Hello, everyone! Welcome to Heir to Darkness! I hope you enjoy. So let's get started.
Part 1 - Shadow of Moonlight
Chapter 1
Her dark silhouette was nothing more than a mere shadow in the darkness.
She'd made sure that no cat saw her land a deft blow onto the night watch's head - not strong enough to kill, but to leave unconscious temporarily - until she accomplished what she had come for. She'd made sure that no cat saw her slip into the warriors' den, a mere shadow, her blue eyes scanning the darkness for the cat called Pebbleclaw.
Ravenstar's Shadow pressed herself against the RiverClan den wall, willing herself to blend in. Her head down, her gray fur no more that a dark silhouette, the only visible thing about her was her brilliant blue eyes. She flinched inwardly as the cat sleeping in the nest beside her stretched, a strong paw ramming mercilessly into her jaw.
She drew in a breath, recalling everything she had been told by her leader Ravenstar to recognize this Pebbleclaw. A large tom, silver-gray fur with darker flecks, broad shoulders, a distinctive, angular jaw, a torn ear... and green eyes.
Oh, the 'green eyes' part would be oh-so-helpful now, wouldn't it? Considering that every cat was asleep?
There was a flash of light, from outside, and she cursed inwardly. The last thing she needed was a thunderstorm, at this point in time. As if it wasn't far enough back to the ThunderClan camp already. Her ears were pricked, checking to see if any cat had been awoken by the clap of thunder, but the den was silent.
Silently, gracefully, swiftly, she crept through, pausing to check each nest to see if it belonged to Pebbleclaw. She past the nest of a dark orange she-cat, a black tom, a silver tom, a gray she-cat... all of whom appeared darker in the shadows.
Another flash of lightning illuminated the den, and she instinctively ducked. The light lasted just long enough for her to see and recognize the sleeping figure of a large tom with a black flecks all over his silver-gray fur. Pebbleclaw. What quarrel did he have with Ravenstar?
She slid out her claws, rising from her low crouch and looking down at the sleeping RiverClan tom, who seemed entirely oblivious to the danger he was in. She swallowed, positioning her forepaw just above his exposed throat.
Pebbleclaw shifted, his green eyes opening and widening, just as her claws pierced his throat with decisive precision - his life ebbing away too fast for him to make a sound.
The Shadow took some effort to swallow back a long sigh of relief as she forced her paw deeper into the fatal wound, further mangling his broken throat as she brutally ripped Pebbleclaw's head from his body with dark, bloodstained paws.
The head that she now carried in her jaws as she stalked silently out of the den was a symbol - a symbol that all of these deaths were linked, under the same order. As much as she would have liked to have faked all these deaths - she couldn't, not if she wanted Ravenstar to let her live.
Because she was Ashfire - the deadliest warrior, the prodigy of ThunderClan, and Ravenstar's Shadow.
She was not proud of the last.
Ashfire bounded into camp, her pelt dripping from the night rain as she stalked into Ravenstar's den.
She would have thought the black she-cat was asleep, but she opened her green eyes as soon as Ashfire entered, as if she could sense it. She looked over Ashfire's wet pelt with an approving stare, then lifted her head with that haughtiness she always bore. "Is it done, Shadow?"
Always the way Ravenstar greeted her. And she had no choice but to reply respectfully - as much as she might hate doing so.
Ashfire dipped her head respectfully. "It is done, Ravenstar."
Ravenstar flicked her tail, and for the first time, Ashfire noticed Lionshade, her close friend and Ravenstar's deputy, standing there beside the black leader, staring at her.
Her heart clenched in slight pity - she could only start to imagine what it was like for Lionshade to be forced to swear loyalty to this murderous leader and watch one of his closest friends be forced to kill without question for that same leader.
Not like she had a choice. Not like either of them had a choice.
She wondered what was going through his mind as he stood there, his eyes betraying unreadable emotion as he stared at her. Disgust? Probably. Horror? Probably. Shock? Probably. But really, what else was a cat supposed to expect from Ravenstar's Shadow?
After a heartbeat, Ravenstar spoke. "Your next task will be to kill a WindClan cat - Breezeflame."
Breezeflame. He was... well... sort of a friend... even though he was from another clan, they were friendly at Gatherings, but nothing more. She quickly drew up a mental image of Breezeflame - light brown tabby pelt, white paws and tail-tip, a scar right above his eye, a darker stripe on his ears, and amber eyes.
Ashfire nodded. "I know who he is. And how much time will I have to complete this task?" Her usual question.
"Three moons." Ravenstar's usual answer.
But Ashfire never took that long for anything - so it didn't really matter. Usually, it was done within a quarter-moon - or less. From beside Ravenstar, Lionshade's fur was bristling, and his eyes were wide and a little darker than usual as he stared at her.
It's not like I can do anything about it, Ashfire glared back. As much as I wish I could.
And she could get it done the first night if she wanted to. It's just that she took a little bit of time to think about her task and how to make each stand out in its own unique way. Just as Ravenstar always told her - a dramatic death that would be remembered.
Not that it mattered to the cat in question, considering that the cat would die, anyway.
Ashfire dipped her head. "Thank you, Ravenstar."
Ravenstar curled her lip at Ashfire. "Make sure it's done within three moons, Shadow." Arrogant piece of fox-dung. The black leader flicked her tail indifferently before curling it around her paws. Her clean paws - while Ashfire's were almost eternally stained with blood.
Ravenstar's Shadow was just a beautiful, fancy way of saying Ravenstar's personal murderer.
That was about all Ashfire was useful for - getting rid of the cats at Ravenstar's will - just doing all of Ravenstar's dirty work for her. Because the oh-so-noble leader couldn't get her paws stained with blood and murder, could she? So she had to have someone else do it for her.
And it just so happened to be Ashfire, the greatest warrior in ThunderClan.
Ravenstar flicked her black tail in the direction of the entrance of her den. Ashfire shook out her thick gray fur and bowed her head stiffly again to her leader, her muscles tight and harshly-coordinated, understanding what the gesture meant.
Dismissal.
With another brief glance toward Lionshade, Ashfire stalked out of the den, fur bristling slightly along her spine.
Pausing only to pick up a small vole in her jaws, Ashfire padded over to her usual spot under a large, widespread oak at the edge of the clearing, so that she could settle down. The early morning sunlight warmed her pelt against the cold wind as she tucked her tail beneath her.
It was still early, and she hadn't rested all night, so the least Ravenstar could offer was to let her rest for a short while.
She pricked her ears to hear footsteps sound behind her, and without turning her head, she could tell that it was Embersky - her other close friend - from the warm, familiar scent that wafted over her. Ashfire lifted her head dully, but did not turn. "What do you want, Embersky?"
Ashfire almost flinched at how curt her words sounded - but of course she wasn't going to tell him that. The tom settled down beside her, his light ginger tabby pelt brushing against her gray fur. "I didn't know I had to need something in order to talk to you."
His tone was teasing, but Ashfire was too tired to acknowledge it. "I also happen to need my peace and quiet, right now. Would you mind?"
She flicked her tail dismissively - but Embersky didn't move. Sighing, she finally turned to face him as he spoke. "Are you all right? Ever since Ravenstar appointed you as her Shadow, you've been acting... well... different."
Ashfire rolled her eyes. This is what he came for? "I've been busy."
"Oh, I wouldn't have known." Sarcasm dripped from Embersky's jaws as he replied. "But you've not been the same. What happened to the old Ashfire?"
"The old Ashfire is dead." Ashfire lashed her tail once against the grass. "She's been that way ever since her leader appointed her to be her Shadow and kill cats to solve all the personal, petty problems she ever had with other cats."
Embersky flinched. "You can't just say that. You can't just... give up like that."
"Really? Would you be willing to do anything about this?"
"Oh, I would be perfectly willing-"
Ashfire rolled her eyes. "Look. We can't stand up against her. She has enough supporters in the clan that would kill us for two mousetails, if we ever did such a thing." Embersky opened his jaws to speak, but she cut him off. "I remember exactly how many cats I've killed ever since I became her Shadow." She lowered her mew to a hoarse whisper. "I may not remember their names - and I may not have known them - but I know I've killed nine cats. Nine cats who could have been worthy assets to their clan."
"Ashfire, I-"
"Stop it." Ashfire's long claws dug into the ground. "Don't act like you understand. You've never been forced to murder cats you've never even met. You've never been forced to make an impression by ripping their heads from their bodies."
Embersky's eyes widened, and his words came out as a horrible, choked sound. "You what?"
"It's true." Her throat suddenly felt dry. Ashfire shifted her weight uncomfortably under Embersky's burning green stare. Don't look at me like that; I didn't have a choice.
"Ashfire..." He trailed off, and the single word contained so much emotion that Ashfire chose not to cut him off. "Great StarClan." From his wide, glazed eyes, Ashfire could probably guess that Embersky was visualizing every word.
"I don't have a choice!" Ashfire slammed her paws down, tail lashing. "I wish I did! I don't just have to kill them - I have to make a StarClan-forsaken impression by doing so!" Her mew rose to a wail, and it took her considerable effort to bring her volume down.
Embersky's tail brushed her back, flattening her bristling fur and gently soothing her. After what could have been moons, he asked, "Have you noticed any pattern in the cats Ravenstar asks you to kill?"
"What?"
Embersky licked his chest fur self-consciously. "I mean... uh... is there anything in common about the cats she's asked you to kill?"
Ashfire blinked; the question had taken her by surprise. She'd never really thought about it before, as it wasn't in her place to question Ravenstar's orders... but come to think about it... "I haven't killed any cat from ShadowClan. She's only ever tasked me with killing WindClan and RiverClan cats."
Embersy nodded, half to himself, pondering. The distant look vanished from his green eyes, and his tone softened. "What - or who - is your next task?"
"I have to kill Breezeflame of WindClan before three moons have passed."
Embersky's ear twitched. "I've never met him - but I do recall that day when his warrior name was announced. I don't think I've seen him, either."
"I have."
"Who is he?"
Ashfire drew in a breath. "He was friendly to me at Gatherings - and he's a few moons older than me, so he helped introduce me at my first Gathering. Ever since then, we sit together at Gatherings - we're just friends." She lowered her voice. "It makes me feel bad that I have to kill him."
"Doesn't it make you feel bad to kill any of them?"
"Well, that too." Ashfire rolled her eyes. "But I actually know him this time."
Embersky snorted. "Makes a big difference to the cat being killed, doesn't it?"
"Oh, shut up."
Ashfire's whiskers twitched, her frustration momentarily forgotten, as she sprang at Embersky, playfully bowling him over. She could win against Embersky anyday - being the greatest warrior in ThunderClan - but she let Embersky roll over and pin her down.
He's not bad, but... Ashfire let out a joyful yowl and hurled herself upward at the ginger tom, purring as she held him down easily.
Embersky flattened his ears in mock dismay. "Just this time, I'm letting you win," he teased.
"I'd beat you any day, Embersky," Ashfire retorted, but her words were light and amused. That is - until Embersky rolled, forcing Ashfire to jump to her paws and out of the way. She ducked his next soft blow, and swiped teasingly at his nose.
Embersky's paw shot out, tripping Ashfire, and she scowled. A dirty trick, but it worked for the moment. Well, Ashfire's position as the greatest ThunderClan warrior didn't come from just attack - she was good on the defense. Not good... excellent.
Ashfire leaned to one side before diving forward and rolling over - landing on her paws. A simple move - yet not too any warriors were taught it. In fact, no cat she'd ever fought knew the move - except her first mentor, who'd died from greencough halfway through her apprenticeship.
Ashfire twitched her whiskers as she noticed the playfully-dangerous look in Embersky's eyes as they circled each other.
Lionshade stood at the base of the Highledge, watching Ashfire and Embersky circle each other with mock ferocity, the outlines of their pelts illuminated by the early morning light, like two dark shadows with the smallest tinge of brightness. After talking to Ravenstar, he wanted nothing more than to retreat to his nest.
He'd intended to go to talk to Ashfire about her next mission before he saw them. He didn't know whether to turn away, pad up to them, or just ignore it entirely. He should probably just go and rest - they were all just friends, after all, and he could always speak to Ashfire later.
Yet he couldn't tear his gaze away from Ashfire's deft, precise movements as she slammed a soft paw into Embersky's ear and ducked easily, nimbly from his next blow before rolling and kicking out at his flanks. Her movements were too perfect, too swift for this world. She could have been given all of StarClan's power in her every movement, for how skilled she appeared, even though Embersky was a good warrior, himself.
And her skill was being abused to serve Ravenstar.
Pawsteps sounded behind Lionshade, and he turned to see Sorrelflame pad up beside him. Only when her breath stirred his fur did he realize how much he had missed her until she had recovered from whitecough a few dawns ago.
She looked as glowing as she ever did - with gently-patterned tortoiseshell fur and warm amber eyes that always hesitated to meet his stare. Lionshade figured that she probably still thought of him as the deputy instead of her friend, despite the time they had recently began spending together.
Sorrelflame followed Lionshade's gaze. "They'll be fine," she mewed to him, gently as usual. "You trust Embersky, do you not? And Ashfire can look after herself, easily."
She dropped her stare as Lionshade tore his stare away from Ashfire with some effort. "I know," Lionshade mewed. "It's just... she's changed ever since she became the Shadow."
Ashfire whipped to one side as Embersky leaped, but the tom was himself a good warrior and landed on his paws, turning swiftly to face her. She ducked and dove to one side, catching his forepaw gently with perfect accuracy, and threw him onto his back.
"She will still be your friend," Sorrelflame mewed. "That is what matters, is it not? She may have changed, but it was never her choice. But her friendship has not changed. Ravenstar can destroy - it seems to be all that she does. But she cannot destroy such a bond."
Embersky kicked a paw out at her underbelly, but with frighteningly deadly skill, Ashfire reared back, twisted, and emerged, her teeth gently fastened in Embersky's shoulder. She was shaken off easily, but she landed deftly on her paws.
Lionshade looked at Sorrelflame, her beautiful tortoiseshell fur and feathery tail. "I wish she hadn't changed at all."
"Would you do anything to stop Ravenstar?" she asked, and Lionshade was forced to meet her amber stare. "Even if your friend-" she flicked her tail toward where Ashfire threw Embersky off with a powerful kick from her hind legs and rolled in a single, fluid motion "-has changed for the worse and may not be able to hold onto that diminishing spark in her heart?"
He stared at her, awed that she was able to convey everything so smoothly and sound so wise. But the defeat and hollowness was probably present in his mew as he said, flatly, "I can't."
"Why ever not?" Sorrelflame mewed, quietly, but not gently. "What makes Ravenstar so special that she can kill and command, but you can't?"
"I'd like to hope that I'm not the same as Ravenstar. I don't think it's the same thing." Lionshade's attempt at wry humor caught in his throat as he spoke.
Sorrelflame tipped her head to one side, a gesture that was strangely attractive. "Isn't it?" Lionshade shot her an odd glance, and she flicked her plumy tail. "Both of you are wonderful warriors, and both of you have a... let's say... decent amount of power. Am I right?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "But now, Ravenstar chose to use her skill and power for evil, and you chose to stand for good. Why can't you take it a step further and defeat evil, entirely?"
"I just can't."
Lionshade could feel the fur rising along his spine, and his face beneath his fur grew warm under Sorrelflame's challening gaze. He knew, right as he said the words, that it was true. And moments later, Sorrelflame dropped her stare with a long, meaningful sigh, and turned away.
He wanted to call after her as she padded into the warriors' den, but his paws were rooted to the spot and his throat clenched when he tried.
Sorrelflame vanished inside without a flick of her tail or twitch of her ear - and as Lionshade felt the hollowness expand in his chest, he realized that he would do more for that particular tortoiseshell she-cat with the beautiful, sweet spirit, than he would for any other cat.
But what had been so wondrous and mysterious about her words to him that it sent a foreboding chill down his spine?
"So overall, how was the adventure?"
Embersky's tone was teasing and gentle - Ashfire had once called her murderous tasks adventures to make them sound better, and he'd held onto that phrase ever since. Ashfire rolled her eyes. "It was perfectly fine. Entirely normal. Except this time, it happened in the middle of the night so that I wouldn't get any sleep, but... perfectly fine, other than that."
"I want you to tell me what exactly happened."
"Oh, dear." Ashfire flashed him a mocking glance and casually flicked her tail-tip.
Embersky growled. "If any RiverClan cat was awake, then they might have heard you blundering about like a lopsided badger. Ravenstar won't be pleased to hear that her oh-so-glorious Shadow hasn't lived up to her expectation of silent and stealthy on her missions."
"I do not blunder about like a lopsided badger!" Ashfire protested, shaking her head. "Your head must be full of the sound that you make when you walk. Besides," she continued, before Embersky could retort, "since when did you ever care what Ravenstar thought?"
"I don't, but she might do something... bad to you if you alerted any RiverClan cat when you killed Pebbleclaw."
"I didn't." Ashfire might have rolled her eyes, but this was serious. "Can we leave it at that?"
Embersky mirrored her arrogant look. "No."
But fortunately, Ashfire didn't have to reply, as a yowl loud enough to alert the entirety of ThunderClan rang from a short distance away, where a certain black she-cat - Ravenstar - stood at the top of the Highledge, her head high. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!"
"Looks like I'll have to tell you later," Ashfire purred, long and deliberate, and flicked her tail teasingly beneath Embersky's nose as she brushed past him and headed for the area at the base of the Highledge, where many cats were already beginning to gather. Embersky growled in frustration and padded after her, but Ashfire pretended not to notice. Whatever.
Ravenstar nodded her approval as the clan gathered beneath the Highledge, and flicked her tail before starting. "As you may have known, RiverClan is rather upset by the... recent developments, shall we say?" She swept a cold green gaze over Ashfire, who did her best not to flinch. "As an attempt at diplomacy, and to prove their trust in us, they have sent a cat to stay with us for the next four moons."
Ravenstar flicked her tail, and a dark blue-gray she-cat stepped out from behind her.
"Who in the name of StarClan is that?" Embersky muttered.
Ashfire nudged him sharply. "Didn't you hear her?" she asked, deliberately, knowing that he had. "That's a RiverClan she-cat."
The black leader dipped her head to the blue-furred she-cat, and she in turn elegantly lowered her head, though something flashed in her eyes, which Ashfire couldn't quite understand. Ravenstar ran her gaze over the ThunderClan cats. "This is Featherstream of RiverClan."
Featherstream.
RiverClan might as well have sent a StarClan warrior instead.
Featherstream.
Very... respected, by all the clans, to say the least.
They all appreciated her wisdom and courage - as well as her willingness to avoid a needless battle. Something that many cats didn't seem to have... every cat, even those from other clans, said that she would make a wonderful leader someday.
Featherstream.
A fitting name for the beautiful and respected she-cat.
"She will be staying here for the next four moons. I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect, and ensure that she only receives the best treatment. We wouldn't want RiverClan thinking otherwise, would we?" Her last, mocking words were met with a few yowls of support from the ThunderClan cats.
Ashfire hid a smirk as the RiverClan she-cat - Featherstream - displayed no sign that she had been bothered by the snide comment, and instead held her head high and flicked her tail casually, a cool, calm expression on her face. Good for her.
"Meeting dismissed." Ravenstar sprang down from the Highledge, abandoning Featherstream at the top, and padded away into her den without so much as a flick of her tail to acknowledge the fact that she had left Featherstream up there with the expectant eyes of the entire clan on her.
A sudden twinge of pity filled Ashfire, and she pulled away from Embersky and pushed roughly through the crowd of cats. Ignoring the muffled question from Embersky and the whispers from her clanmates, she bunched her muscles and sprang up onto the Highledge, beside Featherstream.
"Get down," she murmured, and Featherstream dipped her head gracefully. "Don't mind what they're saying about you."
The ThunderClan cats muttered amongst themselves, a few shooting glares at Ashfire. But nothing that one of her chilling blue glares couldn't handle.
Ashfire let Featherstream spring down from the Highledge beside her and led her around the slowly-dispersing crowd of cats, keeping her eyes straight ahead, hoping that Featherstream would do the same and ignore the all-too-curious gazes of her clanmates. The steady sound of Featherstream's pawsteps told her that the RiverClan she-cat was keeping pace with her.
Pawsteps sounded behind her, and some cat nudged her sharply. She whipped around and saw Embersky glaring at her and Featherstream. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice a low growl.
"What does it look like?"
"Oh, for once in your life, leave out the arrogance and give me a straight answer!"
Featherstream, from beside her, shifted, and muttered in a tone deliberately loud enough for Embersky to hear, "I hope not all the cats in your clan are like that."
"Many of them are, unfortunately." She let out an amused purr. "But not all. I would be entirely insane if they all were."
Embersky let out a furious and exasperated growl.
Ashfire rolled her eyes. "Would you have liked to be left up there by Ravenstar for the rest of ThunderClan to gawk at like you were some foreign creature?" Without waiting for a reply, she stalked past Embersky, beckoned to Featherstream with her tail, and led her through the camp entrance without a word.
So, what did you think of that first chapter? I hope you all enjoyed :)
Review, please!
~ Stormy