Well here is chapter 7. More craziness for you all!
The crowd of cats stared up at her with jeering malice filled eyes. She shivered under their gaze as she looked down from the rock she was forced to stand on. The cats continued to scream and yell at her.
"Kill her!"
"Make her pay for what she had done!"
She was shaking even more now. This hatred was terrible. This hatred was unjust. She wanted to scream out that it wasn't her fault. None of this happened because of her. However she knew her pleas would not calm these evil glares. They would only fuel the hatred on.
She sensed someone coming up behind her and she slowly exhaled her breath. It was time and there was nothing she could do about it. She was abandoned by all that had sworn to protect her. She could hear the cries of happiness from below as she turned to face the huge monster that had come up behind her.
The huge jaw dripping with long canine teeth. Claws that could rip through anything. This was what waited for her. She shifted her eyes to look back at the sneering cats below her. They were worthless to her. Why was she scared of those beasts below when this one was scarier?
"Do your worst," she hissed to the beast. She held her head up high. They will not get the satisfaction of hearing her scream. They will get nothing from her.
The beast lifted those cruel claws into the air and brought them down on her body. She clenched her teeth together to prevent a scream from coming out but it felt like fire was scorching her body. She was losing feeling quickly as those claws ripped through her but it still hurt. It burned her from the inside out. However she would not scream. She refused to scream.
Cinderheart's eyes shot open and she lifted her head in shock. Her body felt like it was being burned from the inside out but the pain was slowly fading away. What was going on? This was the second time something like this had happened. She shivered as she thought of that beast again. For some reason it reminded her of the beast she had seen last night with Shadow.
She felt her fur grow hot as she thought of the incident at the waterfall. "Calm down Cinderheart," she whispered. "That was nothing. Nothing at all." She shifted her thoughts back to the dream. Like the other one she had died in it. What did it mean? She stiffened. What if it was a dream from StarClan? What if they were trying to send her a message, a warning of something?
"Does these dreams mean I am going to die in some way?" Once the thought was out in the open it felt wrong someone. It felt like that wasn't the reason at all. But what was it then? She was an ordinary cat thrown into a weird place.
She thought of Lionblaze. What was he doing at this moment? Was he worried about her? Was he frantically searching for her? That made her feel a bit more lighthearted and she got to her paws.
It looked Dawn had already visited for a large rabbit was by the moving wall. She made her way over and quickly ate away at it. If she was going to help Lionblaze find her then she would need her strength.
She was about to go search the walls for any clues when the moving wall opened and Dawn walked through. The she-cat blinked in surprise to see Cinderheart up and about. "Oh! Well this makes it easier then!" Like always she was happy and peppy. Cinderheart seriously wondered where this attitude came from.
"What does?" asked Cinderheart.
"Well I was wondering what to do if you didn't wake up anytime soon," replied the black and white she-cat. "Shadow wanted me to take you out. You're probably tired of spending forever in here right?"
She opened her mouth to tell Dawn that she was out of here last night but she shut it again. Dawn didn't seem to know about it so why should she tell her? Plus she could use this time to try to figure out the layout of this place better so when she planned her escape she would be able to get out of here with ease.
Hopefully.
"That's right," replied Cinderheart.
"Great. Then follow me!" Dawn led the way out into Shadow's den.
It was then that Cinderheart scented blood. She turned her head to better catch the scent. It was then that she noticed the huge bloodstain on the area that Shadow usually slept on. "What happened?" she asked. The blood smelled like him. Was it his blood?
"Shadow was injured last night," replied Dawn. "I don't know how but he was." She shook her head. "It was really bad to. My sister told me she could even see some of his ribs!"
"Is he alright?" asked Cinderheart. How could she have not noticed the wound? Sure she had scented and saw the blood all over him but she had thought the blood was from that creature. And he looked fine. He was walking quickly back to the mountain but Cinderheart thought that was because he was worried that the beast would come back. Could it be possible that he was trying to get back to get help?
"He's fine," Dawn answered. "Shadow is not the kind to be stopped by a little wound like that." She chuckled as she looked down at the blood stain. "He's already up and running about. Anyway. Let's get going. Somecat will come by later to clean it up so you don't need to worry about it. Come on! Come on!"
Dawn began pushing Cinderheart with her nose until the gray she-cat relented and began following Dawn again. Her body was following Dawn but her mind was still thinking about what Dawn said.
Shadow had been injured last night and it was all her fault for being useless. But why did he hide the injury from her? That was the part that puzzled her. Was he worried that she would be worried?
No way.
Shadow was keeping her prisoner here. He had no reason to feel worried about her. But still. The waterfall incident made her think otherwise. She shook the thoughts away as Dawn announced they had reached their destination.
Cinderheart broke out of her thoughts to see they were standing before a cavern. Dawn was standing on the side; a signal for Cinderheart should go first.
Cinderheart complied. Her eyes widen as she entered. The walls of this cavern were covered in crystals and gems. A huge opening in the ceiling let in sunlight. This light bounced off the crystals to give the whole room a shimmering mystical quality to it.
"Pretty isn't it?" asked Dawn coming in.
Cinderheart nodded slowly. This was breathtaking just like waterfall from last night. And just like the waterfall a wave of nostalgia washed over her. It felt like she had been here before. She had enjoyed this cavern before. But how was that possible?
"I didn't know you were here."
Cinderheart flinched and whirled around. Shadow had just walked in. Her eyes went to his side and she saw traces of a long scar. Hang on. Dawn said it was a huge wound. How could it already be healed that far? She thought of Dawn's and Dusk's super speed. Did Shadow have a healing ability? That was the only explanation she had so she decided to stick with it.
"You don't mind right Shadow?" asked Dawn. "I thought Cinderheart might want to have some walks around Welgaria you know? To see some of the places."
Shadow nodded. "That's fine. Just be careful."
"Of course!" Dawn bounded over to Cinderheart. "Want to go deeper into this cavern? There's some prettier rocks in the back!"
"Uh, sure," replied Cinderheart.
"Then follow me! Come on!" Dawn was practically running deeper into the cavern.
Cinderheart glanced back at Shadow. He was watching her with those blue eyes. That ticked off something in her brain. Those eyes were familiar but where?
"Cinderheart!"
She snapped out of it. "Coming Dawn!" she called and she ran after the she-cat while sill being aware of Shadow's blue eyes on her.
Linelineline
Cherrykit did not care anymore.
She had given up her own will in those tunnels. The easiest thing to do was to follow orders. It was easy and required no pain. Right now all she had to do was follow the silver she-cat and her companion.
As she looked at the back of their heads she was trying to understand what was floating above their heads. They were squiggles of some sort. She had started seeing them over every cat's head after she had touched that ball of light. It was distracting in a way.
The she-cat, Damia suddenly stopped and Cherrykit looked up at her in surprise. She was looking at a she-cat that was approaching them. The cat was ragged with fur that Cherrykit wasn't sure the color was because of all the dirt and grime on it. By the she-cat's gait Cherrykit figured she was on the older end.
"What does members of the council want with an old cat like me?" she asked, her voice hoarse and raspy.
"Trust me Awena, I don't want to deal with you either," replied Damia. She roughly reached out with a paw and pushed Cherrykit forward. "Here you go. Have fun."
The old she-cat, Awena looked down at Cherrykit. The young she-cat just stared back. It didn't matter what happened to her. Huh? Cherrykit was confused. There was no squiggly thing above this she-cat's head.
"Is she a death seer?" asked the tom, Aeron was his name.
Awena lifted her head and stared at the two cats. "Of course. She was probably staring above your heads for a while now if you weren't so mouse-brained to notice."
"How dare you!" hissed Damia. Aeron lifted his tail and held it before the silver she-cat. He sent a warning look to her.
Death seer?
Cherrykit wondered what that meant. However as soon as the thought crossed her mind she pushed it away. Thoughts were dangerous. Thinking would get her in trouble. That would bring pain. Pain that she did not want.
"So you've come all the way here to see me to train this kit then?" Awena chuckled. "What's the council thinking?"
"Train her please," spoke Aeron. "We will pay you your fee. We want to use her to find the Resurrected."
Awena laughed. It was an old raspy laugh but it was one all the same. Damia's eyes were blazing in anger. "How dare you laugh?" she hissed. "I will tear you apart where you stand!"
"And then what?" asked the old cat. "You will have no one to train this death seer."
Damia growled angrily and she looked away.
Awena turned to Aeron. "I don't have a choice on this matter do I? The council wants this one trained."
Aeron nodded. "Yes. It would be appreciated if she is ready as soon as possible."
"Easy for you to say," growled Awena. She reached out and pulled Cherrykit close. The kit wrinkled her nose at the stench of this old cat. "I will train her. I want my fee left here every morning."
"Of course," replied Aeron. He dipped his head. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me," replied Awena. "I am doing nothing. This she-cat has the unfortunate destiny to help you Council Members."
Damia looked like she wanted to tear Awena's face off. However she turned away and stalked off into the forest. Cherrykit watched her go and a bit of her rejoiced in the fact that her tormentor was gone.
"Come on kit," said Awena. "We have lots of work to get done."
