It was the time when the leaves began to fall, scattered by the cold winds of autumn; when hunger came attacked cats.
He was a skinny one, his coat hung loosely on his bony frame. His stomach was empty, always growling for more. His claws were long and sharp, his tail was crooked, and his eyes were big and wild, always in search for food.

It was look I saw on everyone around me.
Every one at the shelter was loosing whatever fat they had before.
They were growing restless and snappy by the day.
Hunger has striked again.

"What are we going to do about this?
We have rationed our food supply as long as we can but it's getting worse. "
Said Sasha. We were at another meeting, one that was garenteed to end up the same. Unsolved.
"Perhaps we should start reducing the mothers share?" A cat named Scar suggested.
Catnip scowled. "No. We must be able to feed our kits! Our future depends on it."
"What if we don't have a future? Sooner or later there will be cats dying. Nothing you can stop from happening. " He argued.
I sat in my place sighing as they continued to arguing.
"They eat to much!"
"Do you want kits to die?"
"Perhaps another idea should be presented." I suggested. Scar turned to me, curling his lip in the beginning of a snarl.
"And what idea is that? Running away?" He spat. I scowled.
"It doesn't have to be. Just a place to stay until winter passes. We don't want any cat dying here. Do we?" I say.

"Of course not. Just it isn't the way to go. I don't want Frost thinking we're weak."

I snorted and rose to my feet.
" You can worry about being weak in the sight of Frost, I'll worry about food. This meeting is adjourned." I ordered.
I left the rear room into the main one only to be startled by a weezing cough.
Beside me was a grey long hair cat by the name of Smokey.
"Did you come to a solution Nutmeg?" He asked.
I shook my head.
" No unfortunately not."
Smokey sighed and began coughing uncontrollably.
"Well tell me when you do. "
He coughed.
"Do you need some water?" I offered.
He was coughing so much that he couldn't talk but only nod. I went to the rain pail and pushed the pail of rain water towards to sick cat who lapped it up .
"Thank you." He sighed.
I went over to the food basket to see there was only a scrawny mouse left.
"I'll go and get some more food." I decided.
Smokey stopped me.
"Forget about me, I'm gonna die anyway. "
"Nonsense. I'll be back and
I gave Smokey the mouse to eat in the meantime while I left to get more food.

The wind was howling, freezing with cold as I walked outside.
The cars on the street were huddled in long lines, trying to warm themselves up.

I raced over to the park next door, my ears were up and my scent glands were alert, in search for any live prey.
After long moments of nothing, I noticed movement in the remains of the tall grass. Excited I slid into a hunters crouch, my thick tail still and my paws tucked underneath me. I crawled forward . Once I was close enough so leapt into the air and pinned down my prey only to be flipped over and pinned onto my back. I stared up to see big blue eyes. I groaned.
"Hello Jay."
The silver grey tabby released me as he sat up on his haunches.
" Hi Nut, trying to hunt so presume?"
"Yes but there is absolutely nothing here."
I complained.
"There has to be at least something. " He thought positively. I shook my head.
"There's nothing. " I muttered.
I felt his tail rest on my shoulder.
"Maybe they're somewhere else in the city." He suggested.
"But where?" I asked.
" We will just have to look every where." He said. And that's what we did.
We searched every inch of the city. We went to the East to the West. South to the North. We found a few mice and squirrels but a lot of them were poisoned. The ones that were fit to be eaten we took them home. But we were too late.

By our feet was Smokey. The grey long hair cat lay limp on his side, his eyes were closed and his haunches didn't move.
"He's dead." Jay said. Stating the obvious.
My heart cracked.
My tail and ears drooped as I stared at him.
It's all my fault.
"Nutmeg before you start thinking-"
"Too late. " I cut him off, knowing already what he is going to say.
" It is not your fault Nut, I refuse to think it is. It's the reality of living in the alleys. When winter comes l, less foos is available then death comes." He reminds me .
My green eyes darken.
"But as leader of the alleys-"
"You couldn't possibly avoid it." He cut me off.
Eyes blurry with tears and my heart hard as rock, I left. Refusing to believe it.
I can avoid more death. And I know how.

Just at that moment so knew what to do. Some may see it as a coward way out but if what Diana says is true, that there is food on the Farmlands, then that's where I am going.
So that in the future I will bring them with me, to escape this endless cycle of life and death in the alleys.

.........................................................

"Are you sure you want to go Nutmeg? It's a dangerous journey in this cold weather. Why don't you wait until next summer?" Diana asked me.
We were on the balcony at her house.
I was in the middle of getting directions from Diana while her brother watched us from inside.

"Yes I am certain Diana. I don't want to wait for anymore death. I want to go there to check it out first then come back to bring them there."
I told her.
Diana's ears drooped.
"Well in that case goodbye then. Good luck, you'll need it."

I gave her a lick to the shoulder.
"Thanks for understanding."
I clambered down the fire escape stairs where I saw a familiar cat there. He had a light grey tabby coat and blue eyes, but he sprinted before I could say anything. He was nothing but a blur.

Jay? I thought.

I sniffed the air.

It is Jay!
Was he spying on me?
How much did he hear?
My heart began to hammer against my chest. With my fur raising, panic attacked me from all sides.

I must find out how much he knows.

Following his scent I begin to run. The wind ruffled my ginger fur. My stoned paws hitting the sidewalk.
Humans, startled by me jump out of the way. I'm tearing down the street when I see him a few meters ahead. Going straight for the park.
I press forward but I can tell I'm growing tired.
I make a turn around a building and take a shortcut.
I drop into light jog to catch a breather.
Then I see him coming. I jump onto a near by bench and waited until the right time I pounced and pinned him down.
He let out a yelp in surprise.

"Gotcha." I say proudly.
Jay, beneath me scowled and shrugged me off.
"Jeez Nut you had to pin me down that hard?" He grumbled.
"Well in my defense I didn't know if you were gonna run away again."
I sighed as I wrapped my tail around my paws as I sat.

"Why were you running? "
Jay looked away.
"You're leaving. "
"So you did spy on me." I frowned at him. He stared back at me with sharp blue eyes .
"I did nothing of the sort!" He exclaimed.
"Liar." I snarled.
"If you must know I was looking for you, I had something to tell You, something important. Then I heard your voice and I heard you talking about leaving. Then I saw you and I left."
"You ran." I corected him.

"What did you expect? You don't know the shock and shame I felt that my bestfriend since birth decided to bail on us. I wanted to go back and tell your mother. But then I knew there had to be a reason.
So I came here. Now answer me
Why are you leaving?" He demanded.

I looked into his eyes. Those blue calm eyes were boiling with rage.
I wanted to melt and tell him I won't leave but I knew that would not happen, I'm to stubborn for my own good.

Raising to my feet I looked at him straight in the eye, not backing down.

"I'm leaving because I have a mission to complete. Life in the alleys is not good, it never was. Food is always scarce, cats die of hunger and sickness every winter. Mother's have to see their kits die before they get a chance at life. And if they do manage to live, they are always living in fear of some murderous scumbag . Aren't you sick of it? Why live in this shallow life when there is a land that is overflowing with prey out there?" I said.

Jay's harsh look melted away into understanding.
I continued, lowering my voice.

"I'm leaving to find this land, so that when I come back I can take all of us there. So that no one has to live in fear anymore." I explained.

Jay gave me a small smile. "I always knew you were going to be a great leader someday. " He murmured.
"I just wish you had just told me instead of going off on your own
" There was pain in his voice, and a vulnerable look on his face. Hurt. I hurt him.
His ears were drooped, his tail lay limp in the grass by his paws. His eyes were watery. Such a look I didn't want on my friend.
I leaned forward and burried my nose in his shoulder, drinking in his scent.
" I'm sorry Jay, I wish I could take you with me but I need you here, to take care of my mother and siblings." I murmured.
" I'll take care of them." He promised.
"Especially Scout. I know he will do something stupid. " Jay let out a light chuckle. "Don't worry about him."
"And Violet, tell her I'm sorry too." I say as I sat back.

"So," Jay started.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tonight." I say.
"So soon?" He grimaced.
"I the longer I stay, the worse it gets."
"I see." Jay meowed softly. Staring at his paws.

"Well can we at least spend the last day together?" He asked me. I let out a purr.
"Of course.

We spended the day hunting, and doing flips in diffrent spots around the city.

When the night began to fall we returned to. The shelter.

Nerves tingling made me jump in fear.
I haven't told anyone else yet but if I really want to go tonight without any problems I better keep my mouth shut.

I was in my nest, leting my sisters climb all over me when I noticed Scout was not joining in.
"What's up with you? " I nudged him.
He just looked up at me with such a glassy look.
" You look as if a cat just died." I joked.
He stared at me, a gaze ever so intimidating as if he could see my soul.

"Did you know that when something bad happens and a hero trys to save the day? They may be able to make every one safe again, and put the fire out. But there will always be damages done to the home. And those people saved? They will live but still be effected, because a hero doesn't care much about their home."

I froze.
"What are you saying Scout?"
"I'm just glad that you're playing with us. I always knew you care a lot about our lives while you fight against Frost.
But you never did care about our love for you or how we treasure you as a sister."

I open my mouth to speak but that gaze left him and replaced it with a more joyful and hyper Scout, as he leaped and pounced his littermates off my back.

My mind reels over and over what he said.
For some reason I think Scout knows what's I'm doing.

But that's impossible.
I never did tell him anything!
Am I that too easy to read?
Maybe he over heard? Maybe he was out at the park!But then why are Rings and Ginger not giving me the looks? They act as if they don't know what's going on.

I shook my head to clear it all.

I decided to go outside on the roof for a minute to clear my head.
Then I saw Violet. Tears streaming down her face.
She saw me and stared as if she couldn't believe.
I aproched her.
" I'm sorry. " I say.
Then she slapped me.
Shocked I looked back at her .
I probally deserved that.
"If you want to know, I'm not mad at you for leaving, after I know why. I'm mad at you for not telling me after Jay. I know you guys are best friends but I'm your friend too! I don't want to be left in the dark when you too tell eachother secrets!"

I look back at all the times Jay and I talk compared to Violet and to realize she's right.
"You're right I do hang out with him more than you and I'm sorry for that." I apologized.

"Especially when he...No I better not say it. " She decided.
I frowned.
" He what Vi?"
She looked at me surprisingly.
" He still haven't told you yet?"
"Told me what Violet?" I said growing hot with impatience.
Violet shook her head in dismay.
"Sometimes I think my brother is so helpless." She muttered. Stay right there 'I'll be right back." She told me.

A few minutes later Violet came up with Jay behind her, a bit flustered.
"Nutmeg, my brother has something to tell you." She told me. Then she turned to me. "If you don't say it now, you'll probally won't get a chance in the future." She warned him.
Then with the wave of her tail she left us alone on the roof.

I sat down with my thick tail wrapped around my paws and waited expectantly.
" Well? What is that you want to tell me?" A large lump formed in his throat. His fur slightly fluffed and his feet shuffling I could tell he was nervous. He let out a deep sigh and tried to relax.

"Well um, what I wanted to say was that we have known each other our whole lives. And we have been the best of friends. A friendship I treasure. Just now, as we grow up I can't help notice what a cat you have become. One who I greatly admire.
What I'm trying to say is that I-I love you Nut. As you leave tonight I wanted you to know that I love you."

................................................................
A/N

Ooh lala! Love is in the air.
So what will she say?

Will this ship sail?

Or be demolished
Having Jay be heartbroken?

Comment your thoughts!