The High Committee

 THE HIGH COMMITTEE

Episode Nine, Season Four, of Rise.

Enjoy <3

The High Committee
Calypso blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She sniffed around, trying to figure out which was the right one. She didn’t want to enter the wrong den and find herself staring at the tom she loathed.

Finally, Calypso picked up the right scent. She took in a deep breath and held it for a second before pulling back the bramble screen and stepping inside.

“Presidia,” she whispered.

The cream colored she-cat glanced up. Her blue eyes lit up when she saw Calypso. “What are you doing here?” She sat up.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Calypso shut the screen behind her to give them a false sense of privacy.

“I assumed as much,” Presidia smiled a little, making Calypso smile too. “How is everything going outside?”

“I don’t know,” Calypso shook her head. “They haven’t really been letting me in on all this. Bryce talked to Aleric yesterday after she gave his herbs to Karina. I’m not sure what they talked about though…”

“It’s fine,” Presidia stretched, “I don’t want you to risk your life being a double agent anyway. They’ve done nothing wrong to us.”

“We should run away,” Calypso blurted out. “I’m sorry I left in the first place; I mean, you told me to leave but I shouldn’t have left you there with the Blood Army. We should leave this whole place and never come back. Find a new life somewhere else.”

Presidia sighed. “For us, there is nowhere else. Everyone who gets caught up in this three way battle is stuck. Only cowards run away, Calypso.”

“I don’t care!” Tears were streaming down her face now. “What if they kill you?”

“The Coalition wouldn’t do that,” Presidia said, doubtfully, “and I can’t return to the Twolegplace anymore.”

“Why not?”

“I was on a mission Calypso,” the cream colored she-cat closed her eyes almost regretfully, “I was supposed to ambush and bring back Bryce. But who knew that Aleric would be so prepared? I still don’t understand what that tom wants… But I gave Bryce information yesterday and the Blood Army won’t like that. They already won’t like how I messed up my mission.”

“If we can’t leave, then at least promise me you’ll help the Coalition.” Calypso begged. “I love you.” Her voice softened.

Presidia’s eyes opened in a flash. Her blue eyes were like sapphires. “I love you too,” she let out her breath and leaned forward, touching her nose briefly to Calypso’s. “I should have told you a lot earlier.”

“Me too; but there was a lot going on.”

“Agreed.”

“Will you do it?” Calypso pressed.

Presidia hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do it. I might as well help someone.”

Calypso smiled. Presidia couldn’t help but grin back. “I’ll start with someone useful: I’ll tell Bryce who’s part of the High Committee.”

~

Both Presidia and Aleric are brought to my den. All my friends are here to make sure they don’t do anything funny minus my sisters. Goldenfrost had offered to watch my sisters so Applepaw could be apart of this meeting.

Presidia is with Calypso, sitting closer than I’ve seen them sit. Aleric looks bored, his green eyes looking around constantly.

“You wanted to tell me something?” I ask Presidia.

“She wanted to tell you something,” Aleric repeats, “why am I here?”

“Because it regards you,” Presidia interrupts. “And I expect you want to help Bryce anyway. You might as well stay to help me.”

Aleric frowns at her but she continues. “I was part of the High Committee as you probably already know.” Aleric’s frown turns into a very deep scowl, as if he can already guess Presidia’s next words.

“I know the five other High Committee members. If I tell you the names, it’ll help you find them easier.”

“Why do they need the names?” Aleric snaps, “It’s not like anyone knows who they really are.”

Presidia glances at the brown tom, who actually looks on edge for once. “You’re just nervous because you were a High Committee member as well.”

Aleric’s ear flicks and he suddenly stares down at the ground. “Aleric?” I arch an eyebrow, “I mean that’s not hard to believe but…”

“I changed my mind, okay?” Aleric shakes out his fur, looking frustrated. “Who cares if I was part of the High Committee? Presidia was too and you’re taking her word for it without care.”

He is right I suppose, but Presidia didn’t really do anything to me, not like Aleric did. (But now that I think of it, what did he ever do to me?)

“Aleric is famous,” Calypso glares at the brown tom, “or infamous, whatever. Everyone in the Twolegplace fears him because if you hear his name, you’ll probably end up dead. He was always given missions of death.”

Aleric’s mouth thins to a line. “Don’t pretend Presidia never did anything wrong.”

“Look, I don’t need their names,” I decide, “but you shouldn’t hold anything back from me if you want me to trust you.”

Aleric scowls. “Knowing I’m a High Committee member won’t do you any good. It only makes you hate me even more.” He seems to glance unconsciously at Karina, who is blissfully ignoring him.

“I don’t hate you,” I reason, “I’m trying to understand you. I barely know you.”

“He kills everyone,” Calypso says disdainfully, “we should let him rot in prison.”

“He did save me,” Karina says softly.

Everyone falls silent when she speaks. Applepaw, who had been so quiet I almost forgot she was there, speaks up. “I agree with Karina. He helped us…maybe we should listen to what he has to say.”

I’m speechless for a moment. Aleric is the last tom I thought I would trust, but when I think about him, I know nothing about him. Sure, Calypso says he’s murdered plenty of cats, but what if he had his own story to tell? (Not that it would make the murders justified…Aleric was still a terrible cat.)

Aleric stays quiet for a long time until he realizes everyone is watching and waiting. His normally calm facade is gone, replaced by a brooding look. It almost makes him look feline.

“I know something Presidia doesn’t,” he finally says, “I know where you can find each and every one of those members.”

Presidia does manage to look a little impressed, while I feel a glimmer of hope. Perhaps we can salvage some good from these two.

“How do I know I have your loyalty?” I challenge him, not for the first time.

Aleric’s eyes, still devoid of real emotion, stares right into mine. I resist the urge to look away. “I could have escaped whenever I wanted. But I haven’t because I want to offer my help. There are some sins I must try to erase.”

“And the only way you can do it is helping me?”

The brown tom nods, though his eyes travel over all my friends. “All of you are,” he admits.

“Aleric? Pay back his sins?” Presidia scoffs, “Such a white lie.”

Aleric turns his gaze on her, and for once, I see a bit of hurt in them. There’s also a tinge of sadness, as if he knows that this should happen, that nobody would really believe him.

“I’m all for giving him a second chance,” Karina decides. “Well I mean, he didn’t really have a first chance…so I’m willing to give him a chance.”

Applepaw gives her agreement immediately.

Terran is quiet, his eyes narrowed. I know what he’s thinking. Aleric had been a possible threat before, but he had saved Karina’s life and mine.

“Okay,” I say softly, “I trust you.”

Aleric doesn’t smile. For some reason, that comforts me, knowing he’s not making light of this situation as if he’s playing with us. He seems serious.

Presidia gives a disgusted snort but doesn’t say anything else. Calypso stays silent as well, but I don’t ask for their agreement. They’re not the ones fighting for the Coalition. We are.

“I’ll still have to keep you in the prisons because the leaders won’t approve of this just yet, not until you prove it to them as well.” I add.

Aleric shrugs. “It doesn’t bother me.”

“Yeah because isn’t that where you almost spent your moons after that one she-cat?” Calypso sneers, “What was her name…Elena?”

Aleric’s gaze turns stony. I’ve never seen such fury in his eyes before. “My past is none of your business,” he says stiffly, “and what happened between me and Elena…” He shakes his head.

Karina frowns, but she watches the fight with slight interest. I want to stop it, but Presidia steps forward as well.

“Don’t think you can escape your mistakes, Aleric. All of our sins will catch up to us one day and none of us will be able to run faster than them. You included.” She warns.

Aleric sets his jaw and stalks out of the den. Karina lets out a yelp and mutters something about putting him back to his prison cell before running out after the brown tom. Nightshadow and Feathershine take Presidia.

Terran touches my shoulder lightly and I jump. I had almost forgotten he was there. “Want to go for a walk?”

I say yes, despite the memory of the last time we went on a walk.

We go hunting, really, but we talk along the way. “What do you make of Aleric and Presidia’s claims?” I ask him. I want his opinion on all of this. His honest one.

“I find it hard to believe Aleric, but he seemed truthful enough. Presidia is easier to read, because she’s not closed up like a wall.” Terran shrugs, “Honestly there’s no way we can tell for sure if we’re making the right choice.”

“I don’t have another choice,” I point out, “Aleric can do whatever he wants to us whether or not we approve of it. The only choice I have is to risk it and hope they both help us defeat the Blood Army.”

“True…” Terran sighs, “War is complicated.”

“Cats are complicated,” I groan, “Aleric is so emotionless it’s scary. Not to mention the amount of cats he must have killed in his lifetime. He doesn’t look much older than us but still.”

“The Twolegplace doesn’t sound like a forgiving place.”

“It’s not,” I say ruefully, “thank the stars I got my sisters out in time. When I was growing up, there were always stories about cats whose parents were murdered. Or how cats killed each other, even when they loved each other.”

“That’s mortifying,” Terran blanches, “Didn’t Presidia mention an ‘Elena’ to Aleric? Did you see how much sadness was built back in his eyes when he heard her name?”

I didn’t notice. “He was almost grieving her,” Terran continues, “Something must have gone wrong between her and him.”

“And he killed her?” I suggest, “Aleric seems to kill anyone he comes across. Except us.”

“Some cats are more broken than others,” Terran says softly, “and I’m afraid Aleric broke faster than others.”

“Maybe he’s not broken,” I gaze into the distance, “Maybe there’s just one part of him that broke and he hasn’t had anyone to help heal him. Maybe Elena had something to do with it.”

Terran wants to say something more, but at that moment, I hear a snarl. My fur stands on end.

Vicky steps out of the bushes, not even using the surprise to her advantage. She must really think she can beat us.

Why is everyone always trying to kill us when Terran and I are on a walk?

“Terran,” her eyes glint, “and Bryce. I see you have no need to come after me since Karina got her herbs.”

“How did you know about that?” I blink.

“I have eyes,” she laughs, but not a joyful one, “and I have claws.”

She unsheathes them and lunges for Terran. I let out a scream and Terran knocks me aside, obviously trying to protect me. I scramble to my paws, embarrassed for screaming when we’re in danger.

“I’m going to kill you both,” Vicky promises. “And I’m going to do it today.”

The End.