Untitled,

[Waste]

Alex dipped his had into his pocket and pulled out the small dagger he fitted it into the lock and turned the blade sharply, the door clicked open and Rhys splayed his hand on the wood to push it open further. “Nyx” he whispered the word that allowed him to see through the door and pierce the darkness, he let out a long breath “We were right.” he confirmed. A ripple of excitement went through the four nekos.

“Alli, you first.” Rhys hissed.

Alex nodded, and slipped into the house, he perked his black cat ears and listened to the silence for a moment before creeping down the dark hall. He heard Rhys muttering behind him as the others entered the house. At the end of the hall was a small kitchen, just like they had expected, they all slipped inside and someone flicked the lights on. Alex suppressed a gasp. The kitchen was made from marble, Marble! he didn't think the stuff even existed anymore, let alone in a dump like this.

“Gold mine!” He heard one of the boys say, it sounded like Tux. Alex flattened his ears against his mess of black hair as he stared around the kitchen, so many cupboards, how many contained food? Tux was already at the fridge, his bright green cat ears twitching with excitement, the small, skinny neko had been hungry for days, in fact they all had.

Ollie pulled open a cupboard and grinned, he took his backpack off of his back and set it on the side as he riffled through the store of tins with grubby hands. He pulled most out and dumped them into his pack, no time to be choosy. The humans here had gone out, it wasn’t likely that they would be back until late, but none of them were taking any chances.

Alex pulled the covering off of his face, he usually always wore a black sock like thing that hung around his neck until he pulled it up to cover his mouth and nose, the edge of it coming to just beneath his bright pink eyes. He could feel Rhys watching him so he quickly dropped to his knees and pulled a cupboard open, bleach yum.

He shuffled to the next cupboard, pulling his pack off of his back he set it on the floor and stuffed the crisps and biscuits he had found inside, one of the biscuit packets was already open, five left, he stuffed all of them into his mouth at once and chewed greedily, he choked a little but it was so worth it. He’d choose food over air any day.

He moved onto the next cupboard and just as he pulled it open he heard something that sent a sharp chill down his spine and flattened his ears against his head, the front door slammed open. He jumped to his feet, picking up his bag he slung it onto his back and looked around the kitchen, Tux, Ollie and Rhys were all standing like him, completely still, eyes wide, ears pricked.

He heard Rhys mutter something and then watched as his older brothers eyes flicked to the door way, piercing through the darkness, beyond the kitchen. “Run.” he said, his voice piercing the silence. Tux and Ollie stared at him for a moment “Run!” Rhys said a little louder. There was the sound of a gunshot and Alex felt a hiss of air skitter over his cheek as the bullet streaked past. Tux ran towards the window above the sink and punched it out, he jumped up onto the sink and then outside, Ollie followed, Alex heard heavy foot steps and another gun shot. He didn’t look back as he jumped up onto the sink, the bullet embedding itself into the counter where he had just been standing.

He heard the thud of a fist hitting something and looked over his shoulder, Rhys had hit the man and the gun span across the floor. The man was tall and had much larger muscles, the punch had stunned him more than anything. He was like an animal and unlike Rhys he was well fed… “Rat bastards!” he spat, throwing a punch at Rhys who ducked. He punched the guy in the gut but it hardly seemed to effect him.

He grabbed the neko by his neck and slammed him into the wall “How dare you!” he shouted, then pulled Rhys off of the wall and slammed him into it again, Rhys winced. Alex jumped off of the counter.

“Cleas” he winced as his fingernails extended, sharpened and thickened as he said the word tattooed into his wrist. He jumped at the bear of a man and sunk his nails into his back. The man cried out and whirled, knocking a few plates from the side and onto the floor. Rhys dropped down to his feet and crouched a little as he held his throat for a moment. Alex backed away, his claws had already shrunk back into his hands, he just didn’t have enough energy in him to sustain them and run.

“Hay over here! Meat head!” Rhys shouted. The guy turned, and Alex noticed someone else standing in the doorway, a small woman, her phone to her ear.

“Rhys we have to go!” Alex cried, Rhys followed his gaze to the woman and his eyes widened slightly, the distraction left him open and he received a nasty punch, landing on his cheek. He stumbled into the fridge and the man was on him, laying into him with thick, heavy hands.

The man growled something that Alex didn’t really hear, all he knew was that his brothers face was bloody and the neko was making small noises of suppressed pain.

Alex had to help, but he really didn’t have the energy. His heel knocked into the gun that had span across the floor and he stooped to pick it up, he held it out in front of him with two hands on the butt, one finger on the trigger. “Get off of him!” His hands shook, the woman screamed and in the distance… sirens.

The man turned and looked at Alex, “You can’t shoot me rat.” he snapped “You are already going to be hunted for this!” Alex knew that, but Rhys was hardly moving, he was slumped against the counter, holding his bloody nose with one hand.

“Alex, don’t” his voice thick through the blood. “Don’t condemn yourself.”

Alex was still shaking violently, “Let us leave.” he demanded.

The sirens were close.

“Let us go.”

The man grinned “Shoot me and it will be the last thing you do.”

“Alex.” Rhys said quietly.

The man reached back and took the collar of Rhys’s tatty shirt and pulled him forward, he was going to do something else to Alex’s brother. Alex closed his eyes and fired.

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu342/Waste_bucket/AlexRose.jpg
I drew this Picture of Alex.

[BlueSano]

*gasp* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... then what ..then waht ....damn ..damn ! why do you always have to end it at a cliff ..GRR!!!! waste .. i demand more >:)... and girl you are getting better at this .. you really discribes the fight well ..:D and way to go ,...first tie being about nekoes ..... ^^ LOVE IT!!! KEEP IT UP!!!

[Silverleon]

You're a cliffhanger aren't you?
Pretty good by the way.

[Waste]

Alex tipped his head back and felt the suns heat on his face. He was used to it so it really didn’t burn anymore, it used to when he’d first started living in the down worlds, but after five years you got used to it. He climbed up onto the small outcrop of rock that blocked half the entrance of the cave and then down the other side, landing on light feet in the darkened cave.

Tux looked up from his spot near the back “Get any?” he asked as a light thud announced Honey’s arrival behind Alex. She stepped forward and dumped her pack, her windswept blonde hair fell across her face and she swiped it away, annoyed.

“Hardly.” she sat down beside Tux and crossed her arms over her chest, she eyed the bag. “The security has gone up, it’s mostly the results of bin diving.”

Tux pulled a face, “We really can’t go on like this.”

Alex leant against the rocks that partially blocked the entrance “We have to.” he sighed, his dark eyes flicking closed. Dark circles ringed them and his lips were chapped and split in places from the harsh winds. He looked so much older than he was, then again they all did. At 21 years old his movements and general appearance made him look just under 30.

Tux pulled the bag towards him and opened it, he fished out a takeaway box and flicked it open, half a burger. He picked it up and bit into it then grimaced “That’s going to turn into my third case of food poisoning this month.”

“If you don’t like it you can go back out.” Alex snapped.

Tux looked at the entrance where the sun was edging out of view, which meant it would be at 12 o’clock “I choose life.” he said quietly.

“I thought you might.” Honey quipped, pulling a half finished bottle of water out of the bag and downing it. She sighed and leant against Tux her head resting on his shoulder, ears flattened. Alex was still staring at the opening, waiting.

“When did the others leave?” He asked.

“Not long after you.” Tux shrugged. Taking another mouthful of burger and dipping his hand back into the bag, to rifle around a bit. Alex’s eyes flicked to the bag then back to the opening, Tux remembered when his eyes used to be bright pink, now they looked more like cloudy red wine, hardly any light in them. Not since…Tux was even scared to think it, the topic just wasn’t something that Alex talked about.

“If they don’t get back soon the sun will be at it’s peak.” Honey commented.

Alex nodded. Even those who had lived in the down worlds for longer than Alex and Tux didn’t go out at peak time, when the sun was directly above and bore down on any creature dumb enough to go out at such a time.

He heard a small scuffle of feet climbing the rocks and gave a sigh of relief, he moved away from the entrance as a small boy with white hair dropped down, he was a few years younger than Alex and it showed. Ollie grinned as he threw his pack down, Alex heard it clunk and his lips pulled up at the corners a little “Tins?”

“Do you expect anything less?” An arrogant female voice came from above as Sam jumped down and dropped her own pack, which just fell as a heap of material on the floor. “Not enough to fill both bags sadly”

“Tins are good enough.” Tux said through a mouthful of burger.

Sam eyed the burger in Tux’s hand “Bin diving, I see.” she shook her head, “I hope the others got something a little better.”

“A tin opener maybe?” Tyler slid down the worn rocks to land a few feet from Alex, he dropped his pack and grinned, his blue cat ears twitching.

“You actually got a tin opener?” Tux asked sceptically.

“Yup.” Tyler crouched and dipped his hand into his pack, he pulled out three packets of crisps, a packet of biscuits and about 10 bars of chocolate, trust Tyler to go for the junk food. Alex frowned, his eyes going to Honey, how had they only managed to bin dive when everyone else had obviously gotten into at least one house? Tyler pulled out a tin opener and threw it to Sam who caught it easily, she turned it over in her hands as she examined it.

“Nice one.” her eyes flicked around, “Where’s Jade?”

“Here.”

They all looked to the corner where the pile of rocks met the cave wall. There the neko stood, his dark hair falling straight around his face, his misty eyes flicked up to them. No one had seen him come in, or noticed him pick a half finished sandwich out of Honey’s bag. He was turning it over with his long fingers now, sharp eyes examining it.

“Welcome back.” Tux said, having finished his burger.

So that was everyone, just as the sun reached its peak the seven friends sat around the remains of their fire, Alex was furthest from the group, as always he preferred not to join in with the conversation, his cat ears flattened against his birds nest like hair, his knees drawn up and his arms around them.

Tux had his arm around Honey as she rested against him, his green hair contrasting with her blonde, his green eyes flicked to Alex and he seemed to start to say something and then think better of it, Ollie and Tux often did that. Ollie was leaning against one of the side walls of the cave, his back curving with it. His stone grey eyes surveying the familiar cave, “Do we need to go out again?”

Jade, who was now sitting a little closer to the others and guarding the bags of food, said “Probably not tonight, maybe tomorrow, depends on how much Tux eats.” Tux looked up, his cheeks a little red.

“Seems that all we do is go out for food these days.” Sam sighed, she ran a hand through her short, spiked hair and yawned.

“What else is there to do?” Tux asked, “Some of the most wanted, we are.”

“Jade and Alex are anyway.”

Ollie and Tux both looked to Alex as Sam spoke, but he pretended he hadn’t heard, his dark eyes stayed staring straight ahead. The two boys then exchanged a small knowing look before returning to the conversation, “Ye well we are fugitives too.” Ollie snapped almost proudly.

“You sound like a child.” Alex commented.

“I am a child.”

“There’s no room for children in this world”

He felt the others eyes on him and sighed, getting to his feet he went to the opening and leant against the pile of rocks, staring up at the blue sky. He felt someone behind him but didn’t turn as his eyes tracked a bird fly across it, its wings beating slowly, it must feel so heavy, flying in such painfully hot conditions. Alex felt a bead of sweat run over his cheek and drip from his chin. Jade leant beside him.

“You haven’t been yourself lately.” He commented quietly. Alex’s eyes flicked to him.

“I haven’t been me for five years” If Jade’s hearing wasn’t so good he wouldn’t have heard Alex’s words.

“Everyone changes once they start this life.”

Alex nodded slowly.

“How about we go out tonight? we can talk.” Jade suggested,

Alex looked up at him, studying his soft features “Maybe,” he said, if it was anyone else he would have said no, but this was Jade, and he hardly ever offered help to anyone.

“Is that a yes?” he asked,

Alex heard Ollie snoring lightly “I’ll sleep on it.” he said.

“That’s a lie, you never sleep.”

Alex let out a long breath, “You noticed,”

“I’ve been around you for four years, I can notice a lot in that time.”

Alex glanced over his shoulder, seeing that everyone else had fallen asleep. Honey was curled up with Tux, Ollie was sleeping sitting up with his head leaning against the wall, Tyler was sprawled across the floor at the back of the cave and Sam was curled up at his feet. Alex looked back to Jade, who smiled.

“Cute aren’t they?” he asked quietly.

Alex didn’t answer, Jade pushed off from the rock pile and sat down, he shuffled around so he was leaning against the wall, his elbows on his knees he looked up at Alex and his ears pricked up.

“No?” a line of sweat edged down his forehead and he sighed, “Well I’m going to sleep, even if you aren’t.”

Alex smiled a little “You know I wont.”

[BlueSano]

*excited* ...WASTE!!!! THIS IS GOOD !!!..,... more i demand more nekos xD... very nice twist waste.. you are gonna keep me on edge the whole story XP... you gotta a way with words girl... and i love it.... i think i am addicted to your stories XD.... keep it up .. ^^

[Waste]

“LUCIEN!”

Luke groaned and rolled onto his front, pulling his pillow over his head. He heard the shout again and curled his hands into fists. A few minutes later he heard his door open and footsteps came into the room and towards the bed “Lucien!” her sharp voice hurt.

“Luke.” he groaned.

“Lucien.” Wendy repeated as she pulled the duvet off of him, he felt his bare torso go cold and groaned again, burrowing his face into his mattress, the woman’s voice pierced his skull and just stayed there, ringing.

“Luke.” He repeated, his voice muffled. He took a deep breath as he tensed his shoulders and arched his back a little. Wendy pulled the pillow off of his head and threw it aside, he felt her fingers knit into his thick hair and pull. He gritted his teeth as he let her pull him up.

“It’s half 12. Rise and shine!” No one in their right mind was that happy in the mornings, then again Wendy was always happy when she was abusing him. The 40 year old ‘nanny’ seemed to have some sort of sadistic crush on the 19 year old boy.

“I don’t know about the shining part.” He mumbled as he sat back on his heels, her fingers slipped out of his hair, and he watched her give a curt nod from the corner of his eye then leave the room. He fell forward and burrowed his head into the pillow.

“I’ll be back Lucien!” her voice carried through the door that she’d slammed.

Luke rolled over and sat back up, he was faced with an image of himself sitting up in bed, reflected by the mirror on his wall. The face of a hangover. His dusty blonde hair was tousled, in need of a brush and his green eyes dull, he could see the pain in them, the pain his head was giving him. He let his shoulders slump before turning so his legs hung off the side of his double bed, he could hear murmurs coming from downstairs, what had Wendy said about the time? He shook his head unable to really remember, all he could hear was the ringing in his head, and it was so painful.

He pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes and saw lights dance across his eyelids then let his hands fall to the mattress, he touched his feet to the cold wood floor and winced as he pushed himself up. Never again. He kept thinking as he shuffled into his private bathroom, never again.


Luke came back out half an hour later, a white towel hanging over his neck. He was rubbing one end against his damp hair. There was another towel secured around his narrow hips, he glanced around the room suspiciously. His bed had been made and his room tidied. He really needed a lock on his door to stop such invasions of privacy.

Just as he pulled open his wardrobe the door opened again and Wendy came in carrying a pile of clothes, he glanced over his shoulder but didn’t turn around, he could feel her sharp eyes scanning over his bare back, it made him physically shudder.

“Thank you Wendy.” He said quietly, he retrieved a t-shirt from his wardrobe and pulled it on after taking the towel from around his neck, he heard her dump his stuff on the bed and then leave, “Knock next time!” he called after her as she shut the door. She didn’t reply.

Luke finished off dressing and came out of his room in a pair of beige cargo pants that hung loosely around his hips and a tight black long sleeved T. He’d dried his hair and combed it back, so it was out of his eyes and swept into a point at the back of his head. Luke went down the stairs that were just outside his loft bedroom door and came out on the first floor landing, he looked around and descended to the ground floor.

Luke walked into his kitchen and something hard hit the back of his head, he stumbled forward and turned to face his father. He held up his hands “Peace, dad.” he said quietly, his eyes wide and almost fearful, he didn’t need this after just waking up.

Lord James Willard surveyed his son “Where were you last night?” he asked. His green eyes flicked over Luke, Lord Willard was a tall man, built like Luke with broad shoulders and narrow hips, although he had more muscle and a stronger jaw line, lines around his eyes and thinning hair.

“I went out.” Luke crossed the kitchen and opened the fridge, he felt someone hit the back of his hand and pulled back sharply. He shot a look at Wendy.

“You will spoil your lunch.” she snapped, he felt a heavy hand grab his shoulder and spin him around. What was these? Abuse Luke day? He sighed, of course, it always was.

“I told you that Lady Reads was coming for dinner last night.” His father growled.

“You did.” Luke agreed.

“Then why weren’t you there?”

“You didn’t specifically request my presence.”

Lord Willard gave his son a warning glare, “You know that I expected you to be there.”

Luke sighed, his eyes flicking to his fathers, he could almost see the anger building up inside. If he pushed him any further it could prove painful. “Yeah, I’m sorry.” he looked away.

“You’re sorry.” Lord Willard shook his head “I see.”

“What else do you want me to say?”

Lord Willard didn’t answer, he just turned away. When he reached the door he paused “General Bank is coming for dinner tomorrow night, I expect you to attend.” Luke nodded, although his father couldn’t see it, “Oh and Lucien?” He winced at the use of his name, “I want you to be here for dinner tonight as well, we haven’t had dinner together for a long time.” Lord Willard turned and gave his son a smile.

Luke forced one in return, he wouldn’t come, he’d rather take the hit than spend his night in awkward silence.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” His father gave him a long look before he left the room.

Luke gave a sigh of relief, he heard Wendy laugh and gritted his teeth.

“Do you want me to tell him now or later that you can not go?”

“Preferably when I’m not in the house”

Wendy opened her mouth to answer but Luke held up his hand, he could feel his mobile vibrating in his pocket. He fished out the small silver phone and flipped it open, he gave Wendy a light smile before putting the phone to his ear and sauntering out of the room.

“Missed you last night.” he said quietly.

He heard Tammy give a small giggle “Yeah, my family suck.”

Luke had been seeing Tammy Weller for a few weeks to date, she was different from some of the other girls he was seeing, a little sweeter, a little shier, way more annoying. She thought her family sucked? She hadn’t actually met his father yet, although she had heard of him, who hadn’t heard of Lord Willard and the car crashed that had killed his wife, put his only daughter into a wheel chair and killed her twin brother?

Poor man, he lost a wife and son he never really paid attention to then got off on the ‘fame’ it gave him. The thought made Luke want to hit something, then it made him tear up, he wiped his eyes angrily.

“Hello? Luke?”

“Tammy.” He said softly “I’m thinking of going out again tonight, want to meet me at Roads?”

“It couldn’t be just me and you could it?” Hopeful. Luke shook his head a little.

“No, the guys would castrate me if I went without them.”

“Ok.” she did sound disappointed “Reads at seven then?”

“See you there.”

“Bye Luke” she disconnected. Luke sighed and slipped his phone into his pocket, he leant against the wall, he’d been walking whilst on the phone and now found himself outside his sisters room. He knew why his thoughts were so heavy this morning, even why his father wanted them to have dinner together tonight. He was leaning on the wall opposite her door, just staring at it.

It had been five years since Lord Willard had received the call that had changed everything, five years exactly. “My Lord I am afraid we have some grave news…” the 14 year old Luke watched on as his father listened, the mans eyes widening as the doctor spoke. “They died on impact, but your daughter can still be saved,”


“Bella.” Luke uttered her name as he stepped forward and knocked on the door. Her reply was sing song as usual, happy.

“Come on in.”

Luke pushed the door open and slipped into her room, his eleven year old sister sat in her chair her cheek resting against the back of one hand as she read from the book in her other hand, her bright green eyes flicked up to meet his.

“You finally rose from your tomb?” she asked, moving the hand she was resting on to tuck a strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear, she had a heart shaped face, like her mothers, and a very faint sprinkle of freckles spread over her cheeks. “Luke?” her smile faltered a little “What’s wrong?”

Luke’s eyes widened a little “Nothing,” he said, “Nothing”

She raised a thin eyebrow, “I don’t believe that.” Bella set her book aside and wheeled her chair forward, she reached out and took his hand, her touch made him want to cry, he swallowed.

“I just came to see if you were awake, that’s all.”

“Liar, you know I don’t sleep.”

Luke dropped his gaze, giving a small smile, they both knew why he was actually there. Lord Willard wouldn’t have bothered, but his son did, he’d be there as both her brother and her father, as promised.

[kitty-kat]

*fan girl scream* i need more...you hear me MORE!!!!!!!

[Waste]

When Jade woke up Alex was still standing by the entrance, the only difference from before Jade had fallen asleep was the dark sky beyond the opening. The moons light streamed in and lit the nekos upturned face, highlighting his mess of black hair with streams of silver, in the moonlight he looked like the young man he was, Jade realised that this was what Alex looked like when no one else was looking, “Did you wake up early just so you could stand like that and freak me out?” Jade asked. Not wanting Alex to look round and catch him staring.

The neko didn’t move, he continued staring at the sky, “I’ve been thinking.” he said quietly.

Jade got to his feet and stood beside Alex “That’s dangerous.”

Alex chose not to reply.

“You are thinking about your brother aren’t you?” That made Alex look, his head whipped up, his face had hardened back to how it usually was. Jade held eye contact, he could tell that Alex was thinking through all the replies he could give, Jade saved him the bother of asking “Tux told me.”

Alex looked away “How much?”

Someone stirred behind them “Do you want to walk and talk?” Jade asked.

He nodded and began to climb up the rock pile, he made it over and jumped down, his tatty trainers sinking into the soft sand, he began to walk towards the cluster of lights on the horizon without waiting for Jade.

A few minutes later he heard running footsteps behind him and then Jade fell into step by his side. “Alex, don’t blame Tux.”

“How much do you know?”

“Just that he died five years ago.”

“How much do you want to know?” Alex’s eyes flicked up to him, he wasn’t sure how much he could tell, probably not any of it. He hadn’t even spoken about it to Tux and Ollie, their conversations were always about the future.

“I don’t, I wouldn’t pry into that Alex, I just think you need to talk about it, Ollie and Tux tell me that you were not always so hard arsed.”

That made him laugh, “That’s what they said?”

“They just worry.”

If only they knew, then they’d understand, “Did…did they tell you how it happened?” he swallowed, hard.

“They said you broke into a house.” the images flicked through Alex’s mind, You first Allie. His throat tightened a little. “And the guy who owned it came home, they got out but left you and your brother in there.” Jade stopped walking and Alex took two more steps before he stopped, he didn’t turn around, he could see the guy, the pure bulk of him. The way he held onto Rhys… “They don’t know what happened after that…” Allie don’t… he blinked away the tears, but even his hands felt heavy now, heavy with the metal they had held, “They just saw you coming through the darkness, covered in blood, without Rhys.” Jade’s voice had faded away, of course that was what had been said. It was the story that everyone else had assumed, “You wouldn’t talk about it, you just carried on walking.” Alex.

“Is that all you wanted?”

“What?”

“Did you just want to confirm your thoughts?”

“I wanted to try and get you to talk it out.” Jade approached him slowly.

“It isn’t something that talking will heal.” He swallowed the emotions that tried to push through, “Is there something else you wanted to do tonight?” he asked, raising his chin to look up at the stars, his eyes scanned the sky. Jade took one more step to get in front then turned.

“Have you ever been to a human night club?” he asked, a mischievous smile lighting his face for a moment before it seemed inappropriate and he bit his lower lip, the light in his eyes dulled a little.

Alex looked back at him and smiled to show it was ok “No I haven’t. Isn’t that… a bit dangerous?”

“Not if you wear the right disguise,” he winked, “Humans can be quite dim sometimes. And surprisingly fun.”

Alex nodded slowly, his face had become impassive again, night clubs were not things he usually went to, especially human ones, but it would take his mind away from the anniversary this day marked. He saw Jade smile again and then turn and start off towards the cluster of lights that were becoming bigger with each step. Nekos were often faster than humans, so a journey that would have taken roughly three hours only took the boys an hour and a half.

By the time they reached the town Alex’s lips were blue from the cold but it didn’t bother him too much, his body was used to the harsh cold of night. Jade was shivering violently beside him, his face impassive “Now we need to find a nice looking empty house.”

“Why?”

“We need disguises don’t we?”

The town began with fields, a few stretches of them, patrolled at night to keep the ‘rats’ away. Jade and Alex slipped into a corn field with the crops reaching about a foot above Jade’s head, the patrols hardly ever caught any nekos that had been written off as criminals, it was easy to slip through their fingers and into the main bulk of Gallerie.

Alex slipped around the side of a farmhouse and dashed across the open space between there and the fence that sectioned off the farmers land, Jade came behind him and they vaulted the fence easily. Dropping into a dark alley, the houses around all slumped to one side as if the next was holding the one before up, Alex wasn’t sure how the one on the corner of the street didn’t fall over, there weren’t any streetlights either.

Alex had heard that practically ever neko settlement in the country looked like this one, and that they were lucky to get anything at all. Alex remembered when he used to live in a place like this, in a town not to far away. After being caught robbing that house Ollie Tux and himself had become wanted men, if they were caught he was facing the death sentence. Ollie and Tux would just spend their lives in jail.

Humans didn’t get such high charges for robbery, but then again Alex wasn’t just a thief. He shuddered and pushed the thoughts aside. Even though they were in enko territory they still had to be careful, there was a reward on both Jade and Alex’s heads and although some nekos would never report their own, most would. They needed the money right?

So the boys snuck from shadow to shadow, they knew when they had passed into the human vicinity as the streets were lit. It was a Saturday night and only eight thirty so any house with no lights on was a good enough target, they walked down about two streets worth of houses, their ears pressed flat against their heads so a quick glance in their direction wouldn’t prove too fatal. Humans were used to seeing grubby looking nekos walking around, so as long as the two kept their heads down and didn’t catch anyone’s eye they probably wouldn’t be recognised.

Jade laughed when they passed a notice board with both of their faces plastered across it, along with Ollie’s, Tux’s, Honey’s and a few others, there was probably one of those in every town in the country, little did the citizens of this town know that they had the biggest chance of receiving the 3,000 pound reward.

Alex shook his head “Only 3,000 I’m worth more than that right? Jade?”

Jade puffed his chest up a little “I’m just way more important see, 3,500! The others only have about 1,000 on their heads.”

“I guess the fact that you’ve been wanted for two years longer than I makes the difference.”

Jade nodded and they carried on, they walked for another ten minutes before Alex paused, surveying a medium sized house, three bedrooms perhaps? Two living rooms, running water? Ok for some. The thing that stood out with this one was the high hedge and the fact that all the lights were out, and the houses either side didn’t look occupied either. Jade stopped a foot or so ahead and nodded.

They both glanced around the street then made their way up the front path towards the door, Jade rang the bell and they waited with bated breath for an answer, when, after four minutes, no one had answered Jade checked the door for an alarm system.

[kitty-kat]

O...M....G.....in shaking with excitement.You have me addicted to this....cant wait to see if they get in the night club*coy smile*

[Waste]

A few minutes later they were both in the master bedroom, rifling through the draws and cupboards with gloved hands. Alex wasn’t sure what he was looking for, he’d hardly ever been anywhere in a humans house other than the kitchen. “Carry on in here, I’ll check the other rooms.” Jade said as he went out. Alex shrugged and pulled open another draw, bras and thongs, hm they wouldn’t suit him. He closed the draw.

When Jade came back he was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a black blazer with a tattered red tie and a top hat that hid his ears, he wasn’t wearing anything beneath the blazer and his usual scruffy trainers were still on his feet. He was holding a pair of white jeans, which he threw at Alex, “These are more your style.”

Alex caught them and rose a brow “Since when did I have a style?” it was true, he’d never thought about his clothes before, usually the only thing that bothered him was how dark they were and how much warmth they would hold in. The jeans were pure white and looked like they would be tight to his legs, not his style at all.

“Just put them on Alex.” Jade snapped, rolling his eyes he left the room.

Alex pulled off his tatty tracksuit bottoms and changed his boxers, not to the thongs, and then pulled on the jeans with great difficulty. When he had them on they hung low around his hips but were surprisingly easy to move about in. He went off to find Jade in what looked to be a teenage boys room. When he went in Jade tossed him a black and grey stripped long sleeved roll neck.

It was dark and looked warm… Alex pulled off his old jumper. He was about to put the roll neck on when Jade sprayed him with something, it smelt weirdly nice but made him cough a little. Jade grinned. “Now you can put it on.”

Alex pulled the jumper over his head, it was way clingy and he wasn’t sure about how it outlined his small but slightly muscled body, in fact the whole outfit just shouted ‘look at me!’ Jade then gave him a hooded zip up black jacket.

“I’ve made the hood so that it will cover your ears,” he paused “You may appreciate the irony of it as well.”

Alex pulled on the jacket and found that Jade had fastened a head band to the inside of the hood to stop it from slipping off. He pulled the hood up and ran his hands over the top, he frowned when he found that there were two extra pieces of material on top of the hood, he went back into the hall where he had seen a mirror.

He did smile a little when he saw that cat ears had been attached to the hood for… decoration? It was quite cute actually. He scanned his eyes over the rest of his appearance and folded his arms, “I need shoes.”

Pointed toed, flat black ankle boots were thrown from the boys bedroom and into the landing. Alex put them on, a size too big but he wasn’t complaining. When he looked up again Jade was standing in the doorway. “I’ve fastened the hat to my head, so as long as neither the clips or the head band on your hood break we should be safe.”

Alex nodded, “Let’s get out of here, I don’t like spending so long in a humans house.”


Jade led Alex to a well lit street with quite a few groups of young people walking along it, Alex’s first instinct was to walk around and hide, or better still run. But Jade had his hand on his back and was pushing him along at a steady pace. The street was lined with a few shops and bars. People from 15 to at least 40 were filtering in and out of the bars, and the music coming from them made the street vibrate.

They headed to an underground club, and as they descended into the main area Alex’s instincts were just screaming at him. Telling him to turn around, especially when they entered into the club where the only escape route was the set of stairs that could so easily be blocked off.

“We are safe.” Jade assured. “I’ve done this hundreds of times.”

“Hundreds?”

“Well once or twice.”

Suddenly Alex didn’t think this was such a good idea, however alluring the sound of music was, he wanted to dance, Jade was already moving to the beat, his head bopping and every now and then he’d do some funny hand movements. He looked a lot happier than Alex was used to seeing him and had soon managed to get them both near the centre of the dance floor where they often came into contact with the bodies of humans.

It took an hour for Alex to settle in, and when he had he found that dancing wasn’t really so full of peril, and it was obvious that no one realised that he was a neko, especially because he had caught so many girls eying him up.

A new song started up and he heard loads of people scream and shout, they obviously liked this one, two girls came towards them, grinning widely one hooked her arms around Jade, the other looked to Alex.

“You guys are so cute.” she said as she swung herself around and latched her arms around Alex’s neck, he could smell her sickly sweet perfume mixed with sweat and alcohol. He wasn’t sure he liked the way she was rubbing up against him, obviously trying to get him to respond. He just stood there, his arms by his side.

“No dude look.” he heard a soft voice, it was surprising how well it carried over the noise, from behind him and then a strong hand on his shoulder. He looked up at the boy who was pulling him away from the girl, he was taller than Jade, which surprised him.

The boy had blonde hair that he had combed back out of his eyes, but it didn’t make him look stuck up like that hairstyle usually did as strands of his hair were sticking up and a few falling over his bright green eyes. Alex watched the boy run his hands up the girls arms to bring them around his neck then slip them down the length of her body to her waist. She shuddered, his hands looked gentle although he was quite a big guy, broad shouldered, soft on the eyes.

He began to move his body with hers, his hands slipped down to hold her bum. The girl looked like she was in shock but soon began to enjoy his company, he must be important, Alex thought, his eyes flicking over the boys clothes. Tight light green shirt, expensive looking jeans that hung loose around his narrow hips, shiny shoes. Maybe he was some sort of celebrity. When the song ended he let go of the girl and she self consciously pulled away from him and straightened her short skirt.

The boy looked down at Alex, “Get it?” he frowned “How old are you?”

“Twenty one.”

“And you haven’t danced like that before?” His eyes were almost mocking, he seemed so bright and happy. Alex felt Jade come to his side.

“Problem?” he asked, his eyes flicking up to the human boy. Jade was the average height for nekos, which made Alex feel very small. Even that girl had been half a head taller than him.

“I was just teaching your friend to dance.” the boy grinned. He looked from Alex to Jade, and Jade nodded, he was then pulled away by the girl who had come up to him at the beginning of the last song. The boy smiled “You had anything to drink?” He asked Alex.

“No,” he didn’t have enough money to buy himself something.

“I’ll get you one if you want, you look like you need it.” he cocked his head in the direction of the bar and Alex nodded ok, he followed the boy through the crowd not missing the looks the human’s friends gave him.

Alex sat on a stool beside the boy as he called the bar tender over “Two of my usual.” he said. The tender nodded and picked out two glasses. The idea that this boy could be a celebrity solidified in Alex’s mind. “You’re quite small for a 21 year old.”

“I know,” Alex nodded, frowning a little as the drink was set in front of him. He watched as the boy picked his up and drank it in three gulps, Alex picked his glass up and examined the drink suspiciously as the boy handed over some money.

“It isn’t poisoned.”

Really? The thought never crossed my mind, Alex thought dryly before drinking his own drink, the taste was sharp and hot as the liquid slicked its way down his throat it made him give a small yelp. He covered his mouth self consciously, how embarrassing, making such a noise now! A bit of a give away really, but when he looked at the boy he was laughing.

“I haven’t seen you around here, what’s your name?”

“Alex…” he hesitated, he’d just been about to give his full name to this stranger, “Alex Black.”

“I’m Luke Willard.”

[BlueSano]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!... I LOVED THE LAST PART!!!!! MORE I DEMAND MORE!!!! >:) ... great work waste .... can't wait for more :D... i especially got surprised when you started talking about "luke" and then connected the two so well :D.... really fantastic ^^ keep it up :D

[sai1or1ove]

:dancing:Awesome. you really bring it to life, way to go waste.

[kitty-kat]

*drools*............*passes out from bliss*

[Waste]

Alex nodded, the movement felt sloppy. He frowned and put his hand to his head. “Luke Willard.” He’d heard that name before, he watched Luke glance over his shoulder, no he hadn’t heard the name Luke before, just the Willard part.

“I think your friend is looking for you.” he said, Alex looked around, way too fast, he suddenly felt light headed and nearly fell off of the chair, Luke put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. “How much have you had?” he asked.

Alex took a moment to comprehend then couldn’t hide his gasp “That was alcoholic.”

“What else would it be?” Luke laughed and got off of his stool. Alex got down too and felt himself swaying as the room seemed to flip upside down. Nekos were notorious for being light weights, in the most extreme sense, for some reason their bodies just couldn’t handle drink at all.

He felt Luke hold his shoulder to steady him, “You‘re…” his soft voice was drowned out by the sudden burst of drum and bass, the music struck Alex and he felt himself shudder all over, he caught Jade’s eye as a surge of energy ripped through him, he looked round at Luke and grabbed his hand

“Come on!” He pulled Luke across the dance floor towards Jade and then grabbed Jade’s hand and began jumping up and down, Jade was nodding in time with the music and Luke, who was a little tipsy, threw his arms up and began waving them around, every now and then Alex would catch his eye and they’d smile at each other as if they’d known each other all their lives. It felt to Alex as if they had, as each time he looked at Luke something inside him tightened.

The next song was a little slower but still upbeat, the three of them carried on dancing, sweat beading on their faces, a girl joined them and Luke wrapped one arm around her waist. “Guys this is Tammy.” Luke introduced her, Alex scanned his eyes over her and she grinned, long blonde hair, petite body, she was quite pretty. Her eyes flicked from Alex to Jade and she winked.

It continued like that for the next hour, the four of them dancing and laughing. Alex was completely unaware of the time passage, but before he knew it Luke had one arm around his shoulders and he had his arm around Luke’s waist, Jade and Tammy were in much the same position, swaying from side to side. Jade wasn’t intoxicated, just high on energy, Alex however sill felt as if he’d fall over at any moment.

“What’s wrong with your head?“ Luke asked suddenly, Jade and Tammy were sitting by the bar and it had just been him and Alex for some time now. Alex reached up to touch his head as he gave Luke a questioning look, he found that his hood had lifted up a little where his care free mood had let his ears twitch up. It took him the space of time that Luke took to rip his hood off for him to realise why not having a hood was bad. He heard Luke gasp, Alex quickly pulled his hood back on and looked up at the suddenly very human and dangerous boy.

“Luke, L…I..I” He stammered then felt Jade’s hand on his back.

“Time to go.” He shouted above the music, giving Alex a push, Alex stumbled forward, his legs giving way as he fell into Luke, he felt the boys arms go around him and knew that this was it, Luke would hold him until the authorities turned up. But instead Luke pushed him away and looked down at him.

“Alex?”

Luke swept his eyes over the nekos face and felt his gut wrench, it wasn’t like he’d never seen a neko before, it was just that they weren’t allowed in these night clubs, plus he wasn’t exactly allowed them as friends seeing as his father was a Lord working to ban nekos from human towns all together.

He wanted to ask why, although he wasn’t sure what he was asking about, why are you here could be the best start but he didn’t get the chance as the boy was swept from his arms by his friend. “Alex!” Luke shouted after him but the two had already reached the stairs, Luke didn’t bother to look for his friends he just began to push his way through the crowd, he saw Alex fall up the stairs and sped his pace, reaching the bottom just as the two nekos reached the top.

Luke ran up the stairs “Alex! Wait!” his friend reached the door, his hand gripping Alex’s upper arm, Alex turned and looked down at Luke catching his eye he looked as if he was going to say something but his friend pulled him out into the street. Luke burst out just two minutes after them, to find them both gone, he looked around the street but found only a few groups of teens walking around.

Luke walked in the direction of the nearest neko settlement, he wasn’t exactly sure why finding Alex seemed so important but… he paused, a noticed board had caught his eye, specifically a picture on it. “Alex?” Luke said quietly as he walked a little closer, that was definitely the neko he had spent the night with. Although maybe a little different, this Alex Rose had wide pink eyes and a genuinely happy smile on his face, his hair was neater and he looked about 16. Luke scanned the pin up for an offence but didn’t find one. He frowned and ripped the poster off of the notice board. The reward was 3000 pounds, his dad would know what the neko was wanted for. Just so he didn’t seem too suspicious he took down a picture of a sweet blonde who was only wanted for 500.

Luke made his way home, the recent events had sobered him up and he was ready to face his father, he checked his watch, hell he’d even make it home in time to have dinner with him, a late dinner but that was still something.

When he got home Wendy was waiting for him, he nodded to her and she gave him the once over, he noticed her eyes hesitate on the paper in his hand. “Your fathers in his study, you’re lucky he didn’t seem too annoyed that you weren’t there tonight. He was preoccupied with other things.” Luke didn’t like the way she said ‘other things’ but ignored it for the moment and headed up the stairs to the first floor. He then went down the hall until he reached his fathers study, he knocked on the door and waited. His father loved to keep people waiting so he knew he was going to be standing there for a few minutes. He knocked again, impatiently this time, a few seconds later he rose his fist to bang on the door when his father finally asked him in.

“Lucien,” Lord Willard’s eyes flicked to his son as he pulled his gold framed glasses off, he set them on his desk and rested his chin on his laced fingers, he was waiting for an explanation.

“Father, I lost track of time.”

He nodded as if he understood “I haven’t heard that one before.” He said, his voice laced with sarcasm. He sighed “So why are you here? You didn’t only come to apologise,” true, he never apologised.

Luke nodded and came forward “I was walking home and I saw the notice board, you know the one with the nekos on it?”

At the mention of nekos Lord Willard suddenly looked interested, “Yes?” he urged his son on.

Luke put the two wanted posters on his desk “I just wanted to know what sort of crime puts a price like that on your head.” he pointed to Alex’s poster and felt his stomach clench as his father surveyed him, he was waiting for the questions, but instead of asking Lord Willard settled back into his chair, picking up Alex’s poster he put his glasses and examined it.

“Alex Rose.” He said quietly, “He was condemned the night of The Accident.” He always called it an accident, not like his wife and son died or anything, just an accident, like it could be fixed, it made Luke want to yell at him, but he held himself back.

“What did he do?”

“He broke into a house with his friends and older brother, Mr and Mrs Green came home and it ended… badly.” His voice saddened, he met Luke’s questioning gaze and continued “Mrs Green is the only surviving witness, she watched the boy shoot his brother, and her husband.”

“He… he shot his brother?”

“Shot and killed.”

[kitty-kat]

*sniffles* will he ever learn the whole story:crying:

[Waste]

Luke swallowed, not sure if he wanted to know anymore “Not intentionally?”

“Mrs Green heard two shots and saw the two bodies fall, she said that the young neko tried to resuscitate his brother, then left when the sirens came too close.”

Luke nodded, then pointed to the blondes poster “And…and what did she do?” He tried to look as if he was interested when his father explained about the robbery the blonde was caught in the middle of, but all he could think about was Alex. No wonder he’d looked such a mess, he knew he shouldn’t but he felt sorry for the guy. Then something else crossed his mind, why did it matter? Better yet, why hadn’t he reported seeing Alex in the club?

“Actually we caught her just today.”

His fathers voice snapped him back, “Here?” he asked.

Lord Willard nodded, “Brung her in about an hour ago, funny you should pick her poster to show me.” It was only then that he started looking a little suspicious.

Luke shrugged “I picked the lowest amount on the board.”

“Yet the second highest?” True Alex’s friend had been higher, Jade Cole.

“I didn’t see a higher price.”

He nodded “I see.” then gave a small wave “If that’s all you can go.”

Luke hated that, the way he could just be waved away. As he went out of the room he felt his phone vibrate, he pulled it out of his pocket, Tammy. “Hey.” he said making his way up to his room. He felt completely drained and Tammy picked up on it almost straight away.

“Where did you… Are you alright?”

“Did you leave the night club?” he asked. Going into his room he laid back on his bed and took a deep breath.

“I’m coming to yours.” she sounded a bit embarrassed but the alcohol had given her enough confidence to… well invite herself round. And there he was thinking she had gotten boring.

“Nice, can I ask why?”

“I didn’t get to see enough of you tonight.”

He laughed “You were way too preoccupied with Jade to care.”

“Jade?”

“That ne… the dark haired guy with the top hat.”

“Oh him! Yeah” she giggled. “He’s nothing, I’ll see you in a bit Luke.”

Luke disconnected and relaxed against his bed, he took a few deep breaths, he was glad Tammy was coming around, he needed some sort of distraction.


Pain shot through his head and he rolled over with a small groan, then something in his stomach squelched and he jumped up, scaled the rocks outside the cave and almost fell over when he hit the ground, the sun was pounding against his back as he doubled over and threw up the little food that was in his stomach, and the little amount of alcohol he had consumed.

Alex staggered when he landed back in the cave, he felt eyes on him and raised his head to look around. None of them were laughing like he had expected, Tux was sitting at the far end his head bowed, now and then he’d glance up but most of the time he kept his eyes on the floor.

Even Jade peeked up almost mournfully, “What’s wrong?” Alex asked, his own voice hurt his head and he winced, no one answered at first then Sam stood, moving her gaze over everyone she came to rest on Alex, apparently she’d already told Jade.

“Honey didn’t come home this morning.”

Alex winced as her sharp tone cut his head, and then his gut. “Why did she go out?”

Tux got to his feet and came forward “She went out to look for you and Jade last night, seeing as you took off without letting any of us know where you were going, and she hasn’t come back.” His voice was laced with accusation as his eyes flicked from Jade to Alex.

“I…”

“How could you do it Alex?” Ollie asked, “I’d expect it from Jade but you just put us in so much danger by going out there like that, and getting drunk! Seriously Alex how old are you?”

“I didn’t mean to get drunk.”

“But you meant to go to a club!” Ollie glared at him from his space on the floor.

“And you hung out with Lucien Willard” Tyler added.

Sam’s ears perked up, “Lucien Willard? Willard!” she slumped to the floor, “Alex do you have any idea who that is?”

Alex shook his head, his ears dropping, his eyes on the floor now.

“That’s the son of Lord James Willard, the human that’s fighting to make every neko in the country an exile,” Sam explained, her voice swept over the cave, covering it like a blanket, Alex felt like he was suffocating and shook his head. “Neither you or Jade can go back to town again, what’s the betting that Lucien Willard has already reported you?”

Alex had to lean against the rock pile, this was too much, “Luke wouldn’t.”

“Luke would” Tyler laughed dryly. “Bet your ears on it.”

Alex shook his head again and turned to climb the rock pile, he felt someone grab the hood of his jacket. He slipped himself out of the jacket and made it to the top before Jade grabbed him around the waist and pulled him down, “Where do you think you are going?”

“I have to find Honey.”

“It’s peak time Alex, you’ll die if you go out now.”

“Good, let him go.” Tux spat, “Take Jade with you.”

Jade looked around, his ears perked “What was that?” he growled. He went to walk across the cave but Sam put her hand on his chest to stop him. Alex looked up at Tux who stood with his hands by his sides, fists clenched.

“What if they caught her?” he asked “What do you think they’d do to her? They know we travel in packs! They’ll want to know where her family are.” He choked up on the last words, even Alex wasn’t sure he liked the way it sounded, Family, he looked around at the others, he’d known them all for at least three years, could this really be called a family? Could their cave really be called home?

“We need to find her.” Jade said as Sam dropped her arm, “I’ll go out with Alex when it gets dark.”

“That isn’t good enough.” A low growl was humming in the back of Tux’s throat.

“What else can we do?” Jade asked, “Fight about it? We shouldn’t fight amongst ourselves.” he shook his dark head and leant against one of the walls, his back curving with it, he was the tallest of them, at about 5 and a half foot, the ceiling of the cave stood another foot above his head at its highest point.

“It would make me feel better.” Tux snapped.

“If you could even land a punch.”

“Like you can boast, it isn’t like you have the claws for it.” Tux touched on the one insecurity that Jade had, his inability to grow claws.

Now the cave hummed with the growls from both nekos “It’s a shame you can’t go out and help look for your girlfriend.” Jade shot back, bringing up the fact that Tux had been seen in Gallerie, so he couldn’t go back there. “Don’t worry, we’ll tell her how worried you are.”

Tyler got up then “That’s enough.” he snapped, “Jade was right before, we shouldn’t fight amongst ourselves, it will just break us down and then we wont be able to work as the unit we should be” He let his eyes linger on each of them as he said it, “We’ve already decided that we will let Alex and Jade go out at sun down, although maybe we shouldn’t let them go alone.”

“Are you saying we need a baby sitter?” Jade shot.

Before Tyler could answer Ollie cut in “I’ll go with them,” he looked to Tux, “We’ll find Honey.” it was a promise, although Alex noticed that he didn’t add that they would bring her back. He hoped she had just gotten herself lost, or spent too long in town and forgotten to come home before peak time, although he highly doubted it, everyone silently knew that she probably wouldn’t be brought back. They wouldn’t kill her, but it would be just as bad. It wasn’t like humans really looked after their neko prisoner.


Like darkened shadows the three nekos made their way into town, Alex had traded in his white jeans for black tracksuit bottoms. He still wore the striped roll neck and black hooded jacket but he had cut the ears off of the hood.

Jade had put on a black jumper under his blazer and now wore a cap on his head to cover his ears and Ollie had swept back his mane of white hair and covered it with a beanie hat. It wasn’t the dark clothes that made them look suspicious, it was the fact hat they all wore head coverings. Like the night before Alex and Jade were moving swift and cautiously, they all moved together around the neko settlement until they came to one house in particular, a known sanctuary to all nekos who wouldn’t report it.

Tom Cat opened the door of his run down, but bigger than average, house when Ollie knocked, he was a shabby man wearing tattered clothes with a mess of brown hair that hid his ears, his wide almost completely black eyes surveyed the three, he waited.

Jade stepped forward and pulled his hat off, he pressed his fist to his heart “When it’s our turn…” he held his hand out to the man, who smiled, flashing a set of sharpened teeth.

Tom Cat pressed his fist to his heart “… I will fight with you brother.” he extended his hand and they grasped each others wrists in a friendly manner, the old neko’s eyes flicked to Ollie and Alex. “Will these brothers also fight?”

Alex and Ollie removed their head coverings, Alex saw recognition spark the elders eyes “Until the last of them.” Alex said first, Ollie followed suit and Tom Cat nodded. He let go of Jade and backed into the gloom that seemed to cling to the doorway. Jade glanced over his shoulder and followed with Alex and Ollie just behind him.

The three had thought it best to visit Tom Cat first on arriving in Gallerie, if Honey had been arrested he would know. They walked down the familiar musty hall and into a small living room, two nekos were already seated there, Tom cat settled into a black leather arm chair, leaving Jade, Alex and Ollie to stand awkwardly by the door.

The living room was much like the rest of the house, as far as Alex knew, the colours were faded and the surfaces dusty, it was scented with cigarette smoke and a kind of sweet incense that together made it an almost sickly place to be. Alex recognised the other nekos that were present and nodded to them in turn.

One was known around the settlement as Audrey Parks, she was a kind of mother, looking after everyone and was often laden with kids who wanted just some of the woman’s attention, like all nekos she was small and thin, at about 38 her hair was grey and wispy, she smiled warmly at Alex and he forced a smile back, he was someone she had always called a lost cause, the type she had tried to look after once but refused to have the help and was spiralling out of control because of it.

Alex didn’t know the other neko too well, he knew she was young and had only recently fallen into a circle of crime, he’d heard Tyler and Ollie talking of her as someone they expected to soon have a picture on the notice board, which meant she’d have to move away or stay in the cave with their pack.

“So what can I do for you boys?” Tom Cat asked, his tone of voice gentle and welcoming, although it was rumoured that he could have quite the temper on him, something Alex had never witnessed.

“Honey Turner,” Jade said simply, knowing that a name was enough information for the man.

Alex saw Audrey shake her head and knew the answer Tom Cat would give “Ah, Yes we were jus’ talking ‘bout her.” his eyes flicked around the room, “She was picked up jus’ this morning whils’ walking through our settlement, ol’ Audrey ‘ere says she saw it”

Audrey shook he head again as the eyes of the room moved to her “I’m sorry boys, I know she was one of yours, I’d gladly beat some sense into any neko who reported her,”

“Do we know what they will do to her?” Ollie asked.

“As far as I know they ben questionin her all day, prolly ‘bout oo she’s with, where they are,” Tom Cat tried to make the statement as gentle as possible, but they all knew the implications it carried.

“I hope your girl has hard skin.” The young neko said quietly, she received a whack to the back of her heard from Audrey for that one. She gave the woman and sharp look before turning her head back to the three boys. “I’m just saying what everyone here knows.”

“Well if we all know then there’s no real need to say it is there?” Audrey shot.

“There’s nothing we can do.” Ollie said quietly.

“She won’t talk.” Jade assured him.

“We need to get her out.” Alex spoke for the first time since entering Tom Cat’s home. He felt everyone look at him and raised his chin “There is something we can do, we can try and get her out.”

“No one has broken out of Gallerie Prison ‘fore lad.” Tom Cat shook his head.

“Has any one tried?”

Tom Cat shrugged “I spect no one has been dumb ‘nough too.”

“Then there is no hard proof that it can’t be done.” Alex sent a pleading look in Ollie and Jade’s direction. “You know we can, with Tyler and Sam as well.”

Ollie looked away but Jade’s eyes hardened “I will fight with you brother.” he said quietly, remembering the way he had greeted Tom Cat before, it wasn’t just a secret greeting used to show Tom that the people about to enter his house could be trusted, it meant exactly what the words implied.

“Madness.” Audrey snapped, “How do you plan on even getting a layout of the prison?”

Alex bit his lip, but to his surprise Ollie answered that one “Tom, has Alex been reported recently?”

Tom Cat shook his head “Not as far as I know, and believe me my knowledge goes very far.”

Ollie’s lips tugged into a smile “What do you know about Lucien Willard?”

[kitty-kat]

:scaried: oh noes....will it work O.o

[tenten24]

come on... stop ending these things at the good and suspension parts.. come on... no fair.... and u really need to take my advice and publish these.. do u kno how far u could go in life with this...i think u should keep writing these and then publish them.. these are amazing... so plz make more.. i really want to kno wht happens...

[Waste]

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Alex shook his head, staring up at the tall metal fence that ran along the back of the grounds owned by Lord James Willard. He looked to Ollie and asked for the third time “What makes you so sure that he isn’t just going to shoot me?”

“If he didn’t like you he would have reported you by now,” Ollie shrugged.

“And that’s what this whole plan is based on?”

“Alex, we have discussed this, it’s the only way we can even come close to finding out about the prison.”

“But it isn’t like he’s just going to be all ‘ah yes here are the plans, here is the key to the front door, and hell why not even take some knock out gas with you for the guards!’” Alex frowned, his jaw set as he waited for a reply.

“That is why we make him trust you, look we know the boy practically hates his father, he has even been known to show a liking to nekos and when has Tom Cat ever been wrong?” Ollie asked.

“Just because he hasn’t doesn’t mean he cant be!”

“Alex just go.” Jade snapped, crouching he made a cup out of his interlocked hands, “Remember if you die at least Tux will be happy.”

Alex bit his lower lip, if I die, he thought to himself, like it would be much of a loss, he put his boot into Jades hands and gripped the metal fence. Jade gave him the boost he needed to get over the fence, he dropped down the other side and held his crouched position. As far as he knew there weren’t any alarm systems in operation because there were people home and awake. So getting to the house was easy, after all only four people lived there and one of those people were disabled.

The house was only two storeys tall, and the only light that was on at the back of the house was the one that came from the window in the roof, Luke’s bedroom. He really didn’t know how Tom Cat knew but the guy had a whole filing cabinet devoted to the residents of Lords Street. He supposed it was good to be in on things when living the life of a criminal.



Luke was sitting at his desk doodling in his sketch book. He hated being confined to the house but his father really was adamant that he be present for dinner. Luke rolled his eyes and added a nose to the guy he’d roughly sketched out, he thought for a moment then added in cat ears. Sighing he rubbed them out and leant back in his chair, looking up he could see through the window that had been fixed into his ceiling.

Luke yelped and fell backwards off of his chair, staring down at him was a boy with red wine eyes, a scruff of messy black hair, and cat ears. “Alex?” Luke hissed as he got to his feet. He looked up at the window and reached up to unlatch it.

Alex pulled it up like the hatch of a trap door and dropped into the room, Luke caught the window before it could crash against the frame and gently lowered it down, leaving the latch. He looked down at Alex as the neko looked up at him.

“What are you doing here?” he snapped, keeping his voice low.

Alex really hadn’t thought this far ahead, Ollie and Jade wanted him to get Luke on their side, how he was supposed to do that he did not know, “I… I was wondering why you didn’t report me.”

“What makes you think I won’t now?”

Alex swallowed but kept his head up “Because you aren’t that type of person.”

Luke frowned “You met me last night, I felt sorry for you so I didn’t report you, end.” He caught the nekos eyes and knew that Alex knew it was a lie; he brushed a hand over his recently flattened hair “Look I don’t know alright? It just didn’t seem like the right thing to do.”

Alex smiled, it surprised him how easily he managed to do it, and picked the chair , that Luke had fallen off of, up. “You should have seen your face when you saw me just then.”

Luke frowned “I could always chose to report you if you become too annoying.” Alex’s ears twitched up and Luke found himself thinking that it was slightly cute.

“You would give me time to become annoying?”

Luke was about to reply when his phone vibrated on his desk, he laughed when Alex jumped about half a foot into the air and gave a small squeak, the sort of sound only a neko could make. It instantly made Luke’s stomach clench as he remembered that Alex really shouldn’t be there. He picked his phone up and flicked it open to see the text from Tammy, he sighed and flicked it shut again then slipped it into his pocket.

“So why are you really here?” Luke asked.

Alex opened his mouth to answer then paused and bit his lip, he dropped his gaze “I need your help.” he admitted, his ears flattening against his hair.

“With what?” Admittedly that surprised him, the neko was asking for help, did he seriously believe Luke could help him? What could he possibly help him with? Alex looked away at the question and took a deep breath.

“My friend has been arrested…”

He trailed off when Luke cut across “That blonde girl? Honey isn’t it?”

Alex looked up at him then “Yeah, how…?”

“I saw you’re picture on the notice board and she was there too.” Luke shrugged, he didn’t want Alex thinking he had purposefully pried into his past, but he’d want to know how he knew about Honey.

Alex surprised Luke by nodding and carrying on with what he was saying before “We have to get her out.”

Luke’s bright green eyes widened “You want to break her out?” He shook his head “Why are you telling me that?”

“Because we can’t do it any other way.”

“Why me?” Luke bit his lip, he wanted to help, he really did. His mind had been on the neko boy all day. “I can’t help you, my father owns that prison and…” he paused, sudden realization, “That’s why you need Me.” so he wasn’t there to see Luke, he was there to see Lucien Willard.

“Luke, I need my friend back.”

The doorbell went and Luke knew that their guest had arrived for dinner he looked away from Alex “You better leave.” he said quietly, “Don’t worry I wont tell anyone that you were here.” He stood looking at the door, until Alex spoke from above him, he couldn’t stop himself from looking up at the tattered neko boy who now sat outside, legs dangling into the room.

“Luke, if you don’t want me to come back lock your window.” Alex said before swinging his legs outside and letting the window go, Luke leapt forward again and caught the window grumbling to himself as he lowered it down gently, he reached for the latch, then thought better of it and stepped back, still staring up at the window.

[Valor]

O:
-wants more to read-

[Waste]

“Come on Alex wait up!?” Ollie called as they walked through the neko settlement. Alex far out in front, it was getting late and he just wanted to get home and go to sleep. He was aching a little and his head still hurt and all he wanted to do was turn around and go back to see Luke, he faltered, the last thing had involuntarily slipped into his mind. I want to see Luke. he shook his head and carried on walking. He heard running footsteps and Jade fell into step beside him as they reached the fields.

“What’s wrong?” He asked quietly.

“Nothing.”

“Alex,” Jade reached out and made him stop walking, the neko turned to face Jade.

“What?”

Jade frowned, “You look like you did yesterday.”

“What?”

Jade shook his head, for some reason Alex just looked so sad, his eyes contained the pain of loss. Maybe he’d already given up on Honey, or maybe he was thinking of his brother. Ollie came to stand beside Jade and looked to Alex, finding his eyes that appeared to be so far away. He took it to mean that he was thinking of Rhys and moved forward a little, shuffling closer than Jade dared to get. He reached out and touched the boys arm. Even though Alex was older, he still looked so much like a boy.

“Alex what is on your mind?” He asked quietly.

The boy didn’t answer.

“Is it,” Ollie faltered, “Is it Rhys?”

Alex turned and walked into the corn field, Ollie glanced back a Jade, who shrugged, Ollie bit his lip and followed, his white ears flattened against his head. “Alex!” he called after him.

Alex wasn’t sure what was going on, he’d been thinking about Luke, and then he’d seen Rhys, he’d seen his brother in Luke’s eyes and now he just wanted to be alone. To think. Mainly about how he was going to get Honey out, how to get Luke on his side, how to get Rhys out of his mind. All the thoughts were driving him crazy.

“Alex.”

He stopped walking and turned to face Ollie, he pressed his lips together,.

“Alex I think it is time you told me about what happened five years ago.”

The silence between them became icy, and for Alex the cold silence turned the air he breathed into daggers. “He was murdered.” he couldn’t meet Ollie’s eyes and that hurt even more, like the evasion was harder to deal with, for once someone was asking direct questions and he realised how much avoiding them had been eating away at him. But how could he admit to the truth?

“By the man?” Ollie assumed.

Alex said nothing.

“The man murdered him, so how did you get away?”

He walked away again, disappearing into the corn that reached above his head. Walking fast and not really paying attention to where he was going, he paused for a moment in an empty channel between the corn and took a deep breath and when he heard a rustle coming from behind he turned to tell Ollie to fuck off when a fist came at him, catching him off guard he managed to move so it grazed his left cheek. He immediately pulled his hood up and hoped back as a human came out of the corn and shone a light in his face.

“Trying to steal from us are you?” the farmer growled, the guy was larger than Alex, with thick arms and legs from all the work he’d done on the fields. Alex felt his upper lip pull back in an instinctive growl. “Neko bastard.” the farmer shot, his voice gritty as he threw out the hand holding the torch, the metal rim hit Alex’s temple as he tried to duck out of the way, the pain caused his nails to lengthen and he lashed out, the farmer leant back to easily evade him.

Alex knew that he should run, a neko his size wasn’t likely to win in this kind of fight, but he was in no mood for backing down. The farmer threw his torch to the side so it’s light danced off of the corn as it span in the air, he then raised his fists and threw a punch at Alex. The neko dodged to the side and lashed out, missing again as the farmer grabbed his shoulder and pulled him close, punching his gut, Alex felt his knees weaken as he dug his claws into the humans shoulders. Scratching down he drew blood and the farmer threw him to the side. He pulled out his mobile to call the police, but Alex was still standing and managed to hop a few steps forward and scratch the farmers forearm, so he dropped the phone. Alex crushed the small silver mobile with his next step.

As he moved his arm back the farmer reached out with surprising speed and grabbed Alex’s wrist, something went through his eyes as he twisted Alex’s arm up behind his back. Alex let out a small squeak as he was pulled back against the farmer and the humans thick hand went around his neck. Alex lifted his chin and took a shallow breath as the farmer tightened his grip.

“Go on then.” Alex snapped. “GO ON!”

The grip loosened and he heard a thud as the human hit the floor.

“What do you think you were doing?” Ollie growled, grabbing Alex’s shoulder and spinning him around, he saw the tears in Alex’s eyes and quickly let go. He searched the boys face for an answer. “Do you have a death wish?”

Alex didn’t answer.

Ollie’s eyes widened, “You do don’t you?”

Alex opened his mouth, then thought better of it and closed it again, he looked away sharply as Jade came into the channel, he looked down at the farmer lying unconscious on the floor and shook his head. “They’ll have the patrols doubled tomorrow night.” he said as he picked up the torch and switched it off. He showed no sign of having heard what had been going on and even gave a small smile. “Come on you two, before someone comes looking for him.”

Jade disappeared into the corn and after giving Alex a long look that said ‘we’ll talk later’ Ollie followed.

[KiriJolith]

OMG WASTE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it up damn it!!!!! This is really really good material.

[sUnakO..]

oh! awesome!..you're good!.nice one, keep it up!..damn excited!lol

[Waste]

Luke suppressed a groan as the second course was brought out, he could smell the fish before it was put in front of him, he caught his father watching him and knew the main course had been chosen on purpose. His father knew that he hated fish.

General Bank stroked his thick moustache and his greedy eyes followed the plate of fish as it was set in front of him. For the duration of the first course he had gone on about the prison, giving Lord Willard a full report of how smoothly it was running, Luke tried not to listen, he knew this information could help Alex but did he really want to help a neko?

“So how is our new arrival?” Luke’s eyes flicked up from glowering at the food, he didn’t want to listen to this, but he couldn’t help himself, they were talking about Honey, Alex’s friend.

“Feisty,” Bank grinned “But we are slowly wearing her down, we have no doubt that she holds the information we want.”

“You think there is a pack near by?” A group of neko’s were only referred to as a pack when they were wanted criminals.

“She was too well fed to have been living alone.”

Luke dug his fork into the fish and scraped a piece off of the bone, he glanced at Bella who still hadn’t picked up her fork and was watching Bank with such fury in her innocent eyes that it made even Luke flinch.

“So, General Bank.” Her sweet voice cut above what the general was about to say. Luke shot her a warning look “How is it that you wear these prisoners down?”

Bank smiled kindly at her, he could be quite the innocent looking bystander when he wanted to. “Too long in prison can hurt any person.” Luke noticed how he referred to the neko as a person when talking to her.

She nodded, “It will take a long time then.”

“Neko’s are weak.” Lord Willard had his input and added his own forced smile, so obviously forced, like it always was when he looked at Bella. Luke’s fist tightened and he moved it to his lap. Bella didn’t say anything else, she dropped her head to look at her plate and prodded her food. Luke could see where she was trying to take what she had said.

“Surely they can’t have a good life in this prison then.” Luke said quietly, but he knew they had heard him. He saw General Bank glance at Lord Willard.

“We aren’t here to discuss the prisons quality son.”

“Only it’s quality of torture.” His fathers eyes flashed dangerously as Luke said it, the words tumbling out before he could hold them in and think about them.

“There’s no form of torture in our prisons boy.” Bank snapped. The atmosphere suddenly froze, not only had Luke managed to piss of his dad but even Bank didn’t seem too happy.

“Don’t you have work to do Lucien?” Lord Willard asked sourly.

“Luke.” Luke corrected automatically as he stood up “And yes I do.” He felt his fathers eyes on him as he left the room, he heard a chair scrape back behind him and knew his father was following. He made sure he walked far enough from the dining room so that the confrontation wouldn’t disturb General Bank further. He stopped and turned slowly.

“What was that?” his farther snapped.

“I was just asking a sim…” he rolled his head to the side, riding with the blow his father gave, which didn’t make it hurt any less. It would leave a bruise beneath his eye. His hand went to his eye and he stumbled a little, “Father.” Lord Willard’s eyes were blazing and he looked ready to throw another punch. Luke held up his hands “Peace, Father. Please.”

His father put a hand to Luke’s chest and shoved him against the wall, “Never show me up like that again Lucien, I’ve had enough of you messing about with the idea of neko welfare.” He took a deep calming breath and stepped away from his son, then spun on his heel and walked back down the hall.

Luke grit his teeth, fists clenched at his sides, he hated the idea of leaving Bella alone with his father and General Bank. Although it wasn’t like there was much he could do about it. He was shaking with anger as he made his way to his fathers study, his thoughts swirling around Honey, and centring on Alex.

[KiriJolith]

WASTE!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna know if they get honey out!!!!!!! Gah, keep up the very very good work. I love everything you write lol.