Alliance Book One: The Forest

Chapter Two- Stranger Occurence

"Eww!"

The screech came from Mayleen, having just had the murky water from the puddles splashed in her face. Mance smirked, fluffy tail swaying. The two kittens had been playing for a few hours with Kallo and Iris lazily watching, occasionally separating them when play fights became too rough. The squirrel Kallo brought was now long gone, the four having shared the meal. The kittens didn't eat much, leaving enough for the older cats to get shares big enough for them to be full.

Kallo yawned for the umpteenth time, blinking his eyes. The moon was almost out, and he could hardly wait to go to sleep. Not to mention, the air was getting chillier, despite the fact that it had quite raining for a while.

Iris was dozing quietly beside him, her head on her crossed paws. Kallo had considered waking her up, but decided that she needed some rest. Flicking his gaze back to the quean, the tomcat sighed. It must be hard to take care of kittens. He thought to himself, ignoring when Mance and Mayleen began to tussle again.

With another yawn, Kallo curled his tail. While he wished he could leave, he only got to see the two kittens once a day. And when they became Trainees, he wouldn't be able to see them again. Cats of his rank didn't generally communicate with those outside it.

Just when Kallo was about to fall asleep himself, Iris awoke with a jolt. The white tomcat jumped too, fur along his spine briefly bushing. He looked over at the quean. "What is it?"

The black cat mother got to her paws, fur slightly spiked. Green eyes clouded with an emotion Kallo couldn't place, she shook her head. "It's nothing." She shook her pelt, then seeming to gain her bearings.

With flick of her ears, Iris turned to Kallo. "Why didn't you wake me? It's much too late for the kittens to be out!" Then, ignoring the tom's indignant huff, she hurried to her kittens.

Mance froze, his paw still placed on Mayleen's cheek. With a victorious purr, his sister bowled him over, fur covered in water. The brown kitten then noticed her mother, deflating with disappointment. They both knew what was happening, and slowly got to their paws.

Blue eyes wide with pleading, Mance begged, "C'mon Mum! Can't we stay out a little while longer?"

Ignoring the kitten's cry of annoyance, Iris picked up Mayleen by the scruff. "No, Mance." She muttered around her daughter's fluff, "It's too late!" The black Quean then began to go towards her home, but turned her head towards the Trainee. "Goodnight, Kallo." She

Kallo got to his paws as well, stretching each leg in turn as he watched the scene. Annoyed at Iris's tone, he sighed. She must just be a mood or something. He figured, shaking out his pelt. He didn't enjoy the sensation as his paws landed in a puddle, and wrinkled his nose. He hated rain. The prey didn't run well when it happened, and the tomcat couldn't stand the feeling of dampness in his fur.

Despite, he padded out from under the ledge. Mayleen struggled in her mothers grip, tail lashing. Mance padded after, his mouth open in a yawn. "Bye, Kallo," The black and white kitten sighed. Iris waved her tail in farewell, preoccupied with the other kitten's struggles.

"Bye." The white tomcat replied, flicking one ear in farewell. 

With that, Kallo turned to the deeper part of the alley, the direction to his shelter.

The alley, as it got deeper in, got more confusing with it's winding pathes and dead ends. Dumpsters served as some cats' homes, and occasionally he'd see the gleam of eyes from under one of them, but he ignored it.

The deeper he got, the more rich the scents became. He could smell freshly thrown out human food, and his mouth watered a bit. But he unhappily walked past the smells, knowing is he were to steal such precious foods he would be harshly punished. Only the Boss and teachers could take such delicacies.