Warriors AU: Skyclan's Destiny

Chapter 19

No upload tomorrow since its a holiday and I don't have work!

Haze prodded across the grass of a Twoleg garden. Ahead of him, the nest was outlined against a harsh scarlet sky. There was a metallic tang in the air, and when Haze looked down he saw that his paws were clogged with blood. A Twoleg rabbit lay dead in front of him, and scraps of black and white fur littered the ground.

I didn't kill it! Haze thought, bewildered.

He turned to flee as the door of the Twoleg nest was flung open and a huge male Twoleg charged out. It opened its jaws to yowl, but what came out was the terrified screech of a cat.

Haze jumped; his eyes blinked open and he found himself curled up in a huddle with Harper, Stumpy, and Cory in the shelter of a sloping sheet of wood that rested against the wall of a Twoleg den. Wind swirled along the alley and rain spattered down, pushing cold claws into Haze's fur.

The terrified screech came again. Raising his head, Haze spotted Tracy a few fox-lengths away, her fur bristling as she gazed around wildly with her one good eye. "They're here!" she yowled. "Swift and Bear are coming!"

Haze stiffened and Stumpy started awake, but at that moment Winter appeared from behind a garbage can and rested his white tail over Tracy's shoulders.

"No cat is coming," he mewed soothingly. "You had a bad dream, that's all. Come back here with me and Cinder."

Tracy stood still for a moment longer, her fur gradually beginning to lie flat, then followed the white tom back into shelter.

Stumpy stretched her jaws in a yawn. "Tracy and her nightmares. She's afraid she's going to lose the other eye."

Anger churned in Haze's belly. We have to do something about Swift.

Stumpy had already lowered her head and curled up again. Haze checked on Harper and Cory, who were still asleep; Cory was snoring softly, blowing out his breath through his whiskers, while Harper's ear twitched as if she was dreaming.

Haze settled down and closed his eyes. We need all the sleep we can get if we're going to catch enough prey at night.

The cold weather meant that prey was scarce, especially when they had to compete with Swift and his followers for every mouse, bird, and scrawny squirrel. Haze unsheathed his claws and let them sink into the damp soil, remembering how Swift was claiming more and more time for her cats to hunt, even though the days grew dark early.

I don't want to give into her. But how can we hunt if we have to get into a fight every time?

Harper's scent and the feeling of her pelt pressed up against his soothed Haze's anger. The young she-cat had always been away so much lately; it was good to have her back. She was looking sleek and well fed, too, suggesting to Haze that she had been hunting farther afield.

That's fine with me. Just as long as she doesn't put herself at risk of getting attacked by Swift and her flea-ridden friends while she's on her own.

Not for the first time, Haze wondered if they should all leave and find somewhere else to live, maybe the place where Harper was hunting.

But we were here first. This is our home, and I don't want to give it up.

A faint sound from the corner of the alley disturbed him as he was slipping into sleep again. As he lifted his head, unsure what had roused him, Harper rose to her paws.

"I'll go and investigate," she meowed, trotting off with her tail raised high.

Haze sprang up. "Wait, I'll come with you."