Waffle Dah Cat:Thanks for the review! I hope you continue to let me know if I'm on the right track as I go from chapter to chapter.
Starlightcoud: I am currently on vacation, so I will try to update the story every other day or something along those lines. As school starts again it will get harder and harder but I still have plans to continue with this story.
Stranger of the Night: Thanks for the review! I actually had to combine two original chapters into one so that I could start my chapters from different characters' points of view as they are given different tasks. Is the Prologue too long now? Let me know what you think!
To all my new viewers, please write and tell me what you think! I take suggestions and criticism too so I can become a better writer and make this the best story I can. Until next time (^.^)
M.E.T.R.A.
The tip of her tail twitched, ever so slightly, back and forth as cats padded past. Outwardly, she looked no different than any other of the cats who were currently making the ruins their home. Her long haired red pelt shifted slightly in the wind as she sat upon a rock, her clear aqua gaze never leaving the entrance of their makeshift camp. Yet from the space the other cats gave her as they passed by spoke volumes of the respect and fear they had. Metra's temper was not something any cat wanted to test easily when a wrong move could end up getting you killed. Her eyes narrowed into slits as a cat walked through the entrance of camp, dipping his head as he settled below the rock where she was perched.
"Metra, I bring news of the cats beyond the forest" Razvan, the League's Warden and second in command meowed respectfully, referring to the mission she had previously sent him on. "There was no sign of the missing group of Hunters, but it seems like there are more cats settled there than we first thought, cherie" he meowed, raising his head to look at his Nemesis. Only she could see the mirth swimming in the depths of his eyes, just as only she never took his flirtatious side seriously. Razvan was a lady-killer and he knew it, using his charm and good looks to get past many the guard of many shecats, right up until he ended their lives with a swipe of his deadly claws.
Metra nodded, ignoring the term of endearment that if any other cat had uttered, would have cost them dearly. "Come to my nest and tell me everything you heard" she meowed getting to her paws. Cats moved out of their way with respectful murmurs of "Metra" and E"tani" as the two cats disappeared into the ruins.
The ruins of an abandoned stone house was where the League had currently stopped to take up residence. Sections of the house were missing and most of the stones were covered in moss or ivy. Different levels of the house were used for different dens and as the two cats padded past, nests could be seen scattered throughout. There were very few cats left on the first level since most of the Hunters had taken their Trainees out to hunt. Yet there were still a handful of sleeping forms from the cats who had been out late last night, keeping an eye on the surrounding forest while the rest of the League slept.
Metra led the way to the second floor, jumping over holes from missing rocks that served to limit the amount of cats who could climb up at one time. This level housed the Spies and their younglings behind a portion of stone wall that had crumbled to form a well protected barrier on three sides. On the other side of the room, various plants and piles sat drying in the sunlight that streamed in from a missing section of the room. That was where the Shaman slept and kept all of his supplies within easy reach. Only cats with a death wish or who had not yet met Briar touched anything without his permission.
Metra led the way to the far end of the room, secluded from the rest of the floor by a pile of stones that left ample room behind it, more than enough for one cat. Yet in this room only one nest lay between two stones, warmed from the sun. Metra's scent clung to each of the rocks, labeling this room clearly as hers. As she had no family nor any past Nemesis to share the room with, it was hers and hers alone.
Metra settled down into her nest, motioning for Razvan to sit across from her and continue their previous conversation. "You mentioned there were cats gathered in the forest, how many did you see? Enough to be an immediate threat?" she meowed prompting him.
Razvan shook his head, thoughts returning to the night before to the gathering of cats he had witnessed. "I followed the scent trail of a group of cats that led me to a clearing where many cats had already gathered. Trees on all sides surrounded it, making it easy to remain hidden where I sat to observe what went on. At the center of the clearing was four rocks and around them was where the cats gathered. Although they were all sitting amongst each other, there were many different scents in the air." he meowed. "There were young cats as well as old, but I did not see a clear leader among them" he hesitated while gathering his thoughts, causing Metra's eyes to narrow. "At the beginning of what I assume to be a meeting, four cats gathered together at the top and each was given a chance to speak" he recalled with a sigh as he pictured the large tom with the twisted jaw, the black and white tom with the long tail, a large shaggy brown tom and the striking blue-grey shecat. "Truly there were so many cats gathered, I'm not sure how my heart survived"
Metra nodded, going over the information in her mind. "Some things have not changed" she meowed quietly before twitching her ears, looking up at Razvan. "That was a Gathering and from what you're telling me, there were only four Clans present" she paused considering this. "Whether or not there are more clans in the area, I don't know. I leave that up to you to send out patrols to discover just how many clans" she sneered the words, twitching the tip of her tail in annoyance. "are living in this forest"
Razvan tried not to let his surprise show as Metra spoke, dipping his head to show that her understood her request. "Metra, you seem to know a lot about these cats" he meowed smirking at her slightly. "Surely they can't be the same Clans that were destroyed when you were young" Metra narrowed her eyes slightly at him, as if debating whether or not to wipe that smirk off his face with her claws, but decided against it.
"Razvan, you are my only friend and someone's whose opinion I value" she meowed approvingly. "You have saved my life on numerous occasions and have been with me for many moons" she recalled their many adventures as young cats, traveling from place to place, only daring to rely on each other in a world that seemed so against them. "But don't ever refer to my past again" her voice dropped to a deadly whisper, a chill creeping into the den. "You know as well as I do that those Clans were destroyed many, many moons ago. It is simply a coincidence that we have run into more cats in this forest" her voice left no room for discussion until even Razvan couldn't stop the shiver that raced through him.
She turned away, looking out the lone window of the room as she considered how to proceed. "However, as Nemesis of the League, I can't just ignore this, not when there could be a possible threat" she returned her gaze to Razvan, the mask once again sliding over her features until not even he could guess what she was thinking. "Send out a patrol. I want to find out exactly how far these territories are and where our missing patrol of Hunters are" she meowed getting to her paws. "Find out how many Clans are living together and if there are tensions or alliances between them"
Razvan scrambled to his paws, shaking out the extra moss from his pelt before dipping his head. "As you wish Metra, so it will be done. I will send out the patrols immediately" he smirked winking at her as if she was one of the Spies whom fell over themselves to be near him. "and will personally bring the information back to you"
Yet Metra only rolled her eyes and nodded, flicking her tail in a clear dismissal. "Send Briar to me on your way out, I need to discuss the new youngling that he has chosen to be the next Shaman" she snorted, her claws sliding out and sinking into the moss. "the young cat is blind in one eye. Whichever Hunter picked him up didn't realize it until they were back at camp" she meowed in disgust.
Razvan flicked his tail in either sympathy or agreement, which Metra couldn't tell. The young cat would probably be killed or used against one of the other younglings as punishment- weakness was not acceptable in the League. "By your leave Metra" he meowed dipping his head in respect as he backed out of the den, padding back the way he came.
Metra sighed as she watched him go, inwardly shaking her head. Razvan was truly one of a kind cat, something she had only come to appreciate as they grew up. He may tease and flatter every shecat around, but Metra knew his loyalty belonged to her and her alone. She licked her paw and drew it over her whiskers, looking out the window again thoughtfully. Once Razvan gathered the information about the Clans, then she would consider how to proceed from there. She knew from her own past that Clans usually spelled trouble, with their inner squabbles and backstabbing that led her to her family's demise so many moons ago. For now she would leave them alone, but if they became a threat…she slashed her claws across one of the surrounding rocks, leaving deep score marks. She knew how to deal with cats that threatened everything she had worked hard to put together up until now. History would not repeat itself, not again…