A/N: Hi, it's Holly. This is my book of challenges which are mostly going to be from the TreeClan, LakeClan, CaveClan RP forum. So, this is the first writing challenge that I've participated in, and I'm bad at prompts. I hope this turned out alright.
"Brutal Sound"
The roar of the black, churning water sounded distant, and Whitespark's jaws were stretched agape in a horrified yowl. He outstretched a foreleg over the edge.
"Mistyheart!" the lithe pale grey tom screeched as a small tabby she-cat reached up. Their paws barely touched, before she plunged straight into the water. Out of sight. Whitespark trembled as he collapsed at the ledge, staring straight into the deep gorge. His white paws were stained by the wet gravel beneath him.
"Mistyheart," he repeated weakly, green eyes glazed over. Rain began to pour down, blurring his vision.
"Whitespark!" a small tabby she-cat bounded towards the pale grey-and-white tom, "Whitespark, guess what!"
He blinked, before a purr erupted in his throat, "hmm?" It had been moons since he'd seen his mate out of the nursery for more than a meal.
"Tansyleaf said she'd watch Pebblekit so I could go out," the queen grinned, before huffing, "I wish she'd have offered sooner..." Whitespark gently nudged the tabby.
"Just be glad she's watching the little monster," he joked, which earned him a light cuffing on the ear.
"He's an angel," she argued before changing the subject, "c'mon, let's go for a walk!" She scurried towards the camp entrance, where the guard sat with a stony expression.
"Mistyheart," the guard greeted with a concerned voice, "you're going out? You should really be careful." The she-cat rolled her eyes playfully.
"Relax, Tigerstorm, I have Whitespark here to protect me, right?" the said tom flinched a bit as his mate's brother shot him a glare.
"Mm," Whitespark grunted, nodding in agreement. Tigerstorm was never fond of him.
"Let's go!" Before anybody could say another word she bolted out of the camp like an apprentice on her first outing. Whitespark raced after her. They stopped at a large puddle. Mistyheart crouched down, bunched up her muscles, and leaped. Her jump was short, and she splashed directly into the puddle, soaking herself in muddy water.
"What are you, a kit?" Whitespark bent down to pull her out, but she wrapped her forearms around his neck and dragged him in.
"No, but I've spent three moons straight with one. Live a little, Whitespark!" She got out and shook herself. He followed reluctantly, noticing the reddish brown water had caused a discolouration in his fur.
"I always wondered how you could stand to get so dirty," he muttered, and she grinned, leaping in another direction.
"I want to see the gorge. It's been forever!" Storm clouds began to gather in the sky, rolling in quickly.
"I don't think that's a good idea," he called back, but she ignored him. They reached the gorge, and it was just as intimidating as usual. He shuddered, imagining falling in a plunging into the icy water.
"We shouldn't be here, it's going to storm," he gestured to the darkening sky, but the small tabby was already at the edge, peering over it. "Mistyheart! Get back," he chastised, tensing. He marched over and pulled her away.
"Whitespark," the she-cat's amber eyes glistened softly, "I promise I'll be safe. You won't get rid of me that easily," she joked.
"I still don't want you so close to the edge, it could be unstable," he warned, licking her between the ears.
"Alright," she agreed, padding back closer to the ledge, but not so dangerously. Whitespark was going to request that they just return to camp.
A loud crack was heard, and a the noise of thunder smashing throughout the forest resonated.
"Mistyheart," Whitespark hissed, but the tabby she-cat jumped, startled. Losing her balance, she slid almost over the edge, and he held on by her forelegs gripping it. Whitespark stepped forward, but as he did so, the ground beneath them began to shake, and the ledge she clung onto shattered.
"No! Whitespark!" The tabby's amber eyes were wide with fear as she scrabbled against the chunk of stone that was dragging her down.
Whitespark blinked his eyes open to see blurry figures standing over him. His joints ached furiously, and he forced back a groan.
"Hey," a familiar growl rang in his ears; Tigerstorm, "Whitespark!" The pale grey-and-white tom stood uneasily, cringing at the pain.
No words formed on his tongue. He saw rage in the large striped tom's face.
"Where is she? You said you'd keep her safe," the anger dissipated, converting into agonised grief. The other cats, Whitespark's apprentice Amberpaw and another Clanmate Softwhisker looked angry.
"How could you let this happen?" Softwhisker spat, "she was your mate!" Whitespark hung his head, numb.
"He probably pushed her in," Amberpaw hissed, and he swung his head to glare at her.
"You think I'd kill Mistyheart?" He snarled, stumbling forward.
"From the way you always talked to her I wouldn't be surprised." Softwhisker had been Mistyheart's best friend. She never liked Whitespark either. Nobody ever did, only Mistyheart.
"I didn't," he mumbled, turning away to hide his voice breaking, "I loved her."
"We're going back to camp, and you're telling Quickstar what happened," Tigerstorm stammered, although only half of him was really there. Whitespark was shoved around on the way back, like he was an intruder caught by an enemy Clan.
When they reached the camp, everybody was in panic, and the small search patrol nearly collided with a new one being sent out.
"Oh, thank StarClan you're here!"
"Where's Mistyheart?"
"What happened?"
"Where were you?"
A multitude of voices came with an equal amount of questions. Whitespark tiredly glanced around, void of emotion. Tansyleaf inched towards him, her head down with anxiety in her eyes.
Her mouth formed words he couldn't hear.
Sometimes silence can be violent. But sound is what's truly brutal.
He blinked.
"What?"
"Pebblekit was stolen!" The tortoiseshell queen yowled, "it's all my fault!" Pebblekit. Wasn't that the name of Whitespark's son?
"Stolen," he repeated quietly, "who stole him? Where is Pebblekit?" His voice slowly got louder.
"We think an FieldClan warrior snuck in..." Tansyleaf shook her head, trailing off, "I'm so sorry, Whitespark."
"Whitespark, tell me what happened with Mistyheart," Quickstar, a tall black she-cat with blue eyes pressed gently.
"I have to find Pebblekit," he stepped back, turning around to go out of camp.
"No, we have a patrol sent out. He'll be returned shortly," the leader meowed sternly, standing in front of him.
"He's my son!" Whitespark, despite being rather small, shoved the leader out of the way and sprinted out. He panted as he reached the FieldClan border. His Clanmates were waiting on their own territory.
"What are you doing?" He hissed, "there's no time to sit here and wait for those filthy pieces of crowfood to come."
"Go back to camp, Whitespark, we've got this."
"No, you don't. You're sitting here while my kit in danger!" Without another word he ran over the border. This was a nightmare, it was all a dream. His family was back at camp, resting peacefully.
Reality pierced him through the stomach, and he stopped short. His mate was dead, and his son was kidnapped. This was real. All of it.
He closed his eyes briefly, catching his breath. With his heart thumping, he wrenched his eyes open and charged on.
