"Gosh darn-it!"

In this moment, it truly felt like nothing was more difficult as I lied on my back, my teeth barred as I dug into the horrible, annoying nuisance that was now wrapped around my neck. A collar.

The horrible, annoying nuisance Twolegs had luckily made it pretty loose, but I didn't care. Having a collar on my neck in any capacity made me feel like I was choking.

I had been on my back for what felt like the entire day, my front paws unsheathed and tucked under the small band. Several moments had already passed by where I thought I was actually going to choke myself from how hard I was pulling on it.

And I thought I was actually going to explode from how frustrated I was getting.

And seeing Wendell watching me out of the corner of my eye wasn't helping matters at all.

"Still going at it?" he asked me, his voice full of laughter as he gave an amused lash of his tail.

For some reason, his amusement brought me to want to push against my collar even harder. "Of course!" I growled through my gritted teeth. Gosh, how did Scourge ever have tolerated having that collar with dog teeth?

I only paused to ponder that for a moment before continuing in my strife. Well, I guess that was one of the reasons he was out of his mind.

"Mistpelt, I hate to break it to you," Wendell then meowed, breaking into my thoughts, "but I think this is a fight with an inanimate object that you're going to lose."

"Foxdung!" I barked back at the dark tabby tom.

I then paused once again, slowly looking over at the kittypet as I narrowed my pale blue eyes back at his. "Hey – you have claws that are in a much better position than mine... wanna help me!?"

Wendell immediately let out a snort and shook his head, to my disappointment and annoyance. "My claws would fall off before I could even make a nick in it."

With that, I let out a frustrated huff and returned to my battle with an... inanimate object once again, pushing harder than I ever had, and honestly not caring if my claws fell off. "I should have known you'd be a buzzkill," I muttered back at Wendell.

"Please!" the tom then meowed, his head shaking slowly and his eyes gleaming. "If I wasn't here with you in this house, I think you would have ripped yourself to shreds by now."

Even if he was right, there was no way that I was going to agree with him out loud. "Whatever," I muttered instead.

Out of my peripheral, I could now see Wendell rolling his eyes and then walking over in my direction until he was practically hovering over me, his eyes still gleaming. "Will you ever give up?"

At the tom's words, I actually found myself letting out a sigh and finally letting myself go fully limp. "I don't know..." I breathed as I then rolled over so that I was lying on my stomach. "All I know is that I hate wearing it, and if I manage to escape while I'm wearing it, I'm sure another Twoleg will snatch me up thinking I'm a house cat."

Above me, Wendell barred his own teeth and let out a sheepish hiss. "Again, I hate to break it to you..."

I once again narrowed my eyes back at the tom, letting my claws unsheathe and sink into the carpet below me. "I am not a housecat," I insisted to the tom right before standing up. "And I'll eventually get this collar off."

"Aw, come on, you look cute with it," Wendell purred, causing me to roll my eyes. I then slightly cringed back as he gave me a flick on the ear with his tail. "The light blue collar really brings out your eyes..."

I continued to stare at the tabby tom through narrowed eyes, not sure how genuine or sarcastic those comments were. Either way, I replied with sarcasm. "Aw, thank you. Now I really want to keep it on."

I then found that I was actually having to hold back a purr as Wendell let out a mrrow of laughter at my comment. For some reason, I felt like I was giving into this life or into this place if I decided to stroke the tom's ego even a little bit by admitting that he actually did cheer me up sometimes. Anyways, what's the point of establishing any of that when I'm going to leave soon?

But almost immediately, Wendell's words from only days ago echoed into my head. I hate to say it, but I think you're meant to be here for the long haul.

I shut my eyes for a moment, shaking my head as if to get rid of the thought, and then let out a sigh as I began to pad out of the living room in search for something that would even bring me a mouse-tail's amount of happiness. "I'm going out to the backyard."

I could immediately hear Wendell's pawsteps moving behind me. "Following."

With that response, I looked over my shoulder to give the tom a fake-annoyed, but affectionate glance as I continued to walk through the house, eventually padding through the kitchen and managing to feel a wave of excitement as I then crawled through the tiny, cat-sized door that let to the outside. Thank StarClan.

But almost immediately after that, I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose at the sight before me – this backyard, which was disgustingly small. While I had been indifferent to Twolegs before, this was one of the many things that now made me question them. How the heck could they live with this tiny amount of territory?

Also, the sight of this yard irritated me because the outside typically would symbolize an escape for a house cat. Even with a fence, I would easily be able to climb on top of it and jump to the other side. But, as Wendell had shown me later that same day I had arrived, the idiot Twolegs that owned this next had added an extra amount of fencing at the top that was angled inward. So, even if you climbed to the top, you were still trapped. It was ridiculous.

However, with this new life that I hopefully wouldn't have to live for much longer, this area was partly what was getting me through – even the smallest hint of the forest, something as little as a patch of grass – brought me comfort.

So, I managed to let out a sigh of relief as I dove into the soft grass, practically rolling in it and letting myself pick up its scent. And thank goodness for this...

As I had expected to, I heard Wendell chuckling as he padded up next to me. "If there was ever any doubt that you're a forest cat – there isn't any now!"

I then let myself fully stretch out into the grass. "I won't disagree with you there," I meowed, my eyes closing with bliss. "In this situation, I'll take what I can get."

"Fair enough," Wendell replied, settling down in the grass beside where I was lying as he let out a sniff. "I assume you'll be here until the sun goes down?"

I let out a quick purr as I then dug my nose into all of the green. "Probably after the sun goes down!"

Wendell let out another purr, but out of the corner of my eye I could see his pale blue eyes widening with bewilderment. "And miss dinner?"

I looked up so I could meet the tom's gaze with narrowed eyes. "I don't think I'd be too sad about that."

"Oh, come on!" Wendell then meowed, his head tilting to the side. "The pellets haven't been that bad, have they?"

"Oh, they taste fine!" I replied honestly. "But the fact that I have to eat them at all is enough for me to despise them."

Wendell seemed to then shake his head in amazement. "Again, fair enough!" he then murmured. And then, to my amusement, the house cat reflected me by also rolling onto his back in the grass. "Maybe if we both stop eating the pellets and boycott them, the Twolegs will start giving us their food."

I actually let myself purr at this comment. "It's not the dream, but it'd be better! At least I'm more used to that..." Luckily Twolegs sometimes liked to waste their food...

I then saw Wendell narrow his eyes and turn his head towards me. "So, you've seriously lived with the big Twolegplace cats before?" he asked me, looking and sounding genuinely fascinated. "Aren't they mean and dangerous? Did you have to fight over your food?"

I couldn't help but snort in response to those questions. "Well, I probably would have, but..." I then shifted uncomfortably in my spot. "...Luckily the leader of their little pack favored me." Or... I thought that he did... I then thought to myself, feeling my stomach twist and hating that this still affected me in some capacity. We're not unpacking that right now.

"Oh? Favored?" Wendell replied to me, his eyes widening as he slightly lifted his head. "...What does that mean?"

I cocked an eyebrow back at him. "You really want me to explain it?"

The tabby tom's eyes then began to gleam as he narrowed his eyes back at me. "Please."

I reflected that same gaze right back at him. "He liked me a little more than the average cat. That's what it means."

With those words, I stared in confusion as Wendell simply stared back at me for a moment, then shifting his head back to look up at the blue sky. "Well, that makes sense," he then murmured. "You're not average at all."

I then let out a gasp and stared back at the house cat in bewilderment. "Excuse me?"

The tom's face then immediately wiped over with alarm. "That was supposed to be a compliment!"

"No... I think you just called me a little off," I pressed to Wendell as I then rolled over onto my belly, letting my gaze burn into him.

"Well, that's obvious," Wendell then breathed as he also rolled over onto his belly and faced me. "But... you're..."

He then seemed to shyly look down at his paws for a moment. "You're just not like any cat I've ever met before."

Once again, I simply stared back at the tom for a moment. "Well, thanks."

I then broke my gaze from his as I began to stare out at the yard in front of me, actually being able to feel the smallest wave of affection for the compliment, whether there was merit to it or not.

I really had to admit, Wendell's words had been correct – if he hadn't been around during the time that I'd been trapped here, I seriously might have driven myself crazy.

I mean, I was anyway, but to a smaller degree.

Did I still want to escape more than anything? Of course! But after first arriving here, I had quickly realized that Wendell had also been right about the fact that there really was no escaping this place.

Well, yet.

I always tried to keep my eyes open for an opportunity to escape, and as unnerving and discouraging the results had been so far, I wouldn't, and couldn't give up hope.

For Wrenkit.

And as soon as I got out of here, I was going to find her, snatch her, and take her back to ThunderClan, where the both of us belonged.

But for now, Wrenkit had to be confused and scared, wherever she was. If she's even scared... I then realized to myself, not sure if the thought filled me with pride or hurt me even more. She's definitely a bright and brave one.

But, of course, either way, that didn't make me feel better about the fact that my daughter, the love of my life, wasn't with me.

And at this thought, I let out a long, shaky sigh, and let my head rest on my paws.

Beside me, I could see Wendell staring back at me, and I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows in surprise at the next question he asked me. "Thinking about her again?" he meowed softly to me, almost seeming to read my mind.

I let out yet another sigh, and nodded with my head still on my paws. "Of course."

Wendell himself let out a sigh, and I felt him wrap his tail around my shoulders. "Mistpelt, I'm sure she was just taken to a shelter, and was maybe even adopted by some Twolegs."

"I don't care," I immediately replied, my heart physically feeling heavy as my worry for my daughter rose. "She's so little, and... kits that little shouldn't have to go without their mother. What..."

I then widened my eyes and lifted up my head, a truly horrible, unfathomable thought hitting me like a monster. "Oh my goodness, what if she doesn't even remember me?"

For a moment, Wendell's gaze seemed to reflect everything I was feeling. "What do you mean?" he asked me, sounding genuinely worried.

My eyes still wide, I turned my head to fully look back at the tom. "If she grows older and I still haven't been able to find her," I explained to him, my voice rising with fear. "Will she even remember me or what I look like?"

All of Wendell's bewilderment then seemed to disappear, and I was surprised to see him sigh and roll his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. That won't happen," he reassured me confidently. "A kit always has a special connection with their mother, no matter how old."

"Oh, yeah?" I pressed to Wendell, cocking an eyebrow once again. "How would you know?"

To my disappointment, the tabby simply shrugged. "I don't know... I have a mother?"

I felt my heart sink with disappointment, and I myself rolled my eyes and let out a snort. "Wow, that's crazy."

"Well, I assume I have a mother," Wendell then muttered as he furrowed his eyebrows. "I can't remember her name or what she looks like."

My eyes then felt as if they were going to pop out of my head as I stared back at him, and I felt my heart began to race. "Hey!"

"Whoops. Sorry!" the house cat then meowed frantically, looking genuinely apologetic about the very, very disheartening slip-up. "But if it makes you feel better-"

"I'm worried it won't," I couldn't help but mutter.

Wendell let out a quick purr before continuing. "If it makes you feel better, I was taken away from my mother as soon as I was able to live without her milk. It sounds like Wrenkit was with you for at least a bit longer?"

I sighed and shrugged helplessly, trying to cling onto the tom's words at least somewhat. "I guess..." I nearly whispered. "But..."

"I know, I know," Wendell murmured at me, his eyes now full of sympathy. "Or... at least I understand, or am trying to understand."

He then let out a sigh and shook his head. "I've never had kits before, but I can't even imagine how hard it has been being away from yours for even this long."

I gave the tom a small nod, managing to feel at least a bit of gratitude for him trying to show some support. "Well, I'll give you some props, because you said it well..." But as long as I'm away from her, and with every day that goes by, I'm going to worry that she won't remember me... or won't want to be around me after all of this time...

Wendell seemed to sense that I still needed some reassurance. "Hey, even if Wrenkit is young, there is no way that she's not remembering you, and again..." I then felt him flick my ear again. "I fully mean that as a compliment."

I couldn't help but let out a sniff, making sure to actually give him a look of gratitude. "Thanks," I murmured. I then almost immediately narrowed my eyes, confused as Wendell suddenly looked a bit dodgy – his head looking down at his paws as he shifted them back and forth. "What?"

He then shook his head quickly, as if to pull himself out of a daze. "Oh, nothing!" he insisted, but then quickly when back to the shy demeanor. "I just was curious... does... this tom that... favored you happen to be the father of your kit?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, having worried up until now that that question was going to come. "Unfortunately," I muttered in reply.

"Ah, interesting," Wendell meowed, his paws still shuffling, weirdly. "Is... is he still around?"

I felt a chill run down my spine at the question, and my heart felt heavy once again. "No, he's not. Not around with me, or..."

I then closed my eyes as I slowly shook my head. "Not around on this earth anymore."

It was silent for a moment, and I finally opened my eyes when I heard Wendell reply. "Oh!" he meowed. "Oh..."

I then took in a sharp inhale as I felt the tip of his tail touch my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Mistpelt. I... I don't know what to say."

I looked back at the tom, quickly shaking my head back him as I let my own head return to more rational thought – a rarity these days. "Oh, don't be sorry. Trust me."

I then sighed and shrugged, deciding that in these circumstances, I suppose being a bit vulnerable in this sense wouldn't have any consequences. "The only good thing that came out of that relationship was my daughter."

Wendell slowly nodded, seeming to try and process my words before replying. "Well, it sounds like it was worth it for that reason... I think?"

"Oh, yeah, for sure," I reassured the tom. "As weird as it sounds, I'm thankful that I have someone in my life that's so hard to stay away from."

"Wow," Wendell breathed as he now seemed to shake his head in amazement. "You sure are strong."

"I try," I murmured as I shrugged at the tom. "What else can I be?"

I then simply sat there, not sure exactly what to say next as Wendell then stared at me for a moment, his pale blue eyes gleaming.

And just before I was about to ask why his eyes looked as if he was staring right into starlight, he shook his head and then nudged my shoulder with his tail. "Hey, while the Twolegs are still out, how about we really try to give you a break from those gross pellets and try to raid the pantry?"

I raised my eyebrows and widened my eyes back at the tom. "Are you serious?"

"Completely!" the tom replied enthusiastically. "I used to do it every once in a while, but now I have even more motivation to do it again! What do you say?"

I narrowed my eyes for a moment, honestly reluctant to leave my comforting grass.

But at the same time, the grass is also where I did most of my mourning. And... is that really how I wanted to spend my time?

After another few moments of pondering, I gave a shake of my fur and gave Wendell a sharp nod. "You know what? Let's do it!" I meowed. "And hey, even if the pantry doesn't work out – I am completely fine with raiding the trash can."

With my words, Wendell's eyes widen, and he let out a snort as he looked at me up and down. "Well, then you go do that, and I'll watch."

I then couldn't help but let out a purr as I followed Wendell back inside, trying not to make myself feel too badly for doing something that even slightly excited me, even during these roughest of rough times.

But considering I was stuck in these circumstances, I had to try and make the best of it. And luckily, I at least had another cat by my side.