Finding The Way Back (A Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Fanfiction)

[1] A Clumsy Cat of a Contrary Cloth

He had that dream again.

Chess had been sitting on his bed for the past hour trying to recall it. He couldn't, but really wanted to. It was important, that dream felt very important to remember. And here he was, spending the hour trying to remember something that had already faded away.

"Hey Chess! Are you awake?!"

Chess turned his head to see a small Timbercat peering from his window.

"There you are! Get ready, everyone's about to head off."

Chess nods which prompted the cat to leave him in his abode. The tuxedo cat had slowly gotten up from his bed, moving to his wardrobe. All the clothes were plaid with jeans. He took the red plaid shirt and set it on, along with the jeans. He was just about to leave before he realized he forgot the most essential tools for any Timbercat.

Dual axes. Both red and white with wooden handles, no Timbercat is ever complete without them. Sheathing them on his back, Chess heads out of his house. Being on the base of the multi-apartment treehouse required no effort as he yawned and looked around.

The forest territory was quiet. The high trees were carved into housing while massive yarn balls dangle above the mighty branches. A perfect place for a Timbercat. But right now he needs to head to the group. He was quick to find the Timbercats huddled together on the broken remains of a tree.

Not just any tree. The Scratching Tree. A tree carved with generations of effort and craftsmanship from the Timbercats. He felt how sacred it was, to them at least. For him, it felt hollow. He just didn't connect with it.

"All right everyone, listen up!"

Chess turned to a female voice. The crowd dispersed around a female Timbercat. White was her fur and blue was her eyes, shining like ice. He remembered her name, it was Molly Yarnchopper. Ever since the Scratching Tree had been torn from them, and with their leader nowhere to be seen, she had been the one taking charge.

"As you have heard, one of our scouts has come back and found a lead where Scratching Tree might be!"

The Timbercats hollered, some brandishing their axes and raise them in joy.

"But before we celebrate, we must secure the area. That mega Mute had used our Scratching Tree for a reason. We have to make sure that wherever it was used will not be of harm to us in the future."

Many of the cats nodded and agreed with one another. Chess simply waits for upcoming orders.

"Now! Timbercats! ONWARD!"

With a commanding voice, the new leader of the Timbercats lead the way as the small army of ax-wielding cats followed along. That included Chess, who stayed off to the side so he wouldn't suffocate from being in the crowd. 

*  *  *

It's been an hour-long journey. Most of the cats had marched along with their axes in hand. Chess was rather casual about his caution, looking around at the broken buildings and overgrowing flora and the occasion fauna.

"Chess!" 

Chess looked to find the small cat from earlier before. The name came across his mind. If he remembered correctly, the small cat's name was Shoelace McCutty. He usually wore green plaid with a yellow beanie hat.

"It's been a while since you were outside of the forest hasn't it? Do you think you can find a better route?"

"Uh..." Chess looked away.

"Oh...you still don't remember do you?" Shoelace frowned.

"Mmmm." Chess shook his head, still looking the other way.

"It's okay, it'll come around eventually." the small Timbercat smiled again, returning to the front.

The tuxedo Timbercat kept to himself as he continued walking. The sound of marching paws suddenly coming to a close, confusing him. Chess was about to turn his head until he suddenly felt the sensation of his gut falling.

"Ah!"

He felt his body tumble down as slope before coming to an eventual stop. He groaned picking himself up and looking around. The scene before him appeared to be a crater of sorts, rubble and metal about.

"Agh, come on Chess, keep your head on your shoulders, not in the clouds!" he heard a fellow Timbercat scold him.

"I'm surprised he didn't land on all fours, is he even a cat?" He heard another murmur.

Chess blushed from the embarrassment, taking out his dual axes. He was going to be prepared this time, in case he has to fight.

He heard the sound of other fellow Timbercats sliding down the crater. Everyone was quiet, listening to the slightest disturbance.  Chess heard something, his ears wriggle as he heard the sound of whispers. Slowly creeping forth with his axes in paw, he jumped and found the culprits.

Humans! Well...three of them. There were other Mutes too. An old bug and a blue pig with four eyes and eight legs. His sudden ambush had caught them off guard.

"Ah! Wait wait wait, let's talk about this!"

The human with a wolf hoodie attempted to assail him with a spear-like object but he blocked it with his axes. The impact pushed him back, but the human with a slightly purple skin tone had, for some reason, jumped in front of all the Timbercats, exposing herself. The action was so jarring that Chess forgot about the fight as he was kicked in the gut.

Chess groaned in pain, trying to stand up. But he felt a sudden force knock him back to the ground.

"Don't even think about it." The small human had her spear right on his forehead. He realized it was a scorpion tail.

"....so how about, peace between species? Eh?"

Chess glanced up at the human who was right in front of the Timbercat army.

"Hey!" Molly was looking over in his direction, he guessed she was referring to the human on top of him. "Let go of Chess, or else your friend here becomes firewood!"

The other Timbercats started to unsheathe their axes threateningly. The human growled but Chess could feel her weight slowly come off. Chess took the advantage and raised the human with the wolf hood by the scruff.

"Hey! Put me down you-"

Chess didn't pay attention as he stuffed the human in the mobile jail cell. Also known as the the cat kennel. The others were also placed in the kennel, and four cats lifted it as Molly deemed the mission to be complete.