Russet Mask

Part Four

Nickysha watched him silently, her heart tightening.

"I should go," She turned into the bushes ready to leave, "I'll be careful,"

"I miss you, lets meet here again soon!" Abhasvara called in the silence.

"I won't be anyone else's, don't worry!" Nickysha promised before she raced into the deep undergrowth.

Nickysha slunk through the early dawn light, the trees washed in orange light. Her pelt flashed in the sunlight, warm to the touch. Nickysha felt as if a flame was kindling in her heart. Its' remnants fluttering back from when it was crushed as a kit. Feelings soared high enough to bring her spirits up with it. But unfortunately, it didn't bring her energy level up. Soon she was nearing Satsumas den. A small hollow under a bush.

"Satsuma?" Nickysha called into the darkness of the branches.

"Mmm hmm?" Satsuma mumbled from her nest.

"Ack sorry, never mind," Nickysha quickly backed away as the sleepy snores where emitted once more from the den. Turning she bounded through the trees on a mossy boulder strewn path. A fat barkless tree crept towards her, a large old owl hole in the bark several fox lengths from the ground watched over the forest.

Nickysha dug her claws into the soft smooth surface. Soon she was scrambling into her new den that was made up of the old owl roosting spot. Fluffy brown and grey feathers were scattered throughout the nesting spot. Nickysha pawed through the soft moss and feathers. Her bones aching from a long night, Nickysha circled and needed her nest until it was comfortable. Then she flopped down in the comforts of the morning light. Her eyes closing she drifted off into a peaceful sleep filled with the new orange and cream flames roaring in her heart.

"Nickysha! Are you awake,"

Nickysha was jolted awake as the sound of a cat yowling her name. Yawning, Nickysha stumbled out of her nest. Shaking out her fur, she blinked groggily out of her den entrance.

The blurry body of a brown cat was standing down at the bottom of her tree.

The first thought in Nickyshas mind was, Nymphaea. But as her eyes cleared the face of Satsuma peered up at her.

"Come on!" her meow echoed u the tree, "It's time for feeding!"

Nickysha blinked, twice a day they were fed meat from the handlers. Giving her pelt a quick few licks, and her shoulder a quick shake to loosen the wrapping, Nickysha leaped down from her den.

"I don't know how you get up there!" Satsuma yawned, "I can't get my claws into that tree,"

Nickysha shrugged as they head towards the stone wall on the north side of the pen, "I just have had lots of practice,"

"Good for you!" Satsuma shook out each of her paws, "let get here before they toss it to the rest of the toms and she-cats,"

Picking up their speed Nickysha and Satsuma dodged bushes and leafy bracken plants.

"Arg," Nickysha slowed down to a trot, "I can't travel fast on the ground,"

Satsuma raced ahead, "then I see you when you catch up!"

Nickysha trotted on, her eyes scanning the slightly spaced out tree. Then she decided. She would travel by tree like she did in her old forest. Running at the closet tree, Nickysha leaped through the branches until she was soaring through the air from leafy green branch to branch. A big grey stone wall shone at the edge of the thinning trees. Nickysha sent one more flying leap to the edge of the human made forest. Resting on a high branch, Nickysha watched as three other cats milled down in the clearing in front of the cement wall.