RANDOM MG CHAPTER

"There's something I wanted to show you," Swiftdapple meowed to Cinderflower. Cinderflower blinked, seemingly surprised. "Don't look at me like that, Cinderflower. It's something important. I won't bite, I promise." Heh, of course I will, you pile of dung.

"Okay." Cinderflower followed Swiftdapple over clambers of rocks that jutted from the ground in all different sizes; big, small and medium. "Where are we going? Isn't this towards the gorge?"

"It's by the gorge," Swiftdapple replied. "It's some kind of herb that I wanted you to see before we showed Silverfeather it. I wanted to ask you if you had any idea what it was."

"I'm no expert with herbs," Cinderflower answered. Swiftdapple had never gotten used to her accent despite knowing her for a long time. ''Pity it'll have to end soon. ''"But I guess I can try."

"Good!" Swiftdapple purred. "I'm glad you came out here with me, Cinderflower. I've always wanted to be friends with you." She halted by the gorge. The waterfall of it roared loudly, ringing in Swiftdapple's ears.

Cinderflower stopped by her and looked around, puzzled. "I thought you said there was some kind of herb around here. I don't see anything but rocks."

"Well, I lied, didn't I? Ever heard of such a thing fool?" Swiftdapple's gaze turned dark as Cinderflower stared at her.

"Sw--Swiftdapple?"

"Don't worry dear, there's no cat here to see us. Why else do you think I dragged you hunting with me? To actually be friends with you? You don't even have any, and you will die alone." Swiftdapple supressed an approaching purr, and unsheathed her claws.

Cinderflower stared at them, wide-eyed as she backed off slowly. "You're my deputy!"

"You just figured that out? Ha, pathetic!" Swiftdapple crouched, her tail whisking behind her. "I know you're jealous that Hawkshadow likes me more than you. In fact, he doesn't even like you. We're mates, and nothing will come between us. Not even you, Cinderfool."

"You're crazy! Help! Larkflight! Someone! Help me!" Cinderflower yowled. Swiftdapple let out a hiss and propelled herself at the gray she-cat, pinning her down with a lot of force summonded from her paws.

Cinderflower yelped as her head hit off a rock, though it didn't seem to knock her out. "No cat can here you. Don't even try messing with me. Your death will be my guilty pleasure. The Pine will never miss you."

"Cinderflower!" Larkflight screeched. Swiftdapple let out a hiss, her eyes burning. She flung Cinderflower away like a kit, making her slide down some rocks. She then yowled as she ended up hanging over the gorge, her claws scraping against the ground as she tried hanging on.

"You won't stop me!" Swiftdapple yowled, flinging herself at the tabby. Larkflight yelped and, with being small, got bowled over. Swiftdapple lunged forward and scored her claws across her nose, slicing it open. She whimpered and fell backwards again.

Swiftdapple noticed the gap before the bridge that rested over the gorge, an idea sparking up inside her head. "Get up!" She hooked her claws into her foe's shoulders and tossed her, but Larkflight staggered back.

<p align="CENTER">"Cinderflower!" she yowled. Swiftdapple turned her head and saw the rocks Cinderflower desperately tried holding onto crumble. The she-cat's eyes were wide as her paws kept moving, her claws continuously scraping against the ground.

<p align="CENTER">''What was I thinking? ''Without thinking, Swiftdapple leaped forward in attempt to try saving the she-cat. But it was too late for any rescue attempts. A larger rock hit Cinderflower's face making her let go of the edge. Her yowl echoed as she fell towards the gorge.

<p align="CENTER">Swiftdapple backed off in case the ground was still unstable. The echoes began fading and she could hear a distant splash from the river at the very bottom. She gulped, her paws trembling slightly.

<p align="CENTER">''That could have been me if I did try helping her, too. I could have died because of that, just like Cinderflower did. ''After a few heartbeats she stepped forward and looked over the edge. She could barely see anything in the river as it was too far, but she could make out the shapes of the herbs that grew by it.

<p align="CENTER">I just hope no healer is there, otherwise they're in for a surprise when they see Cinderflower's body having a swim, she thought to herself.

<p align="CENTER">"You killed Cinderflower!" Swiftdapple's ears twitched as she saw Larkflight spring through the air to her. Her only reaction was to duck, and she felt Larkflight's paw hit the tips of her ears as she dived over her.

<p align="CENTER">The she-cat then yowled as she fell over the side of the gorge. Swiftdapple's gaze widened and she didn't want to stay at the gorge for any longer. She turned and began darting away. ''I killed two cats, and all because I wanted Cinderflower to back off. . . I didn't think I would have gotten two cats killed, however much I hate them.''

<p align="CENTER">"Swiftdapple, where do you think you're going?" Swiftdapple was stopped by a dark tabby pelt that sprung in front of her. Her heart raced against her chest with terror as she looked over her shoulder. She hadn't gotten that far from the gorge; the bridge still looked close and the slope down to the bottom of it lay by her.

<p align="CENTER">Swiftdapple stared at the cat and recognised Hawkshadow. His gaze appeared almost emotionless as he stared down at her though it contained the faintest hint of something Swiftdapple couldn't quite catch. He shouldn't know, Swiftdapple reassured herself. No cat saw what happened at the gorge.

<p align="CENTER">"I went for a walk," she lied. "Where are you going?" She didn't flinch nor move her gaze away from his; Hawkshadow did the same, but instead he narrowed his blue gaze slightly, if not too suspiciously. It'll be fine, you stupid cat!

<p align="CENTER">"Following you to see what you were up to," Hawkshadow answered back. ''He was stalking me?! ''"I saw you with Cinderflower--or, at least, I could recognise her sent. Now what ever happened to her?"

<p align="CENTER">"What do you mean? She's just up ahead gazing. We decided to have a little talk about something private." Swiftdapple tried to control her nerves as Hawkshadow kept staring at her. She even began to feel as though his gaze went right through her skin and bones.

<p align="CENTER">"Don't lie to me, Swiftdapple. I saw and heard everything. You killed Cinderflower and Larkflight. I saw them fall off the side of the gorge while you threatened to kill Cinderflower. A walk wasn't your intention; killing the two cats was."

<p align="CENTER">"Okay, I guess I can't lie to you," Swiftdapple sighed. "Fine, I did kill Larkflight and Cinderflower. But that doesn't make me an evil cat! I'm still loyal, they just had it coming to them! It wasn't my fault Larkflight was dumb enough to--"

<p align="CENTER">Hawkshadow silenced her with his tail. "Don't worry, I know you're not evil," he meowed smoothly. Swiftdapple blinked, feeling surprised at the tom's reaction. "No cat even liked Larkflight. I'm glad you finally ended up killing her for us."

<p align="CENTER">"You're not. . .?"

<p align="CENTER">"No," Hawkshadow admitted. "Why would I be? I never cared about them in the first place. They were great big pain in the tails, and I'm glad some cat finally got rid of them before I had to."

<p align="CENTER">"So you won't tell any cat about what I have done?" Swiftdapple pressed on, relaxing slightly. "Not even Fallenpetal or Ratfang?"

<p align="CENTER">"Not even them," Hawkshadow agreed. "Your secret is just as much of a secret as mine. Come with me. I'll make sure no cat finds out about you killing them. We can't have you getting exiled."

<p align="CENTER">Swiftdapple watched as the tom began heading down the slope towards the bottom of the gorge. ''Hawkshadow must have gotten hit on the head by a branch. ''"Hawkshadow, why are you keeping this a secret? I thought you didn't like me," she asked once she had caught up with him.

<p align="CENTER">"This is me being nice," Hawkshadow replied. "Don't think more of it. You did me a favour so I'm doing you one."

<p align="CENTER">Swiftdapple blinked, feeling grateful. "Fair enough."

<p align="CENTER">"If any cat did find out about this, you'd lose everything: your respect, calling as a deputy, mate--everything."

<p align="CENTER">"I know that. Do you think I'm that dumb? Anyway, apparently Larkflight and Cinderflower liked you."

<p align="CENTER">Hawkshadow let out a snort. "And they're as good as dead. I would have never liked a bunch of cats who roll in fox-dung for a living."

<p align="CENTER">"Not to mention, fox-dung is Larkflight's favourite kind of prey," Swiftdapple joked.

<p align="CENTER">"Too right," Hawkshadow agreed. "Fallenpetal should have made sure her name was Foxdung."

<p align="CENTER">"Or Dungface," Swiftdapple added in. "You can't forget she looks so ugly, you'd think she fell into some dung herself."

<p align="CENTER">Hawkshadow's whiskers twitched with amusement. "That would explain why every cat tried avoiding her. You could smell her from the other side of the forest!"

<p align="CENTER">"Yeah! In fact, even the Star could have smelled her from here! Being around her just made me want to grab a nearby branch and whack her across the head with it."

<p align="CENTER">"She gives that feeling to every cat. I'd have been happier having to swim my whole life than meet a pile of crowfood as awful as her."

<p align="CENTER">"Me too," Swiftdapple agreed.

<p align="CENTER">"You're not that bad, you know? You were weird and a pain in the tail when I first met you."

<p align="CENTER">Swiftdapple fell silent for several heartbeats. "Well, you're not bad yourself, for a stupid furball."

<p align="CENTER">"Stupid furball?" Hawkshadow echoed. Swiftdapple let out a slight yowl as Hawkshadow nudged her, though she fell to the ground as she didn't expect that. "Watch your step. You wouldn't want to fall into some nettles."

<p align="CENTER">"I'll throw you into some nettles for being a furball as usual!"

<p align="CENTER">Hawkshadow's eyes glittered. "See if you can catch me first then!"

<p align="CENTER">"Oh, I will! You'll be a fish by the time I do catch you!" Swiftdapple accepted his challenge and began chasing after him.

<p align="CENTER">"Yeah, when leaf-bare comes!"