Ashwings legacy

Chapter 14

Owlnose sighed, giving up on trying to sleep. He'd been restless the past few nights, struggling to fall asleep. He glanced around at his companions, all sleeping soundly in their nests. His gaze fell on Firesoul. He watched with envy as her flank slowly rose and fell. She seemed so peaceful, despite her recent troubles regarding her relationship with Ashwing.
Owlnose slowly got up and trudged out of the den into the clearing to stretched out. The sound of a yawn made him turn his head towards the entrance to camp. He caught a glimpse of a cat he assumed was Ashwing just as he disappeared into the tree line. What's he up too? He decided to follow him. Maybe he could catch up and they could chat for a bit. Owlnose predicted Ashwing also couldn't sleep and was going for a walk. He obviously wasn't trying to hide the fact that he was leaving since he'd yawned so loudly.
Owlnose followed Ashwings scent trail until he heard the sound of an angry hiss. He pricked his ears and was able to pick up the faint voice of Ashwing. "Look, I don't want any trouble."
Who is he talking to? Owlnose wondered.
Thinking Ashwing might be in trouble, he slowly crept forward, hiding under the cover of a bracken bush and he finally saw Ashwing, and another all too familiar cat... Beta! What is she doing here?
The white and gray she-cat had her hackles raised and was in a defensive stance while Ashwing stood relaxed, though his ears were folded back, probably because of Betas aggression. Had they met by coincidence? He saw her stand strait and try to smooth her fur out, though still glaring at him, her green eyes filled with distrust. "Fine then... you decided to approach me, so what do you want?" She asked coldly.
Ashwing kept his cool, dipping his head respectfully. "I don't know... to talk I guess..."
Owlnose saw Beta roll her eyes at him. "You guess?" She scoffed, "Fine, but don't expect me to tell you anything about Alpha or his pack."
Ashwing smiled softly, seemingly excited to talk to the cat who, just days ago, he had lost a fight against. Owlnose narrowed his eyes as he listened. I don't get him... how is he so nice to every cat he meets, even when they aren't nice to him? He wondered.
"I don't want to know about that," Ashwing started, "I want to know about you."
Owlnose and Beta both raised their eyebrows at his words. He guessed she was just as confused as he was. "Why do you want to know about me?"
"I felt something when we fought... I don't know how to explain it but there's something familiar about you, even though I'm certain I've never met you before."
Owlnose remembered Ashwing saying something similar after the fight but he was definitely curious to know more. Beta looked conflicted, glancing down at her paws before looking back up at Ashwing. "I admit, I felt something similar... so what of it? Surely there's a reason we both feel this way..." She said, staring at Ashwing with her usual cold gaze.
   "I'm not sure, to be honest... but I want to figure it out. That's why I want to know more about you." Ashwing responded, his eyes hopeful.
   "You understand that might not be possible right? I'm not foolish enough as to trust you so easily."
   Ashwing nodded. "Of course, but that's why I'm trying to talk instead of fight, to build trust." He started. "How about I tell you a little about me first?"
   Owlnose had to stop himself from flicking his tail and giving away his position out of frustration. Are you mousbrained! Why would you tell the enemy anything about yourself!?
   Beta gave Ashwing a look that indicated she was probably thinking the same thing. "How do you know I won't use whatever you tell me to my advantage in the future?" She asked.
   "I don't. But I want to tell you anyway."
   Beta sighed in defeat. "That's completely mousbrained... but fine. Go ahead." She said.   
   Ashwing smiled softly and sat down, wrapping his tail neatly around his front paws. "You already know I'm from the clans," Ashwing began, "As warriors, we follow the warrior code, a list of rules that we follow to retain our honor and separate us from a common band of rogues..."   
   Beta was listening with a skeptical look on her face while Owlnose listened intently from his hiding spot underneath the bracken bush, wanting to hear exactly what Ashwing gave away to the rogue she-cat. "That's nice and all, but what exact-"
   Beta stopped on the middle of her sentence and whipped her head to the side, as if she'd noticed something. Instantly, Owlnose smelled the fear scent coming from Beta. Her hackles raised and her eyes narrowed darting around the clearing before settling on the side opposite to Owlnose. Ashwings ears folded back and he looked at her concerned. He must have noticed it also...
   "What's wrong?" He asked.
   Beta looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. "You need to go, now!" She hissed quietly.
   Ashwing must have noticed something else, because his eyes suddenly went wide and he wasted no time streaking away, leaping over the bracken bush Owlnose was under. Before Owlnose could crawl out from underneath the  bracken, he saw a glowing pair of blue eyes on the other side of the clearing. He froze in fear, not daring to move a muscle as the figure revealed itself. There stood a tall dog with white and black fur. He towered over Beta, looking down at her with an unreadable expression. Every instinct in Owlnoses body was telling him to run, but he couldn't give away his position. His only option was to stay completely still and hope the dog wouldn't smell him. "Alpha... what are you doing here?" Beta asked, seeming trying to keep her voice from trembling.
   This is Alpha!? He's huge! Owlnose suspected he could rip a cat to shreds of he wished it.
Beta remained completely still as Alpha circled her, glaring at her through narrow eyes. "I can't take a walk around my own territory?" He said, his voice deep and rumbly. "I should be asking you that question... or better yet, who was your friend?"
He had a weird accent. Owlnose suspected it was because he was a dog who had somehow learned catspeak, of course it wouldn't be perfect. Nonetheless, it was still menacing enough to make Owlnose want to tremble. He had never felt this afraid before, and he couldn't imagine how Beta must feel, being face to face with this monster. "It was... it was the cat I told you about, the one I fought..." Beta replied, keeping her eyes forward.
She was obviously scared, but she was doing a good job hiding it. "Ahh yes... Ashwing right? And what did he want?" Alpha said, finally stopping in front of her.
"To talk."
"What about?"
"About me."
"And what did you tell him?"
"Nothing."
Owlnose could see that Alphas interrogation was getting to her through her periodic tail flicks. "I told him nothing... but he told me things..."
Alpha raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes glinting with interest. "Oh really? What did he tell you?"
"A bunch of nonsense about his 'warrior code'. Nothing helpful..."
Alpha seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking again. "Would you say this cat trusts you?"
"I'm not sure... he did seem to be rather trusting..." Beta looked down at her forepaws.
Alpha used his giant paw to raise her chin, making her look him in the eye. "Can you make him trust you?" He asked, though it sounded more like an order than a question.
"P-perhaps..."
"Good..."
Alpha smirked, letting go of Betas chin. "You will go to him, and lure him into an ambush for me..."
Owlnose saw Betas eyes widen as she looked up at him. "What? Why? He's no threat to us-" she said quickly.
"Think! stupid cat!" He growled, shoving his muzzle in Betas face.
She recoiled at the interruption, folding her ears back in fear. "If he and his companions have skills on par with yours, they can teach the others... and since everyone else in my pack is worthless as a fighter, it wouldn't be difficult for them to take you and me out, once that happens, the rest of those cowards will just run like scared little kittens..." He finished, pulling his muzzle back away from Beta.
"So I will say it again... you will lure him into an ambush... do you understand?" He said with a low, menacing growl.
"Y-yes Alpha..." Beta said, her voice now trembling, barely above a whisper as she avoided eye contact.
Alpha turned and began walking back into the trees. "Good. We'll work out the details later..."
And he was gone, leaving Beta alone in the clearing. She was breathing heavily, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time. A few moments passed before she finally composed herself and followed Alpha's trail, probably back to their camp. Owlnose, however, didn't dare leave his hiding spot until he was absolutely sure no one would be coming back. He walked back to Kades camp conflicted. Should I tell Ashwing about what I saw? Owlnoses mind raced, his thoughts swirling around him so fast, he couldn't hold onto one for very long
All he knew for certain, was that Ashwings life, and potentially his and firesouls as well, were in grave danger, and Alpha, was an even bigger threat than he'd thought.