Alley Cats Runaway

#34 Eye of the Storm

Storm POV

The fox attack may of been unexpected, but we knew what to do.
It was a combination of drills and practice we were prepared for it.
"You never can be too prepared." A phrase my late father always said.

I was checking on the mother and kits in the house , when I noticed a ginger tabby by the living room window. Her thick fur dappled in the sunlight, her pointy ears were dropping off to the side of her head, and her lush tail tickled her nose.

Nutmeg.

I paused for a moment and inhaled her sweet scent. My heart hammered in its cage as I watched her. Ever since she came here I felt lost within her beauty.

At first I thought she was a sleep, after all she never fought a fox before and must be tired, but I heard her let out a deep depressing sigh.

I padded over and stood in front of her. At once her leafy green eyes snapped open and rolled upward meeting my gaze. She stiffened.

"Hi Nutmeg. "I greeted with a purr.
"S-Storm. " She started.
" Are you okay? You don't seem to be ." I asked. Nutmeg sat up and stared at her white paws.
"I'm fine, thanks. " Though she said so, I could tell she didn't feel it.

I gave her a reassuring smile.
"You can always talk to me." I offered.
Nutmeg lifted her gaze. Pain glittered her eyes. "Thanks but I don't feel like talking. She mumbled.

The smile ceased from my mouth.
Her face was dull with depression. An expression I hated seeing on anyone. It reminded me of my mother's face when my father died. I was a young kitten then, I didn't remember much about my father but it was her face I always remembered, and how to fix it.

"Come with me." I say. Nutmeg gave a curious look. "To where?"
" You'll see." I smiled.

I lead Nutmeg out of the house, towards the forest. The morning frost crunched under paw, glittering in the sunlight.
Leaving the field behind us we entered the forest.

The forest was dark under the canopy of the trees during the summer, but in the winter when the leaves were gone, it was bright and inviting.

" So where are we going exactly?
" You'll see."

At last I came to small bramble bush.
There was a small entrance in the middle and I shouldered myself inside.

"Come on. "

Inside was a beautiful spot. A small pond frozen over, ice dripped from low branches. Snow sparkling in the sunlight. 

I heard Nutmeg gasp.
"Its beautiful."
As she walked around I walked over to the frozen pond. "Hey Nutmeg! Check this out!"

She watched me as I went  sliding into the snow bank. "Are you okay?" She asked me, making her way over.
I popped head out of the snow and grinned.
" I'm fine. You try it!!" 
Nutmeg cautiously stepped onto the ice, she let out a startled gasp when she slipped and crashed into the snowy bank. Her head popped up laughing. "That was fun!" She said, climbing out of the bank, shaking her pelt. I did the same.
" Well in that case, " I gave her a mischievous  look.
"You're it!" I tagged her with a paw.

I raced into the trees with Nutmeg behind me.
"Hey Wait, Storm! I'm gonna get you for that"
"You wish!"
Kicking up snow I sprinted through the undergrowth, darting the out reached branches that scraped at my loose fur.  I came to the edge on another clearing and slowed down when I realized Nutmeg was no longer behind me. "Nutmeg?" I called looking around. I sniffed the air for her scent. it was strong. Sundely a branch above me shook. I looked up to see her falling her paws stretched out. She pinned me to the ground and we rolled in the snow laughing. Once we stopped, she stood above me smiling. "Gotcha."I rose to my feet.