this is ---> F A C T ( not ) F I C T I O N

[Annawake]

Tinkle. Tinkle tinkle tinkle.

“I’m gonna’ get’cha butterlfyyyyyyyyyy!”

Tinkle tinkle!

The soft tinkle of the bell attached to her sky blue collar sounded as the small white kittypet danced, leaping in the air in an attempt to capture a butterfly, which was fluttering and floating around almost as if it too were playing. She laughed, a pure bell of a sound, and leaped again.

“I seeeeeeeee you!”

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel watched from the hillside, her head tilted in curiosity. Not only was a kittypet on her land, she was a dancing kittypet.

She watched for a long time in silence, the wind puffing in her face, soothing her storm-tossed spirit.
After a short while, the gray and white she-cat picked herself up and padded down the hill, her white paws flashing, moving at a steady clip. On her way down, she called, "Hello! What business have you here?"

It was her main line, the one she used so often. This whole thing had started with 'hello,' and the last part was added on later. Funny how that works.

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

Tinkle tinkle tinkle!

About face….chaaaaaarge!

Annawake turned, her small white paws dancing as she whirled in a circle, the butterfly still fluttering around her head, and bounded right towards the strange she-cat, a look a pure playful innocence on that young face.

“Helllllllllllllllo there! Who’re you? I’m Annawake, or Anna! What twoleg’s nest do you call from?”

Tinkle tinkle!

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel was a formidable cat; while not frightening like her rival Bane, she had an air of authority about her that made it seem wise to second-guess messing with her.
Also, if one looked close, they would see that her claws were frightfully long.

Yet this kittypet seemed to pick up on none of this. Kestrel was, for the most part, amused. She tilted her head, looking down at the kittypet with slanted, knowing eyes.
"No twolegs," she meowed. "I was born here." She waved her tail vaguely around the Meadow.
The fur on her spine prickled. Had she been born here? She wasn't sure.

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

Formidable? Frightening?

In all her life, young Annawake never knew fear – never was afraid. The white kittypet stopped laughing, although the smile never left her kindly face.

“No twolegs? But then, who feeds you? There must be twolegs around to do that….?”

He head tilted slightly to the side in confusion. Honestly, she didn’t know.

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel was faintly suprised. "The world is bigger than the twolegplace, cat," she meowed evenly.
"I catch my own food. I live outside."

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

“I’m Annawake, or Anna!”

The kittypet chirruped happily, her friendly nature beaming out.

“Do you have a name?”

Tinkle tinkle.

The tiny, delicate bell on her collar tinkled again, as she pranced a few cheerful steps.

“Live outside? But isn’t it cold, and lonely?”

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

"I am Kestrel," Kestrel told the kittypet.

She sat, her head tilted. "Lonely only for some," she meowed. "Not all wild cats live alone. There are six groups of cats in this area. The groups are quite large, and each group has it's own name, leader, and warriors. They are called 'Clans.' I belong to 'RisingClan.'"

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

Tinkle tinkle!

“Clans?”

The poor kittypet looked completely bewildered.

“I don’t think I could live like this, out here. My home is warm, my twolegs nice. They never mistreat me or Flurry, my nestmate.”

Suddenly, an idea struck little Annawake.

“Would you like to see my home?”

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel laughed softly, shaking her head. "No, no, your twolegs may try to keep me, and I'm a wild cat," she meowed.
"It's different for you; you weren't born to the wild, you don't know how our kind of freedom tastes."

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

“Would a house cat’s life be such a terrible thing?”

Poor little Annawake.

“I mean…we have a freedom too. There are a few wild cats near my twoleg’s nest – their scruffy, and mean, and they try to hurt any cat that leaves the safety of their home. They don’t’ seem very happy, or very free.”

Her bright, cheerful gaze looked dreamy for a moment.

“I think there’s another clan, somewhere near the southern edge of the twoleg nests near mine. Me and Flurry seen a bunch of cats traveling by, they were a nice bunch. They tried to recruit us, said something about ‘taking Boneclan down’. What’s a Boneclan…another clan like the one you live in?”

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel's eyes were uncharacteristically soft. "You, Annawake, have everything you could ever want or need; you have food, shelter, caring twolegs...friends, if you will," she meowed.

The gray and white she-cat turned her face to the wind, and the fire rekindled in her eyes. "If you want to know: yes. For me, the life you live would be terrible."

The wind spoke. It breathed. Did you know that?

"I'm glad you are happy with it. I myself need something else. I could never explain it to you, but that is how it is."

At the mention of BoneClan, Kestrel stiffened. Terrible images flashed before her glowing eyes; images of motion, of death and blood and claws.
"Yes, it is a Clan," she hissed.

She snapped her intense gaze back to Annawake's with startling suddenness. "BoneClan are killers," she hissed frevrently. "They live only to cause suffering. When you return to your twolegplace, I may accompany you; if a BoneClanner catches you alone, they will toy with you like a mouse before they kill you. With me along, I can keep you safe until you arrive at your home.

These lands are not safe, Annawake. Especially not now, not with my Clan and BoneClan readying to go to war.

As a kittypet, you lack the fighting skills you need to survive here. If you wish to preserve your life, you must never come here again."

Kestrel was probably scaring the naive kittypet; her voice, while not unfriendly, was passionate and darkly serious.

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

Annawake just stared.

Kestrel’s words were, plainly, frightening even when the wild she-cat was surely not. The white kittypet sat down, her gaze unwavering from Kestrel.

“How can a feline be so…so…so terrible?! They have to be stopped!”

For a moment, a flash, strength that a kittypet never possessed burned within her pretty yellow gaze.

Annawake had, after all, not been born a kittypet. But she had been taken away from that life so young, she didn’t remember it.

The strength faded. As exciting as Kestrel’s life was, as exciting as it all seemed…the she-cat had a good life. Her twolegs had always been good to her and her nestmate, Flurry, always been so kind and considerate.

She couldn’t give that life up.

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel's former intensity faded to a more usual level...well, usual for her, which meant she was still more intense than most.
she chuckled softly. "My Clan and I are trying our best," she meowed. "With luck, we can form an alliance with the other Clans and fight BoneClan together. This place will never stop being dangerous, but much of the danger will fade once BoneClan is destroyed."

She gestured in the direction of the twolegplaces. "Would you like to return to your home now?" she asked.

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

“I wish you that luck. I dunno if there’s anything I can do to help…but I would like to if you can think of something.”

Innocent yellow eyes were bright with eagerness, but what could a mere kittypet do?

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel shook her head. "Sadly, no," she meowed softly, then paused.

With the faintest of faint grins, she amended, "If you hear any talk of BoneClan from the twolegplace, any urgent-sounding talk, you could tell me. That's helping, and the only dangerous part of it is seeking me out to tell me.

...In fact, maybe I'll stop by your twoleg nest every now and then and if you see anything, you could tell me. BoneClan cats generally have a low opinion of kittypets like yourself; most of them would probably have no second thoughts discussing important plans within your earshot."

She watched Annawake curiously for some sort of reaction.

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

Annawake was silent, for a long moment. She mulled over the words the noble she-cat had spoken, before nodding once, slightly.

“It sounds like a good idea!”

A smile plastered itself on her face, and she beamed.

“I’ll listen to any of the strays who wander the area! My twolegs won’t bother you if you decide to visit – they never bother any of the cats around!”

[Kestrel]

You'll never ^take _me alive

Kestrel nodded thankfully, then gestured vaguely in the direction of the twolegplace.
Shall I escort you home? Your twolegs must miss you," she meowed kindly.

^I'm alive

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[Annawake]

Annawake glanced up at the sky with a smile – slowly the light had been fading. She’d never been out after dark before! How exciting!

“I’m sure they are. Would you like to stay a little bit while we’re there? My twolegs won’t try to keep you, but they’ll give you some food. They feed the strays that wander the area.”