Chapter Seven
"We are Shade." a voice said when he woke but he quickly forgot about it as the memories swirled in his head. The memories of Fireheart the cat that was before him. There was the memories of being an apprentice of the taunting. The memories of Spottedleaf and her death. And the memories of Tigerclaw's betrayal and the death of Redtail. The memories of pain, and misery from Thunderclan. Then he felt the sunlight on his back then looked up to see that it was sunrise. He wondered how he got here and how long it had been. As he started to look around then the land became familiar. He realized that it was the dried creek bed where he caught his first prey. Then he realized something else that their was no whispering and voices beside the 'we are Shade' and no urge to kill. There was nothing just his own thoughts. And that he felt stronger and faster than before. He just stayed there wondering if he should get up and go to Thunderclan and why did the whispering stopped. But apart of him just wanted to die he didn't want to go back. He didn't want to be called a kittypet or a loner. He didn't care for anything really anymore he was still trying to figure out how he was alive. He wanted death to take him for it was like a dear old friend. He loved Amber and some things about Thunderclan but apart of him hated them all. That part wanted to kill and keep killing until the world would drown in blood. He wanted death for he felt him losing himself slowly. He knew he would lose himself no matter what happened. The other side wanted to take control of him so he would kill everything. But he thought of the happy moments of his life how happy he is with Amber. But he knew when he will lose control the first to die will be the ones closest to him. Then he got up then he looked up to see it was about sunhigh. He started walking around aimlessly he avoided any other cats and he did not hunt. Crimson knew he should be happy that he was alive and should find Amber but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore all he wanted was death or purpose in life true purpose. To be needed to be truly needed. Then he found himself close to Snake Rocks it was between sunhigh and sunset. There was dark clouds in the sky that promised rain even though the sun was bright and clear from any clouds. He could scent the adders in the air and a cat scent but there was something else to it. It was the scent of a pregnant she cat but why would the cat go to Snake Rocks? Then as he followed the scent he heard a wail pierced the air. As he tried to locate the source of the cat he seen adders sunning themselves on the rocks. Even though rain was coming he kept a good distance away from the adders. As he circle the rocks then he heard another wail. He ran through the adders to find the cat then he seen the she cat. She was a light brown tabby with a white chest and paws and she was curled around a pure black newborn kit that was blacker than black. He padded to the cat as he got close he seen that the cat was unconscious and the black kit was nestled at her side suckling. Her scent reminded him of some distant memory from his kithood. As he watch them both their he heard a hiss behind him he knew it was an adder. "Oi get up!" Crimson yowled at the cat but it stayed there. He turned to face what was behind him to see two adders in front of him. Both about half a foxlength then one adder raised it's head to strike but he swiped at its head before it could do so. Then one of the adders striked Crimson on his shoulder as he was busy with the first one. He felt a horrific pain from his shoulder as the venom was ejected in his blood. He grunted in pain and slashed at the adder's head which ripped the body off. But it's head was still on his body clamped firmly on his shoulder showing no signs of letting go. The wound burned like it was on fire as the venom was ejected in his blood. Then the first adder lunged at him again. While Crimson was busy with the second one he completely forgot about the first one. He soon felt it's fangs digging into his throat ejecting more venom into his blood and down his throat. This time he screeched in pain and agony as it felt like liquid fire was being poured down his throat. And the adder wrapped its body around his throat trying to strangle him. Crimson tried to get the adder off of throat but it didn't work. So he clamped down on the adder's body and grinded his teeth together ignoring the bitter taste of it's blood. Then he felt a part of the adder fall out of his mouth but it's body kept moving around his neck as he spat out the adder blood. It's body and it's fangs in his made it hard to breath but he went to the cat's side. "Wake up!" he yowled the best he could even though it was painful to speak. But the cat did not move then he prodded it with a paw but still did not move. The only reason Crimson knew the cat was alive was because of the shallow breathing. He picked up the cat by its scruff which was surprisingly light for how big it was. Then draped it over his back the best he could and picked the newborn kit up by the scruff. He started to stagger away from Snake Rocks doing his best he could not to let the cat on his back fall off. Once he was away from Snake Rocks he started to stagger to the Thunderclan camp. He breathing was becoming ragged with each step and his guts felt like they were melting. As he was nearing the camp it started to pour he knew he had to get this kit to Thunderclan. It was shivering and wet to the bone the kit was mewing in hunger constantly. And Crimson was in pure agony as he was at the entrance of the Thunderclan camp. The cat on his back was shivering a bit and it fell off a few times. The adder around his neck hung loosely around his neck as the body became cold. And the other one's head was still on his shoulder making it hard to walk as it's fangs grinded against his bone. The moon was rising when he staggered through the gorse tunnel and into the camp. All if the cats looked at him curiously and cautiously as he staggered in the middle of the camp. He looked around the camp seeing many familiar faces and some new ones too. Then he seen the lavender fur and the glowing violet eyes. "Oi Amber some fuckin help here?" Crimson mewed horsley as he mewed around kit's scruff. Then he started to stagger towards the medicine cat den. "Crimson?" Amber asked cautiously. "I'm not in the fucking mood. It's hard enough to get here from Snake Rocks and getting bit by two adders and partially strangled by one. Especially when there is a fucking cat on your back and a fuckin kit in your mouth. And when it's fuckin raining to so I'm not in a good mood you lazy Bloodclan fuck." he growled around the kit's scruff again even though it was painful to talk. As he took another step towards the medicine cat den. But this time Amber bounded to his side and took the shivering newborn from his mouth. Then bounded to the medicine cat den leaving Crimson to slowly stagger towards the den. The cat on his back becoming heavier with each step. He felt the adder venom catching up to him making it harder to move and breath. Even though he knew he should be dead he wasn't he was still alive and he kept fighting through the pain. He did not know why he saved the cat or the kit but the cat reminded him of his kithood for some reason. As he staggered to the medicine cat den two cats bounded to Crimson. It took a moment to recognize the cats as Graystripe and Whitestorm. As he seen them coming he carefully pulled the cat off of his back the cat landed with a dull thud. "Thanks." Crimson mewed as they started to drag the cat to the medicine cat den. Then he heard a cat hiss to another "Great more mouths to feed and the cats probably don't even know how to fight or hunt." Crimson turned around to face the cat that was by the warriors den. The dark brown tabby tom was speaking to a pale ginger she cat then he recognize the cats as Dustpaw and Sandpaw. "You little fuckin shit I can take you on right fucking now and I'm half dead you damn cunt." Crimson growled as he pried the adder heads roughly from his body causing them to bleed even more. "You can't even take on a damn apprentice much less a warrior." Dustpaw retorted hackles rising. Then Crimson ripped the adder body off of his neck. And Crimson took a step towards Dustpaw and Dustpaw sneered "You look weaker than a Windclan cat you damn shit head." then Crimson felt the rage start to burn in him. Crimson took a deep breath and charged faster than any Windclan cat. When he was within a foxlenth he leaped at the cat and held out a paw which slammed into the cat's muzzle. And sent the him sprawling to the ground as blood flew from his muzzle. But before Dustpaw could even get up Crimson was over him and bit into his scruff. And flung him as he was nothing more than a piece of freshkill. As Dustpaw hit Highrock he landed with a heavy thud. Then Crimson jumped on Dustpaw and pinned him against the ground claws on his throat and chest.
So if he moved in any way he would have a slow and painful death. Then he crashed to the ground as a cat jumped on his back. He felt the cat pin him quickly and felt the cat's breath on the back of his neck. Crimson quickly went limp relaxing muscles as in defeat. "Looks like he weaker than a Windclan apprentice." the cat sneered which earned a laugh from the other cats. Then Crimson pushed up and the cat flew off of his back and Crimson was on his paws instantly. The two cats leap at him side by side claws out stretch for his throat. Crimson looked around quickly and seen that they had their back to Highrock. And so Crimson did something nobody expected. He leaped at them claws out stretch for their chests. When they met in the air the two clan cats flew back towards Highrock as if they were some newborns. As they hit Highrock they both grunted in pain fell to the dirt. Crimson standed over them claws unsheathed. "Enough!" a cat yowled. Crimson snapped his head around to look at the blueish gray she cat it was Bluestar. His crimson eyes glowing with insanity, rage, misery, and the desire to kill everything in sight in the dim light. "Fuck." Crimson growled as the rage was replaced with pain and exhaustion. Then Bluestar jumped on top of Highrock and yowled "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" then Crimson backed away from Highrock. So he didn't break his neck looking at Bluestar. Then slowly padded over to Amber as the clearing looked at him. Some in fear and anger, others awe Crimson didn't really give a shit what they thought of him as they don't intentionally piss him off. "So is that kit and that damn cat going to make it?" Crimson asked with a little concern in his voice as he laid down. "What happened to you at that Gathering I thought that you died?!" Amber exclaimed as she sat beside him and tried to lick his wounds. "Don't do that yet there still may be venom in the wounds." Crimson warned before she could lick his wounds. "No there not it is all probably in your blood you stupid fuck. And the kit Yellowfang is unsure that she will live or not. The queen though is asleep because it happens sometimes when a queen have a kits for the first time." Amber explained as she licked his shoulder wound clean. "Guess it's my turn now. Well I don't know I what happened at the Gathering I woke up in dried creek. And I just wandered around aimlessly until I came across this place with a lot adders. And the scent of the cat and I saved her and followed the scent of a cat and it brought me here that's it." Crimson explained but decided not to tell her about his memories as she moved to his neck wound. "One final question. How are you so strong and fast for being I don't know an average sized cat?" Amber asked curiously as she licked clean his neck wound. But before he could answer the clan meeting started. "Cat what is your name?" Bluestar asked. "So many names." Crimson murmured himself. "What did you say?" Bluestar asked. "My name is Cr-ugh" Crimson grunted mid sentence in pain. He was in pure agony as the pain flared through his chest. It felt like his heart was being ripped out again and again. Then he started to cough Crimson coughed so much blood started to drip out of his mouth. "I guess the venom reached my heart." Crimson mewed weakly as a little stream of blood flowed from his mouth. "Crimson come on you fuck don't leave me again!" Amber mewed frantically. Crimson just giggled at what she said and even more when who he thought to be Yellowfang came to his. "The venom reached his heart there is nothing I can do." Yellowfang mewed to Amber. "Damn right you are Yellowfang there is jackshit you can do for me." Crimson coughed as a little pool of blood formed around his mouth. But Crimson fought through the agony and the weariness in his paws. He looked up to see a worried glint in Bluestar's eyes. "I'm glad to see you are worried about me Bluestar but there is no need and you know what. Fuck it might even be better if I died here right now but you know I got some cats to kill and torture and other painful fun stuff to so." Crimson meowed as his eyes met her eyes. And she flinched away as he seen his blood red eyes that spoke of misery, rage, death, and insanity. Then he passed out.
