Author's Note:
Hello readers and welcome to Chapter Thirty-Five!
This fanfic is now officially novel-length!
It is time for Nightfang and Willowbreeze to face Shade's spirit. What will happen? That's for me to know...and you to know later.
Time travels fast in the dream world. Half a moon has passed since last chapter, yet it feels like it's been a few minutes for Nightfang and Willowbreeze.
The POVs for this chapter shall be Duskfall and Nightfang.
We are getting close to the end! Probably anywhere from 5 to 8 chapters left!
Anyways, on to the story!
Chapter Thirty-Five:
Vision came back suddenly, like a monster had smashed into him. He was in the old Claws' camp. Nightfang blinked. Shade's spirit resided in the place where all the evil started.
"Nightfang?" Two identical voices mewed at once. Nightfang turned around and was met by an odd sight. There were two Willowbreezes standing side by side. As if they'd just noticed each other, the identical she-cats backed away from each other, hissing.
"Nightfang! Shade's disguised himself! You've got to break this illusion!" One of them called.
"This is Shade! Quick, pin her down!" The other called.
Nightfang blinked. Which was Willowbreeze? If he got this wrong, he could hurt his only ally in this realm. "How do I know who's who?" He murmured.
"Easy, ask us questions!" One mewed.
The other Willowbreeze hesitated, before saying, "He can read my mind in this realm. He'll answer every question right. I can only tell you one thing, think of Dawnlight, of Light and Ginger, of Mintleaf."
The first snorted, "Yeah right. You're just trying to make yourself seem to be the real Willowbreeze. There's only one way this can be finished Nightfang. One of us must be killed to break the illusion."
Nightfang's eyes narrowed, "How would you know that?" He mewed, suspicious.
The first Willowbreeze blinked, before awkwardly mewing, "Isn't it common sense?"
The other Willowbreeze just closed her eyes and mewed, "I'm prepared to sacrifice myself for the sake of the Clans."
Nightfang growled and lashed out at the first Willowbreeze, but before he could hit her, the first Willowbreeze disappeared. Willowbreeze sighed in relief, "Thank StarClan."
"I wouldn't think StarClan would have any influence here," A deep voice mewed from behind them. It looked just like Shade, but even darker. Dark mist wreathed around the spirit's body, and his eyes were a blood-red.
"This spirit is responsible for Shade having his powers," Willowbreeze whispered, "If we kill him, Shade's power should disappear."
The spirit laughed, "Oh I sincerely doubt you can kill me, but you can definitely try. It's been centuries since my last fight, but this will still be easy."
Nightfang unsheathed his claws, "You're going to die."
Duskfall's POV:
"Get up, you lazy slug," Duskfall mewed teasingly as she nudged Flintfoot awake. The dark tom groaned, but stretched his eyes open.
"What do you want?" He murmured blearily.
Duskfall purred, "You're on the dawn patrol, you mouse-brain. You're also the temporary deputy. That job doesn't include sleeping until sunhigh." She had to admit that his expression was quite adorable.
Flintfoot sighed and slowly got up onto his feet. Shaking his head, he followed her out into the clearing, where most of the Clan was already awake. She ignored some of the glances that went their way. The Clan could gossip about them all they wanted to, but she would ignore it. They were all like old elders.
Flintfoot yawned and licked her cheek, mewing, "See you later," before padding over to where the rest of the dawn patrol had gathered. At this, Duskfall actually flattened her ears in embarrassment. Most of the Clan was now looking at her, amused.
She growled to herself and went to the corner of the camp where she generally ate and began grooming her pelt, every once in a while glancing up to see if anyone was still looking at her. After her pelt was as sleek as could be, she got up. She might as well go hunting if she had nothing to do.
Nightfang's POV:
Nightfang lunged at the spirit, his fangs bared, but the spirit dodged out of the way, bearing an odd grin.
"Your inner fears are wonderful, Night, you know that? Especially the ones that you can't even comprehend," The spirit laughed. He disappeared and Nightfang suddenly felt claws slash his back. He whirled around, but the spirit was already gone.
"Nightfang! You have to use your own spirit to fight him! Your physical body is useless here!" Willowbreeze mewed, who was looking at a tree behind where the spirit was now standing. Before Nightfang could wonder why, the tree uprooted and flew towards the spirit, knocking the spirit down.
The spirit quickly got up, hissing, "You are going to pay for that, you insolent she-cat!" He nodded his head, and Willowbreeze was launched, smashing into one of the dens. She laid there, quivering, but slowly getting up.
The spirit turned towards Nightfang, "You know nothing of your past! You think you are just a normal cat, but you've never realized what truly lies inside you." Ignoring the spirit, Nightfang concentrated on the spirit's paws, using his mind to rip out the spirit's claws. The spirit yowled in pain, but stayed up. A moment later, his claws were back.
The spirit shook his head, mewing, "Pathetic," before splitting apart into five separate cats. All five launched at him, hissing dark saliva. Before the cats could hit him, Nightfang created a forcefield around him, causing the dark cats to bounce off. The four replicas disappeared, leaving the spirit, who was shaking his head, as if to ward off pain.
"Perhaps you would like to feel your fears again?" The spirit suggested, before muttering something under his breath. Suddenly, Nightfang felt an odd weight. Looking down, he realized he was back in the state he was in the dream. He was a pregnant she-cat again. However, he knew this was fake. He would not consider himself as a "she." He only growled at the spirit, even as he felt a kit kick.
The spirit grimaced, "Fine then. If that won't faze you, then perhaps it is time for you to bring new life into the world. What do you think?" Suddenly, rippling pain knocked him to the ground, screaming in the she-cat voice that he now owned. He could barely watch the spirit walk towards him, as his vision grew hazy. He didn't even pay attention until he felt claws against his throat. He struggled, but it was as if the kitting was locking him in place.
Suddenly, the spirit went flying away, and Willowbreeze appeared in his vision, yelling, "Fight it, Nightfang! This is an illusion! If you can fight it off, you'll return back to normal!"
Nightfang thought of who he really was, of what he looked like, of what he sounded like. He thought of how these kits did not belong in him, and that he was a tom, not a she-cat.
Then, the pain disappeared. His vision cleared, and he popped back up, relishing that he was back. "You can't beat us, you know?" He growled at the spirit, who was panting in front of one of the camp's den.
"Maybe so, but I can beat you," The spirit growled. He flicked his paw towards Willowbreeze, and Willowbreeze collapsed, screaming.
"No! Not Crookedjaw! Don't hurt him Reedfeather! I love him!" She yelled.
Nightfang quickly rushed over to Willowbreeze, mewing, "No! Willowbreeze! It's all a dream! Push it away!" However, she wouldn't respond. She could only tremble and scream.
Dipping his head, Nightfang used all his will to send her away. Perhaps he had always been meant to face the spirit alone. "Go home, Willowbreeze. Be with your mate. Be with your kits. Be at peace."
With a sigh, Willowbreeze's body faded, leaving only the impression of her body in the grass.
Growling deeply, Nightfang turned to the spirit, fury in his eyes. This had to end now. Whether it meant his death or not, this would end now.
Half a moon later in the real world...
Duskfall groaned as her eyes blinked open. Why was her stomach hurting? Had she had any bad prey the day before? She remembered sharing a vole with Flintfoot last sunset, but Flintfoot was sleeping peacefully next to her. Hopefully she wasn't getting sick.
She nudged Flintfoot awake, who whispered, "What is it? It isn't even dawn yet..."
Duskfall grimaced, "I have a bit of a stomachache. I'm going to go have Jayfeather check on me."
"Alright," Flintfoot mewed softly, touching his muzzle to her cheek, "Feel better."
Duskfall nodded and forced herself up, trudging out of the den towards where Jayfeather slept. She hoped the old medicine cat wouldn't be too grumpy.
She slipped into the den, trying her best to ignore the odd pain in her stomach. She softly padded up to the sleeping medicine cat and was about to nudge him awake when he mewed suddenly, "I'm already awake, Duskfall." She jumped as he sat up. His blind eyes seemed troubled.
"Is there something wrong?" She inquired. Jayfeather didn't seem his usual self.
He shook his head, "No, I just have an odd feeling about something. It's probably nothing. What is bothering you?"
Duskfall frowned, "I just have a bit of a stomachache, and I've been feeling a bit odd lately."
The blind medicine cat sighed, "Alright then. Lay down for me. Did you eat anything odd last night?"
She shook her head as she laid down, "No. Flintfoot and I shared the same meal, and he's fine."
Duskfall felt a bit uncomfortable as Jayfeather felt her stomach. How could he handle not being able to see? He couldn't even see if she had anything wrong. He could only feel.
"Well," Jayfeather mewed, "You certainly didn't eat any bad prey."
Duskfall's ears pricked, "What's wrong then?"
"There certainly isn't anything wrong with you. You're a moon and a half from giving birth to kits," Jayfeather mewed calmly.
Duskfall's eyes widened, "Really? I'm expecting?"
Jayfeather nodded, "Yes. I'd say you've got at most a moon before you have to stop your duties. It'd be a lot easier if you stopped earlier though."
Duskfall blinked, barely comprehending what was happening. She was having kits? This hadn't been in her plans at all! However, love coursed through her as she thought of the unborn kits inside of her. She would be carrying on her legacy, at the very least. She grinned, "Thanks Jayfeather," and rushed out of the den, her bellyache forgotten.
In the dream realm...
"You're going to die," Nightfang growled.
The spirit laughed, "Oh, but aren't I already dead? Now this is boring me, let me see you beg for mercy."
Nightfang glared at the spirit, "Yeah right, I won't give up until one of us is dead."
"Well that isn't fun!" The spirit mewed, flicking his paw toward Nightfang. Immediately, horrifying images spread through his mind, until all he could see was the death of his loved ones. He couldn't even hear his own screams.
However, through the horrible images, it was as if he could hear Dawnlight whispering to him, calming him. His resolve hardened as he realized this was the only way he could break Dawnlight and his kits out of their imprisonment. He had to kill the spirit. He banished the images and jumped up to his paws, much to the spirit's chagrin.
Before the spirit could say anything, Nightfang leaped supernaturally, closing the space between them in a fraction of a second. He slammed into the spirit, pinning it to the ground. Nightfang leaned forward, biting the spirit's throat. Even as he gagged on foul-tasting dark blood, he continued to bite through, until he heard a loud crack.
Then it all disappeared.
A/N:
Is the spirit dead? I'm sorry, but that'll have to wait until next chapter.
Is it good news or bad news that Duskfall is kitting?
How was that battle scene? I'm not the greatest at battle sequences, but I liked this one.
This is actually the longest chapter in the story so far.
Remember to R&R!