Outcasted

Rain rattled on the roof that floated above the brown tom's head. He sighed, curling up into a ball of fluff as his tail wrapped delicately around him for warmth, pulling his paws close to him. I hate the rain.

It was dark; too dark to see anything. He needed a rest though he didn't particularly want to stop, but with it being so dark he gave in to second thoughts. His ears twitched and his head rose at the sound of a twig cracking.

''Now don't tell me I'm being watched. ''He frowned, guessing he wouldn't be able to sleep if there was another cat or perhaps even a fox or a badger trambling on twigs the whole night. His amber eyes were staring out into the darkness, though he failed to see any shapes moving distantly.

He didn't like the silence the forest brought as he stood to his paws, narrowing his gaze into icy slits. "Who’s out there?" he demanded, his voice a low, bitter growl. There was no reply. "Too scared to show yourself to me? What a shame."

A pair of bright blue eyes flashed in the dark ahead of him. He was almost caught by surprise—it didn’t last long as he had already half-expected that to happen—and his tail whisked behind him as he crouched low.

"Let’s see who’s really the scared one around here, shall we?" Ratfang yowled as something, light as a feather gliding through the wind, pounced onto his back and unbalanced him as he let out a hiss of fury.

"Mouse-dung!" he spat. He turned onto his back and saw a dark-furred she-cat standing over him, having him pinned, her blue eyes full of triumph yet carried the faintest suggestion of hostility. "Get off of me!"

"Now why would I when I can watch you struggle like a tipped-over turtle?" the she-cat asked, her whiskers twitching with amusement. Admittedly, Ratfang hadn't seen her as her mud-splotched pelt allowed her to blend more easily.

''Impressive. She could disguise her scent so I wouldn’t be able to detect her. She was also silent; I couldn’t have known she was sneaking up on me because she treaded lightly on the ground. ''He hid how impressed he was at the she-cat’s stalking skills.

"I was trying to sleep until you came and startled me," Ratfang muttered as the she-cat let him get up. He shook the dust that clung to his pelt off and stared at her as she was sitting down, giving her paw a quick lick.

"You’re not from around here, are you?" The she-cat's gaze was narrowed as her head fell to the side sightly.

"I am, actually. My name is Ratfang, and I’m a Shadow Cat." His gaze then filled up with sadness as he looked away. "Well, was."

"Was, eh?" The she-cat gave a thoughtful look. "You’re one of those cats that were exiled by that Sear tom, right? I’ve heard of you. I’m a Pine Cat. My name is Swift—

after the bird, before you ask."

"Fallenpetal mentioned you at a Gathering," Ratfang answered. "You haven’t proven you’re worthy to be a member. I can tell by your name as it doesn’t have a suffix yet."

"So what if I haven’t? Names aren’t all that important, you know." Swift's tail twitched irritably and Ratfang had noticed. She’s'' one of those short-tempered and easily annoyed cats. ''"Besides, I could happily live without having an extra word added onto my name, thanks."

<p align="CENTER">"I’ve never come across a cat who didn’t care about getting a full name." ''Perhaps this cat is different compared to the other Pine Cats. ''Pine Cats. The thought of the Pine made him think of his friend, Tallcloud, who lived there. He sighed; he missed the tom and wished he did join the Pine when the brown-and-white tom had offerred.

<p align="CENTER">"Why would you let an evil cat like Sear rule your Group, anyway?" Swift asked with slight interest, her eyes glowing. "It seems so . . . mouse-brained."

<p align="CENTER">"Sear’s not evil," Ratfang defended his former leader. ''May that statement is slightly true, but evil doesn't fit him well enough. ''"He’s just misunderstood. It’s not his own fault the other Groups are weak and give him the oppertunity to be battle-hungry."

<p align="CENTER">"Yeah, and hedgehogs will fly when Sear turns into a soft and warm-hearted cat like the rest of us!" Swift snorted. "Are you really that mouse-brained or what? Sear almost killed Mousetail, one of my campmates!"

<p align="CENTER">"And Mousetail deserved it for trespassing and provoking my Group." All cats assume Sear’s evil when they don’t ''know him. Why can’t they see being battle-hungry isn’t a bad thing? ''"And also, being battle-hungry doesn't mean a cat has to be evil."

<p align="CENTER">"Yes, it does. Honestly, Ratfang, has the Shadow been feeding you thistledown instead of normal prey?" Swift let out a sigh. "You’re a naive cat."

<p align="CENTER">"Am not!" Ratfang flashed. "It’s just you’re making assumptions—like every other cat at the lake—about my leader. You will know what he is like when you actually know him better."

<p align="CENTER">"You don’t have a leader," Swift pointed out. "You’re a loner. Loners have no cat to tell them what to do and when to curl up in their nests." Ratfang didn't argue with her. It was true. "Now isn’t there supposed to be more cats with you?"

<p align="CENTER">"There was," Ratfang admitted, "but they’re gone. There was Jackdaw, but he got scared off by an eagle that soared the skies earlier . . ."

<p align="CENTER">"That’s such a pity," Swift mewed in the most unsympathetic way ever. "Well, good night, Ratfang! Hope I don’t give you unpleasant dreams." The she-cat curled up in the moss nest, covered with several bird feathers, Ratfang had laid out for himself.

<p align="CENTER">The tom let out a low growl when the golden cat made herself comfortable, stretching herself out so there was no room for him to get at least half-on.