Tiny Paw realized he was waiting for her to respond. Gulping, she stood and tried to look brave. “We— we were playing… but Little Ears was teasing me. He called me names and made me wrestle with him. I didn’t want to, but he hurt-ed me and wouldn’t let me go. And then…” Her voice trailed off. “And then?” Sky Pelt pressed gently. She took a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to, I promise! But— I got real angry, and a green light like fire came from my paws and hit his face. He cried and ran away.” She stared at her paws. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.” “Could you show me?” Startled, she stared at Sky Pelt. “Huh?” “The green fire. Could you show me what you did?” His ears were pricked forward—he looked strangely interested. Her mouth went dry. Hesitatingly she shook her head. “I don’t know how. It just happened.” She began backing away from him. “I promise I won’t do it again. Please don’t tell Mama—” In the blink of an eye Sky Pelt lunged and slammed her on her back. She shrieked in terror and thrashed. “Mama!” “Your mother cannot hear you. No one can,” Sky Pelt murmured. “You are all alone.” Tiny Paw felt like crying. What would Sky Pelt do to her? What was happening? Her heart pounded in her ears, faster than it ever had before. “Please! Let me go!” Hysteria crept over her and she screamed, “Let me go, let me go, let me go!” Heat surged down her limbs to her paws, and that same green fire burst out of her. It flew in Sky Pelt’s face and burned his paw. With a grunt he staggered away. The kitten scrambled to her paws and crouched in one corner of the cave, where she shivered from shock. I did it again! I shot fire out of my paws! The green flames vanished. Groaning, Sky Pelt licked his burned paw for a minute. Then he rose his head and looked at her. To her surprise his eyes were gentle. “I am sorry for scaring you, Tiny Paw,” he said. “But I wanted to see what you had done to Little Ears.” He sat and tilted his head. “Do not be afraid, little one. I promise I won’t hurt you.” She remained in the corner and stared at him. Then, slowly, she stood and made her way over to Sky Pelt. “Will you tell Mama?” she whispered. To her dismay he nodded. “Of course. But do not worry. You will not get in trouble. In fact, it is quite the contrary.” His eyes twinkled strangely. “It seems you are a very special kitten. You have the touch.” The touch… That was the first time Tiny Paw heard the term used. Cats continued to use it when Sky Pelt asked Silver Mist if the sorcerers could test Tiny Paw, then when he brought her to meet Raven Frost, Broken Fang, Lion Claw, Rip Claw, and Twig Foot. They’d all stared at her suspiciously, making her feel small and unwanted. However, Sky Pelt crouched and quietly encouraged her, “Do not mind them. Only concentrate. Remember that feeling you had when you summoned the green fire?” Shakily she nodded. “Yes.” “Try to summon it again.”
“But— but—!” she stammered. “I only did it when I was angry and scared! I don’t think—” “Try,” Sky Pelt urged. “You are not a quitter, are you?” “Of course not!” Taking a deep breath, she looked at her paws and focused. She tried to imagine that warm feeling was surging back into her limbs and that the green fire was erupting from her paws. For what felt like forever she stood there awkwardly. She felt the sorcerers’ stares all too keenly and tried not to shudder. Twig Foot made her jump when he snorted, “This is beetle-brained. This kit is just wasting our time. Get her out of here—” Tiny Paw had barely registered the anger surging through her when a tongue of green fire bolted from her and lashed at Twig Foot. Yowling, he sprung back and immediately began licking his singed chest fur. A booming laugh came from the fat, dark-pelted tom, Rip Claw. “Ha-ha! This is a feisty one! Well done, dear Sky Pelt.” His eyes glinted at her. “I believe we have found the Seventh Sorcerer.” “Finally,” Broken Fang murmured, “the circle is complete. The Seven Sorcerers shall rule the mountains once more.” Tiny Paw remembered running to her mother and brother and excitedly telling them the wonderful news. Silver Mist was skeptical and fussed, but Eagle Feather was supportive and happy for her. A memory showed him saying, “That’s great, Tiny Paw! I always knew you were something special.” It was only to her brother that Tiny Paw could confess, “I’m actually kinda nervous. The sorcerers are all so old, and they’re kind of scary, and I don’t know anything about controlling magic!” As she spoke those fears came back like butterflies in her stomach. “What if I can’t do what they tell me? What if I’m not good enough? What if—?” “Don’t get your tail in a twist! You’ll do great,” Eagle Feather replied with a gentle head-butt. “Really. I just know it.” Tiny Paw approached her training as bravely as she could. She spent both days and nights in the caverns furthest from the tribe, where water dripped and blind creatures crept, to be trained under Raven Frost. She felt scared of him at first, but grew to feel braver with him. He taught her the secret to the Silent Speech, in which the sorcerers could communicate with each other and with other cats in their heads. Learning how to harness the energy of the mind opened the doors to a whole new avenue of abilities: the sleeping spell that puts the victim out for several minutes. The torture spell that makes the victim feel pain like a horrible headache. The spell that summons an old memory to distract the victim. The Dark Sleep that curses the victim to sleep eternally plagued by nightmares. On and on, Tiny Paw learned, practiced, and advanced.
Gradually the practices became more gruesome, and she had no choice but to become desensitized to cruelty and violence. One memory showed an afternoon in which Broken Fang had her practice on a live rabbit they’d caught. The thing trembled and crouched in one corner of the cave, its eyes so wide Tiny Paw could see the whites of them. “Reach out with your mind and feel its beating heart,” Broken Fang instructed in her old rasp. “Do not touch it. Only get into its head and sense what the rabbit fears most. Then make it see that fear.” Tiny Paw obeyed and felt her energy seep into the rabbit’s brain. Its terror felt so strong she flinched and even felt pity. “It’s so scared. Could we let it go after—?” A paw cuffed her roughly at the head. “Pay attention! Don’t waste feelings for the enemy!” Broken Fang snapped. “One moment of pity could lead to whoever—or whatever—you’re fighting turning on you and ending the fight there. Remember: in warriors, kindness is weakness. Only the strong and cunning survive.” “Yes, Broken Fang.” Swallowing back her pity, Tiny Paw turned her attention back to the rabbit and searched for images in its head—ones that made its little heartbeat race faster. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. The faces of different creatures appeared. Tiny Paw clung to them and made them stay; the fox, the snake, the yellow-eyed wolf, and the lithe stoat all appeared before the rabbit’s vision as if they were there in the cave—she knew because its heartbeat picked up like lightning. Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum—! “Good,” Broken Fang hissed. “Now. Attack.” Tiny Paw chose one enemy: the stoat. Now she created a new picture. She imagined herself from the rabbit’s point of view and pictured a black-tailed stoat zipping out of the shadows toward her. It leapt and lunged for the rabbit’s throat. A high-pitched scream made her jump. Limbs quivering, the rabbit thrashed on the ground. Its voice came out in panicked squeaks as the vision wreaked its havoc. “See that?” Broken Fang purred, “That is power. The rabbit is too focused on what it thinks it sees to realize the real enemy is not even touching it. We are the greatest power, because we hide in the shadows and let our visions take the fight out of our opponents for us.” She sounded pleased. “Well done, Tiny Paw.” The rabbit was still shrieking as it writhed on the ground. The sound grated against her ears, but Tiny Paw chose to feel proud of her accomplishment. She rose her head and purred, “It’s very scared, isn’t it? I made the stoat feel as real as possible.” “Do not get a big head about it.” Despite the rebuke, Broken Fang still sounded pleased. “End it now and give it to the elders. That is all for today.” Nodding, Tiny Paw unsheathed her claws and ended the rabbit’s screeching.
As if they were flipping through a photo album, pictures of Tiny Paw’s training flashed by; learning how to use human weapons with Lion Claw. Practicing attack spells with Broken Fang and Rip Claw. Using the Dark Sleep on rabbits and squirrels. Learning how to hunt and fight in their different bodies. Concentrating on sensing other cats’ presences with the Silent Speech in pitch-black caves. Even shifting into her human body to walk the streets of a human city, so as to become accustomed to the human body and to fulfill little missions undetected by the human world. Tiny Paw hated any training that had to do with humans, but she applied herself to all of it and worked hard. The pictures showed that her training separated her from her mother and brother most of the time. Yet she made the effort to meet with them for meal-time every once in a while. She’d tell Silver Mist excitedly about all the new things she’d learned and even taught Eagle Feather a bit on how to use the Silent Speech. Once he caught the grasp of it, they’d share secret messages with one another in their heads, resulting in suppressed giggles and private jokes. At last the pictures settled onto one scene, one that took place in the massive gathering cavern. Tiny Paw had grown up. They were standing in the middle of a massive crowd of cats—the entire tribe had come to watch the ceremony. Broken Stone, the leader of the Moon Tribe, sat upon the Meeting Rock that made his throne while the sorcerers lined up on either side of him. They gazed eagerly at Tiny Paw as Broken Stone called her name. “Come forward,” he rasped. Though she felt sick to her stomach, she stepped forward beneath the boulder. The crowd was dead-silent. Heart hammering, she sat with her tails wrapped neatly over her paws. “We have gathered together for a wonderful celebration,” Broken Stone said, beginning his speech. “We have here Tiny Paw and Eagle Feather, the daughter and son of Silver Mist…” As the old tom droned on, Tiny Paw couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder at her family. Silver Mist’s eyes were gleaming with pride as she looked at her daughter. Eagle Feather, nearly as tall as his mother now, could hardly contain his purrs of delight. They had both worked hard for this moment. Anxiety, however, made Tiny Paw’s black fur prickle. What does the rest of the tribe think? Involuntarily she let her gaze flicker to the crowd. Many of the faces gazing upon the ceremony looked encouraging enough, if only out of politeness. However, most cats hardly dared to move or make a sound. They bristled and looked away when she met their eyes. Somehow, Tiny Paw got the sense that not everyone was happy about the ceremony. Resentment boiled within—until she realized, No one seems angry. Or even mocking… She stared harder at the crowd and wondered what it was she was sensing.
A black-and-white shape caught her eye. Familiar resentment surged as she recognized Tall Ears—once her kit-hood tormentor, now a warrior who would often still be seen whispering among his friends and sneering at her and Eagle Feather. Yet there was nothing mocking about Tall Ears’s expression now. When she met his eyes, he ducked his head and looked away. His fur could just barely be seen bristling. He’s afraid, she realized. With a jolt she swept her gaze across the crowd of cats. Many seemed to wear the same expression as Tall Ears did. They are all… afraid. Of me. The realization took her breath away. She could hardly hear Broken Stone as the new thoughts waved through her mind. It is not because of the rumors about me being half-human. It is because I am something they all fear: a sorcerer. They fear my powers, my abilities… they fear me. In that moment Tiny Paw felt an acute sense of loneliness. It opened up in her heart like a dark pit. No one wants to be my friend. No one wants to be my mate. No one wants to know me for who I am inside. The pang of isolation clawed her to the core. “… Now as full warriors of the Tribe of the Moon, I bestow upon Tiny Paw and Eagle Feather the right to claim their full names.” Broken Stone had finished. He was looking down at her expectantly now. So were the sorcerers, her mother, her brother, and the whole of the Tribe of the Moon. Tiny Paw gulped and took a deep breath. They fear me. A strange sensation came with those words, different from the first time she thought them. It replaced the emptiness with something excited—something hot and alive. They fear me. She raised her head up as the new meaning surged through her. I do not have to be the one who is afraid anymore. I am not weak. I am powerful, and every cat here knows it. She had to resist the urge to purr with delight. I do not need friends. I do not need lovers. Let them fear me. Respect spawns from fear. One day everyone shall respect me and know me as the most powerful, the most fearsome of our kind. I will show them all that I am a force to be reckoned with. I don’t have to be afraid anymore. I am no longer a scared little kitten. I know who I am. Tiny Paw raised her voice and announced, “I, Tiny Paw, daughter of Silver Mist, choose my name to be Black Blood, in the hope that my name will give me strength and power to fight for the clan that raised me and defend it from all harm. I hereby vow to be a loyal and faithful warrior to the Tribe of the Moon until my time comes to walk among the stars.” The murmur of mingled approval and wariness followed those words. The sound confirmed her suspicions. They feared her. They feared her powers. Now, already they feared her name. Eagle Feather stepped next to his sister and gave his vow. “I, Eagle Feather, son of Silver Mist, choose my name to be Eagle Talon…”
The crowd cheered louder for him than they had for his sister. They were not scared of him. That is all right, Black Blood thought. Let the rumors fly, let the whispers come. In the end, I will be the one they answer to. Next Raven Frost was leading her into one of the chambers forbidden from the rest of the tribe. It was there Black Blood saw the Great Moonstone for the first time. They entered in the daytime, when a shaft of sunlight from the surface made the surface glitter. Black Blood stared at the strange mineral in awe. “It must look beautiful in moonlight.” “Indeed it is.” There was something dark about Raven Frost’s tone. “It would be more beautiful if its core pieces were restored and the ancestors could return to it.” Black Blood felt her ears prick forward. “What happened to the pieces?” “Do you not recall the tragedy of the Red Battle?” The old tom snorted, “They were stolen by the Daughter of Earth, she who broke the Great Moonstone and cut the tribe off from our ancestors forever. When I was young we attempted to search for the lost pieces, but they had already been scattered across Ninjago. Maybe even beyond.” Black Blood’s gazed at the lifeless Moonstone and observed the spots where the core pieces ought to have been. “This was how we contacted our ancestors. Was this how Ember Star got the gift of nine lives?” “Indeed… Though that was many, many seasons before even my time. No Moon Tribe leader was given that gift after him. It was given because our ancestors knew Ember Star was cunning and wise and would bring the bakeneko and nekomata tribes together permanently.” “I wonder—say the Moonstone pieces were restored—if the ancestors would ever give that gift again,” Black Blood murmured, half to herself. “I believe they decreed only leaders could have that gift, so as to better lead their tribe. After all, what creature would wish to challenge a tribe whose leader can return from death itself over and over again?” He turned away and grunted, “Come. You may gawk at it as much as you like later.” “Raven Frost.” “Mm?” Black Blood turned to look at him inquiringly. “Can a sorcerer ever be made leader?” The old cat stared at the young female uncomfortably. “I suppose… though only if one were made second-in-command. Only the leader’s favored warrior can inherit the title after he joins the stars.” “There’s no law saying a leader cannot appoint a sorcerer as second-in-command?” “No… but it would be redundant, as the Seven Sorcerers are already supposed to act as advisors and guardians for the leader.” “Bird Poppy just died of that illness,” she said excitedly. “And Broken Stone says he wants to wait until mourning is over to appoint a new second-in-command. Perhaps if—” “Hold your tongue, Black Blood!” Raven Frost snapped, bristling. “Do not say what I think you are about to say.”
“Why not?” She glared back at him. “I may be young, but I am one of the most skilled sorcerers among you. I am a great warrior in combat. I am cunning in tactics. You know this. You’ve told me this. Given time, why should I not—?” “Don’t make me laugh!” He didn’t laugh. “You are hardly more than a kitten. You let your emotions get the best of you in both battles of the body and mind. You are cunning, yes, but you do not have wisdom to know what is good for the tribe as a whole—not just what is beneficial to the sorcerers.” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Do not speak like this again, especially in front of the tribe. Broken Stone will not take too kindly to your ambitions of taking over so soon after his believed second-in-command’s death.” Hurt and indignant, Black Blood wanted to rage at her mentor, to defend herself. Instead she stewed in silence. He snorted. “That’s what I thought. Let us go.” He turned and disappeared in the exit tunnel. Black Blood didn’t move. Anger made her fur prickle hotly. You just wait. I shall bide my time as I work the hardest and become the best warrior in the tribe. One day I shall prove you wrong. The scene faded away and mingled with pictures of Black Blood joining patrols, helping out in hunting parties, and more as she indeed applied herself wholeheartedly to the good of the tribe. Yet none of these pictures showed her making any personal connections with her tribe-mates. Her feelings felt cold, aloof from them all. The coldness in particular hardened when images of Silver Mist with a sandy-brown tom began popping up. Voices, secretive and teasing, crowded around her head, until one of them became clearer than the rest. “Black Blood. Did you not hear me? I said Bracken Stripe and I are expecting kits.” The mother and daughter were sitting together on a sandy riverbank outside. There was a wintry chill in the air that contrasted with the fiery colors of the sunset behind the hills. “I heard you.” Black Blood was not looking at her mother. She was staring at a leaf as it was carried away by the stream. “Congratulations… or whatever I am expected to say.” Silver Mist sounded hurt. “I am happy with Bracken Stripe. And you are about to have little brothers and sisters. Why are you not excited, like Eagle Talon?” “I am pleased for you. Truly.” Black Blood meant it, despite her grudging tone. “It is… good to see you happy. I would simply rather not interact with Bracken Stripe or the kittens. I am fine as I am.” “I thought you would have liked having a father…” “Yes, when I was a kit. I do not need a father now.” Bristling, Black Blood got up and stalked away. “I do not need anyone.”
The scene faded away with a howl of wind; now Black Blood was traversing the treacherous mountainside. She carried a freshly-killed rabbit in her jaws as she made her way down a rocky slope. The sky overhead was dark with clouds and a cold wind was stirring against her fur. Winter was nearly here. A shrill cry made her jump. The voice of the creature was unfamiliar, but it sounded young and in distress. Curious yet wary, she broke into a trot and followed the sound to a sandy valley. She dropped her rabbit when she saw it: a male human, cowering between a several large boulders. A snarling black bear stood on its hind legs and towered over the human. It swung its great clumsy paws, trying to reach its prey. The human crouched far back in the crevice, but it would not be long until the bear reached him. Black Blood’s ears pricked forward with interest. I’ve never seen a bear eat a human before. This should be interesting. Then the human cried out; a long, shrill cry it was. The bear had reached in and evidently wounded the thing. There was a scurrying motion in the crevice and she caught sight of the human’s face. With a start she realized he was merely a kit, hardly older than she was. “Help!” the human wailed pitifully. “Somebody help, please!” No one can hear you, beetle-brain. Do you have any idea how far away you are from the villages? Despite her initial contempt, a new, unwanted feeling began interrupting her amusement as the bear continued to reach into the crevice and rip its claws at the human. To her dismay she finally realized the feeling was pity mingled with guilt. Nonsense. Let him face the consequences of his foolishness. Guilt made her fur prickle even more. But… he is so very small… The black bear, snuffling, lowered its shaggy head clumsily and reached into the dark crevice. Another shout of mingled terror and pain split the air. Black Blood hardly remembered the next few seconds. She was bounded down the hillside and shifted into her nekomata body. Caterwauling, she raked her claws down the bear’s backside and forced him away from the rock cluster. Initially the bear reacted furiously and attempted to bite her head clean off. Yet she ducked the bite and shoved him over, raking her claws up and down its thick hide. At last the fat beast gave up and hastily loped off. She changed into her human body and took a minute to catch her breath before going back and inspecting the crevice. Now that she’d risked her life, she might as well see if the stupid creature were still alive. Unfortunately, he was. The boy crouched trembling in the shadow of the crevice. When Black Blood knelt at the entrance, he jumped with a gasp. “Oh. You’re still alive.” She surveyed the human dispassionately. “Well. You can come out now. The bear’s gone.” The boy didn’t move. He only stared at her with eyes the size of dinner plates.
“Fine, die in a hole. See if I care.” Huffing, she stood up and started to clamber out of the little valley. After several moments of silence, a weak voice croaked, “Wait!” Almost against her will, she stopped and looked back the rock cluster. The young human was climbing out with quivering limbs. Both his arms and legs bore ugly wounds, and a dark bruise stood out on one side of the creature’s face. The human stood small and pathetically as he looked pleadingly up at her. “Please— please help me.” It seemed a strain for him to say the words. “I’m lost. I think I’m gonna die.” He coughed and rasped, “Don’t leave me alone here.” Black Blood gazed at him. She could feel herself hovering on the precipice of indecision. The valley vanished. Snow fell thickly as the boy leaned against Black Blood and she half-dragged him up a cliffside. The wind blew harder and colder the further they went, yet she forced him to press on. Ignoring his moans and complaints, she at last found one of the caves in which the tribe hunting parties would hide their caught prey. For now it was empty and the scent of her tribe-mates was stale. The two youths clambered into the small space and dropped to the floor. “What’s this place?” the human grunted, sitting up and leaning against the slanted wall. “Never seen a cave before? Can’t say I’m surprised,” Black Blood deadpanned. He shot her an irritated look as he rubbed his head. “I meant—” “This is safe place. You may rest and heal here.” Hunching his shoulders, the human hugged himself and shivered. “Thanks.” She looked at him distastefully. Part of her felt mad at herself for giving into the urge to help this pathetic creature. The other part felt curious about him, which mingled with, admittedly, even concern for him. After all, he wasn’t really a stupid animal… he was more like her. “Are you going to leave me here?” The boy looked up at her. She stared at him. Then she snorted, “Of course not. I did not save your life only to let you starve to death.” Black Blood had the human kit lie down in a bed of moss and dried grasses, leftover from summer that year. She gave him her cloak to wear and started a fire; the boy had gasped in awe when the unearthly green flames had appeared between her hands and licked at the pile of twigs she’d set up. “What are you?” Jaw agape, he looked at her incredulously. “How did you do that?” She felt her mouth twitch. “Never heard of magic?” His gaze turned suspicious. “What, like Elemental Masters?” “I do not know what those are. So no.” She glanced at his wounds again and made a mental note to grab some healing herbs from the Moon Tribe caves. “What is your name?” He hesitated, watching the green fire. “Eito.” “Eito,” she repeated. “What a ridiculous name.” Eito looked insulted. “How’s that ridiculous? What’s your name?” Sniffing, she held her head up loftily. “I am Black Blood.”
He stared at her, then burst into a snort of laughter. “‘Black Blood’? That’s gotta be the dumbest name I’ve heard!” Her cheeks flushed hotly. “What are you laughing at, beetle-brain?! That is an excellent name!” “It sounds like the name of a rock band that’s trying too hard,” he snickered. She stared at him. “You… are not afraid of me?” “Pfft, as if!” Flustered, she crossed her arms and turned her back on him with a huff. “Hmph!” You should be terrified of me. Foolish kit. You have no idea what I am capable of! I am one of the Seven Sorcerers of the Tribe of the Moon. She stewed silently. I could kill you right now, or curse you with something horrible—like the Dark Sleep, and you would see all your worst fears come true—! “So, like, what’re you doing up here?” Eito interrupted her indignant train of thought. “Is your family like, a bunch of hermits or something?” She shot him a cold glare. “Oh, haven’t you heard? I am from the line of Nunya.” “Nunya?” His eyebrows rose. “What’s the line of Nunya?” “Nunya business,” Black Blood snapped. Eito stared at her, mouth agape. Suddenly he burst into laughter and fell onto his side. Unnerved by the racket, she grimaced. “Ancestors save me, the thing’s finally gone mad.” “That’s one of the oldest jokes in the book,” he gasped. “But you’re funny.” “I am not funny,” she sniffed. “I am dangerous. And you should be more careful of what you meet in these mountains, Eito, Son of No One.” “Son of no one? Hey!” He looked indignant. “For your information, I have parents, and they’ve been married for a long time!” “Then why are you here and not with them, where you belong?” His smile melted. “It’s complicated.” Black Blood flashed a baleful look at the blizzard swirling outside the narrow entrance. She felt tempted to say something else snarky, but Eito’s new silence gave her pause. She observed him. He was staring sullenly at his feet. She took in his bruised face. Though his skin was olive-brown, it looked faint in the fading light and circles stood out from under his eyes. His dark hair fell in messy bangs around his face, despite the low ponytail that evidently was meant to catch most of it. She realized she was staring at his face for too long when he looked up. An acute sense of embarrassment made her face burn, though she couldn’t detect why. “So… really,” he said slowly. “Do you live here? In these mountains?” “Of course.” “Huh… why?” “It’s complicated.” After a long, uncomfortable silence, she stood up with a haughty toss of her hair. “You made me leave my rabbit behind. I shall go and try to find us some food.” “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” The human rummaged in the leather satchel he had slung over his shoulder. He pulled out a package wrapped in paper and ripped the paper away. He waved a small, round object at her. “I packed a lunch. Want some?” Black Blood stared at it. “What is it?”
“Rice cakes. Duh.” He flashed her a teasing grin. “What, never had one before?” Human food. Ech. She turned away, barely suppressing a sneer. “I am not hungry.” Naturally her stomach chose to rumble loudly, sending hunger pangs. She glared down at her belly. “I hate you sometimes.” “Your stomach’ll only hate you right back ‘till you eat something,” Eito said innocently. She flashed him a contemptuous look, ready to refuse him once more—but then realized that eating was more important than pride. Even if did have to be human food. Tentatively, though still trying to regain her icy composure, she sat down beside Eito at the fire. He handed her the rice cake and she looked at it suspiciously. “What? Think I’m gonna poison you?” With a smirk he took a large bite out of the rice cake. It cracked and crumbs spewed. “Mmmmm! S’thee? Yummy!” Flashing him an ugly look, Black Blood took a deep breath and bit into the rice cake. It felt harder and scratchier than she’d thought it would. For a split second she wanted to spit it out. No. I will not falter in weakness before a human, of all things. I am not afraid! She glared at the cake in her mouth. Rice cake, prepare to meet your doom! With that she bit, chewed, and swallowed with iron-like resolve. It tasted stale and bland, yet at the same time there was a strange charm to it. It was nothing like the warm, fleshy meat she always ate. It was new, it was interesting, and when she finished it, she felt a vague sense of disappointment that it was over. “I’ve got more.” Another rice cake was placed into her hand. She looked at the grinning human, the rice cake, and kept eating. Both of them relaxed as they ate. The snow whirled and the wind howled, but the cave embraced them in a shadowy hug. The fire warmed them and made the icy world outside feel distant and unreal, like they were sitting in a happy dream. Eito was dropping rice crumbs all over the cloak Black Blood had lent him, but she decided she didn’t care. For a human he was surprisingly harmless, nice, and intelligent. He’d lost the initial wariness with which he’d regarded her and now sat beside her munching on his rice cake contentedly. It felt strange, for someone who was not her family to seem comfortable with her around. The human acted neither arrogant nor fearful, and to her surprise, the treatment felt refreshing. He shared her water with her, and she inspected his wounds again, wishing she’d worked harder on learning healing powers from Sky Pelt. Somehow healing had never seemed very important until now. Eito took out the last of what was in the packaging, but this wasn’t rice cake. It looked bigger and softer, pale and glazed over with something white. She stared at it. “What in the world is that?” His eyes widened. “You’ve never had cake? Like, real cake?” “No. What is it?”
He drew puffed his chest and spoke theatrically. “This, my dear hermit and possibly-a-serial-killer friend, is only one of, if not the best desserts in the history of ever. Behold! Baked flour, light as a feather! Eggs, milk, and vanilla combined with a truckload of sugar for the ultimate sweetness and thickness! Frosting so thick you’d have to cut through with a knife!” “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but you seem excited.” “I will not rest until I see you take a bite out of this!” He used his knife to cut the cake in half and handed it to her. He took a huge bite out of his and heaved an exaggerated sigh. Rolling her eyes, she sniffed the soft object in her hands. The sweet smell nearly overwhelmed her, and the soft white stuff on top clung to her fingers like mud. Carefully she took a small bite… and immediately fell in love. It was the greatest thing she had ever tasted. She savored each bite slowly. Eito laughed whenever she sighed happily and hastily caught and licked up the bits of frosting that would drip off. When it was gone she licked every last bit of sweetness off her fingers, not wasting a single crumb. “That was… wonderful!” she exclaimed. Eito looked delighted and laughed, “Whoa, you can smile?” With a guilty start she realized the corners of her mouth were pointing up and she was baring her teeth at him. Hastily she covered up her mouth. She didn’t want him to think she was threatening him. “I— I beg your pardon, I did not—” “What’re you sorry for?” He looked perplexed when she covered up her mouth. “Smiles are good! It means you’re happy!” Baring your teeth in the human world is friendly? She felt confused. “Happy…?” “Yeah.” Before she could react, he reached over and gently pulled her hands from her face. “And, like, you’ve got a nice smile.” For once Black Blood felt herself at a loss for words. His human hands wrapped around her wrists felt strange, but not exactly uncomfortable or invading. She could only stare at him stupidly—in doing so for the first time she noticed his eyes were a handsome gray color. Eito’s face suddenly flushed bright pink and he released her. Not sure what she did wrong, Black Blood muttered, “Thank you, I think…” “You’re welcome,” he mumbled as he glanced away from her, seeming sheepish. However, he soon brightened up again and started talking. Picking up that Black Blood didn’t like questions about her background, he rambled on about his own life. Though she couldn’t understand everything he talked about regarding the human world, the stories of his friends and family were funny and charming. His voice sounded bubbly with a slight rasp that made her feel warm and safe. The way he described his home made her feel as if she were there, part of the family and walking the busy streets or playing with his friends in the cherry blossom orchards.
Sometimes he got her to talk about herself; what she liked to do in her spare time, what she dreamed about, and her family. She felt surprised by how nice it felt to exchange stories with someone, even if they had no significance or special meaning. Then Eito grew sleepy. At last, at her urging, he curled up in her cloak and fell asleep. Though Black Blood kept her green fire going, she realized how cold she felt in her human form. Once sure the boy was fast asleep, she shifted into her nekomata body. She curled up beside Eito on the vague desire to keep him warm and she fell asleep more happily than she had in a long time. At last dawn came and the snowstorm left. They left the cave and Black Blood led Eito across the snowy mountainsides, showing him paths that were safe and shortcuts through cliffs and slopes. He chatted and laughed their way through the blindingly white snowdrifts and jagged rocks, but when the steeples of a small town finally came into view at the foot of the mountains, he quieted. Black Blood got the sense that he was reluctant to leave her—and, to her surprise, she felt the same way. “Are you gonna be OK?” He cast an anxious look at the dark, rolling hills behind them. She suppressed a purr of amusement. Silly human. “Yes, I shall be just fine.” She surveyed his ragged appearance. “Will your scratches hinder—?” “Nah, I’m good, thanks to you.” His easy smile melted uncertainly. “Will, uhh— Will we meet again?” There was a cold breeze blowing and it tossed locks of her hair in the air like black ribbons. She brushed some of them out of her face. “No. This shall be the last you see of me.” “Oh. Why?” She met his gaze. She tried to feel aloof again, but something within her chest was hurting and she didn’t like it. There was no way she could ever explain her life—what she was, and how important it was that the Moon Tribe’s existence remained a secret from the human world. Just keeping Eito alive was alone a threat to everything she knew and loved. “Listen: you must not tell anyone about me. Say you survived on your own, found the cave on your own, and found your way back by chance. No hu— no one can know of my existence.” He looked perplexed. “Wow, you really are a hermit.” She pressed her lips together tightly to keep from snapping at him. “Please.” “Oh. You’re serious.” “I am always serious. Why wouldn’t I be?” Smiling, he replied, “Being serious all the time’s no fun. Try smiling more. It looks good on you.” Before she could respond, he stepped up to her and started to grab her. She hopped back with a indignant yelp. “What are you doing?!” He stared at her. “Haven’t you ever heard of a hug?” “A… ‘hug’?” “You’ve never had a hug?!” He looked appalled and shook his head in mock rebuke. “For shame, Black Blood. It’s what friends do. You need to try it out.” He gestured for her to come back.
Reluctantly she stepped back and held her breath. Eito gently wrapped his arms around her and gave her a light squeeze. “There. Not so bad, right?” More seriously he added, “I won’t tell anyone about you, if that’s what you really want.” “Thank you,” she mumbled, embarrassed at being trapped in his lanky human limbs. “Thank you.” Pulling away, he gave her a warm smile. “You saved my life. I would’ve died in the storm even if that panther hadn’t chased the bear away.” She suppressed a smile. “Farewell, Eito. May the stars watch over you.” “Oh. And, umm…” He gave a theatric bow. “And may the moon, uh, watch your back!” She watched him go. When Eito had disappeared among the low buildings and stone streets of the humans’ dwellings, she turned and made her way back home. “Where were you?!” Black Blood was yanked from the sunny valleys to another dark cave, the same one where she spent so many years training. Raven Frost paced before her in an agitated state. “We thought you had been lost in the storm! Do you have any idea how much you worried your mother, vanishing without a trace?” Black Blood responded with a lofty tilt of her head, “If I did not know any better, my dear mentor, I would say you actually cared about me.” “Shut up,” he snapped, eyes flashing in the dark. “You have no idea what has happened. Yesterday a patrol spotted a group of humans traveling down the river, just east of the grove of dead trees.” The word “humans” made her catch her breath. Her blood chilled as he went on. “The patrol reported they were all adult toms, and they carried boom-sticks—those weapons that shoot balls of fire and metal into their prey in the blink of an eye. Hunters.” His forked tails lashed. “They were making a racket and seeming to search for something they’d lost. We suspect one of their own had gotten separated from their group… which means we may or may not have a rogue hunter running around our territory.” Eito… Eito, no… Terror clutched her heart. Her head seemed to spin around and around with disbelief. “We’d worried that they’d found you, Black Blood.” Now his voice had quieted, sounding smooth and sickly sweet… and that scared her. “Did you happen to run into any humans while you’d gone hunting?” Raven Frost turned and faced her. “Caught a scent, even?” Black Blood could hear her heart pounding in her ears, but she forced herself to meet the old tom’s stare. “No, Raven Frost. I did not see any humans where I hunted. I wish I had. I would have destroyed them on the spot.” He glared at her but didn’t respond. Feigning carelessness, Black Blood managed to stand and start padding away. “Now, I beg your pardon, but as you say, my mother was worried. I must go to her—”
Pain, hot and fiery, rippled across every muscle in her body. With a yowl she staggered on her side and writhed. At hot, stinging energy like lightning was gripping her. She turned to see Raven Frost balancing on his hind legs and wielding a shimmering ball of evil-looking energy between his forepaws. “I’m afraid that I do not believe you, little one,” he purred sardonically. “You may think you washed his scent off in the stream, but I can still track his disgusting stench everywhere: in your beating heart, in your weakling mind, and in your lying eyes.” He squeezed the energy ball and Black Blood’s scream bounced off the dark walls. “You liar!” His rage lashed into her mind like a whip. “You met a human, you helped him escape, and now you’ve lied for him! Do you not understand? Your youthful foolishness courts destruction for all the tribe!” “I— I will not… do it… again,” she panted, just barely getting the words out. His teeth flashed in the flickering blue light. “No, you won’t.” The memory faded to black with the echoes of Black Blood’s wails. Rumors spread of Black Blood being tortured and beaten by her mentor. The other sorcerers, save for Sky Pelt, acted as nonchalant as ever, but her mother and brother were concerned. However, whenever Silver Mist or Eagle Talon questioned her she’d shrug it off and make some excuse about it only being for sorcery training, that her wounds would heal soon. “You know you can tell me anything, right?” Eagle Talon’s voice echoed distantly in her head. “I may not be able to understand everything, but I wish to be there for you.” Black Blood did not remember how she responded. Flickering images with faint whispers crowded her mind, blocking out Talon’s voice. Her tribe-mate’s voices switched between tones of gossip and fear. Some whispered and wondered about what went on in the sorcerers’ caves as they bristled at the sight of her. Rumors of Silver Mist’s first mate returned as she expected her new kits. Black Blood hated them for bringing it up again, as if they hadn’t tormented her and her brother enough when they were kittens. The whispers went on, though fading, as pictures rolled on displaying how hard she worked for the tribe. She practiced magic until she could sense even Raven Frost’s most subtle thoughts. She trained under their battle-master until she was one of the fastest and most skilled warriors in the tribe. She hunted through rain, sun, and snow to feed her fellow cats. Visits with her family became less frequent. The montage was interrupted by a thunderous roar. She was in a valley of trees with several other cats. Before them towered a massive bear; its ribcage could be seen protruding beneath its ragged fur and there was a dangerous, haunted look in its eyes. It was starving, like the cats were.
