Exile [A Warrior Cats AU fanfiction]

[12] Applefur

Hey guys!

I've been writing a lot recently, I'm working on a Pokemon dystopian region story too. I know not all of you may be Pokemon or dystopia fans but I hope you guys read it once I post it!^^

┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅┅

For a few days, they had travelled through a cornfield, admiring the tall, rough, green plants and the odd ground. Then over the hill to a farm, narrowly avoiding a tractor and being chased by dogs black and white dogs.

As the sunset the wandered into the barn. Luckily the farm cats were a little friendly and let them stay for a few days to rest and refuel. The grounds the group had travelled didn't have much prey so the cats were hungry. The Farm Cats warned them about a storm approaching, through something called a brightbox.

There many farm cats but the most notable ones were Grits, a grizzly old black and white tom who stayed out the way to instead, watch the travellers nervously and suspiciously from the rafters. Lady, a sweet, plump brown tabby molly with her son Rocky, an-apprentice-age, strong, brown-ginger tabby who was curious of the travellers. And finally Roxxie, a grey she-cat with intense amber eyes, who had taught them how to make nests.

Applfur carried a mouse, noticing Birchfall sitting on his own, listening to the rain lash against the wooden roof. She sat down beside him.

"This seems familiar!" The mottled brown molly chuckled.

Birchfall looked confused but then realisation hit him. "Oh! Barley's barn!"

Applefur took a breath, memories of playing in the hay with Birchfall- no, Birchkit and her brother.

"Applefur, is everything alright?" The light brown tom studied her face. "How's Toadfoot."

"Dead..." Her ears drooped. "Tallpoppy too."

The tom grimaced. "I lost Ferncloud in the battle."

The two felines stared at each other. They had all lost so much in the battle. Many of the ex-trainees had lost direct family, parents, younger littermates... Did the Dark Forest deliberately kill them to punish the cats who turned against them?

Nope. I'm overthinking this... It's only a coincidence.

Rocky tumbled over, breaking the tension between the two, straw tangled in his long, orange pelt.

"Hey! What are you two talking about?" The tom asked.

"Something personal." Birchfall nudged the mouse over to him. "Would you like to have some?"

"Thanks!" The tom piped up, taking a big bite. "Are you two mates?"

"No, no, no!" Applefur was flustered. "We're kithood friends."

"I have a mate back in my old home." Birchfall added.

"I'm so sorry!" Rocky squeaked, spitting out pieces of mouse.

"It's alright little one!" Applefur purred, her expression changed as she glanced at her friend.

I wonder how his mate feels. Her mate and both of her kits left the clan. Why didn't she go with her family?

The she-cat flicked her torn ear. His mate had plenty of reason to stay. She probably had her parents or didn't like the idea of wandering into the unknown.

"Or maybe she's loyal to her clan" a voice hissed in her head.

Applefur turned back to the two toms who were chatting about their favourite prey.

Rocky suddenly froze, the fur rising on his back staring at something behind her.

"Is everything alright, buddy?" Birchfall asked.

Rocky's brown eyes widened and he dug his little claws into the hay bale.

"Is it something in particular?" Birchfall asked. "Or is it just a weird feeling?"

"Something doesn't seen right with one of your friends. I don't like the way he is looking at me or my mother." The young tom stuttered. "He's behind you, Applefur. I don't know his name."

Must be a cat such as Thornclaw or Ratscar. She thought to herself. Both toms were suspicious of the Farm Cats.

The she-cat strained her neck to glance behind her. She didn't want to look to suspicious it whoever it was.

It was Harespring. He gazed over at the Farm Cats sitting together on the ground by the giant wooden door, watching the first flash of lightning in the distance.

Something seemed off about the tom's green gaze, something dark and hungry about it.

There was the roar of thunder and another flash of lightning lit up the spot where the brown and white tom sat. But she could swear she two dark shapes remain for a heartbeat.

One was a thin, lean cat with badly torn ears sitting behind Harespring's head. The second was a giant bushy feline, lashing its tail as it stood behind the tom.

As quickly as she spotted them, they were gone as the barn went dark.

She turned to Birchfall who had the same haunted look on his face, Rocky gazed at them confused.