Warriors: FlightClan's Beginning

Chapter Fourteen

A tan tabby she-cat paced back and forth at the roots of a cypress tree. She was trying to calm her nerves, but it wasn't going well. Fresh didn't usually have nerves to calm.

"Fresh?" the deep voice of a gray tabby tom meowed. "It's almost time to start."

Fresh turned to face Fish, her green eyes shimmering with worry. "I know. I'm just, preparing what I'll say."

Fish gave her a disbelieving look. "Come on, you'll be fine. You're pretty persuasive. You convinced me, after all."

"Thanks, Fish," Fresh purred. The gray tabby froze and scoffed.

"I'm only saying that so this works. I don't want my treason to be for nothing," he hissed, regaining his usual demeanor. Fresh laughed.

"Ok, I think I'm ready," the tan tabby glanced around. "Have you seen Fly? I haven't seen her since I got here."

"Which one is she, again?" the gray tabby asked.

"Small, fluffy, tortoiseshell?" Fresh described her friend. "She is very loud."

Fish shrugged. "I think I heard some yelling by the Thunderpath, but it was a while ago."

Fresh shook her head. "I'm sure I'll see her."

Fresh took a deep breath, then padded to the side of the cypress tree facing the Twolegplace. She hopped up on a very low branch and looked out at all the cats.

There were so many. Fresh had never seen so many cats in one place. She could recognize Fly immediately. She was the one jumping up and down in excitement, her blue eyes shining. Fresh smiled to herself. She had needed that boost of confidence from her best friend.

"Hello, all! My name is Fresh, and I'm here to tell you all why we need to fight back against Vex," Fresh started, getting the attention of all the cats in the clearing. "You may think, 'Why should I care? Vex and his rogues don't affect me.' But that isn't true. Vex is ruthless. He will stop at nothing to take over the forest, and he won't be satisfied then. He'll start taking even the kittypets' food.

"Now, you may not believe me. I am just a kittypet. I haven't been there, and I don't know what it's like. But there is someone here who does. He can tell you exactly how Vex impacts all of us," Fresh projected, then motioned with her tail for Fish to join her. He looked skeptical at first, but leaped up on the branch next to her. Fresh heard a few small gasps when they saw Fish.

"Vex has ruined my life. I always thought he was the good guy, and by affiliation so was I. But what I didn't know was that Vex killed my family when I was a kit, just because they were in his way. Everything Fresh says is true. He won't stop for anything, unless we stop him first," Fish spat, his fur bristling. Fresh nodded her thanks, and Fish's copper eyes showed gratitude as well. Fish hopped off the branch. After a moment of debating it, Fresh followed him.

"So join the cause!" Fresh smiled, unsure exactly how to finish. "Does anyone have any questions?"

Fresh saw a few cats step forward. They glanced at each other before a ginger she-cat spoke. Fresh recognized her as Juniper.

"What about cats who have kits? I assumed we would be fighting Vex, but right now I just want to protect my kits," Juniper meowed worriedly. Two small kits wrestled at her paws. A dark brown she-cat gave her a sympathetic glance, then her eyes widened.

"Wait, you're Juniper!" the dark brown she-cat's hazel eyes were wide. Juniper looked suspicious for a moment before realization glowed in her green eyes.

"Wing! I worried about what had happened to you. Does that mean Hazel's here too?" Juniper asked, looking a bit more relaxed.

"Juniper!" a light brown she-cat purred and rubbed her head against Juniper.