This is the son of Scourge?" The tom staring down at Ace meowed, his lip curled in disgust.
"Yes, though he looks more like his mother, the filthy house cat." Cora snarled, glaring at Ace.
"He carries the same small stature as his father." The tom, who Ace assumed was Ice, bared his teeth.
"And he is just as weak. He let his sister die." Cora let out a mrrrow of cruel amusement, and Ace stiffened. No... Alice can't be dead!
Ice looked at Cora sharply. "I told you to bring the she-cats to Snake alive." He growled.
Cora's eyes flashed with fear. "Of course, one of them should be there by now. It was the less promising one who had an unfortunate accident with a monster." She managed to make her voice firm, and melted into the shadows silently.
Ace relaxed slightly. She must be lying about Alice being dead, since she's telling him that Ella was captured. But Ace was still uncertain, since he had seen Alice jumping into the path of the monster, before that big grey tom had knocked him out. It seemed that Ice was uncertain as well, but he accepted her response.
"Now, since Snake is taking care of the she-cats, I guess I have to to follow through with my part." Ice snarled, and jumped down from the tower of boxes with lightning speed, leaping at Ace as soon as his paws touched the ground. Ace closed his eyes and thought of his mother, imagined himself back in the soft pelt with her as Ice's deadly claws came down on his throat... And then felt nothing.
Ace opened his eyes in surprise and was shocked to see Ice rolling around, screeching, with a familiar cat. Ella?

A/N- The next chapter will be much more exciting, and hopefully longer.