Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait….but you have another one ahead of you. From December 14-25, I will not be updating as I am going on vacation. I will update after Christmas. Happy holidays everybody!
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Shoutout to Brightfur for giving me so many reviews! You made my day!
Chapter 21:
Fernspirit woke with a start. She could still taste the blood on her tongue, and could still vividly remember the pull of bloodlust as she killed Longstorm. He's not dead, she reminded herself. It was just a dream. A dream that felt too real. With bristling fur, the newly made warrior padded out of the warriors' den to get ready for a patrol. She smoothed down her fur and padded towards Petalscar.
"Petalscar!" she meowed. The creamy brown deputy turned around to look at Fernspirit.
"Yes?" she meowed, an edge of impatience touching her mew. "What do you need?"
"May I join a border patrol? CreekClan border?" Fernspirit meowed. Petalscar narrowed her eyes, and was about to respond before Mothstorm cut her off.
"I'm about to head to the border. Do you want to join?" he growled, glaring at Fernspirit. Fernspirit bristled at his scathing tone. She arched her back and hissed defensively. Petalscar let out a furious snarl.
"Mothstorm! Do not anger her!" she snapped at her son. Mothstorm stared with surprised green eyes at his mother. Fernspirit snorted and turned her back pointedly on the light brown warrior.
"No, you're not joining any patrols," a new voice joined in. Fernspirit turned around, eyes lighting with surprise as she took in her mother for the first time. The ginger beauty's once full, sleek pelt was now ruffled and gaunt. Her bright green eyes were dull. Petalscar's surprised mew sounded behind her. Fernspirit bristled. She knew no matter how delicate her mother looked, she was still as fierce as a tiger as always.
"What do you want?" she snarled to her mother. Sunfeather smiled, almost teasingly, at her daughter.
"Some alone time with you," she whispered hauntingly. "You know, mother daughter bonding time?" Fernspirit bristled. Sunfeather would never want to bond with her.
"How do I know you won't harm me?" she snapped accusingly, tail lashing. Sunfeather snorted.
"I won't," she snarled. Regaining earlier confidence, the ginger queen straightened up. "You better hurry, darling, or you'll be sorry." The words were so sickening sweet that Fernspirit almost cringed. With a lash of her tail, Sunfeather padded off. Shaking her head, Fernspirit padded off.
"I have no reason to listen to her after what she…did," the warrior reasoned with herself. She padded into the forest, mindlessly wandering the trees. Suddenly, rustling came from behind and Fernspirit whipped around. Pressing her back against a hawthorn bush, she peeked out to see a ginger pelt slide past. Sunfeather? Curiosity led Fernspirit after her mother. The ginger queen's scent led into Twolegplace. Gulping, the warrior padded after her mother. Fernspirit continued down a long alleyway until she stopped, hearing voices.
"No! Please! I promise I won't fail you next time!" A feminine voice was begging. "Please! A second chance please, Hatredsoul!" The dark growl that came next sent shivers down Fernspirit's spine.
"Why should I? You were given an easy task, Sunfeather, and should have performed it correctly." Fernspirit peeked from her hiding place behind a large, silvery wood log that stood upright and stank of crowfood. Sunfeather's ginger pelt wasn't hard to locate, but where was the tom called Hatredsoul?
Hatredsoul…why does that name sound so familiar? Fernspirit mulled over the question. Oh! No…it's him. Suddenly recognizing the name, Fernspirit felt a new tremor of fear shiver down her spine. Dead silence followed his words. Fernspirit peeked out again, and saw a small smirk tug at the corner of Sunfeather's muzzle. Reaching up, she seemed to whisper into nothing. Sunfeather dropped to her paws.
"Deal?" Sunfeather asked.
"You got yourself a deal," Hatredsoul replied, almost purring. Dread filled Fernspirit. What deal had Sunfeather made? With Hatredsoul of all cats? The soft patter of pawsteps alerted Fernspirit that Sunfeather was coming. Gasping, Fernspirit darted away fast as she could, but the snarl of rage behind her told Fernspirit that Sunfeather had seen her.
"Fernspirit! Come back here!" With the warrior's short legs, she couldn't run fast and Sunfeather easily caught up. The experienced warrior bowled over her daughter and pinned her down. "What did you hear?" Sunfeather growled.
"Nothing!" Fernspirit wailed, overcome by fear. "Nothing Sunfeather!" Claws dug deeper into her flesh.
"Don't lie," Sunfeather replied, growling. "Or you will never see your precious father Rockflame again." Squirming, and in fear of her father's death, Fernspirit wailed.
"Okay fine! I saw you make a deal with Hatredsoul!" Sunfeather didn't seem to look surprised. "Hatredsoul! And why would you betray your Clan like that?" Fernspirit wailed, almost as delicate as Moonfrost was. Sunfeather snorted.
"The Clan means nothing to me," Sunfeather sneered, padding slowly towards Fernspirit. "The Clan is nothing but dust and beetles to me." Fernspirit flinched, shocked.
"But what about Rockflame? Brackenstar?" she whimpered. Sunfeather snorted.
"I don't care about them. The only two cats I will ever truly forever care about are Moonfrost and Snowlight." The she-cat didn't bother explaining who Snowlight was.
"But your Clan!" Fernspirit growled, wrenching away from Sunfeather. "What did they ever do to you?" Sunfeather's eyes darkened to pits of darkness.
"Everything," she snarled. Her beady eyes fixed onto Fernspirit.
"And if you tell a single soul anything I told you today, Rockflame will be in StarClan tomorrow and you will be dead."
End of this chapter! Hoped you liked it! Review!
~Wish (and Amberflower)