Warriors: Falling Petals [Discontinued]

Chapter Eleven - New World, New Rules

Chapter Eleven
New World, New Rules

Flowerkit gaped at the strange new world that was sprawled out in front of him. Huge twoleg dens were lined up in neat rows that ran further than the small kitten could see. Each one had slight differences of color and decor, but they were all roughly the same shape and size. Small trees were interspersed between the structures in orderly fashion. There was a wide ribbon of gray stone dividing the lines of houses, and as Flowerkit watched, a huge colored thing went roaring past, running swiftly along the path on round black paws that rolled continuously. Flowerkit jumped back in fright, though he was well out of the monster's reach, and it zoomed out of sight only seconds later.

The kitten crouched down against the roof, his heart pounding against his chest. He stayed huddled there until his breathing calmed and his pulse slowed before gradually straightening up and taking another look at his surroundings.

The air itself in this place hummed; he could feel it along his whiskers and through his paws. The bright colors and ordered structures were unnatural, nothing like he had seen before. And though all there was in front of him were huge dens and a few trees, in the distance he could see even taller structures looming against the skyline.

Eventually Flowerkit gathered the courage to abandon his safe rooftop perch and explore this strange world. He made his way over to the edge of the roof, careful not to slip on the slanted surface, and peered over the edge. There was a neat rectangle of green grass below him that looked safe enough, but he was too high to jump down, so he turned his attention to his point of entry - the wall of wooden slats. He could safely jump down from that.

Flowerkit had just regained his balance on the fence when a rectangular piece of the twoleg den swung open and a twoleg stepped out. They locked eyes, the twoleg blinking at the kitten with mild surprise and Flowerkit staring back with undisguised horror and shock. It was hideous! The weirdest creature he had ever seen!

The twoleg stepped towards him, making high-pitched squeaky noises, and Flowerkit wasted no time getting out of there. He started running the same heartbeat his paws hit the grass, sprinting away from the terrifying beast. He ran out onto the stone path and looked up just in time to see another of the huge shiny monsters bearing down on him. It belched out a noise like thunder, and Flowerkit scrambled out of the way, barely avoiding being crushed by the rolling black paws. He crossed the road and ended up on a narrower path of lighter gray, which he ran along blindly, fleeing as though hell itself was on his tail. He turned the corner as the road diverged and nearly ran into the feet of another twoleg, this one walking along the sidewalk holding a rope... which was attached to the neck of a large, shaggy white dog. It let out a deep, throaty bark and Flowerkit skittered sideways, trying to evade it. The dog pulled against its restraining rope, barking at full volume. Flowerkit saw, as though in slow motion, as the rope was tugged out of the twoleg's hand. The freed beast howled a challenge and the chase was on, with Flowerkit running as fast as he could while the dog's paws pounded against the sidewalk behind him, its hot, stinky breath right on his tail. "StarClan save me!" Flowerkit yowled, swerving frantically in an attempt to lose the beast.

Suddenly a lean dark shape darted out in front of him and despair gripped Flowerkit's heart at the thought of yet another enemy to face. But this creature proved to be feline, and the tall dark tom wasted no time. "Follow me," he ordered, and Flowerkit was more than happy to oblige.

The strange cat led Flowerkit at a run around the side of the closest twoleg den. The dog pounded after them, barking with renewed excitement at having two victims to chase. Flowerkit couldn't imagine being any more terrified than he was. He slipped and scrambled after his potential rescuer, anticipating with dread for the dog's fangs to sink into his tail just as the fox's had not too many days ago. His heart dropped when they turned the corner and were faced with another high wooden-plank wall, blocking their path.