Don't give in.

Paws pressed hard into Mothdapple's pelt, digging into her shoulder blades.

You can last longer...!

      She bit back a squeal of pain, trying not to give into the aching sting of being pressed to the earth, while also not inhaling the moist earth that pushed against her muzzle and filled her senses.

Finally, Mothdapple let out a choked cry of agony as she felt the tips of unsheathing claws. Immediately the pressure was released, and Mothdapple scrabbled to her paws. Pipitfeather looked down on her with a cold look of disgust, eyes as green as the ferns that surrounded the small clearing. The lean, brown spotted tabby stood up straight, scoffing.

       "You failed. You can try out for the Cedar Den at another time, but for now, you won't be getting anywhere near out nests." Pipitfeather turned, being joined by Carpsplash who had been standing off to the side.

       "No! I'm a good warrior, I can prove it--" Mothdapple pricked her ears, mud caking the insides and making it harder to hear.

       "No, Mothdapple. You can't even take the pressure of being held down, so how are you supposed to take the pressure of being a Cedar Den warrior?" Pipitfeather growled, lashing her thin striped tail. Mothdapple's fur prickled, her lip curling in the beginning of a snarl.

       "I've worked so hard! Give me another test, I'll pass it!"

       "You needed to pass six tests in a row, and you failed your second one. Go back to the dirt hole you crawled out of, rogue." Carpsplash spoke up, his amber eyes narrow.

       "Y-you dried out.. Fish!" Mothdapple searched for an insult, but she was never quite as good as coming up with them as Briarfrost had been. Carpsplash raised a brow before flicking his tail dismissively.

"Typical, I'd expect nothing more from some mucky rogue-warrior." He turned, stalking off with Pipitfeather at his flank.

Mothdapple let out a hiss and leaped, sunlight spotting through the tree tops onto her golden brown tabby patched pelt. She landed too short to topple Carpsplash over, but was able to the hook her paw around one of his hind legs and bring him down.

"I'm a warrior just as much as you! My mother brought me in this clan with her, and this is all I remember, so you can--"

She was cut off as Pipitfeather let out a loud screech of alarm. Mothdapple looked up to see a large warrior nearby, who heard the alarm and came charging forward. She was huge. Shoulders broader than Mothdapple's, and pelt thick and almost coarse looking.

      She toppled right into the white-and-brown she-cat, knocking the air right out of her. No way! Mooseleg! What are the chances the deputy was the only one around...! Mothdapple groaned, feeling pain spread through her shoulder where the huge she-cat had crashed.

      "Oh, Mooseleg, this rogue of a she-cat-- she just attacked us!" Pipitfeather wailed. Carpsplash was getting to his paws quickly, amber eyes reflecting feigned pain. Mooseleg looked to the two Cedar den warriors before looking down at Mothdapple, who was catching her breath.

      The deputy nodded.

      "Attacking a clanmate... I think I need to take you to Waspstar." Mooseleg glanced over to the brown spotted tabby, who nodded assuredly, before blinking with confidence in her decision.

      "It's not what it looks like, though, I was--"

      "Come on,-- what's your name?"

      Mothdapple hung her head, telling the brown she-cat her name. Nobody will take my story over their's, anyway... Although, maybe Waspstar will. He is supposed to listen to both cat's stories.

Mooseleg led the way through the forest, high arching branches over head with comforting sounds of birds echoing through the tree tops. Pipitfeather and Carpsplash led up the back of the patrol, whispering about how terrible rogues were, and they'd make sure another one never made it in the cedar den. All the while, they would sneak glances at Mothdapple, a hint of something glittering in their eyes.

Mothdapple continued on, wishing for the whole misunderstanding to just go away. All I wanted to was to be in the Cedar Den. I'm good enough-- But no cat is ready to accept me yet. She flexed her claws, leaping up a rock pile after the bulky deputy.

The camp wasn't too far from where the challenge had occurred, but as they entered camp, Mothdapple's shoulder and back were aching. She could see cats turn to look at her curiously, some whispering. She noticed Ivymist, one of her friends, staring at her with a hint of concern as she shared a mouse with another she-cat. The bush den warrior couldn't bear to meet her eye, instead her green gaze moved to the hard-packed earth below her paws.

"Mooseleg? What is it?" Mothdapple's breath hitched in her throat as she heard a tom speak. She slowly looked up. He was just as big as she remembered him from her warrior ceremony a moon ago, muscles rippling under a pale gingery-brown tabby pelt, a prominent scar on his shoulder, and eyes a deep copper-y amber. Waspstar.

"This.. Cat.. I found her attacking a clanmate for no obvious reason. She had Carpsplash on the ground, I think he may have been hurt." Waspstar tipped his head up. Mothdapple noticed a slim, long-legged golden tabby she-cat right behind him, green eyes sharp and calculating the situation.

"It's not what it looked like--!" Mothdapple started.

"She jumped at me-- I hurt my jaw when I fell!" Carpsplash meowed loudly. Waspstar tipped his head to the side.

"He was mocking me because I'm not clan born!" Mothdapple growled, her pelt hot. I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I be worrying so much?

"She just couldn't accept that she's not in the Cedar Den, and went savage!" Pipitfeather stuck close to her golden-brown partner.

Waspstar was silent for a moment before flicking his tail. "Banished from camp. You can stay anywhere on the territory." He mewed, turning away.

"W-what?!" Mothdapple burst out, feeling her eyes get hot. Not going to cry. Nope. No. You're strong.

"You heard him, get out!" Pipitfeather's face was smug with satisfaction.

"Waspstar, that's ridiculous." The golden tabby spoke up. Mothdapple blinked, half surprised that a cat had come to her defense. "Those two cats are Den Hustlers; they tell a lower den cat that they'll let you in if you give them prey and pass some tasks. It looks like they pressed her against the ground or something--" she motioned her tail to the dirt and mud caking her face and front half of her body. "So does that mean they should be banned from camp as well?" Waspstar watched her for a moment.

"Mm. I suppose... They can stay, but Den Hustling will no longer be allowed." He lay down, flicking an ear to Mooseleg. "Thank you--"

"You can't just force a warrior out of camp--"

"She attacked a clanmate. If she can't hold in whatever vendetta she has, then she doesn't deserve to be in this clan." His teeth were bared. The golden she-cat's fur was flat, but her eyes were driving right into him. Mothdapple shrunk down. By now, most cats were watching intently.

"Is this another crazy stupid idea from Adderface?" She hissed lowly. Waspstar's fur prickled. Adderface..? Who's that...?

      "Adderface is a good cat..!" He hissed just as low, and Mothdapple struggled to eavesdrop.

     "Whatever. She's changed you.. And not in a good way." The golden tabby stood up, beginning to pad away. "Come on." She flicked her tail. Mothdapple blinked.

      "Sparkfur, wait--!" Waspstar started.

      "Hey, patched pelt, let's go!" The golden tabby waved her tail this time, and Mothdapple realized she was talking to her.

      "Coming." Mothdapple bounced to her paws, padding after the long-legged she-cat, not once looking back to Pipitfeather and Carpsplash, who seemed shocked, or Waspstar, who's expression could only be described as disbelief and regret. She didn't even look to Ivymist, who was trying to call to her. She just followed close to Sparkfur out of DrizzleClan camp for the last time.

FIGHT  OR  FLIGHT

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GOD BLESS SICK DAYS. Okay so I think I had said I was doing Flight for the first chapter, but unfortunately I just could not get it right, so instead I switched to fight and got it done in two days. Wow. This could have been done a month ago.

aNyway, don't forget to vote fight or flight!