Disgusting 

I’m sorry Papa and Mama I’m sorry I swear on my life that I’d never steal again please come back! You will! Right? Don’t leave me alone here I’ll do anything you ask of me please just stay!

Nova Calico was a feline that lived in a human town she lived with her father and mother who were in constant poverty one because her mom was of the feline race and two was that her dad was a drunkard who couldn’t find a job because everyone knew that he brought in a wife of a different race. Not having much to eat from what her parents leave behind if any at all she stole from a bakery. She didn’t have much choice nor did her parents the only money they had was from what her mom brought in as a brothel worker.  Her mom and dad they fought though they neither weren’t really at wrong they would take out their anger on Nova even though they knew she was only 11. The one thing Nova was proud of was her last name Calico that she had a last name so she could be identified but nothing to prove it.

Thing is if someone keeps on stealing the person that owns the place begins to notice that something is missing and so the bakery owner he waited and watched and Nova was caught her hands on the bread as she was exiting the door. The bakery owner didn’t hesitate he threw a chain at her it crushes her small frame causing her to fall. The bakery owner goes to the back and Nova tries to get out from the chain but all she manages to do is lift up her fingers. The stout tall man he has a makeshift whip made of a kitchen knife tied around a piece of rope.
Baker:”Eh just a small feline disgusting street rat. Maybe this whip will kill you and can’t have that now”

The man he carries her outside and ties her to a horse post with a sign that spells “Thief” and gets a wooden stick a beating stick if you will. He slams the stick into her stomach causing Nova to lose her breath and again the stick strikes her stomach causing her to puke. He leaves the stick after having his fun Nova still tied up and trying to escape townsfolk stop in front of the horse post. 
Nova:“Untie me please!”
The citizens didn’t instead one picks up the stick and hits her once. Nova gasps for air she feels another strike against her arm and legs all over she feels the stick hitting her. Nova’s only defense was crying she cried until her eyes were left dry and her mouth no noise erupts from any more.

Late night she’s tired and hurting the baker comes back up with his whip he strikes the ground with it the dirt flying into Nova’s face he gets behind her. She hears the sound of the rope whistling and an edge striking her left side of the back the rope comes undone only partly. He strikes again with his whip and again four marks on her back two on each side she falls to the ground and is left there by the baker her eyes looking at him walking away as a man with a bottle in his hand passes by. Her eyes are too blurred to see but she knows that the figure with the bottle is her father coming back from a night of drinking she feels him pick her up. She is brought back home and her father yelling echoes in her ear

Dad:”You stupid fucking cat! If it weren’t for you I’d be a normal person with a normal life right now! And now you’re labeled as a thief now because you couldn’t deal with the food we left for you at home!? You fat greedy stupid idiot!”

Nova thought to herself “what food” was left for her she tries to speak but the only thing she could see was a bottle flying at her head and herself losing consciousness.She woke up to her house feeling seemingly empty she looked around and all the clothes her mother had were gone along with all the booze bottles her father bought but never finished. She could try as much as she wants but she couldn’t get up the whip strikes stung too much. She rolls out of her blanket onto the hard wooden floor she starts inching her way too the door one hand in front of the other her back screaming with each pull, her arms feeling more and more torn she makes it too her door and stops there. She couldn’t lift her arms up any more she sees the door open it hits her head she was too close on the other side her mother walks through the door. She picks up Nova and puts her on bed turning her on her stomach and cleaning her back. 
Nova:“Mama…”
Mom:”Yes darling?”
Nova:”A-Are you really there?”
Mom:”Yep mother’s right here”
Nova:”Don’t leave me…”
Nova falls asleep again her body having given up on staying awake right now the only thing it needed was rest and rest it received.

Nova wakes up she was all alone and no one was home but her back feels better and she can feel rags tied around her. Covering her back all around her party it was tight and her legs were weak the life was beaten out of them. They’d need time to heal but Nova was noticing something and that something was that she was hungry very hungry. Her muscles didn’t have the strength to move what kind of family leaves a child like this? Knocking was heard on the door very loud knocking
?:”Open up you’re way past overdue!”
Not that Nova could even get up and open the door it swung wide open before she was even able to lift a finger. What came in was a fat snobby looking man hell his walking made it feel like the earth was shaking he sneered around the place angrily.
Noble:”Tch nothing left to pawn off those damn peasants take free lodging and offer nothing back in return”
The fat man spots Nova on the ground covered by blankets
Noble:”Well well well you’d make a nice slave wouldn’t you. Pffft haha! You were abandoned by your deadbeat dad and your hooker mom and now you gotta pay for them! How pitiful your situation is. Let’s see let’s see how about… We start with some entertainment no?”
The fat man picks up Nova and drags her outside. Nova could feel something in her pocket. It was a sheathe and she could feel a handle also. Nova’s mind ringed with the thoughts “I wanna live! I’m going to live!” And before she could think her hand had already moved towards the dagger and into the man’s neck.

She zones out people looking at her in awe looking at the dead noble man. Getting an adrenaline rush she spots his carriage and makes a run for it stabbing the coachman in the side and kicking him off. The mob of people surround Nova and the carriage scaring the horses they kick up and start running through the mob of people they start running and running each trot hurting Nova’s bruised sides and legs making her feel sick. The horses stop in the middle of a path near a forest she lays down puking out what food is now gone and tries getting up but unable to again. She raises her arm and whips them with the reins making them move to a slow trot she keeps her eyes open scanning the tree line making sure nothing is coming at her.

Two days on end was spent laying down unable to move the third day early morning she makes it to a town. She gets up sitting on the chair leading the horses through the town looking around she sees a man running to her.
?:”Ma’am ma’am!” Nova pull back on the reins the horses stopping
Buyer:”How much for those horses and carriage? I’ll pay 4 golds at most for the horses but that carriage I’ll give you 20 golds!”

Nova had no reason to decline but unable to speak she just nods, the man giving her a bag of coins and leaving with the carriage quickly. She quickly heads to a restaurant thought she couldn’t read it from the outside it looked like a place for the rich she heads inside meeting a waitress. The waitress looks at her in disgust but nonetheless leads her to a table without saying a word she hands her a menu and heads away from Nova coming back and dropping her silverware on the table instead of placing it. Nova eyes glows up at the menu looking through so many dishes she can’t seem to choose.
Nova:”Umm uhhh can I have the… this thing this soup”
The waitress has to lean in to see what she’s pointing at it’s the wyvern soup that nobles like feeling big after eating what is basically a mini dragon.
Waitress:“Oh the wyvern soup do you even have enough to buy that?”
Nova nods meekly
Waitress:”Pay now so that way we know you aren’t going to dine and dash”
Nova pulls out a gold coin the waitress’s eyes gleam with greed and snatches it and heads away.Nova waits patiently for her food looking at all the paintings and fancy statues in the restaurant. She can smell the meat from the kitchen the waitress didn’t even ask her for a drink and Nova was parched. The waitress comes back around
Nova:”Excuse me! Miss my drink?”
The waitress goes to Nova with a pen and paper not even responding.
Nova:”Milk tea”
The waitress writes it down and heads away.
Nova waits stretching her leg and then pulling it away after it started hurting. She knows she needs to see a doctor but she doesn’t know who would treat a feline like her she decided against it. Her soup comes out sniffing in the smell she gets her spoon and starts eating going down her throat and warming it she satisfied with the soup she wanted more. Downing the soup and her sweet milk tea she has no choice but to leave the restaurant she could feel the intensifying glares from the people around like she was about to get ganged up on and beaten again. Out on the streets she looks for a place where she could stay and let her bruises and wounds heal those days of rests certainly doing her well but she knew it was inevitable before her body fell to fatigue again. 

Finding an inn she pays to stay a week where she rests there for the remainder of her stay only getting up to eat and use the hot bath water with she so enjoys. Staying there for a week and heading back to the streets Nova was able to live “normally” for about 7 months she was able to use the money the man gave her for the carriage and did odd jobs that people would need done such as cleaning chimneys or shoveling snow. Going to school and not having to steal was nice but in the end not having a consistent stream of coins she ran out of money. She had to quit school again and for months she had to pickpocket and steal from people to live. 3 months in she was sleeping when she heard two men talking.
Thug:”Oooo a silver haired feline this one will be a nice catch”
Greedy thug:”Indeed! She will make us rich that noble had been looking for something rare”
Nova’s survival instincts kick in she gets up and sprints towards the end of the alley where a man holds his arm out in front of the entrance clad in knights armor she runs straight into it and falls back. The knight looks at her and picks her up and throws her back to the two men looking to sell her. Passing by was a carriage one that was too extravagantly decorated Nova looks back at the two men that are closing in on her. They grab a hold of her hair dragging her to the other side of the alley Nova reaches for her dagger and stabs the man holding her hair in his knee.
Thug:”Raghhh! You fucking bitch!”
The man reaches to grab her, Nova runs under his legs and stabs him in his back piercing through and out his chest. The other man reaches into his sheathe and pulls out a sword. Nova reaches into the dead mans sheathe and pulls out his sword she gets up and backs up slowly holding onto the dagger and sword. The sword was getting too heavy for Nova to carry with one hand she throws her dagger at him and holds the sword with both her hands the dagger hitting the man in his leg he shudders back Nova runs at him with her sword. The man swings at her small frame Nova blocks it with her sword but his overwhelming strength crushes her beneath him she leaps through his legs leaving her sword behind and grabbing her dagger from the man’s leg in the process tearing through his skin she quickly gets up the man turns around as Nova jumps on to his chest stabbing her dagger in.

The man falls dead on the ground Nova looks to see the knights that had thrown her back are looking down the alley. She searches the dead bodies and takes their money hurriedly running down the alley soon after she makes it to the other side of the street. The street is overly crowded she sees a man wearing a hat and snatches it then she puts it over her as she fades into the crowd. The knights run out the alley looking for her as the man that that she snatched the hat from but the crowd was too great from the noble that was visiting the place.

She heads out to where the crowd is looking a noble fat looking man with the crowd cheering for him. Nova could only wonder why for he certainly didn’t look all that great and definitely wasn’t all the good with manners considering he was eating a meat stick right in front of them as he was being carried by commoners through the crowd. Nova hiding her ears with her newfound hat she heads through the crowd bumping into people and trying her best to find a new place to sleep. She runs straight into a man 
???:“Whoa! Hey its you!”
Nova didn’t recognize the man but he did seem familiar however
Buyer:“Remember me lil girl?”
Nova shook her head meekly and getting ready to run
Buyer:”I’m the guy that you gave the carriage to. Ya know a few months back”
Nova finally recognizes the guy but isn’t saying a few months a little of an understatement?
Buyer:”What are you running for? Got in trouble with the local authority?”
Nova shakes her head and gets up walking away from him him
Buyer:”Hey! Wait do you wanna go eat somewhere?”
Nova turns around knowing she still has her dagger nods.
Buyer;”Alrighty why don’t we go to… Seafood?”
She nods her head not sensing any malice coming from the coachman 
They arrive at a seafood place called Krab’s Crabs the man and Nova are greeted by a waiter looking at Nova.
Waiter:”Uhh sir have you been taking care of your daughter well?”
The man looks shocked 
Buyer:“Hey wait! I don’t look that old do I?”
The waiter looks at him scanning

Waiter:”No not at all but… You’re a tall man with a little girl that’s… kinda misleading if she isn’t”
The man calms down
Buyer:”Whoo ok well she’s a friend’s daughter he needed someone to take care of her for a little bit so here I am”
The waiter loses suspicion noticing that Nova looks overly happy at the place and leads them to a table

Waiter: Ok mister and miss here are your menus and what can I get for drinks?”
The man looks at the menu and recoils a little
Buyer:”Uhh I’ll just have beer”
Waiter:”Are you sure? With a child around”
Buyer:”Yes”
The waiter looks sternly at the man
Waiter:”Are.You.Sure?”
The man freezes and gives out a sigh
Buyer:”I’ll have water”
Waiter:”And you little miss?”
Nova looks at the menu noticing there aren’t any pictures for her to pick off
Nova:”Umm uhh milk!”
Waiter:“Sure thing it’ll be coming up and take this time to look at the menu”
The waiter leaves heading to the back for drinks. Nova looks at the menu confusingly trying to make sense of it.
Buyer:”So so what would you like?”
Nova is silent trying to make sense of the menu
Buyer:”Wait… Can you even read it?”
Nova looks up at the man embarrassingly and shakes her head
Buyer:”Ok ok umm does lobster legs sound good? And a uh baked potato?”
Nova nods
Buyer:”Do you wanna get a cake also?”
Nova nods again 
Buyer:“Does a simple vanilla cake sound alright?”
Nova nods once more
The waiter comes back with a glass of milk and a glass of water then pulls up his notes
Waiter:”What would you guys like?”
The man looks at the menu
Buyer:”Can we get lobster legs”
Waiter:”And your side?”
Buyer:”Baked potato. Along with can I get a oooo y’all have steak? I’ll take that with green beans and corn! I want it rare”
Waiter:”Sure sure coming right up”
The man puts down the menu and looks at Nova
Buyer:”So uhh… You got any family with you at all? I mean when I bought that carriage from you that one time you was in a bad way and I didn’t help you so I’m sorry about that. I was just really in a rush to meet someone and after looking back I only realized that I was a little stupid.”
Nova shakes her head
Nova:”I think… I have a family I haven’t seen my momma in a while along with my papa… but they’re somewhere. It’s not your fault mister that you weren’t able to help me and I was able to stay at an inn until I was all the way fine again so it’s all ok…”
The man scratches the back of his head 
Buyer:“Uhh I can maybe bring you to someone and they can uh take care of you but they live in the capital and you’d have to hide your ears and tail but I don’t know seems better than here”
Nova shakes her head knowing the stories of what has happened to felines at the capital.
Buyer:”Ahh ok I’ll try to come often and give you money to live off so you don’t have… You know live on the streets and steal.”
Nova just nods but does this man really have enough money? What job does he do to be able to travel this much and have money to spare for her?
She looks at him and tries to strike a conversation but her mind goes blank she realizes that she has nothing to talk about except on how to steal or her life story
Their food comes out the smell enchanting Nova from far away she waits looking at the plates with enlightened eyes as the waiter puts down the plates in front of her.
Waiter:”Please take your time”
Nova did enjoying every single bite though she had to have the man help crack the lobster shells it was delicious dipping it in butter after each bite it made her full with the best meal she’s had in a while.
After the meal feeling stuffed the waiter heads to them the man paying and looking down at Nova he heads out with her following. He hands her a pouch Nova takes it almost dropping it noticing how heavy it feels. The man looks at her and kneels.
Buyer:”Hey uh I gotta get going I can only stay here for a few hours because well my job requires me to be on the move so let me lead you to a place to get your own house for the time being and I’ll try to get back to you quick with more money ok? I wish I could stay a little bit longer and help you get settled but well that’s not gonna work with the job I have so I’ll see you later maybe in a month or two don’t try making the locals mad and maybe if you do feel like it you can come back with me and we find you a place to get settled in the capital alright?”
Nova nods holding the pouch. The man starts walking leading Nova to a land buyer he signs all the papers that the cashier gives out. The cashier looks at the papers in surprise then goes back to his poker face and hands him some keys after the man hands him a pouch.
Buyer:”Alright say uh what’s your name?”
”Nova.”
Hugh:”Alrighty Nova my name’s Hugh let’s go to your newfound home.”
The man walks leading her to a house it’s nothing fancy but it’s enough for one kid to live in. He hands Nova the keys her small hands taking it and heading inside. It had two rooms a bedroom and a kitchen/living rooms. It was enough for Nova but it was a little empty the only things being there were a bed along with a stove and counter top. Even though it was a house a place for Nova to live again it certainly didn’t feel like it it didn’t feel like she was home rather it was a desolate wasteland in which she was alone.