Alley Cats Runaway

#32 Red Snow

Nutmeg POV

I was lounging outside on one of the chairs as I watched my brother play with Daisy and other kittens out in the snow. My brother's laughter reached my ears, warming my heart.
"It seems your brother is having fun." I turned, it was Petal. The reddish-brown she-cat settled down beside me and we watched them being greeted by Storm who was passing by, coming back from the forest.

His gaze then shifted from the kits to us, I could feel the intensity of his gaze locked on me, I felt my face heated up. The dark brown tom waved his tail in greetings before continuing his walk.

Petal smiled. "You know I just realized, my brother seems to like you a lot. Always looking at you from moment to moment."
My heart hammered in my chest. "He does?"
"Oh yes." She purred. My chest tightened.
Just then a scream from the snowy field grabbed our attention.
Among the kittens was a red and white creature. For a moment I mistook it for a large cat but it pointed muzzle reminded me of wolves. "What is that thing?" I demanded jumping to my feet.

"It's called a fox, be careful they are cunning and dangerous." Petal warned. She raced behind me as we came to the kits defence.
"Daisy, take them to the house, now! Petal commanded. The scared ginger nodded and lead Scout and the others away.

The fox growled, upset at losing its prey. It shook its thick tail.
" You take the right, I'll take the left." Petal said. The fox lunged at us, we ducked and began slicing at its sides.
The fox howled in pain. Rearing onto its hind legs it tried to swipe at our faces. Seeing the opportunity I leap at its belly, knocking it down and pinning it down into the snow.
I clawed at its belly while Petal gorged at its eyes. The fox screeched, rolling onto its back it scrambled away from our claws.

A distant shriek, along with squeals and snorts. reached our ears. Petal eyes widened. "Come on!" We followed the sound to its source, the barn.

Inside other cats were fighting two more foxes. In the corner, I spotted two kittens. Their mother laid limp beside them.

"Nutmeg, get those kits out of there!" Storm ordered.
Snatching one kit by the scruff, I lead the other out for the house.
The kits father waited on the porch.
"Thank you for saving them. Where is Rose? Is she..?" The kits father swallowed, hard.
I gave him a sad smile. "Your kits need you," I say before rushing back to help drive those foxes out.

As I approached the barn doors I  heard Storm shouting out orders.
"Creek, River and Winter, strike left!
Petal, Spots and Whisker, strike right!
Luna and Pine go up! I looked inside to see cats all running out, two of them climbing and jumping onto the foxes back in an orderly fashion. I gazed at Storm who stood to make orders. He walked around with his back straight, his dark brown pelt fluffed and his tail lashes from side to side, giving out orders, encouraging his cats. Helping out when one cat was knocked out or badly hurt.
So that is how a real leader looks like?

Then I heard a growl behind me.
I whipped around. It was a much bigger fox, compared to the ones that I fought. There was a sweet smell of stale milk, the same smell when a mother's milk has dried out.
Oh no, its the mother.
And she definitely did not look happy. I stood frozen. Unable to move.
Now I know what it is like to be prey.
She lunged at me before I even got a chance to react.

A massive body slammed into me, knocking me away. I rolled onto my belly into the snow. I looked up to see Storm fighting the mother fox.
Did he just save me?

After a moment of clashing, Storm pinned her down and growled. She whimpered. Storm releases and she bounded away with her pups close behind.

Storm stood, his body scraped all over.  The cats milled around him." We won!" He declared. They cheered.
"Now all of you go inside. We will spend the night in the house in case those foxes come back." He said. They nodded.

As the group disperses Storm turned to me. "Are you alright? You look a bit shaken." I was terrified. Which does not make sense? You grew up in the violent streets and now you can't properly fight because they are a creature you never fought before? Shame!

I gave him a grateful smile. "Just never saw foxes before. And the mother she crept on me so quietly I was surprised when I turned around." I stared at my white paws. "I wish I could have done better, this is unlike me." Storm rested his tail lights on my shoulder. "It's okay Nutmeg. This was your first fight in a while, and you never saw a fox before. Now what you did, rescuing those kittens back there was great." He encouraged me.

I gave a grateful smile. "Thanks for saving me back there," I said.
He nodded. "Your welcome Nutmeg."

I walked inside and found my brothers upstairs.
Patches were fast asleep, his ears were torn and he had a couple of scratches but overall be was fine.
Willy the old farmer was treating all of the injured cats one by one.
He was a very fragile thing. Walking with a little wobble to his knees.

I settled beside him when Scout bounded over.
"Hey, you're back! Did you drive those foxes away? The little dark brown kitten asked.
I sighed. A little, Storm and his cat did it."
"So why do you look sad?"
"Just that, I am an alley cat and I have been in tougher situations than this. I should have fought better than freezing up."
"Well, it is winter."He joked.
I scowled. "Thanks, a lot Scout."
My little brother snuggled between me and Patches. "Yeah well, you fought for me and I think you are a great fighter."
I snorted.

"I was a great fighter because you were going to get killed. I made a promise that I would look after you."
"Yeah well, you succeeded."
"But that's not all. Storm knows how to lead. His plan worked. He knows what he is doing as a leader, and what am I doing?" Rested my chin on my paws.
"I am a horrible leader. "
Scout shook his head. "Not the way I see it."
"Scout, I just ran away from my home on this journey to find a home for our cats. They must be starving and Frost could be terrorizing them this minute, while I eat until I'm full!"

Scout glared at me. "Stop it will you Nut? Enough about the gloom and the doom. Yes, we may be far from our home and yes we do have it easy here.  But you can't let your mind convince you that bad things are happening back at home. You don't know that."
He let out a sigh.

"Now if I had learned anything today, a leader protects their own. The storm did that, and guess who else did that too? You Nut, though our family and friends are far away, I'm here. You protected me all this time, making sure I ate, saved me from the wolves even though you hurt yourself. You have been putting me over yourself, something you have always done even back at home."
I smiled at him.

"You are good leader Nutmeg, don't let yourself think otherwise." He told me.  I pulled him closer to me and purred.
"Thanks, Scout, I'm glad you're here," I say, giving him a lick to the ears. 

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A/N

It has been forever since I published a chapter.
I wish I could be more consistent but assignments and tests deserve more attention.
But I have plotted it out and wrote what is to happen.

What do you guys think about this chapter?

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