Shattered Sky

Violetpaw took Zelda with her to collect the remaining prey that she and Needletail had caught earlier, then spent the rest of the day showing her around what had once been ShadowClan territory. Together they climbed a tree that overlooked the Twolegplace, and Zelda tried to work out which of the Twoleg nests was hers. She warned Violetpaw about big dogs who lived in one of the nests nearby. Violetpaw asked her what a dog looked like, since she’d never seen one herself, and Zelda told her of a savage, slobbering brute whose housefolk seemed unable to control it. It loved to chase cats, she said. “Luckily, he’s too heavy to catch us!”

Violetpaw thanked her for the warning, even as she thought: I hope I don’t ever have to get too close to a dog. She tried to teach the kittypet some hunting techniques, and was impressed by how attentively Zelda listened. She might have made a good apprentice. Even though Zelda didn’t catch any prey, and didn’t seem to know anything, she never lost her enthusiasm or good humor. Violetpaw found she was enjoying their time together. I feel so sorry for her, she thought. It must be so boring, being a kittypet.

Still, Violetpaw realized that there were worse things than being bored. We’re having fun now… I could almost stop worrying about what Darktail is up to. But the apprehension that was gnawing at her belly wouldn’t entirely go away.

Finally Violetpaw led Zelda back to camp and brought her back to the fresh-kill pile so they could eat together.

“I’ve never eaten an animal before,” Zelda mewed, tucking in enthusiastically to the shrew she had chosen. “I love it!”

Violetpaw’s eyes widened in surprise. “What do you eat, then?” she asked. “Grass, like the cows Needletail told me about?”

Zelda let out a mrrow of laughter. “No, my housefolk give me hard pellets to eat. They’re pretty tasty, but not as delicious as this shrew!”

Pellets? Violetpaw thought. Weird… and gross. It must be like eating mouse droppings. She wished Zelda didn’t have to go back, and could stay with the Kin always and be her friend. But she’s a kittypet, and a kittypet is better off with her Twolegs.

As Violetpaw was finishing the blackbird she had taken from the fresh-kill pile, Max and Loki padded up, escorted by Raven.

“Help yourselves,” the rogue meowed, waving her tail at the pile.

“Thanks!” Max replied, dragging out a vole and starting to gulp it down. “’S good!” he exclaimed around a huge mouthful.

Loki was more hesitant, but after an encouraging prod from Zelda he began nibbling cautiously at a mouse. Raven watched for a few heartbeats, then withdrew to talk to Darktail, who was standing a few tail-lengths away.

“Have you had a good day?” Zelda asked the two other kittypets. “Violetpaw showed me everything! It was fantastic!”

Max nodded. “I’ve had fun.”

“I never knew how many of you there were,” Loki added. “And you have such a great place to live. I’m glad that we got to see it.”

“Now we’ve got stories to tell Minty!” Zelda mewed with a wave of her tail.

“But we ought to be going now.” Max sounded reluctant as he swallowed the last of his vole. “It’s starting to get dark, and our housefolk will be looking for us.”

Loki gave a sharp mew. “Mine will probably try to feed me when I get back, but I’m so full already.”

Zelda gave a nod. “I’m still going to eat. Whenever I don’t, my housefolk get so worried. They just… stare at me. I never like it when they do.”

Relief crept through Violetpaw like the sky paling toward dawn. If the kittypets go now, then nothing bad will have happened to them.

“It was great, showing you around,” she meowed to Zelda. “Maybe I’ll come find you in the Twolegplace sometime.”

“That would be—” Zelda began enthusiastically, then broke off as Darktail loomed up beside her.

“What’s all this talk about leaving?” the rogue leader rumbled. “We still have so much more to teach our new kittypet friends—isn’t that right, Violetpaw?”

The menace that glittered in Darktail’s eyes as he turned his head toward her told Violetpaw that she ought to agree with him. She could just manage a scared little nod, even though she wanted the kittypets to get out of Kin territory and safely back to their Twoleg dens.

“Don’t you want to stay with us?” Darktail asked. His tone was warm and friendly; Violetpaw could see that he was doing all he could to win over the kittypets. “You’re very welcome.”

“Thanks, but no,” Max replied. “We really have to be getting back now.”

“Yes,” Loki added. “My housefolk kit likes me to sleep on her bed.”