Facing A Forest of Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Six

The sun was still low in the sky, the ocean still void of its light. Pineheart squinted at the mist that hovered over the waves. He almost imagined he could see Fable watching him from the haze, but as soon as he had blinked she was gone.

He had to rush to catch up, the patrol had drawn a short bit ahead. The docks came to an end abruptly, short grass taking its place. Here, Cairn turned and started to lead his group inland.

"It seems pretty quiet this morning," Elkleap purred. Right beside him, Raven nodded in agreement.

"Mornings are usually pretty peaceful," the black and white tom mewed.

Pineheart felt Stone's tailtip brush his nose, making him sneeze. He picked up his pace, coming to walk beside her.

The gray she-cat purred as he neared, "Tired of walking in the back by yourself?" she teased.

"Err.. I guess so," he puffed. Stone flicked her tail over his back, a playful gleam in her emerald eyes.

"Be alert!" Cairn called over his shoulder, "I can sent Cassius!"

The others fell silent, their eyes wide as they scanned the grassland for a gray and white pelt. They continued on their path, along the border they shared with the sneaky rogues.

Cairn lifted his muzzle, inhaling the scents on the air. Almost immediately, Cassius slunk out of the long grasses only a few fox lengths away.

"I would have thought after all these years you could tell when I am sneaking up on you," the massive gray and white tom snickered darkly.

"You shouldn't be trespassing on my land," Cairn growled, his tail twitching as he turned to face the intruder.

His patrol gathered at his sides, forming a fearsome battle line. In response, Cassius's rogues surged forward from the long grass to come and stand at his flanks.

"This looks bad," Stone whispered.

"But this was once my land," Cassius meowed, "so then I should be allowed to be here too, right?"

Cairn's hackles rose, a growl rumbling in his chest. "You gave up the right to be here when you wouldn't follow my leadership!" he snarled.

The rogues gazes glittered with malice as they stared at the Dockcats, their muscles tense as if poised to strike.

"How could I live under the rule of a negligent brother! You were supposed to be my equal but instead you let your position control you!" Cassius's voice rose to a yowl, his ears flat against his head.

"You were just jealous," Cairn sneered, "Fable knew I was destined to be leader!" At the mention of the dead she-cat, Cassius's eyes darkened.

"And you wonder why I hate you! You get all the love, all the attention! That's why when I had the chance to kill your precious mate, I took it!" He flexed his claws, sinking them into the dirt.

Stone growled beside Pineheart, her fur spiking all over. "Of course, I knew it was you who had killed her," Cairn growled, "who else would be content to kill such a delicate flower?"

His words were harsh, making Pineheart flinch. Their words were drenched with anger, such intense fury and hatred.

"Ahh, yes. Of course, she was such a delicate flower. Isn't it such a shame she had to wither in my shade.." with those words, Cairn yowled in overwhelming rage.

He charged forward, launching himself at the rogue leader. The rest of the Dockcats, along with Pineheart and Elkleap, also rushed forward to intercept the rogues.

Pineheart crashed into a well muscled, rusty orange tabby. Without hesitation, he reared back and slashed his claws down the rogue's flank. Beside him, screeches rang out as the others clashed in battle.

The rogue turned, his lips drawn back in a snarl as lunged and snapped his jaws down onto Pineheart's shoulder. He yowled in pain, feeling the rogue's teeth piercing his skin.

Twisting, he tried to knock the orange tabby onto its side. With a grunt, the rogue loosened his grip just enough for Pineheart to push forward and throw him onto the ground.

He raked his claws down the rogue's exposed belly fur. The intruder yowled as blood started to spring from its wounds. As it jumped up, it quickly turned and fled back towards the tall grass.

Pineheart turned to see how his companions were managing against the remaining rogues. Stone was gripped in a close combat with a slippery, dirt brown tom. Elkleap tumbled a few rabbit hops away with two smaller rogues, while Raven was facing off with a calico.

Pineheart raced towards Elkleap, intending to catch one of his enemies by surprise. But as he neared, he heard Cairn yowl in pain.

He whirled back around, shocked to see that Cassius had Cairn pinned to the ground. All the other Dockcats were too caught up in battle, only Pineheart could do anything to stop him.

He crouched low, ready to launch himself at the gray and white rogue. But before he had the chance, the rogue he had been fighting reappeared from the shadows and leapt onto his back. The breath flew out of him as he was pushed into the ground.

"You don't have to do this," Cairn growled, staring up into Cassius's blazing eyes.

"But I do. For everything you have put me through. I will take over the docks, and kill every last one of those Clan cats you've been harboring," Cassius snarled.

"Don't think about trying to be a hero again," the orange rogue grunted in Pineheart's ear. He tensed his muscles, but could feel the rogue sink his claws deeper into his skin.

"The Clan cats haven't done anything wrong," Cairn meowed, "they deserve to be here, where they can live safely."

"But I don't?!" Cassius yowled. He bared his teeth and quickly bent down, sinking his fangs into Cairn's throat.

Pineheart felt his body go numb as he watched Cassius stand and back away from Cairn's body. "It's time to leave," Cassius grunted.

The rogues jumped away from their tussles, padding back towards their leader's side. Pineheart sighed with relief as the orange tabby finally stepped away to join his group.

Cassius stared at Cairn's body for a few more heartbeats before leading his cats away with a flick of his tail. Elkleap limped towards Cairn, his sides dripped blood from where he had been clawed and bitten.

"He's still alive!" Elkleap meowed with relief, "we have to get him back to camp!"

Pineheart padded to his side, feeling nauseous as he noticed the widening pool of blood beneath Cairn's head. "I don't think he's going to make it back to camp..." Stone murmured as she appeared at Pineheart's other side.

The brown tabby leader's eyes had already closed, his breath coming in fast, shallow gasps. Pineheart glanced over to where Raven was laying, also laying in a pool of his own blood.

"We need to carry them back. Brokensong will do what she can," Elkleap meowed.

Stone helped Elkleap get Cairn onto his shoulders, while Pineheart made his way over to Raven's side. To his relief, he was conscious.

"Are you ok to walk?" Pineheart asked as Raven pushed himself into a sitting position. He noticed his chest was slashed open, with blood still seeping from the wound.

"I think so," he meowed weakly, coming to stand on wobbly paws. Pineheart let him lean against his flank as the four of them started the painfully slow walk back to camp.