Pretty long chapter this time. Hope you guys enjoy.

Grayshadow Warrior: Thank you for your review and OC! Tada! Here you go! Sorry bout the cliff hanger, but it's a way of life in writing! That's one way of exciting readers.

Characters from Chapter 4:

Emilia-Golden-Brown Dappled she-cat, she is also equipped with weapons stored within her body.

Chapter 5: Awareness

Andratas

A soft light swept across my body. Stickily, I opened my eyes. Stone walls flanked me overgrown with vines. Dewdrops dropped from the overhanging stalactites up high on the sandy roof. Beneath, I lay on soft, dry bedding, moss perhaps? And on top of me, blankets made of grass and fur draped down. Where was I?

Leaning to the side, I found myself face first into the chest of a she-cat.

"Oh." A silent whisper, one of confusion, curiosity and perhaps a hint of embarrassment.

"Argh!" I screamed clawing the blankets and backing up against the wall, my chest heaving.

"You're awake, it seems."

The golden-brown she-cat cocked her head as if she didn't understand the reason for my outburst.

"Are you going to stand there, acting as if nothing happened?!" I yowled at her.

She stared at me, tilting her head the other way, "Apologies, I do not understand the world as much as others do, but if you want me to claw up that other she-cat's hard work, I'll gladly…"

"Other she-cat?" I asked, cutting her off.

"Me."

Padding up to my bed, the entering she-cat tutted.

"Andratas! Look what you did! You clawed up my claw woven blanket for you!"

I sighed, rolling my eyes, "Good to see you too, Melody." Relief clear in my voice.

She scoffed, "We wouldn't have to see each other so often if you didn't get hurt so often."

"Hey! You told us to join you!" I rebuked, "Plus I didn't expect, this here she-cat to get so involved in it." Pointing at the Perfected with a paw.

"It's Emilia." She stated.

Both Melody and my eyes widened.

"Wait they give you names?" Melody exclaimed excitedly, paws clamped together, "I thought they just gave you codes and stuff!"

"Ditto, I didn't know the Sirens were so nice," I added.

"They aren't, well, most of them." Her paws shuffled nervously, "My creator on the other paw was a good cat, she gave me a name, and…"

She sighed, looking down at her shuffling paws, as if memories, good and bad, were flowing back into her, at an unprecedented speed. So much so, she tightened up, emotions overflowing.

"It doesn't matter." She looked back up to us, her eyes betraying an array of emotions, "Yes I have a name, but others do not. Acronyms, at best."

"Huh. So that creator of yours…" I started.

"I don't want to talk about it." Cutting me off instantly. Her dark eyes told me to back off and not dig into her past.

"But that means you still would have to have an acronym or a code name." Melody put a paw to her face, thinking.

"It's E.M.L.I.A," She explained, carefully, "It stands for Electrical-Magnetism Light Ion Artillery. I was after all the first Perfected equipped with it."

"A what?" I queried, confusion lingering in my eyes.

She flashed a mischievous smile, before her back opened up to an artillery on her back, "Shall I demonstrate?"

"Oh no, it's ok I get it." Quick to refuse.

The artillery folded rapidly back into her body and I shuddered at what that would feel like.

"But wait. If you were a Perfected, why aren't you like, taking orders from the Sirens? Attacking us and killing many?" I wondered staring right at her.

"Before her, unfortunate, departure," She paused, selecting the right words, "My creator gave me the element of free will, with the option of overriding commands from the Sirens."

She unsheathed a claw, glinting against the rays entering the cave, "Unfortunately, for the Sirens not to find out I could disobey their commands outright; I had to put on a façade and play puppy to them."

"So how am I here? And not dead?" She flashed me a look, like I was a young kit asking many questions about the world.

"Because of these special privileges of mine, I saved you from the grasps of death." She explained, "We Perfected have a speed, so fast, we basically appear as a flash of light for just a second. We can't maintain it for long, but it was enough to grab your heavy sack and get out."

"Why did you…"

"Because my creator gave me this mission. To not kill anybody, if I could. And standing there, watching somebody die, with the power to stop them, isn't that murder?" She cut me off before I could ask further.

Melody smiled in awe, her teeth glinting with liveliness, "Wow! I didn't know the Perfected were this capable of ethics!"

She shrugged, "Probably not, but my creator gave me a lot of gifts, she had a generous heart, so I give her back some, by agreeing to her demands."

"Speaking of demands," I butted in, "I have another question. Why is Melody even here if you took me? How did she even know about us and the raiding party?"

"That's… A long story," Melody dragged, "Firstly, I already was done shopping when the raiding party came…"

Flashback

Melody

Screams littered the air as I exited the black market. I didn't manage to get all the medical supplies I needed but most was easy to acquire, with the excess sum of Haysts I had. But it didn't seem I would have them for much longer. I stored them in my side pouch and ran out of the dark alley, ignoring the stale, damp scent and the sticky liquid I was trampling over. Probably a poor soul taught a lesson, I grimaced.

Turning around the corner, I saw a group of Dynamic guards harming poor civilian imperfects. I was about to rush towards them, with my influence, I could have perhaps persuaded them to stop their assault and let me help the injured.

"You don't want to do that missy."

A young black tom leaning against the wall turned to me. He had scars running through his body and one of his eyes was torn out. The other was filled with grief and anger directed at the attacking guards. He stared at me through his one eye and continued, "The attack is a personal one, not an attack on us."

He paused, licking his chest fur, "Apparently some idiotic, or brave, soul decided to insult one of them and even attack them."

He sighed, "He probably won't live past this day."

"Not if I have anything to do about it," I grunted, running off.

"Stop." He extended his paw, tripping me in the process.

I landed right into the dusty ground and turned around growling at him. Instead of backing off from me, he just lazily checked his claws, "Look I know you're some sort of caregiver or whatever and that's great."

He dragged me up back on to my feet, "But if you run in there right now, you are going to get yourself killed. And losing someone like you, the imperfects won't suffer less."

"So run," He continued, flexing his claws, "Escape from here. I'll make sure no one else gets hurt."

I didn't know how to react. I was scared sure, but I was not one to give up on my beliefs. I swore that I would always help those in need, those injured and hurt. Even if it risked my life. But now, this tom, had me questioning them. If I was hurt, or worst, killed, what would happen? How could I protect anyone?

I gave him one last glance before running off, away from the market, away from the town. I ran and ran. I was not aware of my sense of direction, where I was headed. But I knew that if I stayed, I could make things worse. Finally, out of breath, I lay on a bed of rocks, crying. How could I protect anyone? One claw was all that was required, for more harm to be done! How could I do what I swore to do?! My weeps converged into a pool of tears, lying at the base of the rocks.

Scrape!

A soft sound, like a sack of Catenfruit being dragged through the mud. I got up looking about, only now realising where I was. Near the outskirts of the city, a few foxlaps away from the outer slum reaches, lay woods, lightly sprinkled with pushes and tracks that slowly wove their way to a deep ravine a few more foxlaps away from me. Here, many dangers lay hidden, wild dogs, foxes with insatiable hunger, and the mythical badgers, black and white terrors that few have seen, generally harmless but huge in stature.

Was the noise one of them, slowly making their way to me?

I unsheathed my claws, rusty as I was in fighting, I will make sure I fight to the end, for all back in the slums.

But instead of a hungry fox making its way to feast on me, or a badger ready to crush me underfoot, I saw a golden-brown she-cat drag a still body through the mud, panting and grunting.

Wait?!

Greyish tom? Dark stripes. Open wounds and scars across his body and face!

Andratas!

"Hey!" I yowled at the she-cat.

Instantly, her head and eyes snapped at me. Her iris zoomed in, focusing on my features. She lay there rigid as a rock, dropping Andratas' body and crouching. Her eyes moved with my movements as I slowly descended upon her.

"What are you doing with him?!" I called out, trembling with anger. I was certain she had killed Andratas and was disposing of his body.

"None of your business." She spat, "If you know what's good for you…"

She flashed a claw, strengthened with stignium and agnium, shining against the bright sun's ray, "You'll stay away from us."

Us?

"Wait, is he alive?" I asked, heart soaring at the prospect.

"Why would you… Yes." She snarled.

My eyes widened and I rushed towards him, her claws flashed up, warning me not to make any more move, but I glared at her, my eyes shimmering with joy and relief. She understood and sighed.

I knelt down at his body and put a paw on his chest. To my relief, his heart was still beating normally though his breathing was heavy and rapid.

"His fine," I exclaimed to the she-cat standing beside me, looking down at my work, "But he needs a safe place to rest and fast!"

She nodded silently and gently clamped down his scruff, ready to drag him once more.

By nightfall, we had made it to a small cave, overgrown with vines and stalactites, not the best option for a den. But we could not go on any longer, I needed rest and Andratas' body could not possibly stand for any more stress, so we made camp here.

As the fire crackled from the small bonfire we had swiftly made, I looked over my shoulders. There Andratas lay on top of a slab of stone, wounds patched up, peacefully sleeping, his soft snores and the gentle rise of his chest gave me renewed hope. Despite the dangers of my lifestyle, I will continue helping others, those I care for, no matter what.

I swung my eyes back onto the golden she-cat, prodding a wooden stick into the blazing flames, not afraid of the singing embers.
"I guess I owe you an apology," I scratched myself in embarrassment, "I was so caught up in Andratas' body I did not consider you were helping him."

She grunted, continuing her reckless prodding of the body, "He must be close to you."

I blinked, unsure how to answer the question, "Sure?"

She sniffed, a trace of unreadable emotion ran through her eyes.

"Get some sleep." She commanded.

"What about you?" I tilted my head, yawning and blinking my eyes, desperately trying to stay awake.

"I don't need sleep." She answered rigidly.

I didn't need to ask any more questions. I could have been surprised, terrified or outright scream out that she was lying. But for some reason, perhaps it was exhaustion, but I just didn't seem to care anymore. She might as well be a Perfected…

With my paws drooped, I made my way to the side walls, stamping on a bed of moss and laid down. Sleep was quick to ensue.

Cutback

Andratas

"Huh…"

"Yeah…" Melody scraped at her paws.

I stared at her, "So you, someone devoted to helping tend the wounded, was about to wound someone."

She looked down at her paws embarrassed.

Emilia smiled, "It was quite interesting, watching someone threaten a Perfected. Only another has ever done that."

Turning to me, "You."

I cocked my head, unnerved by the situation. Looking around the cave, I suddenly realised something.

"Where's Shelly?"

"Who?" Emilia asked while Melody gasped placing a paw to her mouth.

"Oh no! I completely forgot! I was so focused on you!" She exclaimed pacing around the room.

At that moment, all colour drained from my face and I rushed out of the cave, shoving away Emilia and Melody.

"Andratas wait!" Emilia called out, but there was no waiting. No time to waste. I had to find Shelly!

It was sundown when I reached the slums again. I ran through the market and saw a horrific image. Houses were razed to the ground, flames had incinerated all the stalls, and a pile of burnt and scarred bodies laid at the centre of the once vibrant market square. Despite all this, I did not stop, I continued sprinting back to the alley I left Shelly in.

Except it wasn't an alley anymore. The walls had been torn down and burnt, all that was left was a pile of ash, charred and crisped. No!

"Looking for something."

I turned around to a limping tom, black in colour with scars running down and through his body.

"Yes! My sister, light grey with silky fur! Have you seen her?!" I screamed, basically in his ears.

He pushed me back from him with a paw, "Sure."

"Where was she?!" I desperately yowled, digging my claws into the pile of ash at my feet.

He looked away from me as my heart dropped, "She was taken, by the guards, probably thrown into jail at this point."

What? No, no, no, no, no!

"No!" I screamed in anguish.

The sounds of panting were soon beside me.

"Gosh you run fast!" Melody coughed, heaving for air while Emilia stood there, just staring at me as a curled up ball.

"Shelly has been taken!" I cracked out in between my weeps.

"What?!" Her coughing and hacking all but forgotten, her eyes widening.

Emilia put a paw to her face, "Oh yeah there was that thing that I forgot to mention…"

She broke off as I basically choked her, "What?!"

She brushed me off, continuing, "Well the Sirens have declared the execution of order 13."

What?

She looked at all the confused faces around her, sighing she explained, "Well, they are going to execute all the prison…"

My eyes widen and all hope drained from my body.

Shelly… Dead… No… No… No!

I got up off my feet and turned to face the direction of the city centre, away from Emilia, away from Melody, away from the stranger black cat.

A steely resolve ran through my body, and I knew what I had to do. I could not see her dead. I vowed so. So I shall do so.

"I am going to break her out, don't try to stop me." I gave a glance of sheer determination over my shadow at them.

Emilia and Melody exchanged glances, a silent agreement came between them.

"We won't, we'll come," Emilia stated, seriousness dripped from her voice.

My eyes widened as I stared at the openly rebelling Perfected, "You don't have to…"

She cut me off with a gentle slap of my paws, "It's my mission. To protect all that I can."

"It's mine as well. I swore to it."

I had never seen Melody so serious, so determined.

"Me too, I will help."

The trio of us turned to face the stranger, the black cat stared back at us with an unreadable emotion across his eyes and face.

"My family was killed at the market attack, I won't see another's die." He explained, his claws unsheathed, digging into the dust.

"My name is Schion." He introduced himself, "And I won't let just sit back and watch the Sirens take another family away."

My eyes brimmed, emotions flooded back into me. Joy, a sense of loyalty, but most importantly…

Hope…

"Then let's go sick them."

A/N: Yep, they can make fire, again, just like human's but with a cat body. Plus yay! Finally get some good action. In the form of a prison break? Well, you'll see I guess. Reminder! You can still submit OCs! So do it! But no seriously I struggle with names and characters. Anyways! That's about it, see you in the next chapter when the mighty gang of a determined brother, an introverted medicine cat, an android cat and a mysterious stranger with a mysterious background prepared to break into a highly fortified prison, for one cat… Well you have to start somewhere.