Let Me Go | Dove's Backstory (1)

Instructions

___________________________________ "Auburn! Auburn, where are you?" Dove called, giggling as she bounced around eagerly. "I know your somewhere around here!" "Fine, you got me," A black tabby tom with a ginger tail laughed, stepping out of the bushes. Dove squealed in delight, tackling him playfully. "C'mon," he smiled softly, "I caught a mouse earlier." Dove scrambled to her paws as she followed Auburn, sky-blue eyes bright and lively. She nibbled on the mouse neatly, looking around curiously. There was a weird scent nearby... "Fox?" Auburn meowed cautiously, scenting it, too. Dove shrugged, anxious. "I'm sure it's old," He comforted, smiling, yet his features pronounced he was worried. Dove shrugged, shifting her paws as she pushed the rest of the mouse towards him. "Have it. I'm not hungry." Auburn's green eyes widened jokingly. "Woah, you're not going to eat it? Just earlier today-" He was caught off by a loud screech, and both cats instantly bolted up. "Someone- something- is there- maybe the fox-" Dove trailed off as she saw a big pair of green eyes staring at her. They disappeared in an instant, and another screech was heard. "Dove-" Auburn glanced at the white-and-ginger she-cat worriedly, "-Dove- are you listening?" Dove nodded shakily, ears flattening. "Good. I want you- I want you to leave. Now. I- I know who's here. It's fine." "But- but-" Dove ended in a desperate wail, shaking her head furiously. "He probably just wants to make a deal or something," the black tom comforted, though he looked wary. "Dove- please-" She shivered, nodding slowly. He relaxed slightly, forcing a smile. "I don't want you to see this... Okay?" She nodded again. He nodded back, then nudged her away. "I'll meet you at the river. I promise." Dove padded away slowly, whimpering quietly. But, instead of listening to her beloved mate, she hid in the nearby bushes, rolling in dirt to hide her scent. She *needed* to know if Auburn would be okay... A brown speckled tom stepped out of the bushes, head held high as he smirked. "Ah, Auburn. Long time no see." "Seed," he growled back, ears twitching as he cast an urgent look at the bushes Dove was hiding in. "Where's that precious little she-cat? I wanted to meet her," Seed laughed, rolling his leaf-green gaze. "She had better things to do," Auburn shrugged, turning his head back to Seed, eyes narrowing. "What brings you around these parts?" Seed chuckled dryly, tail bushing up. "If you don't remember, you made a little deal with me? 8 moons ago, precisely." The black-ginger tom fumbled his paws for a moment. "Oh. Right," he murmured worriedly. "And, as you know, it's past the time of the deal. You still haven't given it- her- to me." "I- I can't do it! *Please*, you must know how hard it is for me..." Seed snorted, lashing his tail. "I risked my life, and you're telling me-" "I have a family, unlike you! You pushed all of *your* family away- and- and now they're *dead*." Auburn snapped, interrupting Seed, then recoiled as if only just realizing what he had said. Seed gave him a cold stare for a long moment. "And it's time for you to be, too." Dove hadn't processed what he said until the brown tom shoved Auburn to the ground, pouncing on top of him with powerful hind-legs. Auburn had let out a yowl, struggling to say something as he attempted to push Seed off him. It seemed like only a few moment later when Dove burst out of the bushes, running to her mate who was now coughing, wounds on his neck. Seed had leapt off of him, and dashed off, but Dove couldn't care less. "Auburn?" She whimpered, curling up next to him. "Auburn... Auburn, please..." But there was no reply from the small tom. He was gone. ___________________________________