The Leaves

Chapter 4

Here I am, Lemon. Again.

Nettle followed behind Robin and Rascal, the two were chatting non-stop and Nettle's ears ached for silence.

The trio had set out as soon as the tip of the sun shone over the mountains in the distance, Nettle had woke up sore but the two other cats seemed perfectly fine.

"So, will we get to this forest today?" Nettle asked, picking up his pace to be right by Rascal.

"We should, might be a little dark though. You'll have to teach us to hunt tomorrow,"
As she said that Nettle's stomach growled, he looked left and right but only saw Twoleg nests.

Robin chuckled, "There is a small patch of wide open space ahead, full of cows though. Might be able to hunt there,"

Nettle was somewhat surprised that Robin was the one who was answering all his questions, she didn't seem like the type to explore much. She was plump and dainty.

"So what are cows?" Nettle asked, feeling a little bit nervous.

"Cows are big things, most of them are white with black patches, though some are just plain black or brown,"

"Hm," Nettle responded and slowed, letting Robin and Rascal pass him again.

As they continued on Twoleg nests seemed to disappear and wide open space seemed to come. Soon the Thunderpath they had been following turned to the west, but Robin kept walking forward.

By the time the sun was in the center of the sky they came to a long wired fence. Tall, wooden posts were stuck into the ground, sharp metal vines connected them.

"Is this the place?" Nettle asked.

"Yup," Robin said and ducked under the fence, "we might even get to the forest before it gets dark, the forest is just a little ways past the pasture,"

"Pasture?" Nettle asked instantly.

"Y'know, a small grassy wide open space for cows, sometimes little sheep," Robin shrugged, "don't know how else to explain it,"

Nettle ducked under the fence after Robin and Rascal, wincing slightly as the sharp vine scraped his ear.

He looked up and studied the pasture, white and black beasts wandered the field, he guessed those were cows. The long grass that circled the wooden poles shortened to small bristles farther out into the field.

He kneaded the ground with the anticipation, hoping to pass through the pasture as soon as possible, the cows made him nervous.

"Uh, Robin," Nettle had to run to catch up to her and Rascal, they had left without noticing he had stopped, "how big is this pasture?"

Robin stopped, a half-thoughtful look on her face, "Shorter than the distance back to my house,"

Helpful Nettle thought, his nose twitched.

At one point a cow made a half-charge at Rascal, who had been laughing at the cow's drooping tongue that lolled out of his mouth.

"Don't make fun of him," Robin warned, but didn't make any move to stop Rascal.

Once they reached the end of the pasture Nettle spotted a cream she-cat perched on top of one of the wooden poles. She was leaning forward so much Nettle was sure she would fall off at any given moment.

"Whatcha all doin' out so far from Twolegs?" she asked, the closer they got the more detail Nettle could see.

The she-cat was mostly cream, but her tail was black and her paws as well. Her legs were long and spindly, her eyes large and a sky blue.

"We're going to the forest, Nettle, Robin and me want to live there," Rascal said quickly.

"We don't want any trouble," Nettle said cautiously.

"Oh don't you worry, little cat," the she-cat laughed and leaped down to meet the cats.

"Methinks ya two are kitty-kitties," she looked at Rascal and Robin, "you though, yer too skinny to be a kitty-kitty. Most likely a wander like meself,"

Nettle opened his mouth to answer, but the she-cat beat him to it, "Methinks yer wonderin' me name, me name is Newt," she looked at the trio expectantly.

"I'm Nettle, that over there is Robin and Rascal,"

Newt nodded, her long tail stuck straight into the air, "I'm headin' to the forest, I am, and since ya three are headin' too I might as well join you,"

Nettle knew it wouldn't be worth it arguing, Rascal or Robin would defend Newt.

"Let's go," he sighed and slinked under the fence.

He was slightly amused on how Newt was so tall for a cat, and how thin she looked.

"Are you hungry?" Nettle asked before he could think about it.

Newt sniffed, "Nope, I just had a rabbit I caught in the pasture,"

****

Nettle instantly felt at home in the forest, it was thick and full of giant birches, oaks, hickories and plenty of other trees. He smelt great amount of prey and a few quick sniffs of the sharp scent of herbs.

"Now, you can teach us to hunt!" Robin said cheerfully.

Suddenly, Nettle felt all the past two days of traveling fall onto his shoulder. He stumbled as he walked.

"I'll have to show you how to tomorrow, I'm incredibly tired and this will be the best sleep I've had in awhile," Nettle blinked apologetically at Robin and Rascal.

"It's no problem." Rascal shrugged, but Nettle could see the disapointment.

"Methinks I could show them to hunt!" Newt spoke up, lashing her tail excitedly.

"Sounds good to me!" Robin turned to Newt, "but Nettle will have to take us hunting tomorrow,"

"Deal," Nettle mewed, "before you three go off hunting let's find a place where we'll sleep tonight,"

They didn't have to look hard, Newt found a hollowed out bush that had enough room for all of them to fit. Nettle a fallen fern branch under him to sleep comfortablly.

"Have fun," Nettle murmured as his eyelids drooped. He watched Newt, Rascal and Robin leave before he was welcomed to warm darkness.