Smokedawn woke up, yawning, the morning sun shining bright, hanging low in the sky, warming his gray pelt, his fur glowing orange in the spot of sun created by the thick branches above, dappled sunlight covering the base and roots of the ancient tree.
He got up and looked around, remembering where he was. He walked over to the edge of the tree-root camp, and poked the marshy brown water below. Cold! Cold! he thought, as the cold water drew the heat out of his sun-heated paw. He shook the water off of his paw, before he was startled by a Mrrow of laughter. Spinning around, he locked eyes with a shortfur she-cat, her pelt white as the snow he came from.
"Why'd you touch it if you didn't want to get wet, fur-brains?" she meowed.
Smokedawn huffed, "It's not that i didnt want to get wet, I just wasnt expecting it to be that cold."
"Well, either way, i'm Silkghost. You're Smokedawn, deputy of Flurry, yeah?" she meowed inquisitively, interest flooding her gaze.
Forgot I was deputy now... "Yeah . . Deputy of Flurry." he meowed, slightly sighing. "Anyways, uh. I apologize to all of you Gentle cats, for taking up space in your territory. And for the fact we're gonna have to hunt in your territory."
Silkghost's whiskers twitched in stifled laughter, "You fur-brains, this isnt Gentle territory. It's neutral territory. We havent claimed this territory in moons. We dont need the old tree."
Smokedawn was slightly shocked by this revelation, "Oh," he exclaimed in surprise.
"Well, anyways, i'll be going now. Have a nice day, Flurry deputy." she meowed, stretched her front legs far infront of her, haunches raised, before she stood straight, then turned and left.
I should let Oddstar know that this is neutral territory, he thought, as the Gentle she-cat padded away.
The sun hung low in the sky, only a fourth of it remaining hidden behind the hills of the Honey territory to the north. Smokedawn was sitting, keeping watch for any other Gentle cats - or possible prey - when he spotted Oddstar come out of the hole in the tree where he slept. He darted over as his Leader perched his front legs on the tree and stood on his back legs to stretch his back upward like he did in the Flurry territory- but not on a rock this time.
"Oddstar." he meowed, causing the Leader to pause.
Oddstar quickly finished his stretch, then sat and looked at Smokedawn. "Yes, Smokedawn? Do you have something to report?" he meowed coldly, erasing all hints of the slight startle.
Smokedawn straightened himself before recounting the encounter, "A Gentle she-cat came to our camp. She startled me, but after a short conversation, she revealed that the territory in and around the tree is actually neutral. We're on no group's territory right now."
Oddstar's eyes widened slightly, tail flicking, breaking his usual demeanor of cold indifference for only a moment, before returning. "Very good. This is great news. Thank you, Smokedawn." he purred, a slight hint of pride in his meow, "I knew you'd be a good choice . . . The only choice, but a good one."
Smokedawn purred lowly in his chest at his leader's praise, before returning to the edge of the tree to continue watching the small piece of territory they now lived on, temporarily.
Maybe not temporarily. he thought briefly.
"Smokedawn." he was startled from having dozed off, still sitting, and looked back, locking eyes with his leader.
"Y-yes, Oddstar? What is it?" he meowed, embarrassment burning his pelt.
"I'm going to the Gentle camp to discuss territory. You're coming with me." Oddstar meowed gruffly.
"Uh, are you sure? We shouldn't leave the camp unguarded,"
" . . . We have nothing to guard." Oddstar's sideways glare deepened the burning embarrasment,
"R-right. Lead the way." Smokedawn meowed, pelt bristling.
The sun was in the middle of the sky now - noon, Smokedawn trudged through the swampy mud, his leader lagging behind. He turned back and meowed, "Are you okay?"
Oddstar glared, "I'm fine," but his slight pant betrayed his words.
As they walked up the slope of the dry island, Oddstar quickly darted forward to stand infront of Smokedawn, stifling his slight panting as he entered the Gentle camp.
Oddstar walked into the camp, and padded straight to Goldstar's den. He shoved the rock out of the way, and gruffly meowed, "Goldstar."
"Hm? Yes, Oddstar? What is it?" the she-leader meowed, before she stood and walked to the opening, peeking her head out, eyes squinted against the sun, ear twitching slightly.
"We must discuss territory."
"Territory? Already? . . . Alright . ." she meowed, and vanished into the dark den, "Come on in," she meowed from inside.
Oddstar and Smokedawn padded into the den. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Smokedawn saw that goldstar was sitting on a small flat rock in the back of her den, running a paw over her ear.
"I have decided I should claim the small amount of territory surrounding the old tree. It would make a nice permanent camp." Oddstar got straight to the point, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
"Oh . . . Well, that seems fair, nobody owns that section anyways."
"Furthermore," he continued, "I'd like to discuss splitting your territory in two, half of it going to us."
Goldstar paused, fur bristling, "Half? You want to take half?" her shock evident in her meow. "No. You can't take half of our territory, Oddstar. I'm sorry the snow melting drove you out of your old home, but half is way too much to ask."
Oddstar growled. "That's what I was expecting. And i'm prepared to fight for it. Tooth and claw."
Smokedawn slowly turned to his leader, shock bristling his pelt. Has he gone mad? All we have is us and an elder who can hardly walk! he thought. "O-oddstar, that's . . . A bad idea."
Oddstar turned on Smokedawn, fur bristling. "Are you questioning me? Is that your job? To question me?"
"W-well, no, but-"
"But nothing." Oddstar interrupted. "You'll fight if I tell you to."
Goldstar flattened her visibly raised fur, clearly trying to be a voice of reason, "Calm down, calm down," Goldstar meowed, "We don't need to fight, i'm sure we can discuss this and come to a conclusion that-"
Oddstar cut her off, "Half. I'll be taking half. Whether you allow it or not." and with that, he turned and left, fur bristling, claws scraping the hard stone ground. Smokedawn noticed a slight rattle in his breath as he padded off.
Smokedawn turned and exchanged shocked glances with Goldstar. Smokedawn quickly darted after Oddstar, "Oddstar, what are you doing? Why are you acting like this?"
Oddstar growled, "What did i say about questioning me? I should claw your ears off."
Smokedawn continued trying to convince his leader, but was met with being ignored the entire way back to the tree camp.
Once they got there, Smokedawn huffed and walked over to Leaffern, who was grooming her tail, lounging on the roots.
"Leaffern, you might be in danger very soon. Oddstar is behaving very oddly, and is starting a territory battle already."
Leaffern looked up at him, and meowed, "Yes, I am aware. Those of The Moon have already told me what will happen."
Smokedawn meowed "And you're just sitting here? Surely that must mean we win then, right?"
Leaffern just continued licking her tail.
Smokedawn hissed and paced around the camp. Surely that means we win. Surely. She wouldn't just sit there and clean her tail if we were about to die . . . . Right?