ƬΉΣ FӨЯGӨƬƬΣП FIVΣ ЯP

[Wolfstar]

Before it could lunge, it felt claws on its back and yelped. While the dog's attention was on the attacker, a black tom dashed past it. "Follow me, or be bit by that thing!" He hissed, running as fast as he could with a limp. Another tom jumped off the mutt, slashing its nose and keeping it attention on him.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Burningsky watched the events unfold before her and felt the fur on her neck flatten. "Understood," she meowed, and nudged Mintpaw to get the terrified apprentice moving. The two she-cats dashed away, following the unfamiliar tom's lead. "How lucky are we," she muttered to herself.

[Wolfstar]

The black stopped once he made it to the path. "One bite from that diseased mutt and you'd die of whatever illness it had. You always stay with your group!" He snapped, sighing and shaking his head. "You two are lucky that my brother and I where here though." His eyes caught his brother, and he smiled when he saw there was no bleeding. The other tom had one dark amber eye and the other was green. Half of his face was black, as well as his front paws and tail. The rest of his body was tan.
"That mutt's gone, good riddance. Are you two alright?" He asked.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Mintpaw, who was still shaking due to the residual mixture of adrenaline and liquid fear that invaded her bloodstream, bowed her head to the two toms and flattened her ears. "I-I'm sorry! I'll never leave the group again!" she vowed, keeping her head low. Burningsky watched her, then her eyes flitted over in the toms' direction. "Yes, we're both okay. Hm... Thanks for showing up when you did, else we'd be good as carrion right about now." She stuck her tongue out in disgust as she imagined being overcome by that diseased mutt's illness, assuming it didn't eat her before she started showing the symptoms.

[Wolfstar]

The black and tan tom nodded, "True that, but the disease you'd get from that will make you attack others and you'll lose your mind. Not a good way to go." The black tom mumbled his agreement, then nudged his brother.
"You two look like you're travelers, what brings you to us?" The tom asked, flicking his tail and following the other as they started walking on the path.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"You know, I'm not entirely sure why we're here," Burningsky admitted as she and Mintpaw followed the pair of toms. "I imagine you know that old she-cat, Scarlet? She led us here on some sort of business. Something to do with some log cats or something."
"Wow, you sure do pay great attention, don't you," Mintpaw retorted quietly. Burningsky flicked her ear and shrugged.

[Wolfstar]

The brothers looked at one another, then forward once more. "We do know Scarlet, but if you're here. Are you two... Nevermind, it's a closed topic." The black tom shook his head, then decided to pick up the pace when he saw some light.
"Here we are, your group should be through there. Now stay with them, will you? Someone might not be able to help you if you get lost again. Let's go hunt brother, or look for anything that'll fill our stomachs," The black and tan top cuffed his brother's ear, and he nodded. They passed the she-cat with a wave of their tails, disappearing into the darkness.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Burningsky and Mintpaw returned to the group, melding in amongst their ranks.
Dawnscar saw them reappear and would have liked to give them a harsh scolding in that moment for vanishing, but he thought better of it when he saw Icepetal's warning glare. He could save it for later. In the meantime, it was just a relief to see them back unharmed.
"There you two are," Icepetal purred.

[Wolfstar]

Scarlet turned her head, a frown on her muzzle and she flicked her tail. "I said don't split, and you two do exactly that," she spat. A white tom nudged her with his muzzle, he looked old as well, and his ribs were visible.
"What matters is that they're here and not dead, I'm guessing that hunting party of two that I sent out found them, thanks the stars that they're safe," the tom coughed, but smiled as he welcomed the two. "My name is Tyso, I lead these cats who'd like to live and help one another. Like a group, or clan, as Scarlet has put it."
Scarlet turned to the elder, deciding to talk about their disappearance later. "What can you tell us about the cats at the sawmill, old timer? You know everything that happens throughout and around this place."
"I'm younger than you by two dozen moons, so I wouldn't call me old."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Mintpaw was relieved that the scolding had been set aside, at least for the time being. She had quite learned her lesson, and she could wait to get a mouthful from her superiors. Instead of focusing on the past events, she looked at Tyso and Scarlet in awe. "Wow! You're both so old!" she exclaimed.
Hollowpaw sighed at the other apprentice, then added, "You both must have seen so much and learned so many interesting things." He looked up to cats like this.

[Wolfstar]

Tyso nodded, "I've, or we, have seen the good and bad. Deaths and births, it hurts and heals. But about those cats at the sawmill are a different experience." He turned to a tabby she-cat, whispering to her and watching her go to another group of cats.
"What can you tell us?" Scarlet asked again, her eyes on Oddkit as the kit looked around in awe.
"Their lead was from the last group that terrorized this place moons ago, when we were still young. He remembers what happened, and I'm guessing he's reviving the group he once lived in. Their rules are harsh, and he likes putting on a mask of kindness and fortune to those he wants to join his group. Once that cat is in, he takes that mask off and uses them as he likes. But nowadays, his group has been growing and becoming an annoyance."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Hollowpaw looked at the ground as he thought. "Wouldn't they just leave as soon as he ends this kind facade, or does he perhaps forbid them from doing so in one way or another? What an unpleasant situation..."
"It is," Dawnscar agreed, "especially if their numbers are expanding in the way I understand they are. How big of a group would you say they are now?"

[Wolfstar]

"He keeps them there only because he promises them food and power, what stupid flea-brain wouldn't want that?" Tyso snorted, licking a paw and swiping it over an ear. "Their size? Well, their group is bigger than what we have here. It would be... Ah, how big would you say Garchie?" He turned to a blue-grey she-cat, her yellow eyes bright and a scar running from one of them down to her side.
"About clan sized, a large one maybe. I checked about two sunrises ago, most are mouse-brained considering they're following that dead-beat." She replied, shrugging.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Everyone's gazes dulled. "The size of a large clan..." Dawnscar muttered.
"That's huge!" Mintpaw exclaimed. "I can't even count all the cats in my clan!"
"That definitely is an issue," Hollowpaw agreed, letting his head hang.

[Wolfstar]

Garchie rolled her eyes. "Not really, if you think about it." She turned back to the cats she was talking to, dipping her head before walking over. "Since most want food and power, dying is something they wouldn't want. Kill their leader, and whoever's second in charge, they will scatter like a bunch of frightened mice."
"Thank you, Garchie, that'll be all," Tyso said, but she she-cat stayed where she was.
Scarlet wrapped her tail around Oddkit, relaxed when she was watching the kit. "So, to put it in simple words, kill the king, and his subjects panic. Is that a good way to put it?" Garchie nodded, and Tyso did as well.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"Yes, but then it's a matter of getting to the king," Hollowpaw argued, still staring at the ground. "He seems to flaunt himself rather freely, if he's so eager to draw cats into his group, so you'd think he wouldn't be difficult to catch off guard, but my knowledge on this subject is too limited to formulate a proper assessment."

[Wolfstar]

"Then come into the group like you want to join," Scarlet suggested, looking up. "A group of cats wanting a new life, come in as someone that's coming as an ally. He might think something is up, but there's eleven of us. And seeing as you're clan cats, you have the upper paw."
Tyso nodded, "They are after the clans, but finding some coming right to them will throw them off guard."
"It's your best bet, and we'll help as much as we can. You're fighting for your home, and so are we. They aren't welcome here, and finding food was already hard until they came. The sawmill was where we found most of our food too." Garchie unsheathed her claws, letting them sink into the ground. Scarlet nodded, but didn't say anything else. Oddkit batted her chest, gaining the she-cat's attention once more.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Hollowpaw nodded. "Yes, that just might work. He'll be confused by our sudden appearance and that should be just the opening we need." He looked back at everyone else. "Do any of you have anything you'd like to add?"
Dawnscar sighed. "I'm just concerned about our numbers. If there's any backlash and we get attacked during our temporary stay, they're greater than we are, even if we have training and they don't. But I'm just an old warrior, so we may not have to be worried."
Icepetal shook her head. "No, I think that's a valid concern, especially with the apprentices."
Mintpaw's ears flickered. "I can hold my own just fine! It's the one with his brain oozing out of his ears you should worry about!"
Hollowpaw looked at her. "Neither of us have proper battle training, it's safe to say we'd both be easy pickings against a foe, especially one with a size advantage."

[Wolfstar]

"Didn't Hawk say something about training? With him and the others, you'd learn how to deal with those advantages. I may join as well, seeing as I need to refresh on them." Scarlet rubbed Oddkit's head with a paw. "It would be good for the kit to join too, just in case."
"It would be risky, but bringing a kit may fool him. He might think you won't fight." The white tom nodded, looking at the kit for a moment before looking at Garchie.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

Hollowpaw nodded. "Oddkit will definitely help the guise. And yes, we are to be training with the other five." He looked at Scarlet and nodded again. "Hopefully working with them will eliminate, or at least cull, our remaining weaknesses."