City of the Adrift // A Warrior Cats Tale

Chapter Three

Fern and the amber-eyed she-cat padded along the stone path in silence. In her mind, the she-cat kept trying to think of topics to start off a conversation, but she eventually decided the silence was appropriate.

Instead of talking, however, the amber she-cat looked at Fern's features. She was thick-furred, her neck like a mane. The she-cat's pelt was a mix of black and a pale gray, dappling her white fur. Fern's ears were smaller than usual, but were perked and alert like any other pair of ears. The amber-eyed she-cat's eyes finally laid upon the patch of skin between her shoulders, bare of any fur. Before she could look closer at the scar, Fern finally stopped.

"The catmint is in the house ahead of us," she meowed. The amber-eyed she-cat looked to see a civilized, clean Twoleg house before her. As the dim sun dipped down the sky, the lights on the porch clicked on, startling the she-cat. Fern turned to her and purred in amusement. "They're called automatic lights. They usually turn on as the sky becomes darker, so the Twolegs can see where they're going."

"Interesting," murmured the amber-eyed she-cat, although she found it more scary than riveting.

Fern's whiskers drooped. "If the lights turned on, that means Twolegs are probably inside. We'll have to be extra careful."

The amber-eyed she-cat nodded. "I can be stealthy." She flexed her claws into the stone path, anticipation itching her fur.

Fern flicked her tail, her eyes sparkling amusingly. "Alright. Follow me."

Fern padded into the bright, green grass, and the amber-eyed she-cat followed closely from behind. The two she-cats stopped when they reached the fence surrounding the back of the Twoleg nest. When the amber-eyed cat opened her mouth to say they had reached a dead end, Fern stuffed her tail between her jaws. "Quiet," she mouthed.

When the she-cat nodded slowly, Fern took her tail out of her mouth and nosed around the fence boards, After a moment of waiting, her muzzle finally pushed through a board. It flipped open, having no sound but a small creak. Then, she padded through, with the amber-eyed she-cat following from behind.

The two she-cats walked along the side of the nest, their paws crunching in the grass. Fern suddenly stopped, and the amber-eyed she-cat's head hit her from behind. Fern looked unfathomed. The dappled she-cat turned around the corner slowly, looks back to the amber-eyed she-cat and nodded. "We're all good."

Both cats padded out in the open. Everything was dark but the looming light beside the den entrance on the porch.

Fern turned to the she-cat. "Listen up," she began. "The catmint should be right under the steps over there," her tail pointed to the small crevice under the porch. "You should be able to find it with your nose. It has a distinct smell that attracts cats. Once you find it--"

"What's this?" A snarl questioned from behind the amber-eyed she-cat. "Two she-cats frollicking across our property?"

The she-cat stiffened, feeling the cat's breath on the back of her neck. How did he gets so close without me noticing?

Fern's large eyes quivered, not turning around to even see who it was. "We just came to get some catmint. Leave us alone, Flint." Despite the sudden intrusion from the cats, Fern remained very calm.

The tom padded around the amber-eyed she-cat, eying her with yearn. His pelt was a very pale gray, with dark gray tabby stripes lining his tail, ears and paws. The tom's right ear was flat against his head with scars lining it. Flint's icy-blue eyes burned into the she-cat's.

Another tom jumped down from the fence and emerged from the forming shadows. A small growl formed in Fern's throat.

The amber-eyed she-cat immediately recognised the other gray tom. His pelt was sleek, not a tuft of fur out of place. His chest, belly and nose fur were pearly white, the rest a shimmery gray. Just like Flint, his eyes had an icy, blue flame that could give any cat shivers.