The confidence Hurricane had earlier left in her a matter of minutes when she locked claws with Icicle. Apparently, the white warrior still bared the same hatred toward her escape, but fighting her now, it seemed to have doubled. She rolled under Icicle's paw just as she lashed out, barely missing her ear.

     "How are you still alive?!" Icicle demanded, nostrils flaring like an angry bull. Hurricane lowered her guard, noticing the she-cat didn't want to fight anymore. She didn't blame the warrior but eyed her, seeing if she could pick out slight movements of resistance. "Answer me, Imperfect! Are you deaf?!"

     "I can hear you perfectly fine," she growled. "Why do you hate me so much? I'm out of your life and you're still in this tribe and haven't been kicked out. That means that you're still hanging on," she pressed, holding a paw up to defend herself against the sharp-witted warrior's attack, who used her entire body. 

     Successfully defending herself, Icicle stumbled back and prepared another attack. "I don't hate you for that." She sprang without warning, giving her little time to brace before Hurricane was pressed against the ground. The beta unleashed her claws, sinking them into her shoulders and drawing blood. 

     Sensing something else, Hurricane stopped resisting, blinking in confusion. She didn't fight back and slowly sheathed her claws. Her green eyes locked onto the claws on her shoulders and Icicle hissed, warning her. 

     She flattened her ears. "Then why do you hate me?"

     "You don't even want to know," Icicle growled. She shook her head, eyes clouded with grief and confusion. "You know you destroyed both of your sisters when they learned you weren't here. Your littlest one, most of all."

     Cherry?! Her sister flashed in her mind, her sweet smile and amber eyes. Hurricane could clearly see her sister's face when she heard the news of her disappearance. Imagining the look on her face when she wasn't greeted by her when she entered the tribe was too easy, causing her heart to twist and mind to sneer. It broke her heart, knowing the damage she had done. Icicle let out a huff but didn't release her. 

     "Hurting her was the worst thing you could've ever done as a big sister, you know. A sister is supposed to support them, not hurt them," she snarled. "I'll kill you for her and end her suffering if that's what it takes to make her smile again."

     "How... don't you think killing me would only make things worse for her?!" Hurricane pleaded. The grip locked on her and didn't budge as she fought to break free. She gasped, heart beating against her chest as loud as a drum. The white beta shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut.

     "I don't care! If you're dead, then maybe she would stop worrying about you all the time!" Icicle yowled into her fur, head lowering and shaking. Hurricane stopped fighting and stared at her, the sudden realization falling into her head. The quietly sobbed, claws clutching her shoulders tight. 

     Shutting her eyes, she let out a sigh, knowing that she couldn't kill the cat standing at her paws. Cherry, all those conversations about love we had... I'm so glad that you've figured out what it means. I won't hurt you more than I already have. Hurricane pushed Icicle off, who didn't resist or react when she did so. 

     The cat collapsed on the ground in a sobbing mess. She reached her tail over and touched her shoulder, giving her a bit of support. Her shoulders were on fire and were weakening each second; Hurricane would have to find an herb or search the healers' den for something to help her.

     I won't kill your love. I don't want to see your crying face ever again or be the cause of it. Please, live a happy and long life with Icicle. Hurricane whispered, hoping Icicle would look up. 

     Icicle lifted her head and stared at her, eyes full of tears. She shook her head and pointed toward a section of the camp. Hurricane followed her tail and froze when she saw a flash of a cream pelt, breath caught tight in her throat. "Over there. She's supposed to be hiding. Get out of here. See her one last time before you die."

     "Way to make me fee---"

     "Just go! Before I change my mind!" snarled the beta, claws unleashing again, strength coming back.  

     With that said, Hurricane got to her paws and raced over toward her sister's hiding place. Her mind caught up with her and she slowed down, realizing what would happen. Once again, her heart fell to her stomach, knowing that her appearance would only make things worse on her and Cherry. 

     She needed to get out of the battlefield, alive. Retreat with her family.

     "Which family?"

     Her mind took her back to Blaze, Maple, Arrow, Lark, and Cherry. Blaze would teach her battle moves when he visited her and encourage her to try harder each time they met. Maple helped her as she grew, teaching her tips to use when she was on her own. Arrow and her shared conversations that she still remembered as if it were yesterday. Lark and her would always fight and get into trouble with their guardians or get a lecture from Dandelion when they were younger. Cherry looked up to her just and trusted her wholeheartedly and Hurricane loved her back just as much. 

     Then there was the Storm Siblings, a group of cats born from different mothers but shared the same father. The same father that showed little or no care toward any of them. Raised in imperfection and did what he asked them to. Still, they treated her as a real family; just like Blaze and the others did. 

     Firestorm would train her day and night and never lose patience with her, even when she couldn't get moves down. Blizzard told her stories of when they were all younger and how she was when it came to raising her younger siblings, all the while learning the reason she was protective around them was to be a mother figure they never had. Lightning told her the basics of planning a battle strategy and correcting her when she was wrong. Tsunami avoided her at all costs but came around and helped her out when times needed it. Wildfire and her energy that could last for days and the look of acceptance in her eyes when she agreed to become a Storm Sibling.

     Each of them became close to her in many ways. Even if Tsunami had given her life protecting her, she asked her to protect her family. Hurricane glanced around the field and saw Blizzard pounce. Her blue eyes widened as Maple turned around and instantly recognized the silver cat from long ago. The two began to fight, the two dancing around the other cat, waiting for the first move. Stepping in would only cause trouble, forcing Hurricane to watch as they fought. 

     "Healers, attack!" A voice rang over the battle from the ledge. Looking up, Hurricane spotted Origanum padding down, ready to join the fight once again. At once, she heard a snarl and Heather jumped from her position, throwing herself at Scarlet, who laughed at the challenge. She ran before the Alpha could spot her. 

     Get out of here! Now! Stop standing around! Move! Her paws took her away in no direction. 

    She crashed into a cat, bumping heads with them. Hurricane stumbled back on her paws and rubbed her ear, opening her eyes to the cat. The world stopped moving when she saw the she-cat. Faster than before, her mind took off and threw her back to when she was still at Dandelion's side.

     Shapes of a head poking out from behind their mother's pelt caught her attention. Their mother didn't stop them as the cat jumped and tackled her to the ground in a shower of laughter. Hurricane blinked, looking up at the small kit above her and the sparkling blue eyes staring down at her. The color of those eyes always made her calm, reminding her of a river. The memory faded away into the air and was replaced by an older she-cat standing in front of her, rubbing her head from their clash.

     It felt like moons until the cat lifted their head, their muddy-brown pelt streaked with blood and wounds, but the sharp, blue eyes kept their fire. Hurricane felt her heart split in two once those blue eyes realized who was standing in front of her. The she-cat's jaw dropped open with horror and she took a step back, legs shaking like a newborn deer and her lips twitched. 

     "Y-you... I am dead? I... Y-You're... You..." The she-cat stumbled around, lips only able to make short, choking sounds. The muddy cat studied her, examining her scars and wounds from the battle. Then they trailed up to her green eyes, a hammer smashing over her glass frame. 

     It can't be... She was unable to move no matter how much her mind screamed at her to lash out and rid the sight of the she-cat in front of her. 

     "I... C-Citrus...?" Her voice came out no louder than a gasp and Hurricane flinched at the sound of her old name. "N-no, W-Wildflower... You're..." She was panting, unable to speak coherently. 

     "Lark," Hurricane whispered and her sister's blue eyes broke into tears, a strangled cry escaping her. 

     "Wildflower! I thought you were dead!" As if nothing changed, Lark ran over to her side and bawled into her fur, forgetting that she was standing on the enemy side of the battle. "Y-you weren't there when I arrived and I couldn't...! You were labeled as an Imperfect...! I never got to see you after you joined! I thought you were killed and thought I'd never see you again! You...! You...!" Hurricane had trouble understanding the words coming out of her mouth through the sobs and chokes. 

     Her sister was in her reach again and giving her a hug. She could feel her heartbeat pick up, her own legs shaking with the warm pelt of Lark next to her again. Hurricane trembled before she returned the gesture, making her little sister chirp with delight.

     For a brief moment, she thought she could see Tsunami taking the place of her real sister, the calico's blue eyes replacing the dark pool's of Lark's and giving her a short nod before fading away. Hurricane stared at the illusion, a strange feeling running down her spine.

     She swallowed the feeling away. "Lark, it's... It's been---"

     "Why are you here?!" Lark suddenly demanded, jerking away from her. She unleashed her claws and turned on her sister, catching Hurricane off guard. "You have to leave or else some cat will kill you!"

     This is what I was expecting... she thought grimly but then repeated her sister's words in her head. "You aren't going to kill me...?"

     "What? Endless Stars sake no! Even if you are labeled as an Imperfect, I'm not killing my sister." Lark shook her head and Hurricane let out a sigh of relief, catching her breath again. "I'm just... I'm just so mad at you and so happy at the same time. It's like a mix... just..."

     "Lark---"

     "Please stop calling me by that name, I haven't been called Lark in moons." Her sister rolled her eyes. She pounced on Hurricane, throwing her to the ground, much faster than the last time she had been thrown under her. "I gotta make it look like I'm fighting you, alright?"

     "Fine by me if that means I can live," Hurricane replied with a purr.

     "Don't call me Lark. My name is Serval," she announced proudly, leaning closer to her. "So, if I hear you call me Lark one more time, you're as good as dead."

     Serval?! That's who was with Mother at that time when she caught all of us?! That's why her voice sounded familiar! Other than the wounds she had gotten from the battle, Hurricane didn't see any major damage done to her sister. She stared into the dark, blue pools above her nose and they gleamed. 

     Serval rolled her eyes at her. "Gesh, stop staring at me already, Wildflower."

     "It's a nice name," she complimented. "My new name's Hurricane."

     "Oh? So you got a new name for joining the Imperfects? How bad are they? Hurricane, I want to see you in the Tribe of Endless Stars! Now that you're an Imperfect, that means you're going to the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows! I don't want that! This might be the only chance I have with you!" The words tumbled out of her mouth and Serval backed away, panic flooding over her. 

     "Serval, they aren't bad. They're lik---"

     "You've been brainwashed." Serval jumped to her feet and unleashed her claws. "Wil--- Hurricane, no! Our tribe is perfect! We---"

     "Listen, they aren't bad cats. We were born into a world where it's perfection against imperfection," she claimed and Serval shook her head as if to block her out. 

     "No! You're lying! Perfection is the key! Imperfection is the reason cats are sent to the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows! You can't be telling the truth!" Hurricane took a step back from her. The brown she-cat looked at her and then back at the battle.

     "Serval, please listen to me. I want to change the world so there isn't perfection and imperfection. A world where we can all live together---"

     "Get away from me if you think Imperfects could ever live with us as equals," Serval snarled, ice leaking out of her mouth at each word; using a tone Hurricane hadn't heard before. Hostility filled her eyes, replacing all the warmth and kindness they had in them when they were finally reunited. Fur rising from her spine, her younger sister turned on her, lips curled back.

     "Ser---"

     "Imperfects are the reason this world is messed up. All because they can't stop making mistakes. I don't want to live in a world where mistakes are present. They ruin the world and destroy everything our tribe in based off of! We're the Tribe of Shining Suns, for Stars sake! We don't live in the shadows making mistakes! You guys ruin everything because you aren't perfect! I'm perfect! I have to be perfect or else I'm going to the darkest parts of the Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows where Imperfects live!" Serval expressed, starting to sink.

     "I've had enough of you." Hurricane let out a gasp as Firestorm jumped behind her, crashing onto a hissing Serval. He glanced over his shoulder, easily holding down her enraged sister while doing so. "Hurricane, get out of here."

     "Firestorm---"

     "Seriously?! How are you still alive?! I thought you were all killed that day! Hurricane, did you really join them?!" Serval let out a yelp as Firestorm pressed his paw on her chest, claws curling around the fur around her heart. She gulped and looked up at him fearfully.

     "Run back to her resting place! We'll come and get you after this is done! You being here is hurting you more than actually fighting," Firestorm hissed, keeping her sister down. 

     "Wait---"

     "No, Hurricane, listen to me. Get away from this battle. If you run into anyone else from your family, who knows if someone will be there to save you," he mentioned, casting a dark look at Serval, who snuck her paw around the tom. 

     "I could've taken her---"

     "Stop arguing and listen! Tsunami hated that you wouldn't listen and look where that got her!" Hurricane froze. Serval's eyes darted over to her and then back to Firestorm. The light in her eyes told her that she realized what happened. "Run away! We promise to meet you up there!"

     Turning around, Hurricane ran, eyes glued onto the entrance as the sounds of the battle rang in her ear. Moving her way through the mess of cats, she did her best to avoid getting caught. She whisked by Wildfire, who perked her head up at her before running off in the other direction. She was about to leave the camp when a cream pelt flashed in the corner of her eye.

     Looking over, her heart burst when she spotted Cherry covered in blood. She leaned down and coughed, clearly still recovering from the fight she was just in. Raising her head, her sister twisted her head around and struggled to her paws, only to fall on her face. Her body lay on the battlefield like a tiny, crushed corpse.

     Ignoring Firestorm's request and going on her gut, she changed directions and raced over to her little sister.