[Flashback] Here kitty, kitty [Solo]

[Tressa]

Spring, 508 av "You stay close little one, no running off now. Tis not the time nor place for your antics Tressa" The stern tone carried to the small cub's ears and she knew it was her mother reminding her to mind. Not far from her, her brother was treading through the hardened snow cursing under his breath about not being allowed to fly as his feet broke into yet another hole of it. He was older than she by a year or so, which was alot considering their race. He looked rather cold, the tender flesh of his human form had been ravished by the gusts of bitterness that the world threw about the land, leaving raw chapped skin in its wake. He looked miserable at best, all but the look of determination and hatred worn across his face. It was intimidating, and it made her quiver. Teen angst her mother had called it once, when he'd been throwing a massive tantrum over some new form of something or other. She couldn't recall the subject, but the memory of the swift kick to her ribs that prevailed from that was enough to almost bring back the pulsating agony that'd filled her torso. Had his expression not been as vile as it now was she might of submitted to being carried, offering the warmth of her thick winter coat to ease the chill of his flesh. In his current mood she had no doubt he'd throw her, or purposly injure her in some form of rebellion. She was young and easily distracted by the smallest of things, so it was no wonder that she'd completly forgotton about everything except the new snow that had begun to fall. Large, perfectly formed flakes of frozen wonder drifted down, landing here and there, each one reflecting the most minute amounts of light as they spun downward from the heavens to eventually become one inconsequential part of a very imposing layer of snow. Awe filled her golden feline eyes she'd seen it snow, but had never been allowed to venture out in it. Her mother did her best to keep her babe confined to their home. Tossing her weight back Tressa clumsily balanced her self momentarily on her back legs. The pressure of the added weight on her delicate pads made her legs tremble and she could feel every muscle in her body tensing and pulling in ways they wern't accustomed to. Excitedly she swiped one tiny paw at the oncoming flakes. Only seconds after completing her proud feat she lost it, losing her control of the acrobatic act she plummeted backwards. Her muscles had given out under the strain of supporting her in a new fashion. Gravity caught her, pulling her down hard against the frozen top of the snow. She barely weighed enough to break it's surface and it left her stunned. Laying limply on the ground unwilling to move. The landing hadn't injured her, just left superfical pain ruling her form momentarily a combination of every strained muscle trying to recooperate. "Mommy, mommy" She balled, sounding to the rest of the world like pitiful whimpering. She didn't notice her mother and sibling had continued on, not detecting her delay. Her mother didn't run to her aide and Tressa realizing she wasn't going to pulled herself from the ground. Almost instantly becoming obcessed once more with the white crystals, forgetting the now dull ache of her body. This time she lept for them. Crouching low to the earth, her haunches raised, her muscles once more tensed, ready to spring and her eyes fixed on the flakes. She readied herself for the jump, her tail swaying in excitment as she pounced, leaping higher into the air than she intended to and feeling more than one muscle pull violently against her tendons. "Merowr" She called out in a intended intimidating way, sounding just like a kitten. She made no contact with her intended targets, but instead, with her eyes widened by the emotional mix of fear and surprise she fell forward from the air. Thrashing violently at nothing with every intetion to land on her feet the maladroit cub misjudged her landing and impacted maw first into the unrelenting ground. The force of the fall left her tumbling back over head in a forward motion. After several complete rotations her sharp, yet feeble infantile claws managed to hook the ground. Stopping her abruptly in a way that flipped her and left on her back facing the opposite direction. Still exhausted from her last attempt at agility Tressa decided to rest. Giving herself time to shake off the overwhelming feeling that had taken hold of her and let her aching body collapse under stress to the ground. I won't ever do that again. She thought decidingly wincing off a muscle spasm in her shoulder. Not knowing in her puerile mind that she'd do it for the rest of her life. Looking around, her thoughts no longer hypnotized by the snowflakes she realized she was all alone. Panic struck her quickly all at once bringing with it the notice of how cold she was. She hadn't noticed before, but her fur, being wet with the freezing snow was no longer a barrier against the wind, instead it left her vulnerable to it, aiding it in it's task to chill everything it touched to the core. She ran quickly in the original direction her family had been going, sniffing the ground in desperation and searching for any remaining footprints they had left. With no luck she admitted the fact that she was alone and had no hope of finding them. The snow held no scent for her untrained nose to follow and there were too many snow tracks for her to know which ones had been left by her mother and brother. Even if she tried to follow them they would be swallowed by the elements long before her tired limbs could reach the end of them, if they ever stopped.

[Tressa]

She once again let her body fall to the ground, she was exhausted. The long walk and her rough playing had pushed her to her limits. She was only a baby, barely weaned. Lifting her head to the earth she used her remaining strength to cry loudly for anyone, not just her mother. Her pitiful screams carried through the air for only a short distance before being enveloped by the wind and smothered. If only she'd known her mother and older sibling were only moments from her at the traveler's way, begging frantically for anyone to tell them if they'd seen a tiger cub on their way in. It may have inspired hope in her, but never being alone in Denval, always trailing after her mother, she wouldn't have even known the way. The white snow surrounding her camoflauged her perfectly, leaving only a faint glimpse of black stripes to be seen against the earth. She didn't realize the horrific extent of the situation she was in, her thoughts were not of freezing to death, but of hunger, warmth and sleep. "Oh, do you hear it now?" Tressa silenced her cries, hearing the excited squeel of a child. Her helpless call had been heard. She could see a human child approaching her and her need for rescue turned to fear in an instant. The bumbling child neared her quickly, seeming to spot her almost too easily. "Oh, mother! It's just a baby, surely we can't let the kitten freeze out here!" The girl yelled back, most likely to her parents. The child in her young age mistook the tiger cub for a house cat's kitten, oblivious to the difference in size and markings. Tressa was small for her breed and age, but she would surely tower over a kitten. The brazen girl reached down to Tressa, boldly dragging a small hand across her wet fur. "Oh, you poor baby" She cooed in a loving way, scooping Tressa from the snow in one quick motion. Tressa was in the girl's arms before she knew what was happening. She understood what the child said, but her instincts told her despite the warmth and tenderness it was not where she wanted to be. Not long after being swaddled in the child's arms a winded looking human woman appeared beside the girl. Tressa took this to be her mother. "That is not a kitten!" Her mother said in shock as sternly as she could, demanding the girl to drop the wretched thing where she found it. Tressa listened intently, beginning to find that she rather liked the girl. It became an argument and the protests of 'It is a wild thing and it will not be tiny forever', and 'One day it is going to think you are food' were eventually won over by the girl's demands of not letting it die. She never realized that "it" was her. Too engrossed by the feeling of being saved. Tressa had long since dozed off, wrapped in the warmth of a strong willed tender hearted little girl and her tired yellow eyes opened to the sounds of many voices and a crudely made bottle filled with warm goat's milk being shoved into her mouth. Hissing she quickly turned her head from the contraption invading her space. Still the child persisted, turning the cubs head forcefully towards it and prying it into her mouth again. Her hissing grew louder and louder, the threat of biting or clawing growing with it's volume, and the girl's persistant nature grew stronger and stronger until it had seemingly attracted the attention of the whole establishment in it's entirity. Employee and customer the same. The girl eventually won, the forced bottle leaking milk into Tressa's mouth. Once realizing it was food and tasting the thick sweetness of the fresh milk she ate ravenously, biting the bottle to make the nurturing substance flow to her quickly. "See now, all that fussing about it you did" The girl scolded the Tressa, trying a little too hard to sound like a mother scolding a child. When the bottle lay empty on the table Tressa finally observed her surroundings. Laying like an infant in the girl's arms she seen people sitting everywhere, conversing and eating amongst other things. It was the same place her mother had been begging for her to be found. The curiousity streak that she would obtain well after adulthood took hold of her and she clambered out of the girls loose grasp, taking her stance atop the table. This was all new to her, the smells, the sounds, the objects. She'd never been inside an establishment like this and she'd been raised thus far in a barn. First spotting not far from their table a large woman with a peculiar looking hat sporting a large, bright feather. Despite the girl's protests and grabbing attempts and her mother's yells of grief Tressa bounded across the table, fully rested and full of energy. Reaching the end of her said path she halted, quickly digging her nails frantically into the wood and nearly sliding right off the edge of the table's edge. Finding herself still atop the table she proudly held her head high whilst her terror was still held in her rapid heart beat, before cautiously peering over the edge to the floor below. Seeing what appeared to be and really wasn't a long drop she thought of her earlier encounter with leaping. It took seconds for her to decide against the jump and turn to seek an alternative route. Following the edge of the table back towards where her rescuer sat. The girl moved from her seat in an attempt to capture Tressa from her exploring, but failed. Just as she reached out to snatch up the tiger cub Tressa found what she'd been looking for. Quickly she hopped from the table to the pulled out chair and then to the floor. A perfect landing on all four feet left her even more prideful of herself. She'd done it, without fault. "Feather, feather, feather" She repeated excitedly in her feline tongue. Running towards the table with the woman in the hat with the feather she payed no mind to the child chasing after her. She reached her target in good time, darting under the table in a streak of black and white. Few people had seen her, but already a fuss had began to stir amongst the crowd. Only worsening at the the sound the woman made as Tressa carlessly scaled her like a tree. Running up the woman's leg, to her arm paying no mind to the situation around her. When in reach of the enticing remaint of some avian creature she made quick work of swiping it in her dainty paw, than making to descend the woman just as quickly. A large hand made a grab at her, belonging to the keeper of the establishment. Her plan of escape foiled and not wanting to be scooped up by the angry voice yelling profanities at her Tressa leapt from the woman's shoulder. It came out of fear, in which she did not think. Her landing was ungraceful and unplanned. And she was sent sliding into a chair, yelling out at the sudden jolt of pain felt by the impact. Her pursuer on her heels she shook it off quickly, looking around for her next move. She spotted a shelf, it was quite a ways away, beyond the bar, but it was high and she would be safe for a moment at least. Turning to watch the man advance on her Tressa waited until the last moment, the moment when he was only inches from her before dodging past him to her left. A loud crash followed by the sound of splintering wood and more profanity rang out across the room. It was no longer a game, she was being hunted. Escape was her only intention now. The tables and chairs became obstacles she was thankful for. Atleast three people trailed her now and while she easily manuvered the furniture, her persuers couldn't bob and weave through it as she could. Reaching the bar she was faced with many people, appalled at the incident rushing out the door. Now with the possibility of being stepped on, or worse she couldn't pass and neither could her assailants. A change in plans would offer her escape and she quickly changed direction. Headed for the door Tressa ran passed the crowd exiting it. In a jumble of feet and commotion she found herself outside in the snow once more. "I'm going to skin you, ya're a filthy little beast" Looking back to the entrance she seen him, the keep, his face red and wood splinters still covering his clothing was still after her. Surely he'd never catch her outside. There were too many places to hide, but he had help. Taking off into the snow Tressa ran as fast and as far as she could. Her breathing was heavy and her inhales were made difficult by the force of the wind. She became winded quickly slowing to a walk. Her breaths came fast and harsh, panting. She couldnt run anymore. Her legs ached again and her throat was raw from the bitter air. Many buildings and homes surrounded her, but she didn't want to ever see another human again.

[Tressa]

The inn keep had given up the chase and she was happy for it. She knew she'd caused a big mess and she found it funny, hilarious even. Out of danger for the moment she felt victorious. It didn't stop at her pride though, she pranced around in a little circle her head held high, a victory dance at it's best. The sun was still high in the sky and the loss of her family was lost temperarily in the swirling caos of her mind. She wanted to play and the wind had died down to a mere breeze, briging with its departure a glimpse of sunlight that'd managed to break through the hazy overcast that sheilded the beauty of the sky from view. In the distance, though not far from where she stood the docks were alive with chatter. The sailors Sailors meant cargo, cargo meant boats and boats meant rope! Her entire body shivered in excitement, from the tip of her velvet nose to the end of her striped tail. Driven by excitement Tressa ran awkwardly across the snowdrifts. They were melting slowly making the larger banks vulnerable to caving in, so she steered clear of them. The sun felt good on her fur she'd never seen much of it and it brought her comfort. All she remembered was the endless snow, no matter who told her it did, she doubted summer even existed. She could see the ships masts now, looming over everything around them and seeming to almost pierce the clouds. With giant sails that had been raised, rolled tightly and then bound so only the waves could shift the vessels against their anchors. The sight of them captivated her, she'd only heard stories of the large ships. Weaved into wonder by her mother's words at bed time. So had the simple sight of it amazed her as she rounded a large building and approached the docks she was in awe. More wonderful than the simple masts the ships themselves lining the plank walk were a splender for her to behold. Larger than she'd imagined, with strange things aboard them. Cautious excitment filled her being, she wanted to explore it all and play. The riot she'd caused at the inn left her mind, replaced by all of the new interesting things. Nobody seemed to notice her as she meandered up the pier. The sea bards were lost in their work. Large intimidating men with worn clothes and the scent of stale ale about them scattered the area. Some were chatting, whilst others were heaving large crates and still others bartered amongst themselves about the wares. It was loud and many profanities she'd yet to learn were yelled throughout the air. A large rope dangled in the wind, sagging only slightly with it's weight. It was tied off to the top of a large wooden box adorning a word she didn't understand. The tossing of it in the wind entrapped her attention her gaze glued to it. She darted towards it with no other thought than catching it driving her forward. If she was noticed she didn't realize it. She reached her goal, leaping gleefully to swipe at the alluring thing. It evaded her every attempt, baiting her in it's rythmatic sways to try again and again. Gathering all of her willpower and strength she leapt at it, propelled by her back legs from the wooden walk. With one might filled swipe of determination she found herself hanging from it. With her tiny claws embedded in the rough material and her yellow eyes filled with wonder at her feat Tressa swung precariously in the air. She had done it. The motion of being tossed by the breeze sent her innards summersaulting and her senses became overwhelmed. Her awe turned to desperation to get down almost instantaniously. She was unsure of how down worked, she didn't want to jump. The fall of only a foot or two looked to her as a death defying leap, one she wasn't about to take. "Help" Her anxious meows came one after the other. It seemed like an eternity before anyone noticed her. "Now what 'ave we here" A deep, gruff voice said behind her. Before she could turn her head to attempt a view at her rescuer a large rough hand plucked her from her roost, taking no mind to handle her gently. She was unaccustomed to being grabbed so heartlessly and she responded to her captor with a frightened hiss. "Well by the gods it's a damned tiger cub, white one at that." While he spoke he flipped Tressa around in his hands examining his find. Frightened further by his actions she bristled her fur and bit him as hard as she could. Her attack made contact with the sensative skin between his thumb and pointer finger. "Blasted beast" He cursed and she quickly found herself being shook violently in his anger. "Now, yer going ter learn quick little one that, that thar isn't acceptable, yer coming with me." His words meant more than Tressa knew and his tone held anger, bitterness and authority. Trembling from the unexpected retort she could only submit to his will, she was no match for the sea hardened man.

[Tressa]

He walked quickly, much more quickly than her brother, or mother or the girl. He didn't pay any mind to the creature he jostled about and Tressa was aggitated. Put me down, she thought hissing again as she swiped her claws at his bare hands. The superficial rips in his calloused flesh left by her harmless attacks didn't seem to phase him in the least and she began to make distressed noises. "Shut yer yap." He ordered, moving his spare hand over her body as if threatening to shake her again. The pressure of his fingers wrapped around her ribs made breathing a task and she resisted the notion to bite him again. He couldn't hold her forever, surely her mommy was on her way, her mommy would put him in his place. She watched as he carried her across the walk and onto a ship. It wasn't one of the pretty ships she'd seen looked at as she'd come to the dock. It was big, but homely. It's wood worn and scarred by age and it's sails frayed from neglect. Several men scurried about the deck each one set on a different task. Normally her curiousity would have led her to be enthralled by their work, enticed by the simplist things. But, she was upset, anger and confusion seethed through her. She didn't like this man, his clothes were dirty and he smelled like bile and spirits. His tone was harsh and his actions were abusive. "Aye captain, what is that?" She couldn't see the person who spoke, but she quickly reached an understanding as the man restraining her answered. His tone just as dark as it had been towards her he answered. "A tiger cub, I'm betting it's Kelvic, but either way she'll fetch a few pretty miza's, given I can teach the beast to be docile." He was the captain, this was his ship. His last words struck her hard and terror welled inside her. She knew mizas were money and she knew what he meant. He planned to sell her! Tressa, filled with the adrenaline rush of fear beagan to struggle once more. Biting and clawing frantically at any exposed flesh his restraint left her in reach of. In her desperation she knew not if she made contact and his reaction jarred her horribly. A heavy hand slammed down on to her head and took hold of the loose fur covered skin that settled at the base of her neck. Her head swarmed from the blow sickening her and her attacks seized. He grasped her tightly, almost painfully by the scruff of her neck and thrust her backwards. Suspending her in mid air at the mercy of his grip. Her hair caught painfully between his fingers pulled at her skin and sent the intricate nerves in her upper body into a frenzy of signals. She was helpless in a true sense of the word, her only option was to struggle pointlessly in protest. And all it managed to achieve was her swaying body and a waste of energy. He'd won again. He left her suspended as he walked, paying no care to how she was afflicted by it. The sound of a clicking door handle brought her to observe her surroundings. It was darker now, they were below the deck. Dim lamps burned pathetically lighting the corridor of doors and then it was gone from view. A loud thud told her they'd entered a new room and he'd shut the door. She was released quickly, left to free fall to the dark floor and she landed hard on her feet. Most of the shock being absorbed through her pads she was spared from injury other than the sharp pain that entered her back leg. Silently contorting her body to face the soreness she licked her leg intently. It was internal whatever it was and her effort brought only the slightest of relief. Heavy footsteps shuffled across the floor and then a dim light appeared from a table in the corner. She could see the room now. A bed sat near the table and the rest of the room was bare, except for two large chests set against the opposite wall. Her eyes settled on the large man, hatred burning brightly in them. He was cruel, scary and smelly. She wanted her mommy. The man captain had made his way to the chests and was condensed in searching through one, obviously looking for something. "Here kitty, kitty" He laughed coldly as he turned from his possesions tossing two chipped clay bowls to the floor he held a strip of thick leather in his hand. It had been previously fashioned into a make shift collar and Tressa started at the sight of it. She pinned her ears back, she was cornered. The room offered her no cover, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide and her leg ached menicingly. She hissed at him as he neared her, one heavy booted footstep after the first in a repeated rythm thudding against the bare wood. She made it a struggle for him writhing her body against his attempts to secure the blasted thing about her neck. Fighting tooth and nail in a blinded fury only to find herself knocked about, exhausted and harnessed. "Kelvic or not, you'll not be evading me lovey" He cooed to her in a cold, sickeningly affection masked tone as he peered down at the panting cub. She was left in a heap of winded fury, the collar tightened well around her neck in an assurity that she couldn't free herself from it. It made her breaths come forced and it left a funny feeling in her throat.

[Tressa]

Silence settled over the room and sickening feeling lurked inside her she couldn't quite place it's complete origin, surely it was a combination of fear and uncertainty with a dash of insecurity and a pinch of loneliness. Her heart beat rapidly in silent fury and nervousness. Though her anger was only apparent in the quickened rise and fall of her chest her humiliation was obvious. She was helpless against this man, her rescuer turned captor? She didn’t move, laying in the defeated heap he’d left her. More now than ever she longed for her brother, even at his worst he’d never treated her as so and she didn’t want to be sold. She’d heard the stories about the slave trade, they never ended happily. Physical retort did her no good, and now she was forced to stay in her tiger form. She doubted she’d be anymore fearsome as a naked child, but at least she would’ve been able to open the blasted door. The collar was itchy, matting her fur against her skin, sore from his manhandling of her. Instinctively she brought her back leg to scratch at it. The feeling of her claws tearing against the irritated skin bringing only momentary comfort. “Now ye be scratchin’ all yer want to” He laughed at her. It wasn’t a cold laughter, but it was still unsettling. Cruelty lurked in it’s presence bringing her attention quickly to the sound of boots scuffing the worn wood floor towards her. It was an annoying sound and with it came increased anxiety. She pinned her ears feeling threatened by his advance and quickly crawled back away from him her eyes never leaving his hands. Her body ached from the days abuse upon it, muscles pulled and strained operating against their will and bruised skin lingered beneath the cover of her fur. He must’ve found her retreat humorous, because he chuckled loudly. “Be a good pussy cat” He added to his spell, the laughter still apparent. Paying her no more mind he turned abruptly and with a swift click, open, slam Tress was left in solitude. Security slowly crept into her after realizing he’d stepped out for awhile she went to work exploring as fast as her physical state would allow. The room offered no means of escape other than the door, no windows, though even if it did she‘d probably only view water through it, no grates, only the door. The bedroll smelled of sweat and grime amongst other foreign and stale scents. The table, could offer a retreating spot, but it surely wouldn’t offer protection from him if he chose to grab for her. She was too short to peer atop it, but she could climb it. Not now, tomorrow. She decided, figuring that attempting any more acrobatic feats today would surely leave her unable to do the simplest things. The chests were unlocked but closed and with no thumbs she’d never get them open. So this was her prison, a smelly bare room with no window on a worn old ship, with no food or water. The solitude quickly overwhelmed her. She wasn’t used to being alone, especially in a strange place. Her mother or brother had always been beside her, comforting and reassuring her. She lost her edge and found herself reduced to meowing and scratching at the door pitifully. Her cries growing in urgency and sadness with every anxious scratch made. Nobody was coming for her, nobody could hear her, still she persisted on until her tired body won and she succumbed to uneasy sleep before the door. Startled by an unknown noise she jumped to alertness, she wasn’t sure how long she’d slept but the lamp had burned out and darkness dominated the small room. In the dark she’d always had the advantage, but even in pitch black she was left for the most part blind. What had the noise been that’d awaken her? It had been close, close enough to throw her from her slumber in alarm. She rose, stretching quickly. The fresh smell of stale ale told her he’d returned not long ago, but another scent mingled with it now, the scent of another.

[Tressa]

Cautiously she peered into the darkness of the room, she could see the form of his sleeping body strewn drunkenly across the bedroll. He was alone in his slumber, but where was the owner of the new scent? Her nose twitched, straining to separate the scents that mingled in the air, concentrating on following them all back to their sources. The ale and filth back to the man and the scent of perfume and something she couldn’t place back to the mystery person. Clink, clink.. The sound came again, it was soft but high pitched and it left her thinking only of it. Settling back clumsily onto her haunches she tilted her head to the side. Her yellow eyes searched the room in curiosity and her ears prickled while she listened. Clink, clink..Clink. It was coming from near where he slept and she bounded over to the location desiring badly to know what it was. “Oh, no!” a very surprised woman burst out in shock as Tressa ran directly into her. The woman was cloaked in black, carefully removing mizas from the man’s satchel and dropping them into her own which rested on the floor. She did this with one hand, with the other she seemed to be holding a flame she kept mostly hidden. Tressa hissed at the sight of her, she was shady looking and left Tressa feeling frightened. The lady seemed quite put off by Tressa’s presence as well. “Shh kitty, if you wake him we are both going to be in big trouble.” Tressa halted her temper, so she wasn’t on his side?