insult to injury | 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜

chapter 13

"Holo." Cove warned.

"But it was just a rumor!" The little brown she-cat exclaimed. "Cats talk just to hear themselves talk 'round here."

"I never would've thought so many could have no sense of personal thought." Frostfall muttered. "They're all so easily influenced."

"If they're so easily swayed, why don't we manipulate them into following us?" Fawnfreckle suggested.

Cove gave her a near-disgusted look. "What a patronizing thing to say."

"I mean, not really." Irisfrost shrugged. "We'd be manipulating them in a good way."

"How do you manipulate someone in a good way?" Ravendusk asked skeptically.

"Because it leads to a good cause." Fawnfreckle defended.

"So the end justifies the means, is what you're saying?" Cove asked. "I'm sure everyone who turned out like Ares said the exact same thing."

"Those don't even come close to correlating." Frostfall snapped, tail lashing slowly. "Don't make this into something it's not."

"Then enlighten me." Ravendusk retaliated, meeting his mate's feverish gaze. She was looking at him like he had killed her entire family.

"I mean," Cloudpaw spoke up, looking at Holo momentarily before letting his eyes fall back on the others, "if we can get out of here, then the means are justified. Besides, it's not manipulation, just insight. Get them to think on another course for once."

"I'm just tired of talking about it." Fawnfreckle groaned as she curled onto her back. "I want to do something. I need to."

At that, they all murmured agreement. Whether it was to go anywhere, Ravendusk wasn't sure. It was nice to dream, but dreaming could hurt more in the long run. Holding off on hope felt far more guarded then clinging to a sliver and having your heart shattered time and time again.

He thought about what Cloudpaw had said, and though he thought the words wise of such a youthful cat, he wasn't sure they held up.

These cats were born and raised in Central Point, being indoctrinated with these ideals since their earliest memories and having it deepened for many, many moons.

That kind of conditioning was solidified. Unbreakable.

~~~

Ravendusk couldn't tell if he was dreaming or not when he felt something nudging his cheek, mumbling inaudible curses until he felt someone ram harshly onto his side, jolting him up quickly as he focused his eyes on two tabby-patterned felines.

"What in StarClan's name was that about?" He whisper-screamed, ears pinned in frustration as Irisfrost laughed quietly.

"I have an idea." Fawnfreckle declared, but she didn't share her brother's amusement. Her eyes were wicked with excitement, the same way they'd glisten whenever she'd rush into battle or to a spar or whatever other dangerous situation she had found herself in.

"You don't say." The sable tomcat grumbled, not in the mood to give in to her frantic tendencies.

"Just hear her out, it's actually not that crazy." Irisfrost pleaded, so Ravendusk remained quiet and listened. But he made sure to have an angry expression. He didn't appreciate being woken up and he wanted to make that clear. Fawnfreckle didn't seem to care, nor her tabby counterpart.

"I was with Amaryllis, the little gray one from the initiation—" Fawnfreckle was cut off by Irisfrost who only muttered how she wasn't that little before he let her continue, "she mentioned that Ares was getting careless with the prisoned rebel— Hyacinth— mumbling on about how ignorant he was to the threat of her existence. Left her with only two guards. Two!" She exclaimed as quietly as she could. "If we want to even dream of going home, she's the cat we need to talk to."