Ferals

Chapter 1

            "All cats of Beetle's group, meet in the clearing and bow to your leader!" The familiar call of Crab rang out as Sharp stepped out of her cardboard den. Foxtrot followed close behind. "You figure it's another raid?" Foxtrot asked. Sharp simply shrugged to her brother. Who know what that rat-dung of a leader wants, she snarled internally.

            As the two tyros reached the clearing in the alley, the shining black pelt of Beeetle appeared. "Bow, you low lives," he spat onto the crowd. As Sharp saw every cat, including herself, press their noses to the rough stone ground, she heard a purr of pleasure from her leader. The urge to claw his ears off overtook Sharp as she pressed her ears back. All the gathered cats rose and sat back on their haunches.

"As your leader, I have been organizing another raid on those pitiful forest cats," Beetle yowled. Sharp rolled her eyes. "All of you are to go," Beetle finished meaningfully. "We will go at dusk and attack ThunderClan."

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A fern brushed Sharp's muzzle as she silently pushed through the forest foliage. Her groupmates stalked through the trees ahead of her. Let's just get this over with. Sharp sighed as she saw the entrance to ThunderClan's camp. Cat silhouettes took their places, hiding right out of the camp.

Caterwauls shook the trees as every one of Sharp's groupmates leaped into the camp. Shocked looks plastered the ThunderClan cats' muzzles. Remembering the plan, Sharp bolted towards one of the dens, woven deeply in brambles. A single cat was guarding. A single cat who was much bigger than Sharp. Python suddenly body-slammed the cat, sending him hurtling past the den. Yowls filled the air as Sharp looked back, finally spotting the familiar pelt of Foxtrot.

            As Python continued to fight the other cat, Foxtrot and Sharp ducked into the den. Fear scent hung heavy in the air, and a black and white she-cat was crouched to the ground, her tail curled protectively around something. I'm sorry, Sharp internally apologized before lunging forward and grabbing one of the small scraps of fur beside her. Foxtrot had grabbed two. "No, please!" the she-cat shrieked, her orange eyes bright with horror.

            A yowl echoed throughout the camp, and Sharp heard her cue. She started to run, picking up speed, not looking back. "They've got Firegaze's kits!" A voice was heard behind Sharp. With the weight of the mewling kit, she was slowing down. Pawsteps pounded the forest floor behind her. Sharp screeched as one of her paws pulled out from under her. Dumb root, she cursed the thing curling up from the ground. A large cat caught up to her, her eyes blazing with fury. As the she-cat swiped for her eyes, Sharp ducked, feeling the stinging claws tear her ear.

            Fast as a bolt of lightning, Indigo raced past, not slowing down as she pushed the she-cat back and grabbed the kit. Sharp quickly pulled herself up, following her groupmates out of the forest. As they reached the Twolegplace, it was quite obvious that even the strongest Combatants were wary of the pursuing clan cats. It appeared that they had gone, and Sharp realized she had been holding her breath. Indigo padded beside her. "Beetle won't be happy," she said through the kit's scruff.

            "I know," Sharp muttered. She pressed her ears back at the thought of what he might do to her.

            "Let me go home," the little kit mewed desperately. I wish I could. Sharp turned her head away. This poor kit didn't deserve this. The familiar sight of the cardboard dens and strange Twoleg junk made Sharp sigh as she entered the alley. Beetle was sunning, calmly, while his wounded cats approached. A purr rumbled in his throat as he saw the cats, especially Foxtrot and Indigo. His purr dropped to a growl as his gaze moved to Sharp. As Sharp's groupmates continues to walk into camp, Beetle brushed past Sharp and whispered, his voice like venom. "I'll deal with you later."

The fur along Sharp's spine prickled with uneasiness. Her leader's words hung like a poisonous smog. She finally looked up to see Beetle looking back at her terrified gaze, as his eyes glittered with pleasure. Foxtrot padded past Sharp and to Beetle, the two kits still dangling by their scruffs. "Where should I put them?" He mumbled past the fluffy kit fur.

"Bring them to camp center, and tell Indigo to bring hers, too," Beetle snapped. He turned and clambered onto the stack of rough Twoleg stone blocks. The two cats dropped three trembling kits before Beetle.

           Sharp looked at each one carefully. There was a small brown tom with black paws, a pale orange she-kit with a white underbelly, and a golden she-kit with white ears and muzzle, along with a white tail tip. "What are your names?" Beetle mewed his question sweetly, but Sharp knew the sweetness was as inexistent as any sort of kindness in Beetle's heart. The kits were silent, trembling uncontrollably. Beetle started to lash his tail in frustration at the kits' silence. The thought of his frustration made Sharp smirk. "Well?" Beetle hissed, dropping the artificial sweetness in his voice. The tomkit lifted his head slightly, his eyes wide with terror. "I'm Eaglekit," he squeaked.

            "Incorrect. Your name is Eagle now," Beetle replied. A look of shock covered Eagle's face. "What about your littermates?" Beetle asked, ignoring the kit's shocked and utterly terrified face.

"Those are my sisters, Emberkit and Flutterkit," Eagle said, standing in front of his Littermates.

"Clearly, the 'Clan Cats' don't know about strength in names," Beetle yowled mockingly. "I present those two their new names, Ember and..." Beetle trailed off. "Swallowtail." The kits still trembled as they were grabbed by their scruffs and brought to the prisoner den. Poor kits. Sympathy flooded Sharp as she began to pad towards the tyro den.

            "Sharp," Beetle abruptly called. "Come on. Now I have to deal with you."