Mistystar's Freedom

Chapter Two

The grey calico rustled in her nest. It took her some time, yet her eyes slowly opened. She raised her head and looked around, half expecting to smell the warm scent of her mother. Yet there was nothing but the stale scent of herbs. Miley looked up at the roof of the barn, noticing that a pale light filtered threw. She felt a yawn try to creep up her throat but she stifled it enough to see she was alone.

Memories ran threw her, making a soft wail rise in her voice. The sadness of losing her mother suddenly started all over again. She could feel herself trembling in her nest, although she was not at all cold. She stopped as she heard rustling outside, only to see the large red tabby pad in with a mouse. "Auburn." She softly mewed, her voice feeling hoarse. He nodded and set the mouse down. "You should eat this, I put a few herbs in it to help you feel a better drive. We have a while of a walk ahead of us and you need all the energy you can get." Miley stared at the mouse for a few heart-beats, the darkness of the barn nearly hiding it's brown pelt. She could see where little holes had been made on it and how some leaves had been mushed and smeared on it.

After another couple heart-beats the molly leaned down and took a bite. It tasted vile, but seeing the Auburn had settled down and waited on her did she feel embarrassed to just be staring at the prey. She attempted to consume as much as she could, but after a couple of bites she thought it would come back up. She pushed the mouse away; having to stop herself from gagging. The memories of seeing her mother's dead body was still too fresh in her mind.

Auburn nodded in understanding and pushed the mouse away, out of sight. "Well, we're off then. We should make it by sun-down by the look of it." "Make it where?" Miley asked as the two padded out of the barn. Purple and red hues linned the sky, showing soon the sun would come up to the sky. "A old home of mine. A group of cats live there; they call themselves clan cats. Their clan is named Aspenclan."

Miley listened intensely at the tom's words, nodding every now and again on how they lived their lives. "You're very young and very inexperienced with the world. If you were attacked you'd be done for." The molly slightly winced as once again her mother's image came into mind.

"After a long battle they lost many, so I'm sure they'd take you in as one of their own." The grey calico blinked in shock, but said nothing. She instead scrambled over some larger rocks which where in the middle of a small stream. Her long and nimble body helped her stay easily in pace with the larger tom, who's steps were larger and longer.

★★★★

The two traveled in much needed silence for the rest of the journey. Miley didn't mind at all, her mind was still twisted with the dark thoughts of her mother. She could not read what was Auburn's emotions; his face was stern and focused. Instead, the grey calico molly watched the scenery around her. How trees twisted in shape and how bushes changed colors. How the light filtered threw the leaves, only giving certain patches of ground a yellow hue. It came to a shock when the tom suddenly stopped. He raised his head and sniffed the air before blinking in delight. "We got here sooner then I thought. A patrol recently passed threw here to, which means they just finished their sun-high patrol." Miley was confused on what he meant, but she nodded anyways.

The two padded down a worn out trail until they came to a slope. Bushes lined the area, hiding anything below. The grey calico noticed after a moment how some looked freshen patched up with what she guessed was moss and other leaves. That was when she remembered when Auburn said there had been a battle. She shivered at the thought but followed the red tabby tom towards the entrance, where a black molly with a white chest and muzzle was sitting. She jumped when the two approached, but relaxed after a few heart-beats. "Auburn? Is that really you? It's been moons." Her gaze was cloudy with emotion but with a sudden turn she turned and led them into camp.