Perfection [ warriorcats fanfiction ]

xx.i

Two eyes
Fearful eyes, eyes a leader should never have.
These weren't the eyes of uncertainty, seconds before calling cats into battle.
A flash of knowing the unknown before the determination and strength took over.
These weren't the eyes of worry, worry that there wouldn't be enough food for the clan or worry that enemies might be sneaking around the border.
This wasn't the undertones of care and concern, masked by strength and courage.
These were the eyes of fear, deep fear that flooded the blue-green completely, leaving room for no other emotion. These were eyes that were the weakness of a leader, for when a leader was afraid, the rest of the clan was too.

But the rest of the clan did not want to be afraid, and the cats knew what they needed to do.

Ravenstep and Duskshade leapt for Froststar, but the leader did not fight back.

Nightpaw thought she would, and she was confused when the leader did not. Nightpaw knew Froststar was the strongest fighter in the entire clan, and she probably could have defeated both Ravenstep and Duskshade. Nightpaw was not sure why Froststar simply accepted when the two cats lunged for her and pushed her to the ground.

Dawnpaw stood still.

Nightpaw's green eyes were hazy. She found Puddlepaw but her friend looked as confused as she felt—what happens now?

The other cats of the clan knew. They knew what had to be done, to follow the Warrior Code.

They made their way into the forest. Nobody spoke. Nobody needed to. They acted as one, as if this had happened before even though it had not. There had never been two Imperfections at once, one a leader.

The cats all moved as one to the place they had been only weeks earlier.

The place where Snowykit had died.