Ch 7: Menacing Shadows
A yowl of fear and sadness rose from Sun's throat and lifted into the air. It was joined by the rest of the cats who had gathered in the clearing. At least half of the Desert Tribe had been killed by Vulture's group of attackers. Cactus limped over to Sun and Blizzard. Her right ear was torn nearly all the way off her head, and her sides were ripped wide open. She collapsed next to her two friends.
Silver emerged from his den. He bounded over to Thunder and turned his gaze to the ground. "We must look to the living," he meowed hoarsely. The silver tom moved to Cactus and began to treat her wounds.
Sun was rooted to the spot. She pressed her muzzle into Thunder's still-warm fur, hoping to find an ounce of the comfort that was once there. She felt Blizzard lick her shoulder comfortingly, but it didn't sooth her troubled mind. How could she refuse Thunder's mantle of Leader? It was almost too much to handle. Sun's throat had gone dry and she didn't feel like she even had the strength to speak.
Sand woke, hidden deep in the caves. Kittens huddled close to their mothers, and as Sand stumbled out of the cave, a fearful whine sounded from the caverns. He was alarmed to see the carnage that had taken place while he lay unconscious.
Sand saw the limp body of Thunder surrounded by the rest of his clan mates. He yowled softly and bounded over to Sun's side. The sandy tom scanned his leader's body hopelessly, lowering his head and drinking in the scent of his leader. It was mingled with the tangy smell of poison. Sand pulled back from Thunder's body and grimaced. The Shadow Tribe scum used poison to kill! He thought angrily.
Sun whined and rose to her paws. She padded over to the sandy rock where she had been given her name and pulled herself onto its surface. The cats in the clearing didn't leave Thunder's side, but they turned their sad eyes to her.
"As Silver says, we must turn our attention to the living," Sun yowled in a gravely voice. "I need a few Protectors to comfort the kittens and kit-bearers. I need a few more cats to repair the damage done to the camp."
The cats in the clearing separated with a feeling of remorse, some disappearing into the caves to comfort the cats cowering inside.
Sun shuddered. She didn't even feel like she was the same cat anymore. Her voice seemed unfamiliar, and her entire body felt numb. The cold desert air enveloped her spirit, and she turned her gaze to the ground.
Sun padded off of the sandy rock and walked back over to Thunder's body. Blizzard was still seated next to the dead leader. Sun sat next to the white-she cat and gazed down at the lifeless form of her once live leader.
"We need to burry him," Sun meowed solemnly. Blizzard agreed with a slow nod. The she-cats lifted Thunder's cold body and began to carry him out of camp. They padded along, his body supported in the same fashion as Sand's was earlier: between their backs.
The two she-cats traveled until they had reached a small oasis near the edge of the desert. This was where all the water for the Tribe came from, and its supply was low due to the dry season. They let Thunder slip of their backs and Blizzard began to dig a shallow grave for the dead tom.
Sun brushed some of the dried blood off of Thunder's fur. .The leader looked so peaceful, and it was hard to tell he had hissed at her earlier that day. Sun sighed and grabbed the leader by his scruff. She pulled him over to the grave Blizzard had dug and lowered him in gently. She began to shovel dirt over the hole with her nose.
"Good-bye Thunder. Our Tribe honors your memory," Sun whispered, placing the last clump of dirt over her dead leader's grave. She felt her throat tighten in sorrow and turned away. We must look to the living, she thought firmly.
Blizzard sighed sadly and cleaned mud off her paws. "We should go back to camp, Sun," the white she-cat said softly. Sun could pick up a new sound in Blizzard's voice: a higher respect and maybe even distance, like they weren't the same old friends they were.
"Blizzard, don't talk to me like that. I'm still the same cat," Sun said calmly. Blizzard nodded slightly, turning her gentle blue gaze on Sun. The two cats rose to their paws and began to pad back to camp.
Sand sat next to a shivering blue-grey she cat and her whimpering, smoky black kitten. They were Mist, Thunder's mate, and Hurricane, Thunder's only kit. Hurricane raised such a horrible wail that it could be heard all around the camp.
"Why did they burry daddy?" the smoky kit whimpered. Mist licked the small kitten, but couldn't find any words to comfort him. Sand licked Mist's shoulder gently, trying to soothe the she-cat.
Sun padded slowly into camp. She saw Sand sitting next to Mist and felt like her heart was stabbed the second time that day. Sun knew that Mist was Thunder's mate, but she still felt sick and padded away from the scene.
Sun padded over to the fissure in the sandy rock. She slipped inside the den that was now hers and grabbed the pile of moss. She rolled it into a ball and dropped it outside. She padded over to the pile of fresh moss and grabbed a large mouthful of the bedding. She crept back into her den and spread the moss over the cold floor. She lowered herself onto the moss and let her head sink to her paws. At once, her eyelids began to droop. She closed them gratefully and sank into sleep.
Sun's dreams were enveloped in darkness. She gazed up at the stars and blinked as one shot across the sky. It flew towards her in a blazing mass, cutting a brilliant path across the night sky. Sun's jaw fell slack as the star hit the ground and exploded in a flash of light. As the brilliant light faded, a sparkling black tom was revealed sitting calmly in front of Sun.
"Thunder?" Sun exclaimed in wonder, starring at the glittering tom in front of her.
"Yes, Sun. It's me," Thunder meowed in an echoing voice, wrapping his sparkling tail around his paws. "I've come to tell you many things about the war."
Sun's heart sank. She didn't want to have anything to do with the war. She didn't even want to be the Tribe leader! She lowered her gaze to the ground and sat down with a reluctant sigh.
"I've come to tell you things about the Shadow Tribe. They have many more cats than we saw earlier this night. They have more cunning in their paws than you do in your own body. You will need to match their wits and have better skills in battle to have even the slightest chance of winning this war," Thunder explained, shaking his head in remorse.
Sun shivered slightly, hating the direction Thunder's advice seemed to be pointing: straight to death and destruction.
Thunder continued. "You will need your friend's support more than ever in the coming cycles. Each of them has a special gift that will help you fulfill your legacy. Cactus has her undying loyalty and fiery determination. Blizzard is gentle and caring, and it is she who will help you the most. Sand also has undying loyalty, but of a different kind. He will do whatever it takes to stand at his friend's side and protect the Tribe," the black tom finished. "However, there are others who will do whatever they can to destroy hope. Destroy you." Thunder added with emphasis.
Sun pulled her gaze up to her dead leader. "Who?" She asked in a quiet voice. She stepped forward in alarm as Thunder's form began to fade. "No! Don't leave! I have too many questions!" She yowled, wishing Thunder would stay longer.
Her calls were useless thought, and Thunder's shape disappeared completely. Sun whined pitifully and sat down once more. She scuffed the sand at her feet and sighed.
She was so confused.
What will happen to Sun? Who are these cats that want to destroy hope, and more importantly, Sun herself? I think I've figured out the entire story from this point.