Quietly, the shadowed form slipped through the snow-covered ground. The smell of sap and pine thickly covers and drifts through the air. Placing paws carefully on the snow, covering tracks with a swing of her tail, the cat slowly gained ground towards the clan camp hidden in a dip of the ground. Her colored pelt sticking out among the bright white snow, the orange and black stripes clashing with the soft whites and blues around her.
Soon, it blended in with the brambles and bracken that covered the small camp below her. She was told it was called Sharpclan. The clan cats had come one night, under the cover of no moon and attacked the loners and rouges that sheltered in the forest. The claw marks from the battle still fresh and healing on the she-cat's pelt. They had taken over the heart of the forest and were expanding their clawed reach everyday.
Her mission statement that Russet, her leader, gave her went through her mind. Go to their camp and find their way of life. If they're so serious about these, Starclan cats, then you might as well find out if they have any other rules. You'll never know with these kinds of cats. Try to stay as invisible as possible, Sky. Cover your tracks and stick to the shadows. Don't let them know you're there. If, on the off chance they notice you, run. Take the long way. No, the WAY long way….Russett's words drifted on repeat in Sky's mind, her escape plan was already thought out. That was a few days ago and Sky had planned her mission carefully and to a point. Every trail, every pawstep was exactly how Sky had planned.
The scent of cats thick, covering the smell of the forest now, took Sky by surprise. Many more cats were part of this 'clan' then she thought. Their conversations drifted up with the wind, pushing the she-cat's scent downwind, nobody would smell her, they weren't expecting her. A bright red pelt passed through the camp, stopping to talk to a dark grey tabby. The breath caught in the rogue's throat, Flamestar. The tom had come in pronouncing Starclan to the rogue groups and loners, telling them of how great their warrior ancestors were. No one had any idea on what Starclan was and the explanation just made everyone confused. No rouge or loner in his right mind would follow these stupid cats and there stupider idea that Starclan existed.
It still bristled Sky's fur when she thought about the cats that joined their group. Flamestar was talking to one of them, a past loner named Flash. Flash was a funny and kind cat that got on the good side of Russet. He had come over often and shared prey with them and told them of the adventures he had around the world. Wide meadows that took days to run across, barren lands with no water as far as any cat could see, and forest so dense you had to learn to climb to be able to get past them, always were main subjects in the stories he would swap with them. Of all the cats that Sky knew, she thought the last cat to join the rouges would be Flash. He always seemed to be on the move and close to impossible to believe that he would join a group of cats that stay in the same place. He denied Russet's invitation to join the Quick Claws many times.
"Tell me more on these, rogue groups, Flashpaw." Flamestar's deep growly voice echoed up to where Sky was hidden. Flamestar always seemed to try to be threatening in anyway possible. From where Sky stood she could see his chest fur was puffed out to make him look bigger and he stood tall like he could take down a bear. A creature that Flash would tell us, thought Sky sadly. She shook her head, now was not the time for feeling sorry for this cat! He betrayed them! The calico braced herself to run off once she overheard what they were planning.
"Well, there are many but the main one is called the Strong Claws. They live up over there." Flash pointed his tail in the direction where the Strong Claws's base was. Lashing her tail instinctively in anger, Sky knocked down a few pieces of loose snow from a nearby bramble bush. How dare he give away the location of another group! They may almost never see eye to eye but they all promised that the locations of their bases would stay between the rogue groups only. They didn't need outside cats in their affairs.
Flamestar nodded and yowled out some cats that Sky didn't know. They all ran over quickly and bowed their heads to Flamestar in respect. Another thing that Sky didn't get. Whenever Russet wanted Song or Moon to do anything they would yowl their complaints loudly. They were joking of course and would pretend it was the worse thing ever to have to go hunting or tell some kittypet to get lost. It was nice this way to Sky. Like every cat had a say in what went on in the group, nothing like this clan at all. He barked orders to them, the wind dying down so she could hear what they were saying, but she had no doubt that it was to go and learn more on the Sharp Claws.
She had taken mental note of everything that had happened. One thing Sky was good at was memorizing anything cats said as long as it made an impact on her, and this of course made an impact on her. This helped get her high up on the tyranny of the cats. Russet would bring her to almost every meeting and send the she-cat out for spying mission. Never had a mission or job affected as much as this one did. Anger had began to run it's course through her veins, her eyes were slanted and it took every muscle to push back her tail from lashing back and forth and her claws becoming unsheltered. The cats ran off, luckily in the other direction. She silently willed the leader of the Sharp Claws to be prepared for what was happening. Unlikely they would hear what she was thinking. Flamestar turned away from the cats and nodded at Flash. Well, Flashpaw now, thought Sky bitterly. Flashpaw opened his mouth again. Sky pricked her ears to see if she could hear anything else. Sharp Claws seemed to be as good as gone with the way Flamestar seemed to be wanting to control every cat that didn't belive in Starclan. Sky could hear Flashpaw clearing now just as he finished giving away some information on The Dark Claws. The rogue group had a better advantage of survival then the Sharp Claws. The Dark Claws lived in the darker parts of the city, living on the prey and controlling their territory. Of the three groups, the Dark Claws were never bothered. Too much belief, they were known as the ruthless and horrible cats that killed anyone who dared trustpass. House cats and uneducated loners would go tell their friends about them, the fear they had gave the group quite the reputation and they started to live off that fear. They could strike quickly but despite their reputation, were very understanding. Most of the time they sent House cats off with a story they could tell there friends and a warning and loners a cut ear or muzzle.
"Hmm, these Dark Claw rogues seem to harder to exterminate." Flamestar said roughly, his claws sliding in and out of his paws anxiously. Sky shivered slightly. Exterminate. Strong word choice that Sky made sure to remember. "I'll send a cat out to see what they're like." Sky was pleased to see Flashpaw finished. She saw the noticeable scar on his flank from a past mistake. He had placed the wrong paw on Dark Claw territory and felt their claws personally. Good, thought Sky smugly. He still knows his place.
"Flamestar, I'm not sure if that's a good idea," Flashpaw warned. His voice was thin and shook lightly. Not something that Sky normally heard from the prouder tom. Flamestar lifted one paw, his claws unsheathing quickly. His claws caught the sun-high light, glaring off of them. He examined them before looking back at Flashpaw, his yellow eyes slanted.
"Are you questioning me, Flashpaw?" Sky fought back a hiss. Flamestar had come promising the rouges and loners fair leadership among the promise of nourshiment and spiritual acceptance. Yet here he was, refusing to listen to one of them. Flashpaw flinched and looked down at his paws.
"No, Flamestar," mumbled Flashpaw, barely audible to the calico above the camp.
"Then what were you saying then?" asked Flamestar, his voice warned Flashpaw to think over his words carefully or he would have some wounds to think over tonight. It took the grey tabby a few minutes to respond, Sky's fur standing on edge the entire time. Finally, he opened his mouth to see if his point would strike a chord with Flamestar.
"The Dark Claws are experts at sneaking around at night. They stay in the darkest corners and will strike and run. They are not worth your time," Flashpaw said. Sky, being used to the changing attitudes of her own group mates, knew that he said the wrong thing. You never tell another cat what is good for them, especially one above you. She held her tongue against most of the older cats but Twister, one of her close friends, hadn't been so lucky. Flamestar caught the mistake in Flashpaw's speech as well. His head already turned towards the other tom and without another thought, he slashed through Flashpaw's face.
The tabby yowled in pain as blood poured down his face. The sticky substance run into his eyes, turning them crimson and trailing streaks of the same color down his face. Flashpaw hissed, and Sky knew he was fighting every instinct that living on the Twoleg thunder paths taught him. With the limited sight she had, Sky could still image what his face looked like. Lips parted in a snarl, eyes slanted and bloodshot behind the crimson shade over them. Serves him right. Thought Sky bitterly, pushing down the feeling of pity for the tom.
"Don't tell me what is worth my time," he hissed, licking one of his claws. Blood dotted the ground as Flashpaw cowered in fear now. "Or you might just learn what it feels like to be a waste of time. Now." With a flick of his tail, three huge cats who were watching nearby got up. They lumbered up, their huge paws dragging on the ground and their muzzles twisted into grins as they had no doubt in Sky's mind they knew what was coming next. They stood behind the orange tom, their size making them tower over him. Slow beasts that weren't as fast as the ancient leopards but could hit as hard as the lions and tigers used to. Sky shuffled her paws nervously, she couldn't go against those cats and not pay the price.
Flamestar flicked his right ear and the cat on his left walked forward. It was a tom with sandy brown fur and darker stripes. He walked forward proudly, his pawsteps seeming to echo up to where Sky was crouched, making her wonder the strength in those paws. The light brown cat grabbed Flashpaw by his scruff and threw him over to another one of the huge cats. This one was a she-cat, light grey in color. Muscles rippled under her pelt as she reached up to grab Flashpaw again before he hit the ground. The she-cat threw the grey tabby to the last cat who Sky couldn't identify at the moment. This one was bigger than the other two, his shoulders at least a tail-width wide. He easily plucked Flashpaw out of the air and shook him. Sky was terrified that he might break Flashpaw's neck and she leaned in closer. Flashpaw yowled and screamed for mercy and with each plea, Flamestar would let out a cruel short laugh. Soon, Flamestar was laughing so loudly that Sky could hear it easily, the other groups could most likely hear the cackling sound. The only thing that Sky could think came close to what sound Flamestar was making, was claws scraping on the thunderpath. Over and over and over again.
Finally, Flamestar stopped laughing and flicked his left ear. The huge cat shaking Flashpaw dropped him on the ground in a heap. Flashpaw was bleeding from the neck and panting hard. He seemed to try to say something but nothing came out of his mouth. Sky shivered but kept her eyes on the gruesome scene below. Life as a rogue was hard, she had seen worse. Flamestar would have to try harder if he wanted to scare the rogues into following him.
"Now, are there any other groups I have to worry about?" Asked Flamestar, his voice suddenly calm and unmoving. The growly voice, hard like gravel, now seemed as smooth as pebbles that had been smoothed by a stream. Sky cut off anything else that was distracting her. Her nose and ears pricked not anymore for the sound of cats approaching, merely for any information Flashpaw was going to give to the leader. Her friends, groupmates, family, were in danger and she couldn't get distracted. She had to stay here to see what Flashpaw would say. This was why she was here. To find out everything that Flamestar would know. The Quick Claws would survive, they would have to.
Flashpaw, almost unable to speak, shook his head. Sky nodded once in a approval. She would feel nothing for the cat anymore. He had broken the unspoken code, betrayed two groups, and left them for this horrible clan. It was uncommon for a loner to give away the groups for a few pieces of prey, but Flash had become a guest to the rouges and everyone thought him as one of them. Flamestar, didn't seem convinced. He looked at Flashpaw, his yellow eyes glaring holes in the bleeding cat. Flashpaw needed to get his wounds checked or he wouldn't be around to answer anymore of Flamestar's questions.
"I don't believe you," he mewed easily. Flashpaw, already having trouble breathing, didn't make any signs of a 's hackles were raised until the smell of blood hit her nose. The patrol of cats that Flamestar sent out earlier had returned. Luckily, only rabbit blood hit her nose, not rouge, but Sky would have to move quick. With barely a flick of her tail or the movement of a bramble, she slid up silently into a tree. Her tail had pushed loose snow into her paw prints, the snow not being that deep. Her scent lingered there but there had been multiple cats here before the clan cats so it could easily be from before.
She slowly leaped from branch to branch, intending to get closer. Luckily, Flamestar seemed to be waiting for Flashpaw to admit to the existence of other rogue groups but the silence was also a curse. She had to be quieter as she walked through the trees, the bark rough under her paws and the leaves shielding her behind green.
Flamestar started to open his mouth and speak again, but Sky was out of hearing range. The wind had shifted, blowing her scent to the left side of camp where less cats were gathered. She'd have to take the risk to make sure her group was safe.
"Send him away," Flamestar mewed dismissively to one of the huge cats. "I have no more use for him." Flamestar stood and turned away from the cats and flicked his tail to Flashpaw. "Bring him to me once Leafspin says he's fit to speak again." The three huge cats nodded and easily grabbed Flashpaw's bloody scuff. Some of the blood had dried, staining the fur dark red. It unsettled Sky as she watched Flashpaw be dragged into a different den. An audible sigh was heard and Sky got the impression that who ever Leafspin was, he was used to this kind of work.
Sky was focused on Flamestar who had began to speak about another group he smelled during his extermination of the groups. Nothing was hitting her as deadly important and was about to leave to go report to Russet when she felt something grab her tail. Freezing like she was taught to, she didn't move. The thing holding her tail tugged hard and with it, Sky flipped around and clawed her attacker's face. A young white she-cat stood behind her. Sky's slash had made both of them unbalanced and they fell out of the tree. Lightning fast, Sky got her way on top of the she-cat, trained in climbing. If you wanted to learn how to climb, you must learn to fall. Sky was always quick on her paws, air or land, something that came in handy when in only a few seconds, they both hit the ground. A sickening crash was heard from where they landed and Sky had no doubt she killed the she-cat. Her fur was soft under her paws and she slowly stepped off before looking up at the cats. The three cats that had played with Flashpaw as if he was prey, looked over, shock crossing their faces. Flamestar looked furious, anger glowing through his eyes like the flame he was named for.
"Snowstrike!" He cried and raced towards the rogue who had caused her death. He was fast, but not as fast as Sky. She easily jumped over her, landing on her paws lightly. Racing forward, she stopped suddenly, causing Flamestar to step back. With a sweep of her paw, she tripped him. The light brown she-cat roared and ran forward, she was slow but her strides covered enough ground to make her way over. Sky saw her in the corner of her eye and slipped to the side and slashed her claws through the side.
Even through Sky was able to fight off the two cats, Flamestar try to overpower in speed and the even she-cat trying to attack her from the side wasn't enough. The tom was able to overpower her quickly once he joined the fight. He rammed into her, being faster than she thought. Placing a huge paw on both her shoulders she waited for him to cut her throat. She was going to die for the Quick Claws, she wouldn't have it any other way. There, on the grass, she accepted her oncoming death. But the tom didn't. His green eyes stared deeply into her pale ones, anger rippling from him. Sky didn't feel bad, they killed Terra and almost killed Twister. Snowstrike deserved it.
Flamestar got to his paws, finally. He seemed to be so full of himself that he could hardly believe that someone could defeat him. He slowly walked over and stared down at the small she-cat. Sky didn't struggled, the tom's grip was hard and she didn't want him to dig his claws into her shoulders. His sharp yellows eyes more intense from closer up. Sky met his gaze, trying to look as blank as possible.
"Get the House cats," hissed Flamestar. For a second, Sky thought he was reverring to her, offense going through her. She was no kittypet! She was a strong member of her gang, and they were some of the smartest and toughest cats in the Twoleg city. But two cats, fur smooth from being well feed and pelts clean as if they have never once stepped outside, were escorted out of a nearby den. Sky had seen House cats on there way out of their twolegs den. Their eyes always shined with the idea of adventure and they almost always jumped around, sticking their nose into everything. Shadow would always scare them as much as possible, leading to a few House cats joining the Quick Claws but most running away back to their twolegs. Sky stopped herself from purring at the memory, she wanted to survive to make it back to them.
The two House cats were a tom and a she-cat, most likely mates from what she saw of how close they were walking to each other, their tails were intertwined as well. Sky rolled her eyes and the tom holding her down seemed to give a grunt of approval. The tom stood tall and was a well-groomed dark tabby. Light brownish white chest fur, puffed out and a long bushy tail. He walked with purpose and even through most of the cats would shred him to pieces they kept their distances. The cat next to him was a smaller she-cat, looking a bit more nervous and keeping her head down respectfully. She was a pretty white she-cat with grey around the edges of her fur and face. Her paws were grey as well as her tail. Striking amber eyes looked over every cat until they locked into Sky's. Immentaily, she jumped and broke away from her mate. She looked down at Sky, worry and relief filling her eyes.
"Sky?" She asked. Sky flinched at her name. Sky. She hardly remembered ever seeing this cat in her lifetime. This cat did, strike something in her, her eyes looked familiar and the fur seemed to be just the right color. Still, they were a kittypet, how did they know her name? Look at the bright side, maybe the Quick Claws were that well known. Flamestar noticed and his ears immediately went up excitedly as if he was a kit. He smirked evilly and his eyes filled with a dark light.
"Sky, eh?" He asked flicking his tail. Sky couldn't see what was happening but the smell of cats increased quickly. Flamestar called more cats to the clearing. When the amount of cats in the dens must of been empty, the orange tabby gave a nod to the cat holding Sky down. Getting to her paws, she saw she was horribly outnumbered. Many cats of different colors, sizes, breeds, smells, pasts, surrounded her. It was overwhelming but one thought pushed back any other one. Stay strong. Show them what one Quick Claw cat can do. And not the best one at that. Sky thought never giving the cat who said her name another look. It wasn't important that he knew her name, if anything it would get her some more credit, the rogue who snuck into the base and fought off two clan cats by herself. Time to make it more, she thought, lashing her tail.
But the other cat couldn't let it go. "Sky! It's me! Betsy!" The cat mewed almost desperately. Sky was examining a she-cat she thought she could take on and push into three other cats. Betsy. A name as familiar as her own. Whipping her head over to look her up and down. Same eyes, full of love and caring. Tail had gotten bushy and she got, who was that, Pen? As her mate?
"Betsy?" She asked nudging her littermate with her nose lightly. "What are you doing here? And...what happened to Angie?" Where was the other littermate? The one that would lead them through the gardens and fences of the twoleg place or take them out to met the loners who passed by? She couldn't be dead! Worry quickly took over her, doubling with the thought of her new family back in the city.
"She moved in with her mate….well when his twolegs didn't kick her out." Purred Betsy toughing muzzles with Sky. "I'm here to find you! You left so young...and never came back. We thought you had died…" Sky felt pity slowly creep up through her pelt. She had left without saying anything..but...they hardly noticed she was gone anyway! She only heard a few calls from the twolegs and her sisters only spread the word to a few of their neighbors.
"Yeah...just felt like I had to leave." She mumbled as Flamestar grunted angrily. He wasn't pleased with the whole family reunion and it was clear on his face.
"Nobody cares!," He said loudly, pushing his way from in front of the huge tom to look at Sky. "You're not a kittypet, and loners know enough to leave...so." His glare pierced through her but Sky didn't flinch. She wasn't going to be intimidated by the orange tom. Leader or not. "You must be a rogue. Where you from, fox-heart?" Sky stayed him down, not moving a muscle. The wind lightly blew her whiskers lightly, the fur bristled on her neck. A bitter chill ran through the cats, leaf-bare was coming soon. These cats would have to be prepared for it.
Flamestar looked at Sky, rage going through her eyes as she didn't move. Hissing lightly, he flicked the tip of his tail. The huge she-cat walked forward and swung with precise accuracy. The paw would be a deadly blow, but it was slow. Ducking under it and sliding away, Sky smirked slyly. Instead of getting angry, Flamestar's mouth slightly went upwards and moved into a slow smile. Sky stared at him confused as the she-cat lumbered forward again.
With another tail flick the she-cat moved back, Sky barely panting. These cats were slower than she thought. With barely any effort she could've taken one of them single-pawed. She expected another one of Flamestar's brutes but instead a smaller tom appeared. He was a grey tabby like Flash, only with sharp yellow eyes. He was about the same size of Sky but still was able to tower over her. Sky knew what was coming.
LIke she thought, the tom flash a paw forward trying to knock her off her paws. With a leap, she was a few tail lengths away. Some of the cats looked surprised but, hey, when you can't overpower the enemy might as well confuse and tire them. The tom raced forward, fast as a rabbit. His claw pawed shot up aiming for her neck but Sky was expecting this. She batted his paw away, faster than he could blink like they were littermates play fighting as if they were kits. He looked surprised and the move unbalanced him.
When the grey tabby got back to his paws, he looked her up and down. Perfect moment to strike. Sky bunched up her back legs and started to sprint forward. The tabby thought she was aiming for him and sidestepped easily away. Too easily for him. She bolted past him, jumping over the paw he had tried to snag her with. With another jump, she crossed many tail-lengths, landing roughly on Flamestar. The orange tom was hit back and she stood powerfully over him. These cats were his slaves, refused to attack or move unless he told them too. Snowstrike may of found Sky in the tree but if she didn't die, Flamestar would make her pay the price. Finally, useful information she could bring back. And she was right. No cat moved as Sky boxed Flamestar over the ears and stepped on his tail, making him unable to move. Yowling in rage he tried to rake his claws through the younger she-cat's underbelly, but he couldn't fit his back paws in with only a few fur lengths between the two.
"You mouse-brain!" He hissed, his tail struggling to lash it under her well-placed paw. "Attack her!" A few cats mumbled between themselves, looking at each other and shrugging, no one quite sure what to do. Betsy sat nearby, horror across her face. The tom next to her looked excited and would shout out small things to encourage her. She liked him. Flamestar continued to struggle until he started to bark orders at the cats. Sky smirked, he knew this was what he was trying not to do. When your enemies didn't know what you were doing then it became easier to defeat them. The tail flicks, ear movements, all meant something to the cats. Who would attack, who would defend. It was fluid but majorly flawed.
Finally a cat dared to approach and Sky knew she had to move off of Flamestar or be attacked. At least he knew what she was capable of, what ALL the rogues were capable off. He got up and shook out his fur. Three tail angry tail lashes and an ear flick and all the cats looked at the ground and oddly, went away. Flamestar walked closer, the fur on his neck standing on edge.
"You fight well." He hissed, Sky glared at him. "You're no loner or kittypet. You run with a strong group. Which one?" Sky was offended. Did he think she would easily break like that? She shook her head and bared her teeth at the clan leader. He chuckled and stepped closer, their noses almost brushing. "I already know what group you're in. Those fighting attacks, the way you hold yourself, the fact that I saw you selflessly jumping on one of my cats to save a rouge in the battle before." Sky felt like the ground under her fell apart. He knew. He knew more than she thought. He knew about the Quick Claws no doubt and every other rouge group. He knew the lengths she would go to for her group. Grace was under three clan cats the same size as her! What was she suppose to do? Let her friend die?
"Sky," Mewed Betsy softly. Sky knew that voice. The voice she heard when Betsy begged her to stay, when she asked her for help. She knew it as well as the Sharpclan cats knew Flamestar's signals. Betsy wanted help. She wanted out and back to her twolegs.
"Quick Claws? Isn't it?" Flamestar asked like it was a secret everyone knew. This time, Sky couldn't stop herself from flinching. Hearing her group name and knowing they were exposed meant the group was in big trouble. The clan cats weren't suffocating her anymore with how close they were, but instead they were near the exits, making sure she couldn't leave. Cursing everything that happened since she got here, Sky didn't respond.
Flamestar seemed pleased at this, his eyes lighting up while a grin of evil slipped past his lips. "You care about them. If you didn't you wouldn't be here." Flamestar was right on her now. Their whiskers bending back and there noses only a fur sized apart. A single breath could of had them touching noses. His breath seemed of crowfood, making it harder for her to think straight and listen to what he was saying. "I can help you protect them." Sky knew what he was going to say and beat him to it.
"No," She said plainly, cutting him off. Flamestar looked surprised. I guess with you controlling all your cats you don't get used to surprises, thought Sky bitterly.
"You didn't let me finish," he purred lightly, letting a fresh wave of his crowfood breath hit her nose, making her eyes water from how strong it was. "You join Sharpclan, I stay away from the Quick Claws."
"No," Sky mewed plainly again, stronger this time and shaking her head. "I belong with the Quick Claws. They raised me."
"A clan can do the same," He looked up and down her small size. "You seemed to still need some growing." Short jokes. Great. Grace had all the short jokes so Sky had gone numb to them many moons ago. She rolled her eyes, obviously at him, causing him to slant his own.
"Never. I'll never join a clan where I have to have every command paw-fed to me!" hissed Sky, backing away from Flamestar. He was disgusting her in more ways than one. With her step back she found herself in front of Betsy and Pen, who was whispering to Betsy the whole time about the clan cat and rouge's conversation. They must of moved to stand behind her when she was focused on Flamestar. He moved his head to one side, making him look innocent as a three moon kit.
"Well then, I'll just have to send some cats out to deal with them. Where were they again? Outer range of the city?" Sky tensed herself, a good move on her part. Luckily, the Quick Claws controlled as much as the city as they could cover. The main part of their bases was the inter section of it. A small place behind a few allies and tall twoleg dens. These flea-pelts would never find them. Flamestar saw her fake tense and smiled. "Perfect. I'll send one out tomorrow, won't be bothered with it now. Maybe some of your little kittypet friends playing rouge will come to there senses." Sky hissed and shock her fur our. She was sick of this. She needed to get Betsy out of the clan and get her tail back to base. Russet needed to know what was happening and prepare for it.
"Now, if you excuse me I'll be on my way. I wish to be slaughtered with the rest of my kittypet friends," Sky stood up proudly and started to walk away. Flamestar had other plans though. The orange tom ran in front of her and slashed her nose. Pain flared from it and Sky repressed the need to growl and attack back. Flamestar was annoying but if she attacked she would never leave, her blood forever in the soil the other cats would walk over. Who knew, maybe they would drink it.
Betsy ran over to Sky and gave her a look. She didn't want to be here either and seemed to worry over the wound on her nose. Nothing huge, no reason to worry. I guess if I was in the same place she was, I'd worry to. Sky thought over. Betsy smiled weakly before looking over at Flamestar.
"I wish to go home now." Betsy mewed sternly. Sky resisted the urge to laugh. Even serious, Betsy still sounded like a kitten. Her sister shot her a look that made it harder to hold in the laugher. Sky missed this. Her sister, laughing, it came so easy with her. At least if she was going to die, she would die with someone who loved her at her side, even if Sky loved her less than the kind she got in return. Pen looked surprised beside her. He was the talkative type when Sky was still a kittypet, still surprised he had managed to keep quiet through everything that happened today.
Flamestar laughed loudly as if it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. Sky knew that laugh through, it was purely fake. He just wanted to sound insane or mad to make people more afraid of him. Well, he was doing a terrible job. Betsy looked a little scared of it, repressing a whimper that only Sky could here, but the calcio had heard truly insane cats speak and laugh, the kind that sent shivers. This was nothing compared to that.
"You can't leave my darling kittypet." He purred. "You said you wanted to come and once you're part of Flameclan, you're a part of it forever." Betsy hissed at Flamestar. Sky was impressed, Betsy wasn't the hissing type. Even though she wanted to spend more time with the sister she hadn't seen in moons, Sky had to go. Looking over her shoulder she saw that the exit was just about open, the majority of the cats in a u around Flamestar, still as confused to what to do as before. Turning to Betsy, she just nodded and bolted high speed away, her paws hitting the ground. Betsy took a few seconds to follow and both House cats were right on her tail, Pen shouting happily with excitement.
The clan cats yowls of anger and Flamestar's random patrol of cats to follow them weren't duly heard to the calico. Freedom and home. The two things she wanted ever since she was put on this mission.
The long way, take the long way. Luckily, it lead to where Sky thought her sister still lived
and it was close as well. Without looking behind her, Sky knew the two House cats were lagging behind, their labored breathing loud. The sooner she ditched them, the better. As she turned around a tree to lead them back to their Twoleg's, a screech from above was heard and something hit Sky hard. Tumbling over bracken and dead leaves, Sky struggled to gather her thoughts. Ambush! A cat in the trees! This was proving again and again that it wasn't her lucky day.
Betsy and Pen had stopped running and turned to the rouge, worry and excitement in their eyes. Pen unsheltered his claws and stepped forward but Sky lashed her tail at him while sinking her teeth in the other cat's flank.
"Run!" She shouted at them, struggling to free herself from the cat's grip. "I can handle this just go!" Betsy didn't look like she was going to leave soon but Sky stared at her, their gaze meeting. Betsy's worried and Sky's pleading. It was for the good of both of them. The moment was short lived as the other cat raked his claws across Sky's face.
Yowling she kicked the cat off of her and leaped back to her paws. Betsy and Pen
Used to be standing behind her but the rustled undergrowth told her they left. Good, their safe, Sky thought, hoping she could be soon as well. This cat was quick and smart through, able to attack Sky again and slash through her underbelly. Growing angrily as pain blossomed from the wound, Sky slashed her claws through the cat's throat and finally broke free once and for all.
Her legs strained from the running as she sprinted as fast as she could away from the forest. Stealth and trickery forgotten replaced with speed. Cats howled and chased her, right on her paws. Forcing her paws to go faster, the image of being ripped apart by the clan cats made all the difference, powering her to continue.
These cats were hunters and fighters, not runners. They didn't need to learn the
importance of running like Sky did. It could save your life if you were faster than the one chaser you. The calico had trained endlessly for these types of moments, running laps through the same forest she was in. It was what saved her life today. The clan cats finally left, one cat getting a nip at her tail before turning back. The rouge didn't stop until she was out of the forest, her anxiety that gripped her the whole time leaving. The dirt turned to hard stone under her paws as she made her way into the Quick Claws territory. Home. Home, home, home, home! The pain in her wounds screamed and her legs begged for rest but Sky didn't want to stop. Racing through back alleys and jumping over Twoleg waste, it wasn't until she was only a corner away from her group did she fall.
It wasn't graceful.
Her front paws gave way and she landed on her muzzle. Back legs shot up in the air causing her to flip over herself and land on her back hard. Dirt, dirty water, and blood filled her mouth and she moaned in the pain. Nothing seemed to work like her body had shut off, finally meeting the limit. Sky growled angrily at her paws, willing them to move again.
Slowly, the world started to dim. Her eyes flickered open and closed, and sleep started to set in. The calico fought it, not wanting to sleep until she was safe, but there was nothing she could do besides hope someone would hear her. It was night and everything was quiet, no noise to keep her awake and the majority of the Quick Claws would be asleep….
"Sky!" These thoughts filled her head before she heard the distant sound of her name being called. Russet. Had she waited for her to return? The sound of excited paws raced towards her as Grace and Twister's familiar gazes filled with worry appeared in her far off gaze. Forcing out a purr, she cringed at the pain that coursed through as she moved.
Their voices became drowned out as she slowly accepted sleep. It took over, numbing everything and as she closed her eyes, safety washed over before she was gone.