Warriors: Storm of Sand

Chapter 4

"Ugh, rat scraps again." Muttered Distance who prodded at his meal.

"At least we have food." Jasper mewed, a hint of optimism in her tone.

"Yeah, at least you have food. Now quit your complaining and be grateful for what you have like your friends." Spike spat.

"Spike! Don't be rude! These cats work so hard for us! Be respectful!" Meowed Bright who stood by her side.

The golden tabby she-cat sniffed. "He's a peasant. I'm a guard. He should respect me." With those words, she walked off.

Bright sighed and looked at the three of them. "I..." she began to apologize, but Sand shook his head.

"No need Bright. We're used to this. It's just what comes with the rank. Nothing personal." The tom spoke as the expectant she-cat walked away.

Distance's lips curled back in a snarl as his gaze followed Spike's bushy tail. He suddenly felt Sand's paw on his tail.

"Don't. They think just because they're the highest rank in the Clan they can push us around." The striped tom meowed.

"But the real highest ranking cats are Dune, Jewel and the heirs." Sand pointed out. "Guards become after the family, everyone knows that."

"If anything she should apologize..." Distance's voice carried a furious snarl. He growled deep in his throat and wandered off.

Scorch blinked and padded up to the other two peasant cats. "Trouble in the oasis dear friends?"

Sand and Jasper stiffened. "Princess Scorch!" They gasped in unison.

The she-cat rolled her eyes. "Formalities are not needed. I may not be the heir father have chosen, but I am still a cat." She said. "Where did your friend wander off to?"

"Oh, Distance is...a bit upset. He's been stressed lately. Maybe working so hard got to him...I wish it were easier..." Sand meowed with a frown, his ears flattening.

Scorch gave a sympathetic purr. "I'll go talk to your friend." She mewed and padded off. "Dune you have no clue what you have gotten yourself into..."

Her ears registered the fluffy tom's angered hiss the closer she got.

"These cats are just...!" Distance swatted a clump of sand away into the air. "Spike and the rest thinking just because of their status, they can order me and my friends around because of our rank! And Dune...! That tom barely does anything other than sit on his flank!"

Scorch just stood from afar and listened. Her tail twitched as she soon got an idea. "The sands do a good job of listening to your woes when no one else will doesn't it?"

The tom gasped and whirled around. "Scorch! I-I...I didn't mean to insult your brother!" He yowled and bowed so low his muzzle touched the sand. "Forgive me for my disrespect!"

The hairless she-cat poked him with a paw. "Stand high. If anything I understand your rantings Distance." She meowed softly.

Distance blinked in stunned silence as he rose to his full height. "You do?" He asked.

"Of course. Dune is...an idle tom. He thinks things will sort themselves out. His queen does more than he does which in my mind it pitiful." Scorch commented.

The tom's bright green eyes glittered. "Not to mention their heirs. That tom's gonna raise them to do nothing but sit on their tails and make a mockery of the very cats that make them everything they are!"

The hairless she-cat blinked and a smile curled on her muzzle. "You're passionate Distance. I like that about. You speak your mind and I find that very admirable as well." She meowed suddenly.

"But I'm a peasant cat remember? In the eyes of OasisClan I just feed the others before myself. I'm barely listened to," he frowned but soon turned furious. "Even so, I don't get how Sand and Jasper can have so little self respect to just sit there and be talked to like that...!"

"I know just the right way to get you and your comrades respect, if you can trust me." Scorch stated.

Distance looked curiously at her. "Depends..."

"I want to talk with you. Not now. Tomorrow. Meet me and Lizard outside deep in the sands when you have no more duties to do. Just tell whoever gives you and order that you have hunting to do for the heirs and they'll leave you alone." Scorch instructed.

***

The following day, Distance walked past the elders and up to Sand. "How are you doing?"

"I should be asking you the same. You stormed off in quite a fit yesterday evening. Jasper was really worried when you didn't come back." Sand meowed.

"I'm fine Sand. Don't worry. I just...got frustrated, you know how it is. I got to go do some hunting. I'll return soon." With those words, he hurried off.

The tom turned and made sure no one was following him before bounding off towards the deepness of the sands away from OasisClan.

He continued running until he sniffed the air. "Scorch and Lizard are definitely close..." he panted and ran until their scents grew closer.

The two hairless cats came into view.

"Distance. So glad you showed up." Scorch purred with delight.

"Distance? This is who you were telling me about?" Lizard asked, his bright green eyes confused.

"Yes brother. I figured he could be helpful to us." The hairless she-cat answered.

"Helpful to you with what?" Distance looked between the two siblings.

Lizard stood tall, his shoulders braced. "We're going to overthrow Dune."

The sandy-colored tom blinked in surprise. "Hold on, I just want respect and to be treated equally. And that's your brother. And his mate, and their kits." He said with shock.

"You weren't saying any of that yesterday." Scorch pointed out.

Before Distance could speak, Lizard let out a groan. "I thought you said he could help us in our plans. He's hesitating and showing sympathy."

"Look I don't like your brother but—" Distance started once more but was cut short.

"Which is exactly why you can help us. Use that dislike Distance. Don't you hate how you're treated? You, Sand, and Jasper? Don't you three want to be given full pieces of prey and not scraps? Respect and not sneers? Lizard as pharaoh can guarantee you get such things." Scorch meowed, padding around Distance in a small circle.

The tabby blinked and looked at Lizard. "I..."

"You've been a servant since kithood. In OasisClan, anycat not a guard or chosen royal is pretty much cursed to live in their shadow. Frankly I'm tired..." Lizard snarled, flexing his claws in the sand.

"Just give me time. I need to think of this. This is a lot of process." Distance mewed.

Scorch let out a sympathetic purr. "Our plans are slow going."

"We'll give you five suns. More than enough time. Dune is so slow he won't notice us leaving to plot. He still hasn't noticed us when Scorch and I started plotting." Lizard hissed.

"Five suns. Okay." Distance agreed.

So yeah I haven't updated this in years, I know. But I hate incomplete stories so that's why I posted this