𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: 𝑨 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒄

Chapter 6

Let them hate me provided that they fear me.

━─┉┈┈◈❖◈┈┈┉─━

When Maplepaw's eyes groggily opened, she stretched slightly and blinding white-hot pain shot through her entire body.

"Well, this is just going to be joyful to move around in," she snapped at herself before hauling her body forwards without mercy.

Every step was followed by a sharp stab of pain that shot through her like a bolt of lightningand Maplepaw gritted her teeth as she dragged her body forwards. Running for hours on end was something to be left for WillowClan. Not for MistClan. Not for her.

Maplepaw grumbled to herself as she marched forwards, stomping down heavily with every step. Her priority right now was to find something to eat. Her stomach snarled in agreement and she rolled her eyes as she dug her claws into the dirt.

[TIMESKIP]

It was nearly sun-high and Maplepaw could smell prey and...dog? That was an interesting combination, to say the least. However, Maplepaw's stomach led her there, and before her mind could even protest, sombre-grey slabs were looming over her. Maplepaw ventured in, her hunger not allowing her to do anything otherwise and her eyes immediately began to sweep around, hoping to find something salvageable to eat. Her gaze stopped on a dead sparrow and she pounced on it, her instincts immediately taking over, the pain in her body forgotten and in just a few seconds, what previously was a sparrow was reduced to a pile of thin, scraggly bones.

Maplepaw inhaled heavily. Being full had never felt so good to her as it did just then. Maplepaw still gnawed on the bones to lick out the marrow. However, only moments later did she begin to hear the commotion around her.

She stared up at a ring of enraged dogs. Their barks, growls and snarls were growing louder by the second before a particularly sharp and piercing bark silenced them all. The voice yapped three times before all of the dogs dropped their heads and left her alone, their tail between their legs. When the voice barked for the last time, Maplepaw was certain that a meow was laced behind it.

Confused and frightened by the sudden turn of events, Maplepaw fled, slower than what she would've liked. She bit down on her tongue as she ignored the violent stabs of pain in her sides and didn't stop to catch her breath.

She only slowed down once she had arrived in a sunny meadow. Her entire body ached and she knew it was only a matter of time before she wrecked it beyond repair. It was strange for her, not to have Silentpaw around, checking her and constantly giving her advice.

Her ears pricked up when a sound floated by. It didn't sound threatening. It sounded angelic and soft. Maplepaw was intrigued and stalked closer to the sound.

She saw a brown tabby she-cat frolicking through the meadows, singing and laughing as if she had no care in the world. Maplepaw ran after the cat. There was something about her that made her seem to familiar and yet, so foreign at the same time.

"Hello!" Maplepaw yowled at the cat, hoping to catch her attention, nearly face-planting into the grass from exhaustion and pain.

The brown tabby turned around gracefully and asked,

"Who are you and why do you seek me?"

Maplepaw stood there for a few second before saying,

"Um, you interest me?"

The tabby walked closer and said,

"You're a clan cat. Why so far away from home?"

Maplepaw shook her head and looked down at her paws. Her temporary exile was not something she wanted to discuss with anyone.