I am SO sorry! My computer commited suicide on me! I couldn't get on fanfiction or update until I got a new one. And I'm holding the new one right now, typing this. I wanted to tell you guts what happened, but the only other computer around was my dad's, and I can't use his to write on.
This chapter one of the most important ones! But to right it write…um…write it right, I had to switch POV's and that sort of thing.
If any of you have read the Harry Potter books or seen the movies (neither of which I own) try to picture Destiny as a feline Bellatrix Lestrange. I do for some reason. You know, insanely shrill laughter, love of torture, worship of Voldemort/Tigerstar.
Enjoy el chappie! Everyone who reviews gets a…a Sasha plushie! And take a box of Tigerstar voodoo dolls! Share them with your friends and family! Give them to your Rottweiler! Burn it in the fireplace! Cover it with pins! There are all sorts of things YOU can do with your one-of-all-kinds Tigerstar voodoo dolls!
!~*~!
Sandstorm's POV
I was woken up by a jolt that seemed to be coming from my stomach. "Ow!" I gasped.
Sasha lifted her head up and looked at me. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," I groaned.
Sasha started laughing. "Wow, Sandstorm, you need to start laying off the mice. You should see yourself—you look like you swallowed a fox!"
"W—what?" I turned my head to look at my belly. It did seem bigger… "I—I don't really see anything. Maybe I'm just…gaining weight."
"Gaining weight?" Sasha looked skeptical. "We're barely being fed. How could you be gaining weight?"
"I don't know." I sighed.
Sasha glanced up at the bit of the moon we could see through the thorns of the den. "It's been a moon since that heap of foxdung captured me. You?"
"Almost a moon and a half," I answered. "Wow. I haven't seen Firestar in nearly two moons." I buried my head in my paws.
"Who's Firestar?"
"ThunderClan's leader…and my mate. He must be really worried about me. I miss him so much." I sighed again. "Tigerstar captured me to try and make Firestar to give him control of ThunderClan. But I guess I have to accept that I might never see him again. I am a prisoner of Tigerstar, and the only bit of hope I have lies in the paws of a barely trained apprentice."
Sasha seemed to be thinking. "You have a mate?"
"Yeah."
"Sandstorm, maybe you aren't gaining weight. Maybe…"
It took me a minute to figure out what Sasha was suggesting. "No, no. Firestar and I haven't done anything…but Tigerstar…" I broke off, fear creeping up my paws and flowing through my body.
Sasha was silent for a moment. Then she spoke.
"Sandstorm, I'm no medicine cat, but I think I can safely say that you're pregnant."
"WHAT?"
(A/N: I wanted to end the chapter here, but obviously it was too short)
Meanwhile, back at the Bonehill…
Tigerstar had just finished talking to Blood and Maul about Graystripe and the other prisoners. It was time for Sandstorm to be brought out.
"Exile," he meowed.
Exile nodded. "Yes, Tigerstar?"
"I need you to take Mud, Scar, and Violet with you to go get Sandstorm and Sasha. Bring them here, then go get the new recruits. Off with you!"
Mud had already come over. "Tigerstar," she meowed. "Could I perhaps go and help Fang torture the other prisoners?"
"No, Mud. That boulder needs four cats to move it!" Tigerstar hissed.
Mud flattened her ears and padded after Exile as Scar and Violet followed behind.
*
Violet ran ahead and slashed the thorns covering the boulder. They fell off and Violet pushed with all her might against the huge rock.
Scar rolled his eyes and he, Exile, and Mud helped Violet move it.
"Wait!" Mud pressed her ear against the half-moved boulder. "I hear talking!"
Suddenly—"WHAT?"—sounded from inside the den.
"What—the—StarClan?" Mud rushed into the den—with Violet, Scar, and Exile behind her—and saw Sandstorm collapsed on the ground, eyes wide, staring at nothing, her tail over her belly—which, the four Guard members noticed, was strangely swollen.
Scar jumped on Sandstorm and pinned her down—Violet doing the same with Sasha.
"Tigerstar wants you two," Exile hissed.
"It can't be," Sandstorm whispered. "How could it happen?"
*
Sandstorm said nothing the whole way to the Bonehill. Exile noted that she didn't even protest as Scar dug his claws into her back to get her moving.
"Violet, if you bite me on my neck one more time—" Sasha hissed.
"Why should I listen to a piece of foxdung like you?" Violet bit Sasha on the neck again, harder.
The huge hill of bones came into view, and Mud smirked and glanced at the two prisoners as she saw the massive dark tabby on top of them.
Tigerstar's POV
Blackfoot was giving me a report on a new litter of kits that had been born in ShadowClan. I had appointed him in charge of that Clan while I took care of…other things.
"Wait!" I interrupted him as I saw my Guard coming with Sandstorm and Sasha. "You need to go now, Blackfoot."
Blackfoot seemed confused. "But I haven't finished my report—"
"Blackfoot, this is a meeting of the Guard only. Go."
"Why can't I be a member of this Guard, Tigerstar? You let me, Russetfur, Jaggedtooth, and Darkstripe do everything they do now! But now you don't let us do anything at all!"
"You must stay and defend TigerClan. I must take care of my prisoners. When all four Clans are under my control, then the Guard will join the Clans and I will resume my place as the rightful leader of the forest, with you as my loyal deputy."
Blackfoot sighed. "Of course, Tigerstar." With that he bounded down the Bonehill, casting a reproachful glance at Blood and Maul, who had joined me with smug grins.
"As always, Tigerstar, jealously is one of the worst weaknesses a cat can have," Blood snidely commented. He and Maul exchanged a laugh.
"Tigerstar!" Scar came up to me and dumped Sandstorm on the ground, and Violet dumped Sasha.
Fang, Bonfire—he'd left Rainkit with a queen—and Lighting joined Mud, Violet, Exile, and Scar to make a circle around the two prisoners.
I looked at Sandstorm. She was staring at the ground with a confused expression on her face. I then glanced at Sasha, who was sitting by Sandstorm and glaring at me.
Wait…
"Where's Destiny? I sent her to pick up the newbies a while ago. She should have been back by now."
"Here I am, Tigerstar!" Destiny came prowling through the bushes, the trainees trailing behind her. I noticed that Amberleaf seemed to have a defeated air about her.
I heard Blood hiss behind me. "Oh, hello, Amberleaf!" Quietly he coughed, "Traitor."
Destiny had a delighted grin on her face, and her long claws were digging in the ground.
"All right, Destiny," I meowed. "What is it?"
Once upon a time, a Guard member named Destiny came to get some trainees, and heard one of them talking about bad things…AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED
Amberleaf paced nervously around the den. "This mutiny is terrible," she muttered. "Absolutely terrible."
Cometfrost yawned lazily. "Oh, come on, Amberleaf," he drawled. "Just because some dumb RiverClan and ShadowClan cats mutinied, it doesn't mean Tigerstar is going to check up on us all and look at our backgrounds and heavily question us about our loyalties, like you said before."
Jaggedwing abandoned his mouse he had been eating and came over to sit beside Cometfrost. "Yeah, Amberleaf. Don't get so paranoid."
Snowcloud nodded. "Being captured and made part of Tigerstar's guard is the best thing that has ever happened to us!"
"But you were a hated cat in WindClan, weren't you?" Snakeeyes put in. "You were almost ready to leave anyway."
"Well," Snowcloud retorted, "you were beaten senseless every day in BloodClan for voicing your opinions and finally trying to kill Bone. Thank StarClan the Guard stepped in and saved you from a horrible, humiliating death." She hissed the last few words. "Anyway, Amberleaf, why are you so worried and why is this so 'terrible'?"
Amberleaf sighed. "Well…I'm kind of afraid, because…because…"
"Because what?" Jaggedwing asked.
"Because I think Tigerstar's ideas are wrong and this…this torturing of innocent cats, it's…it's against everything I believe in! I want to heal cats, not hurt them, and I want to be Mudfur's apprentice, but there's no way Tigerstar will let me. I want to be RiverClan's next medicine cat!"
Snowcloud's mouth hung open. "You're having disloyal thoughts?" she whispered in a shocked voice. "I can't believe that one of us would—"
"Excuse me?"
Amberleaf winced as she recognized the high, frightening, slightly maniacal voice.
"Destiny!" Snowcloud gasped. She dropped to the ground.
Destiny surveyed the five new recruits with cold, empty eyes. "I came by here, and I heard something rather odd…It seems you were talking about mutiny and…disloyalty…" Her voice was quiet, and she had begun circling Amberleaf and Snowcloud, while flicking them with her tail. This act was always a danger sign.
"Well..." Amberleaf began, "Tigerstar ordered us to…to…" She searched for an explanation. "Discuss…the mutiny…"
"Oh, the mutiny!" Destiny shocked them all by breaking into hysterical laughter. "Of course you were talking about the mutiny! Oh, and on Tigerstar's orders!" She unsheathed her claws. "You know what I think?" Her voice had become quiet again, every word dripping ice and venom. "I think you traitors…need to come with me to see Tigerstar…all five of you."
Amberleaf glanced at Jaggedwing. He blinked nervously back at her.
"Oh, and Amberleaf…" Destiny's paw flashed through the air and brought her claws down on Amberleaf's nose. A spurt of bright red followed, and Amberleaf's nose began dripping blood.
Destiny laughed. "I think Tigerstar will be overjoyed to hear of your…rebellious thoughts…"
Amberleaf's heart began pounding. She knew Tigerstar would never believe her word over Destiny's…and he would probably end up killing her, and maybe some others.
Destiny started for the den entrance, making sure Amberleaf was in front of her.
Jaggedwing watched helplessly as his friend was reduced to nearly a prisoner.
Amberleaf wondered if she dare make a run for it, and avoid being killed by Tigerstar.
As if she had read Amberleaf's mind, Destiny meowed in a simpering voice, "Oh, and Amberleaf? Don't even try to run away, because I will get you…" She flexed her claws.
Amberleaf hissed in frustrastion.
Behind her, Snowcloud and Cometfrost exchanged amused glances. "Tigerstar's going to sort her out!" Cometfrost whispered.
"That I look forward to," Snowcloud purred.
(A/N: Snowcloud=Destiny-In-Training)
*
They arrived at the Bonehill, where Amberleaf's ears flattened as she heard Tigerstar yowl, "Where is Destiny? I sent her to pick up the newbies a while ago. She should be back by now."
Destiny seemed almost delighted at the idea that one of her fellow Guard members might soon be ripped to shreds. "Here I am, Tigerstar!" she squealed as she emerged from the bushes.
The five cats noticed Sandstorm and Sasha on the ground in front of the Bonehill.
Amberleaf's ears flattened even more as Blood hissed, "Oh, hello Amberleaf! Traitor!"
"All right, Destiny," Tigerstar meowed. "What is it?"
"Amberleaf, Tigerstar," Destiny meowed eagerly. "I overheard her voicing things, things you would not be pleased to hear. Rebellious things."
Tigerstar turned his scorching amber gaze on Amberleaf, who stared back at him, a hiss escaping her throat.
Snakeeyes and Jaggedwing gulped as Tigerstar unsheathed his claws.
"What should we do?" Snakeeyes whispered in Jaggedwing's ear. "Tigerstar'll rip her to shreds! We've got to do something!"
"Yeah, like what? Throw ourselves in front of her and beg for us to be punished instead of her?" Jaggedwing shook his head. "Just hope that she holds her ground and maybe Tigerstar will go easy on her."
"Since when have you known Tigerstar to go easy on anyone? He killed a dozen cats for his own selfish needs, the barbarian—" Snakeeyes gasped in horror as she realized what she had just said, and in front of Tigerstar too.
"Foxdung," she whispered.
Jaggedwing closed his eyes in regret. What would happen to his friends now?
"You see, Tigerstar!" Destiny snarled. "Underneath your nose, this cat—" she pushed Snakeeyes up with Amberleaf "—talks of mutiny and other disloyal things! They must be exterminated!"
Mud stalked up to sit by the raging black and white she-cat. "I agree with Destiny," she meowed coolly. "These traitors must be killed, and quickly, too, before they spread rebellion through the entire Guard."
Tigerstar seemed to think for a moment. "I will ponder this for a bit," he decided. "In the meantime, I called this meeting to deal with them." He flicked his tail in Sandstorm and Sasha's direction.
Sandstorm's POV
I was pregnant. I couldn't believe it. And up on the Bonehill was the possible father of my kits. Him, not Firestar.
I hated Tigerstar. I hated him. Hated, hated, HATED, HATED him!
If Bluestar had just ordered Tigerstar's immediate execution when Firestar unveiled the dark warrior's treachery, none of this would have happened. None.
"Where is Destiny?" Tigerstar yowled. "I sent her to pick up the newbies a while ago. She should be back by now."
I watched as Destiny padded out from some bushes, newbies in tow. "Here I am, Tigerstar!" Her voice sounded gleeful.
Blood, the ragged ginger tom sitting by Tigerstar, meowed something I didn't quite catch.
"All right, Destiny," Tigerstar meowed. "What is it?"
"Wonder why Destiny sounds so happy," I muttered.
Sasha whispered in my ear. "Knowing her, it's probably a death."
"It's Amberleaf, Tigerstar," Destiny answered. "I overheard her voicing things, things you would not be pleased to hear. Rebellious things."
I saw a tortoiseshell she-cat who I knew to be Amberleaf hiss.
I turned to Sasha. "Look, the guards aren't watching us right now. We could—"
"What? Escape? Sandstorm, they'd catch us. We're half-starved and weak, much as I hate to admit it, and they'd rip us to shreds."
She was probably right. I turned my attention back to the Bonehill, nervous about what we had been brought here for.
"I called this meeting to deal with them," Tigerstar was saying. He flicked his tail in our direction.
"Are we finally going to get to torture them again?" Exile meowed eagerly.
A chill ran up my spine. It had been so long since I'd been tortured; surely it wouldn't start up again?
"No, Exile!" Tigerstar spat. "No cat touches Sandstorm!"
I hissed.
"I think Sandstorm should be tortured daily!" Snowcloud, one of the other newbies, declared.
I hissed again.
"I think you should be quiet!" Tigerstar snarled. "I'm leader of this Clan, you listen to me and follow my orders."
Sasha scoffed. "You call yourself a leader?" she mumbled under her breath.
"You never do anything to Sandstorm though!" Destiny burst out. "I want to torture her, to make her beg for mercy under my claws! Letting her live unscathed is a sign of—" She broke off.
I hated Destiny.
"A sign of what, Destiny?" Tigerstar growled.
"A—a sign of kittypet weakness, T—Tigerstar."
Tigerstar growled again, his fur bristling, when Violet called out, "She's right."
Heads turned.
"What?" Tigerstar hissed.
"I joined the Guard of my own free will," Violet began. "I loved the idea of torturing prisoners, because I love the feel of blood on my claws. But I didn't join to let a prisoner go without torturing!"
Other cats joined in the argument.
"Sandstorm needs torturing!"
"You can't let her just go without it!"
"Why do you let her be treated better than us sometimes?"
"STOP IT!" Tigerstar roared, the veins in his neck bulging. "It is none of your business how I choose to treat certain cats!"
"But it's weakness!"
"She must be tortured!"
"FINE!" Tigerstar was breathing heavily. "I've had it! Guard, kill Sandstorm!"
Sasha gasped, and I felt my blood run cold.
"What?" one of the Guard asked confusedly.
"You heard me! Kill her! I don't care about that filth! KILL HER!"
"Run!" Sasha yowled. She grabbed my scruff and pulled me to my feet.
Before we could even try to run, Destiny, Violet, and Snowcloud had come dangerously close, their eyes glinting menacingly and their claws unsheathed.
We're going to die, we're going to die…
Amberleaf, Snakeeyes, and Jaggedwing's POV
"You heard me! Kill her! I don't care about that filth! KILL HER!"
Amberleaf turned to her friends. "They're going to kill her! We have to do something!"
"And risk our own pelts? No way!" Jaggedwing hissed. "Besides, she's just a dumb prisoner."
"But she's still a cat," Snakeeyes murmured. "If she were prey, it would be different. But she's not." Looking Amberleaf in the eyes, she meowed, "All right. Let's save her."
Amberleaf gave the she-cat a smile; then together they raced over to where Sandstorm and Sasha were about to be ripped to shreds.
"Leave them alone!" Amberleaf leaped on Destiny's back and covered the Torturer's eyes with her paws. Blinded momentarily, Destiny tried to throw Amberleaf off.
Snakeeyes jumped in between the two threatened prisoners and Violet and Snowcloud. "Don't hurt them! Sandstorm, Sasha, run!"
The two prisoners hesitated; there were still more Guard cats coming toward them.
"Traitor!" Snowcloud hissed. "Get out of the way!"
Snakeeyes gulped. "Jaggedwing, help me!"
Jaggedwing heard his friend's call and winced. He wanted to help, he really did, but he didn't want to risk his own life.
But…
"Jaggedwing!" Snakeeyes called again.
Amberleaf couldn't help, she was fighting Destiny. Sighing, Jaggedwing bunched his muscles and leaped to Snakeeyes's aid.
"Thanks," she panted as they faced the threat together.
Amberleaf was finally thrown off Destiny and scrambled over to her two friends.
"Run!" she yowled at Sandstorm and Sasha, who were almost surrounded by Guard members. "We'll hold them off!"
Sasha gave Amberleaf a quick nod. Then she and Sandstorm had raced into the trees, Torturers and Capturers alike racing after them.
Snakeeyes, Jaggedwing, and Amberleaf followed and jumped in front of the pursuers, halting them for a minute.
"Get out of the way, traitorous scum!" Scar raised a paw and flung Snakeeyes out of the way.
But Sandstorm and Sasha had already disappeared into the trees.
"No!" Destiny hissed. "Where are they?"
"Gone," Maul grunted. "But at least we have these three traitors for Tigerstar to settle for. But…Exile, Violet. You two are some of the best Capturers. Try and find a scent trail and bring back Sandstorm and Sasha at any cost."
Exile nodded and he and Violet raced away.
The Guard formed a circle around the three rebellious newbies.
"Should we run?" Snakeeyes whispered nervously.
"No," Jaggedwing relpied curtly. "We'll never make it."
"We might," Amberleaf put in. "But then we might not," she added sadly.
They were herded back to the Bonehill, where Scar was giving Tigerstar a report of what happened.
"SHE ESCAPED?"
"Yes, Tigerstar, thanks to these traitors." Scar flicked his tail at Amberleaf, Jaggedwing, and Snakeeyes.
"Traitors? What did they do? Scar, tell me NOW!" Tigerstar snarled.
Scar flinched. "They fought us and slowed us down when we were trying to kill Sandstorm. It's because of them she's probably going to WindClan or ThunderClan to help for the other prisoners."
"WHAT?" Tigerstar yowled. Then, he added, "Get patrols watching the WindClan and ThunderClan border. Get them following her scent, tracking her down, and bringing her back. I won't rest until I feel her blood on my claws!"
Scar nodded and rushed away.
"So." Tigerstar turned his head to face the three now—prisoners. "Jaggedwing, this is such a pity. You had so much potential. I knew from the moment I saw you that Exile made a good decision in capturing you. And Snakeeyes, I would never have expected this from you. After saving you from BloodClan, you'd think that your loyalty to TigerClan would be everlasting. Amberleaf, I know you didn't want to be part of the Guard, but I knew that spending time in the medicine den would be a waste of your skills."
"What do we do with them, Tigerstar?" Destiny asked eagerly.
Tigerstar's eyes were empty of mercy. "What do you do? Easy. Kill them."
***~~~!~~~***
O.O Cliffie! What's gonna happen? Huh? Huh? I'll let you know…if you review!
So now Sandstorm and Sasha are free…or ARE they? Remember, Exile and Violet are after them…
And Sandstorm's pregnant with Tigerstar's kits! Gasp! (Blackfoot couldn't be the father, because he and Sandstorm didn't actually "do it" do it.)
As a special treat, I'm going to give you one line of the next chapter. Sandstorm's POV
"Sasha," I whispered. "Someone's watching us from that tree."
So, who is the mysterious someone? Is it Exile or Violet? Maybe. Is it Bluestar or Spottedleaf? Maybe. Is it President Obama? Maybe not.
Find out on the next chapter of "I Am A Prisoner of Tigerstar"!
Coming to a computer near you!
LenzieKat out! Peace!
*disappears*