City of Ice and Fire

mon's P

bed. His sister, Becky lay beside him, her soft gray fur pressed against his own. He could here paw steps sounding not far away. He leaned hi

k had already set out. A warm bowl of milk sat beside it. He dug his head into it thirstily. He lapped up the sweet liquid with glee

mon gulped down one of the pellets, chewing the gritty thing in his teeth. The thing was strangely tasteless. Ever since Simon

cover I guess." He told her. Elai

re anymore son. It's very dangerous, and after w

ay, when Simon was a mere kit barely weaned, his father went to venture out into the forest. The tom never came back nor was he ever heard from again. He could s

.I'll be more careful

h any more battle wounds." She gestured to the scratches that were healin

eighbor's pet for a few months. He'd always gotten into fights, coming home with new wounds each day. Eventually h

of old age that he met his death. At any rate, he never wanted to lose his own c

ed as sleepy 'good morning' as she passed. Unlike him, his sister had no problem downing the many pellets in the bowl. Suddenl

bowl. His sister was drinking from the milk no

e?" He asked. Becky studiously groomed her paws. All of them were whi

se don't go out into the forest, mom s

ter." With that he pushed throu

home. Simon strode over to the fence, making a long loop around the pool they had in the back

. Simon didn't have to worry about intrusion on their part, which was a good thing too. Whenever the children were arou

arned his lesson about touching wet fences that day, his pads getting covered in sticky white paint. The stuff had gotten everywhere, including the g

he ground was soft under paw, and he relished in the slight dampness. He sniffed the air, trying to pick out the prey scent. Nightp

't go to far. Clan cats are very territorial and we're not forgiving towards trespassers. So he crept across the ditches over to the grass covered with

e got close enough, he spotted the squirrel he'd been searching for. The bushy tailed animal was nibbling at a nut not far fro

his scent. The little thing kept on eating without a care in the world, unknowing of the upcoming danger headed its

d in alarm. It struggled to escape Simon's grasp but was unable to do so. Like he'd been instructed

go down easier. The succulent taste of squirrel went down his throat with ease. He ate it

ry would want to hunt and go into the wild. Now he understood her thinking. Being in the forest truly was exhilarating. The w

made him feel this way. The confining fences, tall red brick walls, alley ways, Thunderpaths, monsters, grab

ard facts. No Simon, you can't, your mother would never allow this. He went over to a small puddle

house cats lived. They slept on artificial beds, wore collars they didn't need,

d and gold tag standing out dull against his pelt. His collar may not have an annoying bell like Clary's, but it didn'

er. Humans love their pets, even if they scratch and bite them. There was always a source of food and water

s father. I wish I could talk to dad about this. His father had been born on the streets, so he wasn't exactly a forest cat. Bu

lan cats wouldn't hurt him most likely, the same couldn't be said for the three other clans. Simon looked up at the skyline. The sun was beginning to set fro

ched with worry. What if it's a clan cat? Or even worse, a full patrol. His claws s

es were a pale green, like a faded blade of grass. In normal circumstances the stranger would've been beautiful. Unfortunately, there was an odd frostin

orest?" Her voice was a sickly sweet. Simon decided almost instantaneously tha

scent line. I'd never trespass like that. You could ask Clary, she'd say the same thing. I only d

nds in her pelt. The silver white scars were mostly faded, except the hot pink flesh mark around her throat. Sh

by how she seemed to be licking her lips, she was indeed hungry. Simon backed away more, his body hitting the bark

She told him. Simon let out a relieved sigh at that. At

o are you anyways?" He

FangClan. And vampires like me don't take kindly to st

hadn't. Simon had been very careful to keep from crossing the scent lines into Clan terr

dition." Simon stared at her, trying to keep down the rising fear scent in him

wful. Seeming to take this as consent, the other cat lunged at him.

e eyed, quivering with fear. Around them the forest was silent. Simon had no idea what the she-cat was about to do and he was

alright little caramel. One quick bite and that's all I'll need. And who knows

n pain as the she-cat bit down on the side of his neck, drawing his blood. The fanged cat drank his

ope, Simon bit down on the stranger's leg, bright red blood flooding his mouth. It had been impossible

ace. The claws hadn't went too deep, only a small flesh wound resulting in the side on one of the planes of

ic Simon would've pointed out that she bit him first, without his permission. As he was still scared o

ime Sk

e first thing he'd done was head deeper into Tall Pines. He wasn't sure why he thought

thicker. The birds were flying in dizzying patterns overhead, their twittering a constant sound. He tried to focus

back on the stretch of grass next to the neighborhood. Chest heaving, Simon staggered to a

iling vision. The artificial lighting of the humans made his head buzz in pain. I doubt I'll be making i

were prickly but not unmanageable, so he pushed on through them to the center of the structure. He was surprised to find the ground already somewhat dug out.

Time Ski

n the early dawn, he could see all the roots he'd been sleeping on. His haunches ached where a particularly wide root had dug

to the white fences of the neighborhood. The water tasted dirty. It had an unpleasant tang to it that made him wrinkle his nose. He pul

t he only looked slightly rumpled, his fur sticking up in odd places that he hadn't reached w

aws raking his cheek, Simon would've never known he'd been scratched the

m mostly, which was a good thing. His mother would be mad enough he'd stayed out all night

ing to eat. The kittypet had scrounged up a mouse hiding in the undergrowth of few paces away from the hedge grow.

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just as he'd left it. The grass was neatly trimmed, little droplets of water coating many of the blades. The humans had th

dead frogs were drifting on its surface, as was the fate of all insects and amphibians who got into the pool. The adults didn't bother skimming the artificial pon

the thin entrance. As it was nearing midday Simon knew the adult female hum

. Simon kept out of her sight, headed over to the food bowl. He couldn't hear his mother or sister, so he figured

t along with his sister considerably well. Simon felt uncomfortable around Becky's fri

, a similar milk bowl sitting next to it. His stomach rumbled hungrily, so he dove his head int

over to his bed, collapsing into it. He snuggled down into the

sleep encompass him. And he knew nothing more

ime Sk

forehead. Simon groaned, burying deeper into his bed. He could feel the

fferent. The sun made him feel tired, it's rays seemed to weaken him. It was like his body was running

to avoid whoever it was trying to wake him up. The prodding was persistent though, so eventually he got to his paw

ld him. Her eyes were an illuminating green. It was just like the

at across from the cream colored couch. The television was sitting atop of a tall wooden structure. It had swinging cabinet doors con

himself hunting daily, the need for prey with its blood some sort of sustaining force for him now

tabby had wanted to talk to Clary on the matter, but he'd been turned away by a border patrol. The large tabby that met him at the border alongside a gr

eed to wake up?" H

away. Plus, Spot's coming over today." She

d. The old, fat tom didn't frequent this part of the are very often. In fa

The third was after Dot's disappearance. The elder kittypet took it upon himself to keep track of all the cats living in the neig

aving a cat hanging on his every word. It was exactly why he was sprinting to his paws now. He

milk bowl (it was always milk in the mornings, the humans changed it out for water later in the day) he licked up the sweet liquid. One of th

t appetizing to him anymore however, so he barely ever finished the entire tin anyway. Nowadays, he relied on prey to su

s dripping with white liquid. "Si! Slow down. He's not likely to get

pulled away from that he responded. "You and I both know how erratic

ou're not wrong. Working yourself up

do you suggest I do inst

ld be horrified if she saw you so....unpres

ed at her. "It'

de. Just...hold still." She moved forward, sifting the knots out of tabby fur. Grumpily, Simo

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them his mother, Lemonade was still up and kicking. The yellow white she-cat nearing her eighteenth birthday in human years. For cats that was very old, givin

were a gentle white. The white matched Spot's fur rather well as he sat curled up on the por

s were going by into an abandoned building. Their leader was this battle scarred white tom.

earlier, having heard the previous story about the Swamp

to catch this cat's name

while he's talking. If you can't wait your turn yo

the cat had the strangest name. It was FangFrost er something er rather or maybe...Frostfang. Yes, I think that's what

s, Simon quickly responded. "Tell me