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Exile, Chapter 1 (LeafClan fanfic) |
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As the river rushed over rocks and through reeds, lulling the rest of RiverClan to sleep, a lone feline figure slunk among the shadows of a near-full moon. Her glossy tortoiseshell pelt shone in the moonlight, and in her jaws she carried a small item dripping with liquid. It felt frosty on her teeth, and she she shivered, though more from anticipation than the cold. She knew the path by memory, so that even on a moonless night she would have been able to navigate around every reed and rock. Her paws slid over the slippery rocks of the river and through the icy water with ease, but Leafpelt's mind was filled with second thoughts, fueled by anxiety. The young RiverClan warrior paused for a few heartbeats. Her green eyes peered into the water thoughtfully, and her reflection stared back up at her. Should I be doing this? I could get in a lot of trouble...Flamespirit would not like this at all. I'm already not that popular with the Clan's deputy. Nah. It's worth it. She shook her head and continued on her way. Besides, it seems that there's no justice or reason in all the Clans other than me. She traveled through Clan territory persistently until she reached the shadowy camp. Leafpelt stood at the edge of the camp, looking down at the sleeping Clan apprehensively. She was afraid she would be scented and caught before she could complete her mission, and her fear grew when she noticed a strong-looking warrior standing guard over his Clan just tail-lengths away. How would she sneak past him without being seen? Leafpelt tiptoed past the guard ever so cautiously, hidden among the shadows made by the moonlight. On closer look she discovered his eyes closed. She exhaled in relief. Ha, asleep! With less care she entered the camp. Crack. Leafpelt flinched, her heart pounding. Her eyes darted back to the sleeping guard. The snapping of a frost-covered twig by Leafpelt awoke the sleepy warrior; with a yawn he looked drowsily in her direction. She cowered behind the Clan's nursery. Oh, mouse-brained, mouse-brained, this was a mouse-brained plan, I'm so mouse-brained... It seemed more like moons than heartbeats until the warrior looked away again, and Leafpelt relaxed silently. She softly padded around the camp until she picked out the warriors' den in the dim silver light. She poked her head inside. Now the trickiest part comes, she realized. Finding one warrior without waking the entire Clan. Leafpelt stepped carefully between countless piles of sleeping fur until she stood over a young black she-cat. Her night-black pelt was flecked with white fur, like snow had fallen on her and stuck there permanently. With a mischievious grin, Leafpelt slipped her bundle, a pawful of moss dripping with freezing river water, next to her littermate Snownight's belly. Before her sister's inevitable yowling would wake all of RiverClan, she glided among her Clanmate's nests to her own and tried to act asleep. She fought hard to control her breathing and rein in her racing heart. Before long, a startled hiss shattered the silence of the warriors' den. "Snake! There's a wet, slimy snake in my nest!" Leafpelt buried her muzzle in her nest to hold back her giggles. She delighted in the feeling of fulfillled revenge. Ha! No cat messes with Leafpelt and gets away with it! Next to her, a gray tabbly she-cat tensed and looked sleepily at Leafpelt. "Wha-what's goin' on?" She blinked at Leafpelt. "Nothing, Tigerdawn," Leafpelt replied. She tried to hide her grin. "Just go back to sleep." Tigerdawn looked slowly at Leafpelt, blinked again, then turned her attention to Snownight. She found the black she-cat staring at the ball of soaked moss, shaking in confusion and just a bit of fear, and muttering, "What in StarClan..." "Oh." Tigerdawn rest her head back on her paws. Soon she was fast asleep again. Hmph, such an earlybird, Leafpelt thought, and yet at night she can hardly keep her eyes open. She relaxed in her nest and stretched her forelegs far in front of her. Maybe I should remember that next time she wakes me at sunrise a little too cheerfully. Eventually, the chaos in the warriors' den had finally settled down, and Leafpelt had barely closed her eyes, when... "Leafpelt!" Leafpelt barely had time to open her eyes and brace herself for the attack before Snownight slammed into her. The force knocked the breath out of her. "Umph!" Leafpelt found herself shoved against Tigerdawn. The tabby she-cat stood up quickly, her pale blue eyes scorching. "Hey!" she hissed. "Apprentices, I swear...!" She stormed off, muttering annoyedly something about the river being a better place to sleep. Leafpelt watched her best friend walk away. "Sorry, Tiger-" She was unable to finish, and her head spun with the shock of a quick, unanticipated strike; Snownight stood over Leafpelt proudly, pinned her down with one forepaw, and raised the other above Leafpelt's face. "Has Flamespirit taught you nothing?" she taunted. "Never look away from your opponent!" Snownight laughed, relaxing her grip on Leafpelt. Leafpelt saw one opportunity to escape. She kicked sharply with a hind leg, squirmed from Snownight's grasp, and unbalanced the black warrior's forelegs by kicking her hind legs against Snownight forcefully. Snownight had not expected her littermate to counter-attack so swiftly; she knelt on the ground, watching Leafpelt with stunned blue eyes. "Didn't Branchclaw teach you anything? Never underestimate your opponent." Leafpelt grinned. "Mouse-brain," Snownight spat. She let out an unexpected, playful purr that held a hint of sisterly annoyance. "Why did you put that wet moss in my nest?" Leafpelt held her head high and said innocently, "I'm sure I don't know what you're mewing about. But it does sound like you got what you deserved, after stuffing my mouse with some of Starlingfeather's herbs. I can still taste that nasty stuff!" "You rude little...!" Snownight spat, cuffing her sister on the head playfully. "You're the only one who knows how afraid I am of little creatures wriggling around in my nest at night. Imma get you for that-" "Yeah, right!" Leafpelt replied. She ducked from Snownight's paw, but failed. "Gotta catch me first!" She turned and lept over a sleeping cat - only to land on another. "Umph!" a bright ginger tom growled. Leafpelt cowered behind the sleeping gray form of Cloudfur. Oh, no, now I'm in trouble... StarClan knows what consequences she would face for disturbing Flamespirit, the deputy of RiverClan!
bravefire43 · Wed Aug 10, 2011 @ 05:08am · 0 Comments |
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