Quartz walked down the city street, his paws gray from the dirt and twoleg filth. His stomach felt like an empty hole, but he’d had no luck finding scraps lately... Well at least scraps that weren’t already spoken for. The city was a hard place but he’d been told it was much harder elsewhere. Here kits, at age 4 or more, left (or were abandoned by) their families so they wouldn’t become overly dependent. Seemed normal to Quartz although he wished he knew at least one place to get a good meal. Everywhere he went cats would ignore him or twolegs would chase him off. Not to mention how mean those racoons could be. Looking across the black hard-path Quart darted across the street, to the general green area. Supposedly it was a “park” but Quartz wasn’t sure what that meant. Perhaps he’d get lucky and there’d be some kind of prey, if not then maybe some abandoned twoleg lunch. He brushed past a twoleg who made a surprised noise but he paid them no mind. At least until they screamed. He turned back surprised, the twoleg seemed to be making a commotion, waving widely in his direction but what of it? He glanced around seeing nothing else as the twoleg continued making high pitched chirrups *Look at it! That red eye and the colors, it must be diseased! Call animal control!* After some hesitation, Quartz gave a slight shrug and began to saunter away, his thoughts turning back on how to fill his stomach. He’d almost forgotten about the ordeal as he rounded the corner until a thunderbeast halted on the hard-path, it’s shiny side opening to let out a mean looking twoleg. Their smell was sour and their dark little eyes glimmered menacingly as they swung a stick with a hoop towards Quartz. Quartz’s instinct kicked in and he dodged, barely missing it. Shaken, he darted away, only to look over in horror as the mean twoleg followed. Quartz turned down the city streets, weaving through dark allies but every time he thought he’d escaped, the twoleg was there. Quartz turned down an unfamiliar alley, only to skid to a halt, his heart sinking as he realized it was a dead-end. His legs wobbled, he was in no shape to keep running anyway, his gasping breaths shaking his entire body. He turned back to the alley entrance, backing up against the wall, hearing the thudding stomps of the twoleg getting louder. “Why? Why are they chasing me?” He couldn’t help but wonder out loud. A humorless chuckle answered him, and he jumped in surprised, his short fur spiking up. “Why I thought it was obvious…” The voice matching the laugh said, floating out of the shadows replied, “...Haven’t you seen yourself?...” Two red eyes lazily opened, staring straight at Quartz, a shiver went down his spine at the next words, “...You’re a freak.” Quart’s heart sunk at these words, but they rang with some truth. He’d never seen another cat like him, others steered clear. It was like he was two cats put together, one side normal, black with a green eye. But on his left side… his fur was bone-white and a red eye spooked anyone who saw him. Red eyes... Much like the ones floating before him. “Now I can make you an offer, little one...” Quartz puffed up at this. For one thing at 5 moons he thought he’d outgrown the term ‘little one’ and second if there was one thing he learned living the city life, nothing came for free. “Don’t care,” He snipped interrupted the stranger. His voice got caught in his throat as the mean twoleg rounded the alley corner. As thought sensing victory, their footsteps slowed as they inched closer to where Quartz was huddled against the brick wall. “I don’t think you have much of a choice. It’s not too hard, I have some… special requirements that only someone like you can fulfill. You’re young and slippery, I could use someone like you. Just do as I say and you’ll survive.” Quartz grimaced, “That sounds shifty,” the human edged closer but he couldn’t displace the uneasy feeling in his stomach, “How can I trust you-” He couldn’t say more as the human leapt forward, looping the little metal string around his neck and yanking him back. The eyes seemed to move closer but didn’t enter the light, “Hmmm you can’t, but your time is up. Choose little one, those who go to the pound never come out.” Quartz felt the metal loop tighten as he struggled, the metal cutting into the skin around his neck. He tugged at it desperately with a paw, loosening it for a moment to gasp out, “Deal.” (continued in notes/credits)
The stranger leered closer, Quartz could see light glinting off his teeth before they disappeared. Quartz felt disbelief, all that and he’d been abandoned again? Suddenly the twoleg dropped the stick with a high pitched caterwaul, angrily holding their face before retreating down the alley. Quartz let out a gasp, back claws scrabbling at the loop to tug it off, accidentally scratching himself in the process. He looked around wildly, spotting the eyes again further down the alley, radiating a smug air in his direction. “Who are you?” Quartz asked both awed and afraid. That the cat had scared off an entire twoleg and Quart hadn’t even seen them do it. The cat’s voice floated through the alley like velvet, “I go by many names. You will know me by my most common one, Diablo.” Diablo grinned but didn’t leave the shadows, “Oh little one we’re gonna go far.” 10 moons later Quartz let out an exaggerated sigh, lounging in a tree branch above the ground. He’d gone so far today, surely it wouldn’t hurt for him to rest now? The sun was setting after all… He closed his eyes. Before he knew it a familiar voice creeped over him, “Hmmm trying to run again?” Quartz jerked awake, tipping off the tree branch and landing on the ground, his feet spread. He glanced up quickly, Diablo’s eyes looking down calmly at him from the tree branches above. The clouds covering the moon kept his outline in shadow. Quartz’s stomach ached with dread. It seemed no matter how far he went, Diablo always found him. As though he knew what Quartz was thinking, Diablo made a tsking noise but his voice was light with amusement, “Come now, you still underestimate me. I molded you into the finest little spy anycat will ever see. Sure you had a natural talent but without me you wouldn’t even be in the streets, you’d be dead.” The amusement in his voice faded as Diablo turned the full force of his unsettling stare at Quartz, “Now, why is my little prodigy running this time?” Quartz swallowed hard. There was no way he could tell Diablo the truth, that he wished he’d never made that deal. Since that day DIablo had taught him how to escape. How to escape traps, how to escape from trouble, but not how to escape Diablo himself. He always seemed to find Quartz no matter how hard he tried to leave. To leave behind Diablo and his doubled-edged words, his requests to spy on other cats or sabotage them. “Why.. why must I do this…” He whispered softly, almost choking on the words. Diablo leaned back on the branch with a self satisfied smile, “Why we’ve been over this little one. You’re a freak. And as always I have something you want. Not freedom, oh no… but to be accepted.” Quartz’s ears perked up but he tried not to listen. Diablo’s voice always sounded like honey and his deals sounded even sweeter. Quartz had been careful to never agree to anything directly ever since his first deal since he still apparently hadn’t fulfilled his end, who knows what it would take to repay two debts to this cat. But still... For other cats to not blink, their faces passive as they tried to register his appearance or for them not to sneer in disgust… it would be nice... He shook his head, “Get to the point Diablo.” He growled. Diablo laughed, the sound like falling water but Quartz could hear an edge to it, “Always so direct, where’s that suave personality now?” Diablo blinked calmly, “Fine I can be blunt as well. I have another job for you. This one is bigger which means a bigger reward...” Quartz swallowed dryly but Diablo didn’t finish. Unable to take it he blurted out, “My- My freedom?” Diablo laughed again, this one was more like glass shattering, “That depends on you. On how well you do.” Quartz blinked at the ground, trying not to think about his shattered hopes. It wasn’t like he had a choice anyway, no matter what he did, Diablo always found a way. “So what’s this… job?” Diablo’s smug smile was like a weight hitting Quartz, “It’s about some clans…” Thanks to Kas/vantqe for showing me some of her cool ribbon/strings attached art, it really inspired me! She's super cool, go check her out! @vantqe Art/character/story - @Acornfur12 Song - "In My Head" By Devirakat
