As I said in the update… here I am ^^" ready to try and be much more active. Sorry, no review answers, but I will next chapter. I had an average of 15-20 reviws 0_o so… I really don't want to answer them xD I answered a few vital ones in the update I posted. (If this is up later than I want it to be, a.k.a., TODAY, I posted the update chapter on June 24th)
Twist curled on her bed, a fluffy gray Rikah warming her on one side, a soft, silver Echo on the other. Yarrow lay beside her brother, Hawk, a dark brown tom with unnerving yellow eyes. He opened one, casting its disconcerting glow at Twist. She shuddered and turned away.
She stared around the alley. Dozens of cats met her gaze. Two cats slept beside each other. Twist knew the pretty silver and gray tabby she-cat with green eyes to be Feather, and her sister, Fern, a brown and white she-cat with green eyes. The two were chatting away in their usual friendly manner.
She flicked her tail as another she-cat walked past her. She was ginger with dark golden and brown feet, tail tip, ear tips, and stripes. Her eyes were that color as well. She smiled at Twist, her belly round with kits. "Morning."
Twist blinked as the she-cat walked away. "Morning, Sakura."
Twist stood and walked over to the food storage. All the food found was put in two cardboard boxes. One box was for caught prey. The other was for garbage-food. Two cats, Penny, a bright red and black she-cat with blue eyes and nicks in her ears, as well as her brother Pepper, a blue-eyed, gray tom with a white chest and belly, sat near the garbage box. She sat next to the prey one, grabbing a mouse.
Penny backed away from her. Twist frowned. Penny had always been cautious of wildcats since they had attacked her as a kit. She hissed. "Forest scum!"
Twist blinked, hurt. Pepper groaned at his sister. "Oh, shut up. She didn't do anything."
Twist grabbed a mouse and walked away. "I'll eat over here," she told them quietly.
She sat down silently. Beside her lay a silver tom. He looked at her. "Need something?"
Twist lay down. "I just want to eat."
He shrugged. "Don't let me stop you." He set his head on his paws. Twist chewed the mouse. "Who are you?" She didn't recognize the tom.
He lifted his head. "Spoon. I'm the solitary type. I stay hidden." He rolled over.
Twist narrowed her eyes, confused. Finishing her mouse, she walked over to Cloud and Boulder.
Cloud was a sight. She was a white she-cat with blue eyes, but that's not what caught others' attention. The left half of her face was missing, and her ear was terribly scarred. This had happened to her as a kit, when a dog attacked her and her family. They were all killed, and she was left with half a face. She had been traveling with Boulder, a small, dark gray tom with deep blue eyes, for a very long time. Longer than either of them could remember, actually. It was obvious that he liked her.
Boulder nudged her. "Twist is here."
Cloud looked up with a frown. "Huh?"
Twist did her best to keep quiet. She wanted to be liked, and she knew that she'd need to be submissive. She grabbed a vole from the small stockpile that lay in front of the two.
Cloud grunted. "Voles. Forest prey."
Twist flinched. Cloud didn't actually realize it, but she could come off as rude. Twist looked at her paws.
Boulder looked on sympathetically. "Don't mind her. She's just in a bad mood."
Cloud growled. "Bad mood my tail." She dug into her mouse.
Twist sighed. She set her vole back on the pile, and grabbed a mouse instead. Prey from both forest and city. She gulped it down, and then dipped her head. "Thanks." She padded away.
Twist passed Flamer and his second-in-command, Torch. Torch was a bright red tom with green eyes. He had black paws, tail-tip, ear-tips, stripe down his back and blaze down his face. Flamer was a straight flame-orange tom with blue eyes and white ear-tips. She sat beside Echo, Rikah, and Yarrow, who had woken up and were lying lazily beside Flamer's dumpster.
Rikah looked up. "You seem tired."
Echo yawned. "I don't blame her."
Yarrow blinked, the white leaf-shaped mark on her black chest rising and falling as she breathed rhythmically. "Are you happy here?" she asked suddenly.
Rikah and Echo looked up from their grooming.
Yarrow watched her with unnerving yellow eyes.
Twist blinked, swallowing. Was she happy here? "I guess."
Rikah narrowed his eyes. "Are you?"
Twist choked on her answer. She opened her jaw to reply, but was interrupted as a shadow was cast over her. She looked over. To her surprise, a huge group of cats stood at the entrance of the alley. She gaped. There were so many that part of the group wasn't seen, as they were on the other sides of the two walls. One cat stood at the front, in the center of the entrance. He was dark brown, with black tabby stripes. His amber eyes glowed, and his teeth shone white. Impatient claws scraped the asphalt alley. His gaze shot all around the small space, narrowing it in approval. The huge group of cats behind him grinned with menace.
Flamer took a step forward. He dipped his head. "Crash."
Twist's eyes flung wide open. Crash? This was the leader of the Rat Squad, the cat whose goal was to overthrow as many Squads as possible!
Crash grinned. He voice dripped with malice. "Flamer. What an honor." He stepped inside as though he owned the place. Another cat, a muscular black tom with green eyes, walked in behind him. Was this his second-in-command, Jet?
Flamer met his gaze bravely. "The pleasure is shared," he lied. His blue eyes flashed towards Torch. The red-and-black second-in-command rushed forward. Torch locked eyes with the black tom that followed Crash.
"Jet," Torch said defensively, licked his lips. "What a surprise."
Twist blinked. I was right.
Jet grinned. "All we need is a red bow to finish it all off, eh?"
Torch growled.
Flamer held up his tail for silence. Muttering from both Squads ceased, replaced with a deafening quiet. Every cat leaned forward, eager to listen to the confrontation.
Flamer drew in a breath, making himself a bit taller than he was. "What brings you and your Squadron to our alley?"
Crash didn't try to stand tall. Instead, he leveled his head to his body, and stretched out every leg, unsheathing his claws. His tail lashed. Doing this made him look dangerous. He grinned deviously, his brow creasing. "Just here to claim what's mine," Crash said in a smooth, threatening voice.
Flamer pulled back his lips, revealing glistening fangs. "We have nothing of yours."
Crash straightened. He now held his chin and tail high, and stood tall as he could manage. "We're taking the alley. My Squadron will give yours three days to evacuate." He seemed to be talking to the whole Glass Squad, not just Flamer and Torch.
No!
Flamer's blue eyes lit with terror. He blinked them, trying to hide his fear. "You have no right to do so," he growled.
Crash blinked calmly. "I have every right." He suddenly flicked his tail forward. About a quarter of the cats in his Squadron squeezed into the space, and began inspecting every inch of the alley. A few cornered the Glass Squad cats, looking them up and down, and conversing about their physical appearances.
Flamer watched in confusion and rage, spinning in panic every time a Rat Squad cat passed him. "What are you doing?" he roared at Crash.
Do something! Twist screamed silently at her leader.
Crash watched him with wide, innocent amber eyes. "I'm simply inspecting the quarters." He nodded to his Rat Squad cats. "And your Squad members."
Flamer growled with anger. "Why inspect my cats?"
Crash cocked his head, trying to look like a mischievous kit. "Some may be added to the Rat Society."
"'Rat Society'?" Flamer growled.
Crash smiled. "Once I own everyone in the city, they will no longer be the Rat Squad. Now, they shall be known as the Rat Society." He looked at Flamer's cats. "Some of your cats will be added to it. Others who aren't will be cast upon the street, like vulnerable kits." He licked a paw. "So lets hope that all of you cooperate."
Twist watched Flamer ripple with anger. "You will not own this alley or my cats."
Crash blinked, cocking his head again. "Is that so?" He lifted his head. "Rat Society! May I have your attention, please!"
The Rat Society looked at their leader.
Jet looked away from Torch, towards Crash.
Flamer narrowed his eyes.
Torch looked away from Jet, towards Crash.
The Glass Squad looked up in terror.
Twist held her breath.
Crash raised his tail for silence. "Flamer has informed me that we mustn't take his property." He looked at Flamer. "An interesting choice, I must say." He looked at the crowd. "Let us leave. We needn't own this alley." He began padding away.
Jet looked up, astonished. "Crash! Don't you want to expand and conquer? I thought—,"
"No, Jet." He pricked his ears, flicking his tail dismissively. "Flamer said he wants to keep his alley. We will be leaving now." Something flashed in his eyes.
Jet caught the look. The same thing flashed in his. "Of course." He followed obediently. "What need we of such musty quarters?" They began to empty out. The Rat Society filed away, going down the sidewalk.
Suddenly, Crash caught sight of Twist. His eyes widened in admiration. He rushed over, surprising Twist. "Hello, cat."
She growled. "Want something?"
The Rat Society leader circled the she-cat. "You are lean, and covered in muscle." His gaze locked on her twisted paw. "How'd that happen?"
Twist creased her brow. "I was born with it."
"Ah," he mewed, beginning to circle once more. Suddenly, he stopped in front of her. "You'd be an excellent contribution to my Society." He cocked his head. "Would you be interested in joining?"
Twist pinned back her ears with an irritated hiss. "Of course not!"
Crash shrugged. "You're missing out. I'd give you a very high placement in our ranking." His gaze raked the Glass Squad cats. "You can't possibly be from here."
Twist frowned. "I'm from the moor beside the lake."
Crash took a step backwards. "You're a wild cat?"
Twist suppressed a hiss of annoyance. "I am."
Crash looked her up and down warily. "All the more reason to join. You could teach us your ways."
Twist huffed. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized that most of her Squad was listening. "No. I said no."
Crash sighed. "As you wish." He looked at his cats. "Come, Rat Society. We have important duties to attend to." With that, they all left. The last to remain were Crash and Jet. Crash looked back. "Don't expect their not to be consequences." He exchanged a glance with Jet. Finally, the two disappeared.
ERMERGHERD.
I WORKED ON THIS FOR TWO HOURS.
WUT.
Soooo, I made this extra long to make up for my inactivity c:
My parents are gonna kill me if I don't go to bed, so thanks for reading, my little RainClan warriors!
See y'all next chappie!
