𝒟𝙰𝚁𝙺𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙳 𝒫𝚁𝙾𝙿𝙷𝙴𝙲𝚈 ─── 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯 2.

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

A large brown tom sat in the middle of the leader's den, waiting patiently for the leader to come in. Nervousness pricked at every part of him. He knew for certain that this was about his former apprentice that he cared about so much, and who the leader hated so much.

"What a surprise," came the voice of the leader. A lean, muscular she-cat strode towards her nest and sat down, curling her tail over her paws. "What do you want? I have business to attend to."

I thought you just finished whatever you call 'business'. "You wanted to meet with me. About Moonclaw."

"Ah, yes, the odd one. I did want to talk to you about something that may upset you and her." The tabby she-cat eyed the brown tom, her gaze unwavering. She had mastered that ever since she was made deputy by the previous leader.

"Should I go get her?" the brown tom asked.

A small black-and-white she-cat stepped into the den. "I'm already here." Her usually smooth voice was shaking with apprehension. She nodded to the leader, her face showing disgust for her. The leader did not seem shaken. "She wanted me to be here."

The leader nodded. She flicked her tail to a spot beside the brown tom. "Yes. Thank you, Moonclaw. Come sit. I will explain everything."

Moonclaw cautiously took a seat next to her mentor and gazed at Sorrelstar, clearly trying her best to stay calm.

"Okay. Moonclaw, do you know what this is about? Your unusual talent," Sorrelstar meowed smoothly. Her mew was tainted with loathe for Moonclaw.

Moonclaw nodded slowly, her eyes turning to her paws shyly.

"And Cypressfang, you have done nothing to help her control this?" Sorrelstar asked.

Cypressfang shook his head slowly, glancing at his apprentice, feeling particularly sorry. "I don't know how. Just like our medicine cat, and our senior warriors, and our elders, and you. The wisest cats in the Clan."

     Moonclaw looked up, surprise flashing in her gaze.

"And since you have done nothing to help the apprentice that I assigned to you, she is a danger to the Clan," Sorrelstar explained.

There was a sharp gasp from Moonclaw. "What? I'm not a danger to anyone! I can control this ability, it's just—I—"

Sorrelstar's amber eyes glinted in the dull light. "Exactly. You can't. Look, I'm trying to keep the Clan safe. And with you and you and your extraordinary ability, I have decided that we can—let's say—send you on an important mission."

Cypressfang winced. He could see Moonclaw do the same thing out of the corner of his eye. "So, you're going to use Moonclaw for something that you are fully capable of doing yourself?" Cypressfang felt the fur along his neck and spine rise in anger.

Sorrelstar shook her head, purring in amusement. "No, no. I am simply keeping the Clan safe, but also using this as an opportunity to spy on our enemy."

Cypressfang sank his claws into the earth. "Stop lying! You just want to use Moonclaw because you hate her ability. Because she's more powerful than you!"

Sorrelstar's eyes widened in surprise as a growl rose in her throat. "Maybe I am a bit jealous, but that is not what I am doing!"

Cypressfang bared his teeth, planning an effective way to fight and defeat Sorrelstar.

"Cypressfang, please calm down. This is not an argument worth fighting over," Moonclaw begged. "You don't have to protect me all the time."

Annoyed, Cypressfang ignored his apprentice and thrust himself towards Sorrelstar. She crashed into the wall and fell onto the ground, stunned. But only for a few heartbeats. She looked up at Cypressfang and leaped at him, claws outstretched.

Sorrelstar's claws sank into his shoulders just as Moonclaw broke them apart. "Stop!" She raised her voice.

Cypressfang's shoulder stung from the wounds Sorrelstar left. "I'm trying to protect you, Moonclaw! She's going to use you. She doesn't want you here. She would kill you if she could!"

Sorrelstar hissed.

Moonclaw nodded solemnly. "I know. But that does not mean that you need to fight. If this means I can escape death from Sorrelstar."

"I do not want to kill you! That would—"

"Shut up. Don't continue trying to convince me that you're good," Cypressfang snarled. He looked back at Moonclaw. "If that is what you want, then you can do that. But I would rather figure out another solution."

"No. I will go, even if it means I might not come back."