Chapter 16: FearClan

A cold chill awakened the reddish-brown she-cat, it penetrated through her greenleaf thin fur, not yet thick for leafbare. She stretched, feeling a sharp twinge of pain. She began to wash her face before cleaning the wound again that was red and angry. Ever since she was punished, her shoulder was always in pain. All she could do was clean her wound the best she could.

Close by was Dusk, huddled in her nest twitching in her sleep like usual. Aver since the fight, she hadn't been sleeping peacefully. Guilt clawed her heart, feeling responsible for showing the horrors of their group, yet she forced herself to move forward. Limping slightly as she padded into the open. Dawn was just creeping over them, warmth of the sun was weakly shining as Heather commanded the cats around her to hunt more often for their leader.

Cedar had been kept in her den, Shadow bringing her prey every day either hunting it himself or snatching it from the prey-pile. Her kits were due any day, Lion wouldn't be surprised if the beautiful brownish-gray tabby had gained a lot of weight. Twitching her tail, she began to pad to the entrance of their secluded hiding place.

"Lion." Heather's voice drawled.

Of course, the creamy brown she-cat had other plans for her. Forcing a hiss of displeasure down, she turned around and made her way back, her amber eyes meeting the honey-colored ones that watched her haughtily. "Yes?" She mewed icily.

"Cedar has chosen you for a special patrol." Heather meowed, catching every cat's attention. "Pounce has watched those clan-cats long enough and will need a tough she-cat to help. We need to have some leverage before leaf-fall takes hold."

"What do you suggest?" Lion prompted, her gazing over the black and brown tom whose brown eyes gleamed with pride.

"Moth, Falcon, and Reed will join you. You must capture one of those cats." Heather told her, "If you wish to prove your loyalty, you will join them and bring back the cat they chose."

Pounce nodded, looking to Lion, "You have little choice now. I bet you feel silly for challenging Shadow now."

The beginning's of a snarl started to bubble up, but she swallowed hard. "Just tell me who we are targeting." Pounce was right, as much as she hated it. She felt foolish for letting her temper flare like it had, even more so now that she has to do this mission whether she wanted to or not.

"Excellent, now don't forget, Lion, you are on a thin line between being one of us and just another obstacle for us." the creamy brown she-cat purred, almost trilling with the delight of ordering her around.

Pounce stepped up, his tail raised high. "I will be in charge of this mission and I will make sure Lion isn't a traitor for you and Cedar's sake."

"Thank you, keep that up and maybe I will choose you after all." Heather teased, her honey-colored eyes cold as ever despite the warmth of her mew.

Lion ignored them as she padded up to the gathered patrol of toms. Inwardly, she was glad she didn't have a high status to pick a tom for herself. Yet, she also knew that she was the newest low-ranking she-cat among the group. After all, those who questioned the ways of Cedar and Heather were always the enemy.

The sun climbed higher and higher into the sky by the time Pounce lead them out, acting as though he was the highest rank of a tom. However, she knew it was far from the truth. Shadow was at the highest spot of the group as Cedar's chosen mate. Nonetheless, she trailed after the group with a steady limp. Amber eyes focused intently on the path ahead of them.

"We're looking for the brown cat with the gray cat who has a white chest." Pounce announced as they approached the bridge.

"How will we get them?" Reed asked, tilting his head slightly.

Falcon answered, "Simple, we capture the gray one and use them as bait."

Better hope they are a weak cat. Lion thought, flexing her claws into the earth. "How do we find that one then?"

"The white she-cats will be out hunting," Pounce explained, "Frost and I watched them for moons to learn this pattern. They will be further north of here, while the gray and brown cats will be just ahead."

"How do you know?" Moth questioned, shooting a look to Reed.

The golden tom flicked his tail dismissively, "Don't worry about it."

Lion twitched an ear, glancing to Moth. Clearly, Reed had been sent to spy many times into the young-tree forest. Before Lion could voice any concerns, Pounce began to meow again. "Lion is injured but wily, she can trick the gray tom into her claws."

"Her wound hasn't healed." Moth protested.

"I can do it." Lion blurted out, looking at Moth. "Just let me, I don't have much to loose."

"None of us do." Moth reasoned.

Ignoring her friend, she headed to the bridge. "Let's go, the sooner we get this done the sooner I can go hunt for today."

"That's the spirit." Pounce trilled in delight.

Falcon snorted. "See what happens when you try to get close to any of those she-cats? They push you away, just like any picky cat."

The reddish-brown she-cat swallowed her rising irritation as the cats waited until after she had crossed into the undergrowth on the other side. She heard the thrum of their paws as they raced along the wood. Focusing on her mission, she began to skulk through the undergrowth.

Soon enough, she spotted the gray tom catching a mouse, the gray furred creature dispatched easily in the young cat's jaws. She crept closer and closer, practically hunting him as she approached. Once close enough, she limped heavily out, dragging her injured leg. Yellow eyes shot up, wide in shock and with a small tinge of fear.

"H-help..." Lion gasped, acting out the terrible pain. "I-it's, ah, infected!"

The tom looked to her, before his eyes looking away. Seeming to be torn between helping her or calling for help. He searched around, his fur fluffed up. Lion realized he might be making sure this wasn't a trick or looking for the brown cat they were after.

"Please..." she begged, trying to get closer. "It hurts so bad, no one wanted to help... please help me..."

"H-hold on." the tom mewed, taking her by surprise. He sounded so young and helplessly lost. "I-I'm looking for help."

Lion stared, knowing it had to be now. The tom turned his back, she pelted at full speed and slammed into him. He let out a startled yowl as she bit his shoulder hard. He squirmed and struggled, hard muscles flexed beneath her. Instinct kicked in, she began to claw with her hind paws, clawing off tufts of long fur.

"Stop! HELP!" The young tom howled, pain glazing his yellow eyes.

She squeezed her eyes shut, digging her front claws in, as she let go and head butted the tom. His head slammed into the earth face first, Lion placed a paw on the back of his head to hold him there as Falcon came and got the unconscious tom by the scruff. Blood dribbled from the pale gray tom's nose, the only real hint of their scuffle.

Lion panted, tasting blood still even as a mottled brown she-cat exploded from the bushes. Orange eyes wide in horror as Falcon made eye contact and growled low in his throat. The she-cat flung herself at them with a wild snarl.

"Let Drizzlepaw go!"

Lion positioned herself in between them, only for Reed to tackle into the enraged clan-cat. The mottled she-cat was sprawled out on the ground, winded as she gasped for air. Pounce and Moth were on her in an instant as she kicked and slashed, screaming at the top of her voice. Yet, it was no use when Reed entered the fray, they clawed and fought ferociously.

Lion stared as blood painted the grass in a brilliant shade of red. Almost too soon, the scuffle slowly ended. The mottled brown she-cat had fought tooth and claw, but was exhausted now. Reed roughly picked up the she-cat by her scruff while Pounce grabbed her lower spine into his jaws. Moth slipped beneath the wounded she-cat and they began to head back without a word.

She obeyed their example, biting into the lower spine of the tom who merely whimpered slightly, his back paws twitching. With great effort, they made their way back to FearClan territory. Leaving only blood and fur behind to terrorize the clan-cats.

Author Note:

I had to rewrite this half way through because my internet wasn't working when I saved.

I got mad, but I got over it several hours later so I could hurry and finish this chapter and move on to the next part.

As much as you do, I want to know what happens next. - Nightsky