Hello readers! And nya! Welcome to the Stray!AU once again, but this time with some crap to read! Onward, into the warzone! :D

(WARNING: MENTION OF ROMANCE)

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Third POV

Grian was pacing back and forth, back and forth. He had no idea what to do about the current dog threat, apparently Doc and Ren had somehow managed to get Python, of all cats! One of the fiercest of their ranks, however quite reckless. Grian sighed, flicking his tail at the waiting Cub and Scar. "Yes?" he asked tiredly, laying down on his moldy cushion. "Reports from the patrols. Nothing special, but Jevin has something...Rather urgent, to tell you." Cub said flatly, flicking his ears back as the Russian Blue stumbled through the "door". The little hole in the bottom of the wall of the abandoned warehouse the cat troop lived in. Jevin bowed at Grian's feet, causing the blonde to frown. "Get up." he hissed, walking around the ragged cat in a circle. Coming back in front of him, Grian sat. "Tell me what happened." He said, flicking his tail for the scared, but larger cat to continue. "I saw two dogs, a mut and a yorkie, not two blocks from the warehouse!" Jevin panted, short fur on end in bristly spikes. Grian stared at the blue, then nodded at his Second to take him to away while he readied himself for a meeting. Scar whisked Jevin away, Cub following quickly. Grian groomed carefully, then shook out his fur and spat out a hairball. He padded out the door, making way for the ledge he called meetings on. Leaping onto aforemetioned shelf, he yowled. No words, just a sound. All the cats below quickly gathered under his perch, and he watched them with keen eyes. "As we know, Python has been captured by the dogs as a prisoner of war, or a hostage." He called, looking over his cats. A few nodded, others who had been at outposts when the red cat went missing gasped. Grian continued. "Jevin has come to me with the...Disturbing news that a pair of dogs were seen not two blocks away from our home." He said, flicking his tail at the Russian Blue. This time, every cat gasped, a few looking around in a panic. He heard a few cats yelp things like "No!" or "Is this true?!". He just nodded curtly, pacing back and forth on his ledge. Once the noise had died down, he continued. "I believe that the dogs are torturing information out of Python. If we cannot rescue him by the next week from now, he must die." He said, sitting down. Jevin's jaw dropped. Grian knew that the blue had...Feelings for the red cat, but the troop's safty came first. "As I want the death of our fellow feline as little as the rest of you, I am going to organize a rescue mission. Scar, you are staying here with the rest of the cats. I can't lose my Second in this battle." Grian said with a nod. He ignored the jealous look from Cub, and began calling cats over to join his mission. "Jevin, you will be acting Second in this patrol, you know where the dogs were seen and how we can avoid them. Joe, if dogs spot us, we'll need you to translate and see if we can get out of there. Mumbo, we'll need your planning. Cleo, if all heck goes, we are going to need at least one full-fledged fighter." Grian said, nodding at his group. As they marched out of the warehouse, Cub glared. Why was he so bitter, you ask? Well, it was troop law that a leader and their Second had to be mates. It was the only way to keep the bond strong without thirsts for power. Before Grian had claimed his right as leader, and made Scar his Second, Cub would have been Scar's mate. They could have been happy. But then this young upstart came along and took Scar away from him. It was also troop law that a Leader could not take a mated cat as a Second, and Cub had convinced Scar not to tell anyone, for the sake of the war. What a miserable mistake that was. He walked over to him. Forced by honor, he bowed, not as low as to Grian, but notable. Scar frowned. Scar liked seeing cats bow as little as his mate, and Cub doing it was just more uncomfortable. "Yes, Cub?" the green eyed cat asked, sitting down. "Can we talk alone?" Cub asked, staring his old mate dead in the eyes. Scar nodded nervously, padding over to his den. Circling around on his cushion for a moment, the Second laid down. "What do you want to talk about?" Scar said, looking over the silver with mild confusion. "I still think we could be mates agai-" Cub was saying, but was cut off by an aghast look from his striped companion. "Cub! That is against troop law, and you know it! Grian is my mate and he will be until either he dies, or I die!" Scar cried, lashing his tail. "Scar-" Cub tried to say, but the other cat shook his head, and dismissed him with the wave of his tail. Cub slumped, and left the Second alone in his den. Scar frowned as the silver cat left, not expecting such a dismayed reaction. Surely Cub knew basic law in the troop? It was too bad they couldn't have been together, but Scar truly did love Grian. He knew a few other cats tried to be Grian's mate before he was elected Second, and then Leader. Mumbo was the one who came closest. But Grian never really felt the same interest towards Mumbo that mumbo had for him. And...Nor did he really for Scar, now that the grey cat thought about it. He recalled G saying he didn't choose Scar for the mating part, but for how he would be as a Second. But Grian followed the laws, just like every other cat, and him and Scar became very close. Not as close as Scar expected though. Not like...How he felt with Cub. But Scar just shook off these worrisome thoughts. The green eyed cat slowly got up and went to eat the food the latest savaging patrol found.

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A bit short, but I liked it. I should have P2 out tomorrow! And, who do you think will get Scar in the end? Will Grian ever find a cat he truly loves? What will happen to Python? Some, but not all questions will be answered next chapter, so don't miss next time on Hermitcraft Fanfic Fun! This has been your hostess, Chatham1! Okay, okay, all joking aside, I hope you enjoyed! Cya!

~Chat, signing off~