Stolen (Book 1 of the Outcast Quartet)

Chapter 8 (Jadekit)

“Jadekit, Yellowkit there you two are!” Goldenkit called from across the clearing, and she happily scampered over to us. It had been a day since we arrived, and to be honest I was too impressed with this place… not like I bothered to look around yet or anything.

            “Hello Goldenkit,” Yellowkit dipped her head in greeting, a smile on her face.

            “What do you want?” I asked might as well just cut to the chase.

            “Uh yes well… um would you like me to give you a tour…” Goldenkit asked while nervously shifting her paws. “Since you two are new an all…” her words grew ever softer with each word she muttered and by the time she stopped talking, I could barely hear her words.

            “No thanks,” I snorted. “We’re fine on our own so just-”

            “We’d love a tour,” Yellowkit abruptly interrupting me while giving me a sharp glare. “Right, Jadekit?”

            “Yeah, a tour sounds so lovely,” I growled sarcastically through clenched teeth.

            “Great, than follow me!” Goldenkit purred, ignoring me. “You’ll love this place once you get used to it.”

            “Let’s hope we’re long gone before then,” I grumbled under my breath which earned me a shove from Yellowkit.

            “Jadekit, you should be more kind,” she hissed. “Goldenkit was nice enough to give us a tour.”

            “We don’t need her help!” I exclaimed and lowered my voice when Goldenkit gave me another scowl. “We’re fine on our own.
            “Look I don’t know about you but I need to know where everything is to cope,” Goldenkit proclaimed. “Now just shut up unless you actually have something nice to say for once.”

            “Whatever,” I grumbled, but said nothing more as I sullenly followed Goldenkit and Yellowkit.

            “What’s up with Jadekit anyways?” I could barely hear Goldenkit’s soft whisper, but I did and my ears twitched crossly. Inching forward a bit, I silently listened in on their conversation. “He seems a bit I don’t know… agitated.”

            “I think it’s the shock of mother leaving us here,” Yellowkit stated confidently. “Jadekit is usually much nicer than this.”

            “I can understand that,” Goldenkit nodded knowingly and I caught a glow of sympathy in her dark blue eyes. I lashed my tail and had to resist the urge to bear my teeth, I didn’t want any cat’s sympathy. “I was angry and shocked when my family left me here as well.”

            Growing fed up with listening to the two talking about me, I abruptly turned away and started towards the opposite direction. Dashing behind one of the den’s in the camp, I peered out to watch as Goldenkit and Yellowkit glanced around for me. Snorting I pulled back behind the den and faced the camp wall. I didn’t want to be here, I didn’t want others sympathy… I just wanted to be away from it all. With my small kit claws, I ripped into the surrounding brush around the camp.

            It was slow work, no matter how fast I tried to go, and worries constantly ran through my head. What if they found me before I got away? Would Yellowkit be okay without me? I hesitated when that came to mind, Yellowkit needs me… Shaking my head I continued to rip away at the barrier, Yellowkit would have others to help her out after all. Goldenkit seemed like a decent cat, I’m sure she’d look after my sister.

            I stifled an excited cheer when my paw broke through the barrier and I eagerly pushed away the brush to make a hole big enough for me to squeeze out of. Wriggling through the small exit I made, I was greeted by the familiar sharp, musky scent of leaf-mold. The sparse leaves up above, which were bright orange and golden colors, ruffled lightly in the faint breeze. The birds hidden well in their branches sang their loud melancholy songs. Even though I had only been in that camp for less than a day, it felt like ages since I  had been in the forest.

            It was all gone, my regrets… my anger… my misery, all of it was gone. Shaking my pelt happily, I started farther into the woodland. Suddenly I stopped and I glanced back at the camp I was leaving. “Farewell Yellowkit,” I murmured softly and I hoped my little sister would find the happiness she deserved.