Rogues

Chapter 4

 Scorpio crept silently along the cold pavement, cautiously stalking a young pigeon. He could practically taste the fresh kill between his jaws, when...

"Scorpio!" Aquarius called from across the thunderpath. In a split second, the young pigeon lifted its wings and took flight.

Scorpio lifted his head with an irritated flick of his ear. He could see Aquarius and Capricorn across the thunderpath, with Capricorn wincing with each step she took. Aquarius had some sort of wrapped medicine in her jaws, while the only thing Capricorn had was an angry look.

"Where were you?" Capricorn snarled, her tail whisking dangerously behind her.

"I was just hunting. You want to eat too, right?" Scorpio shot back. He couldn't imagine why she was mad at him for trying to feed herself and her sister, both of which could barely take care of themselves. Capricorn was injured, and Aquarius was far too young and inexperienced to properly catch anything but rotting leftovers those humans left in metal cans.

"Come on, you obviously aren't helping, let's go find some actual food." Capricorn turned around and stalked off. Scorpio glanced at Aquarius, who only shrugged. The two padded off after her.

Capricorn easily stilled her pace as the trio saw the gritty, black surface of a thunderpath in the distance. The stench of monsters was unbearable. Scorpio's eyes watered, and he urged to hiss and flee, but it seemed like the two sisters had grown accustomed to the fiery scents

"Wait until I say you can go," Capricorn waved her tail in warning. "One hit from these monsters and you'll end up splayed on the road with your brains all over the concrete."

Scorpio flicked his ear indignantly. He was used to Capricorn bossing Aquarius and him around, but usually, she had a bit more calm in her voice.

"Go!" Capricorn snapped as a monster swerved by. Immediately, the trio broke into a sprint, their paws slamming on the surface hard. Each of them bounded quickly, side-by-side, across the street, too scared to look back until they reached the other side.

With a final leap, the three landed safely on the sidewalk. Aquarius flopped on the floor, drained of her energy, while both Capricorn and Scorpio just remained standing, with their tongues lolling out.

"I have no time for waiting," Capricorn spat as she nudged Aquarius to her feet. Aquarius, though forced to stand, still leaned on Scorpio's flank for support.

Running must really tire the kit out, Scorpio thought with a twitch of his whiskers, before turning to Capricorn. The she-cat, despite her wounds, was already running to the twolegplace. It gleamed with bright yellow, green and red lights. The buildings towered with twolegs, holding flavored prey and cups filled with strange hot liquids. Aquarius shivered, while Scorpio just stared in awe.

"This is the place I grew up in," Capricorn mewed in a dull tone.

Scorpio glanced upward at the tall, rising, smooth walls of the fortress, feeling smaller than he'd ever felt in his life.