Chapter 4: FearClan

Weak light from the claw-shaped moon bathed the reeds and other plant life with shadowy silvery lights. Her ears twitched as prey rustled in the undergrowth. She stalked carefully, creeping up on the vole that was scuttling around. Swiftly, she pounced blindly, one paw catching the vole's soft furry body. It was letting out a high pitched squeal as she dispatched it in the darkness. She lifted her head with the limp body of the vole. A sound rustled ahead of her. She hid her prey among the roots and leaves of a willow tree, it's branches thin and drooping to the forest floor.

Satisfied, Lion began to pad into the direction of the river. The rustling was coming from there, she paused spotting a dark long furred cat. Their paws dipped in the river as they hauled out a silver scaled fish. Her ears flicked up in surprise, the cat sank their jaws into the flesh, pulling the flapping creature out until it fell still. It was almost like her dream from earlier. She shook her head, there was no way it was a dream coming to life. It was just a coincidence. That was all, nothing more and nothing less. Carefully, she padded closer and closer. Each step slow and delicate as the cat before her looked back into the river. He was on her side of it, unlike the dream.

It's only a coincidence. Lion told herself. No cat made of shadows have glowing eyes! I'm just mouse-brained to believe in that kind of stuff. Silently, she slipped out of the undergrowth, her tail kept still as the cat didn't seem to notice her. Their head dipped down, revealing broad shoulders. It was a tom. She parted her jaws to try and take in the scent. The acrid scent of the thunderpath's odd black-stone still tainted the air. However, the musky scent of a tom was just there. Most likely a wandering tom who was alone. Still, prey was prey, even if none of them hunted fish in the river. She crept closer and closer, preparing to strike.

The black tom turned his head, ears pricked and eyes glistening a silvery-green color in the moonlight. His hackles raised as he gave a wordless hiss of warning. She returned the gesture, her tail waving aggressively to let this tom know he didn't belong here. He glared at her, growling in his throat as he snatched up his fish and raced for the stepping-stones. She followed, much more nimble among the tussocks of grass and cutting him off instantly. Clearly this tom had never dealt with the wild grown grasses like she had to. She arched her back, prepared to fight for his catch.

He held his ground, tail tip twitching as he searched her body language and fierce amber eyes. "You dare hunt on my territory?" Lion spat.

"I didn't know this land was owned by you." he replied, his mew muffled by the fish. "Didn't smell claimed to me."

She felt offended, it wasn't anyone's territory, but they needed it to survive after the TwolegPlace became so unwelcoming. Kittypets didn't like sharing their food and thus making it much more difficult for them to thrive like they used to. "That doesn't matter!" she hissed, growling towards the end. "Drop the fish and go."

Amusement glittered in the tom's eyes. "So, this is about prey?"

"Think of it as compensation for not clawing your pelt off." she snarled.

The black tom blinked before heading to the river, Lion stared as he slipped into the water. Her eyes widening as the black tom began to powerfully swim to the other side. The current dragged him down stream, but he cut through it with his gaze fixed on the far bank. Soon, he was on the other side, moonlight glistening off the water that streamed from his pelt. His fur slicked to his body, revealing how thin he actually was. He dropped the fish and shook off his fur. Water droplets sparkling into the night air before he snatched his prey up and ran to the shiny mesh fence. Startled, Lion darted to the stepping-stones, bounding across as carefully as she could. The tom leaping as high as he could, his paws touching the top of it as he used it to pull himself onward.

He landed heavily on the other side and froze, dropping his fish again. Lion scrambled to catch up, before hearing the familiar calls of a fox. She stopped and peered into the darkness. In the distance, another long furred cat was pelting across the thunderpath. A fox hot on their heels barking and snarling. The black tom rushed off without his prey, his paws pounding into the ground as he let out a panicked yowl, one that sent chills down her spine. "Dusk!"

Without a moment longer, Lion sprang as high as she could go and clambered over the shiny mesh fence. Once on the other side, she raced after the tom seeing a fox struggling to get into a bush where panicked caterwauls could be heard. Fear laced their screams as the fox was snarling and yipping. The tom reached the fox, who was busy shoving it's head to squeeze under the bush, and slammed into it. Fastening his claws and teeth into the fox's rump. It let out a pained yelp, kicking him off as it whirled around, ripping it's head free of the bush to glare at the tom.

"Leave her alone!" the black tom hissed, slashing the fox's nose.

The fox flinched before lunging for the black tom. Lion quickly rushed the fox leaping onto the fox's side and kicking with all her might. The fox bucked and kicked, tufts of fur flying as it shook her off and bolted, yelping off towards the ravaged moors. Bushy tail streaming after it. Lion snorted, knowing it was BushClan's problem now. She looked to the black tom who had been shoved aside from the fox's powerful legs. He was gasping for air, his eyes round as he quickly slipped into the bush, fear-scent swamping the area.

"Dusk, are you alright?" the tom meowed urgently. "Dusk?"

Lion looked to where the other cat had gone, seeing a fox sniffing along the wooden fence. Her tail lashed, narrowing her eyes. "Tom," she meowed gruffly.

The bushes shuddered behind her. "What do you want now? A thank you?" he snapped.

"The other fox might notice us." Lion mewed softly, "It's sniffing over there for the other cat. We have to get out of here."

"And why should I listen to you?"

"Do you want to live?" she shot back, looking to him.

The black tom stared, the fake-suns that lit them revealed the darker tabby markings hidden among his fur's dark color. His eyes still looked odd, almost a orange-like green to her. She shook it off, there was nothing she could do about the tom now. His gaze flicking to the fox who was still searching head low and intent on the hunt. Finally, the tom seemed to made his decision. "I'll get Dusk." he mewed softly, slipping back into the bush.

Lion waited patiently as a dusky brown she-cat was pushed out, eyes wild with fear as she stumbled out. "Do we have to take her?"

The tom ignored her complaint, resting his tail over the she-cats slender shoulders. "Just follow me Dusk. We won't leave you behind."

"B-but the fox..." she mewed, her voice hardly a whisper.

"The fox won't get us if we are quick." the black tabby promised, his gaze level to Lion's.

Lion nodded, beginning to lead the way to BushClan's territory. "Follow me then tom-cat. We'll take the long way to avoid any trouble with the fox."

"My name is Shadow."

"I didn't ask." Lion grumbled, trotting at a swift speed, "Keep up."

She didn't look back to check if Shadow followed. If she was swift, she could reach back to the other rogues and hopefully get Cedar to accept them as part of their group for a short while. After all, the cats could use a fishing-cat in their midst in return of providing safety for him and the she-cat. She was positive it was a rogue or lone-cat with a kittypet with how much of a scaredy-mouse the she-cat was. Regardless, she had to find a way to the Twoleg Bridge, it would be the safest route for any shaken cat. A thought began to swirl in her mind, a simple one. Was there even a place for a shaken cat among their group? She had to hope so, or else it would end badly for the frightened she-cat.

Author Note:

The plot thickens, what will become of Shadow and Dusk now? Even more alarming, why did a rogue seem to have a prophetic dream come true? - NightSky