Chapter Five

'''Adderfang stiffened. The last thing he wanted was the Vistors to stay, and to end up putting up with Tigerfrost's constant recalling of old memories. ''No, they can't stay here! ''"That would be wonderful!" Silverfeather purred, giving a slight bounce.'''

'''"I would miss this place if I left for even longer," Tigerfrost admitted. "I have been missing it, too, when I was back in my territory. I couldn't wait to come back to the Pine, but now . . . I really want to stay, if Lionclaw would allow it."'''

'''"Of course he would! I mean, Lionclaw's a nice tom and I'm sure he would let you stay if you really wanted to." Adderfang tried to hide his misery though he believed Roseheart caught it. ''No! Now the Pine is going to be even worse with them and Russetsky being here! '

'''"Come with me," Silverfeather carried on. "Let's go find Lionclaw and then talk to Fallenpetal about it. I'm sure she would be nice enough to let you stay, that is if she doesn't eat all the fresh-kill from the pile." '''

'''Adderfang stared in silence as he watched the two cats walk away. He half-expected Roseheart to say something to him but instead the pale ginger she-cat stalked off.'''

'''"Hey, Adderfang." Oakpelt stretched his face to gnaw at a flea that was in his fur, and then Adderfang heard his tounge lap against his fur as he began licking it ferociously. "How are you?" ''Could things get any worse? '

'''"I'm fine," Adderfang grunted. "I'm going hunting. It's boring here." Oakpelt blinked and was about to say something, though instead he just resumed biting at the flea. '''

'''Adderfang drew out a heavy sigh as he stalked back out of the thorn barrier. ''Tallcloud, who was still guarding the camp, swung his head to  look at him. "Where are you going now?" he asked.'

'''"Hunting," Adderfang replied. "Oh, and the Visitors now want to stay with us. I'm not staying in camp with them any longer." '''

'''"I don't mind the Visitors," Tallcloud admitted. "But I'd sure love to go hunting." '''

"Then you can come with me," Adderfang suggested, brightening up slightly as he expected the large tom to come, though he stayed put much to his disappointment.

'''Tallcloud shook his head. "I have to guard the camp," he answered. "I'll come with you the next time you decide to go hunting." ''Great. '

'''Adderfang flicked a goodbye with his tail as he stalked up the slope of fallen leaves and grass. He felt the tips of each blade of grass brushing gently against his fur and had almost forgotten about how long the grass was.'''

'''He began heading towards the dead tree that led the way across a gully to acess the deeper part of the Pine. He went through the hole in the centre of it and padded along the bark. It was darker in there as there were no rays of light that could seep through the cracks.'''

'''Each time he went through the dead tree, he usually felt surprised at how long it was when walking through it compared to staring at it. The light blinded him for a short amount of heartbeats as he stepped out of it.'''

'The forest always looks beautiful,'' he thought to himself. ''I'm glad I am a Pine Cat and no other type of cat otherwise I'd have never seen such a sight. The birdsong he heard when returning from the Moor had stopped as well as the rustle of leaves.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'''He didn't like the silence one bit. The undergrowth, sheeted with more fallen leaves, lay ahead. The scents of prey mingled, fresth, and batted at  his nose like a wave of water flooding the forest. Sound still didn't rumble through the forest as he treaded towards the undergrowth in search for prey to claim as fresh-kill, until suddenly, heartbeats later, a twig cracked, followed by the rustling of leaves.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''He stopped dead in his tracks, looking around as a strange feeling began bottling up inside him. ''Why is this so strange to me? ''he wondered. Something definitely did not feel right though he couldn't get why. '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"You're mine!" He let out a yowl as alarm built up inside him quickly, being thrown off his paws as they slid from underneath him. He felt a paw being held down with a lot of pressure on his neck, stopping him from getting up, though in the next few heartbeats he felt three other paws step onto him. "Kittypet!"'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"What? Get off me!" Adderfang spat, feeling terrified. The voice, triumphant, belonged to a she-cat. '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"Why should I when I could easily make good use of you as fresh-kill? A rogue has to eat at some point too, you know." The cat stepped off of him and Adderfang scrambled back onto his paws. The cat was dark golden, her eyes a bright blue as she sat on her haunches and gave her paw a quick lick.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''He noticed the cat looked so thin her bones were about to burst from her skin. Her fur was matted and it was clear she hadn't groomed herself properly for a while. She had a scar that parted some fur on her shoulder. He felt disgusted at the state the cat was in.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'Now I am glad I'm not a rogue or a loner! ''he thought. "Why are you in the Pine?" he questioned, trying to hide his fear though he guessed the stranger picked up his fear-scent. "Rogues don't belong here." The last time he had heard of a rogue being in the territory was when he was five moons old, near old enough to leave the camp he was confined in. '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''He had no idea why that cat would be in his territory. The she-cat looked up at him, tipping her head to the side. "You own this territory?" she asked puzzledly. "I'm so very sorry, but it's not yours. It'll be mine when I'm finished with a kittypet like you."'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"Kittypet!" Adderfang snarled, his lips curled back. He felt the fur along his back bristle as he met the she-cat's hostile gaze. "I'm a Pine Cat!"'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"I don't really care. I'm a rogue and your business is none of mine. Now allow me to hunt peacefully and I may just spare your life by not eating you." Though her tone was serious, she looked as though she were teasing him. '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'This cat is annoying already! ''Without thinking, and while the rogue seemed too occupied to notice he was there, Adderfang sprung onto her narrow dark back. She dropped down like a stone as Adderfang was about to silce his claws across her throat until she summonded enough stength to send him flying of fher.

<p style="text-align: center;">'''She stood to her paws in an instant, her fur spiking up to the point she looked bigger than what she actually was. "Think that'll ensure you an easy victory?" she questioned, her tail lashing from behind her. "Think again!"'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''The cat lunged at him and she turned and flicked out his legs, catching her on the cheek. But the rogue seemed dauntless for she didn't get sent running, and instead, as she was leaping through the air, struck her claws across Adderfang's face viciously, then kicking out her back legs into his belly as he was about to fall back.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"Oo-oof!" Adderfang crashed to the ground, making a brief thump as he landed in a pile of leaves. Feeling determined to take down the cat to prove he was the best cat, he forced himself back onto his paws, hissing and spitting out several dusty leaves that had fallen into his open jaw.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''The rogue reared and leaped out at him, sinking her teeth around his leg as he yelped. He spun and thrusted out his other leg, hitting her in the face. He didn't feel as much pain though it still stung as the cat lost her grip. '''

<p style="text-align: center;">She had been flipped onto her back and without wasting a single moment, Adderfang sprung and landed on her, holding one paw down on her throat so she wouldn't wriggle, though she fought back to try sitting up, though Adderfang would not allow that.

<p style="text-align: center;">'''The dappled she-cat's face was twisted with battle rage as she kicked her paws into his belly fur and then raked them down, tearing off clumps of his belly fur. Despite the pain that raged through  him, he tried ignoring it. What mattered most was defeating this cat, who believed she owned his territory and his birthplace. He could not allow such a rogue to state that in front of him.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'This cat can fight for an outsider to the Groups! ''he thought with surprise. As strong as she was compared to him, Adderfang knew she wouldn't give up until every droplet of blood she had within her was spilled onto the ground.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"Give up?" he asked as the cat had stopped wriggling. Perhaps she did come to realize she was no match for a Pine Cat. He half-expected her to bite at his throat as he only just realized how exposed he had left it though she didn't seem to take the oppertunity. "This is Pine Cat territory, not rogue territory."'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"I wouldn't count on that if I were you." Adderfang blinked and within the next heartbeat, he found himself being kicked halfway across the clearing, pain clinging onto his belly as it ached more than he had experienced whilst battling. He groaned as he fell onto his side, sore.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'She is strong, ''he commented, full of surprise as he had always believed rogues, loners and even kittypets couldn't put up a decent enough fight. But this cat had proven him wrong''. She could easily shred me right now! He craned his head to spot the she-cat giving her scar quick licks as it must have been reopened. But I can't give up. The Pine wouldn't be pleased with me; and Fallenpetal wouldn't be pleased. '

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Fear suddenly gripped at his fur as the thought of dying under this rogue's paws crossed his mind. ''What if she does kill me? What about my friends? He swallowed nervously as he faced a struggle to get onto his paws again.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'''The rogue had stopped licking her wound and casted the thick gray tom a cold glare. "Mouse-dung!" she spat. "Look what you've done! This stupid scar that got healed is opened once again because of a sparrow-brain like you!" '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'Sparrow-brain? ''"Are you going to kill me?" his voice was a quiet whimper. He didn't even intend on showing his fear to her as it was a sign of weakness. A growl came from not the dappled rogue's throat, but her belly, and her blue eyes were pained. Is she really that thin because she's starving?'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"I think I've battered you like crowfood enough for one day," she replied and settled onto a patch of grass, licking her fur that stuck all over the place, and was half-torn from the battle. "And you don't really seem worth it." '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Though he was still in pain, he knew his fur was thick enough from stopping him from recieving severe enough scratches from the fight. He sat up, feeling blood oozing from the wounds he had been delivered. "My name is Swift." She was scratching at her fur with annoyance, seemingly too distracted by it. "Ah, fox-dung to that!"'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'Has she got fleas? ''Adderfang frowned. If she did, then he guessed he would have been likely to pick some up after fighting against her. "You're going to make your scar worse," he mewed to her.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Swift stopped and stared at him, hissing, "I don't care fluffball! Just shut up and leave me be." '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Adderfang let out a sigh. He knew it would get infected but he couldn't just act kindly to a cat who attacked him out of nowhere. "Fine," he muttered, and was about to walk away until Swift called out to him.'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"You don't have any prey that isn't off, have you?" Her ribs showed beneath her pelt and his flanks were tucked up with hungry. She looked desperately at him. "I need to eat something. It can be my reward for not sending off a pipsqueak like you." '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Adderfang halted and spun round, flattening his ears against his head and forced his fur to lie flat, though he couldn't  do it successfully. "No," he replied coldly. "Help yourself to some prey out of anywhere but the Pine. You're not welcome to it."'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''A low growl escaped from Swift's throat. "You don't get it, do you? I was forced out of my home because of a bunch of cats who then made theirselves welcome in it. They must've scared off all the prey because I haven't had a good bite in ages." Her gaze was clouded with sadness as she sighed. "I came here--before I did--at the River and then that moor, but they all chased me out before I could catch something plump. Give a prey to a starving cat, will you?"'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Adderfang, as much as he disliked it, felt sorry for the she-cat, his amber gaze that was once full of hostility and coldness for the cat softening. "I'm sorry about your home," he mewed pitifully. ''Could she possibly be talking about Mud and his cats? They seem fox-hearted enough to do that to a poor cat. . . .'

<p style="text-align: center;">'''Swift shook her head. "I don't need your sympathy," she spat. "Why would you care about my problems? It's nothing that should concern you. Now since you refuse to give me something, I suppose I'll go and starve to my death. Thanks for your help furball."'''

<p style="text-align: center;">'Why say that to me in the first place then? ''"You can stay for a while," he sighed, making Swift stop in her tracks. "But not long." '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''The she-cat looked slightly grateful. "Thank you," she purred weakly. '''

<p style="text-align: center;">'''"What is your name again?" '''

<p style="text-align: center;">"Swift. My name is Swift. Were you deaf for several heartbeats when I told you the first time?"

<p style="text-align: center;">'Swift! That's the cat Jay's Song told me about! Adderfang realized. No wonder she was a strong opponent! '

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