Well gee, nice to know everyone's been keeping up with ONE WHOLE REVIEW ON THE CHAPTER! THAT IS JUST SO MUCH! was my sarcasm well implied? I would certainly hope so. Aw heck, i get it if it's school or work or something, but please, whenever you get a chance, just put a stinking review, please? I do like reviews, and they're reather convienient, what with the typing box open at all times right at the bottom of the (failed attempt of an action-ish chapter) page.

Anyways, like I said: failed attempt of an action chapter. i guess ya just gotta deal with it. (no wander no one's been posting reviews...)

Eragon woke up with the tip of a spear aimed at his face. With a startled yelp, he did his best to leap backwards, right into Saphira's side. She immediately responded, her eyes snapping open, as well as her maw, and she sprang up, roaring in the assailant's face. This caused a chain reaction with the rest of the group, first Thorn, whose reaction was much like Saphira's, then Murtagh who had to fumble around for Hono for a moment, and finally Tsukiko, still a wolf, who jumped up snarling.

The spearman realized he had made a mistake, and lurched backwards, nearly loosing his footing.

He had dark skin, like Nasuada had, next to no hair, the little he did have was short, thick, and very curled, and midnight black eyes. He had full lips, and his teeth, when visible, were stark white against his mahogany-colored face. His clothing was somewhat scant, but there was much decoration on his head, neck, and torso that was composed almost entirely of brilliantly-colored beads. All of the décor on the boy seemed to momentarily distract Eragon from the fact that he was, indeed, a mere boy.

He quickly managed to get balanced again, and fled, quick as a sprinting cat. Eragon could tell, now from a distance, that the boy almost had a build similar to elves; tall, lean, compact. However, he was undoubtedly human. He joined up with two other boys, one of them just as dark-skinned as he, the other as pale as Eragon, with tawny hair and a slightly heavier build.

"Tsukiko, weren't those-" Murtagh began, slightly confused. "Aren't those kids from CatClan!?" He could swear he recognized them from the Warrium.

She sniffed the air, and with a whirl of air and a bright flash, she was human again. "They're cat alright!" Her voice was slightly high strung. She looked over-stimulated, and was a hair's breadth close to sprinting after them.

"Tsuki, I wouldn't recommend-"But Murtagh stopped his sentence short as, with another flash and gust of wind, a silver dog was practically flying in the direction the boys ran. "Chasing …after them…"

Oh, great…Thorn, come on. We've got to get to her before she starts causing havoc.

Alright then.

Eragon at this point was lost and confused. Saphira was nearly as bad as her Rider as far as knowing what on earth was going on. None the less, the quickly mounted, neither of them bothering with the leg straps, and rode their dragons in the direction of the CatClan boys and Tsukiko. The dragons didn't even bother flying, only running to catch up, which was a rather quick process.

Despite the fact that there were two, enormous, vibrantly colored, sparkling reptiles pacing by her side, Tsukiko seemed to pay their presence no heed.

Eragon felt as though they should really fall back now. He could almost feel the rustles in the grass a few yards away, could feel the yowls and roars being suppressed in their throats. He even glimpsed a dark mane there, a golden dotted shape in the shallower grass. Alas, one figure slightly behind Saphira couldn't suppress the urge anymore, and he let out a guttural roar.

And he could tell by the look on Murtagh's face that they might be in a bit of trouble.

"Tsukiko, fall back! Having a chase isn't worth getting mauled!" He cried out.

She barked, and he felt her now dog-like, yet uncannily human mind touch his. She showed him how she felt; she felt like she had to chase them, that she couldn't resist the urge. They started it. They came into camp, holding spears in their faces like some arrogant tom, then fleeing like the frightened kits they are now. And she felt threatened, that they came armed in the first place, and she felt like she needed to do something about it. Cats usually come armed for a reason.

Tsuki, they're on your tail! You need to back down now!

And it was then, as though on timing, that the huge lioness, one of several now following Tsukiko, let out another gurgling snarl and tried to trip her with her paw. Tsukiko, not having noticed them before Murtagh's warning, wheeled around to meet the tawny cat's face with a snarl of her own. The rest of the pride, carried by their own momentum, surrounded Tsukiko on all sides, cutting her off from her Companions. This made her insecure. Unsafe. Isolated. A lone wolf surrounded is a dead one, he mother had told her.

She looked around her now. The "pride" was not just made up of lions. There was one black pelt that belonged to a golden eyed, low, heavy cat. Several were of a lighter build, with broken up rings for spots. Others were of the lightest of big cat builds, their steep chests and small faces, with black tear marks running from the corners of their eyes to the corners of their lips, and dots of black on a golden pelt. Some were similar to cheetahs, to a degree; they had spots, but close to the spine they became more like stripes. They were far longer in proportion, their ears were enormous, and they were missing the trademark black tear streaks that tended to define cheetahs so well. With them were red clay colored things that reminded her of the descriptions she'd always heard of were cats, save that these ones didn't have manes. All of them, every long-fanged, sharp-clawed creature around her, had their hackles raised and bristling with spite.

A wave of instinct washed over Murtagh; he couldn't let them harm Tsukiko, and those lions were looking very agitated. He knew from the small experiences he'd had with the lions of CatClan, that they wouldn't hesitate to attack an intruder like Tsukiko, given the order. He jumped off of Thorn, and squeezed through the mob of growling cats to reach Tsukiko before the lions did. He stood to her back defensively. He wouldn't draw Hono; that would only invite them to attack. But if they started the attack, he would defend her. He couldn't let someone he cared for get hurt again. He wouldn't. Thorn let out a roar of protest, but it didn't stop his Rider.

Saphira tried to lunge into the tawny, yowling mass, but Thorn cut her off from it.

What the- what are you doing!? These mangy, vindictive felines will surely part for a dragon's rage! She growled, not understanding Thorn's seemingly irrational defense of the cats.

Trust me, Saphira, he said. They may part for the moment, but only to came back at you a split second later with claws and teeth digging beneath your scales. I've tried it before.

Saphira still didn't seem entirely convinced, neither did Eragon.

It's alright; I'm sure they can handle themselves. That was one heck of a white lie, and he knew it.

Then, a small, house-pet sized cat, grey as the early dawn with strange markings the color of heather, stepped forth and let loose a stunningly loud and wild yowl that silenced every cat within the vicinity. A bright flash made everyone squint, even Eragon, from his perch on Saphira's back. A voice came from the glowing form, starting out as the light first began as unintelligible growls, then forming identifiable words.

"What the hyena is going on here!?" Cried Heatherstar. Several of the cast tried to explain with growls, then they realized that they couldn't really talk in animal form. The entire Clan became a bright beacon of light. Even Tsukiko shifted shape behind Murtagh. Now that things were a minute amount calmer, she scooted back into Murtagh, which nearly made him jump, and stood by his side.

He provided the only source of safety inside the inescapable ring of big cats- well, humans now. She was a pack hunter. She couldn't allow herself to be separated again. Her companions were essential to their survival now. She had to stick close to him.

He leaned over t her ear and growled in an undertone, "What the bloody Heligrind were you thi-"

"I wasn't thinking, alright? Just shut up and we'll handle this now"

Murtagh scoffed, but they silenced themselves before the leader of CatClan, the third Dominant Clan.

Heatherstar was being bombarded with stories-rather ridiculous and extremely exaggerated ones- from nearly every Clan member. "HUSH!" she spat. Not a soul didn't obey her apparently desperate command. "Now which one of you cats started all of this?" She scanned the crowd, and spotted the three boys that had woke Murtagh's party up; the only ones with their eyes downcast. "Come on. I know that a legitimate member of DragonClan and the daughter of my best friend would dare cause such a ruckus for no reason," Her words were partialy aimed at Murtagh and Tsukiko, as though stating confirmation from them that her statement was true. They both nodded. She gave them a barely noticeable, cat-like wink.

Apparently, the boys didn't get that her words implied for them to step forward, and they were soon being dragged to her by their ears. And despite her seemingly cruel treatment of her subjects, her voice was surprisingly calm and cool. "Now come on, tell me what you did to set off Moonchild here."

Tsukiko couldn't help but notice how Heatherstar, every time they met, simply couldn't help but call her by her real name's meaning. She found it kind of annoying.

"Well, we were outs on our morning huntz, as usual, when we saw somesing big and blue sparkling in sa sunlight," the dark boy who had still not been acquainted with Murtagh's party began.

"So, I wents to investigatse, and its was sat dragon," the second dark boy who had actually held the spear in Eragon's face pointed to Saphira. She snorted, and a plume of smoke billowed from her nostrils.

Heatherstar looked up to Tsukiko and Murtagh. Eragon had slid off of Saphira and now stood by his brother. Then she looked back to the boys. "Go on."

"Well," began the pale, tawny-haired boy. "See, ma'am, all Pantherpelt did was get a closer look to see who was there. Next thing we know, Big Bluey and Thorn start roaring at us like maniacs, and then Tsukiko, being the instinctual mutt that she is," he shot a despising, poisonous glare at Tsukiko, who was standing behind him. She stared right back. "Started chasing us for no apparent reason!"

"Moonchild, is this true?" Heatherstar asked.

Tsukiko was immediately defensive. "It too was for a reason, you slimy, thin-manned, fangless-" She emphasized every insult with a growl, before Murtagh nudged her in the ribs.

"What were your reasons, Moonchild?" Heatherstar's never moving, cool gazed made Tsukiko uneasy.

"I did not recognize Pantherpelt on sight, and I grew protective of my companions. Yes, I did let my instincts get the better of me this time," she made her eyes bore into Aasfresser's back, hopping to the gods that he could feel them. "And while no doubt it was stupid of me, I did what I felt was necessary at the time in order to keep my friends safe."

Heatherstar seemed deep in thought for a while. The only way this was even guessable was the blank look on her face. Everyone knew that meant she was calculating something in her head. "Would the three of you- well, five of you, for your dragons are welcome as well- be so kind as to be our guests back at camp for the night?"

The three of them looked at each other. Eragon seemed to like the idea much more than Murtagh and Tsukiko. Despite being outvoted, Murtagh and Tsukiko knew better than to refuse an offer like this from CatClan. It was alright to do it with BearClan, but oh no, you certainly shouldn't do it with CatClan.

Murtagh forced himself to smile, and said, "We'd be much obliged."