Chapter 8: Establishing Connections.

Before Darkstripe could get away, I decided to try and strike up a conversation with him. I knew Firepaw and Graypaw would look at this with suspicion, but with my experience, making friends with some cat who was once an enemy is a great way to earn reputation. Darkstripe would serve as my first steppingstone towards having influence in the clan. Maybe he could be of further use once I get a smudge on him. Great. Now I'm even calling it smudge. I've been hanging around Firepaw too much.

"Darkstripe! Hold up!" I mewed after the retreating warrior. He turned with a snarl.

"What do you want kittypet? Here to gloat?" He hissed.

I shook my head earnestly. "No. I just wanted to know how you did it. You flipped me. No cat has ever done that before, at least none of the rogues I fought."

Darkstripe actually paused at the statement. "You… You've actually fought rogues before? I guess my opinion of you has changed slightly. Don't let it go to your head kittypet!"

I replied quickly, "I won't! I just… You did something I thought impossible. I'm a heavy cat who is built low. How'd you even figure out how to do something like that?"

I was playing in to his ego. It didn't hurt that I saw his skills as somewhat impressive, but if I could build himup, he'd see me and, by association, Firepaw in a better light.

I actually saw pride and a bit of swagger displayed by the tom as he replied, "not to brag, but I was trained by this clan's most fearsome fighter, Tigerclaw. I don't have the power big cats like him possess, but training under him gave me the means to use my enemy's strength against them. It's unfortunate that my teachings didn't pay off on Longtail."

I decided to intervene before he could dredge up his spite again. "I mean, Longtail didn't lose, and you certainly had me beat. You two definitely taught us the dangers that await us."

Darkstripe, in a semi stunned state replied, "I guess we did, didn't we. You, kittypet, you're alright. At least you know your betters."

Darkstripe turned with his head held high, unknowing of the somewhat smug and malicious smile that now graced my face. Step one, make an enemy an ally, completed. Step two, establish leverage.

I was drawn out of my thoughts by a mainly black apprentice coming crashing into the camp covered in blood. He looked exhausted and in a state of desperate and confused panic. He scrambled up to Bluestar's rock where Bluestar waited with concern visible in her eyes.

"Ravenpaw, what happened?"

"Redtail is dead!" The apprentice screeched. The camp exploded into worried chattering, but before Ravenpaw could elaborate, his exhaustion and wounds caught up to him. He crumbled, pitching off the side of the leader's rock onto the soil below. At least it wasn't a long drop, but he'd likely be feeling it in the morning. A tortoiseshell shecat emerged from a den that I'd seen Longtail head towards. The shecat stank of pungent plants and strangely, mint. I could already feel the headache coming on. Firepaw was addicted to that smell, meanwhile for me, that smell could bring about migraines if in great intensities. I swear when mint was around, I could always taste it. I'd had to forbid some of my friends in the twoleg place from giving Rusty/Firepaw more because I couldn't think when he stank of that stuff.

By the time my mint related flashbacks ended, another cat came bursting in from the camp entrance. This one carried a body of only who I could assume was Redtail. This cat was huge. His Dark brown tabby pelt mixed with his amber eyes gave off the vibes of an alpha predator. His front claws clicked against the packed soil of the clearing. He deposited the body with the appearance of respect, but those eyes were something I was familiar with. This type of cat was one I'd been hiding Firepaw from for a long time. Where his body acted all the correct parts to appear sad and distressed, his eyes could not hide his lie. This cat felt nothing for the fallen cat, not even hatred.

"Tigerclaw! What happened?" asked Bluestar urgently.

"Redtail was slain by Oakheart. While he was gloating, I struck him down in revenge."

I watched Tigerclaw's eyes through the story. Those eyes did not waver or even show the slightest hint of emotion. It was like a soldier reading off a casualty report. Despite his body language, I could tell this cat felt nothing for the fallen. They were objects. This cat was a pure-blooded sociopath, likely unable to feel empathy, a fearsome threat or an ideal puppet depending on the tom's priorities. I'd have to read carefully around him. If he is what I think he is, I can control him by appeals of logic benefiting him.

I tailed the large tom to the medicine den. He immediately set himself to trying to rouse Ravenpaw in an aggressive manner.

"Stop it Tigerclaw! Your apprentice is injured. He needs time to rest and heal. I won't have you pushing to reopen all his wounds already." Mewed the tortoiseshell harshly at Tigerclaw.

A sneer crossed Tigerclaw's face when he replied, "Anything for you dear Spottedleaf."

For a cat who gave off such strong signals implying ambition, he wasn't doing much for image control. Firepaw and Graypaw padded in as Tigerclaw turned, now spotting us three. He decided to throw an inquiry at us.

"And who might you two be?"

I decided to take the attention before Firepaw could say something to accidentally antagonize the cat. "I am Smudgepaw and that is Firepaw. We're the guests Bluestar decided to give a try."

Tigerclaw pierced me with a searching look, likely trying to gage how much of a threat I was and how useful I could be. I matched his gaze, trying to make him believe I was a cat like him. It was a tense standoff before Tigerclaw responded.

"I'll watch your progress with interest."

With that, the brute left. Graypaw, being the excitable cat he was, decided to voice himself. "Wow! I've never seen a cat stare down Tigerclaw like that. I think he likes you." He chattered at me.

"Is he gone?" Asked the once still black and white tom known as Ravenpaw.

The way Ravenpaw pretended to be unconscious and the fear in his voice when mentioning Tigerclaw was stating to paint a picture. Whatever spooked Ravenpaw definitely involved the sociopathic warrior, and I already got the feeling it would be a powerful secret that could make or break the warrior. I wanted it. Blackmail was to me like hunting was to Firepaw. It was the thing I craved and gave me power. I don't go out of my way to ruin a cat's life, but if I found something that could, I was the type to keep it until necessary, sometimes even using the threat of it to keep the cat in line. I don't want to be a leader, but pulling strings to benefit me and mine is something I'd do without a second thought, and so far, Firepaw is the only cat under my protection. While Spottedlead shooed us out, I was already conniving a plan to acquire Ravenpaw's secret if only to keep Tigerclaw from becoming a future threat.

Firepaw saw my wicked smile. "Oh no. Smudgepaw is planning something."