Smallcats ◭ Living Myth ◭ Book 1

Chapter One - "That Lie of Yours Weighs a Ton."

Dew strolled down the mostly empty streets of the city. Life in Fantalinc was tough, especially for a young and budding tom like himself. He had only become independent from his mother a few months earlier, and so far nothing had fared too well for him. Presently, it was at high noon and the blistering sun kept most of the creatures at bay within the shade.

Dew paused as he neared the edge of an alleyway. A stray and lonely-looking bench stood a tail-length away from him. If he dared to tread further, he would be in Soarian territory. The Soarians were one of the few colonies in Fantalinc, and though they were known for their equality and kindness, he knew that was only one side of the group.

He paused and took a seat on the sidewalk concrete, narrowing his eyes as he scanned for a Calico and long-furred pelt. He flicked his tail impatiently. A few days back, he'd made a deal with the medicinian of the Soarians. She had promised him a week's supply of prey and scraps, and in return, he would show her to a secret stash of medicine, perfect for the upcoming Freeze-Chill. Golden-Leaves was soon to end since most of the few trees in Fantalinc had already shed their leaves.

Dew snapped back into the present and sighed to himself, wondering if the calico, Cation, would even come. His tail flicked again, and he glanced down at the cold concrete, flexing his claws in and out. Maybe the feline wouldn't even come anyway, she was a slow trader, not often meeting up with him. He twitched his ears and suddenly heard the faint padding of paws. He looked up sharply, and unsheathed his claws, preparing for a skirmish. However, it was the calico he had been waiting for. Cation.

"What took you so long?" Dew sniffed, his lashing tail showing that he was slightly upset. Cation shrugged and walked closer until she reached the edge of the bench closest to him. The elegant long-furred calico took a seat, wrapping her tail around her paws. Dew, however, didn't care one bit about how maturely this she-cat acted, in fact, he barely even cared about who he made a deal with. It was all to keep him alive. Whatever he needed, he traded. It was simple, really.

"That doesn't matter," Cation replied after a few moments, her eyes turning to slits. Doesn't matter? You wasted my precious time, and I could've abandoned you! You're lucky you just made a deal with this tom, not any other cat... Dew thought ruefully to himself, his tail tip twitching angrily.

Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought. "Well do you have your part of the deal? Because I have mine," he meowed, standing up and fluffing out his fur slightly. The shade that cast over the cold sidewalk was like jumping into the water. However, he preferred it more than the burning desert in the sunshine.

At this point Cation was starting to get nervous, and Dew noticed it almost immediately. Something was up. Had this mature she-cat lied to him? Though it wasn't the first time he had been tricked, this came to him as a slight shock. "Well, that's complicated. My leader caught me and forbid me to do my end of the deal," Cation mewed, avoiding Dew's burning glare. "Though I do have another offer for you."

"Hmm? And what would that be?" Dew half growled half meowed, sliding out his claws as he prepared for an ambush. Cation shifted her paws, and cast her gaze downward, now completely refusing to meet his eyes.

"Well. Ah. You could join the Soarians?" Cation mewed quietly, standing up. Dew could see her muscles and body tense, though she refused to slide out her claws. There was an awkward silence for a few moments, and neither moved. The sound of their breathing and creaking of tree branches was the only sound that was heard. Not even a distant cat's yowl reached Dew's ears.

Finally, he spoke, "Hmm. Join you? Wouldn't that just be helping you twice?" he hissed coldly crouching slightly and stalking a step closer to Cation, who now looked half petrified with fear.