I totally love you guys! I deserve this update! I will try to update more often, since I have another Warriors fic in mind, and I'm sure it will be a hit! Here are my review responses, thanks to all who reviewed! You all made this such a success story! Literally!
Dawnfire101: Hm… Maybe! Lol, everyone is a suspect!
Mally and Thalia: Thanks! That was really sweet!
Bubblewhisper: Ha, maybe you will get your wish!
GardevoirLove4ever: Blue died. So is Bone and Dagger. But Redclaws is still around…
Dragonclaw11: That was so sweet, thank you so much!
Goldestar: (Look at GardevoirLove4ever's response!) And yes, I do realize that I did't tell where Shatterpaw was, and I was saving that for another chapter. Believe or not, I have the whole thing planned! And I do not take offense to criticism, and I actually appreciate our review! I forgot to mention that Shatterpaw's whereabouts would be! :P
Leopardclaw13: It would be best to start at chapter 16 of Dark Rose, all of Lime's Journey, and all of Dark Rose 2: Heather's Prophecy. Yup, I like to tie all of my stories together. :P
Here is the story! I don't own Warriors. :(
This is in Featherpaw POV. :)
Chapter 12
He didn't like the budding alliance between his sisters. Everyday, they seemed to get closer and closer. Mosspaw and Cricketpaw always shared meals, shared tongues, and practiced battle fighting together. Was he jealous that he was left out on the sibling love he had never experienced? He didn't understand it. All he knew was that his sisters were finally getting along after all these moons, the fighter and the gossiper, and now he and Coalpaw were free to be together.
Except Coalpaw didn't want to be together.
Must his everyday life be filled with she cat drama? Ugh! Whenever he would try to speak to Coalpaw, the she cat would hurry away quickly, her pretty- no beautiful blue eyes dark with sadness. He knew that it wasn't her brother, Hailpaw. The tom actually wanted his sister to be with Featherpaw, so that wasn't the problem. He was starting to think that Cricketpaw had scared her away.
Anyway, after Shatterpaw mysteriously disappeared and returned from the dirtplace, Goldenheart had been going crazy even worse than the day before. She muttered of an army of cats from a twoleg place, a patrol of the blood thirsty murderers slaying a black she cat, howling in glee while the she cat wailed under the agony of the long claws being stabbed into her, ripping her apart. She dreamed of blue heathers in a dark meadow, and a patrol of 7 cats diving into the blood stained lake. These dreams began to take hold of her, ripping the medicine cat apart. She mumbled of warriors past, speaking to her, telling her it was time for action, and now she spent all day muttering the words of the prophecy no one could figure out.
Featherpaw had overheard Dawnstar and Longtuft trying to decipher the prophecy, but they came out disappointed, for they could not understand any of it. All they knew was that there would be a traitor amongst the heros that would save the clan, and that the Dark Forest was just as much a victim as ThunderClan was, for the last line included their domain. Who the prophesied cats were and how they were supposed to defeat the killer was unknown, and that just may be their true weakness.
Featherpaw's gray tipped ears pricked as a caterwaul of wails came from the medicine den. Immediately, Featherpaw assumed another murder, but so far the last death was Antberry's. The killings had paused, until today.
Cats stormed out of the dens, shooting for the medicine den. Featherpaw glanced angrily around, challenging any unfamiliar faces, suspected killers. Instead, Goldenheart was dragged out, wailing and sobbing her green eyes closed by senior warriors. Dawnstar dashed to the stressed she cat's side as Goldenheart screamed and thrashed. Featherpaw winced as the golden medicine cat let out a spine chilling shriek of bloody murder before opening her eyes and panting heavily.
ThunderClan stood by, their eyes wide in fear at the demonic act the medicine cat had displayed. Goldenheart started to sob as she buried her face in Dawnstar's dusky black fur. She gave out tiny wails of despair as she mumbled out what happened.
"They… started to choke me… they wanted to get something in the apprentice den! They told me… if I didn't give them what they wanted… they would give me a horrible death, just like the other cats they killed." she cried. Dawnstar's eyes widened as the medicine cat continued.
"Then the images of all our murdered cats… Daisy, Bramblestar, Spiderleg, Ferncloud, Antberry. They all came to me, but they weren't exactly… whole." Goldenheart choked out between back racking sobs. Dawnstar hushed her and gently pushed her to continue.
"What did they show you?" she meowed gently. Goldenheart started to tremble violently as she explained the vision.
"Their bodies, they were burnt. Not really burnt, but it was like something had rotted them. They had flesh hanging out, and their bodies were black, all fur gone. They were bathed in blood, and their faces were…" Featherpaw's heart broke at the despairing sight of the haunted she cat. Goldenheart seemed so helpless, like she was cornered into a cave, nowhere to run. But wasn't that how we really were? Cornered, destined to die? A slim whisker length of hope to live on as our empty deaths dawned on us?
"They didn't really have any faces. No eyes, teeth sharp and enlarged, tongue ripped out, ears clawed and whiskers pulled. They were barely recognizable, but I was still able to tell who was who." the golden she cat had calmed down slightly, but was still fazed.
"What else?" Longtuft urged. Goldenheart narrowed her eyes and shot up.
"This is all your faults! There is someone here that the killers want, but you won't figure it out!" seethed Goldenheart. Dawnstar backed away cautiously, the maniac look in the once gentle she cat's eyes were filled to the brink with hate. Hate aimed at every single cat in the clan.
"Goldenheart, calm down-" Dawnstar started, but the she cat lashed out.
"No, I will not calm down! Of course the medicine cat should have all these visions! We have to suffer the pain of the decaying bodies of our dead clan mates, the evil glint in the murderer's eye, the blood filled lake, the blackness of our exposed dreams! I can't even sleep without being plagued with nightmares of the dead and the victims of fate!" the she cat screamed. ThunderClan began to stir restlessly, anxiously, as if to see what Dawnstar would do.
"Goldenheart, I'm so sorry, but there is nothing we can do!" the leader protested. Goldenheart sneered as she stepped back.
"Oh there is, and I intend to do it!" she snarled, claws unsheathing. "I intend to stop these nightmares, once and for all! It's because of all of you these dreams come to me!" she laughed with sick humor. Dawnstar's eyes widened, realizing what the young she cat was about to do.
"Goldenheart, please-" "NO!" Goldenheart howled. "This is my choice! You will have to find a new medicine cat! I am leaving!" she fumed before heading out of camp. Warriors began to corner her, but Goldenheart slashed at their faces.
"Touch me and you'll get a mighty deep scratch that no one will fix!" she threatened with rage as she backed away out of camp. Dawnstar and the rest of the clan watched helplessly as their only medicine cat left them for good.
The last flash of the retreating gold figure burned into Featherpaw's brain, leaving him convinced that this was the end for ThunderClan.
~oOo~
The clan had recovered from losing their medicine cat more quickly than Dawnstar did. The dusky leader was even more stressed about finding a quality medicine cat for the time being. It was turning dark before Dawnstar padded out and called up Thornclaw, Whitewing, Bumblestripe and Featherpaw. He was surprised that Dawnstar had called him until he saw that his mentor Thornclaw was coming too.
"I need you to go over to ShadowClan and ask Rowanstar to let us borrow his medicine cat apprentice, Poisonpaw." the leader of ThunderClan meowed curtly. Thornclaw's eyes widened and he stepped back in shock.
"Dawnstar, he would never allow it! He can't just give us a warrior! That would be preposterous! We'd be lucky if Rowanstar gave us a mousetail for all he cares about us!" exclaimed the golden brown tom in astonishment. Dawnstar shook her head and sighed.
"Thornclaw, just trust me. He will make an exception. This is the exact right time to ask him, please. Just go." Dawnstar croaked. Suddenly, Featherpaw noticed the slight gleam of madness Goldenheart had in her eyes, now transferred to Dawnstar's. Her once pure, bright amber eyes now held that tint of darkness that was haunting ThunderClan.
As the patrol stepped out, Dawnstar called out from behind, "and if you don't get him, don't bother coming back at all!" Thornclaw paused in shock for a moment before continuing. Only Featherpaw heard the last few words of the command.
"Maybe it's better for you all not to come back…"
~oOo~
The patrol sat patiently at the border between ShadowClan and ThunderClan patiently, waiting for a ShadowClan group to come and bring them to camp.
"Do you think the will come?" Featherpaw asked Thornclaw nervously. The older tom held his chin high and nodded.
"There should be a parol around now." he meowed briskly before scolding his apprentice. "Stop looking so sullen! Look strong, but polite." Immediately, Featherpaw copied his mentor's posture, the sitting form, straight back and curled tail, the high chin and the puffed chest. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hide the paranoia in his blue eyes that threatened to give him away when the ShadowClan patrol stepped from the shadows.
"I thought I smelled squirrel cats." sneered Swampfrost from the other side of the border. Bumblestripe stiffened behind him from the insult, but kept his cool.
"What do you want, ThunderClan?" snapped Olivenose, a frost gray she cat with dark green eyes. Thornclaw hold his head high and spoke in authority.
"We wish to speak to Rowanstar. It is urgent. Please, we need to speak with him." Starlingbreeze smirked from behind Olivenose.
"And why should we say yes?" the brown and black tom snickered. Featherpaw dug his claws into the earth.
"Because Rowanstar will tie your tails to a pine tree if you pass up an opportunity to take advantage of ThunderClan. he blurted out. He felt Thornclaw's surprised gaze on him, but the apprentice kept his cool and level gaze with the ShadowClan cats. Slowly, Thornclaw dragged his gaze away from his apprentice and nodded to the ShadowClan cats.
"Yes, my apprentice is correct. Now, will you please take us to Rowanstar?" he meowed. Featherpaw's spirits soared as the ShadowClan cats nodded and escorted them to camp. The ShadowClan ground turned marshy and pine woody as they entered deep into their territory.
The ShadowClan patrol consisted of Olivenose, Swampfrost, Starlingbreeze, Palefur and Cloudflower. Featherpaw recognized Cloudflower and Olivenose from the Gathering. The rest were alien to him, as he was to them.
Soon, they were at the camp, and Thornclaw was surprised to find Rowanstar waiting at the entrance to the clan meeting place.
"Olivenose, I was told you were going to pick up some stray clan cats." purred the ShadowClan leader menacingly. Then he sighed. "I was also told that they came in peace, and that they only wanted to ask something of me." the dark ginger tom narrowed his eyes at the ThunderClan patrol. "Something very big." Thornclaw nodded and greeted the leader.
"Greetings, Rowanstar. Indeed we did come to ask something large of you, but first we must explain why we need this." Rowanstar raised an eyebrow at the tom before gesturing them inside the den.
"Come, we have a lot to talk about." Thornclaw's patrol nodded and stepped into the leader den. Featherpaw recoiled at the horrible ShadowClan scent that filled the den, before sitting down. Rowanstar nodded and ordered them to speak. Thornclaw began.
"ThunderClan, as you know has been experiencing some killings, done by a mysterious group of cats. We have lost many lives to this killer, and recently, our medicine cat, Antberry." Rowanstar dipped in head in gracious sorrow.
"I am so sorry, he was a fine cat as I knew him. He had so much life to live. So many lives to save. ShadowClan grieves for your loss." Thornclaw nodded generously.
"Thank you. Now, our other medicine cat, Goldenheart has recently… gone mad with nightmares of horrid bodies of our dead and visions of the killer, threatening her. Just today, she had her worst one yet. She was screaming and thrashing." Rowanstar looked at them with awe.
"Is this true?" he breathed. Featherpaw, Whitewing and Bumblestripe nodded. Thornclaw continued.
"Goldenheart ran away today, it was probably for the better. She didn't want to deal with anymore dreams, so she left us. She threatened to kill any who stood in our way. She truly went mad." Thornclaw admitted. Featherpaw felt a prick of uneasiness at the information they were splaying out in front of the ShadowClan leader. But they had to. There was no other way.
Finally, Rowanstar spoke. "And what is it you want?" he meowed quietly. The apprentice winced at the cautious light in the leader's eyes. Thornclaw inhaled and meowed, "we want to borrow Poisonpaw. Just so that he can teach some of our cats common knowledge about herbs until we find another cat sent from StarClan." Rowanstar didn't react, just stared levelly at Thornclaw.
"And what do ShadowClan get in return for this gracious gift of our own medicine apprentice?" Featherpaw's jaw dropped. He would do it?
"You'd do it?" he gasped out loud. Thornclaw shot him a warning glance while Rowanstar observed him carefully. Ashamed, Featherpaw shuffled his paws eagerly, waiting for the outcome.
"What would you like, Rowanstar? Prey? Territory? What?" Thornclaw meowed through grit teeth. The leader smiled deviously.
"I don't want any of that. But I do have my eye on something…" he purred. Featherpaw went rigid as the leader's gaze set on him.
"An eye for an eye… an apprentice... for an apprentice."
~oOo~
"I can't believe that Rowanstar would trade me for ThunderClan!" huffed Poisonpaw as he trudged down the ThunderClan territory. Featherpaw glanced sideways at the pure black she cat with pale violet eyes. This cat sure struck him as poison. The dark gleam in her eyes that could paralyze any cat, the jet black fur that exclaimed threat. This cat was true to her namesake.
"Don't worry, I'm not too happy about anything either." Featherpaw muttered. Poisonpaw shot him a gaze lined with daggers as she fumbled throughout the ThunderClan brush.
"Great StarClan! How do you live like this? Twigs threatening to stab your pads every step, no pine needles to cushion your paws. Ugh! ThunderClan is so annoying!" she complained. Rowanstar who followed Thornclaw glanced back amused.
"Don't worry Poisonpaw, you'll get used to it." the young she cat glared fire at her leader as she trotted on a thorn.
"Fox dung! My paw!" she wailed as she licked her paw. Featherpaw saw the large ThunderClan thorn peep out of her pad before the medicine cat apprentice expertly pulled it out with a flick of her neck. Poisonpaw violently spat out the thorn, sending it flying over the bushes. A tiny puddle of blood appeared at the corner of her wound.
"Great, and no marigold in sight." she cursed. Featherpaw felt a little sorry for the she cat. Obviously, she was only this mean and angry because her clan was trading her to the enemy. Featherpaw's heart damped as he realized that the same would be done with ThunderCan.
"I'm sorry. When we get back, which won't be far, you will be able to put some on your pad." he assured her. The black she cat rounded up on him and spat.
"I don't need your comforting! I am fine on my own! That's all I will have when I get to your dump hole!" she huffed before spinning away. Featherpaw stared after, his mind reeling. Poisonpaw would warm up to ThunderClan soon. He was sure.
~oOo~
"All apprentices line up." meowed Dawnstar dully from High Rock. Featherpaw saw his sisters, Coalpaw and Hailpaw step out of the nursery anxiously as they were called.
"My my, Dawnstar. Not much to offer I see." Rowanstar purred. Dawnstar paled, but Rowanstar flicked his tail and shrugged.
"Nonetheless, I see two that I really do like. I would like to see them battle." I saw Cricketpaw's eyes darken as she unsheathed her claws. Mosspaw meowed to her gently as they moved forward.
Suddenly, Rowanstar attacked all the apprentices, claws unsheathed. Cats gasped, but then realized that this was part of the plan.
Rowanstar swiped at Featherpaw, but he dodged it and spat. He pushed the leader over and pummeled his stomach until he was shoved off by one of the leader's hind legs. Rowanstar then attacked Hailpaw, tearing the apprentice's ear in the process.
Hailpaw hissed and smacked the side of Rowanstar's head, fazing the dark ginger tom for a heartbeat. That was when Mosspaw and Coalpaw attacked him simultaneously. Featherpaw was impressed. Coalpaw showed some very awesome skill. The gray she cat was a blur as she raced all around, swiping and clawing at the ShadowClan leader mercilessly. Featherpaw lay dazed, all senses focused on the beautiful gray dappled she cat. Suddenly, a paw landed in front of Featherpaw's face, sending him out of the fight. He felt paws on his shoulders and Longtuft's scent waft over him.
"You're out." he murmured. Featherpaw froze and nodded in relief. He watched the other apprentices fight some more. Soon, Mosspaw got out and so did Hailpaw. Now it was just Cricketpaw and Coalpaw. Rowanstar was very battered, his ear bleeding like a gushing river, yet all three kept fighting.
"Very impressive!" grunted Rowanstar as Cricketpaw slashed at his belly, drawing a little blood. Coalpaw hissed and knocked Rowanstar to the ground, pining his front paws, while Cricketpaw pinned his back. Soon the ShadowClan leader was sprawled on the cold, hard ground with nothing he could do but lash his tail angrily back and forth.
"Fox dung!" he meowed good naturally. Dawnstar nodded and told the two she cats to let him up. Coalpaw immediately let go, while Cricketpaw snapped at him before prying her claws out and standing back.
"Well, who do you want?" meowed Dawnstar wearily. Rowanstar chuckled, licking his plentiful wounds.
"Can I have both?" he chuckled. "After all, Poisonpaw is a charm." Featherpaw saw the black ShadowClan cat blush and smirk. Dawnstar recoiled and snapped at the ShadowClan leader.
"Just one! Besides, we are trading back anyway." Featherpaw knew how much it hurt the ThunderClan leader to do this to her cats by the look in her amber gaze. Coalpaw and Cricketpaw held their breathes- well, Coalpaw held her breath. Cricketpaw shot death glares at the ShadowClan leader as he inspected them carefully.
"This one," Rowanstar pointed to Cricketpaw "is a fierce fighter. Very good qualities in a ShadowClan cat." he purred. Then he moved to Coalpaw. Featherpaw tensed as the leader checked the she cat gleefully. "This one is very pretty…" he purred. Featherpaw snarled, but a brown and white tail held him back.
"Wait…" a voice murmured in his ear. Featherpaw glanced back to see Mosspaw's gaze intent on the scene.
"Well. This is not permanent, so I would like this one. After all, who wouldn't want a pretty face around." Rowanstar smirked as he led the she cat away.
"And don't worry. He training will resume. Just in… ShadowClan style." as the she cat got led away, the reaming apprentice stared at her black paws in sadness.
And Featherpaw watched the love of his life walk away in silence because… Rowanstar chose Coalpaw
~oOo~
"Hey, are you okay?" Featherpaw turned around to see a fluffy white tom he recognized as Snowflash bounce up to him. Featherpaw shrugged and padded away. Snowflash followed in pursuit, and Featherpaw stared at the tom wearily.
"What do you what?" the tom's turquoise gaze grew serious as he looked at the younger tom.
"I want to speak to you and your siblings." he meowed hardily. Featherpaw narrowed his blue eyes and glanced at his sisters sharing a vole together.
"Okay, what for?" he meowed, uncertain. Snowflash smiled half heartedly and nodded towards his sisters.
"Go get them, and meet me at the lake. Hurry." and with that, the tom disappeared, leaving Featherpaw to fetch his little sisters.
~oOo~
"Why the heck are you dragging us here? Don't you think we have had enough happen for today?" Featherpaw itched to sink his claws into Mosspaw's neck, to shut her up, but no. He couldn't.
"Just be quiet." he muttered as they broke into the clearing. Featherpaw saw Snowflash waiting for them expectantly, his gaze narrowed as the three cats padded up to him.
"Hello Featherpaw, Mosspaw and Cricketpaw." Snowflash meowed gently. Cricketpaw flicked her tail nonchalantly, ignoring the warm greeting of the older tom. "Yeah, so why are we here?" Snowflash smiled gruesomely.
"Not here, follow me." he meowed. The three siblings followed the tom a little further, to a little land with moss covering the trees and rocks, a large boulder you can sun on, and a perfect view of the lake. All was hidden from ShadowClan or RiverClan eyes. It was an amazing get away place. Snowflash looked at the place for a heartbeat before turning to the kits.
"I am here to give you information. As you all know, there have been killings in ThunderClan-" "duh" Mosspaw interrupted. Snowflash nodded patiently, his deep blue eyes shining with an emotion Featherpaw couldn't read..
"The prophecy that Antberry had given you will help you defeat the killers. But the prophecy is very tricky, but I feel that I know the first line." Featherpaw pricked his ears in amazement. And not the good kind.
"Then why are you telling us? Not Dawnstar?" he exploded. Mosspaw and Cricketpaw looked at him startled, but he didn't care. "You could have saved Goldenheart from going off! Coalpaw wouldn't need to be in ShadowClan, living on frogs and wetland! Dawnstar wouldn't be such a wreck, and the clan wouldn't be in such distress! You could do so much for the us!" he exclaimed. Snowflash rolled his eyes.
"The daughters and son of the heathers are you. You never knew your mother and father, but you were okay with it. You never interacted much because you never felt that connection of the siblings that is blessed from when you are born. Suckling format he same mother, growing up under the warm gaze of a mother." Snowflash's gaze darkened.
"Then who's our mother?" Mosspaw meowed curiously. Featherpaw was also wondering that, why did their mother abandon them? Who was their father? Finally, Snowflash answered after a long pause.
"Your mother is the leader of the Dark Forest, Heatherstream, your father is in the clans." Snowflash meowed cautiously. Cricketpaw huffed, satisfied.
"Short and sweet and to the point. Nice." she mused. Mosspaw grinned. Snowflash smiled at the she cat. "Thank you." he meowed graciously.
"Wait… I'm picking up on a coincidence! Heatherstream? Blue heathers!" exclaimed Mosspaw. The white warrior smirked and nodded.
"Yes, you are the prophesied cats." he purred. Featherpaw frowned.
"Wait, how do you know all this? he meowed angrily. The three other cats stared at him for his sudden rage filled emotion. Snowflash cleared his throat and spoke gently.
"Your mother and I were very good friends. We made the journey to SkyClan together. We saw each other through thick and thin, good and bad. We were very close." he stated. His blue eyes softened.
"This was her place before she became the leader of the Dark Forest." he meowed softly. Featherpaw nodded. He knew the story of how Heatherstream became the leader of the Dark Forest. Suddenly, Snowflash spoke. "Heatherstream told me that once the prophecy unraveled itself, that I must tell you everything." Cricketpaw's eye twitched, then she meowed through grit teeth.
"Wait, you knew? About everything. The prophecy, the-" Snowflash halted her, and meowed.
"Everything will be shown. But first you must flee to your mother. It is the only way you will be safe." Mosspaw gasped.
"Wait, what about ThunderClan? The killers will still hunt them-" the white tom shook his head.
"No, they will feel that you left this territory. The Dark Forest is waiting for you, they are prepared. You will be well guarded, and the killings will stop." Mosspaw sat back down and nodded curtly.
"So, where do we go? Do we just…" Snowflash shook his head. "I will explain to Dawnstar. You will be sent in your dreams. The Dark Forest is the same as StarClan, higher than anything. You must sleep to be there." Featherpaw sighed and shrugged.
"Then who is the killer?" squeaked Mosspaw. Cricketpaw growled in agreement, unsheathing her claws and digging them into the earth. Snowflash smiled gruesomely.
"They are exactly what you call them. Killers." he meowed. Featherpaw frowned as he realized that the tom wasn't going to give away any more.
"When do we go?" he meowed. Snowflash's eyes glinted.
"Now."
Sorry the last paragraph seemed rushed. I really wanted to update today, you all really deserved it. So, today's poll was submitted by Katerwaul in a direct message! Have a Snowflash plushy!
Fill in the blank. "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there! With a_"
~Swanie