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A/N: Gah! What kinda crap was I on when I wrote this chapter? Worst one yet.
Random note: Just something I decided to say: wasn't sure exactly how to stage this, but then an evil little creep with cross-dressy fur marched into my head, and demanded attention. Thus began Nurko.
Another note: Every ten votes, the poll changes.
Page Nineteen
The position of medicine cat was ideal for those who didn't want to have to choose between pacifism and service. medicine cats were supposed to be peaceful, and avoid conflict. However in Ariya's opinion, that was no excuse for not having the skills to defend oneself if need be.
And at that moment, her opinion served her well.
The bigger she-cat was trying to pin her down and tear her throat. Ariya knew a wide array of fighting moves, but she lacked the physical power to pull most of them off.
Ariya tried to roll, and get her attacker to loosen her grip, but the large cat had fought many more battles than she had.
Then the other cat was gone. Ariya got up, and saw yet another cat fighting with her. Then she remembered the others, and sprang over to help Hana.
The youngest of the three she-cats, luckily, had gotten the smallest, weakest of the three attackers.
Then another cat, a lean grey she-cat, strode out of the thicket, grabbed Hana's attacker and dragged him off of her.
Ariya saw that no cat was helping Rist, but when she turned to help the older medicine cat, she wasn't able to choke back a gasp of horror and sorrow. Rist was dead, and the ginger large tom that had killed her was slinking toward Ariya with a murderous gleam in his eye.
Ariya crouched and flattened her ears, making a low whining growl in her throat. She was frightened, but not quite ready to give up, when she felt a brush of fur at her side. Hana was standing beside her, and beside Hana were the two cats that had helped them, and to Ariya's amazement, one of the attackers, though now that she had a good look at him, she realized that like her own student, he couldn't be much older than a training-kit.
"Well," growled the tom-cat that had saved Ariya. "There's five of us, and your friend ran away. Are you going to run too?"
The opposing tom weighed his options, then made for a hole in the bramble. The gray she-cat sprang to cut him off, but he was closer to the hole, and got away. She spat and stalked over to the others.
"Sorry, but he's not worth it. We came as more of messangers than rescuers anyway."
The dark brown tabby tom she had come with nodded. "Sydraz threatened us. He caught the three of us, Myself, Kerro, and Lota, while we were out looking for herbs. I'm a medicine cat. My name is Jurasen."
It took Ariya a moment to recall the first thing Jurasen had said. "Sydraz?"
"Yes," the dark tabby answered.
Hana gasped. "But then he's--all this time--Sydraz is planning to kill us?"
"Not, kill you," growled Lota, the gray she-cat." Just take over this clowder, though he said something about the time, and an added bonus. Not sure what that was about."
"He meant us," Ariya said flatly. "We were staying with this clowder for a while. We're travelling because our home was invaded. So right now, if Sydraz's attack is successful, he'll have an extra clowder under his command."
"His attack will be sooner than you think," stated Jurasen. "He told Kerro and those two thugs we chased off to come here and kill all the medicine cats so you wouldn't be able treat any injuries mid-battle, so he's probably planning to attack tonight, tomorrow, or the night after that at the very latest.
"Being a medicine cat myself, I could not let that happen, so when I heard of it, I Went straight to Lota. I would've gotten more help, but I wasn't sure if I could trust any of the other cats around there."
Lota nodded. "Most of my agreeing to come was that I didn't want Kerro to have to kill a cat for such a stupid reason. I've always been attached to him, and I'm not sure why."
Kerro nodded. "I-I didn't want to have to kill any cats either. I don't like fighting, I really don't. I only agreed to help Sydraz 'cause he said he'd kill my family if I didn't."
Hana padded over, and gave the distressed tabby a comforting lick.
Ariya perked up suddenly. "We've wasted too much time. We should warn Merra and Oneric."
She turned to the exit, but didn't need to go any further. Fedrin, having slept through the whole fight, had finally woken due to an unpleasent dream, and heard voices outside the hollow. He had gone to investigate, and at the sight of his teacher, lying on the ground with her throat torn, he gave a wail that sent birds flying for miles.
 Lupine Pyrefly · Thu Oct 20, 2005 @ 01:18am · 0 Comments |
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