Chapter 28
FearClan/Lion
Quail padded between the cats, his tail raised high. "Remember, the plan is for us to have five cats in each passage to the other side of the Twoleg Place. Three patrols will attack one coyote, and three more will jump out to attack the second one."
Lion listened silently among the crowd of cats, knowing full well that none of them truly knew each other. The longer she stared, the more uncertain she felt. Soon, they were becoming split into the six patrols that would be doing the main fighting. She was to fight the first coyote the moment it looked like it was winning. Moth was in one of the patrols for the second coyote.
The Fragment-leader raised his voice. "Five cats to each patrol, each one set further down the line. I want fresh cats giving chase until we are rid of these coyotes. I want them to regret ever coming here!"
The excited yowls of encouragement echoed all around her, yet she felt numb to it. She hoped to feel something, pride perhaps, but all she could feel was nothing. Nothing except worry that Moth might not make it back to FearClan with her. Worry that the plan would fail and she would be trapped in the Twoleg Place for the rest of her life. She wondered, briefly if this was how Hawk felt. No fear for the future, only a solemn acceptance?
With a steadying breath, the patrols of cats headed off. Everything was silent, even the monsters seemed to know that something was about to happen. Rats scurried among the crow-food left over by Twolegs and the like. None felt threatened as the cats marched on by, their gazes focused on the path ahead, ears twitching at the smallest of noises.
Lion's amber eyes wandered over each cat, solid in color, patched, missing fur, tabby patterns and spots. They all had lives here, many had only ever known the Twoleg Place. None would be able to be freed from this place like she and Moth would be. Forever, they would walk among the thunderpaths, perhaps even after they lived their lives here. Berry may never find her way home or escape the exile she was in.
Moth was so bent on returning, the caring tom he once was to her had vanished. Although, the more she thought about it, the tom had changed ever since they stopped hanging out. Moth tried desperately to protect her from further pain, yet it was too late. She had been in pain and suffering for a long, long time. The tug of the river pulled at her heart. If there was anything she would promise her mother, it would be that using Quail's affection of her to get back to that river. That was all, nothing more and nothing less.
"Are you scared?" Moth asked suddenly from beside her.
Lion shook her head. "Kind of, but not really. It's hard to explain. I should feel something, but I don't."
"Why not?"
She glanced to him. "I guess I know you will survive. One way or another, you won't end up like Berry."
"Or so you hope." Moth finished bitterly, looking away.
Lion looked back ahead. "Do you really think I will let you die?"
"I don't know what to think anymore." he growled.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Moth didn't look at her as he bounded up further ahead. "You figure it out."
Lion snorted, following the stride of the cats around her. There was nothing she could do about it now. If the tom was going to be hostile about it, then it wasn't her problem anymore. She was going to press on and do her best. No matter how long the wait is, she was going to fight to prove that she was a valuable cat even if it killed her.
. . .
The wind picked up, billowing flakes of snow and acrid fumes to mask the scent they were following. Lion lowered herself as she crept into position. The fading light of the moon glittered high above as her patience slowly ran out. Glancing to Quail, she could see the large dusky brown tom watching the path ahead of him. Soon, it would all be over. A shrill howl of a monster called out as the edge of a cloud blotted out what was left of the moonlight.
The darkness seeming even darker beyond the yellow glare of the fake-suns light. With a steadying breath, she willed her heart to calm itself from it's frantic pounding. The scent of crow-food hung in the air as the breeze slowly died down. They couldn't wait any longer, hungry bellies growling after their vigil through the daylight. Now it was the perfect time to strike. At last, the shadows of the coyotes approached the light of the fake-sun. It's long snout scarred from cat claws, it's fur missing in patches. There were even teeth-marks of dogs and foxes that marred it's ragged pelt.
It's stinking breath billowed out, making Lion want to gag as it stepped closer. It's yellowed teeth poking from beneath it's lips, pale pink tongue slipping past to lick it's jaws. It paused, it's nostrils flaring in alarm. It knew they were there, waiting for their moment to strike. It's golden eyes widened as it's tawny head turned swiftly into her direction. Lion flicked her tail, letting Dog Chaser jump out with a snarl and a hiss. His face contorted into fury as he arched his back, his tail bushed out twice it's size and curled by his legs.
"Back off mange-pelt!" he spat, his claws extended as he tried to make himself look bigger.
The coyote let out a wild snarl, leaping forward to capture the tom. It would only be a heartbeat and Dog Chaser would no longer walk the thunderpath's with them again. However, Quail let out a yowl that cracked the chilly and silent air. "Attack!" In an instant many cats exploded from their hiding places and leapt onto the coyote in it's heartbeat of confusion. Lion latched onto the first thing she saw, it's snout, and bit down on the sensitive nose. It's yelping shriek made her flatten her ears more to try and not listen to the sound.
The coyote reared, attempting to break free as every BloodClan-Fragment clung on for their very life. It's front paws slashing at her, jagged claws raking through her leafbare thick fur. She struggled to cling on, feeling sharp teeth latch onto one of her front legs for only a moment. A moment too long in her opinion as she swatted the side of it's muzzle hard. The coyote fell onto it's back, crushing cats beneath it's writhing body as it shook them off. It's companion raced through the alley, furiously snarling as it jumped into the fray. It's sharp teeth clamping onto the backs of cats with a crunch that made the attacked cat yowl in pain.
Lion panted, but she went back onto the attack, ignoring the cats who were being attacked as she slashed at their legs fiercely. The other coyote got to it's paws, fighting off swarms of cats as Lion worked with the others to get the new coyote dealt with. With snarls, their battle continued, strong blows being placed with reckless abandon against the coyotes. Their larger bulk hardly able to keep up with their nimble and writhing bodies. Cats perished, but their fury was obviously being felt with each strike. The yellow-eyed coyote backed a step, it's teeth bared in warning. A growl rumbling through the air as blood was clotted in their fur and dripping from their ears.
The gold-eyed coyote yelped sharply, it's paws thrumming further away, crashing into the rubbish bins to dislodge any cats clinging on like unruly burrs. Lion kept her amber eyes fixed on her current target, whose eyes flicked after the other coyote, a flash of fear appearing in them for a moment. From the corner of her gaze Moth flung himself at the coyote's maw, being caught in an instant with strong jaws. He yowled, screamed and clawed. Lion cursed under her breath and ran into the fray, leaping to the side of the coyote's head.
One paw snagged an ear while she clamped down on the coyote's cheek. Her other paw digging claws into the thick fur to cling on with all he rmight. Her tail curled around the coyote's front limb while her back legs were on it's chest and upper leg. The coyote let go with a shrill call, struggling to get free. At last, it broke free and ran, trampling over cats who shrieked and yowled. The cats who had stayed in hiding burst forth to chase the coyote. The plan was working. The very one Quail had decided on. Lion panted even as she went to Moth to check on him.
"Are you alright?" she asked between gasps.
"I'm fine." he snapped, his emerald green eyes glittering in a yellow-ish tinge.
Lion narrowed her eyes. "Don't snap at me, I just saved your life. The stars know why I even bothered with that kind of response."
Quail padded over, limping slightly. "Lion, are you hurt?"
"Just some scratches, I'll be fine." she replied coolly, flicking her tail to the cats that had yet to rise to their paws. "Check on them, I'll check on the ones who are moving."
"Right, Moth must be very lucky to have you save his life." he purred, his golden eyes flicking to her amber ones.
She looked away, "As grateful as a dog." she muttered, padding away from Moth with a slight limp. Her foreleg hurt, but she wasn't going to show it if she could. When they returned to FearClan she could have Hawk look it over to make sure it wasn't serious.
"Lion, wait..." Moth started.
Lion looked at him from over her shoulder. "Moth, I can never forgive you for holding me back from saving my mother. I can't forgive you for pushing me to be Quail's mate without my asking. This is what you wanted, is it not?"
"You weren't supposed to like it!" He tried to reason.
She stepped towards him. "No, you listen to me. Whether I like it or not is none of your business. You can't just change your mind. This isn't about you and your return to FearClan, Moth. This is about doing what is right."
"And what is right? Everything has been flipped upside down! Like a turtle!"
"What is right is doing what Hawk has done, what my mother had done for us to return to our home after you stole it. I am putting my entire life on the line. It's about time you started to do the same, Moth. Hawk is doomed to die on the kit's twelveth moon of life. My mother was murdered for reasons I don't know and I was forced to watch and live with questions. If I have to become mates with Quail to find justice, then at least I know there is a place for me where I have respect."
"I respect you." Moth argued.
"If you did, you would have stood by me-"
"How can I if you never let me that close?" Moth challenged.
"How can you expect me to forgive the group I thought I could trust? You are not BloodClan, you are FearClan and you let that control you. I will tear myself free from being FearClan even if it means throwing away my life by the river."
"You can't mean that." Moth whispered.
Lion met his gaze, feeling all of her moons of life crash over her. "It's been a long time, Moth. I'm tired of fighting for something I can't ever achieve in FearClan. My mother and I were promised a place where we can call home and feel like we belong. Forgive me if I trust Quail more, but at least he hasn't tried to give up on me at the start and actually listens and doesn't try to shut me out."
"I was trying to keep you safe."
"All you have done was make me hold my tongue." Lion pointed out dryly. "Unlike everyone else here and you, once we get back to FearClan, I'm asking Hawk to look at my injury."
"And use those Clan-cat plants?"
"That's the difference between me and you, Moth." Lion sighed, looking to the other cats as they looked over to them. Even Quail held an inquisitive gaze at her. "I can care less if they killed me or healed me. As long as the pain stops in the end, I will gladly thank Hawk for her hard work."
Silence met her words as she began to limp through the injured cats. The coyotes would be getting chased to the ends of the Twoleg Place. Meaning the journey was nearly over. She could almost feel it in her bones. Newleaf was coming and with it a thaw that she wasn't looking forward to. The kits would be six moons old in a few sunrises. Six more moons of turmoil until Hawk no longer lives. Six more moons until her only true friend in FearClan was gone forever.
Quail attempted to stop her, his tail brushing against her chest. "Where are you going?"
"Anywhere, but here." she whispered softly.
"Why? Moth is part of your group, is he not?"
Lion looked over to him, exhausted. "No. I stopped being part of FearClan the day my mother died. The day he held me back with Berry. The day Cedar and Heather made my life miserable."
"Then why do you work so hard? For yourself?" Quail's eyes grew hard.
She shook her head. "For myself and my friend, Hawk. She and I are disposable. I could die and the group would go on. She may be killed in six moons. I have no other reasons, Quail."
"Not even I can warm that cold interior?" he asked.
"Not unless you can change the past." Lion meowed, limping away slowly. "Only then, could I be a better cat for anyone else."
Author Note:
2,000 words is becoming easier and easier to write.
I wonder if I will raise it when I start the next series.
Until then, thank you for reading and have a great day/night - NightSky
