Feel It Inside (#TheAnimalPact)

2

Ayu POV

The strong scent of mouse wafted into the air, and my eyes narrowed with anticipation. I turned into the winding alleyway, my gaze tracking the small rodent. Real, fresh prey like this was rare to catch in a city, so I prefer to go hunting when it's dark out; less humans means more prey.

The mouse six feet ahead of me was big and round, a perfect meal for the harsh life of a city cat. My green eyes narrowed to slits and I crouched, sliding each paw forward with anticipation. Finding food in the city was difficult, even when humans usually dump their scraps in the trash, because the cruel humans chase us off and let us starve while we smell the food. But, that's how life works, I guess.

No. I'm not putting my guard down and letting this mouse get away.

I fixed my gaze on the unaware mouse once I was four feet away. I slid my claws out, straightened my tail, and leaped. The mouse squeaked as my claws closed around it and I delivered the killing bite. I purred enthusiastically, crouching as I ate my first meal in days.

After I finished I licked away the rest of the scraps and straightened. I felt healthier and stronger already, so I threw myself at a rain pipe and clambered my way to the top. After pulling myself up, I gazed around the rooftop. It was a large and empty apartment, perfect for a stroll.

    Maybe you've heard about the Rooftop Gang. You're probably saying, "Ayu, you're an idiot for being on their territory." But before you do, calm down and notice I'm in the side of town where the Rooftop Gang doesn't live. Some cats need to just chill.

    I had walked in circles around the wide building, every so often hopping right up on the edge and looking down the two stories at the ground, which was dark and speckled with colorful lights. My whiskers twitched with a sudden nauseated feeling from height and leaped off again.

    I had just sat down to groom my fur when I heard clambering from the rain pipe. The scent of cat came to my nose, and I knew it was the two strays Mustang and Stratus.

    Mustang came up first, a long-furred tom with bright yellow eyes. He was panting as he scrabbled up onto his feet, then caught sight of me and forced himself to look relaxed. "Hurry up, Stratus," he yelled down, almost lazily. "That's the easiest thing I've ever done." I couldn't help but giggle; he always tries to look strong and tough when I'm around.

    "Yeah, right," I heard Stratus grumble as he hauled himself up. He had short striped brown fur and golden eyes, which were shining with annoyance. "I could've gotten up before you if you don't always insist on being first. You're just trying to impress Ayu, because you like her." He raised his voice at the last part, and I snickered again. Mustang's face went pink under his fur, I could tell.

    "I do not," he said quickly. "I know it's you who likes her, you're just blaming it on me."

    Stratus rolled his eyes. "Anyways, hi, Ayu."

    "Sup." I waved my paw to him. "How's it going?"

    "Pretty good. You?"

    "Great, actually. Caught a mouse." I stood up and sat closer to him, while Mustang looked frustrated I was talking more to Stratus.

"So," he said, making his way over. "Did you hear Dancer joined the sewer gang a couple days ago?"

I was surprised. The black she-cat usually didn't lie, no matter how ambitious she got. "Really?" I blinked. "Didn't she say she was going to start her own?"

"She did," Stratus said. "My theory is she's gonna try and be second-in-command and eventually leader. Then she won't have to work to get a bunch of strays to join her."