Sorry for taking so long, I really couldn't figure out a way to write this chapter without it feeling terribly cringy. I kept going back and forth with ideas on how our two new kittypets would behave in dangerous situations, but it always felt off. Hopefully this end result isn't too horrible.

MistLion It sure is fun describing people stuff in the way Clan cats would see them. Also, those rats aren't for eating, haha, THEY do the eating :D

Mothstar of Cloudclan I'm glad you like what I have so far. I have plenty more chapters planned out so I hope you stick around.

BeeQueenBeezy Rain is cool, but my favorite weather is the calm right before the rain when you can smell it on the breeze and everything seems to go quiet around you. And please tell me you know the video I was referencing with the "big orange snakes."

Espiritduchat Jayfeather doesn't know what rats smell like since he's never run into one in the cannon books. And even if he did, the smell of twoleg rubbish would have hidden it. Corn... wheat... idk.

Jayfeather's fur fluffed out with fear as the ravenous creatures approached. He had never encountered rats before in the Clans but he had heard the stories of swarms overwhelming warriors by sheer numbers alone. He arched his back and hissed but he could hear the scuttling pawsteps creeping closer. We're trapped and there's no way we can fight off so many. He tried to think of a plan but he was panicking too hard to come up with an idea.

"Th- those are rats," Cash whispered fearfully, apparently just noticing the creatures. "Do you know any Clan tricks to make them go away?"

"We can fight them!" Jayjay announced confidently, stepping past Jayfeather and spitting at the approaching swarm. "After all, we have a forest savage with us."

"Don't be mouse-brained," Jayfeather growled, grabbing the kittypet's tail in his jaws and pulling him back. "I'm a healer not a fighter." He thought fast, painfully aware of the fear scent that billowed around him. They were trapped, pressed against the side of an abandoned twoleg den, and surrounded. The only known exit was through the lake of teeth and tiny claws. It can't end like this, there has to be a way out! Then he remembered what Jayjay had said just moments ago. "How fast do you think you could unblock the way behind us?"

"It might take some time since it looks like there are a few-" Cash mewed hastily but Jayfeather cut him off.

"-Then don't talk, and get on with it!" he ordered, not taking his blind gaze off the encroaching rats. He could hear their paws getting dangerously close and he puffed himself up until he was twice his normal size. With a ferocious snarl, he reared up on his hind legs and bared his teeth at them. "I'll fight them off for as long as I can," he hissed over his shoulder. "But we'll all be dead if you can't get it open quickly."

"We'll do our best!" Jayjay promised, turning to help his companion with the task. They were both clearly terrified but they were doing their best to hide it.

Jayfeather waited in his battle stance, dread dripping down his spine with every passing moment. He couldn't know for sure exactly how many rats there were, but there had to be at least a dozen. I should have smelled them earlier but everything in twolegplace reeks, he thought angrily to himself. I wonder what will happen if I die here. Could I reach StarClan this far away from the lake? Where else would I go?

He didn't have any more time to think because suddenly the wave of rats attacked. The first creature hit him in his front paw, scrambling with its tiny claws to get a grip of his fur. He was surprised by how heavy it was and he almost lost his balance. He swatted it aside before it could bite him.

He wasn't as lucky with the second rat to attack. He gasped as searing pain ripped up is hind leg as the rat sank its teeth deep into the flesh above his knee. Without thinking, he lowered his head and bit down as hard as he could into the furry body until something snapped between his teeth and it went limp.

He tossed the dead rat aside and snarled, hoping that if they saw how dangerous he was, they would run away, but instead, they tried to push past him to get to the smaller kittypets behind him. He did his best to hold them at bay, biting and slashing at anything that squeaked, but it wasn't long before one slipped past

"Help!"

Jayfeather turned his head at Cash's cry, realizing one of the rats was attacking the kittypet, but he couldn't show his back to the rest of the swarm. They would all pounce the moment he turned away. He just had to hope Jayjay could help his friend while Jayfeather dealt with the swarm.

His efforts were mostly bluff as he snarled and spat, baring his teeth and trying to look like the fiercest cat the rodents had ever seen in their lives. "How's it going back there?" he called over his shoulder again, swiping at any rat that crept too close. "Cash, are you okay?"

"We're fine!" Jayjay answered, his tone etched with frightened panic but he was keeping it together. "We killed the one rat that got past and we moved most of the stuff blocking the exit. Just give us a little more time!"

"I'll try," Jayfeather growled, slashing whenever he heard a tiny paw pad nearer. He struggled to tell where they all were around them since their nonstop chittering filled his ears. The rats so far had been intimidated by his act of ferocity, but he didn't know how long it would last before they realized he could hardly fight at all. StarClan give me strength! One of the rats made a flying leap at his head and he was too slow to avoid it. He gasped in pain as he felt the flesh of his ear rip away but he reached up and hooked the rat off with his claws.

He could feel hot blood dripping down his cheek and chin but he held his ground, giving the kittypets as much time as he could. He could feel his body weakening and even he knew his snarls were growing less fierce. Another rat lunged forward and he swung his claws in its direction. He missed it completely and at the same time his injured leg gave way and he rolled onto his side.

The rats were on top of him in an instant, shoving their fat bodies against his ribs as they each tried to sink their claws and teeth into whatever flesh they could reach. He tossed and flailed, raking his claws across anything that moved and tried to regain his footing, but the foul-smelling creatures held him down, tearing into his fur from all sides. He screeched in agony as they started to eat him alive. This is how we all die, he thought, closing his eyes.

"The exit is clear, Jayfeather!" Cash yowled, his mew filled with fear. "Come quick!"

Jayfeather's eyes flew open, trying not to cry out in pain as dozens of sharp teeth and claws pricked his pelt. His body was almost paralyzed with pain, but with the last of his strength, he kicked away the rats that were latched on to his legs and stomach and surged upwards. He sent a few more rats flying with a last desperate swipe of his paw and in that moment where they lay dazed, he turned and fled in the direction of Jayjay's voice.

He could hear the rats furiously chasing after him but he concentrated on the sounds of the kittypets' voices as they called to him. He raced through the new opening in the den wall and out into the warm sunlight but he didn't stop. He followed the scent trails of Cash and Jayjay between old twoleg dens that smelled of mildew and rubbish. His head was aching and spinning too much for him to tell if the rats were still behind him so he forced his pained body to move faster as if his life depended on it.

"Stop!"

He skidded to a halt, almost crashing into the kittypets, and frantically listened for the sounds of tiny scrabbling claws. His legs felt so heavy that he didn't know how much farther he could run if they were still giving chase. Thankfully, all he could hear was the familiar rumbling of nearby twoleg monsters and the breeze as it whispered between the giant dens. Their attackers must have given up.

"We're safe for now," Cash gasped, his heart pounding so loudly that Jayfeather could hear it. "I thought we were dead for sure. It's a good thing Jayfeather is a savage forest cat able to hold off dozens of rats at a time."

"It's my fault we almost died," whimpered Jayjay, his mew thick with guilt. "It was my idea to go into that house without knowing if it was safe or not. We all could have lost our lives and Jayfeather lost his ear because of me."

Jayfeather lifted a paw to feel his injury where the rat had attacked. To his surprise, most of his ear was missing and what was left was a painful tattered stub. It burned when he touched it and he flinched. All the pain from his injuries seemed to flood back to him and he stumbled. He tried to summon the names of which herbs would help, but his body felt like it was on fire and his mind was grasped by the pain.

"Are you okay, Jayfeather?" Jayjay gasped as the medicine cat sank to the ground. "You're hurt!"

"Of course I'm hurt!" Jayfeather snapped, feeling the blood drip down his face. The rats' bites were many but very small. Even though he hurt more than after the fox had bitten him, most of the many tiny holes along his chest and legs had already stopped bleeding. "These injuries aren't severe so I just need some time to rest. I'll be able to travel again tomorrow."

Cash breathed in relief. "Thank goodness, you had me worried. In that case, we should probably find a safe place to stay."

Jayfeather nodded in agreement, just the tiny movement sending burning pain up his neck and filling his head. He focused his thoughts as the pain began to subside. A poultice of burdock root was the best treatment for rat bites but they had left the forest behind many days ago. He couldn't risk his injuries getting infected so as soon as he was able to travel comfortably, he would try to find some. Until then he would have to just grit his teeth against the pain.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Jayjay, asked cautiously, stepping up to him and giving his pelt a worried sniff. "You look-"

"If you ask me that again, I might just bite your ear off," Jayfeather snarled, forcing himself to his paws. A part of him wanted to hate the kittypet for leading them all into a den overrun with hungry rats, but he knew it wasn't Jayjay's fault. Accidents could happen whenever they traveled to a new place for the first time. Since the rats' scent had been foreign to him he couldn't have known. "Just find me a place to lie down where twolegs, rats, foxes, and hostile house cats won't find me. I'll search for healing herbs tomorrow."

"And it looks like this part of the houseplace is the thinnest if we wanted to cross through to the other side where the mountains are," Cash added, trying to sound helpful. "Or we can continue looping around. It would probably take like four days to circle all they way around."

"We can cross through," Jayfeather sighed, relaxing his tone. "I want to leave the twolegplace as soon as possible."

He followed the kittypets farther down the path between the giant twoleg dens. He was limping heavily but he kept his eyes straight ahead. Cash lead him to a small ledge sticking out from one of the dens and he ducked under it to find a snug space beneath that was still large enough for them all to fit inside. He hurt all over but he couldn't help but be proud of how long he had fought off the rats. I almost died again today, but I still feel more alive than ever. If only my Clanmates could see me now.

Small chapter but it was just a continuation of the last one. Hope you liked the fight!