Warrior Cats: Sprout || Book One

Chapter Nine

Water seeped through the top of the moldy cardboard box, dripping down and dampening Lily's pelt. She rolled her shoulders and lapped at her white chest, attempting to conserve some resemblance of dryness. She shifted her weight and scrambled to the edge of the package, pressing herself against the brown wall to avoid the puddle in the centre. The stench of soggy paper clogged her nostrils and she wrinkled her nose. 

Rain whipped down in front of her, smashing violently against the pavement of the back alley she was concealed in. Stray droplets misted in her fur, and she sniffled; it was still green-leaf, but the tempest carried a persistent chill that sunk deep into her flesh. 

At least the storm will mask my scent... If there was any hope that Buddy and Missy could find me before, it's gone now...

Lily glanced nervously up at the seething grey clouds, flicking her ear and twitching her whiskers. The atmosphere was tense and foreboding and Lily felt distinctly uncomfortable. The wetness of her fur surely did not improve her despondent mood. 

The precipitation had arrived quickly; it had been an hour or so after she had fled from her home when the rain hit. She had hastily taken shelter in the cardboard box, and was regretting her choice in a refuge, as it did little to shield her from the malice of the elements. 

A cold indifference had settled over her and she had resolved to face her turbulent emotions after accomplishing her mission. I have to save that tom from Buddy and Missy. Because, if I'm right, then... 

An image of the burly white tom from her vision flashed in her mind's eye, and she blinked, shaking out her damp pelt. She felt clammy, and a chill wracked her to the bone. Water droplets streamed down her clipped whiskers and she sighed. Urgency prickled under her coat, but she did not wish to venture out into such a storm, especially since she was not even six moons old yet. 

A car in the distance made a low, ominous rumble as it sloshed through a puddle. Lily could just make out the clacking of rain on its glossy metal hide. She turned her gaze towards the heavens, where occasional burst of far-off lightning shattered the clouds.  

"I have to be brave," she murmured. "A cat's life is depending on me now." She squared her shoulders and tore absentmindedly at the cardboard. 

If I'm right, Buddy and Missy will probably scour the city for me for a while - probably a few hours. And then... Then they'll most likely find that tom and kill him. They'll do anything to keep me here. They seem to be sworn to some sort of pact to do so...

Lily squeezed her eyes shut and summoned up the last scraps of her strength, padding out into the deluge without giving herself time to ponder it. The rain hit her like a wall, slamming down on her slim, kittenish form without remorse. She flinched, hissing as her pelt was flattened down to her skin; she appeared much smaller without the protection of her fluffy silver fur. 

Straightening after recovering from the initial shock of the squall, she dashed to the edge of the alley and glanced left and right for any potential threats. When nothing caught her eye, she scuttled ungracefully across the road, her paws kicking up little spurts of water. 

Clambering up the verge to the next sidewalk, Lily hastily recalled the tom's location. He had been on the northern edge of the city, not near the outskirts, but necessarily downtown either. The alley he had been in had been smothered with graffiti and was sandwiched between two sky blue buildings. 

She took in her own surroundings and calculated the approximate distant between her and the tom. It shouldn't be that far away... Probably about an hour's walk from here. It will be shortened even more if I run part of the way...