Light in dark places [closed]

A pair of small, agile paws hastily tread on the rough stone below. Clementine kept his pace quick and steady, ears raised and ready to pick up any sign that there was an enemy nearby. He realized he had been out for too long when the dim light that cast over the alleys began to fade, and although he could probably escape a conflict unharmed, he didn't want to risk the chance of injury- especially since he wouldn't be able to defend himself if he got hurt.

Cursing his poor time-management skills, he poked his head around a corner and squinted in an attempt to make out what was in the alley. It was empty, from what he could see of it. With a quick glance behind him, he darted around the corner, rushing to get back to his makeshift den. Suddenly a sound a few foxlengths down the alley stopped him in his tracks. His automatic instinct was to find a scent, identify what he was dealing with. Normally he would avoid trying to identify scents when he was in the alleyways [because of the rotten crowfood stench,], but normally he didn't almost run into another cat. Normally he was more cautious and careful. The scent he was picking up was definitely of another cat, but wasn't one he recognized.

Inside, he was panicking. He knew there was a cat here. How should he react? He was too close to the cat to try escaping, if they had bad intentions they would surely have his pelt. Rats, if only he could see.

He decided that if he was going to die, his last moments wouldn't be spent sitting petrified like a coward. "Who are you?" He called out. He intended it to sound intimidating, but he couldn't really sound intimidating with his kit-mew. "What do you want?"

Though she wasn’t exactly searching for another cat, Hyacinth knew that she couldn’t turn down the opportunity to potentially recruit another cat into the Order’s ranks. So, when she heard gentle pawsteps nearby, a pitter-pattering in the alleyway, she shed her badger pelt and stashed it away, shaking out her fur to fluff it out. Then, a small voice echoed across to her, and she stepped out of the shadows. ”Hello,” The calico tabby she-cat mewed, voice gentle and kind. As if she were speaking to one of her kits when they were still young. ”and don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt you. My name’s Hyacinth.” Usually, she wouldn’t give out her name to just anyone. This was different, though, or at least she felt it was.

”What’re you doing out here? It’s not safe.”

The softness of the she-cat's voice soothed Clementine's hostility, and he quickly found his apprehension melting away. It reminded him of a time moons before. It gave solace to him.

This cat had no bad intentions, he was certain. He was also certain that she wasn't from the alleys. Alley cats would have him dead in an instant, they wouldn't sit around and ask questions like this cat. It was comforting, in a way, to know she didn't want his neck... yet.

Hyacinth was her name, he soon learned. He appreciated her words of reassurance, but he wouldn't let himself be seen as just a weak kit. That was far from what he was, after all. He lived in the twolegplace! He was tough and brave. "I'm.. Clementine. And I could ask the same to you." It was almost difficult to be cold to Hyacinth, but any cat could see that it was dangerous out here. He realized that he wasn't exactly in the position to be uncooperative, so he quickly gave in. "I live here. I always have." He finally answered, raising his chin. "And I was trying to get home before some cat hunted me down. I don't know if you're the end of me or my saviour."

Hyacinth offered the tom a gentle smile as she watched his muscles relax, welcoming her own lack of hostility and taking it as a sign of peace. ”Hello, Clementine.” She opted not to comment on his remark about her own presence, because admittedly, he had a point. At least she had the means to defend herself, though. She wasn’t sure the young tom could say the same, though she wasn’t going to test that theory. Not now, at least. ”You… Live here?” She murmured, glancing around with a heart-broken look on her face. This was no place for someone to grow up. No livelihood. ”I said I won’t hurt you, that’s a promise. I don’t break those.”

She’d begun to truly feel bad for the tom, and so after a moment, she sighed and offered, ”I have a home, too. It’s outside of this twolegplace, out in the forest. I have a family there. It’s… Different than here. But if you’d like, you are welcome to come back with me. You’d have guaranteed prey, and a decent enough place to sleep. I could teach you to hunt, fight when needed.” Hyacinth flicked her tail in the direction she’d come from. ”The offer is there. If you choose to decline, I’ll be on my way. What d’ya think?” She questioned, looking at the tom with genuine care in her eyes.

Clementine was met with more words of reassurance, putting to rest his suspicions of Hyacinth turning on him once and for all. He followed her gaze as she glanced around the alley, noticing her downcast expression. He didn't really understand why she seemed disappointed. Tons of cats grew up in the twolegplace and made it fine, he was no different. After all, he was still alive, and he was always careful. The only cats that had it better than him were the cats who lived in twoleg dens, and he would much rather be free than under a twoleg's rule.

An offer was the next thing to leave Hyacinth's mouth. He was hesitant to answer. The thought of a nice place like that existing seemed too good to be true. The idea of learning to fight and hunt was tempting, but he couldn't bring himself to believe her. He opened his mouth to decline, that he could make it on his own. Because he didn't need anyone to look after him, and that he could defend himself. [even if he knew that wasn't true.]

Then she looked at him. It was an expression he'd never seen before in his life. No cat had ever looked at him that way before, with such a genuine care. It was foreign, unfamiliar, but welcome and accepted. It made him feel warm and wanted. It made him question if he should make the decision to leave.

He stalled longer, glancing at the barren, cold walls that surrounded them. If Hyacinth had looked at his home in such a way, he could only imagine that where she came from was much better. If Hyacinth wasn't lying, it sounded like he could really have a chance at a comfortable life- or at least one where he didn't have to watch his back every waking second. 'Anywhere is better than here.' Said a voice in the back of his mind. Still, he felt a strange attachment to these alleys. Every memory he could recall had taken place here. Maybe, though, it was time to start anew in a place where he could learn skills and maybe even make friends. A place where he could actually feel safe for the first time in his life.

He sighed. He had made a decision.

"Okay. You lead the way."