Chapter 6: Secrets
After returning to camp that night, Cedarleaf had a strange dream. He was in a prey-rich forest, with the warm smells of Green-Leaf all around him. A starry cat with light brown fur padded up to him. Something dawned on him. This was StarClan's territory. Was he dead? But his wonderings were cut short as the starry cat before him started to speak. "I am Owlstar, young warrior. I was leader of ShadowClan before Nightheart." Cedarleaf opened his mouth to say, "Nighstar, you mean." Owlstar shook his head no. "Nightheart is what I call her. Now, time is running short for me here. You must come to HighStones tonight. Bring only Raggedpaw. Remember; it is vitally important."
Cedarleaf woke from this odd dream into reality; and a gust of the Leaf-Fall wind blew through the warrior's den. He shivered and exited the den. Cedarleaf went to get his apprentice, but Raggedpaw was already up and pacing in front of the fresh-kill pile. "Cedarleaf!" he said excitedly. "Can we start battle trainging now?" Cedarleaf replied, "Not yet. Remember, we have to go see the WindClan border first. But after that, yes." With that, the two toms left behind the camp and raced to the border.
They reached it quickly, and noticed the winds screaming across the moors. Cedarleaf raised his voice, but it was hardly audible in the wind. "Try to memorize the scent. Now let's go to the clearing outside camp for training." Raggedpaw inhaled deeply, then they trotted slowly back to camp. Cedarleaf paused and said to Raggedpaw, "Listen, I had a dream from StarClan last night. At moonhigh, you and I will go to HighStones. Don't tell anyone, it's supposed to be a secret." Raggedpaw agreed sincerely; then they finally made it to the dry clearing that ShadowClan used for battle training.
The dark brown apprentice and Cedarleaf trained for hours, until nearly sundown. By then, they were both tired, but Raggedpaw was still happy. Cedarleaf siad under his breath as they returned to camp, "Moonhigh, meet me at the dirtplace."
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Cedarleaf and Raggedpaw met as planned, and they set off to HighStones. It was a long and grueling journey in the dead of night, but Cedarleaf knew it was important. They finally arrived at the craggy cliffside, and went inside. Raggedpaw didn't say a word, which was unlike him, but at the sight of the Moonstone, glowing in a way that made it seem magical, he murmured, "Wow...." Cedarleaf nodded, thinking the same thing. Then he touched his nose to the stone and drifted into a deep sleep.
When Cedarleaf opened hsi eyes, he was in StarClan terrritory again. Owlstar was waiting for him. He said in that mellow voice of his, "I'm glad you came." Cedarleaf nodded, not knowing what to say. Owlstar sighed, and began to speak. "Cedarleaf. The Clan you grew up in is in turmoil. There are prophecies only you shall know of, and the lies you were born into have spawned, and now ShadowClan is not more than a bunch of disloyal brutes." Cedarleaf opened his mouth to protest, but Owlstar waved his tail for quiet.
Owlstar continued, "There is so much, Cedarleaf, that will shock you tonight. So much you cannot comprehend. But you, above any other ShadowClan warrior, were chosen." Cedarleaf stared, confused. "Why me?" Owlstar closed his eyes and said quietly, "Because StarClan can see that you are the only one who can bring us out of this darkness that we have fallen into. Despite your relationship with Brambleberry." Cedarleaf lowered his eyes to the ground. "Come with me, Cedarleaf. There is much to say tonight. Too much."
Owlstar padded quickly to the edge of a warm pool, crystalline and bright. Owlstar dipped his paw in the water, and ripples undulated out from the brown fur. But when he retraced his paw, the fur was dry, as if he had not put it in the water at all. But Cedarleaf was distracted, for in the rippling surface of the pool, there was a translucent image. Nightstar looked much younger, and she was stalking something. Another cat! It was a large tom, sleeping in the leader's den. Cedarleaf recognized the cat. It was Owlstar! Nightstar crept closer, and she lept on Owlstar, using the cruel death bite on his neck. The Owlstar in the image lay still, and Nightstar looked up, her jaws bloody, and grinned. The image faded.
"What was that?" Cedarleaf exclaimed. Owlstar said sadly, "That was the end of my ninth life. Nightheart killed me." Cedarleaf stared at Owlstar in horror. "And StarClan let her be leader anyway?"Owlstar shook his head slowly. "No, we did not. She took her leadership. She has never once talked to StarClan. Never once come to HighStones. Her sister, Smokefrost was destined to be the leader of ShadowClan. But we could never reach her." Cedarleaf said brokenly, "What about Lightpath? Or Sagewhisker? Or Runningnose?" he named the medicine cats he had known. Owlstar sighed. "Lightpath never believed in StarClan. She taught that to Sagewhisker as well. Two medicine cats who never knew of StarClan. Runningnose, he didn't believe us. He said that we just wanted to undermine Nightstar. He reveres her."
"Well, what do you expect me to do about all of this? Couldn't you just get rid of Nightstar, and have Brackenfoot be leader?" owlstar shook his head again. "No, it is not Brackenfoot's destiny. It is Smokefrost's....And yours." Cedarleaf laid his ears back in shock. "Mine?" Owlstar nodded, "Yours. Cedarleaf, I must ask you to do something terrible. You must take the life of Nightheart. She was your mentor, so she knows all the fighting strategies she taught you. But you know of RiverClan fighting as well. You taught them to Raggedpaw. That is the only way you will win. Nightheart was never a true leader, so she has only one life. And we cannot risk the life of Smokefrost. I want you to send Smokefrost and Brackenfoot to HighStones, when you awake. I shall explain everything to them. But it is your destiny to lead, and Smokefrost will know that. Just as it is your destiny to kill Nightheart."
Cedarleaf leaped to his paws and spat, "I am sick of your stupid destiny, Owlstar! I am not a killer! I don't want to be leader! I don't want to have kits, or even to be in stupid ShadowClan! Why am I always the one to deal with everyone else's problems?" he said, his eyes flaring with indignation, sides heaving. Owlstar laid his tail comfortingly on Cedarleaf's flank, but Cedarleaf brushed it off. Owlstar said in a calming tone, "No cat wants to do everything he has to. And I know you think you are not a killer, but do you not kill prey every day?" Cedarleaf spluttered, "That's different! Prey is prey, but I can't kill another cat!" Owlstar asked wisely, "And why not?" Cedarleaf growled, "Because it's wrong!" Owlstar replied, "It may be wrong, but Nightheart has killed more than one cat in her life. And many cats have killed other cats. Wouldn't you rather kill Nightheart, than hav your Clan all die?"
Cedarleaf paled. "My Clan will die, if I don't kill Nightsta-, I mean, Nightheart?" Owlstar nodded sagely. Cedarleaf lay back, shocked and unable to absorb it all. Owlstar quietly spoke again. "There is going to be a battle between WindClan and ShadowClan at sunrise. It will be your opportunity to kill Nightheart. After she is dead, send Brackenfoot and Smokefrost to HighStones. Runningnose will help you. Go now. Don't tell any cat what you plan to do, or have seen here. Raggedpaw is waiting. Lead a fighting patrol, and kill Nightheart!" Then the scene faded, and Cedarleaf was waking up by the Moonstone.
"Raggedpaw! StarClan told me that WindClan is going to attack the camp at dawn. Hurry, we must get back!" Raggedpaw and Cedarleaf ran to the camp. they reached it in no time. Just as they arrived, noise pierced the air.
A fierce yowl rang through the air. It was Snakefoot. "WindClan is attacking!" he yowled. All the cats sprang from their nests and yowled furiously. Why were they attacking? No cat knew the answer; but they were too busy defending the nursery and other cats to care.
Cedarleaf saw Nightheart cringing in the mouth of her den. Fury rolled through him. She wasn't even fighting! He jumped up and cornered her in her den. He narrowed his eyes and hissed, "Nightheart." Nightheart snarled, "It's Nightstar, you insolent kit. Now get out of my way!" Cedarleaf bared his teeth. "You were never going to leave your den were, you? Beause you only have one life. Because you never had nine lives! You are not the true leader of ShadowClan!" Nightheart sneered at him, "I know so much more than you do, young warrior. And if you know my secret, you shall have to die!" Nightheart sprang at him, claws outstretched.
Cedarleaf was young, strong, and knew RiverClan fighting moves. But Nightheart was more experienced. They were evenly matched. Cedarleaf ran towards her, but dodged at the last moment, landing behind her. He dug his teeth into her tail, and she howled in pain. But she jumped on his back, clawing and biting at his neck. He rolled over, but Nightheart sprang away in time. One of her claws was wrenched in his flank, stuck, and he closed his jaws on her paw. She hissed angrily and yanked it away. She stood on three legs, her fourth paw mangled. Cedarleaf circled around her. He thought about how she had killed Owlstar just to become leader. He leaped for her throat, teeth flashing, but missed and his jaws clamped on her ear. He raked his claws down her muzzle, and she jumped away.
Both cats were bleeding, but the limping Nightheart seemed to be smiling. She had a plan. As Cedarleaf leapt for her throat again, she ducked, and he crashed into the ground. She jumped on him, ripping through his flesh into the bone on his shoulder. He spat in agony, but he blocked out the pain. He feinted, and when she ducked again, he jumped to her side, spinning in a graceful arc, then finally he tore through the flesh on her throat. Nightheart dropped to her side and growled faintly, "You'll see...." But she was gone.
Cedarleaf did not glance back. he joined the fight with WindClan, but it was short-lived. Soon the scrawny cats were running back to their territory. Cedarleaf had to find Smokefrost and Brackenfoot. He saw a long line of cats leading into the medicine den, all of them desperately injured. Yellowkit even had a light scrath on her, but she was running around, giving herbs to warriors, as Runningnose designated. Runningnose whispered to Cedarleaf, "Brackenfoot is dead. So is Snakefoot, and Sagewhisker, and Smokefrost, and Coalpaw, and Snowpaw." Cedarleaf added, "Nightstar is dead as well." Runningnose paled. "But if she is dead, and so is Brackenfoot, who will be leader?" Cedarleaf remembered Owlstar's words. "StarClan will send you a sign." Runningnose nodded. "I hope so." he continued treating the cats.
Raggedpaw padded wearily over to Cedarleaf. "You're a good mentor, Cedarleaf. But why did StarClan speak to you, instead of Brackenfoot? And where is he, anyway?" Cedarleaf replied sadly, "Brackenfoot is dead." Raggedpaw' eyes widened. "Is anyone else dead?" Cedarleaf nodded helplessly. "Raggedpaw, Smokefrost, Sagewhisker, Snowpaw, and Snakefoot are all dead....And so is Coalpaw. I'm so sorry." Raggedpaw's eyes filled with tears. "Coalpaw is dead!?" but he didn't wait for an answer. He was going off to Ashpaw. Cedarleaf hung his head. This wasn't supposed to happen. He would have to be leader now.
After all the cats were treated, Runningnose jumped into the Great Pine and called a meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather beneath the Great Pine for a Clan meeting!" The cats limped into a huddle, their numbers smaller than ever. Runningnose told the Clan, "Nightstar is dead, and so is Brackenfoot. Sagewhisker, Snakefoot, Snowpaw, and Coalpaw are all dead. WindClan attacked, and we were not ready. I shall travel to the MoonStone tonight, and consult with StarClan about who our leader will be. Please, I ask that at least three cats keep guard in case WindClan attack again." he jumped down.
Hollywhisker, Archeye, and Crowtail took the watch, and Cedarleaf fell into an uneasy sleep. He knew inside that his old life was over, and his new life, probably as leader, was just beginning...
