A/N- I didn't get many reviews last chapter. I guess you guys weren't as interested in that chapter as I thought you'd be. Anyways thanks to you who reviewed.
Disclaimer- Not mine.
(Jake's P.O.V.)
I shoved a peace of bracken into its place angrily. I wasn't in the mood for this. I can't even think straight enough to concentrate on my orders. I had been told to fix the briars on the dens to help give it more security. But I couldn't even do that right. Id been burying my thoughts in work lately. But right now it wasn't doing anything for my benefit. The more I tried to focus the more I just keep getting angrier and angrier and angrier. I don't even understand why I'm mad. Or who I'm mad at.
I reached my head forward and clamped my teeth down on a branch. Then I yanked it back trying to loosen it from its root in the ground and claim it for the den. I fell backwards slightly with the briar dangling from my mouth then I spat it out to the side of me. I saw Dustpelt from my peripheral vision look at me with a startled reaction. I ignored it and continued to drag my pile of brambles. I felt someone brush my side and I abruptly dropped the brambles. Brightheart was looking at me with a careful expression.
"Jake…you look like your attacking the brambles rather than using them to build. I think you should take a break and go get some fresh air or something." She said pausing to look at me with a guarded expression. "I think those brambles would be much better off if you went out to blow off some steam." She said looked at the shredded brambles that surrounded my outstretched claws. I looked around me. I'd known I wasn't doing the best job. But I hadn't realized I was worsening the situation.
I sighed and nodded, wanting to be as far from everyone as possible. Then I threw her a grateful look as I headed towards the camp entrance. I turned back around to watch where I was walking but not without noticing she'd taken my place in fixing the dens. That altered my mood slightly. She didn't have to do that for me. After all I'm not her responsibility.
I'd naturally been mad lately. Not like I wanted to kill something but more like the anger raided my thoughts and controlled my actions. And it scared me. Not being able to control yourself. If you can't even rely on yourself to do what's right then who can you? Alex had noticed this. She'd been avoiding me lately, much to my displeasure. She'd changed too. Ever since she fell in the water she'd been acting as if she was under a microscope. I'd tried asking her what was wrong. That hadn't worked. She just shook her head and acted as if id never asked the question in the first place.
Whatever it was that was going on with me, I can't handle it. I can't deal with all this hate and anger built up inside of me. I was mad at myself for feeling like this. One night I was woken up by my clanmates and told id been screaming in my sleep, something I never did. And now I felt as if I had a time limit.
(Alex's P.O.V.)
I woke up in an all too familiar place. It was lit brightly with all kinds of different glows from the sun. And I noticed automatically that there was wind. When I was in the dark forest there was never wind. This place had too much of an uplifting spirit to it that I knew it wasn't the dark forest. This was the place I'd heard the voice. The one that had haunted my dreams. But this time the voice had a face. Lightshadow was the only thought running through my head over and over as I came face to face with the voice. But it was a cat this time. An orange and yellow blended cat with dark amber eyes.
"Welcome back Alex." The cat said dipping its head slightly. "Do you remember me?"
I knew his name. My mind kept ringing with his name. But when it came to talking my mouth was suddenly dry. "Lightshadow." I croaked.
He nodded with an amused expression on his face. "And do you know why I am here?"
I shook my head numbly. I couldn't find myself able to put anything to words.
"I am here to warn you of Jake."
Now I could speak. "What? What's wrong with Jake?"
"My brother is what's wrong. Stay away from Jake for the time being." The cat said.
"Wait what do you mean by that? Jakes always been nice. He's not like your brother at all." I said widening my eyes in surprise at Lightshadow. Suddenly something occurred to me. Last time I'd seen Lightshadow he wasn't a cat. I actually hadn't seen him at all. "How come you're a cat today?"
"I can take the form of cats. Actually I can take the form of humans too."
Now I was thinking back to when I'd fallen in the lake. Then I'd seen several different things. Id seen a human.
"Was that you I saw in the lake?" I said quietly. Not really wanting to hear the answer.
"That was Shadowlight. My brother. He was using the form of other living things. A gift me and him both have acquired."
"But…is that even possible? I didn't think that could happen."
"Well you saw it. You tell me. As far as I know he can also control people."
Something in my face must have shown because Lightshadow continued. "So as I was saying before you need to watch out for-."
But he never did finish that sentence. Never had the chance to. Because now I was being woken up and I found myself in the warriors den. And one thought was on my mind. Find Jake.
(Jake's P.O.V.)
I'd already caught a squirrel by the time it was sunhigh. I could tell it was nearing leafall. The wind had lost its warm and comforting nature and was turning cooler. I felt like I was loosing my warmness, and that I was drowning in the cold. The squirrel that I'd been holding in my mouth fell the ground as I felt cold spread slowly through my body. I crumpled to the ground in pain, my limbs giving way, and writhed on the ground in agony. I was a cat who'd once been human but now was being swallowed by the cold and darkness. I was gasping through the pain. I was once something.
And
Then
I
Was
Nothing.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXx
(Still Jake's P.O.V.)
I woke up in confusion. My head was clogged and foggy feeling. And I recognized the feeling as a headache. Something I hadn't had in a long time. With the realization of that my eyes opened and I found myself…home. My small room with dark blue wall paper and white carpet. My desk on the opposite wall of me with homework piled atop. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and put my feet on the carpet. I moved my toes around, staring down at them with eyes wide with amazement. I stood slowly testing my strength.
Then I took in my surroundings. My room wasn't how I'd left it. It looked as if someone had torn through it looked for something. Then I realized that something had been me. I walked forward cautiously and stared at myself in the mirror. I saw a teenager that looked about 16 with black hair and blue eyes staring back at me. I was wearing the same clothes I'd been wearing from when I last saw myself. Black jeans and a dark blue hoodie with head phones dangling around my neck. I reached into my jackets pocket and pulled out my small Ipod. Still playing music. I looks as if I never left. I thought to myself numbly.
(Alex's P.O.V.)
I was running. Dodging rocks and weaving around trees effortlessly. It occurred to me suddenly. That this was the fastest and most graceful I'd ever run. And also for an important reason. I was running to Jake. I wanted to confirm my doubts Lightshadow had brought upon me. I didn't want to feel crazy. I know Jake isn't bad. So this is where I stand now. Running to the cat that was once a human but now has taken on the body of a cat. And the reason? Apparently Lightshadow changed us. He changed us so we could come here and defeat his brother, Shadowlight. At first when I was a cat, I didn't understand. I didn't understand anything. I was a child. I was selfish. I only wanted to help myself. Here I am now, a 15 year old girl who was turned into a cat against her will. She knows why she's here now. And she's ready to play her part.
I fought the urge to turn around and go back to the camp. Who knows what I'm walking into? But I didn't care about risks anymore. What did I have to lose? I already lost my life. And I'm ready to save everyone else's. Brightheart had told me Jake went out to go get air. This left me an entire forest to look for him in. I'd have had a harder time finding him if I hadn't heard him. From what I had heard it sounded like he was in pain. And that made me all the more nervous for when I did find him.
I quickly swerved from the path I'd been using and broke off towards where I'd heard him. It seemed branches just loved to attack my face and get in my way when I mostly needed them not to. Thinking this I picked up the pace and began to duck my way through the branches. When I finally was free of briars it immediately opened up to a large clearing. And then I saw him. He was on the ground, his body twisting in pain. He looked as if he was asleep and was just having a scary dream. I walked toward him, feeling helpless. What could I do to help him? This wasn't about doing what was best for the clan anymore. This was about helping my friend.
At once he stopped twitching and his body fell stiff. I began to wonder if he was dying. Just the thought of that pulled me to action.
"Jake?" I said helplessly my voice quiet.
His eyes flew open. But they weren't his eyes. The eyes staring back at me were full of hate. His face was twisted into anger as he stared up at me from the ground. He was on his feet suddenly, walking towards me. I hadn't even seen him get up. I took a step back. "Jake…what's wrong?"
He didn't answer. Just continued walking towards me. I swallowed and continued to back away.
"Hello Alex." He said "How are you feeling?"
I didn't answer. This wasn't Jake. Every nerve in my body was screaming run run run. But I couldn't. Not until I was sure he was okay. Suddenly something clicked in my head. Me and Lightshadow's conversation rang in my ears. "That was Shadowlight. My brother. He was using the form of other living things. A gift me and him both have acquired."
"But…is that even possible? I didn't think that could happen."
"Well you saw it. You tell me. As far as I know he can also control people."
Now I was gasping at the realization. I was right. This isn't Jake. I was straight up looking into the eyes of my enemy.
"Shadowlight…" I said hesitantly. He smiled at my reaction.
"Oh yes. I figured you'd be smart enough to figure it out sooner. What with Jake acting so out of control lately."
My eyes widened. Then guilt flooded me. I'd been avoiding Jake because of the way he'd been acting. I hadn't realized he hadn't meant to be acting like this. And I'd left him alone to face this.
"Where's Jake?" I demanded.
"The human? He's himself right now. Living it up back as him human self. I've taken this body which means as long as I'm in it, he'll be human."
This startled me. I'd thought Jake and I would be facing Shadowlight together. Obviously Shadowlight was smart enough to figure out a way to get me alone.
"Not what you expected is it? Well you'll have to use your little warrior skills to help you now. Because you will not get in my way anymore." And with that, he was walking towards me again. His intention was on me. And he was going for the kill. I remembered suddenly that I had four more lives. He'd have a hard time killing me. But if I couldn't defend myself it would end even faster. With this in my head I flung myself at him. And then the most important fight in my life broke out.
A/N- little confusing to you guys probably. But I'm a confusing writer. This was a very long chapter compared to my usual length. I was going to add the fighting scene in but this chapter was already dragging on. So that will be next chapter. Anyway please tell me what you think. I want to know if you guys think this was interesting or if you were confused. I want to know what you think so I can fix what you didn't like in my upcoming chapters. Thanks!