Hate, or Love? (Sequel to Me, or Her?)

Part 1: A New Life?

I do not know how long I've been running, but it seems like forever. But now I see my chance of escape: up ahead was an oak tree with branches low enough to climb up with ease and then reaches upward to be out of safe reach from the dog. If I -

"Hey, up here!"

In the same oak tree I am aiming for, the voice of a tom calls down to me. Too late to do anything else, the tree is upon me and I jump onto a low branch, scramble to the higher branches above, and crouch, trying to get out of the dog's view. As the stupid creature barks and paces endlessly at the bottom of the tree, the tom jumps down from the branch above to crouch beside me. I'm glad we both have the sense to be quiet until the dog leaves.

Before long, another, higher-pitched call sounds from the direction the dog came from. A Twoleg comes into my view and goes up to the dog, grabbing at its neck and dragging it away. The dog gives a few whimpers of protest and resists its Twoleg, but then eventually gives in and quietly follows the Twoleg back the way they came from. Once I am sure both mouse-brains are gone for good, I begin to climb back to the ground.

But then the tom causes me to pause.

"You're welcome for saving your life."

I turn around and look at him properly for the first time. He is tall but narrow and has black fur with a small tuft of white on his chest, and with yellow eyes which hold a slight amusement from his sarcastic saying. Around his neck, he also wore something similar to what the dog had on - collar, I think they call it? - which was blue and a bit torn up. But I didn't pay much attention to the collar; the only thing that it symbolized was kittypet.

"I was already planning to climb up this tree, mouse-heart," I growl in response. Turning back around to climb down, I add, "There is no reason for me to thank you." I eventually get to the ground and begin to walk in the opposite direction the dog and Twoleg went.

But of course that annoying tom doesn't leave me.

"At least thank me for trying to save you," he meows when he drops down from a low branch.

I stop in my tracks and turn around toward him again and send him a glare. "Look," I growl maliciously, "I've been living in this forest my entire life and know how to keep myself alive. Why don't you just go back to your Twolegs and enjoy your softer, boring life locked in that nest, kittypet?"

I expect him to be taken aback, but instead it seems that his amusement only grows.

"I would do that, wildcat, but my Twolegs have unfortunately left me completely. I'm on my own now."

Smart fox-heart. I can see why his Twolegs left him. "Well, I'm on my own, too, and would like to stay that way. Now leave me alone." I turn around once again continue on, my tail slightly lashing.

"Maybe we'll see each other again someday?" the kittypet calls one last time. I can hear the mischief coming out of him.

"If we do, I'll might kill you if you don't shut up," I mutter under my breath, not bothering to look back at him. I feel the great relief flooding into me when he doesn't follow.

Thank StarClan. Even though I haven't met many kittypets in my life, I've heard plenty about their obnoxious selves.

I hate them.

I travel through the woods for a bit longer until my stomach growls. Fox-dung! I forgot all about eating after my rude awakening and the following. I glance up at the sky between the overhanging leaves and see the sun up above. About sunhigh.

I stop walking and reach out with my senses to discern any movement in the area around me that gave away my prey's position. Eventually, I find the scent of a mouse. I creep towards the smell, and, peeking around a tree trunk, see a small brown creature sniffing for berries by a bush. I crouch where I am and wait until the mouse finds a berry it's satisfied with and begins to nibble. I bunch my muscles, wiggle my hindquarters, and pounce at it.