Hard Times



Praise ''A story that will leave the reader with thoughts of love and loss...the author wrote this as well enough to make Erin Hunter jealous. - Cloverfang''

Chapter 1 - Unexpected - Sunny
"Wake up!"

I jumped.

What's going on? I tiredly stretched and then looked up, figuring out what was going on. I turned my head to where the nest' window was located and saw the pale figure of Chloe all happy and hyper. She knocked delicately the window, being carefully not to scratch it and signaled me first to my bowl where this weird nasty so-called-food was located and then to the small entrance so i would get out.

I lazily padded towards my bowl with the white liquid inside of it. I was quite impressed by the flavor. I just loved it!! This was the only thing about the food and drinks that I liked. I just wished I could hunt like mother did.

...Mother....

I suddenly felt my eyes water, and quickly shook my head to wipe off the tears that were running through my cheek.

I felt the milky substance go through my throat and refreshen me. I quietly padded to the other bowl where the weird brown thing was waiting for me to eat it. Apparently my Housefolk realized that I don't like it so they don't give me as much as before. I got to admit, these Housefolk weren't as bad as before. Now they only came to me fewer times but they still patted me or groomed me with this weird object. I hated it, but oh well I had to get used to it.

"Hurry up!!" Chloe was impatiently meowing.

Urghh!!!

I take one last bite and run towards the entrance trying to chew my food on the same time.

"Hey!" I meowed still chewing. "Who are we meeting today?" I asked.

I learned from the past few days that everyday I was going to meet someone new until I had met all of Chloe's friends.

"Gwen...she's kind of friendly and lives in the biggest house ever!"

"House? Oh you mean nest. Ok! Let's go then!" I meowed trying to sound more joyful.

"Follow me then!"

I followed

The walk was pretty much long. As we approached our destination, the Twoleg nests grew bigger and the small gardens... i think that's what they're called grew bigger and had more objects on then. Big stone pools with little falls in the middle of them, or stones made from stepping on them while making a path.

"Almost there!" I heard Chloe from in front of me.

''Yes!! Finally!!''

My paws couldn't carry me any longer. And the hot sun wasn't helping either, burning in my face. At least the deep snow was cooling my paws as I took each step forward, and the cool wind was still refreshing my fur.

"Yippee!" I said.

I tried padding faster to keep up with Chloe, suddenly bumping into her when she stopped surprising me.

"Whoa!"

We both fell in the snow. I quickly got up.

"I'm so sorry-!"

I expected her to be mad, but she was just laughing.

"Look at yourself!! You have white fur!" she said while laughing.

I looked at my pelt. And it was totally covered with snow. I then looked at Chloe, whom had almost not as much snow as me on her pelt, and batted a bunch of snow to her.

"Hey!" she meowed trying to dodge it but it was too late.

I started laughing.

She batted snow at me as I batted her with snow. She suddenly pushed me into the ice where I was sliding. I tried standing up but kept on falling. It was funny and fun.

I could hardly remember the last time I had so much fun. And then I remembered mother telling me about the times she said ice and snow could be fun, and at that time I thought it was impossible. But now I do realize it was true.

When I reached the snow I grabbed Chloe by the scruff and pulled her onto the ice. She tried clawing it but her claws were too short and the ice too slippery.

"Ok!!" She said trying to stop laughing and padding towards me carefully. "Phew!"

I laughed. "I think that's enough fun. My belly is hurting from laughing too hard."

"Yea...let's get going. Hopefully Gwen will be already awake when we get there. She's not a morning cat like us!"

"Like you, you mean!! You're just waking me up as soon as you get to me twolegnest!" I teased.

"Here we are!"

I looked up to see the biggest Twoleg nest ever!

“This is where she lives?” I asked, still doubtful.

“Yeah! This is where Gwen lives. Her Housefolk are really rich.”

Rich?

“What does rich mean?”

“Rich means having a lot of land, umm...Food, a nest and lots of Housefolk objects.”

“Oh!”

Weird but ok.

"Follow me." she said as she padded away into another entrance to the garden, signaling me to follow.

Wow...does every nest have a small entrance except mine? I thought, remembering the fence a few days ago. I flinched at the word "mine". Was I slowly turning each day a little more like a kittypet?

The garden was huge just as Chloe had said. It had several objects like that tiny waterfall that Ii had seen earlier. It had rocks and a small pond with small creatures moving in it.

Must be fish.

My mouth watered. How I would die to eat fish again. I remebered how Bubbles had given me fish to eat for the first time. She had taken me to a small pond in the forest. She had showed me how to fish, but I don't think I could ever catch anything. Not yet anyways.

"Gwen! Gwen?!" I heard Chloe calling.

"What-?! Chloe is that you?" I heard a bossy and annoyed voice say.

"Hey Gwen. Yeah. I just came here t-" Chloe started saying but got interrupted.

I tried looking over the small fence for the cat whose voice belonged, as I padded towards Chloe.

"You're just lucky that is wasn't toi who woke me up! My housefolk just had to clean the house today! So what are you doing here today? Couldn't stand being away from moi?"

Not very nice? Well, maybe she just had a bad morning. ''Toi? Moi? What was she meowing about? She had bees in her brain.''

"Well I wanted you to meet my new friend. This is Sunny."

As Chloe finished saying my name I stepped into the light, away from, the shadows of the fence.

I turned to face the strange cat, as the sun hit my face and I heard her gasp.

"Eww! That's you friend?"

That's when I first saw her. She had long groomed snow-white pelt with dark mossy green eyes. She was looking staring at me with a disgusted face.

Why is she looking at me like that?

"Uhhh..hi.?" I meowed a little bit shy.

"What do you mean eww!! What's that suppose to mean?" I heard Chloe's meow which had a bit of a growl.

"Calm toi.. It's nothing personal...I think." she mewoed "But just look at her fur!! It's..It's..It's..I can't even say it!"

She started liking her paw delicately.

What?!?!

"It's what?!?" I yelled at little mad.

"Why are you making me suffering?" she said not looking at me." Black! There I said it! It's black!"

"What? That's what all of this is about? Because she has black fur? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

''My fur? I had black fur. Just because I had black fur? Am I that different?''

I looked at my paws ashamed.

"No cat wants to be friends or just hang out with a black furred cat!" she hissed. "Just ask anyone!"

No cat?

I felt the urge to cry. But I wasn't going to give in to the tears. My head was hurting now...

"That's it!"

I looked up to see Chloe leap on Gwen. Gwen taken off guard was the perfect victim and fell as Chloe leaped on her. Chloe pushed her to the ground, as Gwen struggled helplessly free. I saw Chloe scratch Gwen's chest as Gwen's painful yowl followed.

"Chloe? Chloe what are you doing?" I meowed, almost out of breath.

Chloe faced up to see me and then with one quick jump she pushed Gwen into the fake small waterfall.

"Ahhh!!" was all I heard from Gwen as she fell in and the frozen top of the water cracked slowly.

"Oh no!! Please don't crack..." she begged to the ice. She looked up at us as Chloe approached me and looked at Gwen.

For the first time I saw a real expression on her face. She was scared.

"Help me please!! I hate water!" That's the difference between you and me, I thought.

"Say you're sorry first and then we'll help you." Chloe meowed simply.

"What-? Tu est crazy! No please just help me!" she begged.

"No! Say it first!"

I heard the ice crack more and Gwen getting more nervous.

"Ok! Ok! I'm sorry whats-your-name!"

"No! My name is Sunny!" I meowed in the same time as Chloe meowed, "It's Sunny!"

"Ok! I'm sorry Sunny!" she meowed a little annoying but I could still hear the fight in her voice.

"OK! Let's go Sunny!" Chloe got up and signaled me to follow her out of the garden.

"What? No wait!! Help me!"

"No! That's what tu get for treating my friend badly!" Chloe meowed, imitating Gwen's weird words and voice.

I smiled at the word friend.

"Come on!" I heard Chloe saying padding faster as we got out of the garden.

"Thanks Chloe! I can't believe you really did that!"

"What are friends for?" she simply said as we started padding away.

And I heard SPLASH...

Chapter 2 - New Things - Nyx
''I was in the forest. I felt lost but still i felt my confidence growing inside of me. I felt a little dizzy and nauseous but I couldn't stop. I had to find him. But I just couldn't bring myself to think what his name was. The skies were turning from a beautiful blue to a horrible gray. "Winter is coming." I think looking worried. I suddenly feel a huge pain in my belly as I start padding faster. I look down in pain and see my white paws. Lots of things are rushing through my head but something finally comes into conclusion. "I'm pregnant." I lie down carefully and look around for a place to stay. That will keep me safe. That will keep "us" safe.''

"Ahh!!!"

"Nyx are you ok?!?"

''Nyx? ''

I looked up to see Chloe through the open window of the Housefolk house.

"I'm fine." I said getting stretched. "Why did you call me Nyx?"

"Come outside and I'll explain!"

I nodded. I stretched one more time.

I'm so tired.

These past few days of exploring the Twoleg place had gotten me so tired, but it was all so interesting and Chloe had been really friendly and introduced me to most of the cats around here.

I carefully padded towards the small cat entrance in the entrance of the nest, making sure no Housefolk was around. As soon as I stepped out the sun's light shone in my eyes, and blinded me for a few seconds. I felt my pelt get warmed up and I could hear a few birds singing.

"Hi!" I meowed.

"Hey!" she answered jumping down from the window.

"What's all this about the name you're calling me?" I asked anxious.

"Remember yesterday? When we came back from Gwen's house? I heard your Housefolk crying a name and then when they saw you they stopped. And this morning I heard them say it again. They were calling you but you were asleep." she explained, again talking really fast.

I growled at the name Gwen. She had been so mean to me. The moment she saw me or rather my obvious black pelt, she didn't bother to talk to me or even look at me. Chloe had defended me as much as she could but Gwen still acted the same.

"Oh..What was it again? Myx? Lyx?"

"Nyx."

Nyx...what does it mean?

"Oh" I meowed."

"Where are we going today?" I asked.

"We're going to Nala's house. She's really nice and she's the one who told me about the forest cats!"

''Forest cats? Maybe I will be able to ask her what she knows about forest cats!''

"Ok! Let's go then!" I said a little more exited.

As long as she's nice I'm good to go!

"Ok..so folow me. This time her house is close from here!"

"Yes!" I said happily, following her.

Chloe was right. Nala's house was really close by.

"Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Why was Gwen saying weird words?"

"Oh...well she's a french cat. French means from another place and her twolegs talked a different language than what they talk here. That's why she says different words. She's used to it."

"Oh."

Chloe started laughing.

"What? What is it?"

"Remember her face yesterday! She looked soo scared! She hates water."

Yes I remebered Gwen's face!

I started laughing too. "That's her house over there!" she signaled me to a small Twoleg nest, almost hidden by trees and a fence.

I had become an expert on jumping on fences.

"Nice! Want to race there?" I asked.

"You're on! First one inside the garden!"

"Ok! One!"

"Two."

"Three!"

We charged towards the fence. I felt my legs stretch as I ran faster and faster. I felt free again and enjoyed the breeze rushing to my face as I ran. Chloe and I were almost the same speed, but I could still tell I was faster than her.

As I neared the fence I prepared my legs and leaped as high as I could, helping myself with my paws pulling me up to go to the other side. I jumped down the fence landing on four paws and quickly balanced myself feeling a little dizzy from the leap. I saw Chloe land beside me seconds after I did.

"Woa! You're fast! I was dying and you seemed to be enjoying it." she said as she catches her breath.

I wasn't tired at all, just a little over exited.

"Well, must be because I used to run a lot in the forest!"

"Nice-!"

"Who goes there?" a voice startled me from behind. I turned around to see a skinny pale ginger she-cat with darker flame-colored flecks and huge blue eyes.

"Hi Nala! This is my new friend Nyx. Nyx this is Nala." Chloe introduced us.

"Hello!" I meowed a little too fast.

"Hi! Nyx huh? Meaning night. Suits you well for your black pelt." she said wisely. Thought the words wise words didn't match very much her young appearance.

"Oh."

"She's from the forest. A forest cat. Magnet and his gang attacked her mother while on a visit here and some Housefolk took her and she thinks. I've been showqing her around ever since."

Chloe was speaking so fast (again).

"Wait! Wait! Ok tell me from the beginning."

Chapter 3 - Real Story - Nyx
We told Nala everything from the beginning. She stayed quiet, sometimes thinking I guessed from the look in her face, while I kept talking. Remembering my mother was hard, but I didn't let my feelings get too strong.

"Well that's the story."

"Why would Magnet and his gang attack you? Wait-! What did they call your mother? What was her name?" Nala asked.

"Her name was Bubbles, but I think they called her..umm...what was it? Oh yeah! They called her Lady."

She gasped.

"Not it can't be! Oh!! She left, but why come back-?" she looked at me in disbelief.

"What? What's wrong?"

My heart stopped.

What's going on?

"I had a best friends called Lady. We had known each other since we were small kittens. We trusted each other with our lives and always told each other our secrets. Being from things we've done to crushes.

She once told me that once she had been a rogue. She had lived in the forest not far from here. Her father, Avalanche and mother, Glacia lived with her and always cared about her. She loved them very much. One day while hunting, her parents came across a weird Housefolk liquid. They were afraid and tried to get away from it, but accidentally got their paws dirty with it. As days passed they got sicker and sicker. The liquid had been poisoning them. They kept their little kit as far away from them as possible so she wouldn't get sick, but she started having the symptons as well. The parents couldn't hunt or protect her anymore, so they did something that broke their hearts.

They knew that they were too old and it was too late for them but they had to save their beloved only kit. It wasn't too late for her and if the Housefolk found her, they would save her. And so they brought her here, where some Housefolk adopted her. But she was never happy. She missed her parents. The few memories she had of them. She wanted to be free. And that kit's name, rogue name, was Bubbles."

I was speechless.

My mother.

My own mother.

My mother Bubbles.

''She had never told me this. She had been a Kittypet? ''

''Her? The one who told me that trust was the most important thing in a relationship. She lied to me. Now every puzzle piece made sense.''

The times she cut herself off in the middle of sentences, her knowledge, her skills...

I can't belive it.

I can't believe any of it.

"I guess she never told you that."

"I...I...I...I just can't believe she didn't tell me." I meowed.

I looked over at Chloe who just looked shocked.

"But why isn't she living here? Why did she leave? What happened?"

I have to know.

I have to know everything.

It's part of my life.

"Well, there's more to the story.

Moons passed...Lady and I became really good friends. We were always there standing up for each other through our darkest times. She had always been really outgoing. Trying everything there was around here, even if it was a little bit dangerous. I mostly think she did this because she missed the forest and this was just a diversion she did to get her mind off of it and have a feeling of feeling wild and free.

I felt really bad for her. Even though she tried acting happy and joyful around others, including me, I knew she wasn't. She missed her parents and home too much. I thought that time was all it took for her to be happy and not be sad about what had happened, but I was wrong. She always stayed the same. She tried her best to be normal and happy, making others happy. Even some cats like Magnet and Draco liked her, though Violet for some reason had always hated her. I think she's always been jaelous of her for getting attention. I thought she was never going to be happy like she deserved. Well at least not until he came."

As I looked up and away from my paws I saw a few tears running down her cheek.

"He came? Who?" I asked.

Thought I was still mad at my mother, I pitied her. From what Nala was saying, she had lived throught depression almost all her life.

Oh mamma..

How I wish you were here...

"He came...and he changed everything. He was very weird. He had a weird name, a weird smell, and a name. He was untamed.

Lady and I were just hanging out. We were having fun, when she smelled someone weird. She had always been curious."

I'm always curious.

And that's what got me in this trouble in the first place.

"So she followed the smell. I just followed, wondering what thing she was going after this time. And there as we got out of our garden we saw him. He was going around looking confused and lost, but still dangerous with a look in his face like he wanted to kill someone.

I told her to keep away from him, but the small look in sadness that she had noticed lead her to him. He saw her coming and crouched telling her to keep away. But she just had this thing with cats and this voice that could calm anyone. She first introduced herself and then introduced me. She said we didn't mean any harm and we just wanted to help. He didn't look very convinced but he just listened. He even introduced himself, though I can't remember his name. He said he was new and lost and if there was a way to the forest around here. He was a forest cat.

I started saying that we had never seen a forest around here but Lady cut me off saying that we would help him. And we did, but failed. I had already given up in loking but Lady kept determined and tried cheering me up. Finally she told the weird cat that it was getting late, and that maybe we could try another day. Seeing as the tom was tired her agreed so we helped him find his Housefolk house.

I didn't go back to help him, but after a few days I realized Lady was. She was spending more and more time with him. She would tell me all the wonderful things he'd tell her about the forest. She was happy as ever as she found out more and more about teh outside worl and it's mysteries.

I was getting worried about their relationship, which I thought wasn't a big deal, and the things the he got into her head. She seemed more wild and sometimes just didn't made sense. She talked non-stop about the things in the forests and old traditional stories about them, the clan cats. She had mentioned those a few times. Sometimes she only came to her house really late, always for searching for a way to the forest. Her housefolk finally decided to keep her on a chain.

Thta killed her. She couldn't stand being a prisoner or not having freedom. It depressed her. I visited her as much as I could, but I could also tell he was visiting her aswell. He made her happy and made her think that everything was going to be ok. I think they were in love. After a few moons passed they heard of a way to the forest through other cats. The tom decided he had to leave. He had to go back home, and Lady told me that he had even invited her to go along with him. She tried to, but she couldn't break the chain. She knew how much he was suffereing. being stuck here, so she told him to just go and that one day they'll be together. That one day she'll find him and they'll be able to live happily together. And so he left, teaching her all the things she needed to survive and get to where his clan lived.

After he left, I tried making her feel better. Telling her, and trying to get some sense in her head, that what she was planning to do was insane, but she wouldn't listen. She had made her mind up. After a few days her housefolk tooke out the chain and freed her. She didn't waste anytime. She ran to my house and told me that she was leaving. She invited me but I had to tell her that this was where I belonged.

We said our goodbyes and she left at sunset. Her mind thinking that one day she'll be with hime. That one day they would be reunited.

I never saw her again."

I now saw her watered red eyes and more tears running down her cheaks.

I couldn't say anything.

My mind was rushing through everything that Nala had told us.

The story just kept running through my head.

Why?

Why mother?

"I now guess she never made it to the clans."

I looked up at Nala.

"Are...are you ok Nyx?" I heard Chloe whisper beside me.

That when I realized I had tears of my own coming out of my eyes and rushing down my cheek.

"Y...yeah." I heard my voice crack.

"She had you." Nala continued. Her voice sounding shocked.

I just nodded, since I could barely say anything.

"And he...he...he was your father. The father you never met."

It was as if I had been stabbed in the middle of my heart.

My heart stopped beating for a second.

The word "father" kept running through my head.

I couldn't believe it.

My head was spinning and I felt the sudden pain of holding my tears back.

"Nyx?" Nala's voice.

"Nyx are you ok?" Chloe's voice.

"Nyx!! Nyx?!?!"

My head went blank and everything turned black.

What had happened?

I didn't remember anything.

"Nyx? Nyx can you hear me?" the voice was blurry and a small echo in my head.

Chloe?

What was happening?

Then it all came back in a huge headache.

"Ha!" I yowled.

"Nyx? Oh good you woke up! We were worried about you." I heard Nala say, sitting beside me.

"My head hurts."

"Just relax sweetie. You had a big shot, and I'm really sorry I just said everything so fast!" she said worried and a little sad. but still shocked.

"It's ok..I could tell you were also in big shock. I guess I just have to accept it." I smiled trying to make her stop worrying.

And I really had to.

"You seem so much like your mother. Always trying to get everyone to feel better and not worry about yourself. She's be proud of you."

''Wish she was still with me. She always wanted to be free....She wanted to be with him. Instead I ruined her life....I ruined her dream....She loved him...She wanted and was determined to find him.''

I thought long about everything.

''I'll find him. I'll find him for her. I'll fulfill her dream for her...Even is she's not here.''

"Nyx? Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah...I'm fine. I think we better go, it's getting late." I said, feeling a little light headed.

The sun was setting and the clouds were turning a little purple. The sun's rays were still very clear in the darkening sky, making it a beautiful sunset.

"Ok, then we better go. Bye Nala!" she said starting to pad away while waving her tail in goodbye.

"Bye Nala. And thank you for everything. I'm really graceful!"

"It was nothing. Thank you for visiting." was all she said.

''I was in the forest again. But this forest seemed different somehow. I was happy to be here, happy to be free. But yet I had a feeling inside of me that I was looking for something, something I didn't know what it was or where it was but that when i found it I would recognize it. The snow was as cold as ever and the skies were gray. I looked up at the cloud; it's going to snow sometime soon. Suddenly I hear a growl and huge paw steps. I see birds flying away. I turn around to see a pair of eyes looking straight at me from the bushes and trees. I feel a sudden fear in me and an urge to run. The creature pads towards me slowly showing it's huge claws and teeth-full mouth. It's going kill me.''

I wake up.

Why am I having these weird dreams?

I put the thought aside and felt the morning sun so bright through my eyelids. I open my eyes. The sun as bright as ever. I stretch and head towards my food and milk bowl. Everything that happened yesterday ran through my head.

I have to find him.

At least make my mother proud of something I've done.

I'll fulfill one of her dreams.

I stand up, finishing as much as I could eat. The food wasn't that good, but I've gotten used to it for the past moons. Now that I thought about it, I had been living here for moons-at least more than 2.

I should tell Chloe about my plan.

She'll understand.

I pad towards the cat-sized entrance and get out. The sun, like I had seen from the window, but there were visible dark clouds around it. I stop thinking about the weather with a quick shake and run to the fence. I leap and get to the other side, padding at a fast speed towards Chloe's house.

I have to think of a way to explain it to her.

"Hey Chloe!" I waved my tail as I saw her stretching in her garden.

She smiled. "I always thought I'm the one who's suppose to wake you up!"

"Well...things always change..." I said, having a different meaning than the one intended for her.

''Be brave! ''

I tell myself.

''You've got to tell her. She's my friend...She'll understand.''

I sit down. "Chloe I have to tell you something that I've made up my mind on."

Her smile fades and she looks at me with curiosity and worry.

"What-What is it?"

"I've been thinking long and hard about this. Even though I'm happy here, I don't feel like I belong. My mother knew that, that's why she left. She never expected to have me before she reached the clans. She wanted me to be a clan cat and live with her and my father." I explained as calmly as I could.

"What do you mean?" her voice cracked a little and her eyes were full of sadness. I knew the answer was obvious but she wanted to make sure.

"I'm leaving."

"What!! No!! You can't!! I mean you...you don't even know where to! And you'll get lost, you're only a kit! Why? Why? Is it because of what Nala said? Don't listen to her! Please don't go!" she begged.

Seeing her like this made me fight tears that wanted to get out of my eyes.

"It's not about what she said. This is about me...and the family I have left. I already lost my mother and I don't want to lose my father too...I have always wondered what it would be like to have a full family. For once in my life I want to do something worthy. All I've done so far has either been a mistake or got me in trouble. I need you to understand. Chloe, you're my best friend. I need to know you trust me."

She nodded sadly and looked at me.

"You're the best friend I could have ever had. And...and even though I want you to stay I'll let you go and I'll trust you for your choice. I know you'll find him, Nyx."

"Thank you Chloe. And don't worry I know how to get out of here. From all the exploring I can now tell which direction it is. I won't get lost." I promised her.

At least I thought I knew.

Chapter 4 - Goodbye - Nyx
That morning I woke up as soon as the sun rose. I groomed my pelt really fast and stretched before eating. I tried eating as much as I could but not to much to slow me down in my journey. Though I still had to be healthy and eat what I could since there was a big chance of not being that much food in the forest since it was winter.

I tried thinking positive about what I was planning to do. It was hard. All I could think of was on how I was leaving Chloe behind. We had become awesome friends in the past moons and now it was hard to let go.

I remembered the time I met her. She was running after Coco on top of the fence. She had been friendly ever since. She had showed me around. Helped me feel better after she'd learned about my mother. She had stood up for me when Gwen had made fun of me. And...she believed in me even when it seemed impossible to.

Yesterday had been the day after the day I had told Chloe what I was going to do. I had gone to Nala's and Seashell's house to say I was leaving and thank them for everything they had done for me.

Seashell - he had helped me face my pain and fell better. He had told us the story about a brave young she-kit named Melody and all the things she stood up for. I admired her...even if she was just a Kittypet...

I had learned to respect ittypets. They weren't as different as I thought. It's a cat's personality that makes them different.

Nala - She had told me the truth about everything that connected my mother, my father, me and this world. She had been so nice to me and made me see another perspective of the world.

"Are you ready?" Chloe startled me from where I was.

I realized I had been daydreaming.

"Yeah...I'm ready." I took a deep breath.

"Ok! Let's go...I'm coming with you until you reach the forest."

"But Chloe...!"

"No buts! You think I'm just going to let you go just like that? Let's spend as much time as we have left together, ok?"

What a friend.

"Ok!"

Chloe and I walked all morning.

I knew she was getting tired, but didn't say anything. It was only noon, but we had been walking all morning and Chloe wasn't used to it like I was. I felt like I was betraying her.

"This is Magnet's territory. I don't think we should go this way." Chloe said after a long time of silence.

"I have to keep going. Don't worry neither of those three will hurt me. I'll be careful."

"I'm still coming with you!" she meowed stubbornly.

"Chloe, you're really tired. You practically dead on your paws. You can't keep going on."

"And you're not tired? You're just saying that because you don't want me here for some reason!"

"No! Chloe I don't want you to get hurt. I'm used to walking long distances...my mother used to say I had a great stamina. You have no idea how much I want you here. But, I don't want to see you hurt, and you still have to go back the way to your house again." She looked down at her paws.

"I'm going to miss you Nyx!! I never had a friend like you before."

Her voice cracked and I knew she was holding tears.

"You're my first friend I ever had. Chloe you were there when I was all alone and needed someone to lean on. She helped throughout everything. I will never, ever forget you." And those words were true.

"Goodbye Nyx." Chloe rushed towards me and nuzzled me in farewell.

"Bye Chloe. Thanks for everything."

I could now hear the pain in both our voices and our cries. I felt my heart break apart for the second time.

I walked slowly being careful of where I was going. Nala had said that after I entered Magnet's territory I had to follow the direction where the sun set. It wasn't hard since because it was winter the sunset occurred earlier. I had been walking for a long time now and I was starting to feel the feeling of tiredness.

"Well hello!! Hasn't your mother ever taught you not to go to a stranger's territory? Oh wait! I forgot!! You don't have a mother!"

I turned around just to see a familiar skinny brown she-cat with bossy green eyes.

Daphne!

"You like annoying Lady's daughter don't you! Since you've been jealous of her this whole time. Must be pay back right?"

She hissed. "Why you little-! Where did you hear that?"

"No where...just around. Rumor has it you still are."

She was about to leap at me when Draco stopped her.

"Well I guess she has her mother's stubbornness. She mad it all the way back here and is talking to you as if you're garbage! She's really Lady's daughter."

"Well who else's daughter would I be?"

"Sense of humor huh? Juts like your father...thinking he's so funny but he wasn't!" Magnet spit the words as he neared us.

"You're just saying that because you're jealouse that he has my mother's love. You wanted my mother but you lost her, specially now more than ever!"

He leaped at me, but I was expecting it.

I ran as fast as I could, hearing the three of them behind me.

They're not fast enough!

I tricked them by stopping unexpectedly and making them crash into each other. I gave a tiny laugh before running again. I turned to the side, letting my nose lead me to the forest that I could already smell. At first I saw a few trees that I thought were part of the Twoleg Place. But then I saw the same exact wall that had been there moons ago. I felt an urge of happiness inside of me.

I'm almost there!

"She's stuck! She won't get past the wall!"

Think again!

I speeded until I was near the wall that I gave a huge leap clawing the wall to help me get over it. I clawed it faster and higher, but it was already hurting. I pushed myself farther, believing I could do it. I finally made a final leap, and reached the top. I heard Daphne, Draco's and Magnet's gasp and saw their gaze of surprise and astonishment.

I smiled.

"Let's see you beat that! Goodbye!"

With that I jumped off carefully and into the wild.

Chapter 5 - Finally Free - Sunny
''I'm free! I'm finally free!''

As I felt the cool snow and the soft ground I felt at home. The familiar scent filled my nostrils. The sounds soothed me and I knew I wasn't alone.

Not yet!

I sighed.

Nala had said that Bubbles told her the clans were by the mountains on the horizon. I looked up to see tiny mountains really far away.

They must be huge if I can see them from here!

Oh well, time to travel.

And with those thoughts I padded, heading they way that I thought contained answers.

For the past days I travelled during the day, resting every once in a while. I would pay really great attention to my surroundings, looking for food or at least herbs. I had some berries and a dead bird that fell from it's nest.

At night I would look for a safe place to sleep, like a bush or a tree hole or a rabbit hole. The snow and the cold didn't help much. I was cold and hungry, but I had to keep going. I had to do this for my mother!

But soon something strange started happening. I started finding blood. Yes, blood. And it always led to an eaten animal. I could see the remaining of meat and bones. And out of hunger I had to eat it. The meat was kind of frozen, but it filled my tiny stomach, and I was graceful for it.

I was scared for whatever was killing and eating these animals, but I didn't care much. Well, at least not until I heard noises at night.

Footsteps. Growls. Sniffs.

I couldn't see what it was, but I knew it was big. I tried to stay hidden at night, and not move too much while I slept.

I woke up early like always. I stretched carefully and groomed my sleek black fur. Mother had always taught me to try to keep my fur well groomed. She said it represented who someone was.

''Wish you were still here...How much I miss you momma...I haven't been able to call anyone else momma...I need you to care and protect me... I need you to guide me...I can't do it alone.''

But there was nothing to do. I was alone.

I padded out of the tree hole, expecting the sun to hit me in the face, but the sky was gray. I looked up to where I had last seen the mountains. It was hard to see the, the fog was blocking them, but I could still make out their shape and location.

At least they look closer.

I tried to keep my hopes up. I started padding, smelling my surroundings for nutrition. Suddenly I hear a growl and huge paw steps. I see the very last birds around here flying away. I turn around to see a pair of eyes looking straight at me from the bushes and trees. I feel a sudden fear in me and an urge to run, The big creature pads towards me, from out of the shadows, slowly showing it's huge claws and teeth-full mouth.

''It's going kill me. ''

I couldn't move. The beast growled at me and saliva was dripping from his mouth in a hungry way.

Oh no! Please no! I'm sorry momma...I can't do anything.

Suddenly as the beast approached me, a bunch of fur jumped at it. The creature jumped and shook the cat off his pelt. The cat fell off, and with a quick shake he got up and ran towards me, grabbing me by the fur and carrying me along with him as the creature followed us hungrily. I could hear its breath right behind us, and its strong legs rushing through the snow. I suddenly started hearing a big rush of water and a loud splash that didn't stop. The noise was getting stronger and I knew the cat was heading that way.

That's when I first saw it.

A waterfall.

We were on the top part of it and I could see its border getting closer and closer. I knew what the cat's intentions were.

We're going to die!!

And as quick as my heart beat stopped the cat jumped into the waterfall.

Carrying me with him.

I had felt the wind rushing in my face and my spirit rise up as I fell. I had closed my eyes and tried to scream. My voice had been gone...nothing came out from my mouth. I had seen the huge blue pool get closer and closer. I had felt the splashing of water on my fur as I fell and the water crashed on water. But now. Now I was in the water. Feeling the cold water push me in waves and crashing on top of me. Not letting me reach the surface.

My lungs hurt as I tried to find oxygen within me. My legs tired of all the trying to swim to shore.

I can't give up!

I try harder to swim. My body still underwater. The current is too strong for my weak legs. I let the bubbles of oxygen come out. Everything goes black.

"Are you ok!?! Kit, are you ok?!?!"

''What's happening? Where am I?''

I feel my lungs full of water and my instincts come back. I turn my body so my belly is facing the ground and spit and cough the water out. I take a deep breath and try to think what just happened.

Realizing I'm not alone, I turn around to face my rescuer. He's a tall tom, with tortoiseshell pelt.

He's old.

I look up to his eyes and realize his looking straight at me.

"Who...who are you?" I say trying to stand up.

"You should be more careful!" he snapped at me. "Don't you know that this part of the forest is full of wolves!?! Especially hungry ones at this time of the year!"

"Umm...wolves? What are they? Like huge twoleg dogs?"

"I don't know what are twolegs kit, but they're like huge dogs. Yes. But these ones can eat or kill us."

"Thank you for saving me." I tried not to act as snappy as he was.

"You should thank the waterfall, not me. You're lucky I knew where it was."

You're idea...

"Well, I'll thank the waterfall after....for saving me and not killing me." I tried sounding a bit funny and sarcastic.

He smiled.

"I'm Ny- Sunny by the way."

Not Nyx anymore.

"I'm Strike. This is my territory."

Nice to meet you Strike.

The End ッ

'''Check out the second volume of Hidden Spirit Series : Changing Hearts. '''