The AHJ Origins: Caramel

Chapter lll

Caramel crouched under her favourite blanket. There was a thunderstorm going on, and she hated thunderstorms. It reminded her of the tragedy that had happened a little over three months ago. There had been a thunderstorm then. 

Pumpkin was playing with her favourite toy. A bird with plumy feathers for a tail. Ever since Stream died, Pumpkin had token care of the younger cat, and the two developed a strong bond.

Suddenly the door slammed open. Ms. Owens came in carrying a large box with a unfamiliar scent clinging to it. Pumpkin sat up, her eyes bright with interest. The bird hung loosely between her claws. 

Ms. Owens shooed Pumpkin away as she put down the large box. She muttered a few words to her two cats. Caramel recognized the words "gentle" and "scared". 

Suddenly a shape flew out of the box. Caramel leaped onto the table in shock. It was another animal, but he didn't look like anything Caramel had ever seen. His fur was too long to be aloud, and his ears flopped down unnaturally. His fur was a shade of sable with darker streaks of brown and a white blaze on his chest. His big brown eyes darted around nervously.

Pumpkin approached the animal cautiously before giving it a quick sniff on the nose. The animal cringed, looking terrified. Ms. Owens let a sigh of relief, before walking away into another room. Caramel wished she could join her. 

"Who are you?" she hissed at the animal. "What are you doing here?"

The animal smelled of rain, mud and the forest. It gave her bad vibes.

"I was just minding my own business when that crazy thing took me and brought me here." The animal gasped. "I want to go back home!"

Caramel blinked in surprise. "You can speak! Are you a wild animal?"

"He's from the forest." Pumpkin answered her. "And he's a Havanese dog."

The he-dog stared at her in astonishment. "How do you know?"

Pumpkin didn't reply. She just continued to observe the dog with curious eyes. 

***

Someone tapped loudly outside the window. Caramel's eyes shot open wide. It was the middle of the night. What the heck was going on?

Pumpkin must have had her suspicions too, because a low growl sounded from her throat. Birch, the Havanese dog remained silent, crouching under a stool. 

A white head popped up. It was a cats. Pumpkin's eyes widened and she hissed in alarm, her fur bristling. 

"It's alright! I'm friendly! I'm here to rescue you." The cat mewed.

Caramel stared at her. "Who are you?" 

"Frost." The she-cat replied. "I'm your kin from the East Cat Tribe."

The cat leaped lightly from the window sill onto the table. The moonlight turned her soft, pearly fur silver. 

Caramel felt her heart pump in her chest. "What! Kin, but how?"

Frost nodded solemnly. "Yes, kin. Your father Chestnut was a part of our tribe, a dedicated hunter. We left you on your mother's device for a while; we're sorry about her death. Now it's time for you to settle in your rightful place and join our tribe." Her blue eyes were wide and trusting.

Caramel felt her head spin. "My father was a part of your tribe?"

"Yes, I said that. Now follow me, I'll lead you to where you belong."

Caramel shook her head. "I'm comfortable here, where I'm well-loved and fed. Thanks for the offer, but the outdoor world is dangerous and wild." She looked at her friend, Pumpkin, who was shaking in anger and mistrust. "I can't leave her, or him." She added, with a side glance at Birch, whose gaze was unreadable. 

Frost narrowed her eyes. "Surely you want to follow your father's foot steps? Both your parents were wild cats at heart. Your mother was also a tribe cat, from another tribe. If they were here, what would they think of you, cowering behind your house folks all day? Don't you want to honour their memory and live a wild life, where you catch your own food and sleep under the stars?"

Caramel kept eye contact as Frost spoke. It was true Stream was a wild cat, and the little time Caramel knew her, Stream had told so many stories of the wildness and always had that longing tone in her voice. 

Lost in the grey of his mind, Birch crept out. "You can get us out of here?" He asked, a note of yearning in his voice.

"Yes, I could." Frost replied shortly. 

Caramel hesitated. She had her stay and now she must follow her destined path. However, she couldn't leave Pumpkin behind, especially not after the cat has raised her.