Falling Sky

Chapter 10

"SilverShade! I have a report!" Bean called. SilverShade paused and waited for the small ginger tom to catch up.

"Yes?"

He skidded to a stop, panting. As if suddenly realizing he was in front of the leader, he straightened awkwardly.

"Er- We scented rogues on our territory!" He mewed, his head erect and his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Is it those city rats again?" SilverShade growled, lashing her tail.

"Er- no, we didn't recognize them." Bean stuttered hanging his head.

"Take me there." She ordered, making the small tom jump. He nodded quickly and pointed with his tail.

"This way!" He mewed, trailing behind SilverShade as she walked.

"You have to lead the way, I can't follow you when you're behind me." SilverShade mewed scornfully, her head hanging low as she walked, scenting the ground.

"Yes!" Bean squeaked and scampered a little way ahead of her.

SilverShade watched him as they ran through the icy forest, snow dust stirring beneath their paws as they dodged around dark leafless trees as they ran.

"Here!" He mewed, whispering loudly. SilverShade stopped and looked out from behind a tree. There was nothing.

She stepped forward and sniffed the ground curiously, and her back arched.

"SilverShade, are you okay?" Bean asked, stepping forward, his soft cream colored paws barely denting the thin layer of ice encrusted snow.

She said nothing, but her piercing blue eyes penetrated the darkness of the forest. Her eyes finally rested on one spot, and her lips curled back to reveal sharp fangs. "Come out." She growled.

Bean also turned and faced the spot his leader was looking at. Three shapes peeled themselves away from the darkness.

"You really couldn't get anymore cats to join you?" SilverShade jeered.

"This is enough to defeat you." SharkTooth hissed, lashing her tail and snapping her jaw. SilverShade didn't recognize the slim black she cat beside her sister, but knew Spark's pelt on sight.

"We can do this, right Bean?" SilverShade mewed encouragingly to the small tom.

"Yes! Your SilverShade after all!" He mewed, though his eyes were wide with fear as he looked at the three menacing she-cats, all larger and fiercer than him.

"And you're Bean." SilverShade purred, though her eyes were still fixed on her sister.

The small tom looked at her with honored surprise and smiled.

"This is very touching and all, but I believe in getting right to business." The black she-cat mewed. SilverShade felt more on edge in the face of this rogue than she ever recalled being in her lifetime, she carried a dark, unearthly presence.

"Sure, why not?" SilverShade hissed, lashing her banded tail with violent excitement.

"You cheeky-" The black she-cat didn't get to finish her sentence, SilverShade having launched her self over the distance between them and slamming her against a tree so hard a bit of bark shook free. The black she-cat clenched her teeth in fake pain, then kicked her off with surprising power.

"Rude." SilverShade growled, wiping a small trickle of blood from her mouth with a black paw. She caught a glimpse of Bean tousling with SharkTooth and Spark, both larger than him. SilverShade glanced at the black cat and leapt onto her sister's back, digging her teeth into her ginger scruff and rolling her to the ground, kicking the spitting golden tabby off of her into the black cat.