Catspaws: Lost Innocence

Author’s Note/Disclaimer:
I do not own Marvel, X-Men Evolution, the X-Men or the universe they live in. This is a work of adult fan fiction written solely for entertainment purposes. No disrespect or copyright infringement is intended by the author. I make no money from this work.

This story is set in the X-Men Evolution universe after the television series ended. Kurt and Kitty are about eighteen years old and about to start college.

Warnings: This is a dark fic. Bad things are going to happen to our beloved characters. For the story as a whole -- M/M and M/F nonconsensual sex. M/F consensual sex. Anal sex, hand job, oral sex.

Please rate and review. Constructive criticism is much desired. My rough draft is now complete at ten chapters.

Chapter Two: Flight

Dawn found them still huddled together against the wall of the cave. They rose slowly, their bodies chilled and stiff.

“Oh god! I haven’t been, like, this sore since Mr. Logan ran us through that marathon Danger Room session last month.” Kitty slowly stretched and rubbed at a sore spot on one hip.

“I’m starving. I think I could even eat one of your muffins, I’m so hungry.” Kurt followed her lead, stretching cramped muscles before gathering his clothes together. They were still a little damp. But wearing them would provide some relief from the morning chill.

“I’m not quite that hungry…But close, real close.” Kitty grimaced at her the remains of her once stylish pink top. “You know, I just got this outfit and it’s, like, totally ruined.”

“I know what you mean.” Kurt frowned at his ruined clothing. He glanced at her, and then turned his eyes away quickly. Why was seeing her in her bra and panties any different from a swimsuit? “I wonder what Sabertooth did with my image inducer.”

“It’s probably at the bottom of the river.” Kitty seemed not to have noticed his discomfort. “But that sort of reminds me…I’ll bet these things are what’s blocking our powers.”

Kurt paused in his dressing to look her way. She hadn’t yet donned her shirt and was occupied in exploring the band of metal around her neck. After a moment she stopped with a frustrated sigh.

“Let me see yours. I can’t feel anything useful.” Kurt stood still, his sweater in his hands as she moved closer to him in order to examine his collar. He felt her fingers probing the edges carefully.

“Do you see anything?”

“Damn. I can see the seam and the catch, but it’s got some kind of lock on it. An electronic one. I’ll bet it takes a code to open it.” Her fingers dropped away.

“I don’t suppose yours is any different?”

“Probably not, but take a look anyway.” She tilted her chin up and looked at him. Kurt reached out with probing fingers, trying to find some way to remove the collar. He was conscious of Kitty’s gaze as she watched his face.

“See anything?”

“No.” He started to pull away.

“Kurt?” She rested her hands against his chest. “I um…What I said last night…” Her fingers toyed with his fur.

“Kitty...We are friends…I do not expect anything more.” He covered her hands with his own. “Last night was…ah…”

“Really scary…But, that’s not why I said it…I mean it’s why I said it then, but it’s not why I said it, really. I mean…I know you don’t expect anything more. But…um…What if I, like, wanted more? Would you be…I don’t know…Freaked out?”

Kurt was suddenly painfully aware of the fact that they were both half naked. Her brown eyes searched his face anxiously while her fingers continued to move restlessly under his own. Even after being nearly drowned in a river and sleeping in a cold, dirty cave, she was still one of the prettiest girls he’d ever seen. This was Kitty, his best friend, his teammate…and the first girl he’d ever really loved. The old emotions, long buried beneath friendship welled up with almost frightening intensity.

“Kitty…”

“Oh God. You are freaked out. Like, I’m so sorry. I feel so stupid…”

“Kitty…”

“No. It’s O.K. I’m O.K. Just forget what I said.” She started to pull her hands from his grasp. “Just forget it.”

“No.” Kurt held onto her hands, not letting them go. “I can’t forget it, Kitty.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means…It means…It means that I want more. But, I don’t expect it.” He was afraid to say more. Afraid that when they were home and safe again, she’d change her mind. “You…you have caught me by surprise Kitty, and the timing is...ah…”

“Bad. I know…But, thinking about how we almost died. And then thinking what if I died and I didn’t say it. And you didn’t know. That I didn’t even try…”

He let go of her hands and instead cupped his thick fingers around her face. She fell silent, her eyes large and dark. Then he surprised them both by leaning in to kiss her lips gently. He could feel his pulse throbbing in the pointed tips of his ears and he felt her lips warm and soft against his. When he nibbled carefully at her lower lip, her lips parted and her arms slid around him, pulling him closer. The silent invitation was more than he could resist and he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with lips and tongue. She sighed and leaned into his kiss.

After a long breathless moment he pulled away reluctantly. He watched as she blinked slowly and licked her lips.

“Oh wow…I um…didn’t know you were such a good kisser.”

Kurt shrugged. Other than Amanda, he hadn’t had much practice.

“We should dress and get moving. To stay warm if nothing else.”

“You don’t think we should wait here for help?”

“Not this close to the river.”

“And Sabertooth…He might not be dead.”

“Ja.”

“All right.”

In a few moments, they were dressed and making their way carefully out of the cave. By the light of day they could see the river was rushing by, swollen with rainwater and littered with bits of leafy debris.

“I think we’d better get away from the river if we can, it looks flooded.” Kitty looked critically at the riverbanks, noting the water had risen high enough to drown shrubs on the far side.

“I agree. And we don’t want to be caught here if it starts to rain again.” Kurt took her hand and began to pull her along the narrow strip of dry land. The slope to their left was much too steep to climb safely. One slip and they would tumble back into the cold river.

For a while they traveled without speaking, concentrating on keeping their footing. By the time the sun rose high enough to burn off most of the morning chill, they were tired and hungry. And they still had found no safe route that would lead them away from the river.

“I need a break.” Kitty stopped, one hand wrapped around a sturdy sapling as she yanked her foot free from a pool of congealing mud. “Oh, that is so gross.” She kicked her foot, trying to dislodge the mud.

“Here?” Kurt stopped and threw a look over his shoulder.

“Do you see a better place?”

“No.” He sighed and carefully twined his tail around a bush for purchase as he sank into a crouch to rest. Kitty made her way closer to him, carefully skirting the slippery muck. He reached a hand for her and drew her closer, letting her perch on one knee.

“Isn’t that uncomfortable?”

“Not really, no.”

“I’m starting to think we picked the wrong side of the river.” She shaded her eyes with one hand and looked around.

“Maybe. It’s too late now, anyway.” He wrapped one arm around her waist and rested his face against her side.

“Guess so. Do you have any idea where we are?”

“No.”

“Neither do I.”

They rested silently for a while. Eventually, Kurt’s muscles began to protest under the extra weight and he shifted a little. Kitty took the hint and rose. As they resumed their trek the sky began to darken a little. They quickened their pace.

Fat droplets of water began to fall around them and the sky continued to darken above them. The ground beneath their feet was becoming slippery and treacherous. They were forced to a slow walk.

“If we could just use our powers, you could teleport us away from here.” She slipped and Kurt steadied her with a tail wrapped around her waist.

“Well, at least my tail still works.”

“Yeah. Thank God for that.”

Soon their pace slowed to a crawl. The cold rain fell down in heavy sheets that narrowed their vision to just a few yards ahead of their stumbling feet. They spoke little, all their energy focused on moving forward. Suddenly, the path before them ended sharply where the floodwaters had eaten it away.

Kitty pulled up short and turned to speak, but her feet slipped from under her and she found herself scrambling to find something to hang on to. Kurt made a grab for her and missed. He watched helplessly as she slid into the cold water below.

“Kitty!” He launched himself into the water after her. The water hit him with a shock and he gasped as the water closed over his head. He struggled for the surface, coughing and gagging against the mouthful of water he’d sucked in. When he broke the surface he spent a frantic moment searching for her.

A flash of pink caught his eye and he struck out for it. He fought the urge to cough.

“Kurt!” She was clinging to a heavy tree branch that hung low to the water, letting it support her weight. She reached for him and pulled him closer. He continued to cough up river water as he clutched at it too.

“Are you O.K.?” She shouted over the rushing water.

“I think I just swallowed half the river.” He choked out. The branch cracked ominously under the strain of two bodies. The water was moving fast and the nearest bank looked too steep to climb out.

“What do we do now?”

“Hang on tight?” Kurt coughed again and wrapped his tail around Kitty’s waist. They wouldn’t be separated again. The branch cracked, more loudly this time.

“We’re in trouble aren’t we? Right about now would be a great time for the X-Men to show up.” Kitty blinked her eyes against the falling rain and tried to search the clouded sky.

“I don’t think they’re going to make it in time.” Kurt tightened his grip on the branch. That seemed to be the last straw and the branch parted from its tree to fall into the water. They were pulled with it and fought to keep their heads above the spray as the current carried them swiftly downstream.

How far the river carried them before the branch snagged on a partially submerged tree, they had no idea. By then they were cold and exhausted. Wearily, they pulled themselves into the upper branches of the tree, hoping the waters would rise no further. After that there was nothing to do but hold on grimly to the tree and each other until the storm passed.


Drowning wasn’t his favorite way to die. Of course there was worse. Lots worse and he’d done any number of them. It wasn’t so much the dying as the coming back. Well, technically he didn’t die...but if he’d gotten any closer he could have sat in at the Devil’s poker game.

He puked up a gallon of brackish river water after he managed to drag himself up the bank. His claws were caked with mud and his temper was about as foul as the weather. The helicopter was gone and maybe the little brats with it. Damn it, he hadn’t even gotten to play with ‘em yet. The wounds in his chest and throat itched as they healed and his lungs ached and burned while he coughed up more muddy water.

Maybe the kids weren’t dead. A quick check of his pockets and he found the handheld control for the collars. The compact little machine sprang to life under his touch. The device he’d stolen from his former employer had weathered the crash much better than he himself had.

“Gotta love Mags and his toys.”

If the control had survived, it was pretty likely the collars had too. A quick check showed him a weak signal from somewhere downriver. Enough to tell him they were still breathing, though not much else. Good.

First things first, he’d need a boat and a few other things before tracking them down. A quick glance at the night sky and he had his bearings. He set off through the scrub at a slow trot. Already his lungs were feeling better and his wounds had stopped itching. With the blood pumping to ward off the chill and lethargy of near death, his spirits rose.

“Hang on kiddies. Old Victor’s coming.”


As night approached, Kurt and Kitty were forced to climb higher into the tree. The river continued to rise until they were only head and shoulders above its surface. The cold water seemed to leach the energy from them along with their body heat. They huddled close for what little warmth it offered.

When the sound of a boat’s motor broke the silence, they peered into the growing darkness.

“A boat! Kurt! We’re saved!” Kitty clutched at him in excitement.

A bright light played across the water, dazzling their eyes. Kurt averted his face to shield his sensitive eyes.

“Hello! Over here! Help!” Kitty rose as high as she could in the tree and waved wildly.

The boat approached slowly turning its flank toward them.

“Well don’t you look like a couple a drowned rats?” A familiar voice carried over the water.

“No.” Kurt groaned. “Sabertooth.”

“Oh no.” Kitty stopped her waving and clung to Kurt. “No.”

“What’s the matter? Ya don’t look so happy ta see me.”

“We thought you were dead.” Kitty blurted out.

“Heh. I don’t die easy. Been huntin’ up and down this river lookin’ for ya.”

The boat came more or less at a stop near the tree. Its wake sent waves splashing into their faces provoking Kurt into a fresh spate of coughing.

“Here, I’ll toss ya a line and you can climb aboard.” The light winked out and a length of rope came flying out of the darkness to thud against Kurt’s chest. He caught it in one hand before the river could carry it away.

“Why should we trust you?” Kurt held the rope carefully. “How do we know you aren’t going to kill us?”

“If I wanted ya dead, you’d be dead already. ‘Course if you’d rather take yer chances with the river, suit yerselves. I’ll come back fer yer bodies in the morning.”

“Kurt? I don’t think we have a choice.”

“I am afraid you’re right.” Kurt sighed and wrapped the rope firmly around his hand. “You go first Katzchen. I will hold the rope.”

Kurt braced himself carefully and held the rope tightly while Kitty made her way hand over hand to the waiting boat. When she reached it, Sabertooth offered his hand and lifted her easily over the side. Then he flashed Kurt a glimpse of his teeth, sharp canines shining in the dim light.

“Yer turn, kid. Hang on tight and I’ll pull ya in. An’ no funny business there, girlie, or I’ll leave him here ta drown.”

“I’ll behave.”

Kurt wrapped the end of the rope tightly around his hand and gripped it with both hands letting himself drift free of the tree. Sabertooth gave a heavy pull and he began to move through the water with a jerk. He half expected the man to cut him loose as soon as he was out of reach of the tree’s safety, but soon enough he was being dragged over the side of the boat by rough hands.

“Now there’s some blankets and a coupla thermoses of hot soup under that there seat.”

Sabertooth nudged him toward where Kitty sat. Kitty rose and helped him fish out the blankets and soup. Then they huddled together under the blankets to carefully sip the broth, too exhausted to question their rescuer’s goodwill any further.

Kurt began to cough again and Kitty frowned worriedly. But, she didn’t comment on it.

Once his passengers had settled onto the seat, Sabertooth turned the boat back the way he had come.

“This is like, the worst ever. What do you think he’s going to do with us?” Kitty spoke quietly, her voice barely audible over the sound of the boat’s motor. “And why haven’t the XMen found us yet?”

Before Kurt could answer, Sabertooth spoke. She’d forgotten how sensitive the other mutant’s hearing was.

“Talkin’ like that makes a fella feel unappreciated. Coulda left ya’s there ta drown. Answer ta the first part, is whatever I damned well please.” He shot a feral grin over his shoulder at the pair. “Answer ta the second is them collars. Lifted them off my old boss, Magneto. Shuts down yer powers and keeps ya off old Baldy’s radar.”

“They will find us. Once they figure out it was you, Wolverine won’t rest until he finds us.” Kurt spoke up, more to reassure Kitty than anything else.

“Countin’ on it kiddies. Runt’s pretty predictable.” Sabertooth gave another of those toothy grins. “Meantime, the three of us is gonna get ta know each other better.”

“What…What does that mean?” Kitty stiffened under the blankets.

“Ya can’t be that naïve, girlie. Not after running around with that Alvarez kid and his friends.”

“You wouldn’t dare. Wolverine would kill you.” Kurt wrapped a protective arm around her.

“Don’t argue with me boy.” Sabertooth turned around completely to fix Kurt with a stern glare. “I came fer you. Girl’s just a bonus.”

“Then let her go. I’ll cooperate.”

“Kurt!”

“Always playin’ the hero, you kids.” Sabertooth snorted. “Don’t matter none. I ain’t makin’ no deals. If yer smart, you’ll behave yerselves. Might even live long enough ta be rescued.”

Sabertooth turned back around and silently piloted the boat for a few minutes. They huddled closer under the blankets. Kurt was debating their chances of trying to wrest control of the boat from Sabertooth. He thought Kitty was probably doing the same.

“Bet yer thinkin’ of tryin’ to fight me. Go ahead. I’m itchin’ fer a fight. Might be fun. Fer me.” His chuckle was ominous as it hung on the night air.

Kitty shivered next to him. This time, he didn’t think it was the cold.