Chapter 12

"Ngh..." Fleet muttered, a harsh light assailing his closed eyes. "How's...how's Socks?"

"Healing," a familiar voice purred. "Though Flora was much more concerned for you."

Fleet opened his eyes to see Socks's, bright and humorous, right in front of his face. She laughed at his shocked reaction, cuffing him over the ear. "You're pretty squeamish, I've heard," she said with a smile.

"What's got you so happy?" he grumbled, turning to his other side.

"Don't tell Flora, but I snuck a little of her catnip while she was out. Always cheers me up!" Socks replied, limping happily around to Fleet's front again.

"Did I really pass out?" he asked, embarrassed.

"As sure as the stars in the sky. She told me she'd never seen a cat so afraid of blood in her life. What's that all about?"

"I just...I don't like dead things. Or blood. Especially from cats."

She laughed. "You're such a house pet, Fleet. Now get out of here, let me rest."

Fleet stood and stretched, his muscles sore from having slept for...he didn't know how

long, though it had to have been a while.

Flora was heading to her den just as he was leaving it. "Good to see you're awake. Passing out like you did-" she stifled a laugh, "It's bad for your head and your body. Go easy on the training today, okay?"

"Okay," he replied sheepishly, pelt burning with shame. Tiger was sitting by the doors, grooming himself.

"Oh, it's you. How kind of you to finally wake up. You need some battle training." With a wave of his tail, the doors were opened, and the two padded out.

With a start, Fleet realized that the two were alone. "Should I bring a partner?" he asked, uneasy.

"No, no," he answered dismissively, smiling. "I just want to talk to you for a bit. Is that okay?"

Fleet stopped walking. "No, it's not. If you want to kill me for helping my real leader, then just go ahead and do it. Talking to me isn't going to get you anything."

"Temper, temper. Don't you see? The Diamonds hate me. If anyone dies anytime soon, you know that I'll be blamed. They're too scared to do anything to me as long as nobody gets hurt. Killing you would be killing me. Understand?"

"You're a monster, Tiger," Fleet hissed, pelt bristling.

The orange tom-cat rounded on him. "Am I?" he asked, his claws scraping the city-stone ground. "Am I really? What about your precious Socks? How do you think she came to be leader? Her predecessor was a tyrant. Do you think a cat like that just steps down?"

"I-"

There is no real good in this city, pet. Only varying shades of bad. Some are darker than others. Think about it: Socks killed two cats in order to become leader. What about me?"

Fleet opened his mouth to reply, but shut it. Could Tiger be telling the truth? So little was spoken of the leader before Socks.

I can't let him get to me, he told himself. He'll...he'll mess me up.

"Come, pet. I can make you powerful," Tiger purred, a grin spreading across his face. "I can teach you. I can make you better than you are."

"No," Fleet hissed. "I'm not like you."
Tiger's grin quickly disappeared, turning into a snarl. "You'll see," he growled. "When the time comes, you'll see. Go off and hunt. I don't want to see you until nightfall." And with that, he stalked away.

"Took you long enough," Socks hissed. "I'm half starved over here."

"Guess your catnip wore off," Fleet muttered, dropping a rat at her paws. "Why couldn't you go and get it yourself?"

"Confined to my nest. I guess because I'm not leader I can't boss cats around anymore. Pity." She tore into the rat like it was her last meal-a thought that made Fleet shudder.

"Diamond cats!" a voice cried from outside. "Gather before the scrap heap for a meeting!"

"Stars, Tiger," Fleet heard Socks grumble. "Give the poor cats a rest."

Fleet padded out with his meal, sitting just a little ways outside the healer's den.

"I have an announcement to make," Tiger declared. "As I am now leader, I do not have the time for mentoring a tender-paw." He looked down pointedly at Fleet. "As such, I have decided that Fleet be sent back to the prisoners' den until further notice."

"No!" Socks walked as normally as she could. "He has served his half-moon of service and has had his promotion. Fleet is a tender-paw. If no one else will, I can mentor him."

Cliff raised his tail. "I will."

Tiger smiled. "Thank you, but let's have Socks do it. She seems so adamant about it, after all. You all are dismissed."

Socks turned to her new tender-paw. "You going to thank me?"

Fleet blinked. "Right. Sorry. Thanks."

"Now eat and go to sleep, we'll start in the morning."