Dead Rose

Chapter 14: Tiger, Tiger

The Deadclan patrol walked grimly through the trees, heads bowed and voices silent. No one knew what to say after the disastrous gathering, and Deadrose didn't blame them. Redstars hideous display of insanity had disturbed everyone, and Deadrose couldn't imagine what the other clans thought of them now. He led the patrol down the trail, while Redstar slunk in the back of the line with Denver. Deadrose looked forward again and turned to Flowertail.

"I don't know what to do," Deadrose whispered. "And I don't know what to say… that was just… terrible."

"Tell me about it," Flowertail replied scathingly, turning his head to stare at his leader. Redstars leaf cape was dragging in the dirt, matting it with mud and leaves. His dead daisy crown was starting to go brown.

"I'm also concerned on why Denvers so encouraging about it all," Flowertail continued. "I don't get why he had to dress up like Redstar too."

"Redstar probably asked him to, god knows why," Deadrose rolled his eyes. "I'm starting to think Redstar should move into the elders den."

"He'd never go for that," Flowertail scoffed. "The cats a loon, but he's a proud loon."

"Well, I'm starting to think he might not have a choice," Deadrose mumbled. "His actions have started to affect the clan."

…

Whitefire sat very still, chewing her fresh kill with as slow bites as possible. Beside her, Denver was talking to Redstar.

"We are blood brothers," Redstar was saying, nodding his head slowly with his eyes wide. "Soul mates. You were sent from Starclan to be my soul mate."

"Yes," Denver dipped his head, playing along. "Blood brothers till death."

By now, the capes the toms were wearing had rotted off their backs, the crowns too. But Redstar was still covered in berry juice, and he was starting to stink. Denver had washed the juice off himself, but he had made himself a new crown out of thin stems with a leaf tied to the front. It shielded his clouded eye perfectly. Whitefire shivered, she knew what the purpose of the crown. It was a disguise so no one would notice he was actually Jaypaw, with the spirit of Denver.

Whitefire shivered again.

"Are you cold?" Denver turned to look at Whitefire, visible eye narrowed.

"Yeah," Whitefire whispered. "Why?"

"You've been sitting over there shaking since you sat down," Denver said, rolling his eyes. Whitefire realized with annoyance Redstar rolled his eyes as soon as Denver did.

"I want to speak with you, alone," Whitefire said to Denver. He had been glued to Redstar ever since the gathering, and Whitefire was getting frustrated.

"In a bit," Denver replied. "I'm going to spend some more time with Redstar first."

Redstar beamed a smile so huge it looked strained. "Stay with me all night," he begged Denver. By this time Whitefire had had enough. She stood up, glaring at the cat who was supposed to be her friend. "I'm going for a walk in the forest," she announced. "See you later."

"Bye," Denver called after her. Whitefire wasn't surprised that Redstar didn't respond. She pushed her way out of the camp entrance, the cool night air was crisp like frosted leaves. Her paws crinkled on them as she walked, making Whitefire think of snow.

My life is so screwed up, she thought miserably. My closest friend here is the spirit who once tormented me, made me terrified to live. And he's in the body of my real friend, Jaypaw.

Why did you do this to me, Starclan? What did I do to deserve this?

Whitefire crumpled to the ground and wept, hot tears streaming down her cold face. She didn't move until she saw him.

"Don't cry," the spirit whispered, touching Whitefires tear stained cheek with a ghostly paw. "It's going to be okay."

"J-Jaypaw?" Whitefire whispered, staring at the familiar spirit. "What… why are you here?"

"To see you, of course," Jaypaws voice was strange, bouncing off the trees in an eerie way. "Why else?"

"Why now?" Whirefire whispered. "I haven't seen you since you left…"

"I didn't leave," Jaypaw hissed. "My body was stolen by your lover."

"Denver isn't my lover," Whitefire growled back defensively. "And I never asked for this to happen to you."

"Do you know what it's like?" Jaypaw spat. "To be a spirit floating in the air? To have your body violently taken from you?"

Whitefire couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her happiness to see her friend melted, and she stood up and wiped her tears away with a paw.

"Yes I do know," she hissed in the spirits face. "Denver took my body all the fucking time. He'd rip my soul out several times a day sometimes," she narrowed her eyes in slits. "So don't stand there and tell me I don't know what it's like, to be hosted. I know better than anyone else. I had to float in the in between world staring at my body being controlled by him."

"Yeah. And now I float around in the in between world and watch him manipulate you into loving him," Jaypaw said dryly. "You're a fool, Whitefire. I don't know how you could be so stupid."

"I'm not stupid," Whitefire whispered, the insult striking her like a blow to the head. "You're supposed to be my friend."

"And you're supposed to be mine," Jaypaw said, looking at Whitefire with scorn. "But you let that… that demon live in me. And you don't even care. You don't try to help me."

"I'm sorry," Whitefire started, but Jaypaw cut her off.

"It's a little late for apologies, don't you think?" he said, and then vanished. Whitefire screamed silently and kicked the forest floor.

Meanwhile

"This is taking too long," the ghost growled angrily. "I thought this would be quick."

"To be fair, the task is a lot more technical than we predicted," the second ghost said with less authority than the first. "The instructions are complicated and-"

"The instructions are very simple," the first ghost hissed. "We take the bodies. We host them. What part of this is confusing?"

"I managed to host Longwhisker in Frostclan," the third ghost piped in. "But it is difficult. I leave his body for two seconds and his real spirit jumps in."

"Yeah, the spirits of the bodies watch us like hawks," the second ghost chimed in. "For the one second we leave the body."

"Not to mention, it's tricky getting them to sell their soul," the fourth ghost said for the first time, strolling up to the group. "It usually takes several weeks to figure out how to lure them in for good."

"Without them waking up," the third ghost added.

"Where's Lores?" the first ghost snapped, ignoring everyone's statements. "And Denver? They're never this late."

"Denvers probably in Deadclan with his female friend," the second ghost scoffed. "And Lores is probably still scatterbrained from when he fell over the cliff and lost his host body."

"Lores lost his host?" the first ghost cried in disbelief. "How?"

"He fell over a waterfall," the third ghost mumbled.

"Unbelievable," the first ghost shook his head in disgust. "Simply unbelievable. He spends all that time finding a permanent host body then he just throws it off the cliff."

"In his defense, I think he was dragged over-" the fourth ghost put in feebly.

"I don't care," the first ghost cut him off. "Lores and Denver used to be my best host hunters. Now they don't even care."

"I'm here, Tiger."

The spirits jumped slightly as an unknown voice spoke the first's ghost's name. Tiger turned to see who had addressed him.

It was the spirit of Denver, moving in a slow and tired fashion.

"Where's this host body you've been bragging about?" Tiger demanded at once.

"It's hiding in the forest," Denver shot back.

"What if the original spirit finds it?" Tiger hissed.

"He won't," Denver spoke through gritted teeth. "The original spirit doesn't know how."

"So why are you so late?" the second ghost asked in a sneering voice, obviously glad to have Tiger's anger directed to someone else.

"I'm going to make this short," Denver ignored the second ghost and stared Tiger straight in the eye. "I'm done. I want no more part in this."

The ghosts gasped, and stared at Tiger in shock.

"So you stayed with us just to find a host of your own," Tiger spoke slowly, words seeping through his lips like a snake. "But had no intentions of helping us the way we helped you."

"I used to," Denver started. "But I've changed. I don't like this anymore. I don't want to host anymore."

"I see," Tiger growled. "Very well, Dawnfur. Goodbye."

"My name," Denver hissed quietly. "Is Denver."

"It didn't used to be," Tiger smiled evilly. "You used to be a clan cat too, with a warrior name."

"That's not who I am anymore," Denver said coldly.

"Ah, but it was," Tiger said. "And your body was taken and later destroyed."

Denver looked down, anger boiling at the arrogant tom.

"Get out of here," Tiger whispered. "And don't come back. You're no better than the cats you used to torment."

…

Whitefire was jostled awake as a cat pushed its way through the den. She blinked her eyes sleepily, and was surprised to see Denver making his way towards her.

"I'm still mad at you," Whitefire whispered. She laid her head back on her paws and shut them.

"I'm really sorry," Denver said back, touching her back gently with his paw. Whitefire tensed but didn't push him away.

"I got you a gift," Denver said softly.

"I'm still mad."

"But it's a good gift," Denver insisted, nudging forward a smooth gray rock. Whitefire opened her eyes, curious. It was dark in the den, but she could see the stone. It was a smooth gray and blue color, and when Whitefire touched it she had never felt a rock so soft.

"There isn't a crack on it," Denver said proudly. "Found it in the stream."

"I love it," Whitefire whispered, clutching it closer. It was cool against her fur. Denver shook off his stem and leaf crown and set it in the corner.

"Put the rock with my stem crown so you don't lose it," Denver instructed. "It took a lot of work getting it out of the stream and I don't want you losing it."

"Okay," Whitefire set the stone on the ground beside her. When Denver turned away she grabbed it and stuffed it out of sight under her front leg. When Denver was settled next to her, she spoke again.

"I'm not mad anymore," she said softly. "I was just annoyed you forgot to talk with me."

"I know, I'm sorry," Denver said, lowering his eyes. "I just had to… deal with something."

"What?" Whitefire asked. She was starting to get tired again.

"I met up with the other… spirits," Denver spoke the last word very quietly. "I told them I don't want to be part of their plan anymore."

"Oh," Whitefire was surprised. "That's good."

"Yeah," Denver agreed. "I'm glad I'm out of it."

"Why are you so friendly with Redstar?" Whitefire asked after giving a big yawn. Denver snorted.

"He's funny," Denver smiled. "I like him; he's fun to be around."

"They're really mad at you about the gathering display," Whitefire said. "And by they I mean the entire forest."

"I don't care," Denver said. "Redstar and I have fun together."

They were silent for a long time, and Whitefire was just starting to nod off when she thought of something.

"Denver?" she whispered, voice crackling.

"Yeah?"

"You said the spirits had a plan?" she whispered. Denver took a moment to answer.

"Yeah," he said at last. "They do."

"The forest is in danger, isn't it?" Whitefires bones filled with dread. "Cat's are going to die, aren't they?"

"The forest is in danger," Denver repeated, very slowly. "More danger than you can imagine."

"Can we stop it?" Whitefire asked, wishing to herself that she didn't even ask the question.

"I don't know," Denver sighed. "I really don't have a clue."

"I'm scared," Whitefire said.

"I know," Denver moved closer to her. "I am too."

Please r&r :D