- Sep 20, 2022
- 50
- 1
- 8
( PRETEND THAT YOU NEVER WENT TO SCHOOL )
"Please don't! It's all I have!"
"That's hardly my problem." Talon scoffed as he pushed the skinny she-cat aside in order to gain access to the chicken leg that she had been clinging to. When it came to the streets everyone was hungry and desperate, having a full belly simply depended upon the level of ruthlessness that one was willing to stoop to. Talon no longer cared if he had to steal from other cats who looked even more desperate than him, this was the life that strays had to endure. It was a matter of survival.
The black tom was about to walk away with his prize when something caught his eye, movement further back in the grimy alleyway. Three sets of small eyes peered out from the gloom, electrified with feelings of terror directed towards his very presence. Talon hesitated in that moment, his paw now stiff upon the lump of bird meat. A resigned sigh passed his glossy black lips as he let his paw slip away from what should have been his. But he couldn't bring himself to break his own rules. "You know what, I'm just not feeling that hungry." He was starving and his stomach ached in misery as he began to walk away, leaving the desperate mother to reclaim the meal meant for her children.
The night was fast approaching and the shadows cast by the stone dens stretched out like creeping tendrils across the landscape, delving it into brief darkness until the street lights flickered lazily to life to illuminate the evening world. Talon picked his way up onto the roof of one of the twoleg abodes and he cast his gaze towards the pine forest that commanded the landscape beyond the fences. It was around this time that something quite curious would happen, and for the past number of weeks Talon had hurried to his vantage point without fail in order to bear witness to the spectacle. Cats would file out of the forest and return to their cosy twoleg masters, carrying with them the scent of the wilderness and stories of ventures that a stray like him couldn't even comprehend. Still, those stories and those scents ignited a feeling within him that he didn't yet understand. He couldn't even begin to describe what it was, but it was there, deep down like a raging inferno that just wanted to be let out!
If he could just muster up the courage to follow one of the strange kittypets out into the forest, maybe he would finally let that flame within him burn free.
But like always Talon turned away once he had had his fill of watching the returning felines and slunk back into the alleyways and shadows deeper within the twolegplace. His forest of concrete and stone. This was his domain, and it was what he knew best.
His empty belly gave a growl to remind him that he had not eaten yet, so he let his paws carry him across fence tops and stone walls towards a place where he could get an easy meal. Slipping down into a dingy alleyway he then prowled his way along towards the large dumpsters that lined the backs of the stone dens. It seemed like he was in luck, the twolegs from one of the dens had tossed out a large amount of spoiled food. It was merely a matter of digging past the vegetables and cardboard in order to gain access to the meats below. As it turned out a kebab shop never failed to deliver the scavengers a good bounty. At least Talon could retire for the night with a full belly for a change. But before he could hole himself back up in his usual hiding spot he had one last job to complete.
His pace was slowed by the weight of the hunk of meat hanging heavy in his mouth but it was a worthwhile labour all the same. Talon picked his way carefully past the gang territories until he reached the secluded alleyway he had fought the she-cat in just earlier that day. All seemed quiet and the scent of the family was still strong in the air, a sign that they were likely asleep at that moment. Talon slunk deeper into the dark passageway until he reached a large discarded cardboard box, and sure enough he found the slumbering family within. Silent as the night, he set the meat down just inside before backing away so he could retreat. But a soft gasp caused his ears to prick up sharply and he locked eyes with one of the tiny kits. They were motionless as they stared uneasily at each other, but soon the kit's nose twitched excitedly as the smell of the meat overwhelmed their senses. The sudden break in eye contact allowed Talon to turn away, escape now on his mind.
"Thank you!"
The kit's call reached his ears and Talon felt a flood of warmth in his chest. A dry chuckle broke from him as he exited the alleyway and returned to the main street. "Whatever, kid." All he wanted to do now was settle in for the night, especially with how much his legs ached from all the running around that day. He was utterly beat!
----
Another day.
Again he found himself staring out at the forest beyond the stone and concrete jungle. Again he felt that tickle within his chest that beckoned him to follow the strange kittypets that left the comforts of the twoleg dens in favour of the wilds beyond.
Yet he remained rooted to the territory that he knew best. Yet another day of denial towards his primal urges.
Talon simply wasn't ready to take the leap of faith. Maybe he would never make the roll of the dice and see what fate had in store for him. But he couldn't deny the fact that the battle lines within his heart were being drawn and he would soon be forced to commit to a side. Leave or stay. The unknown or the familiar. It was becoming a little much, so he opted to abandon the garden wall that he was perched upon and return to the streets further inside the maze of buildings and thunderpaths.
How many times had he walked the streets of the twolegplace? Passing structures and features that were familiar enough that he was becoming blind to them? No longer they registered in his mind whenever he swept his gaze across his surroundings. The stray paused outside one of the alleyways and he stared down into the gloom, shapes half-illuminated by the fading sunlight. Ah, yes, this was where the mother and her kits were residing. How were they doing?
Talon picked his way down towards the cardboard box. But what awaited him inside made his stomach tighten into a knot. He turned away and hissed through clenched teeth. Yes, another bitter familiarity about living in the twolegplace; death is never far away. The smell of one of the gang of strays lingers in the air and answers his question about what had occurred, and that they were becoming overly bold with each passing week.
Perhaps it was time to move on.
Perhaps it was indeed time.
He needed to clear his head and he wanted to put some distance between the grim scene and him, so he found himself returning to the rooftops at the edge of the expansive settlement. The wilds called to him, stronger than ever before. The tom was truly torn; stuck walking that tightrope between decisions. "Would I even stand a chance out there?" Were his chances any better out there, especially in comparison to the worsening odds he stood if he insisted on staying in the twolegplace.
( BUT STILL, YOU'LL NEVER GET IT RIGHT )"That's hardly my problem." Talon scoffed as he pushed the skinny she-cat aside in order to gain access to the chicken leg that she had been clinging to. When it came to the streets everyone was hungry and desperate, having a full belly simply depended upon the level of ruthlessness that one was willing to stoop to. Talon no longer cared if he had to steal from other cats who looked even more desperate than him, this was the life that strays had to endure. It was a matter of survival.
The black tom was about to walk away with his prize when something caught his eye, movement further back in the grimy alleyway. Three sets of small eyes peered out from the gloom, electrified with feelings of terror directed towards his very presence. Talon hesitated in that moment, his paw now stiff upon the lump of bird meat. A resigned sigh passed his glossy black lips as he let his paw slip away from what should have been his. But he couldn't bring himself to break his own rules. "You know what, I'm just not feeling that hungry." He was starving and his stomach ached in misery as he began to walk away, leaving the desperate mother to reclaim the meal meant for her children.
The night was fast approaching and the shadows cast by the stone dens stretched out like creeping tendrils across the landscape, delving it into brief darkness until the street lights flickered lazily to life to illuminate the evening world. Talon picked his way up onto the roof of one of the twoleg abodes and he cast his gaze towards the pine forest that commanded the landscape beyond the fences. It was around this time that something quite curious would happen, and for the past number of weeks Talon had hurried to his vantage point without fail in order to bear witness to the spectacle. Cats would file out of the forest and return to their cosy twoleg masters, carrying with them the scent of the wilderness and stories of ventures that a stray like him couldn't even comprehend. Still, those stories and those scents ignited a feeling within him that he didn't yet understand. He couldn't even begin to describe what it was, but it was there, deep down like a raging inferno that just wanted to be let out!
If he could just muster up the courage to follow one of the strange kittypets out into the forest, maybe he would finally let that flame within him burn free.
But like always Talon turned away once he had had his fill of watching the returning felines and slunk back into the alleyways and shadows deeper within the twolegplace. His forest of concrete and stone. This was his domain, and it was what he knew best.
His empty belly gave a growl to remind him that he had not eaten yet, so he let his paws carry him across fence tops and stone walls towards a place where he could get an easy meal. Slipping down into a dingy alleyway he then prowled his way along towards the large dumpsters that lined the backs of the stone dens. It seemed like he was in luck, the twolegs from one of the dens had tossed out a large amount of spoiled food. It was merely a matter of digging past the vegetables and cardboard in order to gain access to the meats below. As it turned out a kebab shop never failed to deliver the scavengers a good bounty. At least Talon could retire for the night with a full belly for a change. But before he could hole himself back up in his usual hiding spot he had one last job to complete.
His pace was slowed by the weight of the hunk of meat hanging heavy in his mouth but it was a worthwhile labour all the same. Talon picked his way carefully past the gang territories until he reached the secluded alleyway he had fought the she-cat in just earlier that day. All seemed quiet and the scent of the family was still strong in the air, a sign that they were likely asleep at that moment. Talon slunk deeper into the dark passageway until he reached a large discarded cardboard box, and sure enough he found the slumbering family within. Silent as the night, he set the meat down just inside before backing away so he could retreat. But a soft gasp caused his ears to prick up sharply and he locked eyes with one of the tiny kits. They were motionless as they stared uneasily at each other, but soon the kit's nose twitched excitedly as the smell of the meat overwhelmed their senses. The sudden break in eye contact allowed Talon to turn away, escape now on his mind.
"Thank you!"
The kit's call reached his ears and Talon felt a flood of warmth in his chest. A dry chuckle broke from him as he exited the alleyway and returned to the main street. "Whatever, kid." All he wanted to do now was settle in for the night, especially with how much his legs ached from all the running around that day. He was utterly beat!
----
Another day.
Again he found himself staring out at the forest beyond the stone and concrete jungle. Again he felt that tickle within his chest that beckoned him to follow the strange kittypets that left the comforts of the twoleg dens in favour of the wilds beyond.
Yet he remained rooted to the territory that he knew best. Yet another day of denial towards his primal urges.
Talon simply wasn't ready to take the leap of faith. Maybe he would never make the roll of the dice and see what fate had in store for him. But he couldn't deny the fact that the battle lines within his heart were being drawn and he would soon be forced to commit to a side. Leave or stay. The unknown or the familiar. It was becoming a little much, so he opted to abandon the garden wall that he was perched upon and return to the streets further inside the maze of buildings and thunderpaths.
How many times had he walked the streets of the twolegplace? Passing structures and features that were familiar enough that he was becoming blind to them? No longer they registered in his mind whenever he swept his gaze across his surroundings. The stray paused outside one of the alleyways and he stared down into the gloom, shapes half-illuminated by the fading sunlight. Ah, yes, this was where the mother and her kits were residing. How were they doing?
Talon picked his way down towards the cardboard box. But what awaited him inside made his stomach tighten into a knot. He turned away and hissed through clenched teeth. Yes, another bitter familiarity about living in the twolegplace; death is never far away. The smell of one of the gang of strays lingers in the air and answers his question about what had occurred, and that they were becoming overly bold with each passing week.
Perhaps it was time to move on.
Perhaps it was indeed time.
He needed to clear his head and he wanted to put some distance between the grim scene and him, so he found himself returning to the rooftops at the edge of the expansive settlement. The wilds called to him, stronger than ever before. The tom was truly torn; stuck walking that tightrope between decisions. "Would I even stand a chance out there?" Were his chances any better out there, especially in comparison to the worsening odds he stood if he insisted on staying in the twolegplace.
