Chapter 13

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Leafy purred as she rubbed her head against Firey's chin, rubbing her shoulders across as her tail carefully curled around Firey's tail, though not touching. She carefully pressed her nose against his muzzle. A purr rumbled from Firey's throat as he carefully licked her flank. His heart twisted. Bonding isn't difficult for us!
Firey slowly padded off to his den. Leafy curled her tail around her legs as she carefully scurried up to high-rock, gazing at Loser as he sat in the clearing.  "Sooner or later i'll be kitting!" Leafy mumbled, her eyes burning into the warriors. She swayed her tail as Loser padded up behind her. He cocked his head to her. "Leafy, you must be starving," Loser grumbled. "Go for the pile, for the sake of your kits and you!"
Leafy slowly trotted off the rock, her tail lowering. "I've been eating the fresh kill brought to me!" Leafy hissed. "Oh, I haven't seen," Loser yawned. She padded to her mate's den, swerving into it. She met with Firey's face, his fur bristling in alarm, his eyes wide. "Did I frighten you?" She stammered. "Just a little startle!" He hissed, his hackles rising. "You seem very alarmed," she teased. Firey curled his lip back, his tail curled under him. She flattened her ears and yawned, sitting by Firey. Firey sat askew, eyes gazing narrowly. Leafy turned to him. "When will Loser learn about patrols?" She scoffed emotionlessly. Firey shook his head. "Never." He growled before repeating. "He'll never learn, and I say I'll be better leader when he loses all lives. I'm deputy!" He scowled. "He must be mourning Cake right now," Leafy mewed. "I wouldn't doubt!" Firey chuckled as he rolled onto his paws, washing his ears. Leafy watched in awe, thoughts swerving through her head. She lays flat on her stomach, paws tucked in. Firey flicked his tail, licking Leafy's nose as his whiskers brushed against her face. Leafy licked his cheek. "I love you, Firey," she mewed softly. "You know I already love you more!" Firey trilled.
He padded out the den, his ears flicking. Leafy's voice echoed in his ears, her voice so soft. The charm and sweetness, the upbeat to it. His stomach churned with importance. I am important! He raised his chin, the wind fanning him as Loser shrieked. Firey whirled his head to Loser, alarmed.
"Firey, Coiny, Pin, Clock!" Loser shrilled. "Form the patrol and head for the pines!" He quivered. Dogs.
The patrol followed Firey to a frenzy of barking. Two muscular, tall dogs of the same color stood there. They were all white with a grey-black coat, winter blue eyes, and straight upward ears. They looked fierce and strong, and they smell us. The dogs stared at the patrol, curling their lips back to reveal massive canine-teeth. One snarled as they bolted toward them. Clock leaped towards their face, claws unsheathed. The dog clamped into Clock's arms. Clock let out a pained cry, kicking up it's neck fur with his back-legs. Mousebrain! Firey pounced to the dog's side, the others taking care of its "twin." The dog crunched into Clock and swung him across the clearing. Clock smashed into a tree as blood gushed out of his arms. Firey dove under the dogs and tore at it's soft belly. The dog ducked in pain as it yowled. The yowling pierced his ears as the other tumbled off, jerking it's clinging cats away. The dog snarled as it tailed the whimpering one, baring it's teeth as it nipped at Firey. Firey hissed, hooking the side of it's muzzle as the dog jerked it's head up, yelping. Firey swung himself off the dog's belly, his claws ripping off clumps of the beast's fur. The dog wriggled through a furless's fence as it shook it's head, panting. It cried louder as Firey tore through it's nose. The dog jerked back, falling clumsily ad Firey flew off, catching himself. The blood on his claws cooled. His heart twisted in fear as the other gazed into his eyes. Pin stepped by Firey, panting. Had she ran all this way to help me? To fight on my side? Firey violently thrashed his tail side to side as Pin dug her claws into the dirt. Blood hung from the dog's mouth. That should be Clock's blood! Pin darted toward the two, pouncing as she sunk her jaws into the second's back. Claws gripping it's fur. The dog whined silently as it violently snapped at Pin. Firey watched as he bolted towards the first dog. The dog got away, fear in it's eyes. It's not gonna bark? Firey slammed himself into the other dog's chest. He ripped at it's throat. The dog yowled as it tossed Pin off with a nip of her scruff. It bit into Firey's flank and frantically nipped at him, ripping the cat off and shaking him violently. Firey screeched, hooking it's right eye as the dog swung him away. It ran back to where it belonged. The furless.
They saw the two cats! Firey ducked into a bush as Pin bounded against the fence, fear surging through her. Blood exploded inside Firey's ears, his heart thumping lurchingly. A furless walked towards Pin. Pin's hackles rose as her eyes widened, she hissed, claws unsheathing. Oh no, she's fresh-kill!
The furless picked her up by her scruff, tossing them over their arms and detaining her. She dragged her claws across it's black coat, the two-legged furless running into his pelted-den. They've got Pin!

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