"Stop!" Citrus yowled at the top of her lungs. No cat paid her any attention; their eyes and claws on the enemy rather than a cat who just barged in. "Stop fighting! Now!!" Cherry's ear flicked and she gave her older sister a concerned look - so at least one cat was listening to her. Lightning and Apple continued to fight after she tossed the tom back to her brother. Deciding that was the best place to start, she raced forward, forcing her way between her brother's attack, taking the blow for her enemy. 

     "Citrus!" Apple howled, retracting his claws and dropping to his paws, staring at the wound on her shoulder. Lightning looked puzzled but that mercy was quickly washed away by sheer hatred. Citrus shoved the stinging away, showing that she could still be perfect, something that made her brother's jaw drop. She stood up, glaring at the enemy, who was ready for another attack. Before she could talk, he sprung, and they were swept into a battle. 

     Citrus lashed out, claws slicing across his chest. Lightning barged through the cut and leaned down, successfully grabbing ahold of her paw. She jerked it back at the immediate pain but his teeth seared across her paw, tearing away fur and leaving her with three paws to rely on. She dove under the tom and he twisted down to counter, grabbing her tail. Then she shot upward, sinking her claws into his open stomach. The hold on her tail released and she gained the upper hand, her heart shaking with excitement. 

     Lightning fell on one side, the attacks from Apple and Blaze and now hers were finally draining his strength. His eyes landed on Wildfire's little, limp body off in the corner. Right beside, Cherry stayed put, and his eyes sparkled with an idea. Citrus yowled and threw him on the ground, knocking the idea of his head with a hard slam. He withered in pain and she tightened the grip, eyes centering around his exposed neck.

     That's all I have to do. All I have to do is kill him, she thought, shaking to hold him down. Hesitation crept in and Lightning noticed, and to her utter disgust, he pretended to beg for mercy. She snarled, but it didn't stop the pounding of her heart. Citrus froze, mind and body fighting over the tom's fate. 

     But something else came in, saving Lightning's life. Firestorm came back limping on a paw with a weakened Blaze trailing behind him. Blizzard sprang out of the forest, Maple nowhere to be seen, and crashed onto her older brother's back, knocking him down awkwardly, and she stiffened when his face twisted in pain, his paw in an unnatural position. Citrus let go of the tom underneath her and rammed into the silver cat.

     "Stop this!" She yowled, desperately raking her claws down Blizzard's flank. Lightning got back up on his shaking paws and shook his head, clearing his mind. It wouldn't be long before he joined, and Citrus felt her heart tighten. Luckily, he fell on one side, and the silver cat struggled to get up to her brother's aid. 

     So they do have feelings for each other. Citrus closed her eyes, Blaze, who forced himself on his twisted paw. Maple came out of the grass, eye swollen shut, and a bloody gash on her head, weak but still alive. The two sisters gave each other a reassuring glance. Then she asked, "Why are we fighting right now? Even if they were Imperfect cats, they didn't do anything to me. Unless the rumors are true that even being in the presence of an Imperfect can affect you." 

     Except try to kidnap me. 

     "You were dealing with Imperfects, Citrus," Blaze explained, giving the Imperfects a deadly glare. She did happen to notice that him and Firestorm were the only cats here that seemed to take the least amount of damage - out of the cats who had actually fought. Cherry was a shaking ball of fear beside a possibly dying Wildfire, no cat paid her attention. Lark and Tsunami shared equal amounts of damage, Blizzard had somehow beat Maple - which she was angered by - and left her sister to limp while the silver cat stood tall.

     "We're all here for you!" Lark wheezed, sprawled across the bloody ground. Citrus felt sick, realizing it was hers, Cherry's, Tsunami's, and Wildfire's blood she was bathing in. "Leave my sister... alone! Imperfects!"

     "Wildfire!" Tsunami gasped suddenly, turning toward her little sister. A hostile roar shot toward Cherry, who screamed and dropped her head to the ground, throwing her paws over her ears to block out the sound. The calico staggered over to the golden cat, ignoring the frightened cream she-cat next to her sister. Perhaps she thought she could easily dispose of her if the tiny cat were to put up a fight. "Wildfire... No!" She sighed, collapsing in front of her. Slowly, Citrus' sister began to uncurl and stare at the two with loving eyes.

     These cats are Imperfects. I can't believe it. I'm meeting Imperfect cats right now and they're... like Cherry, Lark, Maple, Blaze, and I. We all care about each other; we'd give our lives for each other. Citrus stared at Tsunami's heaving sides, all of her battle energy gone and replaced by warmth and a desire to nurse the golden cat to health. 

     The rest of the Storm Siblings lowered their shoulders, the fight no longer in them. They gathered around Wildfire, examining their sister's wounds, a possible, soon-to-be corpse. Blizzard leaned over, nuzzling her head with soft licks here and there. Lightning weakly pressed his paws on her wounds while whispering unspoken words. Firestorm wrapped his tail around the golden one, comforting her as her chest heaved with short breaths. 

     This is what perfection is for! They shouldn't be gathering around her! They'd be getting herbs out to heal her! Citrus marched, annoyingly, over to a bush, yanking out some leaves. Her siblings gave her curious looks and Apple was the first to realize what she was doing. 

     That would be a mistake, though, she thought coldly. Having emotions towards cats like these. Another rule broken and much further from being perfect. That's why all Imperfects shouldn't be considered equal to us. Why am I doing this? Citrus approached Wildfire, dropping the leaves to her paws. Lightning whirled around adrenaline surging through him once again, growling at her. Blizzard lifted her head, her eyes still hard and ready to attack, all the while standing over her sister protectively. 

     "It's not cobwebs, but you can use them on her to stop some of the bleeding. That is, if she's not dead yet," Citrus stated, revealing no emotion. "Can we agree that we can stop this fight and we won?" Blizzard looked appalled, unsure what to say. Firestorm accepted the gesture and began to place the leaves over the wounds, red starting to bleed over green.  

     "Yes, we've won, thanks to perfection," Maple spat venom looking down at Wildfire like she was nothing more than prey. 

     Blizzard flattened her ears. "You know, cats like you tend to get on my nerve, talking about perfection and why it's so great." She shook her head, tsking. "A battle isn't needed---"

     "You tried to kidnap Citrus!" Lark snarled but no cat could understand her. Maple dropped and snatched the remaining leaves meant for Wildfire away from Lightning's outstretched paw. The tom looked ready to start another battle but Firestorm placed a paw on his tail, holding his brother back. He pushed the support away, fighting to reach the spotted she-cat that had a smug look on her face. 

     "We didn't kidnap her, she was sneaking around," Firestorm explained, turning towards Tsunami.

     What if imperfection is a disease? Even if it is, I know that helping Imperfects isn't going to go well with the guardians, but we don't need to be outwardly rude to them, right? Citrus turned her back, walking right by Lightning. She shoved him to the ground and as expected from her calculations, he stumbled onto the ground. He landed on his leg, opening up a wound, and dropped the leaves he recently collected.

     She did steal herself one last cast at Lightning, who sent her all the hate and rage he could at her. He managed to lift his front paws up but his face twisted in pain. He gritted his teeth and Citrus caught onto something in his eyes. Something that Cherry was prone to often. A sign of weakness and failure to stay strong. 

     "That's what you are," she coldly whispered. "You may not have started this fight, but you're still an Imperfect."

     "How are we supposed to believe you? You tried to take our sister away from us," Blaze stated. This was another thing that Citrus admired about her older brother, staying calm even when every nerve wanted to explode. At least, that's what she thought her brother was forcing himself to do. 

     "So, not only are you so attached to perfection, but it also makes you stuck-up little kits," Blizzard jeered. Her patience was running low, Citrus could tell - another good thing about perfection. Granted, she thought the skill was useless determining when a cat was impatient or starting to lose themselves. "Can't you see the truth with your own eyes? Or are your eyes not perfect?"

     "We're training to be perfect and enter our tribe. Citrus would never get kidnapped by Imperfects like you," Maple stated, bringing some leaves over to Lark's side. The spotted she-cat began to restore her sister's strength, but the muddy she-cat hardly moved except the breathing of her chest. "Your imperfection has rubbed on us, now we might not be perfect. Then there's Citrus, Apple, Lark, and Cherry, who might have to train longer now."

     "What?" Citrus demanded, whirling around. Apple shared the same fury, and she could see Lark visibly seething. "If I'm stuck training even longer than I already am, I'll kill you!"

     "If you can, I may not be 'perfect'," Blizzard hissed out that word in disgust. Citrus growled, lowering herself to the ground. "But I'm sure I can beat you."

     In seconds, Citrus lunged across and tackled the she-cat with Apple's shout. She relaxed her muscles and slipped under her. Blizzard, unlike Lightning, jumped before she could attack underneath. She twisted her paws, jumping towards her, keeping her body lean in the air as she aimed.

     She hit her target and clung onto her sides. Blizzard reached her paw up, unleashing her claws on her exposed back, digging the thorns in. Citrus felt ripples of pain course through her at the speed of a fleeing deer. Ruthless, every claw stroke dug into her flesh and drew the scarlet liquid.

     The world around her spun too quickly for her to comprehend. Her back was fire and Citrus felt herself fall onto the ground, which sent another take of pain down her back. 

     Her paws couldn't move. Her back was fire, burning the insides of her out. The blood wasn't helping at all. Citrus saw the sticky red liquid trickle down her messed-up back. She swayed on her side, trying to push herself back up. Each time she managed to break up, her paws would give under. Her breathing quickened, lungs heaving for breath.

     You lost, you lost, you lost, you lost. Whispers screamed in her head and she flattened her ears to help mute them. They only increased, along with the dizzy world. You lost, you lost, you lost, you lost. Citrus could only hear the shouts of her mind and the blood roaring in her ears. She tried to think straight, but her mind was like leaves in autumn flying on a massive hurricane.

     Maybe...

     Maybe...

     Maybe...

~~~oOo~~~

     "Hurricane!" Citrus snapped her eyes open at the sudden shout. Fear shot into her and she channeled it into power in milliseconds. Her fur spiked up and her eyes flashed across the cave, scanning the familiar den for danger. Lark jumped back and landed on her rear, letting out a yowl.

     Luckily, there wasn't a guardian around and the mistake slipped under their noses. Citrus calmed herself down and scanned the den once again, taking the little details to account. Then her eyes fell on the nest she lay in and her jaw dropped open.

     The healing cave?! That means I lost! What's going to happen NOW?! Citrus flattened her ears. When I see them again...!

     Hawk poked his head in and strode closer, curious to see what was going on. The two sisters looked at each other and then at the guardian, waiting. Citrus remained quiet for a few seconds before she exploded. 

     "What in the name of the Endless Stars happened?!" Citrus demanded, turning on Lark. Hawk leaned back, getting ready to leave. Her sister, on the other paw, didn't approve of this and growled, speaking loudly.

     "Ask him," Lark stated, pointing her tail at Hawk.

     "What?! Ask her!" Hawk fired. 

     Lark instantly dropped her tail and glared at him. "Why me?!" she demanded. "I'm not perfect!"

     "It's a test! Now get it right, or you'll have to stand outside while the winds blow and make sure you're in proper form," Hawk snarled.

     Lark scowled and received slashed across the face, a drop of blood flying out. Her sister recoiled, face dropping to the side. She muttered something under her breath before glowering the two of them. "After you were knocked out, the Guardians came and fought them. I think they were all killed. That's what we have to do now, right?"

     "Right," he confirmed with an adamant nod. "All of them were killed all because of their imperfection." His words may be sharp and harsh, but they brought comfort to Citrus, knowing she was on the right side.

     "They're all dead though?" Citrus asked, detecting a voice change that surprised her as well as Hawk and Lark. Her eyes gleamed mischievously, the emerald-forest eyes shining with an aura of power and disappointment.

     "Yeah, that's what the tribe does, kills every cat off that stands a threat," Lark answered, inching away. Hawk put a paw on her tail. 

     "Aww," she mocked. "Such a disappointment," she sighed to herself, flicking her tail to add drama. "I really wanted to kill them myself."