Peppers Story

Chapter 1

         A small mouse scurried through the hay bales of the old barn in search of any seeds, it's small lithe body squeezing threw the small cracks, it payed no attention to its surroundings, or the cat who was stalking it, the small she cat crouched into a somewhat sloppy crouch and pounced. The mouse quickly scurried back between the hay bales and the young cat ran into them. "Mouse-dung!" She cursed under her breath.

         She perked her ears too the sound of paw steps coming from behind. She swiftly turned to find her mother, an amused expression on her face, "You'll catch the next one Pepper," she cooed. "Oh I know I will!" Pepper mewed getting into a playful crouch and giving her mother a goofy face. Pepper got up again and padded over to her mother, "can I go play outside with Ace and Shiloh?" She mewed curiously, glancing towards the exit. "Fine..." Her mother purred nudging her towards the small hole in the barn door. As Pepper ran towards the exit she could hear her mother and Aunt Bonny talking "Oh Ruby, shouldn't you go watch her?" Bonny asked looking after Pepper, "She'll be fine..." Ruby insisted.

         Pepper giggled as she padded outside, a light breeze ruffled her fur sending a sensation of shivers down her spine. She looked around for her brothers, who seemed to be playing by the road. Their mother had told them to never go on the road, for there were creatures that would eat you. But of course, Pepper believed in no such creatures, she had no fear of the road.

         Pepper began to make her way towards them, "Hey Pepper!" Ace shouted running up to her, his grey pelt blew in the wind making him fluff up to stay warm, "Wanna play with us?" Shiloh asked impatiently needing his paws into the dirt. "Of course I do!" Pepper mewed standing tall "But both of you do know, I am going to win!" Her brothers giggled at her statement as if it were a joke. "yeah right!" Ace laughed running back to were they had been previously been playing.

         Pepper sighed and followed after, Why do I always get picked on? She thought sadly. And then the idea came to her Why don't I do something so brave, they will never laugh at me again! She smirked, she knew exactly what she was going to do. Pepper walked over too the road, she sniffed at the hard ground. It stunk of crow-food. "Yuck!" She hissed. She looked back at her brothers, she then gathered up all of her courage and placed her paw down on the road. "Pepper! What are you doing!?!?!?" Shiloh hissed running up to his sister "You know were not allowed on the road!" Pepper swatted at him and jumped into the road before he could grab her.

         "Look at me now!" She snarled sassily "I'm not afraid!" She then sat down giving Ace and Shiloh a challenging look sticking her tongue out. "Pepper...." Ace mewed looking freakishly behind her. His eyes grew wide as a rumbling sound grew loud behind her. "What's wrong scaredy cat?" She hissed letting out a screech as she turned around to find one of the great creatures storming towards her. Pepper was froze with horror, the creature grew closer, it's stale scent filtered through her nose. The creature had almost swallowed her with it's loud growling, and awful stench. But just in time, she felt teeth pierce her scruff just as the creature loomed over her. Her pelt scratched against the road as she was dragged to the other side, away from her brothers.

         It took Pepper a moment to realized what was happening as she was dragged into the brush on the other side of the road. "Put... Me....DOWN!!" Pepper hissed squirming around in the other cats jaws. In response the cat bit down harder on her scruff. "Stop it!" She whined trying to grasp the dirt under her. Finally the cat dropped her letting out a hiss of annoyance. Pepper looked right at him, his eyes were filled with aggression, yet she could sense that she knew this cat. 

        "Who are you?" Pepper asked  curiously, sticking her muzzle in his face. "Doesn't matter..." the tom responded hottly "You shouldn't have been in the road" he gave her a stern glare his eyes nervously glancing around at the same time. "Well how would you feel if you were picked on huh?" Pepper mewed stubbornly glaring in return "Besides... Your not my mom!" she whirled around and paw by paw began to make her way back to the road.

         "I may not be your mom...." the tom chuckled at Pepper's attitude "But that doesn't mean i'm not you father..." Pepper turned around too his words, disbelief filled her eyes "No...No your not!" she mewed "I don't have a dad! I never have and never will!" The small she-cat stormed off through the brush, leaving her so-called father in shock.