"I want to stay here just a bit longer, okay?" Wildflower noted, staring at the Fallen Tree.

     The so-called "Fallen Tree" was just like every other fallen tree in the forest. The once proud and glorious tree had crashed due to death's touch. The leaves slumped to the ground, no longer able to absorb the sun's rays. The branches hung their heads low, ashamed to look up. While the trunk of the tree rested peacefully on the ground, hardly paying attention to the life that flourished around it.

     What surprised Wildflower was how pitiful the leaves and branches looked. The rest of the tree, the trunk of it, seemed fine. Whether standing up high and in the sun, or on the ground and in the shade. In her view, the trunk seemed like it was the only thing left on the tree that seemed content in the shade and not the sunlight.

     How can that happen? How is it that the leaves and branches, connected to the trunk of the tree are long gone and look desperate for the sun as the base looks happy?  Wildflower walked up to the trunk, brushing her paw gently across the wood. Her paw went over loose bark that had fallen off but didn't pierce herself. Sighing to herself, she stepped away to examine the tree once again.

     No traces of claws marked the surface. If an adult couldn't make any dents or scratches on the trunk, then a kit stood no chance either. Wildflower's eyes trailed back to the end of the trunk, where the stump stood. The part where the tree snapped off looked like a frightened porcupine, the jagged splinters reaching up where they once connected with a trunk.

     "Why am I so worried about a stupid tree?" Wildflower pushed herself forward, back to Crow and Storm.

     The grass rustled as he appeared as the two cats made their way back into the clearing. Wildflower curled her tail around her paws neatly and skeptically shifted over towards them. Then another shuffle caught their attention. The two scouters shared a quick moment with each other just as Storm narrowed her eyes, hearing the noise as well. 

     Now what?

     "Looks like we're done for now---" All three of their ears flicked left, scanning the area. Wildflower's right ear sank as her left continued to strain itself, knowing where the sounds were emitting from. She bared her teeth and sank her claws into the soil. 

     Crow silently got up and ordered the two to stay put. The black tom snuck off toward the path, keeping himself hidden through a sea of green. Storm, ignoring her orders, lowered herself to the ground and followed him from a few paces behind, dropping the rabbit before she left. Unsure what to do, Wildflower moved her eyes towards the sound and scent, hoping that she could be useful and still follow orders.

     As soon as the scent drifted into her nose, her mind shot back in time, reaching out to grab her with vines that scarred her pelt, tangling around her and dragging her into a dark place. 

     Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. Failure.

     Blizzard, I thought you were dead.

     Wildflower's eyes narrowed towards the unknown territory. A sense of battle and revenge broke out inside, wanting to spread its roots and take control. A part demanded that she stay put and obey the rules that she was ordered to. The other part itched for her to have her revenge.

     Against Blizzard, the Imperfect she believed to be dead. Wildflower snickered, unable to think properly as she dropped into a crouch, letting her instincts take her after Storm and Crow. 

     Ooh, how she wanted to sink her claws into Blizzard's pelt. See the snow-covered fur dripping with blood. Instead of the usual, snowflakes that fell from the sky in the coldwind, what if they were red? She couldn't contain her imagination, and every part of her directed her forward, waiting to see the Imperfect themself. 

     "No, fight the urge," Crow hissed, turning his head to face them. "We are scouters---" Storm raised her tail. "Yes?"

     "I'm a warrior."

     "Nobody cares right now," Crow snarled at her. Storm's jaw dropped open but her face shifted and morphed into impatience. 

     "So? I know---"

     "Listen, as long as they don't cross into our territory, it will be fine---"

     Just as luck would've had it, a cat darted over. Wildflower locked her eyes on the cat. This one was a tom. A white pelt, it seemed like. He darted over to the other side, their territory, and took a sigh of relief, collapsing on their turf. She could hear Storm fight to keep the growl rising in her throat under control as she stomped, fur puffing out as her breath became shallow.

     Rage boiled underneath her fur. They know they're on our territory! Why isn't Crow or Storm going to do anything?!

     Another cat ran out, her light-furred coat almost blending in with the path. The she-cat twisted around, signaling another group of cats to cross.

     The two more cats raced over, joining the tom and she-cat. The other tom's golden and brown pelt made her think he rolled in the mud before coming out while the pitch-black she-cat hardly moved after she crossed. The four Imperfects gathered together and split up into a small circle, scouting the area.

     "I want to attack..." Storm growled through clenched teeth.

     Wildflower forced herself to stay calm. Crow stood protectively in front of her while Storm inched her way toward the four. Looks like the warrior was breaking her cage before she could. The three cats stayed together, hardly moving as they observed the Imperfects, waiting for them to make a move. 

     The white tom groaned and broke away from the circle and turned his attention elsewhere, searching for something else as the black she-cat turned to stone, her icy, blue gaze sweeping across the field. The golden and brown tom had moved on and checked the scents while the last she-cat stayed put, her eyes searching for other cats. Wildflower held her breath as her eyes landed on the patrol, but like any other Imperfect, she skipped over them and continued looking elsewhere.

     The stress broke for the young warrior. With a quiet snarl, Storm unleashed her claws and took a step forward, moving once every few moments. Crow lashed out and grabbed ahold of her tail, keeping her in place as the she-cat strived to get closer. 

     "Found them," one of the Imperfects remarked and Wildflower cursed the four turned their attention to the hidden patrol. "They're just staring at us though."

     They're smarter than I thought, she thought. Maybe I should try to take them seriously after all.

     "What's the matter?" the white tom taunted. "Are you scared to fight us?" 

     "No, they aren't. They just psychically can't," the ginger she-cat mocked. "You know, as scouters." 

     "Too scared?" The black she-cat calmly spoke without expression. "I get it, four against three. Looks like our victory." 

     The golden tom cat smirked at the tribe cats, brown eyes toying with them. "Ha! For the strong and noble tribe cats, you seem weak in our presence." He lifted his head up to the sun. Wildflower growled at him for acting perfect when he wasn't. "It's natural, anyway," he added, locking eyes with Storm.

     "What are you doing on our territory?" Storm spat at the four of them. They didn't answer and smirked at her, seeming to enjoy the she-cat's outburst. 

     Wildflower glanced at the odds. Four against three, but if Crow or I were to run off to get help, they would lose. She began to scoot over to Crow to tell him her plan. The scouter's eye twitched at her but moved back toward the intruders.

     "Do you think you can have this territory forever?" The ginger she-cat replied after the long silence. "No! One day or another, we're going to claim this territory!" The other three cats nodded with her. 

     Wildflower rolled her eyes when she saw that they weren't together. Mindlessly spilling out mistakes. Who even has the nerve to embarrass yourself in front of cats?

     "I'll attack you, don't you even think for a second that I won't!" Storm threatened. Her back arched like a tiger, ready to fight given the chance. Curling her lips back, she spat, sticking true to her threat. Her friendly amber eyes now turned into a sharp dagger, ready to be thrown.

     All of the Imperfects took notice of the evolved creature. The black cat didn't show much worry on her face. The white tom jeered at Storm's attempt to look tough, conveying his own transformation by arching his back, mocking her. The ginger cat grinned, looking like she was ready to have a full out brawl with the warrior, tail lashing. The brown and golden tom looked at his comrades before joining.

     Wildflower made it over to Crow's ear. "Listen, I was going to run and get help from the tribe---"

     Crow cut her off mid-sentence. "Don't worry about help. Thunder and Brook should be able to sense the tension in the air. It's not like this common," he grunted, seeming bored. He let out a sigh and one of the other cats caught on.

     "Hey!" It was the golden tom. "When we arrive at the grand scene, it's best if our audience pays close attention to us!" Wildflower and Crow looked at his babbling. "You never know if one of us will attack out of the shadows! Like a hawk swooping down to snatch a mouse away. You'll never know it when we'll kill you!" 

     Wildflower rolled her eyes. "Get to the point already. I don't have time for this." That's when she realized there were only three cats in the clearing; the golden-brown tom, the white tom, and the ginger she-cat. Her breath hitched in her throat as she took her eyes off the expressive Imperfect, darting her eyes across the field.

     Where is the other---

     Her answer was given by claws sinking her into her back. Wildflower whirled around to find the she-cat, her ear getting claws as she twisted. The yowl shot Storm off like a rocket and the warrior clashed heads with the ginger she-cat, who jumped into the fight without a single command. With both she-cats engaged in a fight, Crow let out a growl and ran for Storm, meeting the golden-brown and white tom, slipping under one to attack the other tom head-on. 

     Slightly disappointed that he didn't stay to help her deal with the black she-cat, she didn't let it drag her down as she grappled with the Imperfect. Wildflower found the black she-cat on her back, using her tiny size to her advantage.

     How did she sneak away? Wildflower reached one of her paws and smashed it into the she-cats leg. Her claws sunk into the black fur, trying to unbalance the cat. She hissed in pain and only sunk her claws harder and deeper to endure it, keeping herself steady despite the scouter thrashing. 

     Seeing no other choice, Wildflower threw herself to the ground, hearing a startled gag from the Imperfect. The weight on her back released and she scrambled up, pinning the black cat down. Sly as a snake, the she-cat slithered away, just as the scouter rooted her back paws in the ground.

     Her prediction was off. Wildflower looked over her shoulder and saw the black she-cat standing there, eyeing her coldly with her blue eyes. Not wasting time, she unlatched her paws and spun, bracing herself to withstand a blow. The attack never came and the two she-cats had a long staredown as the rest of their allies fought. 

     Beside her, Crow was pinned underneath the weight of the two toms, furiously ripping away at them to escape. Storm and the other she-cat still rolled around in a hissing ball, each trying to dig their claws into their opponent's eyes first. The black Imperfect let her eyes fall behind her and then snapped them back to Wildflower, curling her lips back, forcing her ears to lower.

     "Enough," the black cat hissed. The cat Storm wrestled instantly gave up, summoning her strength to her back legs and throwing the warrior off with a shout as her ginger fur tore. Storm went flying and barely caught herself in time, her paws digging into the dirt as she crashed. The two toms looked up, interested in the command all the while holding down a feisty Crow. "We're done here." 

     "Aww, can't we make sure they learn a lesson or two?" The white tom said disappointingly, looking at Crow with a gleaming, yellow eye. The black she-cat didn't acknowledge that he spoke. 

     "I'm not letting her go!" growled Storm, charging back into the fight with the ginger Imperfect. The she-cat yelped as the warrior collided with her once again, pushing the two back into a fight. With her back legs, she sunk her claws into the white she-cat's underbelly and tried to throw her off. 

     "Come on, they weren't a good audience after all," he mocked, kicking dirt in Crow's face. "How about we just leave peacefully?"

     Now it was her turn to snap. "Peacefully?" She challenged him, stepping in front of his trail. The tom looked up at her. "You just come in here, with your stench, make a fool out of us, and then leave? How low will you seep to?" Wildflower spat, sending her disgust at the Imperfect, venom dripping out of her mouth. 

     "Scared? That's kit's play," he answered her, strolling past her. Wildflower lowered her tail in front of him, hoping to trip him. He nimbly leapt over her tail, but she did stick out her back leg to trip him. He fell onto the ground, smashing his head onto the dirt. She spun around, sinking her claws into his back.

     Her feet sunk into the ground, effectively, holding him down as he fumbled with his paws to get up. Latching one of her front paws on his neck, she traced the neckline, taunting him with her claws. If she desired - and she did - she could end his life. Her lust tripled as her sides heaved, paws shaking.

     "Owl...!" The she-cat mumbled, coughing. The Imperfect snapped and unbalanced Storm by delivering a swift kick behind the legs, making the warrior crumble. The ginger cat sprang away, using every second she could to get away. Wildflower's back arched in pain as the she-cat landed on her, roughly dragging her off. 

     For a fleeting moment, Wildflower hesitated. The Imperfect hadn't gone for her exposed neck. No, she went towards... her friend? Owl? She knows she'll get easily killed if she doesn't fight back! 

     Wildflower flattened her ears, growling in annoyance with herself. You shouldn't worry about that; it'll just be another kill.

     Owl forced himself up and then joined in the battle. Storm abandoned her previous enemy and went for the golden-brown tom instead, claws extended for his throat. 

     The Imperfect let go at the last second and sprang a few paces away, creating a slight distance between them. Wildflower whirled around, flinching as the thorns seeped deeper into her back but forced herself to stand, facing the smug she-cat. 

     "I'll kill you!" she hissed.

     "Then let's see it happen!" challenged the Imperfect.

     "That's enough," a new voice calmly hissed. All of the cats stopped battling at once. Owl's ear flicked and the she-cat glanced up. Wildflower strained herself to look over, already knowing who the cat was. 

     She entered the battle and Storm moved her own eyes towards her. Wildflower couldn't say anything. Memories rushed back once again. All the way back to the Training Den. How she got into a battle that scared her both mentally and physically. Her body surged the desire for revenge into strength, and a cruel smile split her face at the Imperfect.

     Nice to see you again, Blizzard.