Alley Cats Runaway

#42 Aftermath

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The alleys were full of groans of wounded cats. Rising her sore head, the ginger looked around the battlefield. There laid more dead cats she could've imagined. A few tail lengths before her lay Storm. The dark brown tabby was still. He was on his side, one of his ears was torn and his left hind leg was wrenched. Pain clawed at her belly,

She slowly raised to her paws and leaned towards him. "Storm?" Her voice cracked. She nudged him on the shoulders. Please don't be dead!
Whimpering, she rested her head near his, letting the tears spill. It's all my fault."

"You're sure about that Nut?" She snapped her eyes open to see a pair of warm amber eyes looking back at her. "Storm you stupid furball you scared me!" The dark tabby purred and gave her a lick to her face. "You don't need to worry about me Nutmeg, I'll always be with you." Nutmeg let a purr rumble in her chest.

She helped Storm to a comfy spot in the shade as she went searching for her family. On the far side, of the road was a white cat, his fur was stained with the blood that gushed out of his soft belly.

Nutmeg's heart skipped. It couldn't be. She stalked over to him only to stare at his right cheek were 3 dull red scars were. "Frost, he is really dead." She could whisper. The same maniac who killed her father in cold blood was now laying at her paws.

"He's dead." Said a voice.
Looking up she saw Shard, the small silver tabby stared at the dead body.
Her green eyes were hard and cold.

Nutmeg straightened sliding out her claws, ready to fight. But Shard shook her head disappointedly, not noticing her. "All his life he fought, killing others for power and fear. Only to have his own selfish pride and thirst for vengeance to kill him in the end." She muttered. "Not worth to fight for." She scoffed. Shard noticed Nutmeg and raised her voice.
"Put away your claws, kitty. I'm not going to fight you over this. Frost's revengeful conquest is over. You have won."

Nutmeg couldn't believe her ears.
"Really?"
Shard sniffed. "I never did trust Frost, even though I did obey him. He was always manipulative and unpredictable. He may have made an army for himself, but they were  never truly loyal to him.Now he is dead, they are freed and I have no intention of avenging him. So yeah, you win." She said. Nutmeg watched as she turned around to leave. The rest of Frost's cats looked up, noticing Frost's corpse they scattered.
The red cat named Klaw glared at her as he left with the other cats.

"Is that Frost?" A tiny meow came behind her. She turned to see her little brother and his friend Daisy. "Oh Scout you're okay." Nutmeg purred in relief. The dusty brown kitten raised his tail triumph. "I think we won Nutmeg!" Daisy wrinkled her pink nose at the stench. "I just wished it didn't have to have so much blood." Nutmeg looked back at her enemy. Frost's blue eyes that used to flash with anger or gave a cold shiver up her spine were dull and lifeless. "Yes, Daisy I wish too." After another look Nutmeg nudged The two kittens forward. "I want you guys to help me find our cats, we are going back home. Think you can do that?" They nodded. "Okay now off you go but remember to try to stick to our area, I don't want any of Frost's remaining cats catching you." Nutmeg watched them dash away out into the clearing. "Got it!" They chanted in unison.

Nutmeg shifted her gaze over to the trash pile to see a familiar light grey tabby. "Jay!" She called out to him. He twisted his head over to her as she trotted over.
"Frost is he..?"
"He's dead."
"Oh good." He sighed in exhaustion.
" We are grouping all the cats back to the shelter. "
" Okay, I'll get the rest, meet you there."

When I returned home I was greeted with a cheerful meow.

"Nutmeg you're alive thank goodness!" Cried, Violet. Nutmeg nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

Snowflake walked over.
"What about Frost? Snow asked nervously. Pity sank in her heart to be the bearing of news to her. After all, they were mates, no matter how cruel Frost was he was always gentle towards her. Nutmeg swallowed. " I'm sorry Snow, he was hit by passing a car." Nutmeg winced as she heard Snow sniff. Jay padded over to Snow who crouched, her tail wrapping her nose.
"What about my kits, will they be hurt? I never wanted them to grow up without a father. He leaned over and pulled her close "Everything will be okay Snow. No cat is going to put a claw on your kits, I'll see to that. I'll look after you and your kits." He mewed softly. Snow blinked at him. "You would do that?" Jay nodded. "You helped me and my friends, you deserve a star for that." He purred.

Nutmeg looked around ather cats.   Some had scars others wounds. Dusty from the farmlands, Ruby, Sasha and Ash from the alleys were dead, they will be buried in honour and remembered always. However, there were more dead cats on Frost's side. Fern, Scar, Screech, Puddle, Thorn to name a few and Frost himself. Those who were alive were Shard, his niece,  Klaw, Socks, Whisper, Bones.

Nutmeg kept her mind busy as she rounded up her loyal cats to decide where they should go for safer ground. Her mother Peper emerged from the crowd with Jay, Violet, Storm, Scout and of course his loyal companion Daisy. The 8 cats sat in a respectable circle as Pepper spoke. "Frost is now dead, we have won this war." She paused for the others to give a cheer. "However now this hurdle has been passed we must now think of a place for recovery, a new home. The shelter is no longer safe. Frost cats already know where we live but after this war they will be more likely to attack as we are vunarable."

Glancing over to Storm, he gave me a warm smile and nodded, already knowing what I am about to say.
"I know a place." I piped up.

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A/N

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