Smallclaw growled, looking down at his paws as his claws slid in and out over and over. Coalspot and Shadefur both sat awkwardly a few taillengths away, watching the deputy nervously. The patrol had retreated from the cave and back through the field, stopping when they were back in the city on the other side of the fence. Smallclaw hadn't said a word since they stopped, just stared down at his paws bristling.
"This isn't good..." Coalspot whispered. "You know how impulsive and violent he gets when he's angry..." Shadefur nodded, his gaze fixed worriedly on the ginger and white tom.
"Roguescar's not even here to calm him down..." Shadefur said. "Remember what happened last time? And he was only an apprentice..."
"We don't know for sure if he really did that to the patrol and rogue..."
"Nobody else there was alive! In my opinion we should have executed him the minute he-"
The two BloodClan cats became silent as Smallclaw suddenly stopped sheathing and unsheathing his claws and began stalking towards them.
"Let's go." He said, half growling. "The sooner we get back to camp the better. We need to have a proper send-off for Roguescar, and the Clan is probably worried about us." He walked past the two warriors, his tail down and his pace slow. Coalspot and Shadefur hesitantly followed.
"Yes, Smallclaw." Shadefur said. Smallclaw shook his head and half turned to look back at Shadefur. Shadefur could see a layer of cold, emptiness in his eyes... and something burning beneath it that he couldn't place.
"It's not Smallclaw anymore." He said, then continued forward.
"Smallscar now?" Coalspot asked. "Since, you are our leader now..." To the she-cats surprise he stopped. After a long pause, the warrior spoke.
"No." He hissed. "I am not like the other leaders. I don't need a name to signify my power. I do not need teeth and claws to be spiked through my collar to prove I am a strong hunter and fighter. One look into my eyes is all it takes for a cat to see all of that." He whirled around to face the warriors, Coalspot flinched and Shadefur gasped in surprise. The cold, vacant look in the BloodClan leader's eyes was gone, replaced by a fierce, raging glare. "And by the way, Shadefur. No, I didn't kill them. At least not all of them." Suddenly he lashed out, claws unsheathed, and caught Shadefur right in the eye. The black warrior yowled in pain.
"Fuck!" He called out, reaching up with his paw to cover his injured eye. Coalspot rushed over to help him as he squirmed on the ground.
"And I heard what you said about executing me." The leader snarled. "Be lucky I don't execute you for that remark. Now let's go, and don't lag behind or keep me waiting, or both of you will lose more than an eye."
Author's Note: I haven't updated in forever, the chapter is as short as my attention span, and it's incredibly rushed and horrible and blah blah blah excuses. This summer is far from a vacation for me, so I don't have much time to write. Sorry to anyone still reading. But I won't stop writing this thing. I kind of made a deal with myself I wouldn't, sooo... stay tuned.