Diagnosed with a developmental disorder at a young age, Duskelle Waterlee has always been special - but not necessarily in a good way. Even at the age of fourteen, she is still unable to truly grasp human ways of life.
Her only relief is River, a st...
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~ NOTE : This is only estimation on my part of what a Southern drawl would sound like. Apologies if it was incorrect. ~
"River!" Duskelle called out again. She had been missing since morning and it was already evening. Duskelle was getting more and more worried. She stood at the fence and called once more.
"Lookin' for somebody?" asked a voice in a southern drawl.
She whirled around and came face to face with an calico male. "Who are you?" she asked. There were no cats in the neighborhood except for River.
"I'm Al," he said, again with a heavy drawl. "I'm justa passin' through this place. Heard that there was a Nofur gal who could understand cat tongue and wanted to check it out. " He jumped down from the fence and circled Duskelle. "So it is true. What's yer name?"
"Doesn't matter," Duskelle said, getting nervous. "Have you seen a gray tabby with green and blue eyes anywhere?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the tom said. "No need to get all in a hurry, ma gal!" Duskelle resisted the urge to roll her eyes and waited. "Yeah, I might've seen the cat." Al said, a twinkle in his eye.
"Please tell me where!" Duskelle half shouted.
Al flinched and exclaimed, "Gettin' a bit rowdy there! Calm down and I'll tell ya!" Duskelle almost hissed at him. Al continued, oblivious to her growing frustration. " Ya know about the forest kitties right? Well, I saw her goin' into the forest. Mebe she wanted ta join 'em."
"The forest cats?" Duskelle asked, baffled.
Al squinted. "Yeah, the forest cats. Ain't heard about 'em 'round town?" When Duskelle shook her head, he continued. "Well, they're a bunch o' cats who got 'emselves a whole setup and they call 'emselves Clan cats. Some o' them let in house cats."
"Oh," Duskelle said, confused that the possibility that River would've left her to join the forest "Clan" cats existed.
"But," Al drew out. Duskelle's attention snapped back to Al. "Ya nevah know. Cats say that them forest kitties are fierce and hostile. Mebe they took yer kitty hostage, for trespassing' into their territory or some'ink."
Duskelle thought hard. She knew it, she knew it for sure, River would never leave her. She would never abandon Duskelle to the creatures.
"So," said Al. "What 'er ya gonna do? Go aftah 'er? Ha, if you did that, the forest cats'll rip ya ta pieces. Better to leave the she-cat where she is."
"No," Duskelle said, squaring her shoulders. "River would never abandon me. She always loved me. I have to save her!"
Al gave her an "I don't think you'll manage that" look, and said, "Well, I said mah part. Ya getta choose." With that being said, he turned tail and padded off.
"Thank you!" Duskelle called out. The tom gave no response.
Duskelle immediately began to plan her rescue of River. She decided to wait till night to escape. Then, she could get out much easier, without the creatures seeing her. She turned back to the house and froze.
The female creature was watching her, eyes narrowed. Duskelle's heart pounded. The creature, "Mom," had never liked it when Duskelle talked to cats. She thought that Duskelle couldn't understand the cats and was faking. But in truth, Duskelle understood the creatures' moans and grunts less.
The female creature seemed to make a decision and turned back to go inside. But before it did, it flashed Duskelle a mysterious look full of determination, slight disgust, and a sliver of a whisper of- could it be?- motherly love. Duskelle wasn't sure if she had imagined the love that had showed through those normally so cold brown eyes. She sighed and headed back.
[Whoa, this is short. Don't worry, guys, they get longer later on.]
