Claws curled into flesh as a black-and-white she-cat wriggled her small body to free herself from the vicious rogue she-cat's grip. The kittypet's blue eyes shone with fear, instantly locking with the attacker's piercing yellow ones. The white she-cat with orange splotches dug her claws in and never let go.
"What do you want?" grunted the black-and-white she-cat. "I live in peace!"
The she-cat dug her claws in deeper.
Flinching, the kittypet felt the she-cat's hot, rancid breath graze against her muzzle, like a deadly adder's hiss.
"You know about the Clans, do you?" hissed the she-cat. Satisfaction lit in her eyes. Was this kittypet stupid?
The kittypet bared her teeth. "Why would you want to know them?"
A low growl rose from the rogue. "It is none of your business!" She swiped a paw across the kittypet, claws unsheathed.
Blood slowly dripped from the fresh scars across the kittypet's cheek. She cowered beneath the assaulter and flattened her ears against her head, her eyes round with fear.
Gratification poured down all over the rogue. This is getting us nowhere, she thought, but seeing a kittypet in discomfort is worthwhile…
"Tell me where the Clans are!" The rogue she-cat knew where the Clans were; she just wanted to wear out the pathetic kittypet into being frightened of her.
The kittypet she-cat muttered something but the rogue couldn't quite hear it.
"What?" snarled the rogue, pulling her lips back into a snarl, revealing rows of yellow teeth.
"I said let me go and I'll tell you where they live!" hissed the kittypet, louder this time.
Almost too loud.
Grunting, the rogue stepped backwards off of the defenseless kittypet. The black-and-white she-cat shook her pelt, the blood from the scar on her face splotching on the rogue's forepaws.
"I'll tell you where they are," meowed the kittypet stonily. "Just promise me one thing."
The rogue rolled her eyes. "What?" she meowed querulously.
"If you know a cat named Bramblestar, tell him that I said hello."
The rogue blinked. "I can't promise you that."
"Well," snorted the kittypet, scuffing her paws on the stony ground. "Do you want to know or not?"
The rogue's eyes turned to slits.
"Once you make it to the end of the Twolegplace," instructed the kittypet, "you will take a left and go through a thicket of trees. A forest is there. You should be able to hear a starling chirping in the air. Starlings always live near the entrances."
The rogue was growing impatient. Hurry up, you mangy piece of crowfood!
"…then you should be able to enter into—"
"Shut up!" sneered the rogue, cutting her off. "I'll find my own way." Turning, she trudged away from the kittypet and out of the vacant monster den. The rogue avidly wished for a bright-colored monster to trample over the pathetic kittypet with its round paws.
The kittypet stammered, uneasy paw steps approaching from behind. "Oh, but my Twolegs would miss your company!" meowed the kittypet, almost as if oblivious to the scratch mark that stung on her face. She's acting all innocent now!
Irritation burned in the rogue. She paused and turned around to face the kittypet. "I don't need the Twolegs," she meowed softly, her voice trickled with ice. "And the Twolegs don't need me."
"Tawny." The kittypet still scuttled after her as the rogue began walking away at a faster pace. "What happened to you?" Her eyes were pooled over with worry. "Why did you leave Twolegplace? I remember you when you were a young kit, not weaned yet. You would always come visit my garden and we'd play with a feathery Twoleg toy that hung from a tendril. It'd bounce and we'd hop trying to catch it. It'd tickle our noses and we'd mewl in triumph when we caught it. Do you remember those day?"
Revulsion roiled up in the rogue's belly. Tawny curled a corner of her lip in a disdained scowl. A shiver ran pass her spine. The days of being a young kittypet was fresh in her mind, haunting her like nightmares. The soft rocks in the den, the scents of Twoleg food, even that weird black plate that had Twolegs and monsters moving inside! Fresh hatred boiled in her belly. She pushed away that soothing comfort she had when being held by her Twoleg. Suddenly, images of a swinging Twoleg hind paw flashed dark in her mind. She could still feel the impact that the Twoleg hind paw had on her haunches. The force had nearly flung her across her garden. Blood welled from a bruise.
I've put all my trust in Twolegs far too long too much!
Fury sparked through Tawny's eyes. "Those days are rotten grime beneath my paws, Minty," she spat. "Never mention Twolegs again. I'm not a kittypet anymore"
The kittypet's eyes widened, pleading. "Please come back to the Twolegplace!"
"Never!"
Minty stepped back, her tail curled between her legs. She cowered, her pelt trembling with fear and grief.
"Tell me, Minty," hissed Tawny, her claws sliding out, flexing on the stony ground. "When you went to ThunderClan, did you feel free and boundless?"
Minty didn't answer.
Tawny pressed on. "Did the scents of warm prey ever tempted you into living the wild?"
Minty still didn't answer.
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Tawny turned her back on the kittypet. "I've had enough of you," she grunted. "I won't live unless I get my payback on ThunderClan."
"But what have they done to you?" murmured Minty in confusion.
"Quiet!" spat Tawny.
Before the white she-cat with orange splotches heard any more from Minty, she bounded out of the monster den. She scurried across the small Thunderpath, her heart pounding over the thrumming of her sturdy paws. Vengeance burned through Tawny's heart, making it nonexistent.
Sol's not here anymore. And with him dead, I could feasibly do a better job than him.
