A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for such a long update! I have been on vacation and working like crazy! Like I actually just got back from vacation yesterday! The beach was nice! Haha anyway, since I am short for time today, I cannot answer all the reviews I got! But you got this story to 240 reviews! Y'all are so awesome! Anyway, I am truly sorry I don't have the time, so I will make up for it in the next chapter! :D

Is it summer for everyone yet? Let me know in your review! Talk to you guys down below! Here is the next chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty: Dreaded Endings

Pale, morning sun light beamed onto her narrow face. She breathed in the warm air as she slowly opened her large golden eyes and lifted her muzzle. She threw sleepy glances around the den to see her elders quietly snoring in their soft, fluffy nests filled with pine straw and hawk feathers. She blinked a couple of times before she turned her gaze to stare into the empty gaze of her father. He was staring at her while she slept, making her fur prickle with uneasiness. His expression was vague, though she could see his left eye twitch with slight confusion. "Who are you? You remind me of someone I once knew," he meowed gently, though his voice expressed no pure emotion.

She flicked her ears as her brother stirred behind her. He lifted his head and gaped his jaws in a mighty yawn. "Good morning, Running Storm," he purred to their father just after he whipped the sleep from his eyes.

"Good morning, Roaring Puma, is this your mate?" the old tom asked with an approving look at his daughter.

She crinkled her nose in disgust as she looked at her litter mate in confusion. "What? No! That's gross! This is..." Roaring Puma trailed off suddenly as he casted a wary glance at his sister.

"My name is..." she looked around the den and saw stones by the entrance. "Tumbling Stone," she lied with a dip of her head.

Running Storm cocked his head. "What a strange name," he stated to himself as he shifted his gaze down to the dusty den floor.

Roaring Puma shifted uncomfortably, clearly he was not okay with lying to their father, and for the record, neither was she. "Why don't you get some rest? We'll bring you some prey later," Roaring Puma purred with a smile as he stood and shook the dust from his grey pelt.

Their father shrugged just before he laid his head down and gave a snort, "Whatever, just make sure it's a plump one."

The tortoishell she-cat stood and followed her brother out into the pale sun light. She took a deep breath of the thin mountain air. She could see Fire Storm and Oak Breeze playing with a ball of moss beside the nursery while their mother, Sun Lily, padded toward the Healer's Den where her little she-cat was being kept for her recovery. The apparent look of worry blazed in the she-cat's green eyes and her fiery pelt was ruffled and unkempt, clear that she hadn't slept the previous night, but who could blame her? She had lost her mate to sickness just after the birth of their kits and now her only daughter was deathly ill. The tortoishell flattened her ears as her brother whispered into her ear. "Eagle Cry, let's let him rest until sun high, then we can fetch him prey," he murmured just before he broke away and headed for Wolf's Growl.

Eagle Cry felt her heart thump against her chest as she looked around camp. She had made a promise to her father that she felt a dire need to complete, but could she do it? Could she kill - murder her own father? A sickening feeling rose in her throat as her belly clenched at the thought. She closed her eyes and took a short breath then exhaled. Behind her, she heard someone clear their throat. She turned her head to see Burning Oak standing behind her. His dark brown fur was neatly groomed and his ears were plastered to his head. She looked at him for a moment, waiting for him to speak, but he just starred at her. "Uh, Burning Oak?" she meowed with a look around the camp clearing.

The tom shook his head, mumbling to himself. "Right, would you like to eat with me? I brought you your thyme and that weird poultice Clear Water spoke about yesterday," he meowed, obviously nervous.

His tail twitched with anticipation as she looked down at the large hare at his large paws. Next to large rodent was a large waxy leave full of thyme and a goupy mess of finely ground herbs. She wrinkled her lips in a snarl of disgust. "Right, the cat mint, lavender, and honey. Of course, Burning Oak, I'd love to," she purred when she saw the desperate look in his deep amber eyes.

She stood as her belly rumbled with hunger. Although her dire need to complete her father's wishes burning in her mind, she gently pushed it back for the time being to enjoy her morning with her kit-hood friend. She leaned down to bite into the flesh of the grey furred hair. Burning Oak just watched her with gleaming amber eyes as she ate slowly. She leaned up to stare into his eyes. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked gently.

Burning Oak twitched his whiskers then gave his chest fur a couple links of embarrassment. Eagle Cry shook her head slightly as a smile appeared on her muzzle. The dark tabby nosed the herbs her got for her toward her. "Better eat these now. We should see if they help your voice," he meowed then stiffened. "Not that your voice is bad or anything, I love your voice. It's rough...and soothing?"

Eagle Cry held her breath as a laugh tightened her throat. The tom was so flustered his fur was ruffled up and his eyes were as wide as moons. "You're not use to complimenting a she-cat are you?" Eagle Cry giggled with a twitch of her long whiskers.

At that very moment, Catching Moon padded past with Red Sunshine at her side. "Are you kidding? That tom has only talked about you since your disappearance," the dark ginger tabby she-cat meowed with a look at the silver tabby.

Eagle Cry felt her fur burn with shock and embarrassment. The dark ginger she-cat looked more plump than usual, making the tortoishell believe Red Sunshine was expecting her third litter; passing on her excellent blood line of she-cat guards. Ironically, if she remembered correctly, the dark ginger she-cat never had a she-kit. "Mom," Burning Oak hissed with annoyance.

The dark ginger she-cat purred with a flick of her tail, "It's not like you were going to say anything about it."

Eagle Cry couldn't help but giggle slightly at her friend next to her. He looked so shaken up and embarrassed. At that, Catching Moon leaned toward Red Sunshine and purred, "Won't be long now."

The dark ginger she-cat nodded in response with her eyes twinkling. "Perhaps at the next Silent Moon gathering," she sighed as they padded on toward the nursery.

Now an awkward silence greeted the pair of cats. She leaned down and licked up her herbs. Her nose wrinkled up in disgust as she cringed at the taste. "Unpleasant?" Burning Oak asked with his eyes light with laughter.

"Very," she rasped in response. "So what is it you said about my voice? Rough and soothing?"

Burning Oak flattened his ears as she teased him. He gave her a light shove, almost knocking the weak she-cat over. "O-Oops, sorry!" he stammered as he helped her regain her balance.

Together, they ate and joked in peace. Eagle Cry hadn't felt so happy in so long. She could feel warmth flow through her veins finally when she looked at the large tabby at her side. "Burning Oak, come on, we need to patrol," a voice called.

Eagle Cry saw the toms father, Dark Water, standing at the entrance of the den with Leaping Sparks and Creeping Tiger. The two tom's looked agitated for being held up, but his father's amber eyes were light and happy. The dark tom looked at her with gentle eyes. "I have to go. We should do this again," he purred with a rub against her muzzle.

She blushed as she watched him padded away from her. As he made it to the entrance, he turned at looked at her once more before disappearing through the thicket. After sitting alone for a moment, she thought about her father. What could she do to end his suffering without causing him so much pain. A loud squeal erupted from outside the guards den. She turned her head to see Sun Lily's two tom kits playing outside. She couldn't help but smile at the innocence of the pair. She thought for a moment about Painted Lily, the ill she-kit of Sun Lily. "Yew berries," she whispered as the horrible, deadly red berry was pictured in her mind.

She peered around the camp to see Stepping Deer gathering a group of huntresses on the fair side of camp, each of them with their backs to her. Roaring Puma was lying in the sun with Wolf's Howl. Sun Lily was in the Healer's Den with her daughter and Clear Water. Finally, Catching Moon and Red Sunshine were watching the two of Sun Lily's remaining kits.

After examining the camp carefully, she stood and padded quietly and carefully over to the nursery. After peering in carefully to make sure no one was present, she plucked five of the small red berries carefully from the bush and placed them on the ground in the shadows of the bush. She stood and padded away toward the pile of fresh kill. She saw a hare, hawk, four squirrels, a buck, and seven small wood mice. Perfect, she thought as she leaned down and picked one up carefully. I'll shove the berries in the mouses mouth and allow him to eat it. It will be a quick and painless death. "Eagle Cry, make sure you get him something he can eat quickly!" a voice called toward her.

Panic seared through her when she turned to see her brother looking at her with a single eye open. "I got him a wood mouse. It'll be one bite for him," she mumbled through her mouth full.

An eerie presence gripped her suddenly. She turned warily to look around the camp. She hadn't had this feeling for moons, but she knew exactly what it meant. When she saw that her brother closed his eye again, she padded silently over toward her stash of yew. With a sly and careful look around, she grabbed the berries carefully and popped each one between the mouses jaws. She cocked her head when she saw how puffy the mouse had gotten after she stuffed it.

The errie presence grew more intense, making the air thick. She even noticed how her tribemayes had become more wary. They know when something is going on, she thought with a swallow of nervousness. She picked up the mouse gently with her teeth, careful not to pop any of the berries. Her fur prickled with uneasiness as she felt a strange gaze fall on her. She felt her heart pound against her chest as she felt her pace quicken to get into the elders den.

Swooping Dove and Hunting Tigeress were grooming each other and quietly chatting. "Hello, Eagle Cry," Swooping Dove purred.

Hunting Tigeress grunted and turned away from the tortoishell she-cat. "Hello, how is my father?" she rasped when the presence grew almost unbearable for her.

Her tail began go twitch, and it was clear that the elders were nervous and getting spooked. "How about we get some fresh air, Hunting Tigeress?" the grey elder asked the older she-cat.

Hunting Tigeress just stared past Eagle Cry in pure fear. Her eyes were gaping and empty. "Come on," Swooping Dove urged, causing the she-cat to stand and shuffle past Eagle Cry.

Her fear scent clouded the entire den, making Eagle Cry gag. "What are you doing here?" she asked with a sour tone.

A body formed behind her with glowing green eyes. A growl rose in her throat as she dropped the mouse and whipped around to stare into the emotionless eyes. "Where were you?" she snapped with bared teeth.

After the cat dinner respond and just stared blankly at her, she snapped again, "Where were you, Stormspirit?"

The Messenger just starred. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, "I was where I belong."

"Why didn't you help me?" she screamed as tears beaded in her eyes. "Out of everyone, I trusted that you would help me!"

The grey tom blinked as sparks emitted from his stormy pelt. "Then you trusted wrong. It is not my job to guide the living. I am a Messenger; a Spirit Guide," he meowed with a single movement of his jaws.

Eagle Cry turned with a lash of her tail. The tears began to fall onto the dusty ground as her father stirred. "I have to do this," she whispered to no one.

"I am not here to stop you, Eagle Cry. I am here for my apprentice," he meowed as he pushed past her. "Your father asked for this with a clear mind. This will have no effect on your judgement day."

"Its not judgement I'm worried about," she spat with her anger boiling up inside of her. "What does this have to do with Owlpaw?"

Her curiosity burned in her chest, slightly diminishing her anger. "This is her final assessment, and this is my final chapter and her beginning," he stated plainly, as if nothing were happening.

Eagle Cry shot him a shocked looked; all anger disappearing. "Messenger's get their full name by completing a task so unbearable, so painful to endure, that some fail," Stormspirit murmured with a shudder.

Eagle Cry felt her thoat tighten. "What do you mean?" she whispered with a look at her father.

"Owlpaw must guide a cat with her same fate," Stormspirit answered as he moved forward toward her father.

"I don't understand," she stated with confusion clouding her mind.

The stormy grey tom sighed with annoyance. He turned his intense green gaze on her. "When Owlpaw was alive, she was traumatized so badly that it drove her mad. She was stolen away from her mother by a rabid mountain lion. For some reason, it didn't kill her, it sort of fostered her. After being kept in the cougars den for moons, a patrol of guards finally found her. Because of this, her mind disappeared until her unfortunate death, which was when I took her under our wing," he stated with a quite meow and glance at her. "This was her fate, therefore, this is her final assessment. If she is to pass, she will become Owlspirit, Messenger of the Unknown."

A shudder shook through her at the thought. "It is time," Stormspirit murmured before disappearing.

Eagle Cry was left in the den with her father. The tom sat up and gaped his jaws in an enormous yawn. "Oh, is that my breakfast?" the tom asked with a lick of his jaws.

The distant look in his eyes made her want to wail as she placed it by his muzzle. Her throat tightened with a wail as the tom began to crunch on the bones of the mouse, occasionally licking his jowls. Panic and regret seared through her as the tom began to cough and hack harshly. Red berry juice stained his lips as tiny drops of blood sprayed on the ground from his cough. She began to breathe heavy as the tom began to thrash his paws on the ground. Tears beaded at her eyes as she laid down on the ground and began to sob. "Running Storm, I'm so sorry," she wailed into the empty den. "Clear Water!"

After her shriek for the healer, she waited. Within moments, pale fog lingered into the den. She flattened her ears when she saw the golden brown body of a she-cat manifest beside her dying father. The she-cat's golden eyes were wide and full of fear. She was shaking and her claws were extended and digging into the ground. Occasionally, she would turn away at the sight of Running Storm.

Now, a pink foam was bubbling at his jowls and his eyes were wide and blood shot. The she-cat stood ridged as a determined look appeared in her golden eyes. Eagle Cry sobbed as she watched the Messenger apprentice lean down and touch her nose to Running Storm's forehead. As if instantly by the touch of the Messenger, her father sighed. All the light disappeared from his gaze and his jaws were gaping.

Her throat tightened once more as a shriek of sorrow and pain exited her jaws. She opened her crying eyes to see Owlpaw tear the spirit of her father away from his body. She sniffed as the tom stood. His blue eyes were clear and full of life and happiness. His fur was smooth and nicely kept, as if time had reversed back to when she was just a kit. This only made her cry harder. She dug her claws into the ground aggressively and clenched her eyes shut. She felt his spirit pad closer to her. He leaned down and rubbed his warm muzzle against her forehead. "Thank you, now I will always be with you," he whispered gently to her.

She lifted her muzzle to purr gently at his fatherly touch. Owlpaw was standing paitently behind him, but quietly told him it was time to go. Her father starred down at her with a soft smile appearing on his muzzle. "Good bye, my little Eagle Cry," his purr echoed in her ears as the tom and Messenger disappeared.

She felt the tears fall from her eyes onto her paws. Soon, she felt the gentle breeze of Clear Water rush into the den. She sobbed harder as he padded over to her father and lifted his muzzle to close his gaping jaws. The white and grey stipped tom leaned down and sniffed him. He leaned back in surprise and looked at Eagle Cry with a horrified look on his face. "Yew," he stated with a hushed voice. "Did-did you do it?"

Eagle Cry shot her fearful gaze up at him. "Yes," she wailed at the top of her lungs. "I had to, he made me promise."

Clear Water flattened his ears against his head and nodded with understanding. "You're a loyal cat, Eagle Cry. We'll hold his burial ceremony at dusk," the healer whispered with a gentle touch of his nose on her shoulder.

She felt the tom pad away out of the den. She sighed as she stood and whipped the tears from her cheeks, but she froze as she felt another presence enter the den. "Is it true?" the voice whispered.

Eagle Cry turned her head slowly to stare into the sad, but angry eyes of her father. "Yes, Running Storm is d-" she began but was cut off by a snarl.

"No! Is it true what I just heard? Did he make you promise to kill him?" he hissed with a lash of his bushing out tail.

The fur along his shoulders was on end and his blue eyes were wide and cold when they stared at her. She flattened her ears against her head and lowered her muzzle to stare at the ground and avoid his gaze. "Yes," she whispered; barely audible.

Roaring Puma roared his anger and turned away from her with his long grey tail lashing in fury. "How dare you do this to me? How dare keep this away from?" he spat then whipped around with a snarl on his face and his eyes cold and harsh. "How dare you!? I never got to say goodbye to either of them! You get to see them for Streaming Star Tribe's sake! Now I have to live my whole life alone! How dare you, Eagle Cry?"

She could see the tears beading in his eyes as she starred at him in shock. "I hate you," he whispered as he turned away from her. "I hate you!" he screamed.

A/N: Oh, cheese and crackers! Nothing good came from this chapter, did it? I'm sorry! Don't hate me! :( Will Eagle Cry be able to survive without her father? What about Roaring Puma? Was he right to act that way? What can she do to rekindle her relationship with her brother? ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

Anyway. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up in a week or so! :)

Let's get me to 250-255 reviews before I post the next chapter! Thanks guys!

- Nightspirit