"Look over here!" the familiar chirp echoed through the night breeze, breaking the silence that had cast over the small group. The gray shape of the OceanClan apprentice had found a stable perch on a protruding ledge from the wall of stones. Behind her lay a thick grassy hedge, obscuring the view of anything beyond. Eagerness shone brightly in those sapphire orbs, her tail flicking back and forth with somewhat suppressed impatience as she waited for the approach of her companions.
Energized from their recent sleep and relaxed stance among the cool dusky wind, the three remaining survivors hurried their pace in fear the little she-cat would burst. Long legged Fallenpaw bounded ahead, outpacing the petite Flarepaw who shot him a dirty scowl, struggling to match his pace as they raced for the outcropping Mistpaw had perched upon. Anemonepaw straggled along in the rear, smiling lightly in amusement as he watched the antics of BlizzardClan and MagmaClan apprentices.
"Beat you," Fallenpaw announced cockily, smirking as he skidded to a halt next to Mistpaw, Flarepaw jerking to a halt moments later, panting and breathing heavily from the run.
"By a tail length, long legs," she hissed, lips curled good naturedly. Anemonepaw came bounding up within another few seconds, turning his green gaze on Mistpaw who had called them over in the first place.
"What's up?" he meowed in curiosity, jabbing his muzzle ahead and sniffing curiously at the hedge. It scented peculiar, not like the warming comfort of ocean where his kin had sheltered for many moons. It had a faint earthy scent, like the forest beyond OceanClan's territory but it was dwindling. It was a battle between earth, ocean, and the sharp tang of twoleg- a scent not usually found around the Clans.
"Lookie here," Mistpaw purred, eyes twinkling with mystery as she slipped through the barrier of carved leaves. The remaining trio glanced quizzically at the spot where Mistpaw disappeared. Shrugging with a snort of arrogance, Flarepaw slid through without a second glance. Fallenpaw trotted at her heels, ears flicking nervously and Anemonepaw took the rear, head tilting around to shoot a cautious glance behind them. When nothing but the waves beating down on the shore remained, the lithe brown tom crept through, bumping into Fallenpaw as he emerged. Shifting position, Anemonepaw took his place next to Mistpaw and gazed out at the scene.
Their eyes widened in shock and awe, breathless as their gaze took in what lay before them. Rows and rows of twoleg dens as far as the eye could see, lit up by tall thin poles donned with miniature glowing suns. The rancid scent of twoleg and littered rubbish flooded their nostrils, forcing some to recoil.
Flarepaw's nose wrinkled. "Who would've thought this lay behind the hedge? I say we back off and go farther down the shoreline." Her tail lashed with uncertainty, preparing to turn around but Mistpaw argued against it.
"But Flarepaw!" she whined desperately. "Floodpaw could be in there!"
"And he also could be dead! You ever think of that?" snarled Flarepaw, rounding on the gray she-cat. Mistpaw visibly flinched, tears brimming in her sapphire orbs. Her body shook, trying to fight back the wail caught in her throat.
"Flarepaw!" Fallenpaw hissed, hackles raised with his green glare set on the reddish MagmaClan apprentice. "That's enough!" Flarepaw's lips remained curled, her teeth bared at Mistpaw, but acknowledging the presence of the BlizzardClan cat with a sideways glance.
"Is not," her ear twitched, an added tail lash to execute her point in anger. "If you ask me, it wasn't enough." Her blazing amber stare floated back to Mistpaw in a single heartbeat. "If your brother is anything like you, I'm sure he's been washed away with the tide. I bet the water got caught up in his lungs, he couldn't breathe. His limp body fell beneath the surface to drown, washing up days later along the shore, left for the gulls to pick at. His measly carcass would then disappear into the sand, never to be found again."
The tears fell freely, lapping at her cheeks as Mistpaw stood, aghast at Flarepaw's announcement.
"Flarepaw!" Fallenpaw snarled again, fire burning within the bright green orbs. "You've crossed the line!"
Mistpaw let out a caterwaul, turning tail and sprinting ahead through the grass, her sobs echoing as she darted for the darkness of the twolegplace. Anemonepaw's eyes widened in horror, chasing after his clanmate with concern for her safety. "Mistpaw come back!" Moments later, he disappeared into the shadows.
"You mouse-brained lump of fox-dung!" roared Fallenpaw, delivering a heavy blow to Flarepaw's crown, knocking her to the ground. Dizzy, the she-cat remained on the ground, hissing with resistance as she felt weight press against her, keeping her secure. Fallenpaw towered over her with malice in his usually rational gaze. If looks could kill, Flarepaw would be the one on the shoreline with the gulls picking at her pelt. "You stupid, stupid she-cat!" he snarled, rage coursing through each syllable until saliva started to spew from his open maw, revealing sharp ivories.
"I'm being a realist," Flarepaw growled out, glaring at the paw resting at her throat as she somehow managed to keep her temper under control. "I'm merely suggesting that Floodpaw isn't even alive to look for. What's the point in wasting efforts looking for a cat who's dead?"
"Who's to say he's dead?" Fallenpaw hissed, grinding fangs together as he resisted the urge to bite some sense into her. "You were the one to suggest it. And you've hurt poor Mistpaw's feelings."
"Boo hoo," the she-cat sneered, lips curled again. "She's an OceanClan cat. What's it to you? She your mate or something?" A smirk danced on her features, twisting into a pained scowl as she felt claws tear at her pelt, threatening to break skin.
"Our Clans don't matter at the moment," Fallenpaw meowed in a slate voice, though shaky as his claws dug against the pelt of his captive. "What matters is that we shouldn't hurt our friends- emotionally or physically."
"Hypocrite," Flarepaw snorted. "Mind taking your claws out of my fur? You're kinda hurting me physically."
The rage in the orange and white tom's gaze faded, replaced with another one of his slate expressions though it was clear he was concerned. "Sorry," he murmured softly, stepping off and sheathing his claws. Flarepaw rose to her black paws in a swift motion, surveying her pelt for any signs that he had drawn blood. When she was satisfied of its cleanliness, her softer amber gaze floated to the slumped shape of the orange and white tom.
Fallenpaw's head drooped, shoulders slumped with defeat. He let out a heavy sigh, adding to his obvious stressed state of mind. It was then Flarepaw realized that he was running ragged. His pelt, once bold with bright orange and white, was now dull in the dark light, patches scruffy and matted due to lack of grooming. Even his feathery tail was streaked with clumps of sand, the fur frayed and matted like the rest of him. She frowned with disgust; normally Fallenpaw would take better care of his appearance. Stifling a sigh, she crept over quietly and seated herself at his side. Leaning closer, she rasped her tongue over his neck fur, causing a fear stricken shudder from Fallenpaw who looked at her with a rush of terror.
"What?" Flarepaw pulled back slightly to read his expression. "Your pelt is an absolute disaster. Someone's got to clean it." She moved back and resumed where she left off. Fallenpaw tensed at the next lick, growing slowly more accustomed to the relaxing feeling.
Relaxing? he thought suddenly, sneaking a peep at the smaller red feline as she moved to smooth the patches around his back and flank. He gave an inward shrug, acknowledging the voice inside his head but otherwise ignoring it and relishing in the comfort he was given. He wasn't even aware of his purring until Flarepaw eventually pulled away. He retaliated by giving her a quizzical look.
"I'm sure you can finish the rest by yourself," her whiskers were twitching, a trademark Flarepaw smirk on her lips. Fallenpaw shifted uncomfortably before turning around and finishing off the grooming process. Once finished, he rose to his paws, standing at full height and still towering above the smaller she-cat. "Care to join me to find Mistpaw and Anemonepaw? Those two are bound to find some trouble sooner or later." He flashed her a grin. Flarepaw returned it. A genuine one. Not a smirk or a grimace, not even a forced grin. A real genuine smile.
"Why not?" she purred, striding ahead with swift bounds, picking up speed and forcing Fallenpaw to work if he was going to catch up. Both fell into silence once the orange and white tom was walking beside Flarepaw, nothing but the cricket chirping and their pawsteps against the grass could be heard.
A dog's bark could be heard further up, causing their pelts to subconsciously bristle. The dog itself was further away in the twolegplace but its cry was loud enough to set them on edge. The grass beneath their paws morphed into stone, the stench of something rancid coming closer with each step. Ahead of them by only fox lengths, lay a stretch of black stone, its scent nose wrecking and somewhat horrible to even look at.
"What is that?" Flarepaw nearly gagged, halting beside the black path with a disdainful look at it.
"A thunderpath," Fallenpaw answered, trying not to gag like his companion as he stared down at its cracked surface. "Snowhawk told us stories about them when we were but kits in the nursery. He'd always say monsters ran along their surface. Bloodthirsty beings hungry for cat blood- any blood depending on what crossed into its territory uninvited."
"Well it looks like no monsters are on it now," Flarepaw surmised with a hopeful expression, placing a paw on the black stone and hissing at the touch. She refused to look weak and left her paw there while she glanced to either side of the path. "Come on, if we hurry, we won't be chased out of the monsters' territory." Without waiting for a response from Fallenpaw, she sprinted across the thunderpath, paws stinging at the contact with her paw pads. She heard startled breathing and quick paw steps as she was joined reluctantly by the orange and white BlizzardClan apprentice.
She leaped off the path and crashed onto the grass on the other side, sprawled out on her side with a laugh. "Monsters! Ha! Only stories! Your so called Snowhawk must have been lying about them." Fallenpaw joined her on the opposite side, paw prickling as he paced. "Even so, they still sound terrifying. We should keep moving, I don't doubt that Mistpaw and Anemonepaw are scared stiff."
"Worry wart," sniffed the she-cat disdainfully with her nose stuck in her air. She gave a swish of her tail and started off further into the twolegplace despite her own objections about this area earlier. Fallenpaw had no choice but to follow, knowing nothing would stop her from getting what she wanted. Flarepaw was stubborn and reckless like that. It made it hard to believe she had such a troubling kit-hood.
Not the time to bring that up, he scolded himself, shaking his head. She won't want the past brought up. Especially now. She'll have to accept it eventually but as for now I won't-
"Halt!" a menacing voice called out through the looming shadows of the twolegplace, the sound slicing through the former silence. Both 'paws froze, pelts bristling with fear as their ear fur twitched. Their heads turned toward the source, expecting some giant to come lumbering out with the intention to kill.
Out from the shadows stepped out an overly familiar shape. His fluffy cream colored fur was easily recognized, the dark green glint in his eyes matching only one cat both apprentices had met in their lifetime.
"...Wildpaw?" the name left Fallenpaw's startled vocal chords, surprised the apprentice had been one to survive. Another set of dark green eyes appeared beside "Wildpaw", the eyes belonging to a black she-cat.
"Not Wildpaw," she purred silkily. "Alpha."
Snarky's full of cliffhangers! No surprise Wildpaw's one of the survivors, I mentioned him in the prologue. Along with Flare, Fallen, Anemone, Mist and Flood. Anyways, this chapter is longer. There you go. Now in return all I ask is reviews. Did I mention its a ghost town in here? No? Then I'll say it now: This place is review ghost town! Now that that's out of the way...All aboard the SnarkyShinx Express! Next stop- plotline!
-Snarky
