AN: Hello everyone who was attracted by my vague summary! Basically, this story will be a collection of semi-one-shots, a series of chapters told in various cats' perspectives. They won't flow exactly like a normal story, and every chapter is a peek into the drama (and there will be a lot of drama) that is unfolding around them. It's a little experiment that I've wanted to try for a while, so let me know what you think! Sit back and enjoy the ride!
Hollyclaw pricked an ear, turning it toward the HeatClan territory. A pained wail seemed to be rising from somewhere beyond the river, a plaintive and pitiful sound. Hollyclaw stepped closer to the border, eager for adventure after being stuck in the nursery for so long.
Suddenly, two apprentices tumbled out from behind some reeds. The wailing was coming from the white she-cat, and it grew louder and more desperate as the ginger tom roughly grasped her scruff and began to haul her back toward the reeds. A growl began to build in Hollyclaw's chest as she watched the white apprentice's helplessness. She wasn't even struggling, only crying like a newborn kit. No wonder the tom threw her around like that.
"Shut up!" the ginger tom snarled through a mouthful of fur. "Your whining will only make it worse!"
"Redpaw, please…stop…" the snowy white she-cat wailed. "I'm begging you. As your clanmate. As your—"
Redpaw released her scruff, only to roughly pin her down as she tried to escape. Hollyclaw crept closer, ears pricked, watching eagerly. The red-furred tom held his face whiskers away from the white apprentice, his lips curled back in a sneer. "You're not my fellow clanmate, Icepaw," he growled. "You're lower than me. You're nothing more than a pathetic she-cat." He clawed the side of her face, and she once again let loose a wail that made Hollyclaw flatten her ears in repulsion. "Remember that, dear little Icepaw," Redpaw said, his voice now a discomfiting purr, strangely devious for an apprentice even by Hollyclaw's standards. "You're nothing. She-cats are nothing. They are our slaves. And someday, all the clans will realize it too, and your dreams of running away to ThunderClan won't do you any good."
Icepaw's wail turned into a scream, and Hollyclaw almost looked away. Almost. If it weren't for the anger that was working its way through her veins. Her claws curled out of their sheathes, and a growl rumbled in her throat. Icepaw was pathetic, but Redpaw had no right to assume that all she-cats were weak and inferior. And clearly no she-cat in HeatClan had the spine to teach him a lesson.
Hollyclaw's paws itched for a fight—it had been far too long since her last fight, since the last time her claws had drawn blood. And Redpaw needed to be put in his place, while Icepaw needed someone to set a less cowardly example. As usual, Hollyclaw's thirst for battle took over and her paws were carrying her across the river's stepping stones before she could think twice. She let loose a feral snarl, and Redpaw twisted to stare at her in surprise. Hollyclaw bared her teeth—someone needed to put him in his place, and if it had to be her, so be it. She careened straight into Redpaw's side, throwing him to the ground on one shoulder. Hollyclaw raked her claws deep down his flank and then jumped aside to avoid his flailing claws. He rolled onto his back—a foolish move—and lashed out at Hollyclaw's face. She easily avoided his clumsy blows and tore her claws down his exposed belly. Redpaw howled in pain and rolled into a crouch, only to have Hollyclaw slash at his back. She leapt on top of him, pinning him down and pressing his face into the dirt.
Leaning forward, she hissed in his ear, "Not so superior now, huh? Remember, you pathetic piece of fox dung, you'll never be better than all she-cats. I suggest you—" Hollyclaw broke off at the sound of a yowl. Twisting around, she saw a HeatClan patrol racing toward her, led by Mudstar.
Hollyclaw raked her claws down Redpaw's back once more before fleeing across the stepping stones and back into the forest, ignoring HeatClan's angry shouts. They could follow her if they wanted. Or they could attack her clan later. She didn't care. HeatClan was full of arrogant toms and broken she-cats—what did ThunderClan have to fear? Besides, Hollyclaw was always itching for a fight.
As Hollyclaw approached camp, she slowed to a trot and considered washing the blood from her fur. She usually did; leaders tended to get upset when she attacked other clan cats without permission. But Ebonystar probably wouldn't care. She was different than other leaders. She knew Hollyclaw well. She understood and even supported Hollyclaw's thirst for battle. Hollyclaw had nothing to hide.
She entered camp, head held high, aware of the drying blood that caked her paws. Heads turned toward her and the clan began to murmur. How often did a queen return to camp with blood-stained claws?
"What happened? Is there a battle?" An apprentice stepped toward her, his amber eyes wide with shock.
"Not officially," Hollyclaw answered, continuing toward Ebonystar's den. But the black leader had already emerged, her scalding amber eyes fixed on Hollyclaw.
"Who did you kill this time, Hollyclaw?" Ebonystar asked, but her voice only contained a hint of curiosity.
"No one," Hollyclaw answered. "I just taught a HeatClan apprentice a little lesson."
"Do you expect them to retaliate?"
Hollyclaw shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess we'll see."
Ebonystar stared at her for a moment, and Hollyclaw resisted the urge to squirm under her piercing gaze. "Are you hurt?"
"Not a scratch," Hollyclaw answered proudly.
"Are you interested in joining a border patrol?"
Hollyclaw flexed her claws. "Why not?"
"Why not? I'll tell you why not!" Hollyclaw nearly cringed at the obnoxious voice. She turned her head stiffly and locked eyes with Morninglight. To her annoyance, she saw that Morninglight had her soft, furry tail wrapped around Hollyclaw's two kits. Jadekit was glaring at Morninglight's tail as if she wanted to bite it, and Adderkit was watching Hollyclaw with curious pale blue eyes. "Your kits snuck out while you were off picking meaningless fights!"
Hollyclaw's anger flared at the accusation in Morninglight's tone. "Good for them," she growled. Morninglight's eyes widened in shock. "Maybe next time they'll bring some deathberries back for you."
Morninglight sprang to her paws, releasing Hollyclaw's kits from their prison. Adderkit scampered toward his mother while Jadekit followed impassively. "Is that really the kind of example you want to set for your kits?" Morninglight exclaimed.
"That's enough," Ebonystar cut in before Hollyclaw could spit out a retort. "Hollyclaw go with the border patrol. Jadekit and Adderkit, go back to the nursery." Adderkit went without protest, but Jadekit stared back and Ebonystar defiantly. Ebonystar narrowed eyes, and even Jadekit's nerve crumbled under her scorching amber stare. The dark gray kit slunk after her brother grudgingly.
"Alright, Hollyclaw, whenever you're ready," came Stonetooth's meow. Hollyclaw gave him a nod, and he trotted out of camp. As Hollyclaw followed, she heard Morninglight whining to Ebonystar about discipline. A sudden, vivid image of Ebonystar slicing Morninglight's belly came to mind. Hollyclaw hoped it would come true, but unfortunately, Ebonystar had a better temper than Hollyclaw.
"Where are we going?" Hollyclaw asked, drawing up next to Stonetooth.
"ShadowClan border," he answered, picking up his pace. He glanced at Hollyclaw's bloody paws. "What did the apprentice do to piss you off?"
"He was a HeatClan apprentice. What more do I need to say?"
"Fair enough."
Soon, ShadowClan stench reached them, making Hollyclaw's tail curl with disgust. A tortoiseshell was pacing near the border, her tail lashing with anger. Stonetooth opened his mouth to call out, but Hollyclaw beat him to it.
"Hey, Roseflower, what's gotten under that pretty pelt of yours?" Hollyclaw sneered.
The tortoiseshell turned to glare at the ThunderClan patrol, her eyes narrowed with irritation. "I'll kindly inform you that one of your mouse-brained cats was spying on us. With a kittypet." Her eyes glittering with satisfaction at the confusion in Hollyclaw's eyes, Roseflower turned and stalked away, waving her black and gold tail with a lofty air of victory. The only thing stopping Hollyclaw from crossing the border and ripping off Roseflower's pretty face was humiliation, and the resolve to rid ThunderClan of all its weaklings. No cat that mingled with kittypets deserved a place in ThunderClan. They needed to be exterminated, before their weakness could make others soft too.
Hollyclaw turned to Stonetooth, and saw a similar anger glinting in his ice blue eyes. "We're telling Ebonystar," she growled. "ThunderClan will not tolerate soft-hearted disgraces any longer."