Born Wild

Chapter 5

Snowflake padded beside Hansel and Angel, exiting camp. In front of them were Drizzle and Dash, while Leaf brought up the rear. The mottled brown tom seemed to be watching her closely from behind, with some sort of doubt. No, nevermind that. It didn't seem like it. Snowflake was certain of it. The burning green gaze searing on her back made her shrink in her pelt on instinct, but she did her best to pretend she wasn't aware of him staring at her.

Did I do something wrong? She wondered worriedly. Does he regret bringing me here?

Drizzle padded through the moor, her patrol following closely behind. They were going hunting, and the she-cat figured that the edge of their territory, since hunting parties rarely went that way, and that area would, therefore, be full of prey that was unaware of the group's existence.

She drew to a halt as the large stone that marked the end of their land reached her sight. Drizzle turned to the five other patrol members. "We'll split up. Dash and Leaf will go that way," she began, pointing with her tail to the bushes to her right, "Hansel and Angel will go that way," she pointed out a thicket to the two, who nodded, "While me and Snowflake will stay here, right at the border. We'll meet here later." She dismissed the cats with a flick of her tail, but as all but one turned to obey, Leaf — the one cat, of course — raised his tail to speak.

"Actually, could I go with Snowflake?" he requested, being unusually polite. Drizzle inwardly rolled her eyes. The tom always had something to object about. Normally she would have refused, reminding him that she was leading the patrol and asking him to stop arguing about every move she made, but this time, she hesitated. She could clearly see the distrust he had towards the white she-cat — who wasn't looking the most comfortable at the aspect of going hunting with only Leaf — and Drizzle realised that he was really just unsure if he had made the right choice accepting her in. She could see that Leaf was just trying to protect them from any possible threats.

Finally, she agreed with an annoyed flick of her tail. "Fine," she groaned. "Whatever. Dash, come with me." She could feel Snowflake tensing as they spoke, obviously having understood the brown tom's intentions.

Within moments, she and Dash were left alone. The former turned to face the latter. "Let's find some prey, shall we?"

It was quite some time later that morning when the two she-cats had caught quite enough prey — a mouse and two lapwings, as they had already learnt to catch birds — when Drizzle decided to go and look for the other patrol members. As they trotted through the heather, something caught the grey she-cat's attention. She stopped in her tracks and glanced at her groupmate. "Dash... do you also smell that?" she asked, referring to a strange smell along the border.

Dash drew in a deep breath and nodded. "Yes," she answered, eyes narrowing into tiny slits as if she were staring at an enemy. "Smells like rogues to me."

"I think so too. We should investigate more after we've found the others."

"Alright." Nodding, Dash gazed around as if she were expecting an enemy to appear out of nowhere and attack them, then followed after Drizzle. The two continued walking, but she was more cautious of the bushes this time as she padded through the moor. Whatever these cats are doing here, she thought, I won't let them get near me or the others no matter what the cost!

Back at the meeting place, Hansel and Angel were already waiting there for them. Both of them had caught prey; Hansel had three mice and Angel a large magpie. They both nodded in greeting as they spotted the she-cats coming. Drizzle stopped in front of them.

"Have either of you seen Leaf or Snowflake on your way here?" she asked them. Both toms shook their heads. "Okay," she went on. "After they join us, we'll go check a strange scent that me and Dash found along the border."

"We're here!" Leaf's voice came from behind Hansel and Angel, and Drizzle saw him and Snowflake rushing over to them. The latter — she noticed — looked quite nervous and even a little... frightened? Drizzle wondered, what did Leaf do to make that she-cat so freaked out? Normally she's quite calm...

"Well, now that you're here, I was just telling Hansel and Angel about the strange scent that me and Dash found along the border," Drizzle informed them, not taking her eyes off Snowflake. She paused for a moment, then turned to Dash. "Dash, can you please lead the way?" There was something she needed to do.

"Sure, Drizzle," the black-and-white she-cat said, then padded to the head of the group.

Before she could leave, however, Drizzle slid past her and whispered in her ear, "Keep an eye on Snowflake, too." Dash nodded ever so slightly, and Drizzle knew that the she also had her suspicions on Snowflake.

As they began walking, Drizzle laid her tail on Leaf's shoulder. "Wait a moment," she hissed under her breath. The tom gave her an affronted look, but started walking much slower. As soon as they were as far behind Dash, Hansel, Angel and Snowflake as needed, Drizzle turned on Leaf, an accusing look on her face. "What did you do to Snowflake? What did you say?"

The brown tom shrugged. "What I had to," he replied simply.

"And what exactly did you need...?" she pressed on.

He shrugged. "Nothing much. I just talked to her."

The leader's eyes widened in horror. "You questioned her? I get it that you don't trust her — I don't hundred percent trust her either — but you can't go accusing her of treachery like that!" Drizzle couldn't believe it. She had tried very hard to make every happy and trust each other and now just because Leaf was too hot-headed and arrogant for his own good, this trust has been broken. How can he do this? Does he not know how hard it is to be leader?!

Leaf bristled. "I just want to make sure I made the right choice bringing her in! You don't know the first thing about leadership if you don't think of the safety of your groupmates!" He then hared after the rest of the patrol, and Drizzle followed with a sigh.

"Here!" Dash called at some point when they'd reached the trail. Hansel tasted the air.

"They're still here somewhere," he informed them. 

Dash narrowed her eyes, crouching in a defensive position. "Show yourselves!" she yowled provokingly. "Or we'll make you do so!"

A derisive laugh came from a bush across the border. Slowly, three she-cats padded out into the open — a fluffy jet-black she with amber eyes and several leaves by her ear, a thin dark brown tabby one with scars along her leg, green eyes and russet stripes, and a lilac tabby with teal eyes. All three of them stared at the group of cats blankly, their expressions and movements revealing nothing. The brown one — presumably the leader — stepped forward.

"Greetings," she meowed calmly, unfazed by the cats' increasing hostility. "Were you calling us?"

Written by Mothfrost and edited by Silverkit/wish