Okay I'm posting these two chapters right in a row so of course I didn't get any feed back on chapter nine. But please review it anyway even though ten is out already.
Megan Pinescar- thank you for reviewing The cat on fire!
Here we go! (there's a big time jump, now we're two months later)
Pinescar's P.O.V.
Pinescar raised her head sleepily and inhaled the sweet scent of kits. She still remembered the night she had spent with Spiderclaw two moons ago at the gathering place. It was now two moons later and when she had got back from that wonderful night she had found she was expecting kits.
The kits were born unnaturally early and now lay snuggled up against her chest. Spiderclaw poked his head in.
"How are you feeling?" he meowed anxiously.
"Fine," purred Pinescar. She had caught a cold a few weeks ago but it seemed to be gone.
Frogkit lifted his tiny head.
"Daddy!" he whimpered. Spiderclaw padded in carefully.
"How's my big boy?" Spiderclaw purred. The tiny golden brown kit nudged his two sisters awake.
"Lilykit! Duskkit!" he yelped. The two sisters blinked sleepily. Frogkit was an exact copy of his mother, he even had her bright green eyes. Lilykit had turned out on the golden side with her fathers dark brown eyes while Duskkit was black with white patches.
"Dad!" squealed the she cat's. They reached over and clung to the black and white Tom with tiny burr like claws.
"Hello girls," Spiderclaw smiled. He gently pushed them off and his attention turned back to his mate.
"I'll bring you some fresh kill later okay?" he meowed to Pinescar. She nodded and he left the den.
"Can we go out?" begged Frogkit. Pinescar poked her nose out of the den. The air was thick and misty. Big puddles filled depressions in the ground.
"Nope. It's to misty. I could lose you in weather like this. Anyways you'll catch a cold," Pinescar decided.
"Please!" they wailed. Pinescar gave them a firm look and closed her eyes. She could feel her nose running again.
"Flowerfall could you watch them?" she meowed half opening her eyes. The pretty silver cat nodded. Her kits Swipekit, Sunkit, and Shadowkit were due to become apprentices any day now especially since Tansypaw, the only apprentice was about to become a warrior.
Pinescar drifted into a fitful sleep.
Pandaheart's P.O.V.
Pandaheart wrinkled her nose in distaste as she left the warriors den. The air was foggy and heavy, and the rain seemed to be ready to fall. To her horror and black body lay in the middle of the clearing. She raced forward recognizing it's fading scent immediately. Panthertail!
She spun around tail lashing. Quickflight winced when she saw Pandaheart.
"Sorry," Quickflight meowed hoarsely, "I just woke up and he was, he was..."
"Dead?" Pandaheart lashed out. Tears filled Quickflight's eyes.
"I'm sorry," the ginger apprentice repeated hurrying away.
A horrible wail filled the clearing. Mossflower was pelting toward Pandaheart.
"No! No!" shrieked the she cat. The pretty white she cat buried her nose in Panthertail, sobbing violently. Birdstar padded out of the Medicine cat den looking suddenly old and and tired.
"I'm sorry," the old leader meowed finally to Mossflower.
Mossflower lifted her head eyes red and puffy.
"It's not your fault. He served Thunderclan well," Mossflower gulped.
Birdstar nodded, eyes clouding. Cowpelt peeked out of the warrior den to see what all the ruckus was about. His pale green eyes widened in horror when he saw his father lying in a heap.
Pandaheart watches sadly as her brother shot out of the den over to her side.
"This can't be right," Cowpelt was muttering. He bent down and nudged his father.
"Wake up," snapped Cowpelt almost angrily.
Pandaheart found that tears were streaming down her face.
"He's not going to wake up," she sniffled. Cowpelt leaped up angrily.
"Dovewing will fix him," the warrior snarled determinedly. He stalked in off into the medicine cat den. Loud shouts reached Pandaheart's ears. Birdstar's face hardened and she padded in after him.
Seconds later she emerged dragging him by the scruff. He thrashed and thrashed but couldn't get away from her firm hold. Birdstar motioned for Pandaheart to follow her. Pandaheart cast a nervous look at her grieving mother before following Birdstar into her den.
"It's all her fault! Why did you stop me from punishing her?" Cowpelt was yowling. Anger surged through Pandaheart.
"There's nothing you can do, okay? He's dead. Dead!" she found that she was sobbing. Cowpelt subsided into silence and pressed his pelt against hers. Birdstar watched silently.
"Cowpelt it is not Dovewing's fault that your father died. I had to stop you from attacking an innocent cat," Birdstar meowed finally.
"You don't care," Cowpelt meowed thickly, staring in disgust at his leader. Birdstar jumped up, eyes flashing and suddenly angry.
"I do care! He was my deputy! My friend! I've lost many of my loved ones. It's you who doesn't understand! I don't think I'll ever find someone who I can trust again!" Birdstar yowled. Cowpelt's eyes widened with shock.
"Out," snapped Birdstar. The two siblings tried to make a hasty exit but Birdstar called Pandaheart back.
"Pandaheart, you stay."
Pandaheart froze and slowly turned around.
"Remember the prophecy I told the clan about a while ago?" Birdstar meowed heavily.
"This is it... This is where it all comes out," Pandaheart thought.
"I know it's me," she meowed. Birdstar gazed at her in shock.
"But... But why didn't you tell me?" stammered the leader.
"I don't know," Pandaheart meowed shaking her head.
"Do you know what it means?" Birdstar meowed hopefully.
Pandaheart took a deep breath.
"Well, there's this clan of rogues. They are the shadows in the prophecy. I guess they call them selves the Shadow cat's or whatever. I found this out, well, I made friends with one of them," admitted Pandaheart.
Birdstar's eyes turned cold, "they're the cat's that attacked the day after my brother died."
Pandaheart remembered the story.
"Yes! It fits!" she exclaimed. Birdstar nodded.
"What happened to your... "friend?" she meowed coldly.
Pandaheart winced.
"Well he um... He, kind of was sent to kill me," she gulped. Birdstar nodded like she had expected as much. Pandaheart suddenly felt an urge to defend Silver.
"But he decided not to! And now his fathers going to kill him if I don't rescue him!" she flashed back.
"Why would you rescue him?" snarled Birdstar, "every single one of those cat's are evil!"
"Not all," growled Pandaheart.
"They want to over throw the clans," cried Birdstar in annoyance.
"Not all of them," Pandaheart muttered.
Birdstar rolled her eyes.
"Fine, you may rescue your friend. If he's truly innocent then he'll come back to the clans with you. If he refuses, kill him," Birdstar warned.
"I can really go rescue him?" Pandaheart gasped.
"It's not right for any innocent cat to suffer at the paws of the Shadows. But if you're wrong, if he was in that group of cat's that killed those kits, I want your word that that you'll kill him," Birdstar meowed softly.
Pandaheart nodded feeling sick.
Birdstar's eyes softened.
"We have a gathering tonight so get some rest, you're coming," Birdstar meowed.
"When can I rescue Silver?" questioned Pandaheart eagerly.
"You'll set off tomorrow with Rootfur," Birdstar meowed.
"With Rootfur?" Pandaheart meowed in distaste.
Birdstar nodded firmly.
"Now I have to pick my new deputy," Birdstar meowed softly.
Pandaheart suddenly remembered that Panthertail was gone.
"No," she whispered.
"I'm sorry," replied Birdstar before padding out. Pain stabbed at Pandaheart as she followed.
Birdstar jumped on top of the high cliff.
"Let all cat's old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high cliff for a clan meeting!" Birdstar yowled. Grief stricken cat's huddled below her.
"Today we lost an amazing cat. He was my brave and loyal deputy. But now he will be replaced with a cat just as loyal and strong as him. I say these words before the body of Panthertail so that he may hear and approve of our new deputy. Cowpelt will be the new deputy of Thunderclan," announced Birdstar.
No cat seemed shocked but Pandaheart. Her brother? Why? But he was apparently the right choice because the entire clan chanted his name proudly. Cowpelt lifted his head. Pandaheart could see his shock.
"Cowpelt, Cowpelt!"
Pandaheart watched as Birdstar hopped of the high cliff and padded over to Mossflower.
"I'm sure he would have been proud of Cowpelt," murmured Birdstar. Mossflower nodded sadly before padding back to the already cold body of Panthertail.
Pandaheart wiped away the tear that threatened to fall. Many cat's came to tell her that they were sorry about Panthertail but they all blurred together. Except for her friends.
Quickflight's sobbing apology in which Pandaheart forgave her friend. Tailleap and Darkclaw nuzzling her as if she was their own sister. Brackenfoot's gentle muzzle as it touched hers...
Birdstar padded over and began to speak quietly with Rootfur. Rootfur's eyes widened every second and when she finally left he stood there looking dumbstruck. He stomped up to Pandaheart eyes glistening with anger.
"I'm your best friend, and you still didn't tell me about the prophecy? Maybe you aren't the cat I thought you were!" he hissed.
Pandaheart looked at him blankly.
"Do we have to do this now?" she meowed with no expression. Clearly Birdstar had told him about the prophecy and why he had to go on the mission with Pandaheart. He lashed tail angrily and stomped off.
Brackenfoot walked over.
"What does he think he's doing, talking to you like that right now?" the brown Tom hissed. Pandaheart looked at her friend sadly.
"He's right," she whispered before padding away to her nest and dropping like a stone.
She was woken by the shriek of a queen. Pandaheart leaped to her feet, claws flashing like silver knives in the darkness. She and the other warriors bolted out of the warriors den, searching for the unseen enemy. Suddenly all relationships forgot the warriors got back to back with each other, with no regard to like or dislike. Only the urge to protect Thunderclan pumped through their bodies.
Flowerheart and Fluffeagle stumbled out of the nursery. Flowerheart's belly was no longer swollen with kits because she had given birth a few days ago to Tucankit, a mischievous little kit.
"Both of our kits are gone!" wailed Fluffeagle.
"They must be around camp," reasoned Brightclaw. Longleaf and Cowpelt both ran to their mate's sides.
Creampelt hurried out of the nursery and began soothing the two frantic queens.
Birdstar stepped forward.
"I must go to the gathering but I will leave a group of well trained trackers behind to go look for the kits," she meowed firmly. The queens nodded gratefully.
"You three apprentices will be of no help to the trackers so you will come to the gathering as well as Dovewing, Quickflight," Birdstar stopped as Quickflight raises her head.
"Umm, well the kits might of got hurt so maybe one of the medicine cat's should sat behind," squeaked Quickflight.
Birdstar nodded.
"Very wise Quickflight. You will stay. Cowpelt and Longleaf you may remain here to help your mates. Lighteningbear, Rootfur, Pandaheart and Brackenfoot will attend the gathering as well along with the elders. Brightclaw and Swifttree you are our best trackers. You will go on a patrol with Cowpelt and Longleaf to find the kits. Darkclaw and Tailleap you two will remain at camp with the queens and Quickflight to protect camp," Birdstar announced.
The camp was in a frenzy as the warriors got ready. The three apprentices bounced around getting in every cat's way while singing, "we're going to the gathering! We're going to the gathering!" Birdstar told them that if the couldn't shut up they wouldn't be going. They shut up.
Finally it was time for the gathering. Pandaheart and the others began to dash toward the gathering, Birdstar in the lead. When they got there the gathering started immediately.
"Some cat has stolen our kits!" growled Coldstar furiously.
"And ours!" Swiftstar seconded angrily.
"Ours too!" Birdstar meowed in surprise.
Pebblestar's eyes flew open in shock, "ours too!"
Birdstar stepped forward gingerly.
"A while ago I got a prophecy. Only the one with eyes like stars and fur like the night sky can save the clans from rising shadows. I think that the Shadow's, a clan of rogues, may of stolen our kits," Birdstar meowed solemnly.
The other cats growled.
"And you never shared this with us before?" snarled Coldstar.
"The prophecy was given to Thunderclan!" Birdstar snapped, eyes flashing.
"But it is about the clans!" yowled Swiftstar. The two leaders bore down on Birdstar.
"Stop!" yowled Pebblestar. The three leaders backed away from each other.
"We can work this out peacefully," Pebblestar snapped.
"What do you suggest we do?" called Ravenslash loftily. Pandaheart winced when she heard his voice.
"One of my warriors knows where the shadow cats dwell. I was planning on sending her and an other loyal warrior to check them out but it would be wise if each clan contributed two warriors since we are all involved now," Birdstar called out calmly.
The other clans nodded in consent.
Pebblestar raised his head.
"I will send Waverunner and Streamclaw!" Pebblestar yowled.
The proud silver deputy and the brown Tom stepped forward.
"I will send Pandaheart and Rootfur!" cried Birdstar.
Beside her Rootfur shot her an angry look. He knew what the mission was really about.
"From Windclan, Redfur and Stagfoot," Swiftstar meowed.
Pandaheart growled in annoyance. Redfur was going to be a very unpleasant partner.
"From Shadowclan Leafstep and Ravenslash will go," Coldstar proclaimed. Pandaheart's heart leaped with horror. Across the clearing Ravenslash shot her a maniacal grin.
Shudders rippled down her spine.
"They will meet tomorrow here!" announced Birdstar. The other leaders nodded in assent.
"This gathering is over!" growled Coldstar. Without sharing tongues and keeping their own clans the cat's filed out. A sweet scent, almost like roses reached her scent glands.
"I'm so excited for our little journey Sweetheart," purred a silky voice in her ear. Ravenslash was wrapping and wrapping him self around her, the feel of his muscles sliding beneath his skin, his soft muzzle, it was everywhere...
"Get off her!" growled a voice. It was Rootfur. With a gasp Pandaheart slid away from him.
"See you later," winked Ravenslash. The handsome Tom dashed off
"What were you doing?" meowed Rootfur. His tone had no expression.
"What was he doing?" whispered Pandaheart, scared of the answer.
"Well he was walking really close to you whispering in your ear," Rootfur meowed. Pandaheart sighed in relief. Why had he been able to trick her like that, let her think that he could easily snake his way in...?
"He was trying to find out Thunderclan secretes," Pandaheart meowed hastily. Rootfur's expression clouded.
"Well, protect your self," he meowed awkwardly, "I once heard of a Riverclan Tom who forced a Shadowclan she cat to have kits with him so the kits would tell him Shadowclan secretes."
Pandaheart gasped in horror. What cat would do that?
Suddenly Rootfur seemed to remember he was mad at her and he swept off.
The next day.
"Wake up," meowed a soft voice. When Pandaheart groggily raised her head no one was there. Shaking her head in confusion she padded outside. It was misty again but this time so foggy you could barely see two paw steps in front of you. Soft fur touched hers.
"Hello Pandaheart," meowed Birdstar. Pandaheart nodded to her leader.
"I must bring both you and Rootfur to the Gathering Cave since it's so foggy. You two would lose the way," Birdstar meowed. Suddenly a ginger shape appeared before them in the blanket of white.
"Rootfur, press against my pelt so you don't lose the way," Birdstar advised. Her voice sounded muffled and creepy.
Pandaheart nodded to Brackenfoot who was guarding camp. He peered into the forest in deep concentration, trying to penetrate the thick fog.
He whispered a good morning that was lost in the fog, never to reach Pandaheart's ears. The trio made their way through the woods. When they arrived on Riverclan territory it was easier to see because of the wide open sky and sea.
Pandaheart moved away from Birdstar's warm brown pelt and frolicked about, rejoicing in the damp weather and feeling utterly alone and utterly free.
When the three arrived the other clan cats and their leaders were waiting for them.
"Birdstar," meowed Coldstar shortly. It was obvious he had woken up on the wrong side of his nest. The other two leaders stayed silent.
"Hi Pandaheart," meowed an happy voice. It was a young gray Tom with deep blue eyes.
"Who are you?" she meowed in surprise.
"Stagfoot of Windclan," he purred. Redfur shot forward.
"We may be going on a journey together but Stagfoot and I remain loyal to Windclan," she snapped, curling her tail around Stagfoot. She dragged him back and tried to pressed up against him as much as possible. Stagfoot blinked at Pandaheart for help but the black and white warrior just backed away sniggering.
The two Riverclan cat's stepped forward, a friendly smile on their faces.
"Hello I'm Waverunner," the brown Tom meowed. His silver muzzle stood out.
"I'm Riverclan's deputy, Streamclaw," meowed the silver she cat.
"Hello I'm Pandaheart and this is Rootfur," Pandaheart gestured toward the ginger Tom. A pretty brown she cat stepped forward.
"I'm Leafstep," she purred.
"And of course I'm Ravenslash," purred a voice. The black Tom rested his tail lightly on Pandaheart as he stepped forward.
"Take a seat warriors!" called Pebblestar. Ravenslash pulled Pandaheart down next him and rested his head close enough so that his soft breath tickled her ear.
Pandaheart shot Rootfur a helpless look. Anger flashed in the ginger warrior's eyes but grudging he meowed, "Come sit over here."
Pandaheart made to get up but Ravenslash's tail was wrapped to tightly around her.
"She's fine here," purred Ravenslash.
"No, she can come sit with her own clan mate," growled Rootfur forcefully. Ravenslash shot him a look of pure hatred but released Pandaheart. In relief she scampered away and sat next to Rootfur.
Pain thumped through her as he recoiled and moved a half a tail length away.
"We have decided that you all will wait another day before departing. This fog is to thick," meowed Swiftstar.
Angry yowls filled the room.
"What about the kits?"
"What if they're hurt?"
Birdstar rose, eyes flashing.
"That is final!" she spat.
The warriors subsided into silence.
"Go hunt or whatever," meowed Pebblestar, "this area of Riverclan is open to you all!"
The cats stomped out.
"I can't believe that they're putting it off!" complained Pandaheart to Rootfur. He twitched his tail.
"Whatever, I'm going to go hunt with the Riverclan cats," he meowed, bounding off. Shock pulsed through Pandaheart.
"Well we can hunt together," purred Ravenslash, "And... Finish some business.."
Pandaheart jumped back.
"You are never sticking your claws in me again!" she yowled. A nasty smile crept on to his face.
"Oh I will," he laughed. With a growl Pandaheart shot off, dashing through the forest. She could hear Ravenslash crashing after. With a mighty leap she landed on a tree branch.
Ravenslash skidded to a halt beside the tall oak. His mask of slippery, snaky, arrogance was gone, leaving a furious deputy behind.
"Come down you forest dung!" he hissed angrily.
"Never Pinecone head!" taunted Pandaheart. His eyes turned to slits.
With a yowl she launched herself down on top of him. Ravenslash crumpled under the force of her fall but easily threw her off.
"Finally we're settling this like warriors and not like snakes!" Pandaheart growled. His fur bristled and his claws slid out. Nervously she unsheathed her own.
Like a silent eagle he swooped forward and grabbed her neck in his jaws. Like a viper she lashed out catching his tail. She brought the black slippery tail over to her jaws and bit down hard. With a shriek of agony Ravenslash let go of her and went crashing backwards.
Pandaheart dove forward and placed a trembling paw on his neck. His eyes regarded her angrily.
"Do it then. I may die but I am positive that you will be punished," he snarled.
"What if no one will ever know?" Pandaheart hissed quietly. His eyes widened.
"You will be discovered!" he spat.
"What I'm I doing? He only wants to know why I can get in his head! Any Tom would! I won't tell him but I shouldn't kill him!" Pandaheart realized. She relaxed her paw and sheathed her claws.
"What, to scared?" he taunted.
"I'm not a murder. Just leave me alone," she murmured stepping off him. He scrambled to his feet looking surprised.
Suddenly the air turned cold. The two cats whipped around to see five starry warriors regarding them solemnly, Blindstar among them.
A jet black Tom stepped forward.
"We will make sure you will never touch the Chosen One again!" he growled.
Pandaheart's jaw fell open.
"Blindstar, make them stop! They can't kill Ravenslash! He's done nothing wrong! Only fight me! And I doubt every time two cat's fight you kill one!" she snarled. Blindstar's stepped forward, his expression blank.
"You can not be harmed," he spat. Pandaheart flinched.
"What if I want to be harmed? I don't have to follow my destiny! Every cat has a choice! Anyways, who are these cat's? I don't see Swallowflight here! Is this your circle of cat's who believes in cruel punishments? Like what you did to Pinescar!" she yowled.
Blindstar's eyes flickered with pain.
"We are Starclan's circle of justice. We decide which cats go to Starclan and which to the Dark Forest. We punish living cats that have disobeyed us. We make sure that cats in prophecies are safe until their appointed time," intoned the black Tom.
Ravenslash backed away in horror, his ears flat to his head and his fur matted in sweat.
"Please, I didn't know she was special. Please, I won't ever harm her again. Please..." he cried. Pandaheart stepped forward.
"You will have to fight both of us!" she hissed. The Starclan cats hissed in annoyance.
"Very well. We can not touch you," growled the black Tom. The five warriors faded into the evergreens.
Rootfur bolted into the clearing fur on end.
"I heard fighting!" he spotted Ravenslash and horror crossed his face, "did you touch her...?"
Ravenslash backed away in fright.
"No, no," muttered the deputy.
Pandaheart turned to Rootfur eyes flashing. He had been the one who and dumped her with Ravenslash in the first place, knowing what the black warrior was capable of..
"We we're fine until you came!" she spat angrily. Shock crossed Rootfur's face.
"But, but... I thought... I thought," Rootfur stuttered.
"You thought what? That Ravenslash was hurting me? Well why do you even care, you wanted to go hunting with Streamclaw!" she snapped.
Rootfur backed away.
"That's right, go away!" she spat furiously. He spun around and dashed off.
"Sorry," Ravenslash meowed awkwardly.
Pandaheart whipped around, fixing her starry green gaze on him.
"You're only sorry cause I saved your butt!" she hissed. Ravenslash let a grin flash across his face.
"Partly," he laughed. Pandaheart huffed in exasperation strode off.
The brown warrior scrambled down the mountain. She paused at the edge of the tall Pine trees. They looked forbidding and tall. Fear flickered through her chest. What if he wasn't there?
Pushing away her worry she slunk into the forest. Cold chilled her fur. With a shiver she broke into a sprint and skidded to a halt when she arrived at a clear pond.
"I'm glad you came," whispered a voice. A white Tom slid out of the shadows.
"Blindstar," the brown she cat meowed, forcing her voice to have no expression. As much as she disliked the feeling, a childish excitement fluttered up in her chest.
"I'm guessing you didn't come here to spend one more night together," Blindstar sighed.
"No," she replied shortly.
"I miss those nights, those great times we would have, sneaking away from the clan. You were always so beautiful," Blindstar meowed softly. He stepped forward and touched her face gently with a delicate white tail.
She pulled away sharply pushing down any feelings.
"I have come here to talk about my daughter," she hissed.
"Our daughter, Softfur," pointed out Blindstar, a warning growl in his tone. Memories flickered through Softfur's head. The feel of his strong heart beat through his thick white fur...
"My daughter," she spat, breaking the spell.
His eyes darkened. Softfur shivered. She was used to him not being able to see anything but here in Starclan he could see.
"What did you do?" she meowed.
He sighed heavily.
"I talked to the circle of justice. I convinced them that when everyone's destiny is fulfilled, when Pinescar is dead, and when Pandaheart has defeated the Shadows, both of them will be transported to Starclan. Between the two of them they will decide who is to die," Blindstar meowed.
Softfur raised her head, blue eyes flashing.
"Then your job is simple. When the time is right, make sure it's Pandaheart who dies."
Uh oh! Looks like Pandaheart might die after all! (ha ha! Fat chance)
Anyways, please review!