And because I just looooove to screw with your heads, we'll cut away from the dramatic battle scene, if only for a short while. Hah. You know I love you. Oh, and this chapter gets a little sad, so...be warned.
Trickster reached his forepaws up as he stretched out on his back. He grunted softly, feeling the power surge through his sturdy muscles once more. A peaceful sigh escaped him, and he flopped over onto his side. Nermal batted his scarred nose affectionately. "Uncle Tricky," he mewed, "what's it like Out There?" He flicked his fluffy gray tail towards the glass door. Trickster shrugged.
"Well, it's rough," he replied. "I mean, there's these huge monsters out there with gray fur and striped muzzles called badgers. That's what happened to my face. Luckily, my friends were out there to drive it off." Nermal's eyes grew wide, even though he had heard the story before. "And there's hounds, like dogs, only bigger. Much bigger. They could swallow you in one bite!" Nermal shrank back fearfully. "But don't worry."
Nermal was Janie's new kittypet. He was a chubby gray furball with bright yellow eyes. Trickster had taken a liking to him, and made sure to tell him the best stories in the world about his life as a wildcat...with a few minor truth-stretchings. Nermal gazed wide-eyed out the door as if expecting to see badgers and hounds waiting to gobble him up. Trickster purred wearily. "Seriously, you don't have to worry. There aren't any out here. They don't like Two—er, housefolk too much. You're safe."
Nermal gave a happy mrrow of laughter and tackled Trickster's upturned belly. The golden cat gave a grunt of 'Oof!' "Tell me more about Promisepaw, Uncle Tricky!" he pleaded. "I wanna meet her! Is it true she's going to visit us someday?"
"What's to tell, Nermal?" Trickster asked. "You can recite my description by heart! And yes, but I don't know when exactly. We're going to have kits, and I think she's going to bring them to show me when they're old enough."
"Can I go out an' have lots-a 'ventures like you? Like, right now?"
Trickster sat upright, whiskers stiffening in some buried fear. "Er...not just yet. It's, er, cold out, and you'll freeze your paws off. And then the badgers and hounds will come and eat you all up!" He gave the young tom a friendly nuzzle. Nermal squealed happily.
"Oh, Uncle Tricky! You're so much fun!" Nermal squealed. Trickster purred, but his happy rumble soon trailed off.
"Er...I'm getting pretty tired, Nermal," he lied. "Think I'll take a nap." Nermal nodded. "Er, alone." Nermal nodded again. "With no one with me." Nod. Trickster sighed. "That means you have to leave the room, Nermal." Nermal looked a little hurt, but padded off regardless. Trickster heaved a silent sigh, then bounded up the stairs. The golden tomcat perched on the windowsill, gazing out at the forest.
This window was special: Trickster could see out far into the forest, and even see what he knew was the PromiseClan camp. He watched the leafless trees solemnly for any change in motion. He could see flickers of fur shifting through the dense branches. The welcome party, no doubt, he thought. You know, boring as it is, I think this is right for me. Besides, some cat has to teach Nermal the ropes, and I don't trust Cocoa, Sweetheart, or Soda to do it. But Promisepaw...No. She'll come and visit. She knows where my garden is. I just can't help wondering if—
His thoughts were stopped by a slightly muffled cry. Trickster jumped, falling from his perch. No...that sound! A hound howl! He leapt back onto the sill to watch the branches quiver angrily as unknown creatures brushed roughly against them. The ginger tomcat bolted for the door, yowling and scratching the glass with his claws. Janie, with one paw clamped to the side of her head, yanked the door open. Trickster darted out, skidded to a halt, and howled, "Nermal! Don't you dare follow me!" He heard an angry spit, followed by the door sliding shut.
Trickster ran and cleared the fence in a streak of golden fire. He raced over to a small hill. As he ran up the slope, voices whispered and scents of cold ice, lonely space, and true cat whirled through his nostrils. Divided loyalties will become one, and Hope will fail. Hearing it from the mouths of StarClan, Trickster understood it all.
His loyalty to PromiseClan was mingled with his loyalty to Janie and his Twoleg nest. He had chosen kittypet over Clan warrior, uniting the loyalty. Promisepaw, Hope, failed. She had become hopeless without him. He had abandoned her. But no longer. At the crest of the hill, Trickster halted, coming to a complete stop.
This was it. This was the same hill he had climbed with Kenya in that dream so many moons ago. He recalled her words: When you are faced with difficult choices, follow your heart. It will never lead you wrong. Trickster closed his eyes and focused. His heart...what was it saying?
His heart was as divided as his loyalties. One side held the warmth of Janie's nest, the rattling of daily food, and Nermal's kitten voice squeaking "Uncle Tricky! Come back!" The other was filled with rushes of pride and fear mingled freely, the feeling of claws tearing prey-flesh, and the bonds tempered by shared dangers. Kittypet and warrior clashed in a battle for dominance. Out of the fray, came a clear image, shimmering like the surface of the Thunderpath in greenleaf.
Promisepaw.
Her amber gaze was filled with love and admiration for the cat she had led to her walk of life: Trickpaw. Trickster shivered. Kenya's voice came again. When you are faced with difficult choices, follow your heart. It will never lead you wrong.
Now Trickster knew where to go. He knew what to do. He felt strength surge into his body and could sense the presence of StarClan around him. He opened his ice-blue eyes. Oh, yes. Yes. Trickpaw gave a battle yowl and sped down the hill, paws pounding in the direction of the PromiseClan camp.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Such a journey would have worn out any cat. But Trickpaw felt StarClan running beside him and knew he could keep pace. The golden tom felt his journey-worn muscles push and pull rhythmically as he streaked along the ground. He reached the scent markers and kept running, but his heart did a gleeful leap. He was home. Nothing could stop him now.
Trickpaw pounded the frozen earth hard in his sprint. He ran with the speed of a LeopardClan warrior. His heart surged with the ferocity of a LionClan warrior. His mind was sharp as a TigerClan warrior's. He darted into the camp and sunk his fangs into the haunches of the first hound he could pounce on.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Bone Claw let out a wild whoop at the sudden fire that lanced through her hindquarters. Trickpaw threw his head back and yowled, "PromiseClan! Rally to me!" He dropped down and ran around to confront the hound he had bitten head-on.
As he ran, Trickpaw realized just how sad the camp looked. Blood was splattered everywhere. Clumps of fur and bits of broken claws lay strewn around. Warriors had fallen nearly everywhere. Trickpaw didn't know if they were dead or knocked out. He unsheathed his claws and swiped them across Bone Claw's muzzle. The hound yelped in pain.
"Ah, Trickpaw!" Riverstar's cheery voice meowed. Trickpaw saw the wounded queen beside him. "So glad you decided to join us. Are you here to stay?"
"Unless StarClan comes for me while I'm here, I'd like my warrior name when the hounds are gone," Trickpaw replied. "I'm sure Shadowpaw, Sunpaw, Promisepaw, and Wavepaw would like theirs as well."
Riverstar purred and leapt as the hound's face. "Oh, believe me," she growled. "Once these monsters are gone, the whole Clan will deserve a warrior name ceremony!" She sunk her thorn-sharp claws into Bone Claw's face. "Go help out any cat that needs it. I can handle this one."
Trickpaw looked wildly around. He spotted Shadowpaw, Sunpaw, and Wavepaw driving back a rusty-furred hound. He didn't want to impose himself on them, so he bounded off to look elsewhere, leaping over the body of Whitebelly. One look at the warrior's neck-angle told him the tom would never rise again.
A shrill yowl ripped the air, followed by a shriek of "MUDPAW! NO!" Trickpaw turned to see a huge, white hound gripping the body of a small brown cat in its jaws. He watched in horror as the hound jerked the young cat's head at a sharp angle. A crack rang out, and the hound dropped the young cat. Trickpaw realized that the brown cat had been pulled from the elders den, and ran to the scene. If such a small cat had been sheltered in there, there had to be more.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Blood Fang licked his lips contentedly, allowing sweet Smallfur blood to enter his mouth. A sound attracted his attention, accompanied by a searing pain in his shoulders. The wolf whipped around to see a lean Smallfur using his shoulders for chew-toys. He snarled angrily, the sound filling his deep chest. He wasn't about to let this puny thing ruin his good day! He bucked his back angrily like a caribou when a wolf lands on its back.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Trickpaw sunk his claws into the hound's shaggy shoulders and hung on. He was tossed like a leaf in a storm, but somehow managed to hold his grip firm. The hound slowed, panting. "Aw, worn out already?" Trickpaw mewed. "'Cause I'm just getting started!" He raked his other paw down the hound's forehead. Trickpaw was a fearsome beast, clawing and biting like ten cats. He swiped and slashed at Blood Fang.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Blood Fang gave a whimper. Bone Claw lay dead not far from where he fought. He had had some amount of affection for the pale wolf. A skinny black Smallfur stood proudly at Bone Claw's head, making a happy noise. Blood Fang snapped, flinging himself at the Smallfur.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
"Nighthawk! Look out!" Trickpaw howled at the top of his voice. Nighthawk turned. Slow...too slow. The white hound tossed the black warrior away with a hearty shove of his muzzle. Nighthawk slammed into the Tallrock. Trickpaw bit his lip. Nighthawk had always been very arrogant, and had never made a good impression on Trickpaw. But somehow, seeing him slumped on the ground negated all of that. Trickpaw felt a powerful feeling of revenge rise within him.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
"Nine-one-one. What is your emergency."
"Yes, I'd like to report something."
"'Something'?"
"Yes. Those wolves that went missing from the zoo...I think I found where they are. Wilde Woods."
"We'll send a dispatch immediately. Is anyone hurt?"
"Not that I know of."
"Your name, ma'am?"
"Janie Sang."
"We'll send a dispatch immediately. In the mean time, start calling friends and warning them to remain indoors."
"I will."
"Don't worry, ma'am. Everything's going to be all right. Try to calm down."
"I guess I'm just worried because my tomcat Trickster is out there."
"Don't leave any doors open for him to come back in. Don't leave your house. Just remain calm. Police and animal control are on their way."
"Thank you."
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Trickpaw felt sick to his stomach. The hound beneath him was yelping and howling. He slid from its back, falling with a heavy thud to the ground. "S-...someone get that...hound," he wheezed painfully. "It's..going for...the el...elders den..." He slumped down, paws to weak to support him anymore.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Blood Fang poked his muzzle back into the small cave. He could smell a pregnant Smallfur. And her pups bore the scent of the Smallfur who had been harassing him. He smiled and swept her out.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
"Promisepaw!" a voice yowled. Trickpaw leapt up. He could see the wild-eyed hound with a white bundle in its jaws. He gave a roar unlike that of any cat and flung himself at it.
"PromiseClan! ATTACK!" he shouted. Warriors stopped licking their wounds and rushed the last hound as one tidal force. The beast dropped Promisepaw and fled, tail between its legs.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
Blood Fang could smell Low Step's fear-scent as he ran. The coward had taken off and left. Ignoring the fact that he had done the same, the white wolf ran on. His wounds stung as cold air whipped over them, and he winced. Oh well. At least he wasn't completely defeated. Like his father had promised to do, Blood Fang had killed Ocarina. The white wolf raced along the unfamiliar woods until a sharp pinpoint of agony struck his flank. He kept on, eyelids becoming heavier and heavier. Finally he stumbled and fell. A deep sleep came over his body.
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
"We've got Commodore," a man mumbled into his walkie-talkie.
"Great," a voice crackled back. "We found Silver and Inuit dead not far from the zoo, and someone else found Rusty and Shadow; Frosty and Kiba were around Silver's body. All we need is Angel."
"I think we know where she is. I still don't understand how eight wolves could escape like that." He shook his head.
"You don't have to worry about that," the voice replied. "Any sign of Eskimo?"
"Not a one."
"I'm not sure if we'll ever find her. That crazy naturalist might have taken her like he promised he'd do one day."
"Great."
"Well, we'll keep trying. Bring Commodore back with you. We have a holding pen ready for them until they finish fortifying the cage."
"Can do, Sarge."
.-''-.-''-.-''-.
"Promisepaw..." Trickpaw whispered softly. His tail dragged in the dust behind him, limp. "Promisepaw, wake up...The hounds are gone...We won...Wake up!" Seedgrowth nudged him aside. "Is...is she...?"
"No." There was relief in the medicine cat's voice. "She's alive."
Trickpaw gave the white queen's bleeding neck a gentle lick. An amber eye flicked open. "Trick...Trickpaw..."
"Yes."
"You came back..."
"Of course. I'm a PromiseClan apprentice. Loyalty to the Clan comes before anything else."
Promisepaw gave a weary purr. "I knew you'd understand the warrior code," she mewed.
Awwww! You knew he was gonna go back and get the girl—er, she-cat. By the way, this chapter is long because I was listening to "Jesus of Suburbia" and "Homecoming" (long live Green Day!), and when I listen to songs while I'm writing, I tend to write for the duration of the songs.
Wilde Woods comes from the neighborhood where my dear buddy lives. What the actual name is, I won't say. ;) Think this is the end? Think again! Promisepaw is still pregnant, Shadowpaw and Sunpaw haven't done anything about their love, and—hell-o!—they all still have apprentice names! Think it's over? Think again!