Chapter Twelve

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   "Fang." I growled. The tabby stopped halfway into the light. Shadows covered some of his face. It was full of scorn.

   "What do we have here? A cripple?" He looked me over. "A stupid kittypet, at that?" I bared my teeth at him. I shall no loner call him my brother. Only my enemy. He crouched, ready to attack.

   "Stop, Fang." I demanded. Surprisingly, he didn't attack. "Why do you want to kill me? Give me one reason."

   "I told you before!" he snapped. "Mother abandoned me, and you ran off. Even father died! I had no one. No one to live or eat prey with. Soon my owner kicked me out, because they were moving. Moving away from me." He crouched once again, but I straightened up.

   "I guess you will have to fight me then. But I am sorry this is what you turned out to be, Mittens. I am really sorry you turned out to be a murderer." My words seemed to dwell inside him. I braced myself for his teeth to meet in my thoat, but they didn't. I opened my eyes. He just sat there, sadness growing in his green eyes.

   "You don't know, do you, Hope?" he murmured. I shook my head, perplexed. "You don't know how it is to not have anyone love you. Not one cat or animal." Fang's voice shook. "But now... now I can make them all pay!' A growl returned to his voice. 

   "And what good will that be?" I stopped him again. "If you kill me, you will have no one left. I love you, Fang. I always will. Please, Fang. Not for me, but for you." I stared into his eyes. I wasn't afraid of dying. I just wanted him to be happy for once.

   Fang hung onto my words. Finally, I've waited for this moment my whole life. Fang stepped towards me and licked my cheek. A sign that he'd forgiven me for whatever I'd done.

   "Okay." he meowed.

   "I am sorry, Fang. I am really sorry for abandoning you." I returned his lick. "Please forgive me. I want to have my brother at my side again." My thoat tightened as I watched him consider my words.

   "I forgive you. But I won't stay at your side. I am going to live in the human place for my whole life. I am not suited for the forest or plains." The tabby dipped his head. "Good luck, Hope. And my name's Mittens now. I will never forget you." He disappeared into the alley once more. I finally had the burden off my shoulders. Ever since I was a kitten my brother hated my guts. Now I am alright, and he is alright. I sighed in relief and gazed at the setting sun. Flicker hadn't made an appearance yet, nor had Midnight.

   Suddenly I heard crashing sound. A red pelt showed up and gleamed in the sun. I stood up.

   "Flicker!" I meowed, happy. A black cat appeared at his side. "Midnight! I am so happy to see you again!" Midnight rushed forward and licked my cheek and purred. Flicker glared at me.

   "I'm not. Why'd you come here? How did you come here?" Flicker barked. "I told you to stay put!"

   "No, you told me you would go find Midnight," I pointed out. "And you did."

   Midnight drew back to glare at me half-heartedly. "You shouldn't have come all the way here. Now you'll take twice as long to heal! Great, I have a useless cat now." A glimmer of amusement lit his soft green eyes.

   "I was worried-" I began.

   "It's fine now. Let's just go before it gets dark." Flicker interrupted. "I don't want to have a run in with any rogues or racoons." I did. Mittens, Kink, that Racoon. I had a busy two days. I hopped onto Flicker's back and he started walking into the forest.

   "Then tell me the story how you excaped and how you found him," I told them. "I want to hear it."

   "Okay." meowed Midnight. "I was in their home. When the humans opened the door, I bolted out. They had to try and catch me for a while. Eventually I lost them. And I had to... live my myself, I guess, for a day or so until Flicker started tracking me. I tried to find a way out, but I couldn't remember how to get to the gate. Flicker nearly scared my fur off when he pounced on me when I entered the alley." Midnight cast a resentul glance at Flicker. I purred with amusement.

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