To Love a Stray

Chapter 2

Bile rises in the back of my throat and I swallow hard, my head is throbbing and I can feel a hard cold surface beneath my cheek as I try to work out where I am. I open my eyes slightly and the light makes my head hurt so I close them again with a moan. I hear footsteps somewhere close and cringe, pain shoots through my body bringing memories back with it. The strong pungent odour of strays seems to surround me and I know I am in deep trouble.

"About time you woke up Miss She-kitty catty." I open my eyes and try to lift my head but the world spins on its axis and I find myself falling once again as my stomach rolls and bile fills my mouth. I cough and spit it out as I try to concentrate on my breathing, anything as long as I don’t think about what hurts and why.

I hear a metallic click and then footsteps approach me. Terror scorches its path up my spine and I scream in pain as it swells in my head as I shape-shift. Suddenly I am crouching on four furred legs and I turn to face whoever has dared approach me. My surroundings seem to whirl and tilt but I manage to stay on my feet even as I stumble to the side. There is that metallic sound again and I raise my head as I try to focus my blurred gaze on something, anything. With growing horror I realise I am in a cage not unlike the ones used in the circus to contain lions and tigers and as I take a deep breath I smell the faint traces left behind by one of them in the distant past. There are two dark blurry forms outside the cage and I realise one of the strays is on all fours and changing his shape to a cat as I watch.

I shriek my fury, my anger turning to pain as my head pounds mercilessly from the effort. Terror grows as I realise how weak and defenceless I am. My legs tremble but my anger and indignation are not dimmed as I brace myself to fight when the cat comes into my cage. He is bigger and heavier than me and I am sent flying against the bars of the cage. I mewl in pain and struggle to my feet. He is on me before I can fight back, knocking me against the bars a second time. My cry of pain is louder as his claws rake along my back and I try to twist away from him as he bites my right shoulder. I lower my head in submission until my chin touches the floor as he stands over me. His muzzle almost touches my ear as he lowers his head and growls menacingly near my ear before nipping it.

"He said shift back," the werecat outside the cage tells me. I glance imploringly at him, I don’t know what he’s talking about so I creep back several small steps. This is clearly not what is wanted and punishment is swift and harsh as sharp claws rip down my back again ripping through hair and hide. My scream of pain is almost human and he unleashes a flurry of cruel swipes that land on my head and shoulders making me scream in pain again.

I collapse on the floor of the cage and he moves over top of me making me cry out in pain as he moves eagerly. When he finally leaves the cage I crawl to the corner of the cage where I stretch out on my side my flanks heaving as I pant in pain. Thirst burns my throat and hunger gnaws at my stomach but I am too weak to look for the water bowl. I hear the metallic click as my tormentor leaves my prison but I am unable to lift my head to look at him. I close my eyes and let my consciousness drift into the black nothingness that hovers near. I am dimly aware that time is passing as I drift in and out of consciousness but my only time marker is the frequent visits by my torturers as they come and demand I obey their orders.

Noise different to normal brings me awake and I stumble to the corner and turn to face where I know he’ll come from. I see blurry shapes moving outside the cage, fighting by the sounds of the noise, and I snarl in fear and anger as I back securely into the darkest corner. Soon the fighting ceases and shapes lay on the floor motionless as I lift my head and sniff fearfully. The intense scent of clan cats reaches me and I cover into the corner terrified.

"Holy shit! I don’t believe it! It’s a she-kitt! A stranger, I don’t know her scent!" The words make little sense to me and I growl as I lower my head and I struggle for balance. I hear the strange metallic click and press back into the corner with a whimper of fear. I’ve learnt quickly that the sound means someone is coming into my cage. I lower my head and hiss at the blurry tall shape that slowly comes closer.