TFA Warriors: Chapter 12

TFA Warriors
Chapter 12

“WARRIORS! RISE AND ATTACK!”

The battle cry rang throughout the dark alleyway. It was quickly followed by three felines dashing through the narrow passageway, dodging and slipping through garage cans and empty boxes, unleashing out a series of fearsome caterwauls before leaping into battle. The alley was soon filled with the sound of cats fighting against each other.

Bumblebee lifted his head up from his defensive crouch as he heard the lid of the garage can above him rattle as something leapt upon it. However, his attention diverted back to Megatron when he heard the evil feline growl. Bumblebee’s let out a kit-like shriek as he brought his giant black paw down on the little warrior. With quickness only known by WindClan cats, Bee fell on his back and rolled to his side, narrowly missing having his head ripped off his shoulders by Megatron reinforced claws.

An enraged growl came from above him and Bumblebee heard the trash can toppled to the ground as some creature jumped off from it. The WindClan warrior rolled back onto his paws and whirled around just in time to see, to his utter disbelief, Prowl leap on to Megatron’s back. The BloodClan leader snarled and reared up on his hind legs, rising to a terrifying height, in an effort to shake the ShadowClan warrior of; Prowl held firm, digging his thorn-sharp claws into Megatron’s bulky gray hide before he stretched his neck and took a bite out of Megatron’s shoulder.

The furious tyrant let out a screech of pain as blood splattered down onto the black ground. With red eyes burning to pain and hatred, Megatron did a sudden surprise attack by quickly flipping upon his back, crushing the ShadowClan warrior beneath him.

Bumblebee saw Prowl squirm behind the giant gray tom and dashed forward to help him.  The WindClan warrior ran towards the fighting toms and took a bite out of anything that was closest to him.

Megatron’s tail.

“Leave Prowl alone, crow face!” Bee grabbed the lashing tail in his jaws and bit down onto it until he heard a sickening crush. He satisfied to hear a hiss of pain following after.

Bumblebee’s attack was enough to drive Megatron’s attention away from Prowl long enough for the ShadowClan warrior to slip away from the BloodClan leader’s grasp. Bumblebee quickly sped away before Megatron could claw him and checked up on Prowl.

“Are you alright?” Bumblebee worriedly asked as his blue eyes scanned Prowl’s battered form. Besides having a few bruises and a small cut over on ear, Prowl seemed fine.  Bee flinched back in pain when Prowl roughly cuffed Bee’s ear with a paw.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“One order!” Prowl hissed, glaring at the small, golden tom. “You couldn’t even follow one simple order!”

Bumblebee thought for a moment. “Uhh…oh, you mean the one about not getting killed?” He guessed.

“YES!’’ Prowl yowled before leaping forward to battle with a hissing Starscream. Bumblebee took a moment to gaze around the alley to observe the battle going on around him between the forest and BloodClan cats. Prowl was now battling with Megatron’s deputy; the two were slowly circling each other, fur bristling with concentration and eyes burning with hatred as they each looked for an opening. Near the dumpster, Bulkhead had his paws wrapped around Lugnut’s neck and was dragging the giant down with his own weight as he continuously clawed at the one-eyed face with his hind paws.

Seeing that Bulkhead and Prowl were faring okay without him, Bumblebee turned his attention to Optimus and Ratchet. Ratchet was holding out against Cabaret; the vicious she-cat was cackling wildly as she swiftly darted around the slow elder, dodging his claws and lunging forward to scratch him before leaping back out of his reach, taunting him all the while.

“What’s the matter, Ratchet?” Cabaret taunted, her voice high with gleeful mockery. “Can’t keep up with the warriors? Have the seasons finally caught up to you since Megatron and I left?”

“You are not a true warrior!” Ratchet snarled. His one ear was flattened in utter fury as he bare his yellow fangs. “You’re nothing but snakes disguised as cats!”

The dark she-cat sneered. “Be careful old one, this snake has poison in her bite!” With a rushed forward to claw his remaining ear off, but, in mid leap, was pummeled to the ground as Bumblebee threw himself at her to defend Ratchet.

“Repulsive maggot!” Letting an angered hiss, the vicious queen slapped her paw across Bumblebee’s muzzle, knocking the smaller cat away.

“Look who’s talking!” Ratchet screeched and rushed forward, head-butting Cabaret in the rib cage and knocking her off her paws with the full force of it.  “That’s for calling me old!” The she-cat yowled in pain and limped away from the pair, disappearing behind some garage cans. Bumblebee and Ratchet took a moment to glance at each other.

“I thought that medicine cats couldn’t fight?” Bumblebee asked in a somewhat astonished voice.

“Just because we don’t do it for a living, doesn’t mean we can’t.” Ratchet growled, the gruffness never leaving his voice.

Bumblebee offered a small smile and nodded. Ratchet was pleased to see a small trace of respect gleaming in the little one’s blue eyes.

“Go help Optimus,” the medicine cat ordered, nodded in the direction where Optimus was battling in. “I’ll help Bulkhead.” With that, the medicine cat turned and set out to where the two large felines were wrestling along the ground, coving it with blood and clumps of torn fur.

Bumblebee quickly nodded and ran as fast as his springy legs could carry him across the gritty ground to where Optimus stood battling against the three BloodClan brothers. It was only at this moment that Bumblebee saw- with gape-jawed shock- the true secret behind the three horrifying brothers- why they were never a pawstep away from each other’s side.

Their tails were tied together!

Never in Bumblebee’s life had he ever seen such a strange, yet terrible, phenomenon. True, he had heard the elders speak of strange legends where they, in their lively youths, had strayed upon a nest made up of dozen of rats or mice connected with one another by their tails, but never had they said that such a thing could happen to a bunch of cats?

It was impossible! It was uncat-ish! Bumblebee closed his eyes and opened them a heartbeat later. No, the brothers were still there, and all three of them were attacking Optimus at once. A like a strange, monster straight out a nightmare, the three toms were their own force to be reckoned with. One would dart forward, snapping his jaws and Optimus, and then would rear back like a cobra and allow the other two to rush in, claws unsheathed and then the twisted cycle would repeat itself over and over again.

Most warriors would have long fled or been defeated by the terrible trio, but Optimus was still going. A large gash openly bled on the ThunderClan warrior’s shoulder and one paw seemed to be bleeding because of a torn out claw, but still he valiantly fought against the brothers’ savage attacks. A wave of admiration for the older warrior swept over Bumblebee and he found the courage to swallow his fear over the unnatural abomination and rushed forward.

“Hey dumb, dumber, and dumbest!” Bumblebee taunted as he rushed up. “Leave him alone!”  With a growl, he leapt on top of the brother in the middle, Icy. Bee reached up and racked his claws over face, clawing his right eye in the process.

Wailing in pain, Icy reared backward, dragging both his brothers back, all the while shaking his head and screeching. “MY EYE! MY EYE!  I CAN’T SEE!

“We’ll get the puny runt off you, brother!” Hothead growled as both he and Random prepared to leap onto Icy to get Bumblebee. The moment they jumped, Bumblebee leaped off and the two brothers landed on top of their eldest in a heap on the ground.

Optimus skillfully caught Bumblebee by the middle and set him down as gently as a father would his own kit.

“I could have landed myself, you know.” Bee ungraciously meowed, his nose warm with slight embarrassment.  He didn’t like being treated like a kit because of his small size.

Optimus blinked sternly at him. “You should have called for help sooner.” His voice became a little warmer. “Thank you for the help with the trio. It was very quick thinking.”

Bumblebee’s nose grew hotter, but a flare of pride went through him. Optimus, one of the best warriors in the entire forest, had just complimented him! He was about to say that it was nothing, but then something behind Optimus caught his sight and, instead, he yowled out, “BEHIND YOU!”

Bumblebee’s warning came just in time to alert Optimus as Megatron pounced towards them with a snarl. Optimus instantly butted Bumblebee away with his head and whirled around to face Megatron just as the BloodClan landed three pawsteps away.  The ThunderClan warrior stood crouched in a warrior’s stance between Megatron and Bumblebee. His tail lashed back and forth in readiness and his fangs were bared in a snarl. He would not let Megatron come near the little warrior again.

Megatron growled, his lips curled back in a savage sneer as if the thought Optimus’ protectiveness was amusing. The BloodClan leader looked ready to leap at any moment and tear Optimus apart with his dog fang enforced claws. However, the two warriors’ eyes, one set fire red and the others ocean blue, met and locked. It seemed, for a moment, that all time had stopped. Like electricity, tension hummed through the air between the two toms; the sneer on Megatron’s snout fell and an expression that almost looked like shock spread across his black and white furred face.

“Optimus?” There was panic in Bumblebee’s voice as he poked his head from behind Optimus’s legs. Expressions of confusion fell upon both the WindClan and the ThunderClan warriors’ faces when they heard Megatron murmur in a surprised voice.

“It can’t be true…Ultra Mangus would never…” Megatron’s dazed expression was replaced with one of dark, intensity, brimming with an emotion that neither Optimus nor Bumblebee could read.

“Optimus!” Ratchet yowled from a couple feet away. “We have to retreat…NOW!” The medicine cat urged. The forest cats were heavily outnumbered and were steadily losing the battle.

“NO!” Megatron angrily roared and made an attempt to leap towards Optimus and Bumblebee, but the two were already dashing towards the alleyway entrance, yelling out, “Warriors! Retreat!”

Bulkhead managed to tear himself, loosing a few tuffs of green fur in the process, from Lugnut’s jaws gripped on shoulder and raced after Optimus and Bumblebee. Ratchet and Prowl scrambled away from Starscream and fled after them.

“Follow them!” Megatron ordered, glaring at his clanmates. “Split into two groups!” He whipped his head towards the Blitzwing brothers, Cabaret, and Lugnut. “Head them off!” He looked at Starscream. “Starscream, we shall follow them and lead them towards the others.” The BloodClan leader paused and stared at each cat with red eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

“One last thing,” He growled, “No one is to touch the ThunderClan warrior. Anyone that disobeys shall find themselves without a tail and ear by tonight! He belongs to me!”

“Yes Lord Megatron!” the cats echoed, their voices wavering in fear at hearing the punishment for disobeying his strange request.

“Come on, Starscream!” He snarled as he sped off after the group; Starscream followed while Cabaret led Lugnut and the brothers into the opposite directions. If Megatron’s plan worked then they would be able to trap the forest cats.

“But if my plan works,”Starscream’s dark thoughts clouded his mind as he ran behind Megatron. “Then in a short time, it shall me leading BloodClan against the forest cat instead of him!”

“They’re right behind us, Optimus!” Ratchet yowled up to the warrior from the back of the running group. Bumblebee was in the lead with Optimus directly behind him. Prowl was next and then Bulkhead and Ratchet, being the oldest, was the last one to burst through the dark alley into the sidewalk covered in sunlight.

“Well, then we have no choice.” Optimus meowed loud enough for his comrades to hear. He raised his voice and shouted to Bumblebee ahead of him. “We’re going to have to cross the Thunderpath!”

“WHAT?!” Bumblebee yelped and, while still running, turned to stare at Optimus in disbelief. “You are crazy? We’ll get run over!”

“We’ll have to take our chances, Bumblebee!” Optimus said. He looked at the oncoming street up ahead and saw that there were no monsters coming. “Nobody slow down! You can make it!” Optimus saw Bumblebee run across the street like a golden blur against black until he was on the other side. Optimus stopped at the edge of the street and waited.

“Why have you stopped?” Prowl demanded as ran forward.

“Keep going!” Optimus ordered, not caring whether the ShadowClan warrior got mad at him later. “I’m making sure Bulkhead and Ratchet make it!”

To his relief, Prowl offered no argument and just sped across the road to wait at the other end with Bumblebee. Bulkhead made it next and, lastly, Optimus made sure that Ratchet got to the other end. Optimus then began this run across it.

Only a few foxlengths away, Megatron saw Optimus begin to run across the road. No cars were coming at the moment, but just to be safe.

“Starscream, watch for cars. Give the alarm when one comes!” Megatron ordered. The BloodClan cats, after living in the Twolegplace for so many seasons, had begun to set aside one warrior to watch for cars while a foraged or battled against any creatures.

Starscream almost wanted to purr with evil delight. Perfect! “Oh yes, my liege! No car shall escape my all seeing eyes.”

“Except maybe one,” he secretly added as Megatron raced off after Optimus.

“Optimus! Behind you!” Bumblebee yelled to Optimus, who was about halfway across the road.

“Huh?” Optimus turned around just in time to see Megatron ram into him with enough impact to knock him to the ground. Everything that happened next was a blur to Optimus. He was only aware of a claws digging into his shoulders while he thrashed around, kicking Megatron’s belly with his hind paw in an effort to throw the larger cat off him.

The two rolled around the hard pavement- clawing at each other’s fur, yowling as fangs met with flesh, and spilling droplets of crimson blood on the black surface. Optimus could no longer hear the cries of his teammates; he could only hear the blood pounding in his ears and the growled and screeches of furious coming from his opponent.

Suddenly, as Megatron forced him upon the ground, he was dimly aware of a small trembling coming from the ground beneath him. Then came Bumblebee’s terrified, panicked voice.

“MONSTER!” From the corner of his eyes, Optimus saw his teammates on the opposite sidewalk, yowling and looking down the road with blue eyes round with terror. Horrible realization swept over him when Optimus realized what they were talking about. Even with Megatron pressing his face into the hot pavement, Optimus managed to catch a glimpse at the oncoming red monster coming straight towards the pair of fighting cats.

It was apparent the Megatron’s senses were still on the battle and he hadn’t noticed the on coming danger as he still held Optimus under his claws. Optimus doubled his efforts in thrashing around, terror of the oncoming monster giving him extra strength.

“LET GO!” Optimus managed to lean his body up and scratched his paws across Megatron’s muzzle. The BloodClan leader snarled and pulled away enough for Optimus wriggle away from his grasp and dart towards his teammates.

“Cowardly forest fool!” Megatron growled after him, shaking blood from his bleeding muzzle. It was at the moment that Megatron heard the roar of a car’s engine.

The great and all powerful Megatron turned just in time to see the blinding glare of the giant vehicle’s headlight….just in time to hear the screech of the brakes….just time to let out a ear-deafening yowl that was cut short as the bummer rammed into him with a loud “THUD”.

Optimus and his teammates watched in horrified fascination as the large gray tom was hurled through the air and landed with in a sickening pile of bleeding flesh and broken bones a couple of feet away from the stopped monster. As they watched, the BloodClan leader let out a gurgling sound from his seemingly broken jaw; a bubble of blood came forth from the corner of his lips. One of his back legs twitched though it was bent in an impossible angle. To their horror, he managed to twist his head until his face was facing them; though one eye was closed, the one still opened was glaring at them with enough burning hatred to fuel a thousand raging forest fires.

“K…K….” More blood began to spill from his broken jaw, forming a crimson pool, as he spat out the words, “I’ll…kill you all.”</i>

With that, the nightmare of the entire forest and scourge of all cats, let out a final shudder, closed his red eyes, and was as still as death.