G olden eyes peered out of the foliage, the lithe black Feline slowly crawled back into the bushes whence he came. He’d gotten the information he had been sent for and now the only problem was to get back to the Lines with it. His way was blocked by Hyooman forces and without a little help, there was no way he ws getting through.

Random took inventory of what he had, trying furtively to figure some plan of action, something that would get him past that blockade. He wiped the rain from his eyes and looked up at the gloomy sky, he thought of his lady back home, her tilted green eyes stared back at him from the gray clouds. Tears mingled with the rain on his muzzle as he searched the gloomy sky for answers, anything that would tell him how he was to do this.

Oh Merith, will I ever make it back to you? He should have proposed to her when he was last home, but he had put it off till after this mission and now he might never get the chance. His head drooped under the sadness that flooded through him. His whole squad had been lost and he was the only one who had the information they so badly needed on the Hyooman troop movements. His face took on a determined look, and he rumbled deep in his chest, by the Gods I am going to make it home. I will make it.

He peered again and watched the Hyoomans down on the trail, brutish things, ungainly in their movements but brutal in their desire to wipe out the Folk. His paw clenched around the dagger that Merith had given him for his birthday, he had taken care of the fine Murasawa Blade, it was crafted of fine steel and had got him out of many a rough spot. All he needed was luck and some more rain, he prayed fervently to all the Gods he could think of just to give him that one chance, just one.

He sighed heavily and knew what he had to do, there was no way around this blockade or through the jungles surrounding it. He had to go through it.

Damn them he thought, damn them to the darkest, blackest Hells he could think of. They knew he was out here, and they knew he had to go this way back to the Lines, damn their black eyes!

The rain thickened as he crept slowly down the hillside, his left paw gripping the dagger tightly as he drew his sword with the other. The charcoal he had used to camoflauge himself was slowly being washed off, revealing a glossy black coat that would surely give him away.

Closer he moved till the scent of the Hyoomans overwhelmed his senses, gods, didn’t they ever bathe?

An hour passed till he was right beside the blockade, he counted nine Hyoomans, this was more than a single Folk warrior could handle, their huge swords and axes gleamed menacingly in the pouring rain. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, Merith, I will always love you, and I will always be with you no matter what. He kissed the blade of the dagger and whispered to it, please, please let me have just a chance. He bowed his head again and sent his love winging her way and then leapt.

The Hyoomans were standing around the campfire when the raging scream of three hundred pounds of Feline leapt into their midst with blades flashing. They stood shocked as the roaing Cat disemboweled two of their companions, swinging the long blade and cutting them down before they could even register his presence. They quickly recovered from the shock and grabbed weapons as they rushed toward the hated Folk Warrior. More poured out of tents and Random realized he had made a terrible mistake, he had not seen the other Hyoomans and now he knew his doom was upon him.

He leapt and screamed war-cries as his blades flashed again and again, cutting and slicing through pale Hyooman flesh, blood spattering over him as he twisted and turned in a dance of death.

Far away in a cozy house, a pretty Fox with tilted green eyes stared into the fireplace as the light washed over her. She had not heard from her beloved for weeks and had been fearing the worst. Her breath caught in her chest as she saw an image of her love leaping into a Hyooman encampment with his blades singing a song of death. She knew in the very core of her being that she was seeing her beloved Random.

She whispered to the raging fire,”I love you, oh please come back to me Random, please don’t leave me, Come home to me my love.”

Her words were caught by a tiny breeze and taken away to where a Feline fought dearly for his life.

Hyooman blades reached in again and again to cut or nick, slowly wearing him away as he put all his strength and knowledge of the blade into keeping them away as he edged closer to the path he had to take. He fought for all he was worth, relying on his mastery of himself and his love for Merith, he drew deep from the wellspring of his soul and brought forth the raging Cat that roared and screamed, cut and sliced his way through the Hyooman’s. His hopes were dashed when he saw more troops coming from down the pass, he knew, he now knew that he would never feel Merith’s sweet embrace again. Dawning on him was the sudden realization that he was not going to make it, his strength was ebbing, and his vision was blurring as the Hyoomans were taking the toll of his last vestiges of strength.

He backed into a stand of trees and snarled at them as he raised his blades, his voice screaming his death song as he looked them in the eyes.

A blade flashed in and caught him in the side, he felt the steel bite deep, and the warm blood flowing down his fur. He dropped to his knees and looked up at a large Hyooman laughing and raising his axe for the final blow.

He thought of Merith and how he loved her so, how he should have proposed and now, now she would be alone and he would die here far away from her and her sweet embrace.

He stared up in defiance of this Hyooman, he spit in its face and snarled in their own guttural language,”Filthy pig, I defy you to the last.” His claws flashed out and hamstrung one of the beasts standing beside him, who went down howling and holding his leg. As axe raised and flashed down for the killing stroke, Random waited for the blade to cleave into his skull, but it never came. He looked up and his golden eyes widened in shock, all around him the Hyoomans stood frozen in their last moments, the huge axe stopped above his head. The dagger his love had gave him glowed brightly in the mud, murmuring to itself.

He stood slowly, clutching his side and retrieved his weapons, the dagger filling him with warmth as he moved away from the strange sight. He moved down the trails as fast as his paws could take him, thinking back on what she had told him about the dagger.

“It is called Moment my love, the smith who created says it has special powers, by love it was forged, by love it will act.” ,she had kissed the blade and given it to him. He had laughed and smiled as he figured it was just a smith’s tale to up the price of the blade.

He watched as the Hyoomans came alive and looked around wondering where their captive had gone, laughter came over him as he moved out through the trails, he had miles to go and he was confident that Merith would not be alone now.

A smile broke over his face as he whispered into the wind, “Merith, I got my moment, I got it and now I’m coming home.”

The rain washed his tracks away as he ran down the trail toward the Lines.

“I’m coming home.”