Earliest memories may die with time. But the worst could stay forever.
This is true for this particular story.
The rustle of leaves signal the appearance of small wild cats. Two furry bodies, one darkly spotted and the other russet-ginger, tumbled through the parakeet green foliage and olive colored moss and stones. The sky, covered by clouds, surround them in shadows. Mewling in delight the kits scuffled in the amber and moldy green fallen leaves. The russet she-kit leapt on top of her brother. Tumbling around they panted as they continued to race around the clearing.
As the kits stilled and gasped for breath a soft paw step hailed the arrival of a lightly spotted brown feline pushing its way through the undergrowth. The kits perked up at the she-cats appearance. They tumbled over to the larger version of themselves. They scampered under the legs of the female feline squeaking squeals of joy. Purring the older cat licked both the kits heads dropping the item that was in her jaws. Then she nosed a ball of meat that was presently lying in the moss towards the kits. Sniffing at the food with wonder, the kits started to chew on the soft flesh. Pulling off small chunks of the food they soon had their jaws full of meat.
Soon they were licking their chops after a delightful meal. The spotted kit yawned, his jaws wide showing lightly stained sharp teeth. Ear drooping, the kit sleepily blinked after stuffing himself with juicy meat, ignoring the blood splattering his paws and muzzle.
Unlike the male kit, the she-kit delicately washed her fur clean of any last trace of blood.
Padding up to her brother, the she-kit nuzzled him tiredly.
Flopping to the ground the cubs curled into a pile of reddish spotted fur that purred softly. The she-cat settling next to them as they drifted into a peaceful sleep.
The mother cat's eyes were alert and watchful. The only sign of movement was the twitch of her ears. But soon her head was drooping, her eyes slits. Resting her head on her dark brown paws.
Seconds passed, then minutes, snores emitted from the pile of cats. Peacefully the cats slept.
Then about an hour later the she-cat's head shot up, her eyes flying open.
Silence.
Fluttering leaves.
Then.
A soft humming shattered the peaceful air. The she cat leaped to her feet. Her spotted pelt ruffled.
Suddenly a small object was flying through the air. It embedded itself in the she-cats neck.
Then the wave of red began to flow.
Choking and shuttering the she-cat crumbled to the ground. She let out a coughing growl, her eye rolling up it to her head.
Her sides stilled and the breath got lost to the wind.
The kittens, now awake, let out mews of terror. Their eyes wide like amber yellow moons. They scrambled to their small paws fear and horror pulsing through them.
Crackling and snapping sticks where left in the wake of four figures. Brown, green and grey, their faces painted. Their hands held guns and a box.
Backing up the russet she-kit spiked her pelt. The spotted male kit huddled at the side of his mother. The moss and rocks a web with blood. Then the pale hands started to descend. Grabbing and lifting. The humans picked up the kits and shoved them in a dark wooden box. The last thing the young cats saw before being pinched into darkness was a lightly spotted brown body, tainted by red, being shoved into a black bag.
Fear filled the kits as they were carried along. Rough wood blocked their every side. Splinters shoved into their paws.
Then they were roughly dropped into stillness.
Thunder cracked the air. The male kit let out a wail of distress. The box was suddenly shaken. Squeaking the kits quieted down in fear. Falling silent, the kits listened to the sound of the humans moving around clipping and thumping noises surrounding them. With a click the men were gone. A strange noise and a thump of something closing startled the kits. The patter of rain softly falling calmed the cat for only a second. Then an engine roared to life just under their paws. Startled by the sudden noise the kits tumbled off their feet when being jerked into motion. They crashed into the back of the box, tumbling into each other. The rush of rain filled the air. Water started to drip through the top of the box. A small hole in the top gave a good eye hole. The she-kit struggled to keep her balance as she tried to see through the water dribbling down from the hole. Another sudden crack of thunder made the kits flinch. Then a flash of lightning lit the world up. There was a squeal of mud and tires, the truck they were riding in skidded off course. The she-kit was thrown sideways into a sharp splinter in the edge of the soggy box. Her brother let out a wet wail as they flipped. There was a yell from the men. Grinding of mental sounded. The crack of bones thundered in the air. The kits found themselves still in the box, but now covered in mud. Blood was trickling from out of the box. The air was filled with the metallic scent of burnt mental. The she-kit struggled to her paws. Her brother was slumped in the corner. The she-kit dragged herself over to the lump of spotted fur, her left hind leg filling with pain from the injury inflicted from the splinter. Nosing the lump of fur, the she-kit mewled. With a squeal the male kit cracked his eyes open, a long gash ran the length of his side. The she-kit sniffed the bloody spotted fur. Slowly she licked it. Her brother let out a strangled sigh of relief. His eyes were halfway open, glazed and unfocused. Curling around him the she-kit licked his head until he fell into sleep. With a soft mew of distress the she-kit stared at the black clouds that hung menacingly outside the new small rip in the wood.
The female kit strained on her hind paws trying to keep her balance on her injured leg as she did her best to lap at water that was slowly dripping through the hole in the top of the box. She stuck her small parched pink tongue out as a small cold drop of water splattered down onto it. Dropping herself back onto all four paws she wish for her mother or the comfort of her brother.
She could not look back that the corner where the spotted body lay.
Her brother, tired, hungry and bleeding out had died in her embrace the night before. Now the female kit felt drowsy and sluggish, her energy fading. Rats seemed to be gnawing at her belly. With no food or a good supply of water she was quickly deteriorating. Hunching into herself the she-kit watched the hole with her amber eyes. A glimmer of sunlight sneaked its way through the damp walls of wood.
A rotting muddy smell had started to seep through the air.
Sneezing the kit buried her nose under her paws. Longing for her family and to be safe weaved through her. She felt hopelessness wash over just as her mother's tongue had done once.
Then twitching her ears she looked around in confusion. A soft rumbling had started under her paws. There was a faint buzz in the air. The she-kit stumbled to her paws. She claws at the wood that surrounded her, fear was coursing through her veins. They the buzzing became a roar. The she-kit knew that noise. It was a truck. Despair washed over her as the sound of the car died close by. She wondered if these humans where here to harm her more. Shouts where coming outside of the wood.
The sound of objects being grabbed and moved made the female kit cling to the wood with her claws as her box began tilting. There was a movement that sent her box rocking before it fell sideways. The she-kit let out a streak as one or her small claws caught painfully in the wood and was almost fully wrenched out. Tumbling to a stop with a painful thud. She struggled to move, her cut leg had started to dribble blood once more. Huddling in a corner the she-kit stared dejected at her brothers disturbed and sifted body.
More shouts where coming from outside as the thump of foot fall came closer.
The scent of humans washed over the kit as the sound of them surrounded her.
Closing her eyes the she-kit waited for her ending. With a splintering noise the top of the box caved in and flew off. Sunlight poured in.Whimpering with fear the kit covered her head with her paws.
After a few seconds, nothing happened.
Glancing up the female kit watched in wonder as forms appeared over the box. Surprise was etched clearly all over their faces.
Then hands once again reach in and picked her up.
Screeching in terror the she-kit struggle and wailed in despair.
One human was hustling up with a fluffy brown pelt.
The female kit squirmed trying to get away as the human wrapped it around her.
Closing her eyes in defeat she let the warmth envelop her as she drifted off. The last thing she heard was, "she the most vibrant russet I've ever seen in Asian Golden cats kits,"
"Then she will be Nickysha, your our little russet spirit,"
Nickysha crouch down in the back of the cold metal transportation space. She rested her ginger and white tail around her russet very lightly spotted paws. She fluffed up her spotless ginger pelt. Her pick tongue flicked out between her slightly parted jaws. Her amber yellow eyes slits. She blinked making the darker russet stripes on her face ripple. The light streaking from the bars on one end of the transportation space barely reached her front paws. She felt ready to go, buzzing with energy to get out of the humans embrace that had held her for almost a year. She needed to get back into the wild, her home before she was taken away. Before her family had been ripped from her She needed the comfort of plants surrounding her like the affectionate licks her mother had last given her months ago.
She felt the transportation vessel being shifted down. She knew that bared door would open and she would be free. Flicking her tail Nickysha felt impatience building inside her as the sound of human voices began to speak. The murmur of voices out in the open alerted the presence of humans. She knew some of the locals of this village had come to see her release.
Reaching out a paw Nickysha swiped it through the bars in annoyance. There where laughs out from the humans in the crowd. Nickysha knew that could only see her paw, but soon they could be glorified by her full colored magnificence, only if they actually let her out! Growling in frustration Nickysha let out an angry yowl. The crowd silenced. Suddenly a hand was reaching for the door. Nickysha backed into the shadows of the forsaken cage. Then with a click the entrance was unlatched. As soon as the door started to open Nickysha propelled herself forward in the blazing sunlight. She was free.
Sunlight shone onto her face, she breathed in the fresh sunny air. At last, opening her eyes Nickysha saw the faces surrounding her. Adults, kids, and more. Ignoring them with only a slight glance she sniffed the mulch like ground. Brown leaves and green plant stalks wove themselves around and all over the forest floor. This forest was unfamiliar and not like her old home. But this would have to do. Taking a hesitant step forward, Nickysha let herself go into the wet undergrowth. Her paws silently flew, carrying her through the beautiful wilderness, unaware of the creamy orange cat that had been silently watching her throughout her release with olive colored eyes.