A/N: There are hinted topics present in this chapter that may not be appropriate to some. Please be wary and skip over if you can't handle it. It is only hinted at but never mentioned for more than a few sentences.

The entire time they marched on, not saying a single word or even trying to make a conversation. None of it bothered her; it was nice to take a small stroll to her testing area. The trees reached high above her, branches reaching out for sunlight. All fighting to be the best, just like her. Every cat was like a tree; most trees grew high and stood out from the rest. She thought it was great, knowing she'd be able to grow higher.

     Others, like the Imperfects, stayed low to the ground. The sun mocked them and hardly showered them with any rays. Seeing the poor condition of those trees made her snicker. Citrus felt proud marching with perfect cats rather than those kinds of cats. Standing by Imperfects, she would've fainted or thrown herself off a cliff already.

     The only thing that bothered her was the patrol never stopped in a certain area. Citrus knew she couldn't ask a question when she was the one being tested, but the longer they marched, the more her curiosity burned at the pits of her stomach. This was a time that she could use to think over her training, using every single second to review her skills. For some reason, her mind was on anything but that.

     The Imperfects... they said something about having a tribe of their own. What was it? Citrus couldn't remember. If what they say is true, does that mean they're more Imperfects out there? She shuddered at the inevitable thought. There had to be an equal balance of perfect and Imperfect cats in the world. Perhaps she'd be able to go out with the Tribe of Shining Suns and slaughter some of the lowly cats herself. That was a hope, at least. Free them by giving them a swift death to the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows.

     Citrus forced her fur down as the five cats crept back into her memory. All this worrying was going to cause her to fail and she needed to pass. She had to be perfect.

     "Okay, it's time to hunt," Blaze announced. Once he stopped, Citrus copied everyone else. She placed her paws directly in front of her and raised her head high, awaiting her brother's instructions. "I want to see every cat catch a piece of prey." He didn't share any extra care or sympathy for her, acting just like a guardian.

     One mistake and then I fail. I'm not going to the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows, she confirmed, already opening her senses to any direction. If she could get a head start and come back first with a mouse or rabbit dangling in her jaws, that'd surely score her a few extra points.

     "Maple, take the upper path. Cloud, search the far right corner. Dusk, take the lower path. I'll patrol around here and Citrus." Blaze locked his strong gaze onto her own. Citrus reflected his tone with her confident and brace face, puffing her chest out. For a fleeting moment, she noticed a hint of warmth flooding in his amber eyes.

     All of my training is going to have to pay off today. Not tomorrow, not in the next moon, now. Give me any section and I'll master it. Citrus nodded, smirking to herself. Blaze smiled, seeming to sense her determination. I won't fail!

     "You'll get the left side," Blaze said.

     The words came as a blow, knocking the air out of her. It took all of her strength not to show her shock or bewilderment. The only thing she couldn't control was her eyes that crumbled and fell like a tree.

     He wants me to hunt on the left side? Is this a joke? No, Blaze would just wants to test me. Well, I'm not the same tiny kit anymore. I'll accept it. "Fine by me," Citrus replied, keeping her voice firm as the guardians and Maple glanced at each other, worried. "I'll hunt everything I can sink my claws into."

     Including other cats, if I must.

     With a flick of his tail, they split ways without a single complaint. Citrus turned tail and marched left, heading straight into the jaws of failure. Failure won't scare me. This is all just a pretest to see if I can find perfection in failure. She eagerly slipped into the bushes, brushing her pelt against the plants to hopefully cover her scent. She lowered herself to the ground and placed her paws silently on the ground, braving herself to take a breath.

     But when she stood in the territory, she didn't sense anything that wasn't like her own. It reeked of rogues and other scents she couldn't figure out now, clearly, the Imperfects didn't bother marking their territory. While the trees weren't as high and grand as the ones she was surrounded by, they provided plenty of shelter for any cat or prey to live in through the harsh storms. And as much as she hated it, just looking at the layout of the left side, storms could barely destroy the already shattered forest.

     It's imperfect. All of it is. Look, they can't mark their territory. Anyone can enter as they please and don't have any kind of warning. The herbs are all stomped over and prey rots. It's just how I imagined it to be. She stepped over the branches that lay askew, following the quiet path of a mouse. Silent, she began to follow it, heart pounding as her paws became even lighter.

     She was careful not to scare anything around. Even a little pebble on the ground could give her location away if she wasn't careful. Everything around her had to be treated like an enemy towering over her. Her mind trailed to Apple and his harsh tips and hints when it came to stalking or hunting prey or other cats, and Citrus flattened her ears against her skull in annoyance as his arrogant voice clogged her ears. The mouse scurried away, still unaware and she didn't bother giving chase.

     Her breath quickened and her heart began to thump harder. Citrus stayed still, holding her breath as her mind raced with each thump. Her claws sunk into the dirt, clinging onto the dirt as if she were about to fall. The mouse slipped away to a nearby rock, holding a berry in its tiny paws.

     Relax, nerves aren't going to get you anywhere. Narrowing her eyes on the mouse, the forest faded until the two of them stood alone. She let out her breath and the mouse's ear twitched, hitching her breath. She held her breath until it began to resume to snack, letting out a mental sigh in her head.

     Slowly, her tail uncurled and Citrus arched back, keeping herself still. Her back legs bunched up, ready to spring when needed. Forcing her body to move was like moving a mountain, her bones refusing to move out of fear. She lowered her head and kept her aim on the mouse. The prey finished eating and disappeared into the thicket.

     Citrus moved forward, keeping her muscles tight. Moving while she stored her energy in her legs proved difficult, as she nearly tripped on a branch. She bit her tongue and surged forward, standing a few feet from the unsuspecting mouse.

     Breathe. Remember Lark, think... She shut her eyes, letting out a soft exhale. Agile in the air. Don't think about losing. If the prey runs away, you know what to do. Her lungs opened up as she inhaled courage.

     She pounced, keeping her body steady in the air, claws sliding out of her dirty paws. The mouse looked up and noticed the looming shadow and took off. She landed on her front paws first and using her backlegs, shot off like a rocket, a red path marking the mouse's escape. The mouse jumped into a bush. Citrus slipped under the bush, weaving between the twigs easily, paws swiping to catch its skinny tail.

     She slipped out and spotted the small, gray patch of fur. Taking off with extra strength and speed in her sprint, she kept her body low and made sure her strides were even. The rest of her body came out of the bush and crashed after the prey. The mouse, terrified, let out squeaks and raced as fast as its little legs could take it. Citrus smiled and calculated its direction. Her eyes narrowed on that spot and switching into a jump, threw herself up in the air, her body flying over the mouse.

     Just as she predicted, the mouse ran straight into her path. Victory gleamed in Citrus' eyes as she descended. Her paws came down with the force of a boulder and squashed the mouse, rendering it helpless. She unleashed her claws and held the squirming animal with her front paws. All she had to do was squeeze, and the mouse went limp, dead as a rock.

     Perfect, she thought, holding the tiny mouse up by its tail. Now... Where am I? Her scent could easily take her back to the path, and even if her scent didn't make a clear path, all she had to do was turn and walk out of the forest. Blaze did say gather one prey and possibly two, but for now, she wanted to get out of Imperfect territory before it could rub on her.

     She took the mouse in her jaws and began to march forward. On her way back, she heard something move with the snap of a twig. Whirling around, she unleashed her claws, eyes blazing. All that faced her was the empty forest but the scents and sounds didn't lie, that she knew for a fact. This scent was prey and her heart twisted with hope.

     Citrus dug a small hole in the ground and dropped the mouse in it. With her claws, she slashed an X on the hole with her catch and then kicked a mound of dirt over the mark before she left.

     She opened her mouth to let more scents overwhelm her, the rabbit's scent getting closer. Then her paws skidded to a halt, cold rushing down her back. A sense of strength came flowing to her at that moment and she curled her lips back, heart pounding and encouraging her to jump in. Citrus bit her tongue to keep her fidgeting to a minimum.

     As she approached the new scents, she began to mask her presence and disguise herself, rolling in the dirt and leaves. She promised to do a thorough clean once she finished. She peeked out from behind some grass, eyes gleaming at the sight. Thankfully, the cat had his back turned to her and blocked her from the she-cat he was trying to corner. There were two other toms on the sides, but Citrus figured she was safe since the she-cat seemed to be their main concern.

     These don't look like normal looks, she thought, eyeing the three toms that watched the petite she-cat with keen interest. Citrus shuddered and held her breath, trying to keep her quivering to a minimum. But the scent I'm getting tells me that only one of them is an Imperfect.

     She didn't recognize any of the cats and she wished she brought Blaze or Maple with her. Perhaps her nose wasn't working the best today and she was just mixing up scents. The largest silver-furred tom leaned over the smaller, golden she-cat who curled into a small ball, hugging herself as she held her screams. It was a shame to see the rabbit was dead and rotted away. Then the brown tom smirked and crept closer but the silver tom snapped, causing both the she-cat and tom to jump and flinch.

     "L-let go," the she-cat moaned, trying to shove the tom off haplessly. The tom didn't sway as she wiggled under him and the predatory grin only increased. "I'm sorry that I got the rabbit before you. Just take it and leave me alone." The cat looked at the tom with pleading eyes, voice cracking. "Get off me."

     The tom laughed at her. "You think I want the rabbit?" he snarled, the lust in his voice increasing and made Citrus gag. "My main concern is what a skinny cat like you doing around here is? Shouldn't you be hiding from big, scary cats? You don't know who you'll run into." The silver tom pushed himself on the she-cat forcefully, making her choke.

     "I was hunting for my family!" she protested through a tight throat. "So that means I've got the right to hunt around here. The better question is what you're doing on I-Imperfect territory." She looked around the area. Citrus kept still as her amber eyes swept across her without any trace of noticing her. The golden she-cat looked back up at him.

     The black tom in the corner smirked and spoke up. "So what if we're from the Tribe of Shining Suns? Shouldn't you know that you Imperfects are under us?" The golden she-cat yelped when the silver tom pressed a paw on her shoulder. "That means you will listen to us."

     This is stupid, Citrus thought. Maybe I could get some fighting skills in? But to help an Imperfect. If I stepped in and helped her out I could risk getting kicked out of the tribe. I'd have to kill three cats myself. Her claws sunk into the dirt at the thought. But taking advantage of her... She growled, conflicted.

     "J-just stop already!" The she-cat sputtered, shaking. "Get off me! Someone help! F---" The silver tom snarled, silencing her. He began to sit down and that's when Citrus came out of the thicket, smashing into the tom successfully and blew him off the Imperfect.

     The brown and black cats jumped to their feet, ready to fight. She cast a quick look at them and noted their syncopated jump, confirming the Imperfect's word of them being from the Tribe of Shining Suns. Citrus growled, questioning how such perfect cats could seep that low on any cat, even if it was a disgraceful Imperfect. She latched her paw around the tom's side and threw him aside and skidded to the golden she-cats side, who had scrambled up and fearfully looked at her hero.

     "Wh-what...? Aren't you---"

     "What are you doing?!" Citrus hissed, turning on the three tribe cats. "You're from the Tribe of Shining Suns, aren't you?!"

     The silver tom got back on his paws and eyed her suspiciously, unable to recognize her. "So what we are? What's it to you? Don't you know your place---"

     "Perhaps you don't remember me," she interrupted, unleashing her claws. "My name is Citrus, daughter to Dandelion and Sabertooth. I am a kit of the Tribe of Shining Suns."

     Citrus used her backleg and kicked the Imperfect away, hoping she'd get the message to run. The three toms' jaws fell open and then their faces morphed to anger and rage. The silver tom lashed his tail and pointed an accusing paw at her.

     "Really? Someone like you? You just stepped in for an Imperfect," sneered the tom.

     Citrus shook her head, waving her tail. "I'm not part of the tribe yet. I do hate Imperfects with all my being and wish I could see all of them rot in the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows." The little cat's face fell and her lips curled back, holding back tears. "But this isn't what I expect from anycat from the Tribe of Shining Suns."

     Fight, her mind encouraged.

     She leapt without a second thought and slipped under him, taking aim at his underbelly with her paw. With a single slice, her claws cut across fur and tore flesh, making him roar. He reared up, slashing his paw down her side. Citrus flinched, knowing the wound would slow her down. She didn't let that stop her and twisted around, slamming her paws down, claws sinking into the back neck. Her backlegs dug into the ground and held her position despite the tom jerking around to get a better aim. The tom swung a kick and hit her in the jaw, causing her to hesitate while he slashed at her.

     Blizzard. Citrus let go just as the black tom sprung, smashing into his ally instead. She didn't, however, dodge fast enough and her tail got caught between his claws. Yowling as he tried to yank it, she whirled around, lashing out, slicing down at air. 

     Then she tried again, marking her aim. She placed a clawed paw on his head and sunk her claws into his skull like it was prey. Her back slipped and the tom grabbed his chance. Citrus flinched as he twisted around, trying to bite her back paw. Losing her balance, her claws scraped across his head harder, leaving a faint scar. The tom reared back and lashed out despite the pain in his head. 

     She tried to get her back legs back up on the tom. They kept slipping and Citrus fell. The golden she-cat behind her got to her paws and lashed out with weak swipes at the incoming brown tom. 

     "Don't do anything, or I'll attack!" She threatened, raising a shaking paw. Citrus knew that she wouldn't last much longer. "I'm warning you! Stay away!" Getting impatient, she pushed herself forward and rammed heads with the tom, using a tactic that usually proved useless. While it dazed her and the tom, it gave the Imperfect some time to escape. The she-cat didn't run and continued to stand against the tom.

     Citrus sprang forward and swung under him at the last second, her right paw ready to slash across his throat. She hit her mark just as her foe swung down to catch her on the side. Like a snake, she twisted out and scrambled to the brown tom that cornered the Imperfect. 

     Before she could jump, a yowl split the air and the small cat sprung onto the tom's back and locked her claws on his sides. Using her smaller size, the she-cat scrambled around as the tom thrashed, stomping to throw her off. The Imperfect jumped off and landed a little awkwardly, but nevertheless, forced herself to lash out, the tip of her claws slicing across the cat's face. Accident or not, the she-cat didn't show it and stopped attacking, waiting for her opponent to move.

     So, she does know how to fight, somewhat, she thought, deciding to study an Imperfect up close. While her attacks were blunt and weak, the Imperfect held her ground for looking like a hapless cat that could fall under any predator. The she-cat arched her back and spat venom, masking her fear underneath a glowing pelt. 

     A part of her thought that this Imperfect would've made a great Tribe of Shining Suns cat, had she been born in the right place. Not in a dark and dense forest that went after defenseless kits like her. 

     "G-Get out of here!" spat the she-cat. "I mean it! I'm not going to be the she-cat that will fall to any mean and scary cat!" When the brown tom refused to move, she snarled, threatening, "I'd seriously run and go back home before my family comes and learns what you did. Go!" 

     "It's a shame I don't know your name," Citrus mentioned. "Unless you were kicked out of the tribe, I'm sure the Alpha would love to hear what you three were up to." She glanced at the two unmoving bodies. "Well... what you were up to."

     "Are you...?" The brown tom blinked through the blood in his eyes. "Wait a second, you're---"

     "Enough!" screeched the golden she-cat and she jumped, taking advantage of the situation. Like a butterfly, she soared over and landed on him with the weight of a bear. Not a second later, the Imperfect wrapped her paws around his neck and unleashed her claws as she snapped her jaws around his neck, holding tight as blood poured out.

     Endless Stars I should kill her, Citrus thought, preparing herself.

     The former cat dropped down, dead. The Imperfect got off and shook out her pelt, looking sick. They locked eyes and something flashed in the she-cats eyes. Citrus backed away, knowing something was going to happen. She already wasted enough time in Imperfect territory and even if a cat couldn't rub off on her in a single battle, she didn't want to hear anything this Imperfect had to say. 

     "Are you okay?" murmured the she-cat. "But why did you save me?"

     "I'm fine," she snapped. "You may be a disgraceful Imperfect, but I still can't stand the thought of any she-cat in that kind of situation."

     The cat looked taken back. "Even an Imperfect like me...?"

     "Just shut up," she hissed. The she-cat shut her mouth. "I only came here because I happened to smell prey, and---"

     "Oh, do you want it?" she offered, racing over to the rabbit. She picked it up and placed it in front of Citrus' paws. "You can have it, consider it a gift for saving me."

     "It's rotten."

     "Does it matter? Over here, it's lucky that you can find anything." 

     Citrus rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, can you not understand me?" she snapped, stomping off. The wounds from the battle caught up to her like a wave and sent her tumbling on her paws, strength momentarily gone. 

     "Wait! You aren't going to take the rab---"

     She whirled around, unleashing her claws on feeble energy. "I'm not in the mood; I only came here to find the rabbit. I'm done now." She left without listening to the Imperfect, focused on returning back to the path and her test. To perfection.

     What were you doing, Citrus? She thought to herself, hesitating. That she-cat was just trying to help you!

     Well, I've got other problems, she answered her own thoughts, blowing away doubt with an angry huff.

     You could've asked her name.

     Citrus stopped. I've wasted enough time. She looked up at the sun. Looks like I can make it back and still catch enough prey in time. For some reason, she turned around, running swiftly back to the spot the battle took place. 

     All she had to do was grab the prey and cut off the rotten parts and claim she caught it. Lying into the tribe wasn't an ideal ticket, but catching two pieces of prey would surely make her look good. 

     When she entered the clearing, the rabbit was already gone along with the Imperfect.