I See You

Trouble

I feel like a kitten that was dunked in the ocean, declawed, and kicked. AKA, I'm down in the dumps.

Not only were we captured by the wrong species (is there a right species to be captured by?), but being challenged to prove that you are what you say you are is hard when your shift won't even stir.

That makes them suspicious. Go figure.

"Shift! Prove you are what you say!"

I don't have time for this. Kaitlyn's waiting for me to save her!

"Let's see it! Right now this looks like a bear being protected by tigers! I didn't even know they allied with you fur balls!"

I growl at the fur ball comment, but it's weak and has no power behind it.

Where are you Missy? This isn't helping our mate, and it's hindering our progress! ...and I miss you!

"How many time do I have to tell you?" Selene snarls somewhere behind me, "The children of Tutu and the children of Bast are NOT allied nor are we enemies! For Goddess' sake!"

The rat faced leader scowls over my shoulder, "Shut that one up already, would you!?!"

Selene gasps, "Don't you dar- ffgdssggh!!!!" I hear her growl around the cloth, "Fuhhers!"

I'd laugh, even in a situation as serious as this, but it's unbecoming of a leader.

Star has no such qualms. She practically laughs her head off. I think she might drugged.

"Shut that one up as well... tell Aidan his serum is not equipped for felines."
Two guys leave the room as MrRatFace rubs his head. "I'm going to talk to your guys, see if they have more brains than you people," he mutters underneath his breath, most likely assuming I won't hear him.

Ha, joke's on him, our boys are idiots, but they're our Streak idiots.

He exits, locking the door and posting a guard outside of it.

"Now what?" Venus whimpers, after a moment of silence.

The whimper gets to me, especially because it is her's. Venus may be my cousin but she was raised as my little sister.

Not only must I protect my mate, my cousin, and my friends, I must protect the pack. How do I protect anyone if I can't even protect myself?

Missy?

I get nothing, which is not surprising anymore.

"Mystic?" She whimpers again.

I don't want her to think I have a plan, nor do I want to deceive her. "I - I don't know yet..."

Her gasping breath and muffled laughing echo though my head in the silent hours that follow.

When the door finally reopens, the guys all stumble in, their hands tied behind their backs. All of them seem unharmed, save for the black eye Greenlin has.

I hiss. Greenlin definitely isn't my favorite person and I might not care for him much more than dog poop on my shoe, but he's part of my Streak. He's one of my tigers.

One of the snakes from earlier, this weird thin guy with an oddly deep voice, walks in after them. "I'm going to put these on you. Then I'm going to cut all the ropes. Try to leave and bad things will happen."

I'm insulted. He's collaring us. Like we're just regular house cats!

He hooks and tightens one on each of us. Most of us growl, but make no move nor say a word about it. Like it or not (we are the latter all the way) we are stuck here for the time being.

After it's all said and done, he leaves us there, alone together.

"What are we going to do, Bast?"

I look up shocked at the tone of voice. The tone is full of respect, pleading, and expectation. Not mocking or arrogant, nor hesitant or reserved. Real.

I look up, searching. Starting with their eyes, then into every other person's. Turning my head back, my neck rubs against the metal collar.

I'm leader. I'm Bast, yes, but not for a few years yet. I'm a mate, but the solution for getting my mate back- as much as it pains me to think- isn't my first priority at this very moment in time (although it does depend on this moment in the long run). My first priority is keeping my team, my friends, my Streakmates, together. We need to survive to thrive.

So I must be logical and realistic until a chance to plan an escape is possible and realistic.

"For now we follow the rules. Listen and respond appropriately as long as it's in the borders of our training." I give them my best reassuring smile. "I know we're scared, but we stick together and things will work out. They have to." I turn back to the person who spoke.

With a crooked smile I say, "Never thought I'd say this to you, but whatever you did that made you get that bruise, I hope the other guy was the one that came out worse!"

Greenlin nods, "Let's just say, some guy's going to remember not to try water torcher on a feline again. It tends to make us instantly morph and attack. That guy's gonna have remembrance scars for the rest of his life."

"It was something to see," Rayden and Teegan say together.

Jay nods, then looks over at Selene. His face gets a confused look before is eyes widen.

In these circumstances, it's probably not the best thing for one of the most important moments of your life to occur.

Before Selene looks up at him I demand she look at me.

She complies, confused by my tone. With a little smile I congratulate her. "Happy birthday, Selene."

She groans in disappointment, "Greeeeat!"

I roll my eyes, and gesture towards Jay with my head. She looks over startled, and gasps before hurtling into Jay's arms.

(Huh, maybe she unconsciously knew he was her mate and that's why she's always had a crush on him?)

Greenlin turns to me, and I can see that whatever they went though, it was enough to drain his asshole tenancy away, hopefully for forever. "So sit tight, don't die is our current plan?"

Instead of being mocking and fake, it's genuine and looking for confirmation.

I nod as the door opens. I motion for everyone to stay silent as a guy around our age drags in a cart of food.

Nervous he clears his throat. "Anyone hungry?"

"No shit, dipstick," Star grumbles, whatever they gave her long since worn off and left her pissed as can be.

At Star's glare and our blank looks, he chuckles nervously. "Yes, right-"

He jumps as his name echoes through the halls yelled by none other than MrRatFace himself. "AIDAN. NO TALKING, YOU KNOW THE RULES BOY!!"

"Aidan? You're the one who made that horrible DRUG?!" Roars Star angrily.

Scared he runs out, shutting the door behind him with an audible click.

"Well, food is life." I comment. Then admit, "And we never turn down food. Let's eat!"