"One thing I learned from history is, 'If you don't like them, just kill them."
-Thunder 2015
Aspenflame's P.O.V.
I just killed my pathway of becoming deputy. I had killed my kind. For what? For ranking. It didn't appear to be wrong to me for some reason and I wasn't going to think it's wrong.
Hailfoot lay dead on the grass that was stained with his own crimson blood. I watched in horror as blood trickled down his jaw.
"What have you done, Aspenflame? What have you become." I muttered to myself. Inhaling sharply, I looked over the horizon for a second, before luring Hailfoot onto my shoulders and padding back to camp, thinking of a reason he was dead.
He was attacked by some stray warriors? No. That just makes it worse.
He just keeled over and died? Yeah right.
I had nothing, absolutely nothing.
He died of greencough. Think, mousebrain, think!
Twolegs? I could just leave him at one of the twoleg's nest and say they killed him. There are no towolegs living around the Thunderclan border.. Damnit!
Thunderclan? Aha…. Nope, that would just create more and more problems.
Dogs? Dogs...that would be perfect...if there were dogs living around here.
"Oh StarClan." I moaned. Sighing, I heaved him onto my shoulders again. I stopped abruptly, as I spotted a dark shadow looming in the shadow of the trees.
"Hello?" I called out, quietly unsheathing my bloodied claws. The dark figure strutted forward, showing itself. My heart hammered against my chest. I didn't want to be classified as a murderer. I squinted to make out the shadow. I couldn't see it because of the sun blocking it.
"Well done, Aspenflame." A voice sounded. As soon as the voice hit my ears, I felt much better. I narrowed my eyes.
"Applefall." I said cooly. She gave me an - evil - toothy grin, that for some odd reason sent chills down my spine.
"Now, you have great chances of becoming deputy. Your next step will be to just kill of your mother!" She said in a sing-songy voice, circling around me. She suddenly stopped and pawed at the side of Hailfoot's dead body.
"I will not kill anymore! Stop playing this game, Applefall. The very last thing I'll do is kill my very own mother." I growled, spiking up. Applefall huffed, clearly disappointed.
"I've gotta hand it to you. It is going to be hard killing your own mother. But -" She paused, a smart grin appearing around her face.
"You could make some cat else do it." She suggested. I inhaled, my head bursting with pain.
"That some cat would be?" She narrowed her eyes and looked back, to see if anyone was there.
"Your apprentice of course. Skypaw." She whispered in my ear. I lunged back to stricken answer.
Skypaw? Hm
"Who would giver her such an idea.." I sputtered. Applefall cringed - and then laughed.
"Have you forgotten she is the chosen one. She is supposed to kill. It is her destiny isn't it? She is exactly like her father. Just lure her in.." She mewed, in matter-of-fact tone. I nodded, still stricken by her destiny. I just didn't go through me. Skypaw wasn't like that.
She is my way to becoming leader. Using her can be perfect. I mentally grinned, happy with the plan.
"Now I just need a plan for - eh Hailfoot." I said, my eyes wide. Applefall nodded, flicking her tail.
"You can say a pack of cats killed him off." She said simply, her whisker twitching. I shook my head and growled.
"Okay, but I'm only doing this because I have no other option." I started padding to the camp. Applefall stopped me.
"Ehm - You might want to clean your claws off." She said sharply. I inhaled deeply and quickly ran to the river.
Swiftfire's P.O.V
I watched Skypaw with narrowed eyes, as she wriggled around in the moss bed I had laid out, felling a deep hatred for Aspenflame. How could he make her fight when she had no training? Did he not think this would happen?
As I fumed, my mind wandered a bit. It was nearing sunrise. Why weren't Hailfoot and Aspenflame back?
I looked outside the den, and stuck my face out. A few raindrops plopped onto my fiery fur. "Rain?" I wondered aloud. More raindrops began to fall more rapidly.
Plop, plop
The smell of blood? I looked more closely at the rain. It wasn't rain anymore.
Suddenly, a flood of red rushed into the camp with a roar, breaking down the outside barriers, and sweeping up cats sitting around camp.
I gasped, just as the flood picked me up. Blood filled my mouth, and I coughed, struggling to the surface.
I saw Hailfoot sitting calmly on Highbranch.
"Hailfoot! Help!" I screeched, as I tried to stay afloat unsuccessfully.
Hailfoot looked at me blankly before saying.
"Voices, voices. Kill oh, kill. Beware the flames, beware above, and watch the trees. Your enemies lurk around. It will bleed rain. Blood rain. BLOOD RAIN!" Hailfoot screeched the last part, his eyes bright with fury. I saw blood spill down his grey fur before he went limp. I saw Skypaw, and a flash of red, before it faded into black.
"Swiftfire! Swiftfire you gotta wake up!"
I woke up with a gasp, Hailfoot's words still ringing in my ears. A prophecy?
No, no. Just a odd dream. It can't be a prophecy since Hailfoot's not dead yet.
I looked at who woke me up, and slowly got to my paws, wincing as I realized I had been asleep on the stone floor of the den.
"Skypaw. How are you feeling?" I murmured, shaking my ginger pelt.
"Fine." Skypaw had her dark, dark blue eyes trained on me, and I stared at her.
"You were crying out. Something about rain. Anyway, something is going on in camp." Skypaw said, her eyes narrowed.
"Ahh, okay. I'll go check it out." I muttered, trying to forget the dream. I could feel Skypaw's gaze on me as I walked out of the den.
Cats were huddled around a body, and I padded forwards.
Grey and black fur in a huddled heap.
As I leaped forwards with a small shout, cats turned to look at me.
"What happened to him?!" I hissed, feeling anger and fear stir inside my throat.
"Aspenflame and Hailfoot were patrolling, but...they were attacked by a group of rouges." Ivyfur growled.
My thoughts were whirling wildly inside my head.
This can't be. My father can't be dead.
The one time Aspenflame goes out with Hailfoot, Hailfoot dies.
I choked back a sob, touching noses with Hailfoot's cold pelt, and I remembered the prophecy.
"BLOOD RAIN!"
It was real.
Skypaw's P.O.V
Rain will slowly turn into the blood of your people. I will start with a drop, then maybe some stained grass, slowly it will turn into a puddle, staining your paws with every step. Then you'll see raging rivers of fury, blood red they will be. Not from the sun, Skypaw.. But, from you.
I woke to a jolt, painting with my heart hammering against my chest. The ring of the voice still trapped in my head. It sounded awfully familiar. It was a- caring and compassionate- voice I'd heard before. Maybe from when I was younger. But, it also sent chill of fear down my spine.
It was dark outside, and the moon was hidden with the shadow of the clouds. I squinted in the darkness and saw a familiar fiery pelt curled up in the corner. Judging from the scent, I was in the Medicine cat den.
Wait - What?
Am I injured?
I tried to dig deep through my memory, to find out why I was here and in a flash I remembered.
Battle. Thunderclan. Swiftfire, saving me. Blacking out. Ohhhh.
I took a deep breath, and curled my fluffy tail against my paws. Swiftfire started to whimper and whine, moving in his sleep. I debated whether to wake him or not. I decided not to.
That took you a while. I cringed, as the deep voice filled my head.
Aha, it's you again.
The one and only. Tell me.. How was that battle?
I don't remember half of it. How do you expect me to tell you?
I can tell you! You my dear- were very blood thirsty. I think I taught you well.
Pft, yeah. I really can't imagine myself doing that.
Well, you're wrong.
I sniffed the air, my ears twitching. The muttering outside the camp had gotten louder and I peeked outside, to find hats huddled together in a corner. Aspenflame was part of it. He looked beaten up.
"Rain! Help me!" Swiftfire erupted, hitching me back to my sense. I hissed out of fright, my tail on its end.
"Swiftfire! Swiftfire you gotta wake up!" I growled, swiping my paws against his fiery pelt. His icy blue eyes suddenly popped open and his breathing was heavy. He sighed deeply and his icy eyes were distinct.
"Skypaw. How are you feeling?" He muttered, stretching his paws. He seemed distracted.
"Fine." I muttered silently. Even though, it felt like my brain was about to burst into little pieces. It hurt like hell.
"You were crying out. Something about rain. Anyway, something is going on in camp." I said, looking at the entrance. Familiar amber eyes caught mine. I watched my - sister, as she stared the living daylights out of me. I know that look, Rosepaw. You ain't getting me this time.
"Ahh, okay. I'll go check it out." Swiftfire padded away after the crowd.
I then heard him shout out, Hailfoot's name. He was running towards the crowd and his eyes were watery. Never had I seen him so - afraid. That was followed by sobbing and some crying.
And then, I realized what was really wrong. Hailfoot was dead. The deputy was dead. Swiftfire's father was dead.
Fear. That is what I feel all the time, Swiftfire.
Yup, J&T here! We know it's been awhile since we updated. Exams, mid-terms, homework, bleh, you know. Erik has been busy doing erikly "stuff" (We all know you're slacking, Erik.)
Thanks for all the support and reviews!
Instead of our usual QOTD, we are having…
A WARRIOR NAME CONTEST! For Skypaw!
J&T already have a name planned, but most creative name gets a prize! Prizes are surprises though!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy early New Year (Probably because dis won't be updated till after Jan 1st..)