Mistystar's Freedom

Chapter One

Dew glittered on the strands of grass that Miley chased after. She let out giggles and squeals as she jumped and gently batted at anything in front of her paws. It was only when a shadow loomed over her did she look up, only to see her mother staring back at her with a warm smile. "Mom! Mom! Can we go down to the stream? I wanna catch a fish!" Miley scrambled back up and followed after her mother. "Not today little bird, today we are going to the two-leg homes to find food. Maybe if we have time after we could." The grey calico squealed happily and darted forward before stopping.

"How come we don't live there? I mean the barn is nice but the two-leg homes are huge! Even bigger then the barn!" She circled around her mother as she questioned her, yet her mother's warm expression never gave in. "Because we are free on the barn, to do what we wish. If we live with two-legs they'd tell us what to do and when to eat. We'd never even get to go outside!" Miley shuddered at the thought of never having any kind of freedom. "I never want to be a housecat then!" The little grey calico kit declared before chasing after her mother once again.

The two followed a worn out path, stopping every now and again to check the air. Yet everything smelled stale, as though nothing had been there for days. "Are you sure we're going to find some food?" Miley asked softly as she started to notice her mother's concern. Mikki was never one to show any emotion other then kindness, so seeing her expression worry did Miley also do so.

Mikki had glanced down to Miley and softly smiled, "No little one, but we can try. Come, I see the first yards." Miley's mother had started to trot and sure enough Miley started to see fences. She ignored the little strands of grass that tried to wrap around her as she raced to the first fence. "We made it!" She squealed happily before glancing at Mikki. Her mother smiled before jumping up. "Now Miley, you know what to do. Stay here and if i-" "I'm not back before dusk you can look for me. I know." She smiled and Mikki nodded before scrambling over the fence and into the yard. Miley watched as her mother's tail bobbed up and down before vanishing behind some bushes.

The grey calico could feel a small sense of loneliness tingle up her back but she ignored it as she padded over to some taller tuffs of grass and curled up. She looked up to the sky and noticed how grey clouds were starting to hid the sun. Her mother might come home early, and by knowing that she smiled before curling up into a tighter ball and closed her eyes. She'd get some rest before seeing her mother again.

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Miley could hear an owl call out. She jolted awake only to find herself in complete darkness. "Mom?" She panicked, struggling to get up. She looked around in panic before looking up at the sky. It was Moon-high. "It's night.." Miley could feel her heart thump in her chest. Her mother should of been back hours ago. 'I should of looked for her hours ago!' She darkly realized before she attempted to scramble over the fence. It took a moment but she managed to hook her claws on a tiny open space and push herself up. She wobbled on top for a few heart-beats and then raced along the fences, calling out for her mother.

Nothing seemed to be of luck as panic surged threw her. She followed the little circles of light as she jumped down from the fence and raced threw the yards. It was when the scent of blood hit her nose did she stop in cold fear. "Mom?" Mikki weakly mewed and slowly crept over to where the smell was growing stronger. A blood trail could be seen where something had pushed itself to hide in some bushes. Miley could see tuffs of fur on the bushes' opening. "Mo-" She stopped mid-sentence as the she saw the body in front of her.

Her mother lay with cloudy eyes and with a torn open neck. She smelled of death and of stale dog. "Oh...mom..." Miley felt her legs buckle underneath her as she let out sobs and wails. She slung herself onto her mother's side and cried. She could feel cold blood sweep into her fur but she didn't care; all she could think about was how her mother was dead.

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The grey calico did not hear the paw-steps behind her. It had been that or she hadn't bothered to move. Someone had said something, but she did not hear. Everything seemed to be static. It had been when the thing attempted to move her mother did she snap out of her haze; letting out a huge hiss. "No! Don't touch her!" The stranger flinched but said nothing at first. He then mewed. "Little one, can you hear me? I said I have to bury your mother before the dogs are let back out. Come on, I know you two lived at the barn; let's go there so we can bury her." Miley only let out a whimper but said nothing. She watched the big red tabby pick her mother up before gently nudging her to get up.

Miley could feel herself stumble but she said nothing. Her voice had felt hoarse from crying all night. She followed the stranger threw the yards and down the path her and her mother had taken the other morning. 'She's dead. We were just going to get food.' The grey calico could feel a soft wail raise from her throat and she thought she'd fall back down, but the stranger placed his tail on her shoulder. She stayed close to his flank and followed him back to the barn, which now felt as much as a stranger as the tom was.

The red tabby gently placed Mikki onto the ground outside the barn and started to dig a hole. Miley joined but her paws were shaky as she attempted to follow him.

After some time they placed her body into the hole and buried her. "May she follow her ancestors." The tom mewed. "Now. Let's wash you up and get you some herbs. We have a big day tomorrow." Miley only half listened as she padded into the barn and laid on the nest her and her mother slept in. It seemed empty now without her.

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The red tabby came in after some time with a leaf bundled in his mouth. He placed it down to reveal some seeds and other things. "Here, eat this. It'll help your shock and help you rest. We have to get up at dawn tomorrow." He nudged the herbs over to the grey calico before turning. "I'll be out-" "No! Please...please don't leave." Miley could feel her fur prick up as the tom had started to turn away. He turned back and smiled softly. "Alright. I'll stay here, but you eat those herbs." She nodded and lapped the herbs up. It seemed to take almost an instant effect as she felt her eyes growing heavy. "What's your name?" She asked softly, half asleep. "Auburn."

"Auburn." She repeated before curling her tail over her nose and drifting into sleep.