Chapter 26

A/N: Hey guys!

Sorry I haven't posted within the last week, it's just that I've been spending time with a quantity of my cousins and aunts I almost never see at all. (I really miss them now ;~;) So yeah! That's a valid reason IMO. But yeah. I'll proceed to post everyday once more! :D

Hollow. That's all Whiteblossom felt. Her heart felt as if it had been ripped out of her chest, and her mind went blank.

Shadestar looked up solemnly.

"What are you three doing here?" Shadestar asked flatly.

"Whiteblossom had a dream, so we had to make sure that it didn't come true" Owlstar explained.

Whiteblossom didn't even speak up. She was so shaken, she felt her legs shivering below her.

"Well I guess her dream was right" Shadestar lowered her head and buried her muzzle into Thistlestorm's shredded body.

Whiteblossom bowed her head and felt her lower lip quivering subtly.

The heartbroken warrior timidly padded up to Thistlestorm. His lifeless eyes seemed to look up helplessly at Whiteblossom, the same way they did in her dream. Oblivious to the stares of the other ShadowClan warriors, she nuzzled him passionately.

Standing up, she looked up in the sky for a sign of the dead warrior. Nothing except the gray skies. A single drop fell from the sky and onto her nose. A few seconds later, light rain fell from the gloomy skies, as if StarClan was crying over the death of Thistlestorm.

"I think we should go" Whiteblossom whispered to Icefern and Owlstar.

"We're sorry" Owlstar called in the silence, before the trio padded back to camp. Whiteblossom couldn't ignore the stabbing in her heart, and the numbness shaking her from head to tail. As Thistlestorm died, a part of her died with him.

As they reached the foot of camp, Icefern padded on while Owlstar held the depressed warrior back.

"Whiteblossom, I understand you're depressed, but there is duties needed to be done in ThunderClan" Owlstar meowed gently. Whiteblossom almost didn't catch her leaders word.

"I know" She replied deadpanned.

Owlstar's face was a look of sympathy. He didn't say more, he just ducked through the gorse tunnel, leaving Whiteblossom alone to cry.

She didn't realize how long she was standing there, but familiar voices called out to her.

"Whiteblossom!" Ditzypaw cried. The black apprentice was stumbling through the ferns, with Featherspots behind her.

"Whiteblossom what's wrong!?" Featherspots gasped as she approached her.

Whiteblossom turned away.

"I'm fine" She replied. She tried her best to keep a steady voice, but it cracked.

"No. Tell me" Featherspots ordered firmly.

Whiteblossom whirled around.

"I can't talk about it. Okay!? Go train with Ditzypaw because I'm not ready" She begged, before racing away. Right as she entered camp, she over heard Featherspots and Ditzypaw speaking.

"Well, I guess let's go battle train for now" Featherspots' voice faded as she rushed into Owlstar's den.

"Whiteblossom" He said sharply upon her entry.

"Sorry. I just remembered something" She panted. Owlstar blinked.

"Go on" He instructed.

"A long time ago, Swiftshadow told me something. All will perish except for one. Do you think … Do you think this is what it means?" She asked openly.

Owlstar nodded.

"Yes. I think so ... Why else would everyone perish?!" Owlstar exclaimed. Whiteblossom shrugged.

"I think we should talk to Icefern about this" Whiteblossom stated. Owlstar nodded in agreement.

"You go. I have to think about this …" His voice trailed off. Whiteblossom nodded. The thorn re-entered her heart, but she tried her best to ignore it.

"Icefern?" She called. She caught a glimpse of Icefern's amber eyes through the darkness.

"Come in" She said wearily.

"I have to talk to you about something" Whiteblossom announced, sitting down. Whiteblossom didn't realize until now, but Icefern's face had becoming more and more weary and tired looking.

"Oh … Nevermind. Sorry" Whiteblossom stuttered. Icefern just nodded.

"Very well then" She replied hastily. Whiteblossom stood up and left the den. As soon as she exited the den, she felt claws rake through her heart once more. Un motivated to do anything, she leaped up onto the High Rock and just watched the rest of her Clan wistfully.

'Oh right. I have to make the sunhigh patrol' She sighed inwardly.

"Cherryjubilee. You're leading the sunhigh patrol. You can choose who you want to take" Whiteblossom called out to the red warrior. Cherryjubilee nodded her head and dashed off.

A few heartbeats later, a dark shape burst into the clearing, panting.

"INTRUDER" A voice screeched. Whiteblossom looked over to see Thornpaw bristling. Without a hesitation, he lunged at the dark cat. Before Thornpaw could hit her, she hooked him with her claws and rolled over, pinning the young apprentice down.

"YOU FLEABAG LET ME GO!" He yowled. Whiteblossom leaped off the High Rock and dashed over to Thornpaw, but before she could reach him, the dark cat sank her teeth into his throat. Thornpaw lashed out for a few more moments before falling still. As she sat up, a nostalgic scent and memory flooded over her.

'"Yeah, she's cool …. For a medicine cat" Joyouskit stated. Icekit pushed her with one paw.

"Come on, Joyouskit! Swiftshadow's awesome!"

'Swiftshadow!'

"Swiftshadow" She said.

"Joyousblossom?" Swiftshadow gasped.

"Whiteblossom" Whiteblossom corrected firmly.

Swiftshadow prodded the apprentice.

"Is he alive?" Whiteblossom narrowed her eyes. Swiftshadow didn't respond.

"It was an accident" Swiftshadow whispered.

Just as Whiteblossom thought her pain couldn't get any worse, it did.

Whiteblossom unsheathed her claws, but with her willpower, she stayed firm.

"I need to talk to Redfur and Owlstar. Now" Swiftshadow changed the subject. At this point, every cat was out of the den, glaring at the former medicine cat.

"Yes, I can see that Swiftshadow. You have killed one of our apprentices" Owlstar's voice was calm, but deep down Whiteblossom can feel his anger.

"It was an accident" Swiftshadow yowled.

"You've changed …" Fawnleap stuttered out. Glancing over, Whiteblossom saw Wolfmist nod.

"Where's everyone else?" Swiftshadow asked, looking through the wrath of the Clan, for individuals she knew.

"Dead" Whiteblossom replied bluntly.

"The prophecy is coming true!" She wailed in horror. Owlstar stalked up to her.

"Icefern? Who's this?" Gentledove asked Icefern. Gentlepaw had successfully finished her training two nights ago, and was rewarded as a full medicine cat in turn.

"My former mentor" Icefern replied.

"Enough chat. Swiftshadow. I can't have you coming onto our land and killing our warriors, and treating it as a joke. Leave now or we'll kill you" Owlstar growled. Her leaders words shocked her. She had never heard Owlstar threaten to kill any cat before!

"Kill me then. I always knew it would end like this. But anyway, you aren't the cats I once knew, either" Swiftshadow snarled. Whiteblossom felt guilt in with her pain, but she kept it hidden.

Owlstar leaped off the High Rock and pinned the former medicine cat down with his powerful claws.

"Any last words?" He hissed.

"Your Clan is going to die out soon" Swiftshadow called clearly. Owlstar sank his claws into her shoulders, and gave the killing bite. Soon, two dead cats were in the clearing.

Whiteblossom felt bad for Swiftshadow. How could this turn out like this?

Icefern padded up to Whiteblossom. The distraught she-cat lowered her head, and looked up at Whiteblossom with weak, amber eyes. They held more than her emotions. They held something more.

"Can we go for a walk?" She asked weakly. Whiteblossom nodded.

"Of course! The Clan doesn't need me day and night" Whiteblossom tried to joke, but Icefern didn't giggle as she usually would. Whiteblossom's depression came over her once more. Each cat she grew up with was dying out. She didn't have much time before ThunderClan would be another name in the darkness.

"Let's go" Whiteblossom broke the silence, and the two sisters left the solemn camp. There was a silence between the white cats, and Whiteblossom found herself following Icefern. She seemed so intent on something ahead of them, that Whiteblossom didn't dare to break her concentration.

Whiteblossom followed Icefern to snake-rocks, but Icefern wasn't done yet. She leaped up each rock until she stood tall at the highest rock. Unease churned in Whiteblossom's belly. The deputy jumped up each rock with ease until she reached Icefern. The medicine cat stared at the scenery below them. They were so high up, that each rock below them looked as small as prey.

"Icefern? What's wrong?" Whiteblossom asked quietly. Icefern looked up. The weariness in her eyes grew, but there was more to it than last time she checked. Icefern wasn't the same.

"I'm sorry" Icefern whispered. A desperate plea was written all over her face.

"Icefern?" Whiteblossom's voice grew more sharp, despite her internal pain.

"Who do you think … Killed Thistlestorm?" She half whispered half growled. Whiteblossom's heart did another double-back flop.

"You … You KILLED HIM!?" Whiteblossom screeched.

Icefern looked up, and she looked like she was in a mixture of hate, rage, and worse of all: all sanity that used to be in her sister was gone.

Icefern's eye twitched as her claws scraped against the stone beneath.

"Do you think … I WANTED TO!?" She growled.

Whiteblossom's eyes narrowed.

"Why did you then?" She hissed with hatred.

"How long do you think I've been doing this for?" Icefern whispered. Whiteblossom felt shock and betrayal.

"Icefern. How could you?" Whiteblossom gasped. Icefern smiled. Except there was something disturbing with her smile. It seemed to be larger than usual.

Icefern's eyes widened, then she shook her head out. She peered up slightly. The grin split across her face was larger than before.

"Guess my kill count" She mewed sweetly.

Whiteblossom was speechless. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. When she didn't respond, Icefern shoved her muzzle into Whiteblossom's.

"GUESS MY KILL COUNT" She snarled.

"Uh … Five?" Whiteblossom squeaked out. Fear flashed over her, and adrenaline started racing through her veins.

Icefern drew back, causing Whiteblossom to relax slightly.

"More" Icefern's eyes flashed.

Whiteblossom felt more hollow than ever.

"How much" Whiteblossom's voice quivered. Icefern gasped and took a step back.

"No … No this can't be happening!" Icefern looked away in dismay.

"No I'm innocent! I didn't kill any cat!" Icefern begged. Tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Icefern. How many cats. Have you KILLED!?" Whiteblossom spat, fixing her gaze onto the cat she once knew.

Icefern opened her mouth to speak, but she just merely shook her head. With a final moment, Icefern spoke up again.

"Thirty-three" She mewed quietly.

Whiteblossom's eyes watered up.

"Who are you?" She asked, shaking her head in fear and dismay.

At the same time, ferns rustled from down below, making both sisters look down to see Owlstar, Fawnleap, Featherspots, Wolfmist, Cherryjubilee, and Thrushtail.

"Whiteblossom. Icefern. What's going on?" Owlstar asked, as him and his party raced up to the sisters.

"I'm sorry everyone. I'm not the cat you think I am" Icefern chocked out.

Whiteblossom screwed up her face.

"Tell them. TELL THEM WHAT A TRAITOR YOU ARE" Whiteblossom's voice was calm, but hard and cold.

Icefern shook her head, tears continued to fall off her cheeks.

"No … I-I can't!" She sobbed.

"Icefern, what's wrong?" Owlstar asked gently. He reached out to rest his tail upon her shoulder, but Whiteblossom leaped in front of him.

"No! Don't go close to that monster!" Whiteblossom cried. Icefern winced.

"You're right … Whiteblossom … I'm a monster. Nothing can bring me back now" Icefern's emotions left her eyes, leaving her looking blankly on the ground.

She looked up and studied Whiteblossom.

"Look, I don't know where I'm going from here, but I love you. Okay?"

Whiteblossom remained silent.

"And for the rest of you, I'm sorry I couldn't be better"

"Icefern what is this?" Owlstar's voice grew sharp.

"I'm sorry" She whispered. After another pause. She took a breath and looked over the edge of the rock that supported the party of cats.

"Goodbye" She meowed. Looking back down off the ledge, she sighed and gracefully leaped off the edge of the rock, sending her plunging down to where she took her last breath.

A/N: I'm sorry I made this a rather dark chapter ;; Well, this is like two-in-one (chapters) So either way, this would have happened :p

Goodbye, Icefern, Swiftshadow, and Thornpaw! /3