A/N: Here's the angsty cat story! I know I said this would come out a long time ago, but I got absorbed into Swiftpaw's Remorse so I kinda forgot about this one. Anyway, I promise this isn't going to be long! 7 chapters only, you have my word.
All he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat in the darkness. He willed his eyes shut, forcing himself to cling to his last shreds of life. The beating of his heart got fainter and fainter and when it finally stopped he didn't dare to open his eyes. A monotone voice broke the silence, interrupting his internal battle.
"Starclan doesn't want you."
At first he did not register the words spoken, but he opened his eyes and lifted his head to find a pale white she-cat staring down at him. Then, his head darted from side to side to view his surroundings.
He was in a pale-golden field with grass that was almost as tall as the cat standing before him. The sky was a dull blue, and as he sat up he could see no end to the glittering fields before him. Then, all of a sudden, the words that the she-cat had said hit him like a two-leg's monster.
"What- who-where am I?" Patchfur asked, words spilling out of his mouth.
"You're in the fields," the cat replied. "This is where your fate is decided."
Before, when she had first spoken, the she-cat had had a bored expression on her face, but now it showed curiosity, and she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "I'm here to take you to the Dark Forest." She added, almost as an afterthought, as if she said it plainly to see his reaction.
"The Dark Forest? No - there's been a misunderstanding - I don't belong there." Patchfur looked panicked, his claws unconsciously kneaded at the ground.
The white she-cat smirked, her piercing blue eyes locked onto his, it looked like she was about to break out into a fit of laughter. Patchfur felt a pang of annoyance. How dare she make a mockery of him? "Ooh, this one's a fighter." She was clearly enjoying this. "No, there's been no misunderstanding. Starclan has put you there."
No. He couldn't be. Impossible. He hadn't done anything, or at least he didn't think that he ever had. It had to be a mistake, right? He was waiting for her to start laughing and lead him off to the starry fields where he would run freely, catching mice and sharing tongues with his deceased clan mates.
"I-I-"
"Quit your whining," the white she-cat cut in. "I've got no more time to hear your pointless argument. You should probably follow me, though- unless, of course, you'd prefer to stay here and complain."
The hesitance on Patchfur's face was obvious and he frowned. "Fine." Sitting around in this field wasn't going to get him anywhere, after all, and he stood up, his limbs tired as if he had just work up from a long rest.
Patchfur's main concern was actually getting to their destination. Surrounding the both of them was an endless sea of golden fields. As unconfident as he was, he followed the white she-cat, who clearly seemed to know where she was going.
Just when Patchfur had started to wonder where in Starclan (hah) this she-cat was going, the scenery around him suddenly changed in a blink of an eye. Tall, dark pine trees towered above the ground, and a white, misty fog seemed to stretch out before them. The grass below his feet was dry and brittle.
The strange forest seemed to hold a mood of hopelessness, perhaps it was only accentuated by the nauseating feeling you got by looking up at the sky, similar to being in a high up place and looking down.
And the smell is rancid. It's exactly like they tell it in the elder's tales. Gloomy and miserable. This cat looks so out of place, her white pelt is blinding.
After making this observation, Patchfur noticed how the she-cat had already started walking ahead. He had to quickly catch up. The nerve of her! But I don't know her name. I guess I better ask.
"Pardon, but I don't think I got your name." Dead grass and foliage cracked under their paws.
"Ohh. A cat with manners." She mocked, her eyes narrowed and mouth curled into a smirk. "The name's Frostgaze, and you?"
"Patchfur." He responded simply. He didn't like that look she gave him.
"Hmm." Her voice became significantly quieter as she said, "Patchfur, look on your left."
Turning his head, fearing that this was just another ploy of her's to taunt him, he saw what looked to be a white light radiating through a bush. At first, he was utterly lost. Then, he realized that it wasn't just a random ball of light, but it was a cat. Squinting his eyes, he could make out the faded paw that covered the tired cat's face. A tail, tucked tight against the matted fur.
Patchfur turned back to look at Frostgaze. However, she seemed uninterested and started walking again.
"It's a Starclan cat." He concluded, following Frostgaze's long strides.
"Hasn't spoken a word since he got here."
"When did he get here?"
"I don't know." The she-cat attempted something of a shrug. "Time isn't measurable here. There is no day and night." Frostgaze's eyes flickered back in the direction of the lost cat for just a second. "As for your other question, he probably wandered here and got lost. A reminder for other Starclan cats to stay out of here, that's the purpose he can serve."
"Has Starclan looked for him?"
Again, she shrugged. "Perhaps they have, perhaps they haven't. Why should I care?" She said, with maximum indifference. However, she did seem interested with the next topic she brung up. "Anyway, what are you here for?"
"I told you, I don't know. I'm not supposed to be here."
Frostgaze rolled her eyes. "Sure." She said, disbelievingly. "So what did you do?"
Patchfur scoffed. "And I'm supposed to trust you?"
Her mouth parted in a wicked grin, almost as if she was going to break out in evil laughter. "I like you. You're smart, don't get fooled." Patchfur found it hard to meet her icy gaze. "Better watch your back either way."
"Just up ahead." They had been walking for what seemed like hours through the thickly-wooded forest. More than a few times Patchfur had wanted to ask where they were going and dozens of times he had wanted to rest
A few fox-lengths ahead was a large, short-trunked tree which exploded out in what was dozens of branches, forming a dome-like leaf covering.
"You sleep here?" He asked in conformation.
"Sleep?" She twisted her mouth into that wicked smile as if the concept of sleep was some funny, foreign tongue. "Hah. We don't sleep."
Patchfur had to wait a few seconds just to make sure he heard that correctly. "You don't sleep? What do you do for fun? Doesn't it get boring here?"
Frostgaze walked past Patchfur, laying down under the thick trunk of the tree. "Of course it gets boring. This is our punishment, isn't it? Eternal boredom? You didn't expect there'd be prey to hunt, did you?"
It was a stupid question to ask. "I suppose not." He replied, following suit and lying down a tiny bit farther down the tree, the foliage below him breaking as he settled. The branches rattled calmly above them. Her personality is so different from what I would've expected from a dark forest cat. I never thought there'd be someone to welcome me like that. Then again, I guess the fact that I'm even here is more surprising.
The dark water of the river reflected the white glow that came from the sky. It flowed gently through the forest as if it had somewhere to go. The water was strangely calm, and did not splash amongst rocks or branches as it headed down stream, it simply glided over them as if they did not exist. Patchfur found himself admiring the ghostly presence of the winding black water.
He and Frostgaze followed the narrow stream, tracing its rocky bank, which led to nowhere in particular. I guess this is what you do for fun in the dark forest. He sighed quietly. He needed to get out of this place.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Frostgaze spoke hastily. "Stop. Don't go any further. This is Smokewatcher's territory."
"Wha-" Patchfur was cut off by an urgent, hissed "SHHH!" The nerve of this cat!
"You best learn to be quiet," She whispered furiously "or else I'll silence you myself." Her eyes were as sharp as daggers. "Smokewatcher is a highly respected cat here, he choses not to live in the central camp, like me." The gleaming icy orbs narrowed, scanning the misty forest ahead of them.
"And to think that for a moment I thought you respected nobody." Patchfur retaliated daringly.
"Long ago, Smokewatcher trained cats in a plot to take over the clans." Frostgaze continued as if she hadn't heard him. "Most of the cats that are here are here because Smokewatcher trained them and filled their heads with ideas of prosperity. Pikestar was a cat under his influence who became leader ; murdered many cats…" Frostgaze's eyes glazed over like melted ice, her jaw slightly parted, paused mid-sentence. It was unnerving to see her unfixed, calm gaze, which heavily contrasted her normal icy, wicked grin.
Patchfur cleared his throat awkwardly, watching as her pupils quickly narrowed back into their normal, thin slits, her cold mask covering her face once more.
"Right." She said, to nobody in particular. "Well," she continued, "Smokewatcher would relay his plans to Pikestar, and he and his second-hand, Ambertooth, carried them out. He had a lot of supporters, Pikestar."
Now these cats, they sounded like they had been plucked straight out of an elder's dark forest tale. Murdering, manipulation, the list went on and on. There was such a stark difference between them and him. "I'm not like any of these cats!" Patchfur half pleaded, half argued. "I'm not a killer or a sadist, I don't want to take over clans!"
Frostgaze rolled her eyes, the fur above her nose bunched up. "Think what you like. There are other reasons cats end up-"
The two cats were suddenly knocked over, somebody yowled, but he wasn't sure who. Patchfur wiggled out from under Frostgaze, who had fallen on her side and was swiftly getting up. Her head darted wildly from side to side, the fur on her back was raised, claws extended. She looked ready to kill. Patchfur, who was nearest to the river, slowly started backing towards the dark waters, his green eyes moving almost as fast as his heart.
Suddenly, a gruff, loud voice jumped out from behind him. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing on my land?"
Patchfur swore he jumped a tree-length, his eyes narrowed into slits out of fear as he surveyed the stranger on the bank of the river.
The large cat seemed to be one with the dark mist surrounding him. As the dense fog cleared, hollow, yellow eyes gleamed like two deranged fireflies, an unnerving look enough to send shivers down Patchfur's spine. When the cat started to slowly walk towards them, Patchfur became frozen in shock, a lump of fear forming in his throat. Adrenaline pounded through his veins.
"Get the fuck off our tail, Smokewatcher. We weren't even in your scent marks." The dark striped tom let out a small rumble of what seemed to be laughter, though it was heavily diluted by age and sounded more like a sick cough.
"You're close enough to have disturbed me." The great tom's eyes slowly moved to meet Patchfur's intense, frozen stare, his yellow orbs like headlights of a two-leg monster. "Brought a friend have you?" Smokewatcher's heavy breaths were laboured, every syllable seemed like an effort.
"You wouldn't dare to attack me." She responded, trying not to sound tentative.
"Not daddy's perfect little princess." He said mockingly, his lower jaw moving from side to side as if he was chewing something. He slowly started to circle around the two of them, he and Frostgaze seemed to be locked into a stare-off. "No, no, we can't have that now, can we?" He added musingly. "Of course, I'm sure he would be happy to be rid of you." Frostgaze's claws tightened against the ground, digging into the dirt as if she were restraining herself. "Perhaps," he said slowly, "I could do him the favor."
With that, Smokewatcher lept quickly into the air, but Frostgaze was too fast and agile for him, quickly jumping out of range. "C'mon!" She hissed urgently, and Patchfur wasted no time doing just that. From behind them they could hear the yells coming from the defeated cat.
"Scum! Traitor! Starclan sympathizer!"
They ran. And they ran. And they ran some more. They ran until Frostfur's chest heaved, and she finally stopped, panting miserably. Patchfur followed suit.
And there they stood. Resting, letting the cool breeze blow through their fur until Frostgaze finally spoke.
"That was close. I didn't think he'd actually attack me…"
And there they sat. The words filled the empty silence for a few more moments until a thought popped into Patchfur's head.
"What did he mean by 'Starclan sympathizer'?"
"Starclan sympathizer is a label given to someone who doesn't believe in Smokewatcher's- or otherwise, the Dark forest's - ideals.
Patchfur tilted his head to one side. "But why would he use it on you?"
"That is a story for another day." Frostgaze responded quietly, standing up and slowly walking away.
Patchfur was too tired to get up, and he lazily called after her. "Please- I need your help!" Frostgaze stopped walking, lifting her head slightly, but not turning to look at him.
"With what? I already told you, you can't leave this place."
"There must be some way!" He pleaded, desperately. Please, there has to be.
Frostgaze sighed. "No. But there is a place I can take you to see the clans, if you wish."
Patchfur quickly got up, bounding to catch up with Frostgaze.
Whatever it takes.
End of Chapter 1.