Kite's Path || NanoRiseMo (do not post)

[kaminari.denki]

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Kite's Path
The history of Kite's Glaring

[kaminari.denki]

Sand, it was endless in every direction she looked. It caught in her eyes and throat and it burned her rubbed raw paw

pads with every shaky step she took, struggling against the pull of the sand threatening to pull her deeper. Her stomach rumbled and she let out a weak cry, voice rusty from disuse even as she kept walking, trying to find her way back home. Was it desperation, exhaustion or paranoia (perhaps some wicked combination of all three?) that made Kite think she could see someone - something following slowly just out of her field of view. She hoped that it was a predator that may or may not have been stalking her for what seemed like moons took her life quickly as she felt her legs give out and she collapsed into the sand, coughing harshly as she closed her eyes, ready to give up and let the sand (or whatever got her first) take over.The wind wrapped around her still form and she could feel the sand covering her body, protecting her from the more intense rays of the sun and her ears picked up what sounded like muffled pawsteps but Kite's tired mind dismissed it, despite having felt like something was following her only moments ago. Nothing could survive here in this desert, it was empty and barren and only cacti should a chance - even that didn't seem completely correct.

Kite drifted slowly, breathing so slowly that anyone passing by would've thought she was dead. It was only when the sun finally went down that something in the distance uncovered itself from the sand and padded over to the still she-cat, wide paws easily moving over the shifting sand without sinking an inch. "Hey.. you alive, darlin'?" a low voice mumbled, one paw prodding the lump under the sand. Confusion flooded through her and Kite twitched, forcing open sand-covered eyes slowly.

"W-What..?" she croaked, not knowing where the voice was coming from as she lifted her head slowly.

"Well, I s'ppose that answers my question, now doesn't it?" the voice chuckled, drawing her attention behind her to where she spotted a light coloured cat about a head smaller than she was sitting beside her, looking perfectly at home in the barren wasteland of the desert. "Careful now.. you've been in the sun for a while now. Gonna need some water or you'll end up with sunstroke."

"Sun what?"

"Sunstroke," he repeated, flicking his tail and tipping his head to the side. "It's something that happens more of'en than I'd like out here, what with animals not bein' used t'how intense the light can get durin' the day. Now come on, dust yourself off and come get some water."

"Water? There's no water here.. and why would I follow you?" she coughed, shaking her head briefly before wincing in pain as the world spun around her briefly. "You're just my mind tricking me into seeing other beings."

"Oh, yeah.. I too have full conversations with imaginary cats," back, lifting an eyebrow as he kinked his tail over his back to summon her. "Come on."

Kite stared at the retreating tomcat in shock before blinking and struggling to her paws, briefly watching the sand fall off of her back and return to the ground before stumbling after the strange being padding along ahead of her. "What!" she wheezed, floundering with each step and sinking down before fighting her way back up to the surface of the sand. She growled lowly and triggered a brief coughing fir before looking up to see the tom sitting next to a cactus and staring at her in fond amusement. "What?"

"Nothing," came the equally amused reply as calm eyes watched her until the she-cat finally made her way over to him. He then shifted onto his hind paws and carefully ran his claws between the spines of the cactus, drawing out the sweet water hidden beneath the spiny exterior.

"How did you-?"

"It's a cactus.. they hold a bunch of water from the few heavy storms the desert has and store it as a way to survive. If you know how to get to it, you'll never go thirsty."

"How do you know all of this? Who even are you?" she asked in confusion, swallowing thickly to quell the watering threatening to leave her lips as she watched the water spill onto the sand.

Though he didn't say anything, Kite was sure he could tell she had no idea how to get the water without injuring herself and he shifted himself to be closer to the cactus before using his claws to pull a small chunk away. "Here, drink first and I'll explain."

Kite eyed him warily before taking a step forward and drawing her tongue over the fleshy surface of the cactus, surprised to find it surprisingly juicy. She had to stop herself from taking the entire chunk in her mouth and biting down, the logical part of her brain knowing the tomcat next to her would make fun of her if she ended up with the spines in her mouth. "So?" she mumbled, flicking her tail with a slight frown as she kept lapping at the cactus.

"Right," he hummed and lifted his chin, curling his tail around his paws as he watched her. "I'm called Viper and I know all of this because I was raised here. I was taught how to survive by my mother, just as she was taught to survive by her mother and so on. My question to you is.. what are you doing here? You don't seem like the kind of cat to be wandering around the desert."

Kite tensed and her ears flicked back, briefly making Viper regret his words. "I-" she started, sitting up as her thirst was briefly quenched. "I was left here.."

"What?"

"I was left here," she snapped, eyes watering slightly. "I don't know what I did.."

"Hey, now.. I'm sure you didn't do anything," he murmured quickly, trying to reassure her even as he shifted his paws awkwardly. It'd been a long time since he'd seen another cat who wasn't born to The Sands and he wasn't quite sure how to handle the outburst. "Maybe.. maybe the dune walkers didn't know you weren't with them? I'm sure they're out looking for you now!"

"The what? Nevermind.." she gasped, ears flat as she shook with the strength of her emotions, the tears still refusing to fall. "I know they're gone so it doesn't matter."

Viper blinked at her sadly, tail twitching as he half stood with the intention of resting the appendage on the she-cat's shoulder in comfort but stopping when Kite turned her head away before drawing herself up with a sharp inhale. She then turned to look at Viper with a hard look in her eyes, ears pricked and tail lashing in such determination that it briefly startled Viper as he had not seen such a sudden mood change in any cat before. Most who lived here had a rather bleak outlook on life and held the mentally it of 'every cat keeps to themselves.'

"Teach me how to survive in the desert."

(1,200 words)

[kaminari.denki]

Kite crouched down slowly, eyes zeroing in on a small lizard sitting on top of the sand just a few pawsteps away.

She shifted her paws closer together and taking a deep breath before taking a few steps forward to bring her into pouncing range. One breath in, one breath out and-

"You're doing it wrong."

Kite yelped and jumped, hissing in frustration when the sudden noise made the lizard scurry away with quick steps that carried the tiny creature across the sand faster than she could ever dream of doing. She clenched her teeth and lashed her tail before whirling around to face the cat she'd taken on as a mentor. "What was that for! That could've been the first meal I'd had all day!" she snapped before realising that Viper was nowhere to be seen. "And where are you!"

"You wouldn't've caught it in any case," came his voice again before he revealed himself to be barely a tail-length away from Kite as he stood up and shook out his fur which had been covered in sand. "Because what you're doing right now is your first mistake, my dear Kite."

"What I'm doing now? I'm just standing here, you crazy tomcat!" she growled, struggling to keep her voice low lest she scared away any other possible prey that may be hanging around.

"Exactly," he hummed, stepping forward and wrapping around her. "Your mistake is that you're visible. A key element to surviving and hunting in the desert is knowing how to hide in plain sight. Did you know where I was before I revealed myself yo you?"

"No.."

"Good, that was the point. I'd been watching you since sunrise and you didn't even notice."

"You were asleep when I left, what do you mean you were watching me?"

"Another key element: sleep lightly. You never know when a predator may be around the corner or circling above your head," he hummed, pale eyes moving to scan their surroundings.

"Ugh, fine.. teach me how to hunt 'properly', then.. I'm starving.."

"I know," he snorted with a shake of his head. "Your stomach was rumbling loud enough to cause a dust storm."

"Oh, ha ha, Viper.. just shut up and teach me."

"As you wish, Queen Kite."

"Queen Kite, huh? I like the sound of that," she chuckled, tipping her head to the side with a slight smirk. Viper shook his head and cuffed her gently over the head with one paw.

"Don't get used to it," he responded before taking a few steps to the side. "Now then, ready to learn?"

"Duh," she answered, her smirk turning into a confident smile as she shifted into the same hunting crouch she'd used all her life. Viper sighed and shook his head as he watched her movements, tail flicking gently across the surface and just barely disturbing the top layer. "What now."

"Did you truly forget what I just said barely a moment ago?" he asked in disbelief.

"No, you said something about hiding in plain sight to survive.. but what does that have to do with hunting?"

"Do you not hunt to survive?"

"Don't get sassy with me, just show me what I have to do," Kite grunted with a growling snort as she turned away from the tomcat. Viper rolled his eyes before moving to her side with a hum and drawing his tail under his stomach until she stood up with an undignified yelp. "What was that for?"

"We don't crouch in the desert, it's too visible. Like I said: a key element to surviving in the desert i-"

"Is hiding in plain sight, I know!" Kite snapped, lashing her tail as she shifted her weight to keep from sinking. "You've said it three times but have yet to tell me what that mea- what are you doing?"

Viper, while Kite had been speaking (or perhaps ranting would be a more appropriate word), had curled his legs under his body to settle down onto the said and was now shifting his weight and slowly sinking deeper into the sand. "I don't need to tell you if I show you. Now lay down with your paws under you."

Kite narrowed her eyes, muttering about how stupid this seemed but doing what the tom suggested and settled down next to him. "Fine, what now?"

"Do what I'm doing.. slowly shift your weight until you start sinking under the sand and keep going until you're fully covered."

"Oh, this is definitely stupid," she growled. "Are you just messing with me?"

"No, this is how to desert works. If you're not going to bother to try and find your dune walkers, then you need to listen when I teach you," Viper snapped, finally showing his irritation at the lacklustre attitude Kite was displaying. It was startling to hear such an aggressive tone from a being half-buried in the sand but it certainly startled Kite as was intended and she frowned, ears flattening against her head as she looked down and obediently began shifting her body and letting herself sink into the sand. Viper sighed and drew his tongue over his nose, glancing over at her with the intention of apologising before shaking his head and taking a deep breath and going completely under the sand. The sand was still for a moment before Viper's nose reappeared and he exhaled and blew a small spout of sand into the air before breathing normally. He took a few breaths before the very edge of his lips appeared and he spoke in a low voice, keeping sand from entering his mouth.

"In the desert, you have to rely on your other sense as sight is not as useful here.. especially because more movement happens at night to protect us from the worst heat. So take a deep breath, bury yourself and focus on your senses of smell and feel.. and be patient."

Kite swallowed heavily before nodding, continuing to shift her body under the sand until she was completely covered before taking a deep breath and going under. Panic flared in her chest briefly but she forced herself to remain calm, despite how loudly her heart was pounding in her ears, before poking her nose out of the sand and exhaling sharply to clear the excess away. She couldn't see or hear and it was throwing her off, making her feel out of control and she certainly didn't like it. Obviously, this wasn't the first time she hadn't been in control - considering her current circumstances in the desert - but this was the first time she'd willingly let herself be put into a position like this and she had a weird feeling that this certainly wouldn't be the last.

She couldn't tell how long they'd been waiting under the sand and the simmering panic was slowly intensifying, making her breath come more heavily and shift the sand above her head. "V-Viper?" she whispered, voice shaking as she called out for the tomcat who she hoped was still buried beside her.

"I'm here," he hummed, which was muffled due to the sand and she felt the words more than she heard them. "You're okay."

"Okay.. h-how long how we been under here?"

"Not too long. I know it seems like forever without your vision but if you stay here. you'll get used to it. Trust me?"

Kite let out a breathless huff of laughter, her fear lessening slightly now that she knew she wasn't alone but it was still there. "Honestly, not really but you're the only one who hasn't abandoned me yet so I'll go with yes for now."

"Fair enough," came his amused reply before he gasped. "Shh.. something's coming. Untuck your paws slowly."

"What?"

"SHH! Untuck. Your paws," he repeated, voice low and stilted as if he was trying not to startle something on the surface. "I'm going to let you.. try and catch this.."

'Catch what?' she wondered but kept the question to herself as she very slowly uncurled her front paws, claws kneading the roughness in front of her nervously.

"Ready?"

"I guess?!"

"Okay, very slowly push yourself up until you can see and then attack to your right as fast as you can," he explained softly. Kite was still for a moment, trying to process everything that was happening before slowly pushing herself up until she could feel the sand fall away from her face. She heard something skittering to her right and without waiting for the sand to clear from her face fully, she darted his paw out and slammed it down on something before letting her claws pierce through whatever was under her foot until it stilled.

"Good job!" Viper hummed, his voice sounding much clearer and she heard sand shifting beside her. Kite shook her head quickly and slowly opened her eyes, surprised to see a lizard trapped beneath her claws. "Congrats on your first desert catch, Kite."

"I.. I did that?"

"Yep, only took three sunrises," he smirked, stepping closer and draping his tail over her shoulder. "Enjoy it."

Kite rolled her eyes at the snark before she grinned, feeling prideful as the accomplishment flared through her system and easily overwhelmed the lingering panic as she let out an ecstatic chirp and bounced in place, eyes bright as she glanced between the lizard and her mentor in an energy-filled loop. "That was amazing," she chuckled, almost breathless as she managed to calm herself down before prodding the lizard with one paw and frowning at the sharp and spiny texture of the reptile. "Uh.. how do I.. eat this?"

"Ah.. lesson number two of surviving in the desert. How to eat your spiky catch!"

"Oh, boy.."

(1,619 words)