(Pepperjack says hello.) 

Mom.

Mom?

He was about to try and reach out to his mother again when he heard Marcus's voice respond in his head.

Shut the hell up!

The volume and intensity of his words made Arron wince and mew quietly.

Oh suck it up you little shit. Get up and get me a beer.

Confusion swam over his thoughts as he tried to get himself up. His scruff was his one weakness besides his obvious size. If it was pulled on too hard, he tended to pass out. It was embarrassing and frustrating that his own father, though he would never acknowledge him as such, had hurt him like that.

I don't care, kid. Just get your ass up!

Arron yelped and pushed himself up. He felt a blanket under his hands, but it was clear that it was old and worn thin. He heard Marcus's growl a moment later from the other room, as well as mentally, and quickly stumbled into the living room area of the tiny apartment.

Gross.

The place was an absolute mess. It screamed drunkard with bottles lying everywhere. Several packs of empty cigarette cartons were on the table along with an overfull ashtray. There was even smoke dust on the walls.

It was no wonder his sensitive nose was beginning to burn. He was just shaking his head a little to try and clear it when he felt an empty glass bottle smack him on the right side of his head. He yelped and lifted his hand to wipe away a line of blood that had started to run down the side of his face.

What the heck is his problem?

"Get me a beer you worthless shit."

Arron snarled over his shoulder at Marcus.

The man had been lazing on the sofa until Arron had gone and growled at him. He realized his mistake too late, though, when he saw Marcus shift abruptly and lunge for him.

Arron's kitten took over through sheer panic, but it barely made it a few feet before Marcus grabbed it by the back of the neck and shook hard. His vision went out quickly as pain radiated from the place where Marcus's teeth were breaking skin. Rylan's little bouts of aggression seemed like nothing compared to his father's as he felt his body drop to the floor.

"Worthless. I took you because I would get paid to keep my offspring, but I can't believe that idiot even kept you alive when he noticed that your shift wasn't growing up. A fucking kitten at eighteen? I'm disgusted that I had even sired you."

Arron's chest hurt hearing his words but he reminded himself several times that Marcus wasn't his true father, he was just some asshole who forced himself on his real father.

He heard Marcus's footsteps moving about the apartment. The fridge opened a moment later as he, no doubt, got himself another beer. He was back on the sofa after a few seconds as Arron remained on the floor, bleeding from several punctures on the back of his neck. Everything went silent for a little while and he thought that he'd blacked out, but it seemed like not a minute later that the door to the apartment was creaking open and three sets of footsteps walked in.

They all stopped after a second, no doubt staring at him. The pain was now a steady ache all over his body and he definitely couldn't move to even try to see who they were.

"Marcus, why is there a kitten dying on your floor?"

The voice he heard was deep and rough, but steady and calm as a set of footsteps approached him. Arron could hear his boots on the wooden floor before the swish of his clothing told him that he was kneeling down.

What he didn't expect to hear were awkward cackles. It almost sounded like two people were laughing at him uncontrollably, but when those sounds got closer, the man who had knelt beside him let out a laughing snarl of his own and quickly moved away from him.

Laughing and running sounds continued for another moment before the retreating scratching of claws on the floor let Arron know that the two... things, were backing off.

"Marcus, I asked you a question. Why is there a bloody kitten on your floor?" The man repeated.

"Oh chill out, Larro. You, Pask, and Tayn can just have it."

The laughing started up again abruptly as Arron heard claws scramble. The man, who he assumed hadn't changed since he'd been speaking off and on, seemed to charge again and pushed the others away. He honestly thought that they were just going to eat him since it wasn't really unheard of among different species, but when he was gently scooped up into strong arms, he mewed in confusion.

"It's okay, little one." Larro said.

Arron felt the man move as he turned and headed toward the door, the two animals he'd heard previously hot on his heels judging from the sound of their nails on the floor.

"I'm taking it to the hospital."

Marcus just grunted as they left. Arron was grateful to be out of that disgusting, dangerous place... but he had no idea who Larro even was and silently wondered why the man didn't just use him as a snack for him and his friends.