Woot! Here's another chapter for Dark Clouds! What will happen this time?

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Chapter 11

"Nightpaw, wake up! Wake up!" A voice cried out desperately. Nightpaw opened her eyes, her vision blurry, but soon clearing up. She realized she was panting heavily. Firepaw was sitting at her side, his eyes wide with worry.

"What happened? Where am I?" She gasped.

"You're in your den. It's all right. Did you have a bad dream?" He meowed.

"...Yes." She answered hesitantly. She looked around and saw most of her bed torn up. Only a couple apprentices were still in the den, their eyes fixed on her with fear.

"You were talking in your sleep. Well-- screaming." Firepaw whispered.

Nightpaw felt the skin under her fur become hot with embarrassment. Her dream seemed all too real to have actually been a dream.

"The Gathering's tonight. Will you be all right to go?"

"Of course!" She stood up, grooming the shredded pieces of moss out of her fur. She and Firepaw walked out into the clearing, which was still and quiet. Nightpaw saw most of her elder Clanmates staring at her, a worried frown on their face.

She saw an old gray tom whisper to a wiry brown she-cat. She could just make out what they were saying.

"She must take after her father. He always woke up in the middle of the night, screaming. Or so I've heard." He whispered, staring at the young apprentice every now and then.

She supressed a growl and stalked off. Walking would surely cool her down. She said goodbye to Firepaw and walked into the forest.

What happened to me last night? She thought, almost losing herself in her thoughts. Her eyes were fixed on the ground beneath her. Why was Crowtail down there?

She head leave crinkle. She looked down, and saw none under her paws. She looked forward and saw Cloudpaw.

"Nightpaw! Follow me, I have something cool to show you!" He waited for her to catch up, then they both ran away.

Nightpaw was excited to see what Cloudpaw had to show her, but she was still fearful of her dream last night.

Then she remembered something that The Voice told her before. "You must kill Flametail".

Had she forgotten about that? She hasn't said anything in a while.

"Here it is." Cloudpaw's voice snapped her back to reality. Before her she saw a huge lake. Far above it was a huge, thundering waterfall which almost deafened her. Her eyes sparkled as she looked around this wonderous place.

Nightpaw could smell prey everywhere. "Are we still in our borders?" She asked.

"Yes, I think. But seriously, isn't this place great! We can go here for hunting patrols when we're warriors! We should tell Rosestar about it."

"Definitely." She answered. "I should probably go training." She ran off, fast, excited to get back home, still hoping no one would be glaring at her when she got back.

She heard something rustling in the bushes nearby, when she was in the forest. It was followed by deep, low moaning. Someone was hurt!

Nightpaw crept over to the bushes and tried to look to see who was trapped. She saw shining white fur, which was matted up and torn apart. It was also tangled in brambles and thorns. She also saw bright orange spots on their pelt. Her heart skipped a beat. That was Flametail!

Nightpaw jumped into the bush, eager to carry her mother back to safety. Flametail's head shot up, her eyes wide with fear. "Stay away! Stay away, you monster!"

"No, Flametail, it's me! Nightpaw! Who, or what, did this to you?" She asked fearfully. Maybe her mother had just mistaken her for someone else.

"What are you talking about, who? You did this! It was you!" She roared.

Only then did Nightpaw notice the gashes of blood on her mother's face, the deep claw marks in her stomach. They looked like a cat left them, but they were way to deep for any cat to have left them. She was losing blood, and fast. Her breathing was heavy.

"But... it wasn't me. It wasn't! I was with Cloudpaw just now!" She screamed.

As if on command, Cloudpaw came by. He saw Flametail's mangled body. "What in StarClan happened?"

"I don't know! Just go get Poppyflower, and fast!" He ran away towards the camp.

"We're going to help you. Just stay calm, okay, Flametail?"

Her mother just glared at her with fearful eyes.

A few heartbeats later, Cloudpaw returned with Poppyflower, along with some of the Clan members.

"Move out of the way!" Poppyflower ordered Nightpaw. The apprentice stepped to the side so the medicine cat could get in.

"We're taking you back." Poppyflower mewed. She picked up the bloodied she-cat and raced back to camp, leaving many of the other cats standing there and exchanging worried glances.

Nightpaw followed with Cloudpaw back to camp, far behind all of the others. Cloudpaw rested his tail on her shoulder.

"She said I did it to her... But, I was with you..." She mewed, mostly to herself.

"I know you were. Maybe she saw a different cat."

"Her eyes... They were glaring at me." Paying no attention to the young tom.

Soon they got back to camp. Nightpaw wanted to howl at this horrible situation.

They saw a huge crowd at the medicine cat's den. Nightpaw and Cloudpaw raced over there, wanting to see what was happening.

Her siblings were at the head of the line. Nightpaw pushed her way through to be with them.

"How is she?" She asked.

"She kept saying you did this." Firepaw growled, glaring at her with his emerald eyes.

"Yes. She kept screaming that." Flowerpaw snapped.

Cloudpaw butted in. "It wasn't her! She was with me the whole time! I promise!"

"Why would she make up something like that?" Firepaw meowed.

"How can you think your sister did this?" Cloudpaw roared.

Nightpaw, bowing her head in confused shame, noticed that most of the crowd was gone. Maybe she scared them away. She didn't blame them.

Nightpaw.

"Um... I have to go. I'll be back later to check up on her." Nightpaw meowed. Her siblings just glared at her.

What do you want?

Oh, shame. The she-cat's hurt. Serves her right.

I didn't attack her.

Yes, you did.

I DIDN'T!!! She wanted to scream out loud so all of the forest could hear her.

Anything I do, you do.

What are you... YOU attacked my mother? But how? You said you weren't--

Yes, I said I wasn't visible to the other cats. That doesn't mean I can't make myself visible... and attack.

You hurt her... and made her think it was me... You disguised yourself as me...

Very good. You see, I almost forgot about the who murdering her thing, but when you remembered, I remembered. Clever, huh?

Shut up! You attacked her, and I won't forgive you!

Oh, believe me child, she isn't just hurt. She will die. You only saw part of what I did to her.

Nightpaw, wanting to hear no more, ran away to the medicine cat's den. She saw her mother lying there, helpless.

Deep gashes were all over her body. Her claws were pulled out. her tail was broken, along with her legs. A long clawmark was in her back.

Nightpaw was so confused. "I DIDN'T KILL HER!" She shouted.