Alley Cats Runaway

#20 Sleeper

It was almost sunset when we reached to the far side of the city. Our feet were sore and our heavy eyes drooped.

"Can we please stop? I don't think I can't keep going. I'm gonna fall asleep on my paws." Scout mumbled.
I sighed and paused to pick Scout up by the scuff and carried him while I kept going.

When I was getting tired, I turned a left behind a restaurant and found a nice place to stay.
Before I put Scout down I instantly heard angry squeaks.
I turned around in alarm to see a mischief of rats.
Not 7 or 20 but a sea of rats.
Very angry rats.

Without thinking I grabbed Scout by the scruff and fled with rats on my tail.

My heart pounded as I forced my tired legs to move. Even though we eat rats, some rat colonies become so large that it is dangerous even for cats.

Unfortunately fear is not enough energy to run, especially carrying a half sleeping 5 months old kitten.

Soon fatigue was catching up to me as one of the rats jumped onto my hind legs and tail, climbing onto my back. I felt their tiny claws and teeth slice through my fur as they try to get through my thick pelt to the vulnerable skin beneath.

I need to shake them off somehow. I looked up to the building ahead of us.

There!

I turned and started climbing through the fire escape and tried climbing up to the roof but with the weight of the rats on one side of my body and Scout on the other, it was nearly impossible to climb.

"Scout! You need to wake up!" I shouted through his fur.
Scout yawned. "Is it morning already?"
"No, we are being attacked by rats! I need you to climb up to the roof as fast as you can!" I directed him.

Scout wasted no time, the moment I released him he shot up to the roof.
Giving me time to fight the rats off of me.

I twisted around and swiped them off. I also managed to use my teeth and rip them off my back. Finally, I flipped onto my back, crushing the majority of the rats.
Despite my efforts, it wasn't enough.
I looked up to see Scout peering down at me, there was anger on his face.

"No, don't you dare come down Scout, stay there!" I commanded him.
"Nut look behind you!" He shouted.
The biggest of the rats leaped at me, only to be knocked aside by a pair of black paws.

I looked up to see two cats, one black and the other white, both female. The white cat's yellow eyes were determined as she swiped her claws at the rats. Her companion was driving them away, flinging them down to their deaths. Finally, there were no more rats, nothing but blood spilled everywhere.

A scout who watched from above raced down with sheer amazement on his face.
"Wow, that was amazing! You guys were killing those rats like there was no tomorrow!" The white cat smiled.
"Glad to be of assistance. My name is Yarrow, this is my sister, Poppy." She greeted, her sister Poppy only gave a grunt, clearly not happy to see us.

I staggered to my feet. "Well thank you Yarrow, Poppy, I'm Nutmeg and this is my little brother Scout." I greeted.

Yarrow's eyes widen. "Nutmeg, as in the daughter of the late Walnut?"
I nodded.
Yarrow's tail shot upward. "Wow! This is amazing! To meet the spring of Walnut, he was an excellent leader. Our family are grateful to him when he banished his brother, our father was one of the cats he planned to kill."

I gave her a tight smile. "Uh thank you? Sorry Scout and I need to get moving." I say.

Poppy, who was watching me intensely stopped me.
"Where are you going if I may ask, aren't you supposed to be doing leadership duties back at home?"

I stared at her coldly. "I am doing my duties right now. I'm looking for a better place for the Alley Cats to live-" Yarrow cut me off.

"It is an old building, come Poppy stop bothering Nutmeg with questions she's exhausted! Come you two, you're coming to our home to rest. " Yarrow insisted.

Too tired to object, Scout and I followed the two sisters to a treehouse.

Inside there were two beanbags, posters along the walls, and a pair of flashlights.

Scout jumped onto one of the bean bags and fell asleep.

The sisters went over and slept on the other one. I followed Scout and settled beside him, letting my heavy eyes fall.

"Nutmeg." A voice called.
I jolted awake to see my mother's face.
"Mama? How did you find me?" I asked, surprised.
"Why would you abandon me? Why?" I heard her say.

"Mama I had to do this, I can't be a leader and reassure everyone that it will get better when I know it won't happen. Please understand mother."

"You abandoned me..." She said. The outline of her head began to blend in with the background.

"No! I didn't I promise!" I cried.

"You abandoned me..." I heard her whisper as she faded from existence.

I snapped my eyes open and pulled myself off the bean bag quiet as possible to not disturb Scout.

I walked over to the entrance and dug my claws into the bark of the tree as I hoisted myself to a high branch. I lay there with my paws crossing over each other. I started out at the blinking lights of the city. Hearing in the compilation of random city noises was familiar to me.

That voice was not.

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A/N

Hey readers,

Sorry for the wait,
I have a lot of things I need to work on school wise and other story projects. I hope you liked this chapter.