Roots of Earth ~ A Ninjago Fanfiction

Chapter 70: The Duel

Lightning Streak, who had been standing close by, heard these words. Her white and ginger-patched fur bristled angrily.

Eagle Talon heard this, too. He felt as if his blood had frozen in his body. He stiffened, feeling the hairs of his pelt raise up ever so slightly. He turned slowly and looked at the black and white cat.

Slowly he growled, "What did you say, Tall Ears?"

Tall Ears cast him a startled look and appeared uneasy—until he observed the expression of suppressed rage flaring in Talon's green eyes. He smirked and cocked his head patronizingly at Talon.

"Ohh, nothing, nothing at all. I was only saying how the tribe will be so much better off without Little Leaf around."

He raised his voice, so that cats nearby perked up and turned to see what the fuss was about. One of these was a black female, her eyes the same color as Talon's. Her forked tails twitched with interest. Black Blood hopped onto a nearby rock and ducked into the shadows at the edge of the cavern, watching the confrontation unobserved by her subjects.

"Yes," Storm Cloud joined in, sneering at Talon. "I don't know if it's just me, but when you two got back from the humans, it rather felt as if she had a hard time deciding whose side she was on—as if she didn't wish to be a Moon Tribe warrior anymore."

"Have you seen her?" Tall Ears challenged, enjoying the attention he was getting from the crowd. "She's half-hearted in warrior training. She's almost forgotten how to hunt, like a house cat! Her bedding reeks of human scent! If you ask me, Eagle Talon," he said loudly, tails waving in the air. "Your little sister's been living with humans for too long."

Eagle Talon forced himself to calm down, despite the heat of blood beneath his skin making his fur burn. He met Tall Ears's gaze coldly. "Like you know anything, Tall Ears. Ask any cat around here, and they'll tell you that Little Leaf is a good student who will make a great warrior of the Moon Tribe one day. Her loyalty is untested, and it doesn't need to be. This is her home."

"You say that, but do you know it?" Tall Ears said. "I mean, running off twice in a row... Are you sure she's not looking for something beyond our borders?"

"Something that only humans can offer?" Storm Cloud added.

Talon's heart was pounding with anger. His opened his mouth to retort, but Birch Tail's voice suddenly boomed, "That's enough out of you, Tall Ears!"

A small crowd had begun to gather during the young toms' confrontation. Now it parted for the older cat stepping up to them, glaring at Tall Ears and Cloud Storm. "When you question Little Leaf, you question me as her mentor. If you are truly concerned about Little Leaf, we can take this to Black Blood and request her opinion. Is that what you wish to do?"

Silence. Both Tall Ears and Cloud Storm looked away uneasily at the mention of Black Blood. Birch Tail snorted with undisguised disdain.

"That's what I thought. All talk and no claws. What a shining example you are to the young kits and students in this vicinity." He said scathingly, "If you two know what's good for you, you would make yourself useful and join a patrol. Otherwise I may decide that I should take this matter to Black Blood myself."

"All right, all right, we get it! We're going now." Cloud Storm dipped his head meekly and slunk away, tails down. Tall Ears hesitated, then turned to join his companion reluctantly.

Eagle Talon sighed quietly, shoulders slumping. He turned away, too, already trying to think of a task he could do to get his mind off the unfriendly confrontation. Just when he took but a few paw-steps away, however, Tall Ears' voice hissed again.