Riversplash's Defeat (plan on finishing soon)

Chapter eleven

Riverpaw's words were caught in his throat, like a thorn trapped within some cats pad.

What could he possibly say to these cats? He didn't want to let the pretty she-cat down. She was his friend. At least for now. When he becomes a warrior he will confess how much he's mooned over her. He just hoped she felt the same way.

"I'm not sure if I can. That would be a betrayal to my clan." He blurted on instinct, immediately regretting the words pouring from his mouth.

His true feelings told him there must be some way to help both, but these rogues were making it hard to help since Iceclaw didn't want him hanging around them.

Yet, here I am, helping out a bunch of rogues and probably betraying my clan. He pondered stifling a deep sigh.

The rogues around him stiffened.

"Why not? Surely if we were in and out quickly it wouldn't hurt anyone. It's just a couple of fish." An orange-and-brown tom Zinnia has introduced to him as Kelp meowed, approaching with claws unsheathed.

Riverpaw gulped, backing up slightly.

Kelp chuckled, shoving him lightly with his shoulder. "Calm down, Paws of the River. I don't bite. Unless it's delicious." The tom meowed, waving his tail in the air.

He then lifted a paw and licked it, pressing it against his cheek; he rubbed his cheek with it, getting spit all over his face.

Riverpaw's tail went between his legs. "Right." He meowed.

His ears went down.

He really didn't like the way this cat acted sometimes.

"Like I said," Kelp continued. "It wouldn't hurt. What are you afraid of? Being kicked out? Hah! That's a good one! You're the one risking everything to come here. And just when I thought we were beginning to be friends too. What a shame. Looks like we will have to go to bed starving again. Who knows who's going to die next. And...it will all be your fault, you selfish apprentice. Do you hate us that much?" He growled, getting close enough to Riverpaw.

Riverpaw felt his hot breath on his whiskers and cheeks.

Riverpaw felt his heartbeat thump against his chest. It was so loud he was afraid Zinnia and the rest of the rogues could hear how terrified he was. For both their well being and his life.

It was just enough to convince him.

He heaved another sigh.

Zinnia approached, pity in her gaze.

She separated the two toms with her own body.

"Don't harass him, Kelp. He doesn't have to do anything if he doesn't want to." She meowed kindly, offering the young tom a friendly nod.

Riverpaw's heart leapt.

It was just enough to convince him even more than he was already convinced. Yes, I will help Zinnia. Maybe then I will be viewed as a hero, and then...I can show Iceclaw just how wrong she is about rogues. Not all rogues are evil!

Riverpaw nodded to himself. He would help them.

"No, no. Kelp is right. A few missing fish isn't a big deal. As long as not all of them are gone." Riverpaw agreed.

Kelp chuckled wrapping a paw around Riverpaw, drawing him close enough to make him gag at the tom's bad breath.

"That's a good Paw of the River. You do this and we will be set for winter—er Leafbare as your weird clans call it." Kelp meowed, backing up now that Riverpaw agreed to do it.