~The Sickness Challenge~

RAT SHAKES

"It's not too late to go back," Mosspaw retorted, her voice ringing with the challenge.

Tawnypaw hissed.

Lionpaw slowly crept into bracken, ignoring the she-cat's dare. His golden fur was completely hidden by the leaves. He was still able to see in the field, concealed by the plant. The haunting, tall, long grass waved in the breeze. It seemed peaceful, but he knew better than to be fooled by nature's tricks. Behind the open plains was a long abandoned barn, overtaken by rats. It was cloudy, he noted as he looked up at the sky. Rain wasn't on the way but the sun wasn't out either.

His companions, Tawnypaw, Badgerpaw, and Mosspaw clustered around him in nearby ferns. Lionpaw knew Badgerpaw was just as nervous as he was, but Tawnypaw was fearless—or at least not wanting to be ashamed by Mosspaw. The dark brown she-cat's words rang in his ears, "I bet you won't get out of there without being scarred for life." Lionpaw didn't know what she meant, but he had a shaky feeling about it. Mosspaw was older and had more experience with the rats.

"Just over there," Mosspaw nodded toward the hardly visible black rooftop, "is the swarm. One wrong move and you're done for."

Tawnypaw snarled, pushing herself to her paws, out from the cover of the fern. "I will prove you wrong, Mosspaw! There is a way to take on the rats!" The cream-colored she-cat looked confidently at Badgerpaw and Lionpaw, trusting them to protect her. "We'll take them on!"

"Get moving!" Mosspaw snapped impatiently, also rising from her crouch. "I don't have all day."

The cream-colored she-cat snorted, waving her tail in defiance, disappearing into the whispering grass.

Silently Lionpaw and Badgerpaw got up, following Tawnypaw's pelt into the field. The tips of green brushed against his fur, causing the tom to feel as if someone was touching him. The rattling noise sounded like someone was following him, but when Lionpaw looked, it was just the grass. He took a deep breath, concentrating on his mission. Defeat the rats. Beside him, Badgerpaw shuddered, his black fur easily outlined against the lush greenness of the field. The grass was tall, a good tail-length above them. A shiver ran down his spine.

As they quietly weaved through the grass, he heard the scuffle of paws. Lionpaw spiked out his fur, feeling small. He sensed Tawnypaw's nervousness, well out of Mosspaw's view. Lionpaw knew that they were strong, if they fought back-to-back. But that was if. Tawnypaw might want to go off on her own. That wouldn't be good for anyone.

"Flank me," Tawnypaw ordered quietly, her voice shaky. She was the one who agreed to Mosspaw's dare. She was the one who convinced them that it would be worth seeing the disappointment on Mosspaw's face when they returned unharmed. The thought made Lionpaw sick. It wasn't his fault Tawnypaw was stubborn-headed. But there was no choice now. Do or die, he thought. Lionpaw took up her left flank, with reluctance, and Badgerpaw her right.

A hush passed between the three as they tensed, crouching before the large red barn. Wholes dappled the Twoleg barn, well-worn. The walls were scratched and the building was half-crumbled already, the red faded and the roof collapsing. Lionpaw strained his ears for sounds, but didn't pick up any. Where are the rats? He didn't like the silence.

It was like lightning, because all at once, rats poured out of the barn, countless of brown, ugly rats. Paws, claws, and squeaks filled his ears as he soon fought for his life. Pain was everywhere. A plump rat sank its fangs into his leg; as he leaned down to kill it, another grabbed on his ear. Snarling, Lionpaw thrashed. Each time he killed a rat two more came in its place. They hissed at him, squeaking like mice when thrown off.

Lionpaw lost track of where Badgerpaw and Tawnypaw were until he heard Tawnypaw's scream above the rats. He broke off from the swarm and raced toward her as they climbed all over the she-cat. He couldn't see her cream-colored fur, just rats, rats, and more rats. Growling, Lionpaw bite down on two brown creatures at once, crunching their bones in his powerful jaws. Blood smeared the glimpse of fur he saw of Tawnypaw's. Aching, he swiped the blob of dark fur off of Tawnypaw's face. She was bleeding everywhere. She needed Nettlefur.

"Get up!" he yowled at her. Just as he did, one launched itself on his back, pushing him on top of her. He tried to get back to his paws, but each attempt, he was pressed further into Tawnypaw. "Kick me," he pleaded the she-cat. "Push me off of you."

Tawnypaw's eyes gleamed as she heaved with her hind legs. In a sudden, Lionpaw was up. He turned to defend Tawnypaw. Where is Badgerpaw? Fighting off rats, he and Tawnypaw worked their way to the grass. Lionpaw didn't know which way to go, until he saw black fur. Thinking it was a rat, he launched himself at it. "Oh, no you don't!" he growled, digging his claws in the fur.

"It's me: Badgerpaw!" the black tom gasped, his yellow eyes bright with fear.

Lionpaw got off of him and collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

~.~

When the golden tom came to consciousness, he was not in the field. Lionpaw pieced together that he was in Nettlefur's medicine den. Tawnypaw and Badgerpaw slept in nearby nests, each bearing scars and cobwebs. He also had cobwebs and scars, but Lionpaw was full of adrenaline so he didn't feel it. Nettlefur was not in the den. Lionpaw shivered: rats had haunted his dreams. They'd crawled all over him, pulling at this tail, snapping at his pelt. It still felt like paws were all over him. Rising to his paws, wincing as he did, he shook, trying to get the feeling off. He tried to steady himself. The rats are gone.

Each brown blob looked like a rat. He was dizzy, swatting at each blob. The thorns on brambles ebbed in his paw. He yowled, crashing backwards in a herb store. A flash of green blazed before his eyes as the plants flew everywhere. Furiously, Lionpaw clawed at the brown spots that were all over. They covered his fur, the den, all over everything. A growl rumbled in his throat.

"Lionpaw!"

He snarled, looking up as a dark brown she-cat bounded over to him. A headache formed as her scent washed over him. "You!" he spat. "You did this to me, Mosspaw!" Lionpaw lunged at her, shoving her down in a tackle. His limbs began to shake. Suddenly he didn't see Mosspaw anymore. Rats were everywhere, hissing, their claws tugging at his fur. He yowled in pain, swatting at each rat he saw. He cursed under his breath, tumbling to the ground as fangs sank into his leg. He was pushed down by the brown creatures. They buried him with their bodies.

Frantic cries met his ears, but he couldn't bring himself to decipher them. Is this how I will die? Buried in rats? He heaved a last struggle, throwing off the extra weight. "Tawnypaw! Badgerpaw!" he yowled. Lionpaw's vision blurred and he stumbled into darkness.

~.~

Whispers were carried around him. Lionpaw opened his eyes to be surrounded by his Clanmates. He scanned the familiar faces for Mosspaw, but didn't see her. "Where is Mosspaw?" he snarled, clambering to his paws. A pain shot through him as he put weight on his legs. He winced. "I will kill her!" Lionpaw growled.

"Mosspaw is fairing out her punishment," Nightstar announced, eyeing the golden tom; "Elders duties for a half-moon."

"She deserves delayed warrior-hood!" Lionpaw spat. "She set us up for death!"

Nightstar's eyes gleamed. "Mosspaw is already under Shadepaw's care," he snapped. "You inflicted serious wounds upon her. What more do you wish I do?"

Lionpaw flinched. He stared at the leader, challenging him.

A hiss to his left turned his head. Badgerpaw's eyes were wide with fear as he thrashed. The black tom snarled, clawing at Flameheart as she pressed him down. She broke off as Badgerpaw caught her eye. Nightstar and another warrior were quick to tackle Badgerpaw, who was yowling. He was strong and unbalanced his restrainers, knocking them over. Badgerpaw took a dash out of Nettlefur's den, his eyes wild and crazed. Warriors chased after the black tom, but he outrun them, climbing up the oak that overlooked camp.

Is this how I was? Lionpaw wondered.

"What is this madness?" Nightstar demanded the medicine cat. "Can it be stopped?"

Slowly Nettlefur shook his head. "It is Rat Shakes."

The mere mention of rats sent memories barreling toward him. They seized his sight and flooded him. At that moment, in Lionpaw's eyes, everything turned into rats.