Finally back from that trip! There were so many stairs I thought I would die. Stairs are my sworn enemy. I'm actually pretty exhausted, so I'm sorry if the writing is worse than usual and has some mistakes. Well, I hadn't planned on Emberstrike being this complicated, so... oops. ):
~Blizzard that Freezes Ice's P.O.V~
I flashed a glance at Emberstrike, curling my tail tighter around her neck. A dash of sorrow and grief lanced through me as I saw those bright amber eyes; so alike to the ones of… No. Stop. I couldn't think about it. Not now. I pulled the she-cat closer, unwilling to let her go. She even smelled alike. I felt grief squeeze my heart, and struggled to push it away.
"That's silly!" Emberstrike purred, her eyes brightening.
"You're fitting in here really well." I commented.
"I know." Emberstrike meowed, her ears flicking up. "Isn't it great? The mountains are so vast, so big… It's so fun to explore them; and all of the caves." Her expression fell suddenly, and her ears and head drooped. "I only wish Fallenpaw wouldn't ignore me." Her voice was sad.
I pressed tighter against her. "He has things he has to do." I meowed, my voice light and reassuring. It pained me to see her upset; even though I had only met her yesterday. She was just so similar… I shoved the thought out of my head again, flicking my tail in frustration. I felt a sense of protectiveness over her; I wouldn't make the same mistake as last time. I'm not a kit anymore. Instead of it being my fault, it would be me protecting her.
I frowned. What was I thinking? This she-cat wasn't her. This was a clan cat, not a tribe cat. The nagging familiarity between them slashed at my heart, but I ignored it. Every time she opened her mouth to speak; every word she said, cut into me like claws. But she was so familiar, I just felt devoted to her.
I glanced through the corner of my eye, seeing Fallenpaw gazing at me through narrowed eyes. He looked as if he wanted to rip me apart. His claws were unsheathed and scraping against the cold, hard rock. He stiffened and looked away as he caught my gaze, but his snarl and growl could be heard in my ears. I frowned.
I then looked at Emberstrike. The bright she-cat was casting short glances behind her to Fallenpaw, bewilderment and hurt in her amber orbs. She gazed sadly at me, her shoulders sagging and head lowered in defeat. She looked so hurt… So broken. Then it hit me. She loved Fallenpaw. I swung my broad head around, fixing him in my gaze. Did he love her? He better not hurt her.
A surge of protective feelings raced over me, and I gritted my jaw together. I didn't love Emberstrike, I knew that. I wasn't flirting and playing with her emotions either. I simply wanted to protect her. Her resemblance to her was too strong. Too much. And I felt this fiery urge to protect her; this feeling in me that I would not let the same thing happen again. I can't.
"Blizzard." A red she-cat bounced over to me, her amber eyes sparkling. "I'll play moss-ball with you while your mother goes on a patrol."
"No." I grinned at her, batting playfully at her nose. "We should go outside of the camp! We can be very fast, and nobody will catch us!" The she-cat flicked her red-tipped tail, frowning.
"I have to train, though." She pointed out, her red ears angling towards her mentor. "Being the next Stoneteller isn't easy, you know." The Teller Of Pointed Stones padded over, his eyes glittering.
"Come, Ember that Burns Bright. It is not often that I leave the cave. We must go train." He ordered, his voice deep but also frail with age.
"I promised my mother that I would take care of him while she went out on patrol with the his mother." Ember protested. "I can't just leave him."
Stoneteller sighed, his voice suddenly becoming thick with affection for her. "Alright then. Do as your mother says." Turning away, his voice became slightly wistful. "Dawn of Pale Light was always a sweet soul." His eyes then flashed, and he became the tough cat he always was. "We train tomorrow, at pre-dawn." His voice was firm.
"Alright." Ember nodded, dipping her head.
"So we get to play!" I squealed, leaping upwards. "Take me out the camp! Please! I promise I'll be good!" I begged her, my tail flicking.
"Fine." Ember grunted, swinging me up by the scruff. I gazed at her through eyes round with affection. I felt a surge of love rush through me. I felt the familiar gnawing pain tugging at my heart as I remembered as the next Stoneteller, she could not take a mate. But I knew she cared for me.
"How is training going to be like? As a cave-guard?" I asked curiously.
"Not sure." Ember grunted through my scruff. "I'm not one."
I felt hot embarrassment run through me, and felt my cheeks get warm. I then forgot about it as I saw the vast mountains. We were away from the camp, and it was beautiful. It was incredible. It was amazing. It was the most wonderful sight I had ever seen. I glanced at the lush forests and the small streams running through them, imagining myself dipping my paws into the cool water.
"Let's go!" I squeaked, struggling out of her grip and stumbling obliviously forward. We padded peacefully, at least, for a while. But before we got the forest, disaster struck. I felt a shadow pass overhead, and instinctively flattened myself to the ground. I heard a screeching call, and then saw Ember lunge forward.
"Watch out!" She screeched, her eyes wide with alarm. She leapt at the large bird, raking her claws across it's wings. "Stay away from the eagle!"
I knew she couldn't fight it off by myself. But what could I do? I was a kit. I lunged forward, batting at it's humongous talons with my tiny paws. Ember yowled with pain as the eagle raked it's talons across her back and gripped her tight. I heard the crack of ribs. Then Ember fell limp.
Horror, pain, grief, numbness, fury all surged through me at once. The eagle rose gracefully off, carrying the beautiful she-cat in it's talons. I stared, stricken, at her slowly fading figure. One thought ran through my mind. If I hadn't brought her out here, this would have never happened. It was all my fault.
"All my fault." I mumbled subconsciously.
~•~•~•~•~•~
I glanced worriedly at Blizzard, and then my gaze flicked back to Fallenpaw. The two toms were stressing me out. "Blizzard, are you alright?" I meowed, prodding him gently with a paw.
"All my fault." He muttered again, gazing up at me.
"What is your fault." I demanded, irritation starting to take me. He had been sitting there, perfectly still, mumbling all my fault for quite a while now.
"Ember…" He meowed sorrowfully, his gaze darkened with sadness.
"Me?" I meowed, shocked. What did he do to me? Nothing.
"Ember… All my fault." His eyes were slightly glazed, and his shoulders slumped as he lay limply on the ground like a torn leaf. I frowned. I felt as if I were to comfort him; but there were more pressing matters. Like why Fallenpaw was ignoring me.
I padded towards the silver and black tom-cat, only to have him turn his back pointedly to me. I frowned, sitting next to him. As soon as our pelts brushed, he squirmed away from me, so there was half a fox-lengths width between us. "Hi?" I frowned.
"Hi." He responded shortly.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Mouse-bile smells good."
"Yeah."
I groaned, turning away from him. Why was he mad at me? Determination and frustration battled inside of me, and I rested my paw gently on his shoulder, and before he could shrug it off I yanked him around so he faced me.
"Why are you ignoring me." I demanded hotly.
No response.
"Answer!" I meowed angrily.
"Fine!" Fallenpaw swung his head around. "You don't think I've noticed you padding around with that Blizzard? Swooning over him… Acting like he had hung the moon?"
"What?" Shock raced through me, and then understanding. That was why he was acting so cold. So strange. He thought I was in love with Blizzard! I stifled a laugh. "I don't love Blizzard!" I giggled.
"Right." Fallenpaw growled. "Laugh at me, then." He turned away angrily.
"Hey. Hey." I prodded his shoulder with my paw. "Blizzard's nice and all, but he's just a friend! Really. We don't share tongues or anything, we just talk!"
"What about his tail wrapped around your neck?" Fallenpaw demanded, his tail lashing. I frowned. Now that I thought about it, it had felt so natural. I felt some sort of connection to Blizzard, like he was a past best friend that I couldn't seem to remember.
"Doesn't matter!" I exclaimed, leaping to my paws. I shoved my muzzle into Fallenpaw's shoulder. "You're the one I'm traveling with! You're the one I care about!" Nervousness ran through me as I wondered if he'd agree.
"Really?" He frowned. "It looked like you and Blizzard were really close."
"How close could we be." I frowned. "We have known each other for a day. I had known you forever. Besides, how could you possibly be jealous? I sacrificed my whole clan life for this life-threatening and perilous journey to be with you."
Luckily for me, his muzzle curled into a smile. "You're right. I was being mouse-brained. I guess I'm just stressed." He gestured towards some bushes on the edge of the camp. I shuffled after him.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Turns out that we have to get the tribe's allegiance." Fallenpaw sighed, his expression worried. "I think that Stormfur and Brooke's granddaughter is important to this, but I haven't even talked to her yet. Also, I don't think I've fully convinced Stoneteller."
"It's okay." I purred. "I'll help you." I pressed against him. "Now, how about a rest?"
"What time is it?" He meowed.
"It's actually almost midnight." I grinned at him. "Blizzard talks nonstop. It's quite irritating actually." Fallenpaw flicked my tail with his flank, shooting me a smile.
"Okay."
"Alright." We padded towards the to-be's den, and settled down side by side in the scoop. It was covered with feathers and moss, and was actually surprisingly comfortable and warm. I snuggled with Fallenpaw, resting my head against his stomach. I felt myself drift off to sleep.
I padded through a mountain. I frowned, confused. The sky was bright blue, and the leaves of the trees faraway were dancing in the gentle breeze. It was warm, warmer than it should be in leaf-fall. In fact, it didn't even look like leaf-fall. The mountain was gray and bright, vast with clear and clean streams trickling through them. I heard the thundering roar of a waterfall nearby.
"You must help combine the tribe and your clans." A she-cat meowed to me, her light brown tabby pelt glowing.
"Who are you?" I demanded.
The she-cat smiled gently, shuffling so she stood next to a gray, broad-shouldered tom-cat and a silver and black tabby. "I'm Brook where Small Fish Swim, that is my mate Stormfur and his sister Feathertail."
I felt in awe. "Hello." I meowed politely, dipping my head in courtesy. "Why are you in my dream?" I couldn't help but ask. I also didn't know what else to say.
"It's time you knew." Stormfur murmured. "Someone has to tell you."
Feathertail smiled sadly at me. "You weren't always Emberstrike. At one point of your life; you were someone else."
"What?" I gasped. Memories flooded through me like a torrent.
Running around the den. Putting beetles in Blizzard's nest. Giggling and playing. Oh, what an honor! Really? Me? As the next Stoneteller? I'm so glad mother told me! I'm a to-be now! Oh it's so stressful. Pre-dawn everyday. Blizzard, I can't be with you. Blizzard, I love you. I'm sorry. Oh, no, my father! Father come back! I wish you never died. It hurts so much.
"Come outside the camp with me!" Watch out! Blizzard! Get away from him, you stupid eagle! It hurts so much. My pelt. He's shredding me! My ribs! It cracked. Oh, Tribe of Endless Hunting it hurts so much. I'm turning numb. Goodbye Blizzard. Blackness.
I'm sorry! What? Second chance? What for? Emberkit. Clans. Help convince tribe to help clans. The future. Alright. I'll take it. Goodbye old life.
The rush of memories swarmed through me, and I let out a cry of pain and shock, stumbling backwards, my gaze fixated on Feathertail's face. My vision was blurred though, most likely with tears.
"You must help Fallenpaw convince the rest of the Tribe of Endless Hunting. It's your destiny." Feathertail murmured. I stifled a snort.
"The Tribe of Endless Hunting will listen to you." Stormfur meowed, dipping his head.
"You were once to be Stoneteller." Brooke meowed sadly. "My dear great granddaughter."
"Ember that Burns Bright."
Remember, review if you have the time! Like the feedback. Some feedback on Emberstrike would also be nice... Do you think I've made her too complex? I kinda feel like I have. Too late to change though... TT^TT