Alfa and the Kits

[froststream]

((So, this isn't directly by the barn. It's past the fieds, over the hills, but away from the Clans.))

Now he had them. After moons of searching, learning, listening and tracking, he had them. Two helpless, small kits in the box. They were both whimpering, he could hear them quite clearly. But he ws out of Clan territories now, and safe for the night. So he hoped. It was morning, and he was sure he was going to move farther off later in the day. Now, though, he needed to rest his paws and catch a meal. He may as well feed the kits a bit, too. He didn't want them to die. Or at least, not yet. He made sure the box was sealed as tightly as possible, jammed underneath a thick branch. He smelled prey, and he shouldn't have to go that far to reach it.

He dropped into a rude, untutored hunter's crouch, and stalked through the tall grass, keeping an eye on the box. Finally, he sensed prey, and pounced. He emerged from the hay with a plump mouse. In two swift bites, he had eaten, and felt energy coming back. He quickly caught a measly vole, and padded to the box. He dropped it in quickly, then slammed the cage shut again.

How old were the kits, again? Four moons, right. Too young to have kits. What a shame.

[Ki]

Duskkit had been curled up tightly beside her sister, occasionally talking to her. The kit raised her head when the vole was dropped in. The scent, which was usually so intoxicating, repelled her instead. But she didn't know if Alfa would keep feeding her and her sister, and they would have to take what they could get. Duskkit stumbled towards it and took a few bites. The kit barely tasted it. All she knew was that she was scared, incredibly sore, and very sad. Only StarClan could save them now.

...or could they?

"Tawnykit!" Duskkit mewed quietly to her sister. There was no way Duskkit was spending the rest of her life in some dark trap.

[froststream]

"Yes?" Tawnykit mewed faintly. She had been almost asleep. How could she be tired in a time like this, you may ask? Well, she didn't know, but her wounds seemed to drain all her energy. She weakly raised her head at the vole, and smelled fresh, cool air rush in when Alfa opened the trap. The air had been getting stuffy, and she welcomed the light. She took half a bite of the scraggly vole, and almost spit it up But she was hungry, and knowing she may not eat again for a while, swallowed it. Still, she couldn't force herself to eat anymore. Besides, she had just had some food at camp. Let Duskkit have it.

"What are you thinking of?" Tawnykit whispered. She wasn't sure if Alfa could hear them, but better safe than sorry.

[Ki]

Duskkit took a few more forced bites. Then she whispered, "I just thought of something. The warrior code says warriors have to help kits, right? No matter the Clan? Tawnykit would be able to see where this was going. If they could only think of a plan of escape and get to one of the territories, it didn't matter which, they would be safe. But that was the million dollar question: how were they going to get away? Tawnykit could run like she was from WindClan. But Duskkit was a bumbling oaf when it came to speed. And they were only four moons old. Too young to do any real damage. Duskkit licked her paws. They still had a bit of Alfa's blood clinging to them.

Maybe they should just wait for help. The Clan would have to be able to smell their blood in the nursery. Surely they would come.

[froststream]

"I remember that," Tawnykit said. "WindClan is the closest, remember? And tehy're real fast. We'll be home by moon-high, maybe even sun-high. We just have to sit tight until then."

She didn't quite believe herself. She was comforting Duskkit, but also trying to make herself feel better. How would tehy get to WindClan? They had clawed at teh walls for a long time without even making a mark. And if they did miraculously get out, Alfa was right there, and would catch them. Tawnykt was trying to put together a plan, or at least a strategy, but her thoughts were shattered by the trap opening. She breathed in fresh air, gasping for it. But Alfa reached inside with a powerful, broad paw and started reaching around. Tawnykit gasped and backed against a wall, trembling.

Alfa ground his teeth, and tried to grab a hold of one of the kits. The grey one - Duskkit - was closest, and he scooped her up. He held her very tightly around the scruff, neck arching so she wouldn't reach him with those sharp claws. Carrying teh furry bundles, he backed up a few paces, and pinned Duskkit up against a tree.

((Fade out? *barf*))

[Ki]

((PLEASE *dies*))

[froststream]

((Okay. So... I'll just post after that.))

Alfa, afterwards, snarled at the frightened Duskkit. Just for safety, he hit her a couple times, and grabbed her again, roughly. He was so triumphant he didn't even bother holding her away. Kit teeth and claws were no problem to him now. He trotted to the box, opened it awkwardly and threw Duskkit inside, hard. As soon as teh box had opened, Tawnykit was jumping, snarling and clawing at him. He managed to jerk back, and hit Tawnykti across the face. STartled, she fell back, and he grabbed her. She was much smaller and weaker, and even though she wiggled and snarled, she was no problem. Closing the box yet again, he padded to the tree, smacked Tawnykit and pinned her in the same spot as Duskkit, too.

((We'll fade past that. Fade, fade, fade, fade....))

Alfa, afterwards, threw Tawnykit against teh ground. Like he had done with Duskkit, he whacked her a few times, and threw her into teh box. Then he closed it. He needed a rest, and the actions were coming back to him.

Tawnykti tasted blood. SHe was even worse than before - completely beaten. She wasn't bleeding that much, but was very bruised, and broken. She gasped for breath, realizing what had happened. She screamed, as loudly as possible, and started calling her Mom. She found her voice was way too painful to say anything, and she whispered painfully to Duskkit, "What happened... I thought Daddy loved us!"

[Ki]

During the time Tawnykit was absent, Duskkit lay in the box bruised and beaten. She could taste blood as well. If one of her ribs wasn't broken before, it sure was now. One of her paws hurt if she stood on it, but the kit had been standing on it anyway. There was no way she and her sister would go through this again. So when they ran, she'd just have to tough it out. When Tawnykit was thrown in, Duskkit rasped her tongue over her sister's fur. She knew how much it hurt. Never mind it hurt to take deep breaths and she was bleeding again. Duskkit was only concerned about her sister.

"He lied." Duskkit growled in her sister's ear, then went back to licking her fur. The kit was shaking. Not from sadness. Not from fright. From anger. If she were bigger, Alfa wouldn't dare mess with her! Her blood became like fire in her veins. Oh, just wait until their Clan found them! Duskkit glared up at the top of the box. Watch out, Alfa. When I'm grown, I'll be a warrior fit for TigerClan! And then you'll be sorry! I'll send you to the Dark Forest myself! "Don't worry, Tawnykit. We'll be ok." She nuzzled into her sister lightly. Her fury faded for a moment, and was overcome with compassion and worry for her sister. "We're ShadowClan, remember? We can survive anything." She tried to sound brave for her sister.

[froststream]

Tawnykit whimpered a bit and lay her head in Duskkit's fur. "I... just... want... to .... go... home!" she sputtered. "I'll never run away, ever again! I'll stay in camp until I become an elder!" she wailed again, totally upset. Yes. Alfa had lied, it was simple. And yet it was so complex! Hw long had he lived in a web of lies, a sea of hatred? Why would he take it out on two helpless kits who couldn't fight back? It wasn't their fault he was their father. It was his fault, so why did he even punish them?

Just to think an hour ago she was safely nestled in teh nursery. And to think, less than a day ago, she was loved by Paleflower, safe, warm, and had never even heard of Alfa! Tawnykit tried to find reassurance in DUskkit's words. They could survive, right? They would escape, get help, and Alfa would suffer. They could do it, it was simple! They.. they... Oh, who was she kidding? Tawnykit saw a bleak future, and she could spell it with one word: "Death."

"Duskkit," she whimpered. "I don't want to die! I'm too young!"

Meanwhile, Alfa was sitting under the tree. He had what he wanted! Ha! The kits were his, all he had to do was assemble the rest. How many were there? Gabby, Starry, Dominique, Ash, West, Beatrice, July, Annabelle, Eagle.... As some fall asleep counting sheep, Alfa fell into a light sleep, trying to remember all of his kits.

[Ki]

"You're not going to die!" Duskkit said firmly. Though that thought was nagging at the back of her head. They could die here. Die in a Twoleg trap while being tortured by their own villainous, lying, scoundrel of a father! Duskkit wasn't about to let her fear show, however. Tawnykit was scared out of her mind. She would have to be strong for her. Taking as deep a breath as she could without feeling stabbing pain, Duskkit nudged her sister. "Just use your imagination. You're not Tawnykit anymore. You're Tawnystorm, warrior of TigerClan." Duskkit limped away from her sister and across the floor of the trap. She raked her front claws down the box's side, trying to vent some of her frustration at being trapped like helpless mice.

"I won't let you die, Tawnykit!" her sister vowed. She smiled briefly and looked at her sister. "You're the future medicine cat remember? I have to keep you safe, or StarClan will be angry at me!"

[froststream]

"Tawnystorm..." she rolled the name around. SH efelt braver, that's for sure. Duskkit knew how to comfort her! Feeling powerful and vicious, she began charging, clawing and tearing at the walls. It hurt so much to move, every breath feeling like claws were raking on her lungs, but she didn't care. She pounded against the box. It sagged and bounced, but never broke her even tore a bit. If there was just one tiny nick in the box, they'd be out. They could start there and tear all the way down. And it would bring in cool air...

"Duskkit," Tawnykit coughed. "I can't breathe!" The air was too thick and stuffy to get a good breath, and it made her head spin. But through the diziness she pointed out, "He hasn't bothered us again. Think he's gone?"

[Ki]

Duskkit felt it too. Her instincts told her they needed out. Soon. She kept clawing at the walls of the trap, feeling it give just a tiny bit. Everytime she reared up on her back paws her hind right paw throbbed painfully. If they could only make just a small little hole! The kit paused for a moment, panting. Each breath was hot and stuffy instead of refreshing. This wasn't right! "I don't think so. Why...why does he want us anyway?!" Duskkit didn't understand it. They were just kits! His kits! Why would he put them through such tortures? What had they ever done to him? What had any cat ever done to him to make him like this?! How could any cat be so cruel and ruthless to his own kin?

"We'll be ok, Tawnystorm." she mewed quietly. Duskkit wanted to make sure her sister was still feeling brave. Courage was all they had.

[hedgie]

Something didn't feel right. Snowy had entered the barn, ready to rest before she, October and Flowersky set off again. Her pawsteps were silent as she crept around, ears perked. What was off? More importantly, what was different than before?

She sat in the middle of the barn and looked around, blue eyes sparking like exposed wires. Wait! Something felt wrong, but it wasn't in the barn. She raced away, hoping that her son and adoptive daughter would follow close behind. It was more of a hope...she just knew they would. They stuck together through eveything.

She could hear voices...little kit voices. She could recognize that sound. She'd raised her own kit and knew the familiar squeaks. A box sat somewhere near where she now stood, their hopeful resting place a good bit behind them, and the sounds appeared to be coming from beneath it. She sprinted o over to the branch-covered box and knocked it on it's side, opening it.

She'd been right! Two little kits, around four moons old it appeared, sat before her. Both appeared to be in a good bit of distress. Without looking back, she called out for her son and adoptive daughter.

"Flowersky! October! C'mere. I think..we have quite an odd situation here!" She quieted her voice, and her gaze softened.

"Are you two alright? Can you tell me your names, what's happened to you, and where you're from? We can help you, I promise. Who did this to you? They'll pay for what they've done to you. We'll make sure of it."

She bounced anxiously from paw to paw. What if the captor of these kits came back before they got the kits out?! "October! Flowersky! We need to hurry! Now! One of you keep watch to see if any cat comes by! I fear we may have interrupted some horrible dealings here."

[Kitty]

Flowersky was by her adoptive mother's side abruptly. She'd been looking forward to resting in the barn, but had sprinted after Snowy before she'd even settled in her newly-formed nest after they reached their destination. She followed her away from the loner barn until they reached a box, which Snowy promptly pushed over.

"What have we got here?" she murmured, looking down into the newly-tipped-over box. Two kits, four moons old, it looked like. A a few moons younger than she was when taken in by Snowy.

"Oh. Snowy, what's happened to them?" She tretched out her neck, getting ready to nuzzle the smaller one. The kits looked bad off - many scratches, probably some bruises.

She left her younger brother to keep watch - probably not the smartest move, but she was too distracted now to really care.

[froststream]

Alfa woke with a start. He glanced around the trunk and saw two cats by the kit box. Why had he fallen asleep? How had cats found them? He was such an idiot! He had occupied himself with Clan cats without bothering to worry about loners and rogues! Desperate not to be seen, but also get out of here as fast as possible. He jumped up, snarling silently. He was prepared to fight and hopfully kill the smaller she cat, but he noticed the other one and promptly backed off. He turned, flashed an angered glance at the other cats, and started sprinting away.

Tawnykit had air! She had been suffocating, smothered by the box. She gulped in air, wailing. These cold breaths felt like torture. "I'm Tawnyst - no, I'm Tawnykit," she breathed. She was so dizzy. SHe was going to faint... SHe tried to hang on to consciousness. The nightmare was almost over!