Raised By The Cats

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hey Smoke! I'm good," I barked and hopped up and down. He chuckled and playfully bit my ear.

"Good, just checking up on you," he barked and padded around Rocky and Stripe. The two tigers carefully watched his every move. "I see Skyline has taken good care of you."

"I have," Skyline answered, jogging to me. "Bathtime!" She started licking me everywhere.

"Aww man!" Stripe groaned and plopped down. Skyline continued to lick me until my fur felt new. She did the same to Stripe and Rocky.

"I hate bathtime," Rocky whined.

"Why? I like how my fur feels new," I barked, staring at my fur.

"You guys should appreciate what I do for YOU, like Star," Skyline growled and patted my back. I grinned a little and let it drop. Rocky and Stripe glared at Skyline, like they were trying to hypnotize her. Skyline just rolled her eyes. "Your all going hunting tomorrow, so go to bed."

"Okay, mom. Night!" Rocky piped up. I smiled and plopped down on the floor.

"Think you can handle tomorrow?" Stripe growled, smirking. I smirked back.

"Defiantly," I answered. "Can you?"

"Of coarse," Stripe chuckled. "I've been hunting before."

"No you haven't," Rocky giggled. I grinned and stretched on my back.

"Lets have a challenge," Stripe suggested.

"What challenge?" I asked.

"Whoever gets the most kills, gets more meat," Stripe answered darkly.

"I accept your challenge," I answered, without even thinking about it. Gosh, my big mouth.

"I accept," Rocky answered, too. I put a paw inside the little circle we formed.

"Deal?" I quizzed. Rocky put her paw above mine.

"Deal," she confirmed. Stripe placed his paw on top of Rocky's.

"Deal," Stripe also confirmed. We all pulled our paws away and drifted off to sleep.

********

"Time to hunt!!" Skyline howled, shaking us awake. I hopped up, alarmed. Rocky and Stripe were slow waker-uppers.

"Yay!" Stripe meowed and padded around me. "Ready?"

"Yea! Lets go!" I howled and followed Skyline out the door, with Stripe and Rocky following.

"Okay, kids, remember, quiet!" She shushed us of our morning blabber and we quietly followed her into the forest. I stared down at the floor, bring careful not to step in twigs and leaves. Rocky and Stripe stepped on a twig or a leaf every once in a while.

"Alright, there's breakfast, now watch," Skyline announced and crawled into the heavy brush. She prowled closer to the deer and the deer didn't suspect a thing. It was amazing.

Skyline crouched lower, blending into the tall grass. I actually lost her a couple of times. When she was close enough, she sprang from her hiding place and sunk her teeth and claws into the back of a doe. The doe struggled, trying to run away, but Skyline had her. The doe finally gave in and sunk to the ground. Skyline dragged the doe back to us and I saw it blink.

"Ahh! It's still alive!" I whisper-screamed and pounced on the neck. I bit into the fresh raw meat and sunk my sharp teeth into it. It tasted good. I pulled my teeth out if it and sated at it for a long time. When it didn't blink again, I proudly reported, "It's dead."

"Okay, how about, Stripe. You go first," Skyline meowed gleefully. Stripe nodded and crawled into the thick grass. He crouched low and silently stalked up to a baby deer. As soon as he got close enough, he pounced on it, catching its back. When he killed it, Skyline raced over to him and helped him drag it up the hill. Looks like we're having a big dinner tonight.

"Good job. Next is Rocky," Skyline announced. Rocky gladly padded down the hill, into the grass. She had to stalk her deer somewhere else, since Stripe had scared them off. Rocky was going for a baby deer. She crouched low, her stomach almost to the ground. One mistake could ruin her chances at catching lunch and winning the bet.

The next step she took, she stepped on a twig which made a loud noise. The deer looked around, alarmed. When they spotted Rocky, they dashed into the woods, away. Rocky sadly padded back up to the hill.

"It's okay, honey," Skyline comforted Rocky. "It's only your first hunt! Star? Your turn."

"Okay," I shrugged and stole a glance at Stripe, who was smirking. I bet you he was think he was gonna win. Better think again.

I crawled down into the grass, low since my fur is grey. I laid my ears back and dragged my tail silently through the grass. I was going for a small buck, my eyes locked on the target.

I pawed my way through the grass, and when I was close enough, I sprang up. I felt the power on my hind legs as I leaped high into the air. The buck still didn't notice me, because he was still grazing. I dove down, on the bucks back and sunk my claws into the back. I bit the neck and sunk my teeth into the fresh meat. The buck kicked and kicked, but couldn't get me.

I gnawed inside the bucks neck until I hit bone. The buck was gasping for breath, but finally gave in. I hopped off the buck as it sunk to the ground. Rocky and Skyline happily leaped off the cliff, to me. They congratulated me and helped me drag the buck to the hill, onto the pile of meat.

"Looks like I win the bet," I smirked as Stripe stared in shock. I licked extra blood from my lips and teeth.

"Ya!" Rocky meowed. Stripe finally grinned.

"Good job, sport. I didn't know you had it in ya," he answered and dragged his prize back to the cave. Rocky helped with mine and Skyline dragged her own.

I couldn't believe it. I actually caught a buck AND beat Stripe in a bet. This day is amazing.