Ashes

Chapter One

Ashley nosed the food her housefolk put in her food dish. She licked her muzzle happily and started eating. As she finished her food, Ashley looked out the window. It was getting dark, so she padded over to her soft pelt bed where she lay down and began to groom her belly. Perfect. Everything was perfect. What else could she need? Yawning, she thought about all the wonderful possessions she was lucky enough to own until she dozed off.
   The next morning Ashley sat on the windowsill watching the sun shine through the misty morning clouds, causing a pretty dappled pattern to splay out across the fallen leaves on her housefolk's lawn. It was a beautiful day, thought the slim grey shecat. As always, she wanted to go on a short walk through the small twolegplace she lived in, so she began padding along the concrete path, figuring that this day would be like any other and nothing could possibly go wrong to ruin a day as beautiful as today. Suddenly as she turned the corner into the alleyway that she'd always walked through, she heard loud aggressive hissing. She looked over her shoulder to see a bristling dark grey shecat with black streaks on her face and tail.
"What are YOU doing here?" The stranger spat in disgust. Ashley, hearing this, bristled and snarled, but before she could say something another voice spoke up.
"This is my alley as much as it is yours, Raccoon." Mewed a calm voice. Confused, Ashely whipped around and saw a dark orange mottled tomcat with tattered ears. The tom's face was one of pure amusement as he curled his tail around his hind legs. "Anyway, I do believe you're frightening this lovely kittypet." The tom continued smoothly. Ashley scowled and lashed her tail, but stayed silent.
"Leave now, Fox. Or Steel will throw a fit." The shecat, Raccoon, mewed. Fox just mrrowed with laughter.
"You think I'm afraid of that pitiful chicken-chaser? Why, he's as pathetic as a newborn kit." He gasped out between fits of laughter. Fury washed over Raccoon's expression.
"Why, you..." She growled as she tackled him, claws unsheathed. Fox threw her off and slashed at her flank. Raccoon snarled and backed up slightly, licking her scratches.
"Fine. You win this time." She said as she turned and ran into the darkness. The ginger tom sighed and plopped down.
"Typical Raccoon..." He muttered under his breath. "Anyhow, what's your name?" He asked Ashley.
"Um.. I'm Ash-" She began.
"Great! Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Ash!"
"Uh..erm, actually it's Ashle-"
"I'm Fox!" He cut her off again as he stood up and began padding away. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He mewed again, and with that, the strange ginger tom disappeared into the criss-cross of Thunderpaths and alleys, leaving Ashley sitting there, stunned.

(A/N: Oh... Jeez, I started this a while ago and totally forgot about it until now... Just a quick wanting, this will be a SUPER long story. Anyways, I think it's off to a pretty good start. What do you think? ^-^U )