Like I had said last chapter, this one is going to be from Midnight's POV, and I bet you can guess what will happen. Thank you for the reviews!
"Jaws, come here," Midnight said, beckoning the gray tabby with his tail. "It is your turn now. Join me in the den."
Midnight turned and padded inside his cave. He had grown to be delighted at the still, cold air, and the awful sound of his unsheathed claws, scraping against the stone, filling the air with an eerie screech. The white claw marks he left scourged into the rock made him feel he had done something.
Jaws entered. The shade of the dark den turned his gray fur to black, and his eyes gleamed hatefully in dim light. He sat abruptly, haunches hitting the floor with a dull thud. His tail swished against the stone and his ears flicked. "Midnight, I do not feel comfortable doing this."
"I don't care," the black tom said harshly, words echoing off the cave walls. "You are going to speak anyway. You are going to talk until I stop you, do you understand me?"
"I don't feel that what I have to say is any of you concern," hissed Jaws, showing, Midnight his yellow teeth.
"Oh really?" Swift as a snake, Midnight shot forward, paws outstretched. Before the gray tabby had any time to react, he grasped his fur with his claws and fastened his teeth over his shoulder. Jaws yowled as he crashed to the ground, Midnight gripping his forelegs, keeping him from getting up. He held one claw over his neck, pressing the side of it into his skin. "How about now?"
Jaws swallowed painfully, unable to move. "Alright, alright. I'll tell you," he choked out.
"You better," Midnight growled, unhooking his hold. "Or you're going to wish you were never kitted." He padded back to where he was in the first place, and sat, back facing Jaws.
It was a moment before anyone said anything. Midnight got impatient. "Spit it out, Jaws. I'm having everybody do this, so tell me, what made you feel loyal to Blackstorm, and not your former Clan?"
"Why do you want to know?" Jaws spat.
Midnight spun around and showed him a glinting ivory claw. "Do you not remember what I threatened to you? Frog-brain you are, willing for death before you even get a chance to take your revenge on your pitiful Clan."
"You didn't answer my question," Jaws hissed through gritted teeth.
"Why are you feeling so defiant, young cat?" Midnight questioned. "Perhaps a troubled kit-hood, in your past? I am only trying to understand what caused my cats to join The Black Horror, so that I may understand their venom. I mean to cause you no harm, you imbecile. So talk."
"They are not your cats," growled Jaws. "I left ShadowClan with Blackstorm, not you. Why don't you tell me of your kit-hood? Why did you join us?"
Midnight tensed. "Uh...I was forced?"
"You sound unsure," Jaws hissed. "Why did you join really?"
"Shut up," Midnight hissed. "I am quite surprised you have the nerve to speak to your leader like that. I was forced to join. That's all I have to say. Now you speak, or I really will slit your throat."
"Do it," scoffed Jaws. "I'd like to see you try."
Why is he like this? The rest of them were not this difficult. "Okay." With a grunt he leaped at the gray tabby. Jaws dodged and reared up on his hind paws. When Midnight landed on the cave floor. He felt claws pierce his flank as Jaws slammed his paws down. Midnight winced and fell onto his back, causing Jaws to lose his grip. Rolling, he crashed into his opponent, making the gray tabby lose his balance. Jumping up, Midnight pinned him down, feeling hot blood wash over his claws. "And that is why Blackstorm chose me as leader, and not you."
Jaws sighed. "I thought I would actually win. I will tell you."
Midnight didn't let him up. "Then speak."
"As a kit, I was scrawny. Seedstar didn't like me. He barely let me be an apprentice when I turned six moons. When I did though, he gave me a weak mentor. I can't remember her name, but she would jump at every sound. It was miserable.
"But then, an older apprentice helped me. His name was Blackpaw. He taught me how to do some really cool and advanced battle moves, my mentor wouldn't let me do. He was pretty much my best friend. He was the only one that didn't tease me. Even my parents and brother, Soottail did. When we earned our warrior names, Blackstorm changed, in more ways than one. He was suddenly far more distant than usual, and he was disrespectful to everyone, with the exception of me. I took that in pride, that he still like me, so I started to be more like him.
"Soon though, he admitted to me and an apprentice that he killed Hazelstem, and that if we told he would do the same to us. I didn't want to die, so I kept me promise, as did the apprentice. Later though, he got us in on it. We snuck out of camp, following Breezecatcher, who was going to keep watch. We all attacked her, but Blackstorm was the one who delivered the killing blow. Seeing him do it, it just made him look so happy.
"Then when the apprentice earned his warrior name, Redscar. He told us that we were going to help him with his master project: killing Seedstar. I was not so thrilled over the idea. Killing the Clan leader? That would be the worst of crimes. But I agreed, just because I looked up to Blackstorm, he was like a brother to me...a real brother. So one night, we went into Seedstar's den, and attacked. Blackstorm and Redscar both gashed him terribly on the neck, and he lost a life instantly. Then when he awoke, I pinned him down, and placed my paw over his mouth to keep him from speaking, and Blackstorm killed him again. It was then I realized that he was my true leader, not anyone else but him. We were caught by the Clan, but Blackstorm took pride, and we joined him."
Midnight stepped off of Jaws. "So you were neglected by your Clan, which left scars, and you were treated as a brother by Blackstorm."
Jaws got up. "Yes. He was the only one who saw strength in me. What other choice did I have than to join him? It was between the life of a murderer or the life as a prisoner, or at least that's how they treated me."
"I see," Midnight said. "You made the right choice."
"You don't understand," hissed Jaws. "Blackstorm was the only cat I looked up to. He will always be my leader. I will never look upon anyone like I did him. He gave me meaning. You are treating me like any other warrior from my former Clan."
"You must learn to bare scars, but not feel pain. Life is about battles as killing, finding out who is the strongest. You must feel pain like you are a kit again, getting rasped over by your mother's tongue, or you will never learn to be strong."
Jaws shrugged. "I may follow you, Midnight, but you are not my master. I just want you to know that."
"And I will not forget. I hope you don't either." He held up a claw. "Now get back to training. Send in Slayer when you see him. It is his turn to share with me his desire for revenge."
Jaws dipped his head and vanished outside.
Oh Blackstorm. I know I have to get them to be scared of me, but the only way to seem to do that is by using their weaknesses against them. I can't though. They are my allies...right?
He knew it would take long before his message came to the former Black Horror leader. He watched the training happening outside his den. Down the hill he spotted a golden-brown tabby being pinned by a mottled gray tom. A tortoiseshell she-cat was creeping up on a dark ginger tom. To young cats were rolling around in the dirt.
Kits were mindless.
Midnight stared at the battling cats for long. Each breath he took in was overwhelmed by the scent of blood, which usually would make him gag, but now, he had gotten used to it, and started to take it as a sense of accomplishment in his cats.
I bet we could take on a huge pack of dogs and escape without injury.
He longed for that to happen, so he could watch the rogues fight tooth and nail, not just to protect themselves, but also to feel pleasure. If the Clan cats knew they had done that, they would be bowing down to them that minute. Midnight smiled at the thought.
It did trouble him though, how lawless these cats were. Midnight was taught that battle binds his life together, he knew that. But it did sort of concern him how they actually thought a battle would solve all of their problems with themselves and with one another. He was teaching them- or they were already taught- to be murderers. He knew that as a crime, not a way to resolve a misunderstanding. Training was one thing, killing without reason was another.
But what if the victim had deserved to be murdered? That would change the whole meaning wouldn't it? Blackstorm had told them that the Clans were weak, and if frog-brained cowards like them were going to rule the forest, they ought to do something about it. But if they were such cowards, why did they fight without hesitation? It seemed clear to him, that those Clans were willing to put up with anything to keep what was theirs. Midnight knew since Blackstorm had brought him to his camp, that there had to be more.
Despite those feelings he had, deep down he felt in the right place when in battle. With his claws unsheathed and teeth at the ready, he was free. To sink his fangs into an opponent was like he was out hunting, and he had just caught a meaty hawk. The taste of blood on his tongue was like water on the driest day of greenleaf. The enemy falling limp was victory over life and death. The love for fighting he had was within him since he was born, for he loved the sound of his and Dahlia's squeals as they wrestled in the heather, being watched over by their parents. He had just never chosen to embrace him until now. It didn't make him evil, just fierce and ferocious. He was doing this under the will of Blackstorm, not for his own pleasure. Or at least that is what he was trying to convince himself. His leader had shown him the life he was meant to live, and how to live it. If he could thank him in anyway, it would be in destroying the Clans and ruling the forest, if that is what must be done to satisfy him.
"Midnight, sir."
Midnight looked to his side. He had not noticed a tabby tom walk up to him. Blood dripped down his face where it had been torn. "Yes? You are not Slayer. What are you doing here?"
"I just needed to let you know," said the tabby, "That there is an intruder at the front of the camp. Screech and Demon are guarding it. We thought that you should go speak to it."
"You thought correctly," Midnight said quickly, rising to his paws. "Has it said anything to you about where it came from or who it is?"
"No," the tabby replied, starting to lead him away, "Well, at least I don't think so. It keeps yelling something about a storm and a willow tree. Must be bonkers."
Midnight tried not to yelp. Storm? Willow tree? He swallowed, and prayed silently that he had misheard the tabby.
As they approached the congregation of cats accumulated in a crowd, murmuring and whispering to one another, Midnight stopped. Drawing in a sharp breath, he said, "Show the intruder."
The cats of the Black Horror slowly began backing away. After a few moments, all that stood there, were a ginger tom and a tawny tom, and between them, with a fearful look in her eyes, was an almost too familiar, brown and golden she-cat with dark amber eyes. When she saw, him, she widened her gaze. Midnight did the same.
"Storm?" She asked. "Is that really you?"
Midnight flicked his tail and hissed. "No, you bastard. Your son his gone. I am now Midnight, leader of the Black Horror. After all this time why have you come back? I thought you hated us. After father died you have treated me and Dahlia like crow-food, like we were nothing to you."
"I was lost, Storm," Fawn murmured. "And I was grieving. I had to take my anger out on somebody, and you were the two that were closest. I never wanted to hurt you, I just did. Please forgive me."
Midnight knew he couldn't, not after what she had done to them, and it took her this long to finally say it. It was almost funny how she thought it would all be over as soon as he spoke.
So he didn't. He wanted her suffering to be slow and painful.
Tell me what you thought! Please review! It means a lot to me. Even if you just put a :) that will still make me feel good. Review!
Be sure to vote on my poll for Sunpaw's warrior name.
~Destiny