Tribe of Cats: The Troubling Menace~Book 1

~Chapter 4~

Lyla grumbled stubbornly. A wet nose nudged her in the ribs. She groaned reluctantly as her friend tried to arouse her.

"Lyla it's your turn to go on watch for the night." Rabbit murmured sleepily. When Lyla opened her eyes, she saw Rabbit's eyelids were drooping as she trodden to her nest.

Lyla was immediately awake. "Really?" Lyla couldn't hide the excitement from her meow. She looked to her friend questioningly, her paw pads tingling with elation as she craned her neck to look at the lithe she-cat.

"Yes." Rabbit settled down into her nest, sinking into it. Her eyes immediately closed and she started to snore lightly.

Lyla jumped to her feet, all of her tiredness forgotten. She knew exactly what to do. Rabbit had told her before that she had to walk around the camp and make sure the camp was safe. She would be able to watch over her packmates and protect them from anything that tried getting in.

Lyla purred with satisfaction when she thought of how she was doing more for her packmates. She had been patrolling the territory with the Guard's but she had the feeling she needed to do more. She loved pleasing the pack. It gave her a sense that her skills were actually being fulfilled to the best of her ability.

Lyla strutted out into the chilly air confidently. Even though there were no other cats around, she wanted to look good. She fluffed out her fur against the chill. Shivering a little as the breeze blew through her coat.

She licked her fur, trying to adjust to the chilly night air. Lyla searched the edges of the camp, making sure nothing was lurking in the shadows that were hidden from the shine of the moon. Lyla sniffed the air, satisfied that it carried the regular familiar scents of her tribemates. She started walking around the camp, glancing from side to side and scenting the air frequently. Lyla was the last one to go on watch that night, so she would have to wait until the sun was rising until she could get some rest. She also had to make sure other cats were awake to guard the camp. Lyla stayed alert, and made sure to shake off any tiredness that came to her. She made sure her muscles were awake and ready to attack if an enemy was near. Lyla flexed her muscles proudly as she padded around the camp. Her muscles were already strong from going on patrols and protecting her Tribe.

So far the only danger she had faced so far was a lone raccoon that had wandered across their patrol one day. It was sickly though, so the patrol fought it off in a couple of heartbeats. Lyla shuddered as she felt the same relief travel through her body when she found out that that raccoon was not apart of the Raccoon Tribe. Her packmates had warned her about their neighboring Tribe. They shared the same border with them, but Lyla had not seen one of their patrols yet. Blizzard had told her that the raccoons were big, unlike the ones that lived in the Furless place. They were well muscled and well-fed. She was told they were much bigger than their Tribe and that they should always be alert from an attack that might be launched by them. Lyla. didn't believe that raccoons would attack, especially if they saw the size of Alpha. He was the largest cat Lyla had ever seen.

Lyla scented the air again but froze this time, her heart stopping. She scented a musky scent, one that smelled of forest and Furless place. She couldn't quite put her claw on it, but she knew she had faced one of these creatures before. But she went stiff with dread when she smelled several of these creatures, and they were approaching from outside of camp.

I recognize that scent... Lyla tried to distinguish the scent. Then she realized something, making her paws go numb in horror. She unsheathed her claws instinctively as she faced the entrance, spotting eyes shining with loathing.

It was the same scent she had scented along the border they shared with the raccoons. The raccoons are attacking! Lyla thought frantically. Hurriedly, she yowled a warning to her Tribemates. Her muscles turned cold with alarm as she swung around to face the raccoons who had started streaming through the entrance.