Title: Linking the Far Past with the Far Future

Description: In which murders are committed, lives are stolen, Clans are allying themselves with dark forces for the means of survival, and betrayals are becoming a regular occurrence. Growing up being abandoned by her mother, Bluecrest must lock away her hatred and sorrow for the good of RiverClan. But when cats begin turning against her, she loses faith in what she once thought was love.

Comment Notes: Thanks for reading this far, peoplez~ c:

Author's Notes: Warriors belong to the Hunters and the Hunters only. Nothing of importance to note~

Chapter 9

Dangerous Stirrings

"Oi, Bluecrest! You're due on patrol!" Barktalon, RiverClan's new deputy, called. Bluecrest flicked her tail in irritation, her ears pinning flat on her head. She didn't want to go on patrol, didn't want to see her Clanmate's irritable good cheer, didn't want to hear their lame jokes and see their smiling faces.

When Barktalon barked out her name again, she flicked her tail in irritation and stood up, not even bothering to groom the scraps of bracken and moss from her pelt. With her head lowered in annoyance, she stalked over gloomily to where Frostwing, Runeswipe, and her own apprentice Mintpaw were awaiting her, led by Swandance.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Bluecrest growled, striding stiffly past her Clanmates and disappearing into the camp entrance. The rest of the patrol exchanged perturbed glances before padding unsurely after her.

Once outside camp, Swandance regained control of the patrol. Her eyes were worried and her movements skittish, telling Bluecrest how nervous she was to be leading a patrol with several older warriors. "A-alright, why don't we check the WindClan border first?" Her voice was slightly shaky.

The patrol rumbled their agreement, and Swandance appeared relieved, leading the patrol on more confidently than she had before. Bluecrest trailed along behind them, tail dragging limply in the crackling leaves.

The grassy scent of WindClan wafted and swirled around them. Bluecrest saw Frostwing wrinkle her nose with distaste as they drew nearer. Cautiously, they sniffed along the perimeters and marked the border distinctly.

A sudden rustle and the pounding of paw steps echoed alarmingly loudly in front of the patrol, and they jerked their heads up to stare as a small apprentice burst through the bushes. A brown furred shape darted quickly into RiverClan territory, where Runeswipe snatched it up and dispatched it with a bite to its throat.

The apprentice looked on in awe, his prey forgotten. "Are you RiverClan cats?" he breathed, eyes enlarged to twice its original size. Bluecrest, being the closest one to the border, nodded unsurely.

"Wow."

He didn't have time to say any more. The bushes rustled once again and his Clanmates stepped out. Bluecrest recognized Lightflicker and Featherhaze from her first Gathering. They had been Lightpaw and Featherpaw then. Leading them was a grizzly old tom with numerous scars slashed across his flank and right side.

She vaguely remembered seeing him at Gatherings, but she had never known his name. But she could tell from the way he held his chin high that he had some kind of authority.

"Who are you?" Bluecrest demanded, eyes narrowed and ears pinned back aggressively. She watched with a prick of satisfaction when he made a sound of utter disbelief.

"I am Stoneheart, newly-appointed deputy of WindClan." he practically sneered, thrusting his face in Bluecrest's. She recoiled as if stung, and glared at the tom.

"What happened to Windwing?" she hissed, trying to inject venom in her voice, but all that came through was surprise. If possible, Stoneheart's sneer grew larger.

"Nothing you need to know about, vermin." he spat, hackles rising. Bluecrest made a sound of indignation and shock.

"How dare you?" she gasped, eyes flickering dangerously and ears pinned back against her small head. She moved to take a step forwards and found a tail barring her way. She glanced up and saw Frostwing looking at her warningly.

Swandance stepped past Bluecrest so that she stood on the very edge of the border. "Greetings, Stoneheart." Swandance mewed, her voice wavering at the end when the gray tomcat swept his piercing eyes over her slender frame. "How goes the hunting?"

To their surprise, the huge battle-scarred tom turned his head and spat angrily. "Horrible. We haven't caught even a mouse in several moons."

The rest of the WindClan patrol looked startled, alarmed, even, and Bluecrest couldn't blame them. Their deputy had just revealed their weakness, and to an enemy Clan, no less. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Mintpaw quiver and her eyes widen. A jolt of realization shot through Bluecrest, and she narrowed her eyes.

Her fears were confirmed when Stoneheart opened his maw to continue. "Therefore you need to hand over that prey to us." He jerked his tail in the direction of Runeswipe, who placed her paw protectively over the fresh-kill.

When Bluecrest caught sight of Frostwing's expression, she knew that the senior warrior knew what Stoneheart was up to. With a flashing glance back at the WindClan patrol, she saw Featherhaze and Lightflicker staring at their deputy as if he had grown two heads.

Runeswipe bristled. "What makes you think we'll just hand it over?" she spat.

Lightflicker spoke up for the first time, moving forward to stand at Stoneheart's flank. "W-well, it was WindClan prey." she tried. Runeswipe snorted.

"Yeah, it was. But it was caught on RiverClan land which makes it our prey."

Stoneheart barked out a laugh. "Feisty, ain't you?" he rumbled, sharp amusement glittering in his pitch black eyes.

Bluecrest watched her sister recoil and spit at the tomcat. Her blue irises glimmered and she tilted her head in thought.

"Why is your prey so scarce?" Bluecrest demanded, eyes narrowed and searching. She saw Featherhaze shift her paws uneasily.

Stoneheart snarled at the RiverClan warrior. "That's none of your business."

Mintpaw let out a small sound of disbelief. "He was pretty willing to spill before." she muttered, glaring at the deputy.

After what seemed like an eternity, Stoneheart lashed his tail once and the WindClan patrol turned to leave. They vanished into the bushes, but not before Bluecrest caught Featherhaze sneaking a glance over her shoulder.

The RiverClan patrol stood staring at the place where they'd left until Swandance cleared her throat daintily. "Perhaps we should go now." she suggested, green eyes wide and slightly confused. After a collective nod from her patrol, she turned and made a move to leave.

"Wait!"

The sharp hiss made them whirl around. Featherhaze stood at the edge of the border, eyes gleaming desperately. She glanced behind her before beckoning furiously to the RiverClan patrol. They approached her after a slight pause.

"I need to tell you something." the young tabby whispered, the urgency in her tone convincing them that it wasn't a trap. The RiverClan patrol crept closer to listen.

"We've been invaded by a huge group of rogues," she began, "I haven't seen them, but their scent is all over our territory! They steal our prey until there's hardly anything left for us! Our warriors and elders have been dying of starvation. Just the other day we lost Shellfur and one of our kits, Finchkit."

Bluecrest felt her eyes go wide as she heard this horrific news. A quick glance at the rest of her Clanmates told her that they felt the same. She could see Featherhaze growing visibly more agitated as she continued.

"Then one day, we found Windwing's body by a small creek. She looked horrible, all 'mangled and broken. We found many of the rogues' scent by the scene, and there were far more than we had originally thought."

Featherhaze shuddered, her eyes growing dark with fear and worry.

"That's why we had to name a new deputy quick. Stoneheart was experienced, to say the least, so he got the job. But there's something else. I overheard a ShadowClan patrol this morning, and they said they were teaming up with a 'dark forest', or something. I didn't hear exactly what, but it sounds like they're planning to wage war and they've gotten ThunderClan as an ally."

A silence followed her words as they all took their time to drink in the she-cat's urgent news. Bluecrest found herself bristling subconsciously, her hackles raised. Frostwing looked as if she didn't know what to think, and Runeswipe and Mintpaw shared a horrified glance.

Featherhaze was the first to break the silence. The silver tabby straightened up and looked behind her shoulder apprehensively. "I have to head back now, they'll be wondering where I went." she murmured, backing away and disappearing into the ferns.

Bluecrest stared after her before turning and padding back in the direction of the camp, mind too occupied to wait for the rest of the patrol. She barely registered the rustling as they rushed to catch up.

Dark Forest? An alliance with ThunderClan? A mysterious band of rogues? It all adds up! Her brow was furrowed in thought. Argowen's come back! And he's somehow related to the stirrings in the Dark Forest!

She slid into camp, mind still muddled. As she curled up in her nest, her mind refused to surrender to the tempting wave of unconsciousness. Instead, it rolled all her emotions and thoughts together as she lay on her side, unsheathing and sheathing her claws in agitation.

Bluecrest didn't know how long it took her to succumb to sleep, but she slept fretfully, tossing and turning. Her dreams were filled with darkness. She saw her Clanmates die one by one, their blood staining her paws crimson. She heard Bloodstain's voice over and over again.

Your beloved StarClan has wronged them. They chose to be here. Such delectable hatred.

Just the way we like it.