Book 2: City of Ice and Fire (a warriors cats and shadowhunters crossover)

Chapter 16: Arrowheart is Annoyed (Climon) (Malec)

This collar is something he has worn for as long as he can remember. Taking it off now would be like signaling the end of an era. And I suppose it is. He looks at Sparkpaw, her ginger fur no longer marred by a light blue band around her neck; the blue collar had been removed several moons ago now.

Simon is surprised to find he doesn't miss the jingling bell his crush used to wear, that he prefers Sparkpaw without the collar. He can't recall seeing her look so comfortable in her own skin back when she was a kittypet. I can't recall her looking like she belonged as a house cat. I couldn't back then, but now...she looks like she belongs. Would Simon belong as a forest cat is the real question?

"I- do you want me to take it off? I'm not sure how. I mean maybe if I snag it on a really long branch I might be able to, but what about my house folk? I-I.... " Simon trails off, looking down at his paws.

"Simon just leave the collar to Arrowheart. He got mine off, so I'm sure he can remove yours too." Sparkpaw tells him reassuringly.

"But what about my house folk?" He repeats. "How will they be able to find me if I'm not wearing my collar?"

Arrowheart rolls his eyes, speaking in an incredulous tone. "They wanted to permanently remove your claws from you. I don't think those are the type of Twolegs you want to go back to." At Patchfur's stern look the black tom adds in another sentence, much gentler than the first. "You're a vampire now, the forest is where you belong."

"Alright. But can you please be gentle. This collar doesn't exactly like to come off." Simon said. He can remember the last time one of his house folk took off the band, the snapping black buckle squeezing his skin tightly in the process.

Arrowheart sighs but nods. "Fine. But I need you to squat down so I can get a good look."

Simon complies readily enough, squatting down so his belly fur brushes the ground. The brick walls are a burgundy red blue behind Sparkpaw and Patchfur's forms. The two other cats were watching intently as Arrowheart stepped behind Simon to examine the collar.

The vampire kept his focus on the neighborhood, the black ThunderPath that marks its entrance veers away from the traveling cats away down the green rolling hill they'd just traveled up. All the strange smells that humans carried with them filled the air even here.

Scratch. Scritch. Click.

Simon could feel Arrowheart's hot breath along the back of his neck, goosebumps rising up along his skin. The tall Shadowhunter gripped the collar buckle tightly and began to tug. Two strong forepaws held the vampire in place as Arrowheart did his work. The collar fell off with a small clunk, the once bright orange band lay sprawled out on the dirt floor.

The second Simon was free of the collar he felt as though a weight had been taken off him. He couldn't help but pad over to a nearby puddle to take a look at himself. Through the reflective surface of the muddy puddle Simon could see his tabby fur free of the orange band.

He could also spot the features of his that had changed. Patchfur had been correct when he said that all of Simon would be sharpened; his ears are sharp brown pricks, two gleaming white fangs poked out of his lips, his jawline was sharp like a steel blade, and his claws are like miniature daggers stabbing into the earth as he unsheathed them.

He's still lost staring at his reflection when Sparkpaw comes over to join him. The ginger she-cat's head comes up to his shoulder, a testament to just how short she truly is. It reminds him of the height comparison the young HunterClan she-cat has with her mentor; Arrowheart is a mountain of a cat compared to Sparkpaw, the powerful black shadow of him lithe and dangerous.