This is a submission for one of the forums I'm participating in. Enjoy!
I had it all.
Blood ran down the black cat's jaw as it bubbled from his mouth, a warm, sticky trail of life as it dripped down to meet the ground. He dragged himself from his sitting position and staggered to his feet, his white paws stained with clumps of fur and dried blood.
It wasn't his own blood on his claws though.
You did it. A figure appeared beside him, it's paws wreathed in shadows that blended into the forest. You're mission is complete.
"It.. It is." The black cat bowed his head, his amber eyes dull in exhaustion.
Do you regret it?
"I... I can't say."
Fool! It sneered. You should be proud. Release yourself of these pathetic feelings you have, and claim yourself as triumphant! You've eliminated her killer!
The black tom shook his head. "It's wrong." He looked up, amber eyes glaring. "I never should have asked for your advice." The shadow laughed, cackling.
It's too late, Nightwhisper. You've proved yourself to be good, yet you discourage this? Pathetic. I've had enough. Without warning, the shadow reared, and with a sickeningly wet sound, raked his claws across Nightwhisper's throat.
Nightwhisper gave a choked cry, and collapsed, his life bleeding out of him as he lay on the grass. The shadow turned it's back on him, green eyes sharp with scorn and disgust.
If only you could've been stronger, you pathetic excuse for a cat. The shade whispered, before vanishing into thin air, returning to it's rightful place in the shadows.
Nightwhisper lay on the ground, panting as his eyes clouded. "I.. I'm sorry." He managed to choke out, before his eyes closed.
I am Nightwhisper, and I used to have it all - my perfect life with my mate.
A young she-cat padded up to Nightwhisper, her tail intertwining with his.
"Hello, my twilight." She murmured into his ear as he purred and curled his tail around hers.
"My blossom," He whispered back, gazing into her blue eyes. "You're still as beautiful as ever." She gave a smile.
"How was the patrol?" He blinked.
"It was fine. Gorsewhisker found a scent trail, and I told him to follow it." His whiskers twitched. "How about you, Honeyblossom?" The ginger tabby smirked.
"Not much. it was another quiet day in the nursery." She sat down, her flank slightly swollen. Nightwhisper sat down beside her, and nuzzled the top of her head, making her purr.
"Our children will be beautiful, just like you." He murmured, as he used his tail to pull her close. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I know, my love."
"Honeyblossom? Honeyblossom?" Nightwhisper popped his head into the nursery, and everywhere in the HollowClan camp. Calling for his mate, he looked everywhere for her ginger tabby pelt in the mix of brown and black pelted cats in the camp.
A white she-cat's head popped out from the entrance of the nursery. "You looking for Honeyblossom?" She tipped her head questioningly.
"Sleetfur! Yeah, I'm looking for her." He blinked gratefully at the white queen. Sleetfur nodded, her amber eyes thoughtful.
"She wanted to make dirt," she started, then paused. "She mentioned something about going for a walk afterwards, complaining that she was stuck in the nursery for too long and wanted to stretch her legs." She finished.
"Okay, thanks." He turned tail and raced out of the camp.
"Be careful!" Sleetfur called after him. "A storm's brewing above!" She looked up at the sky. "And so is bad luck.." She trailed off, uneasily eyeing the sky.
Wind picked up as he left the camp, and stormclouds started gathering above his head as he looked for his mate, strong gusts buffeting him as he entered the forest.
"Honeyblossom?" He called, but his words were ripped out of his jaws as the wind howled threateningly. "HONEYBLOSSOM?" He called again, nearly yowling. The wind buffeted him, and threatened to sweep him off his feet, but he dug his claws into the ground. I'm not giving up! He yowled internally.
Forcing one paw in front of another and slowly guiding himself through the forest, he entered the undergrowth, where the wind seemed to lessen as it weaved through the trees and low-lying shrubbery of the forest. Leaves and twigs whipped around him, and occasionally, one latched onto his pelt, and flew away, as of beckoning him to follow them and to not find his mate. Even the wind was against him, buffeting him to the point where he was halfway to the ground.
"HONEYBLOSSOM!" He howled, and for a second, he thought he could hear a screech. Pricking his ears, he followed the sound, and stopped to taste the air.
Blood. A metallic scent whisked by his nose, intertwined with another scent and another. Racing towards the scent and ignoring the wind blowing against him, he burst out of a clearing, and stared, horrified.
In front of him, was his clan-mate, Gorsewhisker, who was staring down at something, frighteningly familiar, while another scent was in the air, quickly ripped to pieces as the wind tore it apart. Nightwhisper blinked in shock, and rushed forward, brushing past Gorsewhisker, who had blood around his jaws and red-coated claws, and looked down on the figure.
"H-honeyblossom?" The figure didn't respond, only lie there, motionless as blood seeped into the soil and grass. Nightwhisper's gaze searched Honeyblossom's, but her blue eyes were dull and clouded in death.
He let out a choked sob, and hung his head. A tear rolled down his cheek and met the ground, with several other water droplets as the sky started to rain. Thunder boomed overhead, and for a split second, lightning flashed above the three cats, threatening to strike them.
Nightwhisper looked up, eyes filled with rage at Gorsewhisker, who was looking dismayed. "You have ten seconds to explain yourself, before I rip you to shreds." The younger tom looked terrified.
"T-there was a rogue! I didn't do anything!" Gorsewhisker scrambled to his feet as Nightwhisper padded close, growling.
"I highly doubt it." He snarled. "Why'd you kill her?" The brown tabby's green eyes widened in horror.
"I swear to StarClan! I didn't do it!" He looked guilty. Pure, hot rage filled Nightwhisper and his amber eyes sparked.
"Then why'd you have that look on your face then?!" He screeched.
"I-"
"Enough!" He snarled, turning back to Honeyblossom's corpse. "I'll deal with you later. Help me carry her back to camp." His voice cracked at the end of his sentence, grief crashing down on him. The wind buffeted the two cats, and needles of rain sliced through their fur, but Nightwhisper couldn't feel anything, too consumed in his rage and grief.
A moon had past since Honeyblossom's death, and Nightwhisper was growing discontented.
Gorsewhisker was avoiding him entirely, disappearing into the forest at regular intervals, and the whole of the Clan had somehow forgiven him or turned a slight blind eye on him. StarClan. He flattened his ears. I'll get revenge on you, Gorsewhisker.
Padding to the warriors den, he blinked tears out of his eyes and circled his nest, before setting in to sleep, hoping that the pain of his mate's death would ease.
As his eyes closed, an unfamiliar voice echoed in his ear.
Someone wants revenge, doesn't he? Nightwhisper, open your eyes. Nightwhisker obeyed the voice, and stared.
He was in a dark space, dimly lit by some sort of moonlight streaming in through the darkness of a forest. In front of him, a dark, smoky shape stood, it's green eyes taking him in like prey that he was about to finish off.
Greetings.
"Who... who are you?" The shadow dipped its head.
That is not of importance now. I used to be like you, but I have faded almost entirely. Nightwhisper stared in shock.
"What do you want with me...?" The shadow fixated it's eyes on him.
I'm only here to offer you guidance, Nightwhisper. I was drawn to your anger, and I only look forward to helping you overcome your pain. He blinked, and the shade meet his stare unnervingly.
"Do you have any conditions?" He whispered, prying for information.
I only ask for one. Nightwhisper blanched, his eyes widening. That I will be with you all the time until you complete your task. The black cat shifted his paws in thought, and his amber eyes glinted with a strange light.
"I agree to that condition then." He bowed his head.
Then the pact is sealed. The shadow rose, lifting it's head. Your subconscious is my home now.
"When do we start?" Nightwhisper asked, his amber eyes slitted.
It's simple. We ambush him. Blinking, Nightwhisper watched the shadow pace around the space. Ambush him, and then kill him, very, very simple, and effective too.
"But at what time would I find him?" The warrior asked, and the shadow shook its head.
The time will come soon. The shade whispered, and walked away, it's tail whisking. I await tomorrow, Nightwhisper. The black cat perked up, and started to follow the shade, following it into somewhat deeper darkness, before realising that he was staring across the camp, which was coated with the soft darkness of the night.
"Gorsewhisker?" Sleetpelt murmured, her eyes sleepy and clouded. "I'm pretty sure he went out to hunt." Nightwhisper's eyes widened.
"Alone?"
"Alone." She nodded, before curling back up in the nursery, around her two kits, peacefully nestled at her side. "I hope you find what you're looking for." She muttered, before falling asleep again, her face back in her thick fur.
"I sure do." He whispered darkly, and smiled. "Thank you, Sleetpelt." He turned away and backed out of the nursery.
You have your intended time.
"I do." He muttered, internally.
Follow his trail. Complete the mission.
"I will." Nightwhisper nodded obediently.
Complete your task, and you will be whole again.
Nightwhisper streaked towards the forest, his black fur streaking like a shadow as he raced across the treeline. A scent grew stronger, and he flared his nose, excited at the prospect of spilling his mate's killer's blood.
In front of him, a small clearing emerged, and he recognised it as one that he found his mate dead, and Gorsewhisker standing over her.
"Shira.." Nightwhisper stopped and dived into a bush, his ears pricked. Gorsewhisker's voice was echoing in the clearing, and he had some other cat with him.
A rogue. The shadow whispered, materialising beside him, green eyes sparking.
"Gorsewhisker, you know I'm expecting your kits, right?" The rogue's voice, presumably Shira's, met his ears, and Nightwhisper stood still, quiet.
"I know," He sighed. "But it's for the best if you avoid me entirely."
"Why?" Shira's voice nearly rose into a shriek.
"There's this cat wanting revenge for something your brother did." Shira's voice paused.
"I-I... fine." She sighed, and dashed into the bushes nearby, on the opposite side of the clearing. Gorsewhisker's sigh could be heard in from Nightwhisper's side of the clearing, and he leaped out of the bushes, snarling.
"Hunting, weren't you?" He hissed, amber eyes sparking. Gorsewhisker flattened his ears, and took a step back, crouching.
"What are you going to do about it, then?" He asked, aggressive.
"Oh, Gorsewhisker. I'm going to do everything about it. It gives me another suitable reason to kill a Clan traitor, doesn't it?" Gorsewhisker's eyes widened.
"So you listened to all of that?" He hissed. "Then you heard me perfectly clearly. It wasn't my fault that Honeyblossom was dead when I fought off Shira's brother." Nightwhisper yowled in rage and lunged at the other tom, who spat in defiance.
And so, the two tussled with each other, their claws flashing, and snarling hung in the air.
Breaking apart, Nightwhisper skidded on the grass. leaping onto Gorsewhisker's exposed belly and slashing at it, grinning in satisfaction as each strike drew scarlet trails. Under him, Gorsewhisker screeched in pain and rage, thrusting himself up and catching his claw on Nightwhisper's lip, tear it and drawing blood.
Jumping back, the black tom snarled, bounding back into battle as Gorsewhisker hissed and arched his back. The two tussled again, drawing more blood from each side, before Nightwhisper ended up on top, snarling down onto Gorsewhisker.
"This is my revenge." He hissed, before slashing Gorsewhisker's throat. The brown tabby's eyes widened, and he choked on his blood, before hanging limp, and his green eyes clouded in death. The black tom got off, laughing, and kicked Gorsewhisker's body viciously away, before padding back into the forest.
His pelt coated in scratches and blood, Nightwhisper padded through the forest triumphantly, before his ears pricked and defensively, he turned around, his eyes sparking.
Behind him, a translucent pale ginger she-cat was staring at him, her blue eyes sad. "My twilight." She murmured, her voice heavy with grief.
"M-my blossom?" He stuttered, racing towards her, but she drew away. "Why? I avenged your death!" She shook her head.
"You should've listened to Gorsewhisker." She closed her eyes, sighing. "He was telling the truth. A rogue did kill me." She opened them again, and her eyes were sparkling with starlight. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." She closed her eyes again, sighing, before flickering out of his sight.
"Honeyblossom?" Nightwhisper choked, and his head swung around, desperate. "Where are you?" Drained, and unsuccessful in finding her, he sat down, his amber eyes clouded in exhaustion, and feeling bad for Gorsewhisker's innocent death, before slipping into an uneasy unconsciousness.
So there he was, his throat slashed in the darkness of the night, and the shadow disappearing into the whispers of the forest.
Nightwhisper groaned, shifting, before he opened his eyes again, and he could hardly see through the dense fog that was crowding his vision.
I'm sorry, Honeyblossom. Especially Gorsewhisker. I failed you both. Sighing, he let go, letting his gaze drift to the stars, hoping that it was where he would go.
I had it all.