"You really got me excited just to tell me we're stealing from a bucket of slop?"

Not that it was necessarily new, but I was utterly confused from where I stood in the kitchen next to Wendell – the both of us staring up at the kitchen counter that had a large, almost dirt-covered bucket sitting on top of it.

Wendell had woken up just to show me this, claiming that there were some "good steals" inside. I know that I've certainly been stolen from already today...

I padded up a little closer to the counter, narrowing my eyes as I slightly craned my neck. "What's even inside?" I asked as I then slightly leaped up, my front paws now pressed against the lowest cabinets as I tried to take a whiff. "Wait... is that fish I'm smelling?"

"Wow, your nose works at a basic level!" Wendell murmured sarcastically, and after I shot him a half-amused, half-enraged look, he let out a purr and gave me a nudge. "Yes, that is fish is that bucket."

"But... why?" I then asked, genuinely baffled. "Why in the name of everything that makes sense do we have a bucket of fish in our kitchen?"

I then blinked in surprise, then gave a quick shake of my head. "The kitchen."

I then tried to ignore Wendell's gaze as it seemed to fall on me for a moment, his pale blue eyes glimmering, before his gaze returned to the bucket above. "I'll try and explain it, but I don't think it'll make things make any more sense for you..." he then muttered, his head slowly shaking. "Have you ever gone fishing?"

I looked back at the tom with my own pale blue narrowed eyes. "...Yes?" I replied. I then let out a sniff as memories of the darned activity came to my mind. "Yeah, I have – Chrissy and Sparrow taught me how to, and we did it a few times."

I then began to shake my head slowly. "I once lost my balance when I was swiping down to get a fish, and I landed face-first into the water."

I then flashed Wendell a slightly embarrassed look before quickly looking down to stare at the floor. "Yes, I've fished before."

After Wendell let out a small chuckle, he nodded back up towards the bucket. "Well, what do you call them... Twolegs? Twolegs fish too."

I looked back at the brown tabby tom with wide eyes. "With those grimy, gigantic paws? How?"

"Well, that's the thing – they don't use their paws," Wendell replied, laughter in his voice. "They're so incompetent that they make these weird, long sticks with a string and a hook on the end to catch fish."

I would expect nothing less... "Geez, how weird are they?" I then said out loud.

I then narrowed my eyes as I further processed what Wendell had just said. "Wait a moment..."

I then stared back at the tom in bewilderment. "Did I just hear you call a Twoleg incompetent?"

Wendell immediately rolled his eyes at my question. "Eh, the more that I hear you complain, the more I'm realizing that you're maybe not just spewing hate for no reason."

"Spewing hate?" I repeated, my eyes wide, before I scoffed past Wendell and began to pad towards the kitchen table. "Oh, for StarClan's sake, let's just grab these fish."

Then, as I heard Wendell laughing behind me, I paused for a moment and forced myself to look back at his stupid, snarky face. "And how do we plan to do that?"

I watched as Wendell narrowed his eyes and then looked back up at the top of the counter. "Well, hopefully, it should be as easy as leaping up to the counter, and-"

I immediately flicked my ears back at the tom in surprise. "Oh, that easy? Well, then..."

With an easy, effortless push off of my back legs, I excitedly leapt up to the top of the counter, now weirdly excited to get closer to the bucket of fish.

"I mean, pretty easy, but..." I then could feel Wendell's eyes on me as I trotted lightly across the counter. "Mistpelt-"

I then arrived at the tall, dirty bucket, the fish smell practically overwhelming at this point. but nevertheless, I crouched down and braced for yet another leap. As soon as I was sure my stance was in order, I then leaped, not being able to hear Wendell's next words as I prepared myself to snatch a fish from inside.

But unfortunately, for once in my life, I think my leap was too good.

And where I thought a fish to grab would be, there was nothing.

Instead, I found myself leaning face first deep inside of the bucket, and receiving a face full of fish.

As I felt the wet, scaly texture against my fur, I immediately had to keep myself back from letting out a disgusted squeal. "Ugh, butterflies in a bog beating bats!" I cursed as I began to squirm frantically in my spot. "Geez!"

"Mistpelt!" I then heard Wendell shout out in surprise. Although, I felt the embarrassment and frustration I was feeling rise as I heard the obvious laughter in his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Would any cat with a face full of fish be okay?" I barked back at the tom as I tried to push myself backwards and out with my front paws.

I then couldn't tell if I was relieved or annoyed when I heard Wendell's paws land on the counter. "Hold on, don't squirm around so much," he called up to me, sounding like he'd made his way to the bucket. "Are you kay if I grab onto your tail?"

"There's not much I could do right now to stop you," I muttered to the housecat through gritted teeth.

I then gave a hard roll of my eyes as I heard another snicker escape Wendell. "Okay..." he then purred.

"Stop laughing!" I then practically growled at him, my voice sounding weird and echo-y from inside the bucket, which probably didn't help me sound very assertive.

"I'm not laughing!" I then heard Wendell insist, despite the obvious purr that was still rising in his throat. I then slightly cringed as I felt the tom's teeth gently grip the end of my tail. "Alright, just push off of the bottom like you were, and I'll pull you out at the same time. On three?"

"Whatever," I hissed.

"Okay... one, two... three!"

On three, as planned, I promptly pushed off of the fish in the bucket with my front paws, and at the same time, I could feel Wendell pulling on my tail.

With that combination, I practically flew out of the bucket. But luckily, I was actually prepared for the landing this time, allowing my back paws to land on the counter, my front paws eventually following.

Thank StarClan, I thought as I gave a shake of my fur and let out a small gag. I can be certain now that the Dark Forest probably smells better than what I just experienced.

And as I heard Wendell padding up to meet me, I only managed to glance at him for half a heartbeat, immediately noticing that he still seemed to be suppressing laughter. "Stop it!"

"I am not doing anything!" Wendell insisted, his voice full of humor. "In fact... all I did was save your tail!"

I then furrowed my eyebrows as I watched him narrow his eyes and then give me a wink. "Or... save you with your tail."

With those words, I let out a groan, forcing myself to look away from the tom once again. "I am overwhelmed by your sympathy."

"You love diving face-first into things, don't you?"

"Gosh, comfort me less, will ya?" I then hissed at the tabby tom, trying my hardest to not show him that I actually did find his jabs a bit funny.

I then let myself show the smallest smirk when I felt his tail flick my ear. "Oh, come on," he then meowed to me more gently, his laughs gone. "I hope you know I'm just teasing. Are you okay?"

I let out a sigh, giving another shake of my fur. Then, after another moment I finally turned to face Wendell. I couldn't help but feel a wave of warmth as I met his pale blue gaze of genuine concern. "Yes, I am fine," I murmured to the tom before returning the flicking-ear gesture. "One day I'll forget the overwhelming smell of fish and the feelings of public humiliation."

I then flashed the tabby tom a sheepish look as I watched him sigh and shake his head. "Sit down," he then breathed. And after I did as he said, I was slightly surprised as he then began to lick my head and face. "Maybe getting rid of some of that fish smell will help with that."

I actually found myself having to hold back a purr, genuinely appreciating the gesture. "Well, thanks."

"Sure," Wendell murmured in between licks. I then lifted my head, letting my eyes close as he began to lick around my chin and neck. "After that experience, are you still in the mood to eat fish?"

I then slightly shifted so that the tom could more easily get my shoulder. "Ugh... when one gets hungry enough, it's hard to be picky," I admitted to Wendell. "And if I have the choice between fish or catfood... you know what I pick."

"I sure do," Wendell replied. I then widened my eyes in surprise when he gave me one last lick on the cheek. "Now, how about I tell you what the proper plan for obtaining this fish was supposed to be?"

I honestly had to shake my head to bring myself back into focus. One – because Wendell had been so kind as to help clean me off. Two – Wendell had been so kind. Three – I liked it. And four – I hate, hate, hated how foreign that felt, to say the least.

But I didn't have a lot of time to unpack that right now. I really was hungry. "I assume the plan does not involve impulsively leaping into the bucket?" I purred, sighing and rolling my eyes.

Wendell let out an amused sniff. "Nope – that male Twoleg never catches enough fish to fill up the entire bucket anyway." I then raised my eyebrows in intrigue as he brushed past me, padding towards the bucket. "It'll be a bit harder, but my plan was to completely push over the bucket onto the ground, and we can grab what we want!"

With those words, I immediately let out a frustrated sigh and closed my eyes. "We already could have been eating fish right now if I'd just let you keep talking..."

"But where's the fun in that?" he replied, giving me a wink that caused me to roll my eyes. "Ready?"

Now more eager than ever, I padded over to join Wendell, facing the bucket and flanking the brown tabby tom's long fur. "Let's do it."

Then, after the two of us both exchanged a determined, excited look, we both began to push the bucket closer to the edge of the counter, as if we'd been prompted to do so at the same time. Luckily, it was a fairly easy task, and it only took us a few heartbeats before the pushing tension was released, and the bucket fell off the edge.

Then, just a heartbeat after that, I heard the beautiful, slimy sound of the fish spilling out of the bucket onto the floor. Heck, yes!

"Score!" Wendell then exclaimed, giving me a light nudge. "Let's dig in!"

Then, as the housecat leapt back down to the floor, I found that I didn't want to immediately follow him, and instead, simply watch him for a moment as I finally took the time to figure out how I was feeling about everything that had just happened.

Well, for one, I felt very weird, which I guess could be a good or bad thing. I also felt a bit frustrated and strange about the fact that this whole fish and bucket moment had brought me back to the day I had taken the expedition with Scourge to steal the meat from that building in the Twolegplace. Goodness, it feels like so long ago... I thought, a chill running down my spine. And this situation is so different, yet it brings me back. I don't like that it does...

I then closed my eyes, giving a single shake of my head. As good and fun and exciting as that experience was at the time, almost everything that happened after that absolutely tainted it.

I then opened my eyes, my gaze immediately falling on Wendell's long, brown tabby pelt. Gosh, do I hope that this situation won't be the same...

I then gave a quick shake of my head. Wait, why does that even matter? I'm getting the heck out of here soon!

I then flicked my ears, letting out an almost inaudible gasp. That reminds me... "Oh! By the way..." I began excitedly as I finally leapt down to the floor to join Wendell. "After we finish with the fish, I have something to show you!"

Wendell let out an intrigued grunt through a full mouth. "You have something to show me?" he pressed as he lifted his head up from his fish. "...In this house?"

I gave the tom an eager nod. "Oh yeah, I do!" I replied before taking my own bite of a fish.

"Well, you seem very excited about it!" Wendell then meowed, slightly narrowing his eyes.

"I am!"

The tom then simply stared at me for a few moments, his eyes narrowing even more. "...In this house?"

"Oh, absolutely," I answered as I reflected Wendell's gaze.

I then watched as Wendell continued to stare, swallowing his bite of fish. "...that you're excited about?"

"Mhm!" I grunted as I nodded through my own full mouth. I then quickly swallowed the fish and stood up. "Okay, I'm done! Those fish are filling!"

Weirdly, Wendell didn't stand up when I did. Actually, I found myself standing their awkwardly as he continued to lay on the floor and eat his food quite leisurely. "Gosh, you're eating rather slowly all of the sudden..."

The tabby tom let out a sniff, shifting uncomfortably from his spot. "Just... really trying to revel in the fish."

I furrowed my eyebrows back at him. "Fair enough, I guess," I muttered as I forced myself to sit down and wait.

However, this darn housecat was acting like he had the rest of his lifetime to be able to eat this fish. "...Almost done?" I couldn't help but ask after waiting for what had felt like an eternity.

To my surprise, Wendell let out an exasperated sigh, followed by a shrug. "Uh... yeah. Last bite," he murmured almost inaudibly. I then let out a sigh of relief once he seemed to be done chewing, and then stood up. "Alright. What are you going to show me?"

I then let out an excited squeal, brushing past the tom and padding deeper into the house. "Follow me!"

I then eagerly trotted through the house, luckily knowing exactly where I was heading. I only was mildly observing the fact that Wendell was slowly trailing behind me, not matching my pace at all. Why is he suddenly being so weird?

But nevertheless, I continued one, practically jumping up and down with excitement by the time I arrived to the basement door.

The same one that my dream had shown me. It really existed. "Here we are!" I purred, watching and waiting for a few heartbeats while Wendell made his way to me. "Do you know what this door leads to?"

Wendell's eyes seemed to be full of wariness as he then sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws. "Uh... it's the basement door, isn't it?"

"Yes!" I breathed, relieved that the tom recognized it. "Have you been in the basement?"

"Well, a couple of times?" Wendell murmured as he seemed to shift back and forth uncomfortably. "It's colder down there during the hotter months, so I sometimes go down there to cool off."

I then narrowed my eyes as he awkwardly cleared his throat. "How come?"

I gave an excited lash of my tail, hoping that Wendell's weird behavior was all in my head, as I then began to prod the ajar door open with my paw. "Well, let me show you," I meowed excitedly. "Come on!"

As I then began to pelt down the basement stairs, I could hear Wendell's nervous gasp from the top. "Whoa! Take it easy down those stairs!" he called down to me before beginning to follow me down.

I quickly arrived to the bottom, slightly wincing as my paws touched the cold, concrete floor. "Oh, please! I'm fine! If I can climb up and down trees and gorges, I can make it down some stairs!" I meowed proudly.

I then felt a wave of excitement as Wendell himself made it to the bottom of the stairs, just a few heartbeats after I had. "This way!" I then squealed as I padded through the basement. "Okay..."

I then whirled back around to face Wendell, feeling a wave of triumph as I flicked my tail towards the very window that my dream had shown me. And how my dream was able to show me this before I'd even seen it myself... I don't know if I'll ever know. "See that window up there?"

That wave of triumph was then followed by a wave of nerves and concern when my question was followed by a couple of moments of silence. Then, with a sigh from Wendell. "Sure do."

Now I was certain his weird behavior wasn't in my head. Did the fish do something weird to his head? I've never really seen him act this way before.

I then felt a chill run down my spine. I knew that sharing a good moment – several good moments - with a tom was too good to be true...

But despite my worried thoughts and my rapidly pounding heart, I tried to push on, clinging onto that small possibility that I was just misreading his behavior. "Well, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but this window is quite different from other windows in this house – it's not blocked off or sealed at all! Yes, it's high up, but..."

I then gestured with my tail around the basement. "Look at all of the junk that's down here!" I then purred ecstatically. "If I just stack it all up to the window, or just put together some sort of climbing contraption or something tall to jump off of... I can get right up to that window, open it, and get the heck out of here!"

I then turned back around and padded up to Wendell, trying to ignore the fact that I was being met with dark, worried eyes. "So, what do you think? Does it seem feasible?"

I then let out a nervous snort. "Well, I don't care if it's not completely feasible, it's a possible way out of here!" I then gave a quick shake of my head. "Sorry, I'm babbling. Thoughts?"

My heart was now practically pounding in my ears as I waited in silence once again, watching as Wendell simply looked up at the window with narrowed eyes. "Um... well, I don't know, Mistpelt. What thoughts do you want?"

I sat down, trying to keep my tail from anxiously flicking back and forth. "Um... any?" I pressed to the tom worriedly.

I then felt my heart drop as Wendell had the audacity to stand up and walk away. "Well, it looks like a way out to me, I don't know."

I simply stared off at him, my eyes narrowing down into slits. "Thank you, I agree, but..." I then stood up, padding up to him as I continued to well up with concern. "I assumed that would warrant a more positive response?"

Wendell slowly stopped in his tracks. "How is my response not positive?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of that question – it also was likely a coping mechanism to deal with the fact that Wendell was acting so strangely. "Well... because the typically smug, happy-go-lucky, silly little Wendell is not acting like a smug, happy-go-lucky, silly little Wendell..." I answered. I then gave him a nudge and sat down next to where he was standing. "What's up?"

After a moment, I was surprised to then see Wendell's eyes widen, and his head shook frantically. "Nothing, Mistpelt! You found a way out of here, and that's great!" he replied, his voice a bit more expressive than it had been for just a heartbeat, but that quickly went away. "You've... you've been wanting to get out of here since... you got here, and now you've found it."

I shook my head contemplatively back at the housecat, my heart still pounding nervously. "Not to be super psychological, but... your words are saying something, but the way you're saying them is saying something completely different." Unfortunately, I know that all too well.

As I should have expected, those words of mine prompted even more, long, eternal-feeling silence, and I couldn't tell if I was terrified or relieved by the time I heard Wendell sigh. "I don't know, Mistpelt, I just..."

He trailed off for a few moments before speaking again. "You've been here for a few moons now, and I thought..." He then let out another sigh, his head lowering down to look at his paws. "I don't know, I did it to myself – lied to myself, I guess."

Lied to himself? Uh, oh.

My eyes slowly began to widen at those words, and I was almost reluctant to prompt him on. However, I had become a cat that rarely didn't speak her mind. "How did you lie to yourself?"

"Well, I don't know, Mistpelt, I..." he then murmured, followed by another sigh.

You... you've actually realized that I'm annoying to you? That you want me out of here? That I'm a waste of time to you? That you've been using me and you feel badly about it? I then blinked to myself. At least that would be a bit of an improvement from last time...

"Well, for a moment there, I didn't think you wanted to leave anymore."

I then raised my eyebrows and widened my eyes, completely taken aback by the tom's comment. "Oh?" And weirdly, with those words, a big weight was lifted off of my shoulders. And actually, I managed to feel a large wave of relief, and... affection. "Oh..." Well, was that whiplash.

I then sat down, shifting my front paws back and forth. "Oh, well, trust me, I've always wanted to leave."

I then tried to meet Wendell's gaze anxiously, the real reason for his strange behavior further processing for me. "Well, I mean, sure, I've become comfortable here and...with you, of course, but... Wendell..."

I then found myself longingly looking towards my special window. "My kit is out there... and I have an entire Clan out there and a forest where my heart still is. My plan was always to go back to that."

"Sure, but..." Wendell then murmured. "The Clan is only one of many places you've been to in your life, right?"

I whipped back around to face Wendell, my relief and affection beginning to go away. "Excuse me?"

"You've gotten used to so many different places – the Clan is just one of those places," Wendell tried to explain to me. "Who's to say you can't get used to another one?"

"Where?" I asked the tom, bewildered. Then, after a moment of glancing around the basement, I met Wendell's gaze again with wide eyes. "You mean here?"

"Well, I guess. Why not?"

"Are you joking?" I then asked Wendell, my voice rising with shock and frustration. "Did you not hear me mention my daughter?"

I then raised my eyebrows when Wendell let out a frustrated sigh. "Mistpelt, like I've said, I can almost be certain that she is safe," he replied sharply to me. "Kits are taken to shelters all of the time and are adopted by caring, loving Twolegs."

"I don't care!" I then insisted to the tabby tom, my voice becoming hoarse with emotion. "She's not with me, and that's worrisome enough for me."

I then gestured back to the window with my tail. "One day I will get out of here and I will find her!"

I then watched, trying my darndest to let myself calm down, and my grieving emotions dwindle as Wendell let out a sigh and close his eyes. "You really want to get out of here?" he then breathed.

I let out a sniff and a shrug. "Of course I do, Wendell!" I answered him with exasperation. "I thought that was always clear."

Wendell then let out a purr, shyly looking down at his paws once again. "Well, I'm sure it was, but..." He then shrugged, meeting my gaze with warm, yet sad pale blue eyes. "Maybe I just didn't want to believe it."

With those words, my heart almost seemed to stop for a moment. And suddenly, all of the worry, anger, and frustration that I'd been feeling up until this point seemed to disintegrate like fog. "...Oh, yeah?"

"Mmhm..." Wendell murmured, his eyes beginning to gleam with both affection and guilt. "And maybe that's why I'm being a complete jerk right now, Mistpelt. I'm sorry."

I slowly shook my head back at the tom, my heartbeat audible in my ears once again. "No, I... I understand," I replied to the tom genuinely. I then padded up a bit closer to him. "And you're not being a jerk."

Wendell then let out a sniff. "I'd say that I am. I mean..." He then shrugged nervously yet again. "I'm torn, and I guess I'm not handling it very well."

I then blinked in surprise as he lightly brushed his tail along one of my shoulders. "Trust me, I want you to go back to the place you love, and to find your daughter again, but I..." He then seemed to take a moment to find his words. "I also really, really don't want you to leave."

He then nodded past me, towards the stairs. "You seemed to be accepting the fact that there was no way out, so I guess I assumed... and hoped, that you were here to stay."

I blinked once again, slowly taking in all of these things that Wendell was sharing with me. "Oh..." Wow... And once again, I found that I was feeling things that I had not felt in a very, very long time.

"I know, it's insane and deranged. I'm sorry," Wendell then meowed, his eyes widening. "I'm excited you found a way to escape. Really. I just..."

I then couldn't help but feel my stomach flutter as the tom gave me another shrug. "I just hate what it implies."

I slowly began shaking my head back at the tabby tom, so taken aback by everything that he was telling me. And as much as I didn't want to know the answer, I couldn't help but ask... "Did... did you know about this open window and not tell me?"

And just as I had hoped, Wendell's eyes widened frantically, and he give me a quick shake of his head. "Genuinely, no!" he insisted to me. "But..."

His gaze then fully wiped over with shame. "I suppose I have to admit that even if I had known about it, I would be reluctant to share that with you."

I stared wide-eyed back at Wendell with those words, causing him to flash me a look full of reassurance. "I would, I swear! I guess I just wouldn't like it." He then let out a sniff, breaking his gaze from mine and looking to his side. "If it wasn't clear already, I like having you around."

Wow...

I could still hardly believe what I was hearing. Wow... I said to myself again. I continue to experience things that I have never really experienced with a tom. At least, a tom that I... it's so, so different...

I then once again felt my stomach begin to flutter, so much so that I was certain I was going to float off of the ground. So... this really is going to pan out differently than the last time, huh?

After taking another moment, I shifted my gaze to meet Wendell's once again. "So, I guess you like me walking around spewing hate then, huh?"

Soon after I'd met the tom's gaze, he shyly looked back down at his paws. "Mistpelt, hearing you talk, even if it's about how much you hate houses or how dumb Twolegs are... it's the highlight of my day."

Then, after a moment, he lifted his head and met my gaze again, his pale blue eyes sparkling like the clearest pond. "You are."

Wow, wow... the whiplash continues.

I then slowly began to shake my head in amazement back at Wendell as I continued to stare back into his eyes. The feeling sure is mutual, but I didn't think I was ever going to give myself a chance to say that... I thought. Being in this house has been as horrible as being in the Dark Forest would be, but... Wendell has made it infinitely better.

He's been my highlight. And the fact that he actually appreciates my presence makes me feel better than it probably would for a lot of cats.

I then felt a large wave of sadness. The only good thing that I'll take away from any of this after I leave... I then told myself. Darn it, I hate that I've found something that makes it harder to leave... I didn't want to ever think too much about it.

I then pulled myself away from my thoughts, hesitating a moment before replying to Wendell. "Listen, I mean..." I then began. "It's not like this escape will be put together in a day. I'll still be around for a while."

"Yeah, but you're still eventually leaving," Wendell pointed out as he stared at me sadly.

"Maybe.. but until then..." I then meowed warmly as I padded even closer to the housecat. "You can continue to hear me yap on... complain, roll around in the grass... dive face first into things..."

After the two of us then exchanged a laugh, I then continued. "But you know what? Maybe I'll hold back on the complaining a bit – there's been a little less to complain about."

Wendell then let out a chuckle, cocking one of his eyebrows. "Wow, that was smooth."

"Thank you," I purred, letting my tail intertwine with his fluffy brown tabby one. "Just trying to replicate the smug, happy-go-lucky, silly little Wendell that I know very well."