Chapter 2

The group stopped for the night. Ashley made a fire while Jacques and Jessie went out to hunt. Ron and Micheal started gathering wood for the rest of the night. Once the fire was finished, Ashley sat back and stared at the sky. His mind went back to Silve. She had likely had the litter already, and he had missed it. He sighed as he heard his tall, bumbling friend come back to camp like a stampede. Ron was often drunk, and he acted like an idiot most of the time, but that was the reason people underestimated him. His tall lean frame was very feminine and gave the impression of weakness. However, anyone who got on his bad side soon found out otherwise.

"Hey, Ash. Whatca doin' starin' at the sky?" Ron dropped the armload of wood as Micheal came up behind him, only reaching the bottom of his chest. He dropped his load and plopped to the ground. He panted a bit since he wasn't use to any sort of exercise. Ashley glanced at him to make sure he was alright.

"I'm just thinking of Silve. You ok, Micheal?" Micheal nodded.

Ron thought. "I suppose she'd be busy with some kittens by now, huh? Maybe you should go back while you still can. It isn't fair that you leave her alone with that burden ... but that's my Kara-Karu side talking. I know for you cats it's not a big deal..."

Ashley was on his feet, his fists clenched at his sides. He grinded his teeth angrily. "Not a big deal? It's the biggest deal in the world to me!" he fairly shouted at his friend. Micheal glanced up at him and drew back a little ways, afraid a fight would break out. He had noticed how Ashley's attitude had changed since he had found out that Silve was with kittens, his kittens. But Ashley felt it was his duty to go with his friends, since he had run away from the mudslide, no matter what his intentions had been. He should have stayed and found them no matter what.

Ron put up his hands, taking a step back. "Ash, c'mon. I ain't gonna fight you. You're my best friend. And as a friend, I think you should go back to her. Your debt is paid in full. You should go back, marry her, raise the family, have more litters. I'm sure there's a few cute little goldies in the litter."

Ashley forced his emotions down. What was he doing getting mad at his best friend? They had known each other since they had been children. Ashley's parents had lived near Ron's adopted parents, a pair of humans. Ashley was the only surviving kitten of a litter of 5, and since his parents could have no more kittens, they had doted on him like he was the only kitten in the world. Ron had been the closest thing Ashley had to a brother. He had no right getting angry. He sighed as he sat down again. "Sorry, Ron. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Ron smiled and sat down as the other two cats returned with five fat apines, which looked similar to giant rabbits with ram horns. "No worries, Ash. I know you're worried. You're the only one of us with kids ... at least that any of us know of." He glanced at Jessie, who heard and understood the comment. He shrugged.

"I'm a Shan'juu. I'm not paid to care for my children. Whether or not I have any, it matters not to me. My only goal in life is to kill. That's what we were bred for, and that's what we do. If my masters call to me and demand I breed with one of my kind, I will of course obey, but until then, I'll never know if I have any children, and I really hate kids anyways."

Jacques snorted as he spitted the apines that Jessie skinned and handed to him. "I once had a daughter. But she and my mate were slaughtered. Long, long ago. I will have more cubs, but for now, I figure it's best if I live my life the way I've always wanted. The marriage was not my planning, but I did nonetheless love them both."

They sat back and watched the fire for a while, waiting for the apines to roast. No one spoke for some time. Finally, Ashley sighed. He stood up and stretched with a yawn. Ron watched him, envying his friend's ability to have children, while he, being a halfling of two creatures that never should have been able to breed, was infertile.

Suddenly, a loud noise roused everyone from their thoughts. They all leapt up with feline speed and grace, ears perked, staring into the dark woods. With one mind, they fanned out and moved forward, each one pulling out their specific weapon, except for Ron, who fought with his hands. Jessie disappeared, and so did Jacques, both being black. Micheal, an orange tabby, stood out with Ashley, while Ron only slightly blended into the darkness with his reddish brown pelt.

They were searching the area where the sound had come from when they heard another sound ... by the fire. They spun around in time to see a dark mass flee from the firelight, taking an apine with it. The cats were after it like a pride of lions after a gazelle. The night closed in around them, the trees blocking any moonlight. They were blinded for awhile, even Jessie, who's eyes were more sensitive. However, Jacques' tracking skills were a great advantage, for all he needed to see was the trail left behind by the prey.

They ran for a long while, Micheal being far behind the rest, which had saved their lives more than once, so he didn't mind. They finally saw a clearing up ahead, and Jacques raged ahead, bursting into the clearing with his spear raised over his head. As the others came out, they noticed that they had come across a gorge, and there was nowhere for their prey to go. Once they were all there, they realized what it was that they had been chasing- another cat!

This one was different from any they had seen so far. It wore a strange type of clothing, loose and dress-like, with a strange thin, curved sword at its hip. The cat's eyes tilted upwards at the corners, and its face was slightly flater than other felines. A thick plume of fur grew down its back, tied back loosely like Ashley's. It looked vaguely like a Kara-Karu, but smaller and leaner than their smallest, leanest breed.

The cat turned to glare at them, clutching his strange sword. Jacques held up his spear while Jessie had pulled out his revolver. Micheal finally reached them with a spell on his lips, but stopped when he saw this cat. It glanced at him and took another step back, coming dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. His eyes shined with panic, and he didn't take those eyes off the two cats that could kill him from where they stood.

Ron suddenly stepped forward. He squinted at the strange felid, and seemed to recognize it. He motioned to Jacques and Jessie to lower their weapons. Ashley looked at him. "Do you know him?"

"No, but I know what he is." Then he turned to the cat. "Greeting, zamazuki. May I ask why you stole from our fire?"

The zamazuki glared at him, clutching the apine protectively. He didn't answer, only inched further back as Ron took another step toward him. He stopped, though, realizing the other cat's fear. He raised his hands. "Listen, cousin of my kind, I nor my friends will harm you. We merely want to know why you stole from our fire, and if you'll be so kind as to return it. We worked hard for that food. This place is scarce in resources and..."

"Do you think I'm not starving, either?" the zamazuki snarled, gripping his sword hilt even harder. Now that they looked closer, this cat was gaunt and looked starved. His strange clothing was filthy and was in serious need of mending. He almost seemed ready to jump off the cliff to escape them, though no one knew how far down it was.

Ron glanced back at Ashley as if to ask what to do next, since Ashley was the unofficial leader. Ashley, though, didn't know what to do anymore than Ron did. It was Micheal, however, who spoke up. "You a far cousin of my kind, if you are a near cousin of the War Cats, and in so, you have right to take what is ours. However, it would have been easier on all of us had you asked. Now I fear our food has likely burnt, and we have traveled far from it. The night draws on, and we are all tired. It would be kind of you if you would accompany us back to our camp, as for on your honor, we have spared your life, so you are indebt to us."

The zamazuki continued to stare at Micheal for a few more moments before releasing his sword's hilt and standing to his full height. He wasn't much taller than Ashley, though as the original War Cat, that was to be expected. Now the zamazuki approached them and held out his stolen prize to Micheal. "My apologies. I did not realize that you would follow me. It seemed to me you had more than enough for yourselves. I am in your debt for sparing my life."

Micheal put his hands behind his back and twirled his long, tufted tail in refusal. "It is yours. You look hungrier than any of us. If anything, I will not eat tonight."

The zamazuki eyed him curiously, taking note of his abnormal thinness and his stance. He was weak, but even the zamazuki, which do not use magic, could sense the immense power radiating from that tiny body. At 5' and less than 100lbs, he did not seem like a match, but the new cat wasn't going to take any chances with a magic user, especially a Mishapel, known as the most powerful of the feline humanoids.

He bowed his head humblily. "I am called Racheal. And I am your humble servent until the debt can be repaid."

Micheal held up his hand. "No servent, just a friend will do."