Chapter 6

"That can't be true!" Pinestar yowled, stunned. Darkspirit was shocked at himself and staring down at Raggedstar. He looked up at Treestar.

The brown tabby whispered, shocked, "But that's our mother!"

Darkspirit staggered backward, as though struck by a blow. It all made sense, now. Why Dovetalon had rejected him and Pheasantspirit, how Lightheart had despised both of them, why Applefrost taunted him, why he was treated differently by Ratstorm…..

"It's the truth!" Lightheart yowled, and leaped upon the Gathering rock. "Darkspirit and Pheasantspirit are the sons of Raggedstar, and the brothers of Treestar and Icestar!"

Darkspirit looked at the cat he had once thought of as his mother, and he whispered, "You never told us?"

"No," Lightheart growled. "I was never meant to tell. I knew you would remember one day, and reveal your true mother. Or, Raggedstar would say it herself. Me and Ratstorm always knew."

Darkspirit stared at Lightheart, "You lied to me!"

Lightheart simply glared at him. When she didn't respond, Sparrowstar growled, "This cat who tried to murder Swiftstar is your mother!?"

Darkspirit looked at Sparrowstar's shocked face. Raggedstar had tried to murder Swiftstar, but Sparrowstar had saved the previous FireClan leader by pummeling the dark gray she-cat down the cliff edge of the Gathering clearing. No cat knew for certain what happened, only that that night ShadeClan had separated to join HeartClan. In that moment, the new ShadeClan was born; the one Darkspirit was raised in.

"Why did you abandon us?" Darkspirit hissed, speaking on behalf of Pheasantspirit and turning on his revealed mother. His heart wrenched as he caught a glimpse of Hawkstorm's shocked face. "Why?!"

Raggedstar shoved Sparrowstar out of the way and hissed, "I knew you would be great! Your sisters would grow powerful in their own Clans, and you would become a loyal warrior of ShadeClan!"

Darkspirit flattened his ears as his heart broke once more. Now it was in four pieces…..

Pinestar exchanged a doubtful glance with Jaystar, and he knew that the ShadeClan leader was doubting his loyalty, however regretfully.

Hawkstorm stood from where she had been sitting to glare up at the leaders. "Don't you dare blame Darkspirit or Pheasantspirit for this! They never knew of their true mother until now! How dare you question their loyalties! Shame on you!"

Sparrowstar bristled and hissed, "Hawkstorm, stay out of this!"

But the MistClan leader's daughter did not give up, "Pinestar! You better not blame this ShadeClan warrior! You should never doubt one's loyalty just because of their inheritance!"

Sparrowstar yowled, "Stop, Hawkstorm! Now!"

Hawkstorm indignantly fell silent and sat back down, though she did not say she was sorry. Besides, Darkspirit knew that even if she did say it, she wouldn't mean it.

Darkspirit shook his head as his brother's scent wreathed around him, I'm sorry, brother…

As Pheasantspirit's scent faded, Darkspirit rasped, "My whole life has been a lie…"

Raggedstar twitched her nose and Dovetalon stood. "Lightheart told me that you weren't my brother and I… I overreacted, I admit. Lightheart hated you from that day forward, but I haven't hated you… I just… I didn't know what to do. I was angry, but not at you, but at Lightheart. I wished she would tell you, but it never happened. I wished I could tell you, but I could hardly look at you….. I'm sorry," the pale gray she-cat dipped her head sadly as she finished speaking.

Darkspirit looked down at his former sister. Dovetalon truly had cared. Darkspirit looked back at Raggedstar. The dark gray she-cat stared at him with a challenge in her icy blue eyes. Darkspirit wished he could dig his claws into her flesh, but it was the Gathering, and he couldn't.

"Let's go," Darkspirit meowed to Pinestar without taking his eyes off of Raggedstar. Pinestar nodded slowly, and leaped from the Gathering rock.

As cats began to leave, Darkspirit remained motionless. Raggedstar returned his stony glare.

When everyone had gone, Darkspirit lunged forward. He slashed Raggedstar's shoulder and ducked, narrowly avoiding a blow aimed for his head. Darkspirit snarled and swiped Raggedstar's forehead as she tried to duck. Darkspirit leaped back and Raggedstar growled; her claws sharp and twisted as they dug into the ground.

Raggedstar lunged forward and cut just above Darkspirit's eye. Darkspirit shut his eye as the blood welled painfully from the wound. "How dare you keep this secret from me!" he snarled, and lunged at Raggedstar. Darkspirit grabbed the dark-furred cat's scruff and yanked her toward the cliff.

Darkspirit was outlined against the night sky as a red haze filled his vision. Anger overflowed him, and his power washed over his body. Raggedstar scrambled at her carrier. The former ShadeClan leader screeched as Darkspirit held her over the cliff. Raggedstar struggled against Darkspirit's grip until she managed to find a pawhold. The dark gray she-cat pushed back, making Darkspirit stagger. Darkspirit fell backward and Raggedstar pinned him to the ground, claws extended to pierce flesh.

"You were everything you were always meant to be," Raggedstar growled. "Don't make me kill you."

Darkspirit snarled back, "I'm not a tool!"

Raggedstar narrowed her eyes and hissed, "What about Hawkstorm? What will she say if you let her die?"

Darkspirit's eyes widened and he hissed, "You wouldn't!"

Raggedstar's tail lashed as her eyes blazed coldly. Darkspirit glanced past the she-cat at where MistClan had disappeared. "But what if I tell MistClan!" he challenged.

"You'll have to carry your head the whole way," Raggedstar warned, icily calm.

Darkspirit felt helpless now, and his power faded. Darkspirit whispered helplessly, "I'll do what you say."

Raggedstar smiled, "Good."

The dark gray cat stepped off of Darkspirit and he stood up. Turning away, he bounded down, off the Gathering rock, and leaped into a tunnel. He raced onward, heading for ShadeClan. He didn't slow until he neared camp. Darkspirit paused not far from camp and sat. Darkspirit took several deep breaths, calming himself.

Quickly, Darkspirit searched for prey. Finding a mouse nibbling busily on a nut, he crouched and crept forward. Using everything Duskfoot taught him, he kept his tail straight out like a stick and placed one paw in front of the other. Keeping a close eye on the mouse, he crept forward until he was a tail-length away. Then, he pounced, landing on the small creature, and delivered the death bite.

Darkspirit found a squirrel shortly after, and chased it. Before it reached the tree, Darkspirit took an enormous leap and crushed its neck with one massive paw. Darkspirit stood, the squirrel hanging from his jaws, and padded over to where he had buried the mouse. Darkspirit dropped the squirrel as the events crashed over him.

Darkspirit collapsed on the ground and shut his eyes tight. He put a paw over his eyes as he wept. Darkspirit remembered Pheasantspirit, and remembered his brother's words: I'm sorry, brother….

Darkspirit, after much later, he thought deep. He stood. Something must happen. He must stop Raggedstar somehow. But how?

Me: Isn't everything just beautiful? It's a good thing to know that Dovetalon was just uncertain and can act like a good Clanmate to Darkspirit again! However, how horrible can you get? Raggedstar just jacked Darkspirit up! Whoever agrees, put a # in your review!

I do not own, or claim to own, Warriors, Erin Hunter does.