Author's Note: Just as a side note, try not to judge Metra too harshly. You know her background (if you read the intro that is) and now she has the responsibility of looking out for all the cats she has gathered along the way. I promise, she does everything for a reason, even if it doesn't seem like it yet. As always, if you have time please R&R so I know how I'm doing! 3


M.E.T.R.A.

Watching the cats press around the new Hunter, Metra was glad that the ceremony had gone well. She knew Silvari was a popular she-cat, not only for her looks but her flirtatious personality as well. Metra jumped up the stone walkway as cats moved out of her way.

Seraphiel was already waiting for her, the silver bengal shecat tearing into a vole that had been placed by the nest by a trainee. Her assassin paused for a second as she acknowledged Metra's presence but otherwise continued eating.

"So tell me how the test went" Metra meowed padding over to grab her own piece of freshkill. It had been a long morning and she was starving. "Does Silvari have potential?"

"The events unfolded just as you said Metra. Once the prisoner realized that no one was chasing him to bring him back to the camp, he began to slow down"

"How long until he was able to reach the border?"

"…He never did Metra"

At that Metra paused, looking up from her thrush. "Our territory is not that large Seraphiel. At least not until we do something about those Clan cats. Yet you're telling me he never reached the river? What was the mousebrained fool doing?"

The assassin paused as if debating how much to actually tell Metra, but decided on the complete truth, no matter how badly it made her look. "You would consider me one of the quietest and fastest cats in the League, correct?"

Metra arched an eyebrow at the question. Seraphiel was unparalleled when it came to speed and her ability to walk so quietly that not even the leaves would crunch in her presence. If only her injury that cost her moons to heal had never happened, then she would have been promoted to Proxy for certain. "I assume there is a reason for this question? Very well. If you were anything less than one of the best in the League, you would not be my assassin"

Seraphiel nodded, not gloating but simply confirming a fact. "Silvari appeared infront of the prisoner with a stealth that would match even mine."

"Did he ask for mercy?" Metra snorted.

"They always do. Silvari granted it to him as well"

"Oh? How so?"

"She dealt him a killing blow to the base of the neck"

Metra tsked, licking her paw to clean her long whiskers. "That's slightly disappointing" she meowed thoughtfully. "I was expecting more"

"That was after Silvari broke his jaw so that the prisoner could not call for help" Seraphiel added, recalling the events as she had witnessed as proctor for the test.


Seraphiel crouched on the branch of a tree by the border before Primal Instinct and the Clans. The leaves of the surrounding trees hid her from view while still allowing her vision of the scene below.

"AHHHHHH…"

A cat's screech of pain split the air a few seconds before it was cut off. Two young cats were in the clearing, one shecat and one male. The shecat was circling the male who was bleeding profusely from many wounds, his fur bristling. His fur was matted, covered in both blood and dirt. The bottom part of his jaw was crooked, clearly broken from the blow the shecat delivered only moments before.

Seraphiel turned her gaze to the shecat, noting that the battle wasn't as one sided as she first thought. Silvari's ear was torn and she had a handful of scratches along her belly. When she walked, Silvari had a slight limp where the tom had bitten her paw.

"Stand up and fight you coward" she hissed feigning another blow. "Or does your life mean so little?"

The tom hissed right back, but his eyes darted in desperation to the border a couple of foxlengths away. Seraphiel bunched her muscles, preparing to leap down after him and finish the job should the trainee fail and the prisoner escape.

In a last desperate attempt, the tom cat kicked up a handful of dirt into Silvari's eyes and took off, running to the border as fast as he could. However, as fast as the tom was, the shecat was faster. Silent as a shadow she bowled him over and pinned him to the ground.

"That wasn't very polite" she hissed quietly in his ear. "Now you've made me angry"

Seraphiel watched as the trainee dug her claws into the prisoner's underbelly and slashed all the way down to his tail. She sprang off of him as blood flowed from the wound and began to create a puddle. Surprisingly the tom cat slowly got to his paws, increasing the flow of the blood as he took shaky steps once again towards the border. After a few mouselengths, a blow to the base of the neck ended all movement.

With a satisfied snort, Seraphiel turned and slipped back to camp, pleased with the soon to be new Hunter for Primal Instinct.


The begal shecat looked across the den back at Metra, summarizing her report. "She handled the test very well and didn't hesitate to strike the killing blow"

"Good" Metra nodded, pleased with the news. "We can only hope that her brother, Taryn, will do as well of a job in a few moons when it is his turn. Sasha has informed me that he is almost ready for his test as well"

Metra was content with the way the League was progressing. Soon, very soon, there would be enough Hunters trained that they would be able to start expanding their territory.

"Any word from the group that went out this morning?"

Metra shook her head, thoughts turning to her Proxy. She had sent Dusk, Jean-Claude, and Nykaryion out on a patrol this morning to find the location and distance to any Twoleg nest in the area. There could be potential allies or enemies there and Metra didn't want to leave anything to chance.

Seraphiel snorted. "I should have gone with them. Mousebrains"

Metra smirked glancing at the assassin. "I believe that not long ago, you wanted to be one of those mousebrains"

Seraphiel grimanced, looking away. It was true that every Hunter in Primal Instinct aimed to become a Proxy. From those four cats, only one was chosen to become Warden and in time, the next Nemesis. She had been the fourth Proxy until a monster injured her shoulder and cost her the position she had worked so hard for. Although her strength wasn't what it used to be, her speed and skills were par non, thus earning her the position of Assassin.

"E'tani" a Hunter interrupted her line of thought as he waited at the top of the stairs, dipping his head respectfully.

"Yes? What is it River?"

"The Proxy have returned"

Metra inwardly smiled, noting the awe and excitement that she heard in the Hunter's voice. "Very well. Send them up" She watched as River turned and padded back down the stones to permit the group of waiting cats entry. She pricked her ears as the three cats padded in, interested in their report. "How was your mission?"

One of the two toms padded forward, muscles moving effortlessly under a short grey pelt. " To our left is a field of black and white animals" Nykaryion began. "They seem harmless enough and wasn't concerened in the least by my presence. This field takes up many, many foxlengths and at the end is a Twoleg nest. However, there is no scent of any cat or dog within the area, nor did I see any while I was there"

"Thank you Nykaryion" Metra meowed as the tom stepped back. "Dusk?"

The only female padded up, a smile lightening up her dapple coat and friendly orange eyes. "There is little to report of the area behind us. The hard stones on the ground that monsters travel has no end. Other than more woods, there was no Twoleg or animal scents around" she shrugged as she stepped back to let the last Proxy forward.

Jean-Claude didn't move from his spot, but rather continued to observe Metra. After a few moments silence, he spoke up.

"Why did you have us go on this mission?"

Metra rolled her eyes at the young tom, but was surprisingly patient.

"Do you really need to ask that? I know you are neither stupid nor naive or you wouldn't have gotten so high in the ranks" she meowed looking at him straight in the eye. "So what is your real question?"

Jean-Claude bristled slightly before his fur laid flat again. He thought about it before turning to Seraphiel, eyes narrowing. "Why did you send us, your Proxy and third in command on a task that any Hunter could have done and kept this…thing" the young cat sneered the word, a look of disgust on his face. "near you instead? Have we not proven ourselves more than able to protect you?"

"Now now, should you really be talking to your sister like that?" Seraphiel smirked, ignoring the amused glances of the two other Proxy who were watching quietly.

"You're no sister of mine!" he almost snarled at her. ""You're weak and deserved to have lost your position as Proxy"

Metra tsked lightly as she padded over to the tom cat, brushing her tail over his shoulder. "What harsh words Jean-Claude. Am I someone who needs protecting?"

"Of course. You are our leader, the Nemesis of Primal Instinct. Every cat here would give their life for you if you asked for it"

He glanced over at her, eyes full of emotion. "You saved each of us and made us into the strong group we are today."

"Then I ask that you trust my judgement and know that there is a reason behind everything I do. Now, what have you to report?"

"To our right there are many Twoleg nests. The farther you travel, the more nests appear. Not all of them seem to have cats, but there are a number of dogs present around those nests."

Dusk spoke up once again, nodding to Nykaryion who disappeared down the stairs. "On our way back, we also found a little spy near the border. There were no other cats around although we caught wind of another rogue group in the area. "

"Are you sure it wasn't one of the clans?" Metra meowed, pricking her ears.

Dawn nodded as Nykaryion reappeared with a smaller white shecat infront of him. "There seemed to be about five or six separate scents, all leading into the…"she paused thinking. "Dayclan territory I believe" she hesitated glancing at Jean-Claude. "We also caught Razvans' scent mixed in as well."

Metra's eyes narrowed dangerously as the tip of her tail began to twitch. She had not heard from her Warden since that morning when she first sent him out. Although she knew Razvan was no pushover, something inside her warned her that he was in danger. She turned her gaze to the white shecat, stalking forward until she stood infront of the younger cat, her blue eyes hard as ice.

"What do you know of this group?" she meowed, forcing the shecat to look up at her.

"N..no..nothing" the shecat stammered, her fur bristling and fear shaking her small frame. "I..I was j..j..ju..just trying to get a..a..away from c…cc…cam.." she broke off as Nykaryion thumped her with his paw.

"Speak up!" he hissed.

Metra rolled her eyes as the white shecat began to cry, turning back to Serephiel. "Take a group of Hunters and follow Razvans' scent. Bring him back, no matter the cost" she ordered. "I want to know more about this group"

She turned back to her Proxy as the young cat continued to wail. "Go grab some freshkill and take a rest for now. Thank you for the information and expect to be called on again soon" she meowed, a clear dismissal.

As the rest of the cats began to file out, Nykaryion coughed quietly. "Metra? What do I do with this?" he pointed to the crying heap infront of him.

"Throw it in the prison for now. I may find use for it later"

Metra sighed as Nykaryion nodded, picking up the shecat and disappearing from the room. Her mind wandered to Razvan and this new possible threat. She had ordered Razvan not to engage the Clan cats, more for their safety than his. It was too soon to risk a war with all four of the clans and that was what would happen if Razvan forgot himself and went on a rampage. Cats tended to forget around his easy nature, but it wasn't by chance that he became her second in command. He was a fierce fighter, a passionate lover, and most of all loyal to her above all else. It was what made him invaluable and Metra could only hope that where ever Razvan was at that moment, he wasn't announcing their presence to the clans…