The Mist
Prologue: Bloodthirsty
The shadow of a cat padded through dark pine trees, a squirrel in it's jaws. It peered through the thick fog, unsure of where to head next. The medicine cat had practically predicted this, it thought, its eyes narrowing. This fog is thicker than any I've ever seen.
It continued onward, now being guided by scent alone, even though it wasn't easy. Finally, it sighed, relieved. It had reached it's destination. It had finally reached...
...The lake?
It spat the squirrel on the ground. "This is a disgrace!" it growled. "I can't believe I can't find my way back to camp!" It dug a hole in the dirt by the lake, sighing, exasperated. "Well, I'm sure the fog will clear up in the morning. I could always spend the night... besides..." It glanced at the squirrel. "...I caught some food."
And that hadn't been easy, the cat recalled. It had stalked around the words since sunhigh, and it was well past midnight, now. The fog had only just arrived at sundown, but grew thicker with every heartbeat.
The cat closed it's eyes, sighing deeply. The nest in the ground wasn't as comfortable as the one back in the ShadowClan camp, but it would suffice for tonight.
Suddenly, it sat up straight. What's that sound? It swivelled its head around, looking all around it. All it could see was fog. Maybe I'm imagining things, it thought, shaking aside the feeling of being watched. All this fog is just making me antsy.
It placed its chin on it's paws, still nervously glancing around. I was sure I...
It heard the sound again. It's heart racing, it meowed loudly, "Who's there?"
The trickling of the lake on the shore was all that greeted it.
It tried louder this time. "I know you're there! Come out and face me!"
Something growled.
And it saw it.
In the ShadowClan camp, the medicine cat, Hollyfire sat up in her nest. She could have sworn she had heard something... She sniffed the air, her eyes narrowed. The fog's come, she thought smugly. Of course, I predicted this... But her victory was short lived, because she heard the sound again. It sounded almost like growling, a bloodthirsty, guttural growl.
Hollyfire shivered, her eyes widening. What in the name of StarClan is that? She rose, and padded out of the den, quickly heading to the leader's den.
"Featherstar," Hollyfire hissed into the den of the thick tendrils of thorns. "Featherstar, are you awake?"
The leader's voice could be heard from inside, sighing. "Yes, Hollyfire, come in."
The medicine cat padded in swiftly. "I sense something is wrong," she mewed. "I heard this noise..." She shuddered at the memory.
Featherstar rolled her eyes. "You were awoken by a noise? Hollyfire, please, don't waste my time with idle fantasies."
"I'm serious," hissed Hollyfire. "It was a growl, an evil, bloodthirsty growl..."
"Are you sure it wasn't your belly?" Featherstar meowed more sympathetically. "After all, you've hardly had a break since Pinepelt broke his leg..."
"No! I'm sure of it!" snapped Hollyfire. Her leader didn't even flinch at the she-cat's harsh tone. "It was a loud, menacing-"
She was cut off by a loud, bloodcurdling, scream.
Hollyfire and Featherstar raced out of the leader's den. Hollyfire's heart was pumping fast, her blood on a boil.
"What in the name of..." Featherstar breathed. "That sounded like..." She trailed off.
"...a cat," Hollyfire affirmed. "A cat being murdered."
Some of the warriors padded out of the warriors den, groggy and yet alert, wondering what was going on.
The deputy, Rockscreech, bellowed for silence. "Tell us what's going on, Featherstar," he meowed in his rumbling voice.
"I'm not sure," she murmured. She turned to her deputy. "Quickly, send someone to tell me all who's still in the camp."
The deputy nodded and called out, "Firethorn, Darkstreak, check the dens. Make sure every cat is here and accounted for." He gestured to Firethorn with his tail. "Firethorn, check the warriors den and the apprentices den, and Darkstreak," he mewed, pointing at the warrior with his tail, "you check the nursery and the elders den. Hurry."
The two toms nodded and padded off.
The few remaining cats waited for the others return.
When they returned, Darkstreak meowed, "Shiningdawn and her kits are safe in the den, as is Shadowpelt."
"And Icepaw and Sunpaw are safe too," Firethorn added. "All the warriors are in the den, except..." He trailed off.
Featherstar's eyes narrowed. "Except for who? Who's not in the den?"
Darkstreak swallowed; Hollyfire could tell he was nervous. "Bloodclaw isn't here, Featherstar."
"I went hunting with him around sunhigh," Briairpelt quipped.
"I was on that hunting patrol too," Darkstreak mewed. His eyes narrowed. "When he didn't catch anything, he told me he'd come back once he did... but... I thought he had returned hours ago," he mumbled, bowing his head. "I...I should've gone looking for him!"
Featherstar placed her tail on his flank soothingly. "Be still, Darkstreak, it's not your fault." She turned to face the entrance to the camp, a wind buffeting her fur. The other cats turned to stare at the entrance as well.
"He'll be fine," Featherstar mewed.
Hollyfire wasn't so sure.
-
He was running, running in no particular direction. He panted, risking a glance behind him.
It was still chasing him!
He ordered his legs to carry him faster. Fire burned in his muscles, his blood boiled in his veins. His heart thudding, his breath came out in ragged pants, his lungs demanding air to fuel his body. He was as tired as anything, but if he paused, even for a split second...
He'd be done.
As he raced through the fog, he heard whatever was chasing him panting as well. But this pant was one of excitement, one of a predator rushing in for the kill. And he knew he was the prey.
And this piece of prey was running for his life.
His limbs ached, demanding a break. Let us rest! they screeched. We won't get you very far in conditions like this!
I don't care, he snapped back mentally. It's either ache or die.
His limbs, still weary, but no longer complaining, obeyed his command for movement.
He crossed a scent marker. He wasn't sure whose it was: ThunderClan or RiverClan. He had no idea where he was going, only that he had to get away, get as far away...
Shoot! He tripped over a root, rolling to a stop against a tree. Upside down, confused, disoriented, he looked around him wildly, searching for the thing that was chasing him. He didn't see it, maybe he had gotten away, gotten far, far away... but no. There it was, he could see it now. A dark shadow in the mist.
This wasn't fog anymore. It was an ominous mist. And it hid a killer.
The shadow seemed to pause, examining it's meal. Maybe even wondering what he'd taste like. I have no where to run! He managed to right himself and get to his paws, shaking his ginger fur free off moss clumps. His eyes were as wide as the full moon, his heart as fast as a racing river.
The thing growled.
And Bloodclaw let out a bloodcurdling screech.