Chapter 3
"Gorsepaw! Gorsepaw!" a cat hissed.
"What's going on, where am I?" Gorsepaw blinked a few times.
A cat shook him. "Gorsepaw!"
Gorsepaw blinked again and whispered, "Goldpaw? Is that you?" His sister's scent flooded him.
"Gorsepaw, are you okay?" Goldpaw asked.
Gorsepaw stood unsteadily. "Am I covered in something?" he asked.
"No," Goldpaw meowed.
Fear struck through Gorsepaw as he realized that he couldn't see. "No, no, no, no!" he yowled as he staggered backward, stumbling on something and falling onto his back.
"What's wrong, Gorsepaw?" Volepaw's voice reached Gorsepaw's ears, and Gorsepaw lay still, breathing quick in terror.
"This can't be happening!" Gorsepaw yowled.
Gorsepaw writhed on the ground, trying to fix his vision, but everything he did didn't work. "Gorsepaw," a mew stopped him short; it was Darkstar, the same cat who had done this to him. Gorsepaw let out a snarl and leaped in the direction of the mew and bowled Darkstar over.
Darkstar let out a surprised mew as Gorsepaw flashed his paws at him, scratching and ripping at the leader. "You're the one who did this to me!" Gorsepaw snarled, and ripped some part of Darkstar open.
Darkstar let out a hiss and pain filled Gorsepaw as one of the ShadeClan leader's claws slashed Gorsepaw's cheek. Gorsepaw let out a hiss and staggered backward, lashing out in random directions. Gorsepaw stumbled back into the wall of the warriors' den and hissed as twigs' sharp ends stabbed into his back.
"Gorsepaw!" Blackfeather called, and Gorsepaw heard the medicine cat's paws as he neared. "Your eyes are just irritated by something; you're not blind. You can still see light, can't you?"
Gorsepaw looked upward, and noticed the change in lighting. "Yes," he replied.
"Then your vision will return, just... slowly," Blackfeather mewed and the medicine cat grabbed Gorsepaw's scruff and dragged him from the twigs and to his paws. "Let's head to the medicine cats' den," Blackfeather murmured in his ear and wrapped his tail around Gorsepaw's shoulders.
Annoyance filled Gorsepaw, as his pride was hurt, but he knew that Blackfeather was trying to help him, so he followed. The medicine cat led Gorsepaw into the herb-scented den and Gorsepaw let Blackfeather lead him to his nest. Gorsepaw collapsed upon the ground, exhaustion sweeping over him after attacking Darkstar and trying to get revenge for what had happened.
Darkstar isn't the leader we want. He's not benign; he's vicious, and a killer. He could have killed me if he had wanted to, but I got away just in time. I sensed it; his anger was so high, so ferocious... we can't have a cat like that as our leader. We need a different cat; a cat who's loyal, and brave, and kind, and careful, and loving, and leader-like. A cat... like me.
Darkstar sat up after Gorsepaw had attacked him. The dark gray tabby took a deep breath and suddenly he realized every cat was staring at him. Darkstar turned his piercing yellow gaze on the cats around him and sensed Toadstripe's accusing look on his back. Darkstar slowly stood, and Ravendust padded forward to his side.
"You're gonna be fine," Ravendust whispered. "Let's take you back to the leader's den, where you can rest."
Darkstar nodded slowly and followed his brother to the leader's den. Darkstar curled up in his nest and Ravendust meowed, "That was close; if Gorsepaw hadn't gotten away..."
Darkstar took a deep breath and looked down at his paws. "I know," he whispered. "I almost killed Pinestar's kit. If I had, I would never have forgiven myself."
"Something tells me you haven't forgiven yourself for the other night, either," Ravendust observed.
Darkstar waved his tail and heard a mew, "Darkstar? Are you alright?"
"Come in," Darkstar called, and Birdpool's speckled face appeared. "Birdpool," Darkstar purred.
Birdpool padded forward and sat beside him. She looked at Ravendust and asked, "Do you mind?"
Ravendust's whiskers quivered and he padded from the den.
Birdpool, the moment the black tom left, brushed her head underneath Darkstar's chin. "I know it's a bit early, but I have to explain myself," she whispered.
Surprised by the sudden gesture, Darkstar stuttered, "F-fine."
"Darkstar, I can't help but feel," she paused, looking down at her paws nervously, "that StarClan meant for us to be together. I know there's Sloeberry, but-"
"Sloeberry?" Confusion filled Darkstar from ears to tail-tip. "What are you talking about?"
"You seriously don't know?" Birdpool gasped, eyes wide. "Sloeberry has had a crush on you ever since you were apprenticed together!"
"What?" Darkstar gasped. "I never-"
"I can't believe you never figured it out!" Birdpool interrupted. She let out a purr, "You're full of surprises."
Darkstar smiled and accepted Birdpool's love. Darkstar slowly twined his tail with hers and murmured, "And so are you."