Max and Rosie jumped as they spotted the lurking cats.
"Rogues!" Spat Max.
"Quick, follow me!" Hissed Rosie, darting off towards the twoleg nest. Without hesitation, Ginger and Fluff sprinted after her, their hearts racing in their chests. They could here yowls and caterwauls coming from behind them as the band of rogues caught up.
"We're going to get you, mange-pelts!" Charlie's voice rang out in the night. Fluff and Ginger almost stopped in their tracks when they heard his voice, but their instincts forced them to keep going. They raced down the side of the twoleg nest and out into the front. Their hearts almost leapt out of their throats as they ran across a thunderpath without looking and the lights of a monster grew close.
The lights almost collided with Fluff, who was last to cross, but the monster came to a screeching halt and the twolegs inside stared at the cats in shock. Rosie led them over two fences and into another twoleg garden.
She slowed to a brisk trot and made a beeline for a prickly bush. "We'll have to go in here and hope that they're too scared of the thorns to come in." She decided. There wasn't any time to lose so the four cats forced themselves into the bush, wincing as the thorns met the skin beneath their pelts. When all four cats had made it into the bush, they huddled together in silence, trying not to breathe loudly with exertion.
Only a few heartbeats later, the rogues came crashing into the garden. Stripe's voice rang out, "Let's kill the cats who killed my kits!" She snarled, and the rest of the rogues cheered. Ginger and Fluff stared at each other in terror as Rosie began to tremble in fear. Max breathed something in her ear, she stopped shaking and stared determinedly ahead.
"I can smell them!" Charlie yowled in glee, "They're in this garden and we will find them!" The rogues cheered again, there were four of them and they trampled round the garden, searching for the other four cats who were huddled silently in the bush.
A small but muscular brown tabby tom paused to sniff at their hiding place and they all held their breath. Their scents gave them away. "They're in this holly bush!" The tom announced proudly.
"Well done Scratch!" Stripe yowled, and the rest of the rogues caterwauled, excited for a fight.
"Get them." Ordered Stripe and the rogues began to weave their way into the bush.
"Let's get out of here!" Max yowled and raced out of the bush and away from the rogues, dragging his mate along with him. Ginger and Fluff followed, fear making them run like the wind.
However, the rogues spotted them and surrounded them, driving the four cats into a corner where the twoleg nest met the fence.
"Wait!" Stripe meowed, "We have to kill them slowly." She hissed with a twisted look on her pretty tabby face. Charlie grinned sickeningly, "Very, very slowly." He agreed.
"How do you think you'll manage that flea-bag?" Snarled Ginger bravely.
"Does the ginger mange-pelt want a demonstration?" Charlie meowed, evil dripping from his words. Quickly, he darted forward and grabbed Fluff by her scruff. He put his claws out and yanked the fur off Fluff's throat. She let out a cry of pain. Charlie then pressed the sharp tips of his claws lightly against the skin. "Ready to watch your friend die?" He hissed. Ginger was rooted to the spot, petrified for her friend. Max advanced towards Charlie, but he increased the pressure of his claws on Fluff's throat and blood started to slowly trickle down her chest as she wailed in agony.
Suddenly, a cat yowled in fury from behind the rogues. It was Benny. He flew at Charlie and shoved Fluff into a bush, away from the evil black and white tom. His striped grey pelt bristled, and his eyes flashed dangerously. Whilst the rogues were distracted, Ginger saw her opportunity and leapt onto Stripe, bowling her over. Max attacked Scratch and Rosie took on another rogue whilst Benny defended Fluff from two more. Charlie was nowhere to be seen.
Max bit down hard on Scratch's tail and Scratch ran off into the darkness, whimpering in pain. A tortoiseshell rogue had Rosie pinned down and Max rushed over to help her. When the tortoiseshell realised she was facing two cats she turned and scurried away in fright.
Max went over to help Benny fight of a ginger tabby she-cat and a long furred grey tom whilst Rosie went to help Ginger, who was locked in a ferocious battle with Stripe. "I didn't kill your kits!" Ginger was yowling as she jumped onto Stripe's back and clung on with her claws. Stripe hissed in rage and threw her off, but Rosie jumped on her and she collapsed panting to the ground.
"Stop!" Yowled Stripe and the two other rogues slunk over to her side. They helped her to her feet and she retreated with them, heading towards the woods.
Benny suddenly let out a wail of horror as he turned to check on Fluff and saw Charlie standing over her, blood dripping from his mouth. He had gotten into the bush from behind and silently attacked Fluff whilst Benny was distracted by the other two rogues, "I told you I would kill her!" He spat and sprinted off before Benny could get him.
"Fluff!" Benny wailed, and Ginger raced over, letting out a long, blood-curdling cry as she saw the state of her friend, fur matted and stained pink with blood.
Max strode over and rested his paw on Fluff's flank. "She's alive," He breathed, "But barely."
