~~~~

Small lifted her head as groans sounded outside her den, taking a second of wondering where Jess was before remembering the she-cat was lost to the infected. Her ears pinned along her head, letting out a weak sigh as she stumbled to her paws. She looked around the den covered by brambles she was sheltered in, trotting to the entrance. She focused on the groans again, gently sniffing the air, immediately pinpointing that it was quite far away, sighing out of relief. She shoved her way through the brambles, leaving more small patches of fur as she did, blinking at the light of dawn. She glanced around a few more times before shuffling into the den again and grappling the sharp twoleg thing, emerging once more. She went through memories of last night, sighing as she remembered she should be back with the clan, but, she had spent an extra day in the den, due to a certain meeting with some tom. She felt something when she was with him, who, she learned his name was Cody. The only living kittypet in the entire twolegplace.

Last night, she had awoken to shuffling outside of her den, grabbing the twoleg object and creeping out to investigate. A weight pounded onto her back and she was pinned to the ground, something sharp and pointy at her neck, a growl emitting next to her ear. “Another one of you wandering in the forest.. No wonder the clans were chased out.” She felt the object at her neck moving as the growl sounded, her ears lifting at the words. She hadn’t heard an infected speak, they only groaned and hissed. She softly tucked her sharp twoleg thing near her paws, opening her jaw to speak. “Now now… Calm down there, bud.” She felt the cat above her freeze, snarling gently after some silence, the object pointed at her neck more lightly. “And who are you..?” She gently tapped at what felt like a leg with her tail behind her, after some hesitation, they moved off of her. She stood, the sharp twoleg thing glinting in the moonlight by her paws, her eyes having adjusted to the dark as she huffed. “Small’hiss. Thunder’Clan’s deputy. I’m pretty sure we’re the only clan to survive.” She glanced up to her attacker, only able to see their glowing eyes in the darkness. Grey and blue. The eyes blinked, moving out of the shadows to show they were holding the same twoleg object she had, just larger. “A living clan cat.. And.. Holding a twoleg thing.. a knife.” They mewed, she could hear the rustle of their tail flicking in the grass. “Well, since you introduced yourself, I will as well.. Cody. The only living kittypet in the twoleg place. Why are you out alone and not with your clan?” Small sniffed the air, able to catch the kittypet in front of her was a tom. “My clan is sheltering from the infected, I was sent to get another friend… but..” She averted her gaze, ears pinning against her head as images of Jess tackling her, and then shoving the knife into her throat flashing in her mind. She felt a muzzle brush against her head, she could tell by the thin whiskers that tingled her fur, leaning into it faintly as she opened her eyes and looked up. Cody had emerged into the moonlight. He had black fur, splotched with grey and white here and there. Small looked down again, for some reason feeling her cheek tuft heat up. Why was she feeling hot with him around? She just stabbed her former mate a few hours ago! As she broke out of her confused thoughts, she felt Cody pull away, his gaze simply locked onto her. She raised her head, gaining her composure again as she chuffed. He stared at her a few moments before speaking. “It’s usually lonely and fearful out here. You say there are more cats hidden somewhere?” His eyes seemed to glow with hope, to which she nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind, you lost the one you came for. Don’t want to make it for nothing?” Small blinked, her paws freezing to the soil. She didn’t know what to say. How would the clan react if she brought back a completely different tomcat, without the leader by her side? But.. company on her journey home would be nice.. She would prefer to have Jess curl up with her, if only she were here.. and.. he seemed quite nice when he gets used to others. She stayed planted for a few more minutes before nodding. “Company back home would be nice..” She murmured, earning a purr of happiness from Cody. “Alright. Tomorrow. Meet me near the edge of the twolegplace. Dawn to sun high. Then you can guide me home.”

And now, with those words in mind, she was jumping through the trees back towards the dreaded twolegplace. She was hoping he would be there, and not attacked yet. She slowed her pace as she scented the faint kittypet stench of the twolegplace, suddenly jumping and slamming straight into something on another branch while looking at the ground. Her paws skidded, unsheathing her claws and gripping onto the bark of the branch, yelping as she felt her front legs tug from the branch to try and drag her to the ground. More scattering was heard on the branch and teeth dug into her scruff, feeling the sharp fangs tug her back up towards the tree. She used her claws to assist, eventually kicking her back legs back up onto the branch, panting, fear and shock pulsating through her body, blood flowing to her ears, making a pounding sound. After gulping in air, she shakily stood to her paws, glancing up. Cody stood above her, eyes wide, also breathing heavily. She gulped in another breath then sighed, standing up more normally, her paws still shaking. “T-Thanks..” She breathed, earning a simple nod from Cody.. He must be in shock, she assumed, laying her tail on his shoulder, motioning him to follow her, which he shakily did. She crawled deeper into the tree, resting where the branches took away from the stump, Cody silently laying next to her. After a few moments of the two taking deep gulps of air, Cody stood again, less shaky than before. Small stood after him, her tail tip gently twitching. “That was.. frightening..” He started, pausing before continuing slowly. “So.. Ready to head towards home?” Small nodded, grinning. She leapt to the next tree from her place easily, turning and calling over her shoulder. “Try to keep up!” She saw a grin light on Cody’s face, leaping after her as she bounded to the next branch ahead of her. She kept leaping branch after branch, hearing them rustle as Cody was hot on her heels. Suddenly she felt a pelt next to her and heavy panting. She turned, seeing Cody had caught up and was now timing her leaps and strides perfectly with her, keeping pace, close to her. She felt her face heat up again and she continued to leap, looking around quickly to remember where she was. “Look out!” She squealed, realizing they were just a mouselength from the edge of the territory, skirting to a stop, ripping a claw on the branch with a gentle yelp. Cody roughly stopped by her side, his back paws not in time with his front, doing the exact same thing she did. Front paws gripping onto the branch as the rest of him dangled. She leaped past the pain of accidentally ripping a claw, leaning down and pulling him up with quite ease despite his large size. He laughed as he was on the branch again, forcing a giggle out herself, tail twitching in amusement. She purred, bounding down the trunk and onto the soil, both of their sharp twoleg things long abandoned.

Small had been walking with Cody for quite a while now, the two in a patch of heather before she felt a nudge in her side. She glanced to Cody, the other having curiosity in his eyes as he softly asked. “So, who was the cat you came for?” Her heart immediately sank, vivid memories of stabbing Jess and being attacked by her overlapping the memories of their happy times together. “A-ah.. erm.. F-f-former mate..” she silently stuttered out, earning a worried expression from Cody, watching his eyes darken as he murmured. “I know the feeling… my kin was taken by this infection..” Small felt a pang of sympathy. They had both lost someone to the infection. She sighed, locking eyes with him as she mewed. “Can I.. do something?” Cody chuckled, shrugging. “Depends…” She smiled, pausing her walk, gently humming. 

“It feels like a tear in my heart, like a part of me missing and I just can't feel it..” She added a pinch of tune to her mew, glancing to Cody as he blinked. She sighed, continuing gently. “I've tried and I've tried… And I've tried..” She gazed up at him, watching him sigh as he looked down at his ragged collar. “Tears on my face, I can't take it.. If lonely is a taste then it's all that I'm tasting..” He started out slowly, his eyes fogging. He took a deep breath and looked back up at her. “Do you hear my cry..?” She wandered closer to him, her tail brushing along his back leg gently. “I cry, oh…” He murmured, locking eyes with her. She gave him a comforting smile, pressing her muzzle into his neck softly. “Can you hold me?” She whispered into his fluff, softly growing louder each time. “Can you hold me..?  Can you hold me in your arms?” She felt his tail wrap around hers, diving his muzzle into her head fur. He took a somewhat shaking breath, before starting up. “Just wrap me in your arms, in your arms.. I don't wanna be nowhere else, take me from the dark, from the dark; I ain't gonna make it myself..” Small could tell he was just rambling at this point, his mew growing louder as he continued. “Put your arms around me, put your arms around me, let your love surround me—” The world turned out for a few minutes, Small’s ears ringing. That’s what this was.. Love. She was falling in love with this tom, being so close to him, spending time with him.. Her tail instinctively wrapped around his, tuning back in to grab his words, him also having paused. “I am lost, I am lost….” She lifted her head to stare into his eyes, noticing he had gentle tears shining in his different colored eyes. Small pressed her muzzle against his, letting her whiskers twitch into his, sighing weakly. She felt his whiskers move as he continued. “If I ain't got you here— If I ain't got you, I ain't got nothing at all..!” She backed away from him, beckoning with her tail, moving forward. She worked into a free dash across the moor, Cody right next to her side. “Can you hold me? Can you hold me? Can you hold me in your arms?  In your arms?” She was practically screeching at this point so her voice could be heard over the panting of the two from running. She smiled over at Cody, his tears washed away from the rough winds battering their faces. He pressed close to her side, running with her stride for stride. “Yeah, I feel like it's just me, feel like it's just me, what it gon' take? What it gon' be? I don't even know..” Small quickly butted in, mewing comfortingly to him as she stared into his eyes. “It's not just you!” Cody flattened his ears against the winds, pausing his words to take more breaths before continuing. “But I'm lonely! Feeling like I don't even know me, I don't even know me..” Small wanted to lean into him, but, with their free running, having no clue where they’re going, she couldn’t. She simply shouted over the running winds. “I feel it too!” Cody nudged her, his stride slowing. Not even controlling her paws to stop, she was slowed to match his pace, until they had paused in place, gasping in breaths. She didn’t realize her fur was bristled in excitement before Cody’s tail brushed it down and quickly twitched to beckon her closer. She shuffled up to him, leaning into his fur softly, feeling his hot, panting breath on the top of her head as she buried herself into him, also able to feel his tail grazing to wrap around her. “Gotta have you, gotta see you..” He murmured, as if under his breath, but, with the closeness, Small heard it easily, murmuring after him. “Yeah, the only thing I have to think about.. The only one that I can't live without..” She felt his heart beating heavily in his chest, unsure if that was from the run or the affection she was giving him, gently feeling his tongue lap against her head. “I see you..” He purred, the action making a rumble in his chest, forcing a smile from Small. “I need you to hold me now..” She started, wrapping her tail with his and dashing again, feeling his pelt brush hers as she ran. She started up again, his voice merging with his, the two singing loudly. “Can you hold me?     Can you hold me in your arms?” After a long time of holding the words out, stringing them until they were just bones, Cody slowed down once more to catch his breath, Small skidding to a stop next to him and matching his pace. Small looked around, having no clue where they were. She glanced behind her and saw the distant and rundown WindClan camp, suddenly remembering they were nearing the tunnels now, and would probably be there soon. Perhaps a tree-length or so away. She turned to Cody as she felt him tap her on the shoulder with his tail. He was smiling warmly at her, love and affection sparking in his eyes madly. He pressed against her, closing his eyes as he rested his jaw atop her head. “Feel like it's just me, like it's just me. What it gon' take? What it gon' be? I don't even know, I don't even know, but I'm lonely, lonely.” He sighed. Small smiled weakly and leaned up into his jaw, able to feel his breath leave him as he spoke. “Feel like I don't even know me.. Feels like I don't even know me, I don't even know me…” He shifted, gazing back down into her eyes. He leaned forward and pressed his muzzle against Small’s, the she-cat softly blushing as she pressed into him. She fell silent, closing her eyes as she leaned deep into him, feeling as if her breathing had stopped. She felt a pang of sadness when the tom separated from her and motioned her forward, despite how he wrapped his tail around hers. She smiled, following after him in a steady trot. She soon remembered she would be leader when she returned, and started to think on choices for deputy. She realized Cody was slowly speeding up, following his pace with a mew. “We should be there soon if we run! It’s only a tree-length or so away!”

Small panted and heaved as she stopped at the tunnel entrance. Cody was by her side, gasping heavily, his ragged collar hanging on his body at this point. Small smiled, before glancing to the tunnel. “H-hey.. I.. I thought you might want to know..” She started, glancing up at him gently. “Our leader came with me to find Jess.. She’s lost to the infected.” She saw his eyes brighten in surprise. “I’m leader once I walk into this tunnel..” He smiled, leaning into her gently. “Well, let’s go see your clan then.” Small smiled, leading him down into the tunnel. After a while of brushing in the darkness, chatter was heard. The clan must be worrying. Small paused, brushing her tail on his legs to pause him, she crouched, creeping closer until she saw the light into the cave. She yowled happily, the clan turning silent and turning as she emerged from the thin tunnel into the wide cave. The clan emerged in screeches, Lavender’paw and Cream’paw immediately running up to her and shoving into her fur, almost tackling her to the ground. She squealed happily, unable to open her eyes as she felt multiple pelts brush against her, before everything paused. She opened her eyes and gazed at everyone. They were looking for Copper’star and Jess. She could assume. “Where’s Copper’star?” Breeze’trail spoke up, concern in her eyes for her mentor. Torn’foot jumped up, mewing. “I smell kittypet! Did you bring back Jess?” Small let her ears lower, chuffing. “I have some.. bad news. Copper’star and Jess have both been lost to the infection.” She watched as sad looks spread across everyone’s faces, softly bowing their heads. Small realized what was happening. A vigil for the leader. She bowed her head in return, sitting silent and still. She sat quiet until Torn’foot spoke once more. “Then why is there kittypet scent from the tunnel?” The rest of the cats lifted their heads, intent eyes focused on Small. She sighed. “Well. I didn’t want the trip to be for nothing.. I met a certain someone and..” She beckoned with her tail, watching as Cody slowly emerged from the darkness, his eyes wary as he stared at the small clan. “Guys.. Meet Cody. A kittypet, like us, surprisingly. I had found a twoleg thing on my way to find Jess and, on my way back, he pinned me with the same twoleg object.” Cody bowed his head to the clan, who nodded and bowed their heads in return. Small turned back to Torn. “Have you found a way to communicate with StarClan other than the moonpool? I’ll need to gain my lives to lead properly.” Torn nodded. “Choose a deputy when you return?” She nodded, turning back to the clan. “Treat Cody like we treat RiDie, Riah and Damien. He’s part of our family now.” She then followed Torn and Cream as they led her down some different paths. After a while of walking the came across a small gap of water with massive jutting rocks. Smalls ears lifted and she nudged towards the lake, leaning down and lapping st it like she would the moonpool. She let sleep consume her, feeling rather calm and cold.

She woke up a while, tears shining in her eyes. She had received her nine lives, the most memorable cats there were Tyler, User, Jess and Copper. They all had come to give her lives. Tyler gave her the gift of friendship, to lead her clan and form close bonds with everyone else. User gave her the gift of selflessness, used to care for others closely. Jess gave her the gift of love, understanding she could and would have to move on. Used to help others succeed. Copper’star gave her the gift of courage, to make sure the clan was safe, and to power through this infection. 

As Small stood up and away from the mock moonpool, she turned back to Cream and Torn. She noticed that Cream must’ve seen her tears, as, concern and sadness clouded in her eyes. Small bowed her head and left through the tunnel back to the open cave. ‘Lead them. Help them survive the infection, Smallstar.’ She could hear the murmurs of StarClan buffet her ears as she appeared to the rest of the clan, climbing up the stones that made high rock, calling out to the clan. Everyone surrounded her. She felt the power of courage, friendship, selflessness and love surge from her paws to ears and then to tail tip, her tail stiffening upwards as a grin crossed her face. She calmed herself, beckoning Lavender and Cream up with her tail, the two apprentices hopping either side of her. “Before I assign deputy, I feel as if I should make a few changes.” She mewed, her tail twitching softly. “Riah, RiDie, Damien, Cody. Step forward, please.” The three rouges and kittypet stepped forward, Cody, rather shyly. She went through ceremonies, giving all of them clan names. Riah became Briar’stripe, RiDie became Fading’blaze, Damien became Falcon’paw. She named Cody Ashen’sneeze. He seemed to like the joking name, chuckling when he was named. Jess’s words echoed in her head. She told her to move on, and to follow her heart with her choices. She sighed. “While receiving my lives, I was given a message. I hope you all trust my choice when I say these ancient words.” She started, gazing down at Ashen’sneeze. “I say these words before StarClan, so that our recently deceased warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of ThunderClan shall be Ashen’sneeze.” The toms eyes lit up in surprise, the entire clan pausing. Bat’leap started up the chant of his name, everyone else slowly joining in as they processed what just happened. Ashen looked around then back up to Small, his pupils expanded with love and affection. Small gazed deep into the different colored pools, her tail twitching in happiness. Dismissing the meeting, she jumped down to her new deputy, pressing her nose onto his muzzle. He purred loudly as she led him over to what they called the leader nest under the high rock, curling up with him and soon drifting into a comfortable sleep, the chatter of the clan cats around her.

‘Fire On Fire’ - Part Three

Coming soon.

A/N; 3/12/20
It's not 'Fire On Fire', it's going to be 'Before You Go'
Thought I'd edit that-