A/N: Sorry about the really long wait for this chapter, I was busy with stuffs but I'm back now! :33 I am currently on break so I will try to update more.
"Are you serious?!" Neonpaw exclaimed loudly, causing a few cats in the den to stop and stare at her (which she, as the anomaly in the Clan, was used to anyways). She muttered a "sorry" and turned back to Cloverleaf. "You've got to be kidding me."
"It's true." Pineshade, the teal blooded she-cat who had been the most injured, called. She was healing fast, due to her being strong thanks to her blood. "I tried to fight them off with my claws and teeth just now, whereas you would die in two seconds! You're trying not to believe it's fake because you're scared." she sneered.
Neonpaw glared and was about to make a comeback when Goldenpaw spoke up. "Hey! Don't talk to my sister like that. How does it feel taking orders all day?" Neonpaw mouthed "thanks" even though she knew this meant trouble for Goldenpaw. Standing up for a mutant and talking back to someone higher on the spectrum was not permitted.
"You don't have a right to talk to me like that, apprentice. I feel bad for your parents, with a weak yellow blood that doesn't respect higher-ups and mutant scum. Especially your father..." Neonpaw flinched; she sensed Goldenpaw did too. Their father, Beetledash, was actually an indigo blood. He acted all nice around his family but was also very distant and Neonpaw didn't see him much; she knew he was disappointed on how his kits turned out (especially her). Their mother, Rowanheart, was a bronzeblood. Highbloods usually didn't fall in love with lowbloods and Beetledash was made fun of for being her mate, but he told his two kits he liked her because she was nice (Neonpaw definetly agreed) and pretty. Not because of her blood, which was why a lot of cats became mates.
"ENOUGH!" Cloverleaf snapped, and everyone in the den turned to her. Neonpaw had never seen her yell or be so mad before; she was always calm and collected. "Pineshade, please refrain from talking like that in my den. I may be one caste lower than you but I am the medicine cat. Now, Neonpaw, can you tell Waterstar about this so she can announce it to the Clan?"
Neonpaw sighed and nodded. Why do I have to tell Waterstar? She'll think I'm making this up! Wordlessly she stood and slipped out of the den, happy to get away from Pineshade but mad that she brought up her father and now Neonpaw had to find someone worse than her. She slowly went to the leaders den, cats eyeing her as she did. "Waterstar!" The apprentice called, stopping outside the den and peeking in. "I have news. It's important, I promise."
"Well, what is it then?" Waterstar snapped. "I don't have much time for mutant shenanigans."
"The patrol came back after meeting a huge pack of animals like foxes, dogs, badgers and wolves by the border. I don't know if you've seen them but they all had injuries coming back. And, Cloverleaf sent me." Neonpaw added, just so the leader would know she didn't make it up.
Waterstar eyed her carefully for a few moments, then spoke. "I see. I'll announce this... right now." She sprang up from her nest (which Neonpaw had made the same day) and swiftly padded out, pushing past Neonpaw like she was an insect. Neonpaw watched as she climbed the High Tree which was in the middle of camp, and jumped onto the highest branch.
"Everyone gather for a Clan meeting! This is breaking news!" she yowled as cats began to gather around the tree, most of them were confused. Neonpaw listened but was thinking about what Pineshade said about her family. It was true, and higher-ups made fun of her father because of her.
"We're going to need extra reinforcements around the border to attend to this new threat, and I'll be sending some of the strongest cats..." Waterstar droned on. This thing wouldn't really affect Neonpaw much unless the animals got close to camp because she wasn't allowed to fight.
Neonpaw just wanted a way to prove to everyone that she was more than just a slave and felt like this might be her chance.