Russet Mask

Part Four

Nickysha crept silently through the dark night filled undergrowth. Her paws treading silently over the fallen leafs.

Slowly through the dim moonlight, Nickysha reached the small clearing. The wire fence gleamed in the shafted silver light. Crouching in the moonlit bushes, Nickysha watched for any sign of life across the fence.

Shifting, Nickysha waited, her paws cramping of from keeping a still position. The moon, one high in the sky, was now slowly sinking, hailing the arrival of the day.

A slight russel from the bushed pricked Nickyshas ears.

Moonlight reflected off the cream or pelt of a cat. A branch slightly crunched under a light treading paw. Whiskers brushed softly against leaves. Chartreuse green eyes blinked from the darkness.

"Abhasvara," Nickysha whispered into the darkness.

"I'm here," the reply came back.

"Oh thank goodness, I was starting to worry," Nickysha slid to the edge of the shadows, about to take a footstep into the open.

"Wait," Abhasvara sharply hissed.

Nickysha froze, a paw in the air, her ears flicking.

"What's wrong?" Nickysha crept back into the shadows.

"I don't want any of the other toms to see you," Abhasvara whispered.

Frowning Nickysha crept through the shadows getting closer to a shaded area of the fence, "why, I can take care of myself,"

"It's not that!" Abhasvara shuttered, "If they find me talking with you, th-they wi-will"

"Spit it out," Nickysha hissed.

"Your a great cat, ok!" Abhasvara confessed, "and If they find out we know each other in any way, they will eliminate me!"

"Eliminate!" Nickysha gasped, "why?"

"You know!" Abhasvara eyes sparkled in fear, "the," he coughed in embarrassment, his seemed to be unable to get the words out.

Nickysha felt her nerves fluttering in her chest, she knew what he was talking about now, they can't be, this can be happening again! They can't hurt another one of my friends! her mind racing, Nickysha back further into the shadow, "then I should go,"

"Wait," Abhasvara meowed softly, "I have something else to say!"

Turning Nickysha peered into the wide eyes that shimmered in the moonlight.

"The firsts is a warning!" Abhasvara glanced nervously behind him, "be aware of Angar, he is not a can you want to be tangled up with,"

"Is that all?" Nickysha asked.

"No!" Abhasvara stiffened then whispered, "I was talking to Satsuma, she told me that if a cat is at the sanctuary for an extended period of time, the workers open the fence for a day,"

Nickysha flicked her ears at the thought.

"Be careful!" Abhasvara meowed, "That day is coming soon! I don't want an unknown cat getting to you!"

Nickysha froze at the concern in his voice.

"I'm also sorry, I'm so, so sorry,"

Nickysha flicked her tail, startled.

"What for?" she questioned.

"Earlier, the fight, I never saw you as just another cat in the forest, but you are really everything to me," Abhasvara meowed into the darkness.