Edited ✔️
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With excitement pounding against her chest, Miley shot an eager look over her shoulder at Shade. "I can see it!" She meowed, nearly breathless as she flicked her gaze back towards the twolegplace's unnatural silhouette through the trees.

Her tail whipped through the air as Shade let out a responsive grumble, his shoulders hunch and tail trailing. As Miley looked back at him, he averted her gaze, his amber eyes narrowed to slits.

Miley faltered her steps, falling beside the black and white tom. Inclining her head, she searched his cast away gaze. "What's wrong?" She meowed tentatively.

Shade's head whipped around to stare at her, and with agitation he bared his teeth. "There's nothing wrong with me!" He snapped through gritted teeth, frustration flashing through his pelt.

Miley hesitantly took a pace back, stopping in her tracks with a paw still lifted into the air. "Are you sure?" She meowed as the tom pulled to a stop, the tip of his tail twitching back and forth.

"Yes! I'm fine!" He yelled, whirling around to face her with fury burning like flames in his eyes. "Let's just get you back to your friend and leave, okay?" His sides heaved with anger, his breath coming in pants. With a scowl at Miley, he spun around and charged back in the direction of twolegplace, fur on end.

Miley's gaze followed the fuming tom, before cautiously she bounded after him, her paws gliding over the snow covered ground. Her stomach began to twist as she realized that she actually did want to go with Shade. But what about Harvey? Her heart tore in two as she realized how distraught he might be. She had left without a word, and his fear of the outdoors wouldn't make his concern for her any better.

Breaking into a run, the red tabby raced past Shade, her brown eyes glittering as she streaked across the snow. In a few bounds, she was on top of a fence, the wood wobbling beneath her as she crouched to it. Snow sprayed onto the ground as the fence shook, and when it finally stilled, Miley cautiously rose to her paws. Looking back into the forest, she could see Shade standing stiffly, his amber eyes flashing as he watched her. Giving a small dip of her head, Miley began to bound across the fence, searching for her garden.

Den by den she searched, her ears pinning back as she fretted upon where she was.

"Don't worry, Harvey." She muttered to herself as she stared down into another garden. "I'll be back soon."

After what felt like hours, she found a den that looked quite familiar. A stone jutted out in the center of the yard, and Miley's eyes grew round. She crouched on the fence, beginning to tremble as she was quickly overwhelmed by the thought that she was finally back home. Breathing deeply, she dropped into the snow, her paws sinking into the freezing substance. Warily she padded forward, her ears pricked as she touched her nose to the door's flap.

Here goes nothing. She pushed forward, emerging into unnatural twoleg light. Scents swamped over her, and she looked around. "Harvey?" She meowed, padding forward. Finding his nest, she sniffed the soft material, discovering his scent to be stale.

"Harvey? Where are you?" Miley turned her head, her brown gaze glittering with concern. Her tail lashed back and forth with frustration, and she sniffed the ground beside the nest.

Catching a faint trace of her friend, she began to follow the scent trail. It let up to a slightly parted doorway. It was dark on the inside, and carefully she ducked her head inside.

"Harvey?" She meowed, her voice soft in the still air. "Are you in here?"

A rustle broke through the silence, and there was a flash of amber eyes.

"Miley?"

Miley instantly recognized the voice to belong to Harvey, and she smiled.

"Yes, Harvey?"

The tom-cat padded from the shadows, his form lowered to the ground. His fur was unkempt and clung loosely from his pelt, and his eyes were uncertain as they flicked to Miley.

"Is this really you?" He rasped, his nose quivering as he sniffed the air for her scent.

Guilt wrenched at Miley's chest, and she gave a brisk nod. "Yes, it is me." She meowed, stepping forward and pressing her nose comfortingly against Harvey's. The tom stiffened, and gradually rose to his paws.

"It's really you!" He wailed joyously, butting his head against hers. His mew cracked with happiness, and Miley's heart tore in two as she let out a purr.

"It's good to see you again, Harvey." She meowed, stepping away from her friend.

Inclining his head to the side, Harvey looked her up and down, inspecting her red fur. "Where have you been? You smell of the forest."

Miley grinned. "That's because I was in the forest!"

Taking a pace back, Harvey's eyes grew as round as twin moons. "No." he gasped in disbelief.

Miley nodded. "I sure did! I was following a stray, and we got snowed in! He taught me how to hunt and everything." Her eyes flashed. "Why don't you come and meet him?" She pressed, her head tipping to the side.

Hesitantly, Harvey agreed. "Alright."

With a swipe of her tail, Miley led the way towards the door flap. She pushed through, emerging into the bitter cold of the outside.

Harvey remained on the inside, only poking his face through so he could speak. "Miley, can't he just come inside?"

Miley shook her head. "He doesn't like twoleg nests."

With fear glittering in the tom's eyes, Harvey gingerly placed a paw into the snow, the rest of his body following soon after. His fur was spiked and on end as he cautiously followed behind Miley, letting out muffled whimpers.

Reassuringly, Miley touched the tip of her tail to Harvey's shoulders, leaping onto the fence and guiding him up beside her. "Shade!" She called into the trees, finding no sign of the tom's presence.

She leaped down from the fence, leaving Harvey shivering on top of it. "Shade, get your tail over here!"

The red tabby trotted forward, only to be greeted by the black and white tom.

"Are you ready to leave?" Shade hissed, his ears flattened against his skull.

Miley shook her head. "No, not yet. Come here, let me introduce you to my friend!"

She led the black and white tom towards the fence, where Harvey had finally leapt down, his eyes round with fear as he stared at the forest around him.

"Shade, this is Harvey. Harvey, this is Shade."

Harvey stopped freaking out over his surroundings for a few moments, lifting his amber gaze to meet with Shade's. A silence passed over the two tom-cats, Shade's eyes narrowing to slits.

"Alright. I met your friend, let's go now." He black and white tom growled, turning around to leave.

Harvey's eyes shot towards Miley. "You're leaving me?" He exclaimed. "But you just came back! Please don't go."

His tone was filled with desperation and fear, and Miley's ears pinned back.

"H-Harvey, please, hear me out." She meowed, stepping towards the brown tom, who had begun to tremble again.

"You're going to abandon me, Miley." He whispered, looking at his friend with wide eyes. "Why?"

Miley felt choked with guilt, and sadly she bowed her head. "I don't want to live with housefolk anymore, Harvey." she admitted softly. "After my experience out here in the wilderness, I realized that there's more to life than just our twolegs." She lifted her gaze to stare at her friend, and he met it with sorrow.

"Harvey, will you come with Shade and I?" Miley burst out, stepping desperately towards her friend. "I know you'll like it out here, Harvey. Please."

Harvey stumbled back, letting out a whimper. "Why are you making me choose, Miley? I hate the outdoors, but I hate being alone even more. Please don't make me choose."

Miley shook her head. "I'm sorry, Harvey."

Harvey let out a small wail, and Shade stepped forward with a sharp glare. "Quit whining like a kit and just make the decision. It's as easy as that!" He snapped.

Harvey bared his teeth at the tom, stepping back. "You did this! This is your fault!"

Miley stepped between the two toms, her red tail lashing. "It's nobody's fault but my own! This is my decision, Harvey. You can come with us or you can stay." She stared at her friend.

Harvey squeezed his eyes shut, huddled against the fence. "I-I don't know, Miley." He whispered. Moments passed in silence. Shade was furiously pacing back and forth, and Miley was anxiously waiting for Harvey's answer.

Finally, the tom spoke, his voice shaking. "I-I'll come with you, Miley. I'll come." He rose unsteadily to his paws, his fur on end. Shade let out a disdainful huff and turned around, his tail flicking.

"Let's go, then." He growled, pacing forward.

Gleefully, Miley brushed her pelt against Harvey's. "Thank you, Harvey!" She meowed, her eyes glittering happily as they padded away from the twolegplace.

Harvey gave a silent nod, his head bowed and eyes flicking amongst the trees.

"So, Shade.." Miley looked curiously at the black and white tom as he led the way through the trees. "Where are we going?"

Shade paused in his movement, glancing over his shoulders at the inquisitive she-cat. A small smile spread across his face.

"We'll be following the brightest star of the night." Was all he replied with, before plunging between some brambles.

Miley stared after him for a few moments, dumbfounded as a voice whispered into her mind.

"I see you have made the decision. Good luck, young kittypet."

Brown fur flickered at the corners of her vision, stars dappling it and emitting a soft glow. Before she could turn and see what it was, it vanished into a small wisp, a vague trace of the tom from her dreams lingering in the air.

The journey has now begun.