c-h-a-p-t-e-r

s-i-x


I woke up slumped against a mossy tree trunk, small splinters of bark driving into my pelt. My whole head pounded, and when I moved the world lurched around me. The far-off sounds of birds just made it through an invisible fog to my ears.

I let out a groan and rose unsteadily to my paws. What had happened to me? All I could remember was a blur of colours, black, amber, and… crimson.

I jumped up with a shriek. My fur stood on end as memories flooded back, relentless against my pounding head. I saw a black cat, powerful violet orbs, and amber shards. My claws dug into the soft earth as I remembered what had happened.

Obviously the memory loss spell hadn't worked very well, I reflected. The details of the night were a little blurry, but whether that was just fear, I wasn't sure. I knew the cat's name - Nox. His dark scent hung in my nose, clinging in my memory despite the fresh forest around me.

I breathed in deeply, trying to rid myself of the fear that tingled along my spine and down to my paws. I needed to get back to the camp before anything else happened to me. I had found out that Nox wanted a cats trained to fight - in other words, our Clan.

I set off at a brisk trot, my paws brushing through the undergrowth with ease. All of my strength was flooding back, and I had extra motivation to solve this whole mystery.

You weren't the next on my list, but you'll have to do for now. The words echoed around my head, forcing me to think of them. Why did Nox have a list? What difference would order make in the end? Because after all, if Nox's plans went the right way, we'd all be under his spell in a couple of moons.

The thought didn't fill me with fear as it used to. If it was meant to be, there was nothing we could do about it. But if it wasn't meant to be, we would find a way to deal with this problem. There was nothing SaffronClan couldn't do. We were loyal, brave, and merciless.

My chest filled with pride. I broke into a run. I bounded swiftly through the trees, weaving through the trunks like a bird. The sunlight streamed through gaps in the canopy, creating filtered light displays on the forest floor.

I burst through the fern tunnel, feeling the plants lash across my face. But I didn't care. I was too exhilarated to be back, after I was so sure that I would die last night. I'd faced a near death - or near spell - experience and I'd made it out with my mind intact. I felt like I could do anything.

Iceflutter was standing in the clearing, shock evident on her face. She ran towards me, white paws scuffing up dust as she did so. Her green eyes were wide with astonishment, probably at the way I looked. I could feel scraps of moss and clumps of leaf-mould scattered through my fur, and that was sticking up as well.

"Sorrelwing, where were you?" she gasped, pressing her face into my fur. "We couldn't find you last night, and I was so worried that you were found by that creature and-"

I cut her off. "Ssh, it's okay now," I meowed reassuringly. The bond between my sister and I seemed even stronger than it did before. Nothing could ever break us apart.

"What happened to you?" Iceflutter repeated.

I breathed in, taking a large breath. Then I exhaled, smiling mischievously at my snow-furred sister. "I met the rogue."

Iceflutter took in a breath, studying me in a worried manner. I interrupted before she could say anything, meowing,

"Don't worry, he didn't hurt me! I'm perfectly fine, and I've figured out part of his plans, too." My words didn't reassure her, and she shuffled her paws anxiously. Little puffs of dirt rose from the camp floor.

After a pause, Iceflutter looked up at me with her large green eyes. "Sorrelwing, I...I'm sorry, but I can't believe you. What if the rogue did something to you and he's making you act normal? I mean, look at Stonestreak." A feeling of boiling rage filled my stomach, before being dampened by understanding. How would Iceflutter able to tell if it was really her, anyway?

Frowning, I turned to look at Stonestreak as my mind processed the next part of Iceflutter's argument. The grey tom was smiling brightly, more cheerful than I had ever seen him before, animatedly conversing with two of the warriors. They acted like nothing was up, washing their ears and sitting in the shade of the large forest trees. Couldn't they see the way his eyes were too bright and slightly glazed? Didn't his clanmates know him well enough to realise that this wasn't his normal self?

"Sorrelwing, I'm aware that it could be you. You're a strong cat, quick and clever, and I doubt you would let anything happen to yourself that you couldn't take care of. But I can't listen to a word you say about him - I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Iceflutter meowed dejectedly, as I turned my head back toward her. Her eyes were full of misery and her whiskers drooped. "You know how hard these times are, Sorrelwing. You know."

And I did know. I could only imagine how Iceflutter was feeling right now, not being able to trust her sister. She had every single right not to trust me, as I had come into camp with leaves entwined in my fur after being out all night. How could I ever prove it was really me? Nodding, I sighed and turned away.

"But I want to hear what you have to say anyway."

I jumped, starting in surprise. "You want to hear what his plans are?" I asked, disbelieving. "I thought you said you couldn't trust anything I say."

My sister nodded, glancing around at the camp. We were in the shade of the towering trees, protecting us from the sun's warming new-leaf rays. "I only said I couldn't trust it, not that I didn't want to hear it." She looked at me with a sneaky grin, eyes twinkling. I beamed at her, pressing up against her, our fur mingling.

And so I began my story, starting from the moment I decided to answer the questions on my list and ending at the moment I rushed into the emerald fern tunnel, the fronds lashing against me like unsheathed claws. I told her of Nox's plans to make an army and how he had a list too. I explained about his magic, the freakish orbs that had been hurled after me, and how I had blacked out after having a shard dig into my leg.

And my sister was there the whole way through it, nodding politely with a thoughtful look on her face. I offered a smile once more, knowing that even if she didn't trust me enough to be there for her, she would always have an ear out for me and a helping paw. Now it was time to uncover what Nox really wanted to do, and what this whole magic business was about. It couldn't be that hard, right?

Wrong.


AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the wait; once I get back in to school I should have more opportunities to write, surprisingly. Things are going well in my life at the moment, it's more like lack of motivation to write anything. Reviews or views and can that though, because I know I'll always have someone to write for. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and another one should be coming soon. Thanks!

-Also: Keep a lookout for a new story of mine coming soon!

- Issy the Great c;