DARKEST DREAMS:

A/N: Oh my gosh, I just noticed a huge mistake on my part. It turns out when I checked the allegiances, Mintpaw is in Riverclan and Cloudpaw isn't! Instead, he's in Shadowclan. I really apologize any misunderstanding of this matter. From now on, Cloudpaw's POVS will take place in Shadowclan. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Enjoy.

MINTPAW:

Mintpaw opened his eyes and found himself standing in the lake. A crescent moon shone high and bright in the indigo sky. The water gently lapped at his paws, and with a hiss, the sturdy white-and-brown patched tom leapt clear of the lake-water. What was he even doing here? His amber eyes swept the shore for any signs of other cats, or his clanmates.

"Mintpaw. I summoned you here."

With a startled yowl, the young apprentice spun around, fur bristling. "Who's there?" He snarled, voice quivering. "Show yourself."

A beautiful, if not divine dark cream-furred she-cat slipped up next to him, her presence oozing darkness and the black, deep secrets of the world. Mintpaw found himself staring at her in wonder. The newcomer tilted her head lazily, her calm green eyes flashing in the dim light.

"Who are you?" He demanded again, his voice softer.

"I'm Berryfang," The she-cat purred, winding her slender body around his. Mintpaw's heart thudded in his chest, and he subtly unsheathed his claws. "No need for fighting stances, dear." Mintpaw looked up, half scared and half surprised.

Mintpaw sat back on his haunches, refusing to be intimidated. "If this is a dream," he began slowly. "Are you from Starclan?"

Berryfang laughed. The melodic sound tinkled into the air, full of life and…it sounded ominous. Mintpaw shifted his paws anxiously. Was she from another clan? He glanced over the she-cat's shoulder, half expecting his clanmates to surge from the undergrowth. He saw nothing. The fur on his spine rose, realizing she had not answered his question.

"Dear, I'm here to help you with that ambition churning in your chest."

Mintpaw swallowed back a gasp and slitted his eyes. How did she know? Does she know…know that I want to be leader of Riverclan so bad? "H-how do you know that?" His voice came out stammering, and he scorned himself for it.

"Because I've been watching you, Mintpaw." Berryfang lifted her chin and steadily pressed her muzzle to his head. Mintpaw tried to pull away. "And I'm here to help you deal with it." The gentle, motherly gleam in her green gaze was so warm; Mintpaw knew he really didn't have a better choice.

Mintpaw gulped and twitched his ears. "And if I accept your help…"

Berryfang flashed him a sick, twisted smile. "Then you'll become leader of Riverclan. Mintstar."

"Very well." The half-blooded apprentice stood up, and flicked his ears. "When do we start?"

"Right now." The dark cream tabby she-cat hurtled through the air, paws flashing, claws unsheathed aimed straight at Mintpaw. He snarled, dodged and darted around her. The she-cat skidded to a stop and whirled around, baring her teeth.

Berryfang lunged again, this time snagging the skin around Mintpaw's scruff and hauling him with her. She flicked him onto his back and slashed her claws down on his underbelly. With a painful screech, the brown and white tom barreled up and managed to throw her off. Blood dripped steadily from his shoulder; a cut over Berryfang's eye trickled blood.

"Embrace the darkness inside you, Mintpaw." Berryfang whispered, her words hovering in the still air. A yowl tore itself from Mintpaw's throat and he flew for her, bowling her down. His muscles rippled as he pinned the older she-cat down, claws digging into her fur.

A ribbon of darkness stretched and coiled up into Mintpaw's stomach, and the apprentice felt wild glee as he tore out clumps of dark cream fur. Darkness lapped at the shores of his conscience, begging, pleading to be let out. To be free.

"That's good. Let that blackness go."

Mintpaw crumpled to his belly, whispers surging through his mind, enveloping it in a hazy burst of black sparks. Ink-like mist spun and weaved around him, and with sickening horror, Mintpaw realized the darkness inside him had resurfaced. Scenes of gore and blood flooded his mind, the clash of muscle, agonized yowls and snarls, flashing claws and tearing jaws spun into an array of colors that threatened to overthrow his very sanity.

With a terrorized wail, he writhed on the floor, his legs thrashing. His amber eyes darkened; then slowly started to turn black. Berryfang watched this transformation with sadistic pleasure, digging her claws into the dirt.

"Embrace it, Mintpaw." She rasped, and crouched down to slowly stroke her tail over his trembling back. Mintpaw finally inhaled a sharp gasp, and turned feebly to look up at her.

Berryfang smiled as warmly as she could muster; and licked his ears affectionately. He seemed like a different cat. The determination in his amber eyes had darkened to fiery ambition. Mintpaw looked bigger, stronger, more muscular. Berryfang licked her lips, tasting victory. Right now Thistlestar will probably be visiting Cloudpaw, steering him onto our side.

Steering him towards his true destiny.

The Warrior Code had begun its downfall.

CLOUDPAW:

The den was so stuffy he had just to leave. On top of that, Heatherpaw had been tossing and turning in her sleep, muttering words he couldn't understand. Heronpaw seemed to never stop snoring; and one point someone let out a caterwaul that still rung in his ears. Swiftpaw was a hulking shape in the middle of the den, whilst everyone was crammed into the edges.

Cloudpaw trekked across the forest, his paws crunching over dried leaves.

The sky was beginning to brighten, the moon starting to fade. Silverpelt still remained twinkling in the pale sky. His pale gray-silvery fur was ruffled and stuck in clumps, reminders of the hard sleep he had had last night. Soon, he reached the shores of the lake bordering between Riverclan and Shadowclan.

He sat down on his haunches, thinking deeply about the dream he'd had the previous night. It still rang a warning bell within him, a little voice saying, Cloudpaw, you don't want to know what it meant. Just forget about it.

It wasn't a good idea to concern himself about petty dreams right before Heronpaw and Heatherpaw's warrior assessments. Honestly? The wiry pale gray-silver tom was slightly envious of his friends' success. Now…just Dapplepaw would be left. And Swiftpaw.

Not exactly a good combination.

"What a lovely morning," He murmured under his breath as he swept his gaze across the dark blue waves. The water lapped at the pebble and sand; and soaked his paws. With a disgusted snort, the apprentice leapt back and lashed his tail.

The dream suddenly occupied his thoughts again. Cloudpaw got a nagging feeling that somehow, it was important. He just couldn't understand it. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and plunged inside the churning dream. And in a flash of moments, he was reliving the dream again.

There were no stars. That was the first thing Cloudpaw noticed the second he stepped foot in the black forest. Not even a cloud hovering in sight. This couldn't be Starclan. Was that….was that blood he tasted in the air? The heavy, metallic tang? With a shudder, the wiry gray tom swiveled his head around, trying to find some recognition.

Instead, he found himself staring into a pool of shimmering water.

Where had that come from? Cloudpaw didn't remember a pool of water right where he was standing. Shifting his paws, the silver-furred apprentice leaned in closer, his pale blue eyes picking up a faint scene flashing in the lapping waves of the pool.

He didn't recognize the two cats he saw in the vision.

One was a bulking, powerful brown and white tom, with fiery amber eyes that promised death and violence. Another was a slender she-cat; dark cream furred with slashing black stripes. Both were engaged in a bloody battle. The younger cat; probably an apprentice lunged, tearing out clumps of fur but missing his mark. He hissed.

The she-cat spun elegantly, diving for his side. With enough force to tumble a full-grown tom, the tabby she-cat rammed into the apprentice. Both went down in a tangle of tails and legs.

"That's your destiny, Cloudpaw."

The voice startled him from behind, and the wiry tom whipped around, hackles rising. A huge dark brown tom was gazing at him steadfastly. Cloudpaw shivered. He didn't like the newcomer's unnerving liquid hazel eyes. They seemed ominous.

"What do you mean?" He demanded. "Who are you?"

"I'm Thistlestar. Pleased to meet your acquaintance. But let's not waste time due to pleasantries," Thistlestar replied, circling Cloudpaw in such a manner as a predator would a prey. The wiry apprentice lifted his chin, trying to calm his thudding heart.

"Cloudpaw, you and I both know there's unrest swirling inside you. I've seen it in action. Remember when you had to undergo months of brutal training with Flamehawk? Waking up at dawn, finishing late dusk? I'm sure I wasn't the only one able to sense you were annoyed with the Warrior Code."

Cloudpaw did a double-take. How did this cat know everything? Had it been that obvious to everyone? Now that he thought about it…Cloudpaw surveyed 'Thistlestar'. He hadn't seen this cat anywhere; not in the clans, not in the barns. So exactly where had he come from?

"I was only annoyed because I didn't get why Flamehawk was training me so hard." Cloudpaw shot back.

Thistlestar raised an 'eyebrow'. "And now you're perfectly happy with the way things are?"

He hesitated. Was he? "Well," He blustered. "Of course, yeah!"

A harsh chuckle was forced from Thistlestar's throat. "And we both know that's not true." His voice rasped. "I can hear the distaste in your voice, young apprentice." He leaned back, blinking calmly at Cloudpaw. "Well. I can do nothing to change your mind now. But we'll see." A wild gleam entered his eyes. "Yes, we'll see."

Cloudpaw gulped, the fur on his spine rising. This cat was creeping him out. "Okay…can I go?"

"Who's stopping you? I'll see you again…" Thistlestar murmured, still gazing off into the distance. When Cloudpaw started to fade away, away from the dreamland, he thought he heard Thistlestar say, "Oh Cloudpaw. You don't know how glorious your future can be."

Cloudpaw drifted back into sleep, the dream escaping his claws. But the words remained forever in his mind.

Oh Cloudpaw. You don't know how glorious your future can be.