They had set out early in the day, their eagerness to go home increasing by the minute. The journey went actually much more smoothly than Echopaw had expected: despite Breezepaw's limping, he hobbled faster than usual, as if he was in a hurry to get home. They were all in a hurry to get back home, of course, with Darkness's ever-present growing threat, but Breezepaw was of the most eager and impatient out of all of them. Echopaw, Breezepaw, Bracken, and Chieftain were now standing at the periphery of the wolf pack's camp. Taking a deep, shaky breath, the dark she-cat placed a tentative paw in the Alpha Pack's territory.
Silence.
Echopaw sighed with relief, and she signaled the others to follow her. Only a few seconds later, however, an nerve-racking howl gave the black she-cat chills from her nose to the very tip of her tail. A uneasy feeling of dread crept up to her, and she smelled fear-scents rising from all Bracken, Breezepaw, and even Chieftain, an experienced warrior. It seemed like the Dark Warriors even feared the prominent threat of the wolves.
"Stop right there!" a deep, growling voice spoke-surprisingly-in Cat. It belonged to one of a wolf's. Everyone halted with the distinct scent of fear spreading from their pelts like wildfire. They were about to become fresh-kill on a silver platter.
Echopaw's eyes widened in fear as a patrol of about five wolves stepped out of the tall shrubs, eyes hostile and teeth glistening. All members of the patrol towered over the small, weak band of travelers. One of the younger she-wolves on the patrol attempted to lunge forward, massive jaws open, but was pulled back by an older wolf. The older wolf reprimanded the younger one, the younger wolf's eyes submissive like a kit in trouble. The older wolf spoke in their native language, but she heard the older one address the she-wolf as "Mara."
"What are you Tribe cats doing here?" The leader's voice was eerily calm yet threatening, still speaking in Cat so they would understand. Bracken stepped forward and was about to defend both him and the others, but was cut off by the she-wolf called "Mara."
"How about we kill them now, leave the Tribe of Infinite Knowledge a message?" Mara suggested in a sinister tone, baring her deadly fangs. Bracken immediately flinched from the she-wolf's threat, hiding behind Chieftain in the back and his fur raised.
The patrol leader sniffed them closely, bumbling into them as if he couldn't see. Wait...could he see? Echopaw was curious to look up at the tall, dark gray wolf, but her fear of wolves kept her rooted in place, and by some miracle she didn't run away.
The dark gray wolf finished his quasi-examination. "We should bring them to Alpha first," he growled slowly, as if still in deep thought. Echopaw felt the welcoming feeling of relief temporarily flood through her. He then continued:
"One of them's got a broken paw. Pathetic."
The dark she-cat looked back to her crush and lover; Breezepaw hung his head low, obviously looking ashamed.
The patrol leader, shoving his nose back into their faces, he concluded: "There's only one of them with Tribe stench anyway. The older one seems like he's been living in this territory his whole life, and the last two smell like..." He growled the last part. "...Clan cats."
Lots of gasps escaped from the members of the patrol. They must have something against Clan cats...or have had a past with them. Echopaw hoped that it wasn't something bad.
They ordered the travelers to follow them, and they were led to a camp hidden deep into the large forest nearby. Echopaw, Breezepaw, Bracken, and Chieftain were all huddled in a smaller group with the patrol surrounding them as they walked to the camp and then into the only part of the camp that was in a cave and covered.
Lying down on an elevated rock was a tall, dark brown wolf with cold yellow eyes, staring at the patrol that was bringing them there. Flicking its tail side to side, his glinting eyes showing no form of expression of any kind. "What are you cats doing here?" he questioned in a flat tone.
Breezepaw hobbled to the front of the group. "We came in search of your help," he meowed submissively. "We need your help to get us home."
The wolf's gaze looked around the lines of And why should we help you? but the patrol leader whispered something into his ear, and he nodded. "So you're Clan cats, aren't you?" The Alpha growled.
"Well...she and I are," Breezepaw meowed, gesturing to Echopaw.
Turning towards her, he continued, "And I presume you're Echo?"
Echopaw nodded, but her face showed her shock and confusion. "How did you know?"
Alpha half-shrugged. "The only other time Clan cats were here was with the Echo. Of course, when they performed the trials, they lost their sanity and died." His tone was casual, as if it was almost always supposed to happen.
Examining her, he noted, "But I think you will be different than that arrogant Echo. You all seem like well-qualifying candidates," he growled, but after seeing Breezepaw, he added, "almost all of you."
"So what trials will we have to face?" Bracken asked.
Alpha's head whipped over to the tawny-colored tom, and piercing yellow eyes stared intently at his. "Oh no, it's not we. The Echo is the one who is the elected representative for ALL of you. Any other questions?" He waited around half a second, and growled, "No? Then the trials shall commence in a few hours."
As the meeting was dismissed and Alpha jumped off of the rock to talk to a few other wolves, Echopaw and the others found themselves being beckoned to a small space outside of the cave next to a tree stump hidden by some tall reeds.
The other wolves of the Alpha pack gave occasional glances of blatant mistrust when they thought Echopaw, Breezepaw, Bracken, and Chieftain weren't looking.
A young wolf pup, not much younger than Echopaw, Breezepaw, and Bracken, walked up tentatively towards them, showing the same lack of trust that all of the other wolves did. "Who are you?" the pup surprisingly barked in Cat. Did these wolves somehow learn Cat?
"We're cats," Echopaw meowed cooly, voice unwavering. She held up an almost challenging glance to the pup, just in case if it was to inflict any harm on her or her friends.
"Yes, but who are you?" The pup asked, intelligence glittering in its bright yellow eyes. "Why did you come here?"
"Does your Alpha tell you anything?" Echopaw inquired, to which the pup shook its head. "In that case, we're here to get help to get home."
"Your first trial will be to stare at that rock wall," Alpha growled, with what seemed like a cross between a smile and a smirk twitching at the corners of his mouth. "Crag will keep watch while you do the trial," he added, gesturing to the senior wolf next to him.
"Your time starts now," Crag barked as Alpha left the tunnel.
For the first hour that passed, Echopaw concentrated and focused on the wall, looking and analyzing every crack, every imperfection that was engraved into the hard surface. She thought of nothing else except sheer determination to to whatever it took to get back home.
The second hour was when the impatience started to set into her mind. She felt unsettled, shifty, and irritated for staring at the rock wall for so long. It almost seemed like Echopaw memorized every little ornate detail that made up the rough material.
Another hour passed. Echopaw's irrritation and impatience was starting to get the best of her now. She tried to assure herself that she was doing this for her friends, to spare pain...and to also help Breezepaw so his injury could be healed. For the greater good.
Thirty minutes flew by slowly. The quiet was too much and she had to stop. With a growl of frustration, she exclaimed, "Okay, that's it! I'm done staring at this wall!"
Looking at Crag, the old wolf gave her a pained half-smile and chuckled. "Oh, Echopaw," he laughed lightly. "Such an impulsive young one you are." He then slinked back into the shadows as Alpha came forward, his eyes still emotionless. "Come with me to your next challenge."
She was led outside of the cave, where the crickets were chirping and the dark night sky showed the beauties of the night. When they stopped, Alpha explained the next trial.
"The second trial," he rumbled, "is to climb up that tree," he continued, gesturing to the spruce in front of them, "and hop from tree to tree until you can see the Tribe of Infinite Knowledge from here."
"But what if I slip and fall?"
"That is why you have to be careful." Alpha's tone was unsympathetic. "If you want to get home, this is the only way-or risk your friend having to amputate his leg."
Echopaw's eyes widened with fear at the wolf's cold, harsh words, and immediately climbed into the tree. Thanks to the journey, her stamina was good and her athletic build was well-shaped. Sure, cats did have night vision, but her bangs covered her other eye.
After bounding from tree to tree, with almost joy radiating off of her pelt from the cool, calm wind blowing in her face, she paused at the top of a tree to look around, her bangs now not covering her eyes.
And that was when she realized something with horror:
She couldn't see in her other eye.
Now she realized why she was born with bangs: to cover up her blindness. I really am a freak, she thought miserably. A bastard kit who is half-blind and left for dead by her parents.
Looking up at the stars, she cried to StarClan in a loud voice: "Why did you curse me?! What have I done to you? I sanctify you, I believe and trust in you, and you give me the weight of the world on my shoulders?!"
Through her outburst, she didn't notice that there was no branch underneath her paws anymore, and she fell with a shrieked, frightened yowl. At least this will be the end of me. I'll die and I won't feel anymore pain.
As she closed her eyes, letting the shadow of death consume her, she was awakened by the soft cries of StarClan as she landed softly in a mossy shrub.
"Oh, now you help me," Echopaw grumbled with annoyance. She failed her trial...again.
Later that evening, after Alpha had brought her back into the cave for her third trial, she questioned if all of this was really worth it. Was it?
"Now, before you go to sleep, you must face your greatest fear for your third trial," Alpha instructed.
Wow, no wonder the other Echo died when doing these trials. She probably died in her sleep from being traumatized.
He lead her to a crystal-clear pool, not able to see the bottom. It was almost like a mirror.
"This pool knows your deepest thoughts and feelings and your heart at a glance from seeing it," Alpha growled. "Take a drink from the pool to begin the trial."
Echopaw took a long, deep breath as she put her tongue in the water.
Fear...
Her foster mother, the cat who lied to her in her entire lifetime, stared at her mockingly and vanished.
Pain...
Darkness then appeared in what seemed like the Clan camp, damaging and devastating any form of life on sight.
Suffering...
There...a bright light...
Echobreeze, now a warrior, looked around, frightened in the midst of a chaotic battle.
The sky dark as night, distant screams being cut off by the pungent stench of death rang in her ears and nose. She then vigorously fought against a Dark Warrior, her moves smooth and flowing like water. Blood stained her vision, but she spared the Dark Warrior with its desperate pleas, nearly killing him in the process.
Looking over she saw Breezenight and Moonlight...both now warriors with her, fighting alongside her in the seemingly hopeless battle.
Even more yowls and screams from countless other cats erupted when Darkness appeared from the dead grass, everything darker and colorless when in view. He sneaked up on Breezenight, who was still fighting another Dark Warrior. Echobreeze tried to yowl him a warning, but she suddenly couldn't speak or move.
Darkness's paw raised up, claws extended, and slashed right into Breezenight's side. The tawny-colored tom fell and crumpled to the ground, weak and gasping for air.
Echobreeze rushed toward her mate, crying, the tears flooding down her eyes. "Breezy, please, hold on!" she meowed urgently and desperately. In a futile attempt to keep her lover awake, she violently shook him.
Through the tears, Breezenight's eyes opened up a slit and he smiled weakly up at her. "Smile, my love," he whispered weakly, paw gently caressing her face. "If I die today...I want you to know one thing, Echo.."
"What is that?" Echobreeze cried softly, her tears dripping onto her mate's large, red gash. He wasn't going to make it...
"I-I love you with all of my heart," he mewed solemnly. "Never forget that. A-and," he added, his voice cracking, "I want us to start a family..."
His eyes closed and he breathed his last, final breath.
"Breezenight!" Echobreeze yowled, pain and sorrow in her tone. Her purple eyes now bloodshot, she hissed, "Darkness will pay for what he did."
Her sanity gone, she mercilessly slaughtered anyone in her path, claws digging into raw flesh. Echobreeze was satisfied at the bittersweet taste of revenge. Despite their pleas, she killed and killed, blood scattering the battle-torn field.
She saw herself as she kept on murdering...
...A monster...
Echopaw woke up and gasped, sobbing. "No...Breezepaw was gone..." she hitched through her cries.
Surprisingly, Alpha came up to her and put a comforting, large paw on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he growled in a deep voice. "You passed the third trial. There is only one more tomorrow...don't give up...get some rest..."
That night, Echopaw didn't get any sleep. The pain was too much for the horrifying images she had ingrained in her mind.