Hey guys, thanks to aquagirl64 and Rainstep for reviewing and favoriting! I just hope I can continue to live up to expectations.
Cinderheart crept up slowly on the squirrel. It remained unaware of her presence as it nibbled on the nut it was holding. Careful not to crackle any leaves, she took a couple more steps toward it. When she was close enough, she pounced on it. Before it could react to what was going on, she killed it with a quick bite to the neck. That should be enough, she thought. She carried it to where she had buried the rest of the prey she had caught and picked them all up in her jaws, a thrush and two squirrels. The gray she-cat turned and padded toward camp slowly. She was almost to the entrance when she heard a loud commotion coming from in the camp. Just vaguely she make out Firestar's voice talking to the multitude. Curious as to what it would be, she stepped closer.
"Pack, pack." She stopped. She had no idea what that was supposed to mean. Had Firestar gone mad? She listened again. "Pack, pack," came the repeat again. This time she could tell it wasn't his voice. It didn't even sound like a cat. The simple word, said twice, sent chills down her spine. Something seemed almost threatening about it. Once again, the words came like snakes into her ears. "Pack, pack." A third voice, a she-cat's, was echoing the eerie chorus this time. She felt as if she should recognize it, a voice she knew, but younger somehow. The voices mixed, the phrase repeating until it was a jumble of noise. She backed up, shaking, at the cacophony, and then fell to the ground. The last thing she remembered before passing out was her own lips shaping the words. "Pack, pack…" Everything went black.
Then, just as soon as she had fell unconscious, Cinderheart awoke again. But it was not where she was when she had been assaulted by the voices. She was in some sort of cave, cold hard stone beneath her paws. The only light came from a clearing up ahead, so she followed it. She walked onward, realizing she must be in a dream. She finally reached the cavern, and saw the source of the light. It was some kind of large stone, but it shone with light like the Moonpool. There was something familiar about it, like it held some kind of personal connection to her. She stepped closer, and was surprised to see a cat. The stranger was bowing its head to the stone and muttering something. Cinderheart stepped closer, then leaped back with shock. It was a gray she-cat, with blue eyes and a twisted leg. It looked almost exactly like her, but older, stockier.
Without turning to look at her, the strange cat said, "I am Cinderpelt. You may have heard of me." Cinderheart blinked. This was the medicine cat of ThunderClan before Leafpool, who her mother had named her after. Before she could say anything, however, Cinderpelt spoke again. "You wonder why you are here, where here is, and what was up with those crazy voices, right?" Cinderheart nodded. "Very well. I will explain."
Dovewing sat up straight suddenly next to Ivypool. She looked off into the distance. "What is it?" Ivypool asked. Her sister's eyes widened. "It's Cinderheart, she's passed out outside of camp!" Ivypool got up as well. "You go get Jayfeather! I'll go find her!" Running as fast as she could, while being careful not to damage her growing kits, she left the camp in the direction Dovewing had indicated and sure enough, found Cinderheart's unconscious body. There was fresh-kill next to her, as if it had fallen out of her mouth. A rustling from the bushes signified Dovewing and Jayfeather's arrival. Jayfeather looked over the warrior, concern flickering through his blind eyes. Suddenly she stirred. He bent over so his face was near hers. "Cinderheart?" he mewed. The she-cat barely had enough energy to whisper to the medicine cat. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her face showed fear, anguish, but most of all disbelief. Before Jayfeather could reply, she fainted again. He stood up. "Help me carry her back to camp," the medicine cat said.
Dovewing and Ivypool did as he instructed. Dovewing said curiously, "What did she mean by 'why didn't you tell me'?" Jayfeather's voice was full of pain. "I didn't tell her because I was afraid of what it would do to her." Ivypool, her interest intrigued, pressed further. "What didn't you tell her?" It was several long seconds before the gray tabby would answer. "Who she was."