Chapter 3 (Sand)

Sand's fur was ruffled as she made her way through the dense forest. She still couldn't believe that Kite had dismissed her like that.I know I'm right!She thought as she kicked away a stray branch that was in her way.These rogues are up to something!

She paused. I could go look for them. Find out more, then I'll bring that information back and Kite will have no further reason to disbelieve me!Still Sand was doubtful. She knew that her plan would be very dangerous, and she wasn't looking forwards to getting herself into a tricky situation.

Sand knew better then any cat how rogues could be. At least, that's what she believed.

I've seen my share of rogues in my life. They can't fool me.She looked up at the star-filled sky. She wondered when it would be morning.

She was startled as she heard a rustling noise in the bush a few fox-lengths away from her. Her nose twitched as she caught the scent of mouse.

She dropped into a hunter's crouch and lifted her tail slightly of the ground to make sure it wouldn't rustle any leaves. Whiskers pressed back and eyes focused on the direction of the noise, Sand made her way, slowly, over to the mouse. Paw step per paw step, until she was right in frond of the bush.

She could see the small creature now, hidden beneath the leaves, sniffling on something on the ground. But it didn't matter to Sand or she saw it or not, its scent was so strong that she was confident that she could catch it with her eyes closed.

Sand folded her hind paws under her belly and tensed her muscles, ready to leap.Easy catch! She leaped, her paws stretched in frond of her, her claws unsheathed.

The mouse looked up with a squeak and tried to run away, but Sand was faster then the little critter, and she pinned it neatly under her paw. She quickly gave it a killing bite, and licked its sweet blood of her lips.

She lowered her head to take a bite, but then she hesitated. Should I bring it back to Rock?She knew that Kite had hunted a mouse for Rock already, but she wasn't sure or the she-kit had excepted it. And even if she did, then Kite must be hungry, Sand knew she'd only been able to catch one mouse.

Old flea-pelt. Can't even hunt. She let out an irritated grow. She hated having to think about others, she'd thought about only herself for quite some time now, she didn't have place for others.

Why am I still with them? The kit has Kite now, she can look after her.She bit down on the mouse. They don't need me.

After her meal she scraped away the left over bones and fur in the gaps between an oak tree. Then she turned back towards the path she had taken to get there, and started on her way back to the fern covers where Rock and Kite had made their shelter.

Sand's paws pricked with frustration. Why am I on my way back? She stopped mid walk, one frond paw lifted of the ground. She abruptly turned and stalked of in a different direction. They have a life together now, I prefer to be alone. Kite will take care of the annoying kit, and all I had to do was wake the grumpy mange-pelt.

Sand's paws carried her on. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she didn't really care either.

Something inside Sand was urging her to go back, to take care or Rock. But she shut that part out. Friendships are good for nothing.And what am I supposed to do with a kit?

She paused as she found herself beside a small river. She opened her jaws to taste the air, but all she could smell was the foggy grass and the strong river scent. A soft breeze ruffled Sand's fur and she shuddered. I'm happy Rock is sheltered beneath a thick blanked of ferns. Immediately when she'd finished that thought she unsheathed her claws.Just stop think about the stupid kit!

She padded over to the riverbank, and she looked down into the water. She took a few deep breaths, letting the calm river calm her mind. It didn't work.

She shrugged. "Worth a try." She muttered, as she started making her way along the riverbank.

She hadn't been walking for long when she heard a yowl split the air. Sand stiffened and she turned her muzzle in the direction of the noise.

The yowl rang again, but this time it seemed a bit father away from Sand.

She puffed out a breath of relief, but she kept her muscles tense, wanting to know who had yowled like that. She hesitated for a moment, but she quickly dismissed all her worries. So what if it's the rogues? It was obviously yowling at something else, it wouldn't harm me to take a look.

Sand stayed low to the ground as she made her way over to the source of the noise. She knew she was being overly cautious, but better safe then sorry.

She kept going until she picked up the scent of a cat. A tom, she was sure. She followed the scent. Her heart leaped as she realized that the tom's scent started to mix with different cat scents. The rogues! Suddenly Sand recognized the rogue scent she had smelled when she had discovered the rogues for the first time.

She ducked into a bush and pushed her way through it. She stuck her muzzle out at the frond, but as soon as she'd done that she pulled it back. Cats!

She narrowed her eyes to look through the bush's leaves.

The river Sand had followed was curved into a half circle. There was a strip of grass running from the river to the trees, and in the middle of the grass, huddled close together, were Kite and Rock.

But that was not what had worried Sand. She turned her head slightly and her gaze landed on a dark brown tabby tom. She couldn't get a clear view of him, but she was sure she'd seen him before.I was right! Theses are the rogues I'd seen.She thought triumphantly. Look where you go yourself now, Kite. If you had just listened to me.

Sand's belly twisted.Stop thinking like that.She shook her head, there was no time for thinking.

By now the tom had stepped closer and the tom's friends, cats that Sand had only noticed just now, were closing in on the two she-cats.

Sand heard Kite's angry, but frightened, hiss. "How are we supposed to know we're on your territory? There are no scent markers here!"

The dark brown tabby tom swiped a unsheathed paw at the old she-cat's muzzle, Kite managed to dodge. The tom's snarl was barely audible and Sand had to move closer to hear it. She pricked her ears and held her breath.

"There is no need for scent markers when all cats know where my territory is." The tom sounded confident. He flicked his tail towards a white tom with small black patches over his back and face. "Hunter, tell this old dull-fur how you let the last trespassers know they had found their way into my territory."

Hunter stepped closer and stuck his muzzle right in frond of Kite's face. The tom's meow was taunting as he hissed in the poor she-cat's face. "I gave him a wound he wouldn't forget."

Kite's eyes lit up with amusement, she still looked frightened, but she obviously trying to make herself look tougher then she was. Sand admired that.

"Oh, no. Shiver me timbers. You're going to claw me." The old she-cat rolled her eyes. "I've had a lot of claw wounds in my life, young one."

Hunter's neck fur rose and he looked over his shoulder at the dark brown tabby tom.

The tabby blinked back at his white companion. "Go ahead."

Sand's blood ran could as she realized that the white tom was about to attack. She clenched her teeth and dug her claws in the ground. What am I supposed to do? She flicked her tail with frustration. There are more rogues here then I can handle on my own. And Kite won't be of much help, to old. And Rock... Sand gasped. Rock!She'd forgotten that the small she-kit was with Kite. They wouldn't hurt a kit, right? She didn't even want to figure out.

Sand's thoughts were still running as she saw Hunter leap onto Kite's back.

Kite hissed angrily as the tom dragged her to the ground. The old she-cat's paws were flailing, trying the swipe at whoever was near.

Sand swallowed back a grunt. Great fighting moves, flea-pelt.

But Sand was taken by surprise as she saw Kite twist and grab the tom's scurf between her teeth, she started tugging, but the tom kept his claws dug deep in the she-cat's shoulders.

The leader rogue was watching with interest. This is just some twisted game for him. Does he take pleasure out of hurting cats?Sand's gaze drifted towards Rock, who was still crouched on the grass, looking with wide eyes as Kite and Hunter fought.

Run!She urged the kit silently… They are not paying attention to you now.But Rock stayed where she was. Her eyes wide and her small body shaking. Mouse-brain!

Sand wanted to leap into the fight herself, but once again she stopped herself. She wouldn't be able to do any good in helping Kite and Rock if she got herself hurt.

The rogues that were watching all of the sudden started to cheer. Sand's attention snapped back to Kite and Hunter. Her eyes widened as she saw the white tom step away, his white and black pelt was now covered in splashes of blood. Sand wished that some of that blood was his own, but when she saw Kite laying on the grass she knew that most of it was from her, if not all.

The black and white she-cat lay stretched out on the grass, for a moment Sand thought that she was dead, but then she saw the rapid rising and falling of the old she-cat's flank.

Kite's eyes were half open as she glared at Hunter, but her gaze was glazed from the pain.

The dark brown tabby tom nodded at Hunter, then he focused on Kite and stepped towards the old she-cat. He lowered his muzzle so he was right about Kite's ear. Sand couldn't hear what he was saying, the tom had lowered his voice into a quiet hiss, but Sand knew he wasn't having some friendly chat with her.

Sand looked back at Rock, who still hadn't moved. The kit's fur was spiked in all directions, and her tail was fluffed to twice its size. Her whiskers were pressed flat against her muzzle, a sign that she was afraid to move.

Sand felt herself urge the kit to move again. Go on! Kite will be fine.Is what she would have said if she had been able to reach her, but she knew it was a lie. But she also knew that, weather the kit stayed or not, the old she-cat would have a low chance of survival.I'm pretty sure that these rogues aren't done with her, jet. Sand could see the menace in the rogues' eyes.

The leader rogue pulled his muzzle away from the injured she-cat, a satisfied expression in his yellow eyes. He raised his clawed paw. "It would be kinder of me if I killed you right now." Fake concern dripped of the tom's lips.

Kite raised her head, her eyes burning. She winched slightly from the neck wound that had opened up again. "Wouldn't it be more fun for you to let me live? See the old mange-pelt suffer only more?"

Sand wasn't sure why Kite was challenging the dark brown tabby tom. You've lost, if you hadn't noticed. It would be easier for you to let go. She pressed her ears against her head, a growl rising in her throat. At least now you realize I was right.

Sand shrank beneath her pelt. Why am I like this? Do I want her to die? She shuddered at her own cruelty. A cruelty she never knew she had in her.

The dark brown tabby had paused, his paw still raised, but his eyes burned. It looked like the tom was angry, but also… hurt? The tom shook his head, as if a dark thought was bothering him. He drew his lips back into a snarl and he lowered his paw. "What do you mean by that?" There was a threat in his growl. "Do you take me for some sadistic tom?"

Kite's eyes still burned with defiance. "You ordered your rogue friend to attack me, didn't you?" Her meow was wheezing and she started spluttering. Blood dripped from the she-cat's lips.

Rock seemed to finally snap out of her shock, with a big leap the she-kit was at the old she-cat's side. She whimpered softly and spoke in a hushed tone. Sand couldn't hear what she was saying, but she saw Kite's eyes glow with affection.

Sand glared at the dark tabby who had taken a step back. His eyes had gazed and his whiskers were twitching. What is up with him?She narrowed her eyes.

A dark brown tom strode up to the tabby's side and spoke to him in a hushed tone.

Sand let out a soft growl. Great, now I can't hear anything at all.

The brown tom had pulled back and sat down next to the dark tabby. The tom's eyes were still a bit gazed, but he seemed to have found himself back a bit now that the brown tom was by his side.

The tabby's eyes narrowed and he raised his paw and swiped at Rock.

It all happened so fast that Sand didn't even know what happened at first.

The gray and white tabby she-kit rolled over the ground with a yelp of terror. She jumped to her paws and crouched down, but the tom didn't seem interested in the kit. His whole focus was on Kite.

Sand dug her claws in the ground harder. That fox-hearted mouse-brain, I'll get him back for that.But Sand was also a bit relieved to see that the she-kit wasn't hurt.

Kite's head was laying on the ground, her eyes half-closed. She was loosing a lot of blood and Sand knew it wouldn't be long before she lost her life.

Rock, still didn't seem to want to leave Kite's side. The young she-kit stayed where she was, eyes wide with terror as she looked at her suffering friend.

The dark brown tabby spoke at last. His meow tight. "I am notcruel. All I want to do is protect my territory from rogues like you."

Who are you calling a rogue?Sand's tail lashed, causing some leaves to rustle. She held her breath, but non of the rogues seemed to have heard.

"How can I protect what's mine if I'm not allowed to use my claws?" The tom dug his claws in the ground as he scowled at Kite. "It's not like cats would leave if I asked kindly."

Kite's eyes were fully closed now, but her meow still came out strong, a bit raspy, but full of scorn. "I would have left if you'd asked me." The she-cat coughed. "But you didn't even give me a chance."

"You said you didn't know you were in my territory!" The tom snapped. "And once I told you, you started challenging my cat." He flicked his tail towards Hunter. "You got what you deserved!"

Kite let out a dry chuckle, but didn't say anything.

The tom rose his clawed paw again, but before he could land a blow Rock jumped up from her crouch. "Wait!" She yowled.

The tabby's muzzle snapped towards her. "Don't worry. You'll get your turn soon." He snarled.

Rock seemed to shrink beneath her pelt, but she still spoke. "If you let her go, then she can tell every cat to stay of your territory."

The tom lowered his paw and rolled his eyes at the she-kit. "I can show ever cat to stay of my territory by killing the old thing. I don't need her alive to convince pathetic rogues."

Rock's ears twitched nervously. Sand held her breath. She admired her brave the tabby and white kit was, but she also realized how big of a risk the kit was taking. One wrong move and you're dead.Sand shuddered.

Rock found her voice again. "But wouldn't it be more effective to have a wounded cat show her scars that you gave her? If ever rogue sees them, then I'm sure they'll think twice about coming on to your territory."

Sand was completely bewildered at how much older the one moon old kit sounded. Where did she get that from?Sand looked at the tabby tom and saw that his eyes showed just as much confusion as her own.

The tom blinked twice, seemingly in thought. When he spoke he seemed to pick his words carefully. "I suppose you have a point." He paused, the pause seemed very much on purpose. "But," he narrowed his eyes, taking a step closer to the she-kit. "Wouldn't it have much moreeffect of it were a kitwho showed her scars." The tom spoke with a taunting tone.

Rock took a step back, her pas shaking and her eyes wide. She started stuttering, but no real words word form.

The fur along Sand's spine had lifted, she was ready to jump into the attack. She braced herself. Then, with a loud yowl, she launched herself over the grass and in a few leaps she was onto that tabby tom.

Sand knew she had taken him by surprise, she had taken ever cat there by surprise. She dug his claws deep into the tom's hind quarters and bit down on his neck.

The tom let out a yowl of pain and rage, and he threw himself onto the ground. He rolled over, but Sand kept hold of him. She felt the air being driven out of her, but she wouldn't let go.

Suddenly she felt a stinging pain in her tail. She let go of the tom's neck and saw that the brown tom, who had taken his place beside the rogue leader not long ago, had his teeth fastened in Sand's tail.

Sand tries to rip it free, but the tom had a strong hold. He clamped his jaws shut tighter and Sand let out a yowl of pain.

She felt the tabby tom slip from between her claws. She couldn't hold him and she let him go. She turned her focus on the dark brown tom, but as soon as she'd raised her paw to take a swipe at him, she felt another pair of teeth, this time in her shoulder.

She turned her head and saw a ginger tabby she-cat latched to her shoulder. Sand let out a snarl and turned her attention on the she-cat, but she didn't even get the chance.

Suddenly a stinging pain shot through her as claws raked her flank. She shrieked in pain, not sure what to do. I'm a good fighter, but how am I supposed to take on three cats at once.She lashed her unsheathed claws around, trying to hit anything she could. Perhaps there are more then three.Her fighting became more panicked. Oh nature, why did I start this?

She felt her claws make contact with fur. She quickly dug her claws as deep as she could in the random cat's skin. She heard a hiss and she felt her muzzle being clawed.

She let out another yowl, starting to become overwhelmed from all the biting and scratching. This is it, isn't it? This is where I die.