sʜᴇʟʟ sʜᴏᴄᴋ [warrior cat fanfiction]

prologue.

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❝ ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ ❞

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The moon was at it's fullest, casting light down onto the forest. Far below, half-hidden in the dark dusky trees, was two massive lines of cats, all bristling and all with their hackles raised. The moon's lustrous gleam was caught by the unsheathed claws of the cats. Their eyes were wild and stubborn, their claws glinting and showing their desire for blood.

"You can surrender now and avoid another bloodbath. Haven't we had enough of those?" One voice cut through the growling of the warriors. It came from a sleek, long-haired, muscled black mackerel tabby tomcat with golden eyes flashing in the darkness.

Another voice, more feminine and smooth, replied, "You would like that, wouldn't you, Hornetstar?" Her voice was hard and cold, quieter than the tomcat's but demanding attention.

"I know you are scared," Hornetstar snarled. "A new leader like you, Seedstar." A scorching sneer crawled across his face and he flexed his claws into the ground. They made a wet squelching noise as they sunk into the muddy grass.

A blaze lit the other leader's eyes. Murderous intent had taken it's toll on he and powered her muscles and she bunched her legs and sprang forward, seemingly to get onto Hornetstar's back. His dodged with ease, calculating the attack with cold eyes.

"Attack!" Seedstar yowled, jumping back to attack again.

Both sides were immediately spurred into motion. Cats fell upon each other and blood spattered the ground almost instantly. Warriors slipped in the puddles of gathering blood, turned inky-black from the night. But they continued to get up, fighting for their lives and their Clan.

Seedstar and Hornetstar rolled around on the ground, grappling each other and landing blows wherever they could. Two cats broke away from the throng, gasping for their breath. A few seconds of the battle felt like moons to them, as it did to all the warriors.

"Beenose!" one cat meowed urgently, his voice halting and choppy. His pelt was white, splashed with brown tabby markings, and his dark brown eyes were directed towards the golden bengal cat. "Are we supposed to kill?"

Beenose hesitated, his bengal pelt spiking with worry. "Affirmative. If they're aiming to kill, so should we. And they are." He pushed down his obvious displeasure at the idea, his neck fur bristling.

"But that's against the warrior code!" the brown tabby protested. A long, drawn-out screech sounded from the battlefield, and both cats winced.

With a sigh, Beenose drew himself up to his full height, amber eyes blazing like blood moons. "You will do what I say. I don't like this idea more than you, but we need to survive. I'm your lieutenant and you will listen to me. Make sure to tell the other cats." He stalked away and back into the battle without a word, his claws unsheathed and tail lashing.

The tabby warrior gazed at the fighting cats for a moment; it looked like a great, writhing centipede; and shuddered. A shiver ran down his spine but he brushed his fear away and bounded back into the battle, his eyes turned dark red from reflecting the blood splashed on the ground.