We're back! I hope you guys missed us xx
Chapter Thirteen
*Midnightstorm*
I stand in the snow outside the medicine den. The moon shines down, giving the snow an ethereal glow.
It would be so beautiful.
If…
I shake myself and taste the air. I hear Echosong's steady, weak heartbeat.
Weak – but alive. She will live. That is all that matters.
Ravenclaw joins me, draping her tail around me to break my stare.
"Oh, my sister what have we done?" Her gray eyes search mine but I can give her only a bleak stare.
I don't know.
"We're late." I mew breaking the silence. My voice is horse. I haven't spoken for two days. When I took Lilacpaw out I communicated with gestures. I'd lied saying that it was for battle training.
But really I've lost hope on words. What good are they when all they do is hurt? Words are messy. Words are painful, words are complicated – silence, silence is simple.
"Why this vow of silence?" is it too tempting to tell on us?
I shoot her a hurt look. Words are messy. Words hurt. Then I stand, stretching and find Lionstar.
"Jayfeather doesn't want to leave her." I mew to him my voice still horse.
"Should we just go?" Lionstar asks, sounding exasperated at his brother. I give him a what do you think? look. He calls the gathering patrol to order. Ravenclaw melts from the shadows taking her place. I've made sure she's on every patrol. So really, I'm as much to blame.
Blossomfall stands haughtily in the middle of camp watching us all. I've been careful to keep her name off. Something must be done about her. I don't trust her, not at all.
We head out, a shiver dancing on my spine as Echo's warning prophecy echoes in my ears.
*Ravenclaw*
Our dark pelts merge as one, hidden in these tall grasses. It would be so easy now for someone to find us.
So easy for it
to
all
fall
apart.
"It was a bloodbath." He mews, his voice shaking next to me. It took so long to get him to open up. To break the outside and see who he is behind the mask.
But now words flow like blood from him and it is almost impossible to remember a time when he was silent. His words stumble and trip over each other on their way out, getting trapped in his throat as his eyes shine.
"Hush," I whisper stroking him with my tail, wishing I could stroke away the pain, and the blood, so much blood, that stains him. "It's not your fault."
"I didn't stop it." His eyes are haunted, the nightmare living in them.
"But you didn't fight. Not for them, and you never will again." His look of thanks sends shivers through me and I melt into him, purring perhaps a little too loud.
"Your turn to hush." He mews, a lilting, teasing light back in his eyes. From somewhere far away a yowl reverberates calling the gathering to order. But I don't want to go and learn of more pain, and I'm so tired. So tired.
I let everything weighing me down win, pinning me next to him. Instead of rising like I should I close my eyes and twine our tails, and purr without caring who might hear me.
*Midnightstorm*
I watch them wishing for fury. I want to be angry at the fools. But nothing slides through blood, heating it to a crescendo.
We fought here in this glade pelt to pelt; he fought like a demon to protect me. I fought for him.
He broke my heart here on this bloodstained dirt. He let it shatter here among the tufts of fur and torn up earth.
How?
How could love just vanish like that? He promised. He promised he would fight for me. He promised he would wait for me. Instead he just walked away.
She promised. She said she would let me have him. Instead she let him break me.
Why?
Why would he just give up? Why would he leave me? Why would he stop caring? Why would he change?
Why did this happen to me?
The Gathering's going on all around me, above me, in front of me, but I don't see it. I can hardly hear the raised voices. I'm stuck in yesterday and I never want to leave.
A warm pelt startles mine.
A ginger tom with bright green eyes is glaring at me. He's see-through.
What are you doing?
Oh. The Gathering. The DF.
"Midnightstorm?" everything hits me like a rush of cold clear water. Sound floods back through my mind and I look up at Lionstar, begging him not to kill me.
"Have you sensed any activity?"
"The Dark Forest? Um no, actually, nothing, it's like they vanished. Except –"
"What? What did you see?" Onestar is scrutinizing me clearly, obviously trying to tell if I'll live up to my hype.
"I heard yowling. A battle. In ShadowClan. It didn't sound like it ended well."
"Midnightstorm!" Lionstar yelps my name glaring at me shocked and embarrassed.
"What? He asked me a question. I told him the truth." I reply bluntly.
"Did you not go to them?" Mistystar asks, gazing at Lionstar critically.
"They left us to die!" Lionstar growls, "Besides, would they even have accepted our help?"
"The old ShadowClan?" Mistystar muses, "No. But this one? Yes, I believe they would have."
"I, I –" Lionstar stammers, flustered, burning my pelt with his furious eyes.
"I understand, do not mistake me," Mistystar mews, easing Lionstar's worries, "I would not have gone either, why waste lives for cats who don't care?"
A scream of rage and frustration bubbles in my throat, that's not fair!
"However," she continues, "They are not here. I don't believe Blackstar would stop coming, he wants to know the news even if he doesn't share any. They must need our help."
"They needed our help days ago!" I hiss, the words slipping out. The leaders gaze down on me curiously.
"Continue." Onestar mews tartly.
"I heard them!" I mew, the words I've been dying to say bursting out, "They were dying, half devastated, if they're not all dead! If you're finally willing to act we must go now!"
"You're one to talk you don't even have a medicine cat!" Onestar mews, frowning at me.
"I know the basic skills; I'll stand in for Jayfeather." I reply at once causing shock to flit across his face.
"Well, she told us." Mistystar mews regarding me appraisingly. "Shall we go?"
"Not all of us I hope!" Onestar mews sounding scandalized.
"Of course not." Mistystar mews looking at Onestar in disgust, she's thinking simple cat! "Take your deputy and senior warriors. RiverClan you are dismissed!"
She jumps down from her perch lightly, meeting her patrol. Lionstar lands heavily next to me, still glaring.
"I don't care if you are my niece and StarClan's protégée; if you speak out of turn like that again I will replace you." He hisses in my ear as we join our own patrol.
I ignore him. Perhaps I have been too kind to silence. I will not stand by – not anymore.
We walk on, merging with the other patrols, going at leisurely pace as if we are just strolling by the lake. I want to yowl at them all to hurry up, but I've pushed my luck enough – so instead I clamp my jaw shut and keep walking.
*Ravenclaw*
My heart is light with jubilance. With the Gathering being cut short and everyone going home, we have the whole night to be with each other!
"We seem to be in debt to Midnightstorm quite often." Onyxnight mews in my ear, "Thank her for me, will you?"
I laugh, happy and carefree at the thought of the look on her face, and mew, "Of course."
A tingling feely erupts down my spine. Like someone's watching us. But all the other cats left ages ago. I push away my uneasiness for lightheartedness.
Maybe then I should have realized then that I was in far too deep.
*Midnightstorm*
We're quiet as we walk through the deserted territory. Guilt consumes the air, almost smothering me.
The rank stench of blood and death is so strong that even the other cats picked it up when we reached the border.
Everyone is hanging their heads, fearful that we will find no cat left alive – and that it will be all our faults.
Did it really happen? Did the Dark Forest really win? Did they really shave off a Clan so four is now three?
I force my senses father ahead and pick up stirring in the camp – there is life, some cats live.
We should have come.
I walk faster, propelled by shame and soon I'm running, dodging through the trees, using Tigerheart's mind to map my way.
When I reach the camp I see a nightmare.
Cats lay dead in the center as others weep over their bodies. The medicine den is overflowing with injured and dying. Not one part of the camp has been spared – it's all destroyed.
"Midnightstorm?" Tigerheart's voice is filled with shock. I turn and feel tears flood my eyes.
He looks worse than I've ever seen him, even after that awful Gathering night. Fur is missing on almost half his body and several long scratches cover him. He looks smaller, like the fight took a part of him. His ears are shredded and in poultices. But clearly he's one of the best off. I scan the clearing frantically looking for the one pelt I don't see. I can't tell her.
"He's in the medicine den. Fever. He hasn't woken up since he passed out after the battle. He lost so much blood – and his wounds got infected. I-I don't know if he'll make it." Tigerheart mews answering my unasked questions with a heavy tone.
"We tried to come." I mew quickly, I have to justify myself, "I heard the battle and I went straight to Lionstar – but he wouldn't let us –"
"You tried? If you had tried you would have been here!" I flinch away from his words, not even bothering to cover up my hurt.
"I swear!" I beg my old friend seeing the shadow of his brother appear behind him.
"Whatever." He mutters looking away. The rest of the patrol arrives, similar looks of shock on their faces. Willowshine goes immediately to the medicine den, followed by a stunned Kestrelflight, and the leaders gather around me and Tigerheart.
"Where's Blackstar, Tigerheart?" Lionstar mews gently.
"Dead." He mews harshly and sharply.
"Your father?"
"Along with him." Tigerheart replies, his tone not changing in the slightest. I see pain flash through Flametail's eyes, seen only by me.
Why didn't you tell me?
I couldn't, it wasn't your burden to bear. Besides I was forbidden.
"They left you no one?" Mistystar mews in shock.
"They never show compassion, why are you surprised?" Tigerheart half snarls.
"Tigerheart –" I try but he cuts me off.
"I have Clanmates to bury. Talk to Littlecloud." The he storms away, but reaching the next corpse he beds down gently and lifts them up. There will be no elders at this burial.
I exchange heartbroken looks with the others and walk to the medicine den.
"Littlecloud you don't have tansy, or dock!" Willowshine is mewing.
"We ran out ages ago and I haven't had time to get any!" he mews back, his voice close to hysterical.
"I'll go!" I mew at once and flee the den and the camp running as fast as I can.
It's not hard to find the herbs, but I'm shaking all over – terrified by the fact that the broken Clan I left behind could have been ThunderClan.
"Midnightstorm," I glance up to see Flametail. "I'm sorry, my brother, he's just upset –"
"I don't blame him. I would be too." I mew softly, trying to calm myself down.
"You aren't angry?" Flametail questions in surprise.
"With him? How can I be? No I'm angry with myself." I reply bitterness weighing down my voice.
"It's not your fault." Flametail whispers.
"It feels like it is." I reply dully.
"It's not."
"I need to get the herbs back." I mew after a few beats of silence.
"Yeah, I guess you do… and I need to get back to StarClan… I'll visit as soon as I can." He mews, trying to catch my eye.
"I'll stay as long as they need me." I mew, glancing up and letting him.
"Thank you." He fades away and I pick the herbs back up and race back to the camp.
Dusk has fallen when I leave the medicine den. We're getting there, but by no means is ShadowClan okay again. I'm not leaving until they are.
"Midnightstorm, we need to appoint a leader and deputy." Mistystar mews as I join walk near their group.
"All right." I mew as I join them.
"Who would you recommend?" Lionstar mews. I open my mouth to answer when the smell of Yellowfang fills my nose and StarClan appears around me.
What did ya think? Review or you'll wait a week for another update.
So we want to know...
How many of you guys want MindightXNight to end? Should Midnightstorm still try and get him or just leave it?
What's your opinion on Midnight's crush on Flametail?
And a special thanks goes out to Moonpaw! Thank you for your review!
Please review! We'd really appreciate it :)
We love you guys! xx
-Echosong