SpiderCat
Menace, Hero, or Urban Legend?

For several months now, there have been reports of an odd feline, creature fleeing the scenes of missing wallets, restaurants, and crying babies. No one could get an accurate picture of our SpiderCat until recently when a feline creature and her partner MonkeyWolf, were registered at the mutant camps.

*A tiny 2 by 2 inch image displayed the silhouettes of several camp guards holding onto a feline mutant at the side of the page. Her mouth wide open and looking menacing as a sort of sparks and light came from something on her wrist.*

I don’t know about you readers, but, personally, I would hate to be caught in that bite. Especially from a mutant who is obviously as unsure of what she is about as this one. How do we know her head isn’t on straight? Well let me tell you lovely readers. The camps made a community service program in witch the camp residents were to work. During said event, a near by apartment building caught on fire. Yes my lovely readers, that’s right, fire.

*Off to the right side of the page is a picture of a wolfed out Ted and a familiar looking Sara climbing the side of the brick wall with a capture. “SpiderCat and her trusty sidekick MoneyWolf. Saving the day?”*

Sources tell us that this building went up in flames due to faulty wiring in the basement. Now folks, how stupid do you think this source thinks you readers are? Electrical problems are a common event leading to burning buildings but haven’t we seen such mutants with electrical powers walking the streets? And how convenient is it that this building just happens to catch fire, not twenty feet away from where our beloved SpiderCat and MonkeyWolf are performing their community service. Let me hear you say it. ‘Conspiracy!’

That’s right. The flaming building in question was nothing more than a way for the mutant population to make them selves look good. Why else would a cat, of all the worlds creatures, choose to help someone she proffered to feed on, let alone, choose to work with a wolf. If that isn’t proof enough for you, take a closer look at the wolf. Many of you should recognize him from the news several months prier to the camps, running a muck in the city.

Both of the animals in question were seen, with other mutants entering the building. SpiderCat had done a much better acting job than MoneyWolf as SpiderCat entered the building several times and MonkeyWolf only entered once, laying down, off to the side after his single trip of grabbing shrieking children.

*Yet another picture was seen to the right of the page, of a small child screaming and pulling Sara’s fur, as Sara’s mouth was twisted, wide, open in the most awkward fashion. Right over a picture of a collapsed Ted just before he had turned human.*

While MonkeyWolf took a nap rather than continue to help, or to be questioned, the little girl, seen to the right of the page, was quick to comment that she feared for her life. Without any more, coaxing, persuasions, or threats involving killer bees, the child went on about how demanding the feline was, and how fast those jaws, let alone the rest of the cat, really could move.

Once again this reporter must remind her readers, these acts of heroism came to no harm or cost of the mutants doing the hero work. These acts of hearoism came with the danger to our city, the danger to our children, and the damage to a building that was a place called home for 8 families. Instead these freaks take the chance to look good while threatening our beloved families of this city. Mutants are dangerous, they are a menace, and their crimes, no matter how good they want to make themselves look, will come to an end.

From this bug eyed writer, to the citizens of New York. Watch your backs.

Sara seldom read the Tabloids. She seldom cared about the things that humans wanted to read and find interesting because that wasn’t supposed to interest her. It wasn’t until she saw herself on the cover of one that she swiped it from the lady who was skimming the pages. Making the lady shriek and run down the street in hysterics about SpiderCat stealing her paper.

Sara’s ears flicked back against the back of her head. Annoying human. Her gaze shifted back to the pages in her hand while she walked forward, to get away from where the woman was still screaming and pointing at.

Sara blinked once, Reread the title, and blinked again. Then another blink and another. That wasn’t supposed to happen was it? She flipped the paper upside down and then turned back to the cover page. Not yet really wanting to read what she was seeing. Yes she was use to people taking her wrong and what not, though the way things were going, this article may soon become the truth, and that actually scared her.

Perhaps she should find that mysterious MonkeyWolf, Ted. Sara’s mind darted back and forth as she folded the newsprint in her hands. Ted should at least know he was being published. Did he already know? Something in the back of Sara’s mind darted forward and she wondered if he even had something to do with writing the article.

The tip of Sara’s claw slid out and sliced a little oval into the paper. Whoops…. Funny how stray thoughts can make our subconscious bodies so temperamental.

Ted was with the X-squod. Sara could deal with most of the group, but there were a few individuals that kept her from getting close after the camps, because she saw them as hypocrites. For being such human lovers they had certainly shed a fair amount of blood. In her opinion, they undermined their own goals, but it was probably time for a visit.

Sara began walking towards the mansion, letting her mind wonder in and out as she took in her awareness of the city streets, and thought up what exactly to say. About half way there, for no reason, she felt she should take a right, so she did, surprising herself when she found a familiar sent in the air, Faint, but familiar.

Yet another shopping trip. Ted rubbed his wrists where the bracelets had been; they still hurt every now and then. He headed for a small store, he didn't trust the bigger ones, when he noticed something familiar. A scent. He puased at the shop entrance, and instead turned around. Now there was an unexpected sight. One of the mutants from the camps, Sarah he thought her name was, was walking right at him. "Well hello there. How you holding up?" He noticed something clutched in her... claws? Hands? Pointy hands. He also noticed that she did not seem very pleased about something. What have I done now?

Sara practically spun around the last corner, her long coat fluttering to the side with her quick steps as she neared Ted. Her jaw was tight and she was studying Ted, even as she was walking up. Anxious to jump to some time of conclusion. Anything that would explain the article.

“I’ve been fine. You?” The words were said tight. Just before she saw something about Ted’s wrist move and she halted with an abrupt jerking step. Her big, amber, eyes squeezing shut and she reminded herself Ted had gone through the same thing she did at the camps. Sara had walked away from the camps with the second physical scar of her life, and she chose to hide that thing, from herself and the world, with a long black leather cuff that covered her entire forearm. Using it to cover the bold patchy ring where the electricity her every time she did so much as stub a toe.

“I was wondering if you followed the tabloids.” She kept her lips tight and shoved the rolled up news print in Ted’s direction. “I hope you don’t have anything to do with it.”

Ted didn't need to be Xavier to tell she was lieing; she was anything but fine. Aaand she's stabbing him with a tabloid. "I tend to avoid them; why?" But his question was answered as he unrolled the paper. "Spidercat?" A quick glance at the pictures explained most of the article, but he skimmed through it swiftly anyway. "Monkeywolf? Ok, if I did have something to do with this, I would have a much cooler nickname. It sounds like a bad Saturday morning cartoon." He grinned, but then noticed something.

"take a closer look at the wolf. Many of you should recognize him from the news several months prier to the camps, running a muck in the city."

Oh crap. "What the hell?" he swiftly rolled up the paper, all joking gone. "Ok, we need to do something about this. The police seem to have stopped actively looking for me, so I don't need anyone reminding them. How much do you reckon this reporter knows?"

Sara ran the fingers of her paw like hand through her hair, pushing it back out of her eyes. “Sorry.” She said the apology low. She’d been quick to look for people to accuse. Even though part of her still wanted to take out some frustrations or something, or him. She sighed. No, she wouldn’t do that.

“ I don’t know how they are getting their information. Then again that particular event wasn’t exactly kept quiet.”

Not exactly kept quiet; Ted blamed the tank for that one. "It may just be that I've watched too much TV, but I doubt this," He looked for a name, but there didn't seem to be one, "bug eyed writer is going to just drop this. I suppose all we can do is wait and see if she publishes something else. Can I keep this? I want to let the other guys at the mansion know, and I want to tell Miss Tipper. Failing that, Neena will do. She seems to have taken command." An idea struck him. "Do you feel like coming as well? Any mutant's welcome." Considering the state the mansion was in, Ted wouldn't have asked, but he was getting a little uncomfortable with all the looks from passersby. "We're getting a barbecue set up if you're hungry."

Sara had been ignoring the people on the street. She hadn’t liked paying them any over glorified attention anyways but the fact that her and Ted weren’t being exactly quiet. Well. Yeah.. That and the fact Sara had forgotten that she had yanked her hood of her long hobo imitation coat down. Probably best they start moving somewhere else.

Still she hesitated with her voice sounding sheepish. “No offence, but I probably wont stay long. I find a few of your group members hypocrites.” After all the blood shed during the camps and especially during the break out, Sara shouldn’t have to elaborate. It was the reason why she hadn’t followed them to stay with Neena and Raina. The two she felt she had gotten closest to during the hell they went through. “Food sounds good though.” She added.