Chapter 36: Death of a World
She stumbled through the murky forest on unstable paws, blood oozing from the puncture wound in her chest. Beside her stalked a concerned Jinx and Tornheart, both listening to her eradicate breathing begin to slow into a comforting rhythm.
"Are you-?"
"I'm fine!" Crimson snapped before Jinx could finish her question.
The rogue snorted, obviously not believing her leader's words. But Crimson didn't respond. Instead she fell into a stony silence, red eyes narrowed against the now receding pain in her heart. Someone fond my split soul and somehow managed to kill her! There isn't any cat strong enough to kill me or my split soul! At least there wasn't up until a few moments ago… I need to know who killed my split soul so that I can pay them a visit and return with their head.
"I need to rest," Crimson demanded quietly, her voice nothing more than a mere murmur.
"Of course," Tornheart said immediately, coming to a stop just in front of a drooping fern.
Crimson flopped against the ground and drew in a shaky breath to calm her quivering limbs. It had been a long time since she'd felt pain like this; in fact she couldn't think of a time when she had felt pain like this. As she curled up into a tight ball Crimson noticed how much more dismal, murky and depressing the Dark Forest appeared. Everything seemed to be hunching closer to the ground, turning from a sickly green to an unhealthy brown colour. Even the tall trees with their skeletal arms stretching towards the ebony coloured sky appeared to be sagging under some hidden weight. Everything was…dying.
"Kill anyone that comes near here. Don't ask questions; just go straight for the throat," was Crimson's final command before she allowed herself to slip into a sleep that would yield the answer to her question. What had killed her split soul?
Before her eyes flashed visions of her split soul residing upon a throne carved from pristine, white bone. An orange glow radiated around the stone cavern that the white throne was perched in, emanating from several small, contained fires; sending shadows dancing and arching across the stone floor.
It sparked Crimson's interest to see her split soul glaring at a mirage of Jinx – one that Crimson had created when she had split her soul into two pieces – with annoyed red eyes. Do I really look that intimidating?
She watched as her split soul ordered Jinx away with a feral glint in her eyes. The vision then rippled as if some cat had dipped their paw into it, shifting the gentle currents of the fragile dream. When the ripples cleared a new picture had formed and it surprised Crimson so much that she flinched in her sleep, earning her sleeping form looks of concern and irritation from Tornheart and Jinx as they stalked silently around their sleeping leader.
Her split soul was grappling on the stone floor with a rugged looking calico tom. Blood already coated both cats and the stone floor. So some contestant from the Games managed to break into my split soul's lair and attacked her? That's makes little sense and seems like a suicide mission but it still doesn't tell me who kill her! I highly doubt that that mangy tom killed my split soul.
Crimson slumbered through the fight between her split soul and the tom, allowing the vision to progress through the bloody fight. She purred whenever the calico tom as struck and purred even louder when he fell to the ground in an unmoving, bloody, lifeless heap of fur.
However it was the strange occurrence that came next that astounded Crimson. An orange coloured hue enveloped the unmoving tom as the vision rippled violently; silently heralding the arrival of some powerful creature that Crimson yearned to see. She could not hear the exchange between her split soul and Night of Rising Fury because the visions were silent. She was only able to see what was happening as the contestant's body writhed in unnatural ways, leaking orange coloured mist from his open jaw. Her surprise grew to near fear as the mist warped itself into a beast that could barely fit in the cavern.
Sharp teeth lined its maw; intelligent eyes that lacked mercy glowed through the darkness; and two leathery wings sat uncomfortably pressed up against the creature's back. It looked like something created by a nightmare. Or a giant snake with wings and large fangs.
Crimson could only shift in her dreams as her split soul was tricked into a trap, had her head beaten in by the creature's tail and then killed by receiving a talon that looked about the size of her head to the heart. So that's why my heart hurts, my split soul was destroyed by a blow to the heart by an overgrown, mutated lizard. That will be a death no cat will ever need to hear.
The dream began to splinter into shards of black as it dissolved. Crimson no longer needed to see anymore of her split soul's weak death. She'd seen all she needed and now knew that her soul lacked an important part. Instead of having a whole soul she only had half a soul.
"Such was the decision you made when you decided to split your soul into two," a soft voice murmured in her head. "You knew the consequences that would be faced if your split soul perished and now you must face them. Your chance at redemption has been discarded because you no longer hold an entire soul. My realm will simply believe that the half you kept has been corrupted and blackened by evil."
She recognised that voice from the only time she'd heard it. The purple mist had been hard to forget not to mention the shape it had become. "Frozengaze," she hissed uneasily. "How did you get into my head?"
"As the Lord of another realm you'd be surprised how easy it is to get into the minds of cats in lower realms. Although I will admit that your mind was a little difficult to unlock. I had no idea you had the ability to split souls and create a clone of yourself. You're a smart cat, Crimson, an appealing trait for a leader to have."
"I guard my mind more than I guard my body. It has all my secrets. Now what do you want?"
Frozengaze's signature purple form, highlighted by a pair of icy blue orbs, appeared in Crimson's dream; swirling like mist being tugged by a gentle breeze. "Secrets that are now mine. I simply want to give you the chance to meet me face-to-face atop Skyward Mountain. You see I have a proposition for you, Crimson, but I'd prefer we speak about it on ground that is sacred to me and unknown to you. It might make me feel a little safer knowing that the strongest cat in this realm doesn't have the advantage of home territory during our discussion."
"Skyward Mountain? No cat's ever been up there, rumour has it that it's haunted," Crimson snorted. "Yet another reason why all Dark Forest cats are soft."
A rumbling chuckle filled her mind. "My altar isn't haunted, merely a place surrounded by death and mystery. I'm surprise you did not hear Iceshard's screech as I hauled her dying body into my realm."
"I do recall a particular terrified shriek a little while after I sent the Highest Star running for her life."
"Yes, that would have been me disciplining my daughter for the mistakes she had made in allowing you to rise to power. But I have seen the way you command respect and decided that a single leader ruling with a bloodthirsty reputation might be the best thing for this realm; and the fact that it irks my daughter to see her usurper reigning whilst she slaves around for her fellow High Stars."
Crimson's interest sparked once again. "Iceshard was your daughter? I feel sorry for you; she must have been a hard kit to deal with being so full of herself and arrogant."
"I did not pay her much attention as a kit. She was useless to me until she grew into a fine warrior. Even then she had her flaws." Crimson could hear the regret in Frozengaze's voice. "But that was her mother's fault. Swanfeather fussed over her kits too much for too long and it damaged them. They were too innocent, too weak and all of them save for Iceshard perished before they could reach adulthood." There was a small pause in speech that was filled with the sound of a female's anguished crying that Crimson could only describe as haunting. "We have been talking for too long. Ascend to the top of Skyward Mountain and I will speak with you."
The dream shattered entirely as Crimson lurched awake with a quiet gasp, catching the attention of her two guards. Sweat dampened her fur; eyes widened as the last remaining whispers of Frozengaze's voice reverberated through her mind. Such a dream couldn't have been a figment of my imagination, Crimson found herself numbly thinking; well I suppose it wasn't a dream to begin with. At least I found out who killed my split soul.
"Have a nice sleep?" Jinx asked dryly from her position atop a gnarled tree root that had split the ground.
Crimson waved off her follower's snappy attitude with a hiss. She knew that Jinx as only wanting a reaction and then an argument. "Did you find out what you wanted to find out?" Tornheart glared the cream rogue, a hidden threat veiled behind her eyes. She'd become very protective of Crimson since her forced mind control, something that Crimson had become rather fond of. The ex-Clan cat was young enough to be Crimson's daughter and at times – when the red-flecked she-cat wasn't feeling bad for what she'd done – Crimson treated her as such.
"I did, thank you for asking. I have also found out where we must go no-" she was cut off by a low growl that rumbled from Jinx's throat.
"You told us that our next mission would be to kill Scourge, Hiddensun, the Callers and the other cats that had been with them! Now you're telling us that we have something else to do? What's more important than securing our position as leaders over the realms of the dead as well as the living Clans!?"
Sudden rage claimed Crimson in its icy claws as she narrowed her blood red eyes to mere slits. Pure anger seemed to bubble from her pores causing Tornheart to shift backwards. Long claws slid from their sheaths, fangs pointed out from beneath curled lips and fur bristled. "Our position as leaders? You think that you and Tornheart will be ruling alongside me as equal? I will be the supreme – the only – leader. This has always been my plan and up until this point I believed that you had worked this out for yourself. Apparently not. You have disappointed me, Jinx." The cream rogue's tough demeanour began to crumble as Crimson leaped, her leap bringing her to land neatly on top of the gnarled root beside Jinx.
As she straightened up Crimson could see even more of the Dark Forest drooping and dying. It alarmed her to notice that things were dying within heartbeats. Before her eyes she watched a patch of spindly grass turn brown, become limp and then burst into a small cloud of ash. "Why is everything dying?" she murmured.
Jinx tilted her head, her heart rate slowing at Crimson's non-angry words. "What?"
"Why is everything dying?" Crimson said louder. The slight panic in her voice caused both Tornheart and Jinx to look around; to observe the dying world around them. More ash clouds began to appear.
And then the ground beneath their feet jerked violently throwing all three cats to the ground with grunts and groans. A whining sound filled the air followed by cracking. The ground the three cats were crumpled on began to crack; began to pull away as a hole in the dirt opened up. Crimson watching with wide, panic filled eyes as the root her and Jinx had been standing on pitched forwards and was then swallowed into the yawning crack. "We need to go," she ordered, stumbling to her paws, "now!"
There was no need to yell at her followers for they were already on their paws looking expectantly at their leader for the next instructions. "Where to?" Tornheart demanded lightly as the ground rumbled once again. More clumps of dirt fell into the gaping crack.
"Skyward Mountain."
Then they were running for their lives from the fissures that were growing, spreading like a disease, with every passing heartbeat. Groaning sounds echoed throughout the forest as the ground lurched to and fro as if it was a morsel of prey being shaken by a hungry predator. Shrieks of fear and pain sounded constantly as Crimson and her two followers raced low to the ground through the crumbling forest. Every time the ground shook a tree would come crashing to the ground. It had become dangerous to run as well as remain in one place.
Crimson's flanks heaved as spots floated in front of her gaze. Thankfully for her – and her tiring followers – the base of Skyward Mountain tore up from the ground and soft grass was swapped for rugged rocks as the sloping climb to the summit of the mountain began.
It was fear – pure and untainted – that chased the three exhausted cats up the mountain. From beneath them cries of death mixed with the groaning of the earth shattered by thuds as trees hit the ground. From above them came buffeting icy winds that screamed abuse at the cats that trekked up now icy slopes. As they climbed higher the sounds of chaos from below vanished as a misty cloud enveloped them; cradled them with soft arms.
"Surely we must be near the top by now?" Jinx whined. None of them had spoken much during their sudden flight away from the cracking ground, probably because of their exhaustion that was really beginning to take its toll.
Crimson looked back at her struggling followers and pity softened her hard gaze. "I do not know. This is my first time climbing any mountain so your guesses are as good as mine." As she spoke a sudden thrumming started up, accompanied by many voices all whispering at once. None of them could make out what the voices were whispering.
"That noise sounds almost like a really low growl…" Tornheart shouted over the din of thrumming and whispering.
"Whatever it is it's creepy," Jinx replied. "And loud."
The group fell back into silence as they continued their – less – frantic scramble up the twisting path that cut into the side of the mountain. Occasionally one would snarl or spit angrily when they tripped over something or stubbed their paw on a rock but apart from that they remained silent. They each worried silently over what they had witnessed and heard; until the mist vanished and the path opened up to reveal the summit of the mountain. Soft dirt replaced hard snow and an altar made from pristine white bone rose up. A glowing purple orb spun lazily on top of it, cradled by a purplish-blue mist that swirled around it.
"You arrived quicker than I thought, Crimson. Did something frighten you?" the sneer was evident in Frozengaze's voice as it rolled out from within the orb. Jinx and Tornheart both dropped into aggressive stances with their claws and fangs bared but Crimson remained indifferent, standing with a disdainful look on her face.
"Well you told me to come and I have. The fact that the ground was – is – falling out from under our paws played only a small part of our sudden arrival but I'm sure you know that already," Crimson replied easily. Her easy tone that wasn't laced with venom or malice surprised her two followers and they shared a quick glance that asked the same question. How did their leader know the cat speaking?
A deep chuckle vibrated around the summit of the mountain. "I was waiting for this incident to occur; the shifting of balances that would set of a chain reaction that would bring about the end of the four afterlife territories. There's a word you living cats use to describe such an incident but I cannot recall it."
"Apocalypse?" Jinx offered. A lapse of silence fell over the summit as Frozengaze's words sunk in. The realm of the dead was being torn apart by an apocalypse; ravaged by flame and by ice.
"Yes, apocalypse. Many of your kin will believe that this was spurred on by the deaths of the four High Stars or by the rising of you, Crimson. However this is all untrue. Every hundred or so seasons the dead realm will be destroyed so that a new realm can be created, free of the monsters that have inhabited it." A strong rushing sound suddenly started up as air rushed out of the floating portal. The whispers grew steadily louder as more air poured from the mouth of the portal. "Now allow me to join you on the summit in my true form."
A huge paw – coloured with hues of blue and purple – protruded from the portal followed shortly by another paw, a head, body and then hind legs. From the abyss that was another realm beyond the mouth of that portal stepped out a giant cat with eyes so blue they shone but were emotionless. Then the cat shrunk until it was the size of a normal cat. As normal colours washed onto its fur, tendrils of blue light wrapped themselves around the cat's head creating some sort of makeshift mane that eventually flopped over its entire face, obscuring it from view.
When the blue lights vanished a smaller cat – but still huge compared to normal sized cats – stood proudly; fur coloured blue with an assortment of blue splotches scattered across its haunches and a tail tip that appeared to have been dipped in shadows. Ragged scars marked its flanks and face, marring the startlingly blue eyes that peered out at the three cats from beneath long eyelashes.
The rushing sound from the portal quietened as the frantic swirling began to slow, sucking the tendrils of blue light back into the realm beyond. Crimson spotted her second in command leering hungrily at the portal mouth, blue eyes stretched wide with greed but it was the newcomer to the summit that beat her to saying anything. "If you set one paw within my realm then I will personally smite you with a single swipe of my paw," he growled.
Crimson's ears pricked at the familiarity of the voice that sounded so foreign in such a real looking body. "Frozengaze? You, uh, look different to what I was expecting."
Those startling blue eyes flicked to Crimson, "did you expect me to be some sort of demon with blood stained fur and ugly, twisted claws?"
"I, uh, of course not, no," Crimson stammered as her tail tip twitched.
Her reaction stirred small purrs of amusement from Jinx and an even quieter purr from Tornheart. With a snarl she whirled on them with unsheathed claws, red eyes narrowed. "Both of you keep your traps shut!" Another hiss followed her words before the demon turned her body to face Frozengaze but before she could speak a loud cracking sound split the tranquil silence of the summit. Shrieks that hadn't been heard moments before suddenly came rushing up, deafening the four cats.
"Would any of you like to see what the death of a realm looks like?" Frozengaze enquired calmly. His calm nature was one that was not shared with the other three she-cats. All three wore looks of horror upon their faces; the images of their frantic dash through the forest playing over in their minds. When none of them answered Frozengaze took it as a yes and – with a flick of his tail – removed the cover of cloud that shielded the mountain summit from view.
What met the eyes of Crimson, Jinx and Tornheart could only be described as pure destruction. The orange glow – tainted with streaks of red – that came with fierce flames covered most of the land that could be seen from the top of the mountain. Plumes of black smoke stretched high into the starless sky. Parts of the land were cracking; sliding away from each other and even sliding upwards. The loud thudding of trees hitting the ground still occurred every few heart beats but the amount of trees left to fall was dwindling.
Destruction surrounded the mountain casting eerie shadows dancing across the summit. But it wasn't the smoke, fire or even cracking land that had drawn Crimson's attention. It was the only place in the entire realm that wasn't plagued by fire or cracking land. The lake where all cats appear when they first die still remained untouched; water rippling gently as breaths of wind tugged at it. From where she stood Crimson could clearly see the stars that glimmered in the sky above it winking out one by one until nothing but pale dark sky tinged with streaks of blue was left.
"Now you have seen what destruction really is; a tangled mess of fire and cloud tainted with the cracking of the land beneath your paws," Frozengaze rumbled. His paws shifted the dirt that had remained untouched for so long, creating small clouds of dust. "But it is time for us to leave before the safety of my altar is compromised along with our safety."
Darkness began to encroach on the vision of all four cats as Frozengaze worked his magic, imagining the living world replacing the crumbling world beneath their paws. Their vision wobbled as they pitched towards the ground. The last thing any of them saw was a huge creature with beady yellow eyes bursting forth from a wall of flames to lay waste to Frozengaze's altar and the portal to another realm.
-000-
Fire; it seared his pelt and parched his throat leaving nothing but a gritty feeling behind when he attempted to either gasp for breath or swallow. Ash; it smothered his fur and worked its way into his eyes, making them sting painfully whenever he blinked or moved them. Smoke; it worked its way into his lungs and turned every gasping breath into a sour tasting cloud of thick, black smoke.
All around him the world he had come to call home burned, shifted out from under his paws and crumbled. Trees lay fallen, reduced to nothing but charred mess that were still being ravaged by flames that had erupted from huge fissures in the ground. Fear was replaced by exhaustion by the constant fleeing from the destruction raging on around him, from the constant fires that roared like lions.
Beside him – attempting to keep her body low to the ground without actually touching it – was Palesun with her green eyes narrowed against the rain of ash that poured from the smoky sky. Her pale yellow fur was no longer yellow but a mess of ash coloured gray marred by streaks of red blood that had been induced by falling trees and crumbling rock faces. Behind them – also running for their lives – were the remaining Callers; as well as Hiddenstorm and Sinkingsun and the three toms Shadelight had brought with her.
Somehow they had all ended up back in the main clearing when the fissures had started appearing and spewing fire mixed with smoke and ash into the air. Together they had fled from the destruction only to find that no place in the Dark Forest was safe. So they had quickly decided, albeit that their decision making had consisted of much yowling and caterwauling, that heading to Hiddenstorm's territory might mean that their lives could be lived for a little longer. He had told them that old tales from the oldest cats in his territory had been spun about a rip in time; one that had the ability to transport any creature that entered it to another realm of their choosing.
Scourge had passed it on as nothing but mere rumours but he was the only one that didn't agree with Hiddenstorm's idea, so he'd been ignored. When Palesun had left he had followed just like he had promised all those moons ago when he'd first met her as a tortured soul wandering around the edge of the border between the Dark Forest and Everlasting Night.
Now all of them were stumbling blindly through thick smoke constantly flinching as embers struck their fur, singing it off in places. Already Brokenstar and one of Shadelight's toms had been killed; Brokenstar struck by a falling branch that had broken his back and crushed his lungs; the tom killed when he had plunged into a gaping hole with a loud shriek that had echoed throughout the smoke.
So much danger surrounded the fleeing cats and the hardest thing was that no one knew why. They didn't know why their home was crumbling. It wasn't fair. Was all the destruction caused by the High Stars death? Unlikely; High Stars died all the time and few cats took any notice apart from the ones that were actually close to them. Was Crimson to blame? Perhaps; the she-cat with blood for eyes had bragged about controlling unfathomable power. Was their someone else who could have caused all this? Also unlikely; dead cats that had power had a habit of bragging about it instead of keeping it a secret. Their bragging captured the attention of the High Stars and they were dead before they could spin a lie.
All these ideas spun rapidly through Scourge's head as he ducked under a fallen, flaming tree that was perched slightly above the ground before pausing to help Palesun under it. He watched with curious eyes as Hawkfrost attempted to do the same to Sinkingsun. His keen blue eyes picked up the tension mixed with feelings that sparked between the two as well as the love tainted by hate that shone in Sinkingsun's terrified green eyes. His sharp ears picked up the whispered words that Hawkfrost uttered as Sinkingsun rose to shaky paws, "I'll never leave you behind."
Nor did he miss the ice melting in Sinkingsun's eyes as she pressed her nose to Hawkfrost's sooty shoulder. "No death will keep us apart again," she promised. Warmth heated Scourge's heart slightly as he witness the rekindling of what he presumed was a forbidden relationship between a Dark Forest Caller and the granddaughter of Fallenshadow. Speaking of Fallenshadow, he thought to himself, I wonder what happened to that old tom. Everyone heard of his death but no spirit came to be greeted at the Rebirth Ocean. Maybe he somehow managed to survive and slunk off into hiding.
"We need to keep moving," Hiddenstorm rumbled over the din of crackling fires and shifting earth. "The sooner we get to my territory the safer we will be." Or so you've told us.
Scourge held his tongue despite his increasing irritation for the sake of his mate's life. If Palesun wanted to go traipsing through danger just to make it to another territory where it mightn't be any safer then he would follow her. "Are you okay?" the sound of her cracked voice, worn down by breathing in gritty smoke, sent a pang running through Scourge. How could he protect her when he was falling apart as well?
"Fine," he replied quickly, hoping to smother and hide his growing fear from the one cat that knew him better than any other cat. He feared that he would die and leave Palesun with no one but Cypress plaguing the darkest corners of her mind. He feared that they would all die, reduced to nothing but piles of ash lost in a slowly fading world.
"I know that's a lie," Palesun hissed through her gritted teeth as she began to jog. "Your may guard your secrets well but I know when you're lying and now is one of those times. Besides; when you lie your eyes dilate." There was a tone of smugness in her voice that drew a small purr from within the small tom. His Palesun always knew how to lighten the mood, even if it was only slightly.
He shrugged and turned his attention to weaving around small spot fires but a hiss from Palesun dragged an answer from him. "Maybe I'm not okay but now isn't the time to be worrying about how I feel. A time when fire isn't destroying our home might be a better time." The pained look in Palesun's forest green eyes drove a small thorn into his heart. "I love you, don't ever forget that, okay?"
The smile that returned light to her eyes was enough to bring a small smile to his own face. "How could I ever forget that the coldest tom's heart belongs to me?" Palesun retorted cockily. But Scourge couldn't miss the warmth in her voice; it made her voice sound sweeter than the birdsong he hadn't heard in seasons upon seasons.
Then came the creaking sound of trees followed by the horrifying sound of wood tearing from wood. Within heartbeats a huge oak tree had come crashing to the ground in a cloud of ash and roaring fires, cutting off the way the cats had just come from. From through the ash came Hiddenstorm's familiar yowl, "hurry! We must make it out of this clearing before another tree cuts us off completely!"
Shrieks of fear were cut off by a heart wrenching scream of loss. Through the slowly dissipating ash Scourge could pick up the shapes of Hawkfrost and Sinkingsun gathered around what appeared to be a log of some sorts. As he drew nearer Scourge could clearly see that the log was in fact Tigerstar. The scarred dark tabby tom was pinned beneath the thickest part of the fallen oak. No blood stained the ground, only a small trickle dribbled from the leader's mouth. His son pawed desperately at Tigerstar's shoulder, crying desperately for the fallen tom to rise to his paws.
But there was no way the dark leader was going to rise. He had fallen for the final time, crushed beneath the smouldering mass of a fallen tree. "Please!" Hawkfrost's pleading echoed throughout the fire ringed clearing.
Scourge was beside him in an instant, tugging at the tabby tom's flank with a sheathed paw. "We need to go, Hawkfrost. Your father is beyond saving now."
"No!" Hawkfrost whipped around to snap at Scourge. "What if it was Palesun laying here? Would you leave her to die amongst the flames, all by herself?"
"Of course I wouldn't. But by staying here you are endangering not only yourself but Sinkingsun as well. I would stay for Palesun but I wouldn't stay for my father. Yes, Tigerstar may be your only family left but he has lived a life much longer than yours or Sinkingsun's. Say goodbye and then run."
A harsh coughing sound spilt from Tigerstar's open jaw as he cracked open an amber eye that was glazed over with pain. "Scourge is right," the tom gasped. "I've lived my life. It mightn't have been a very good one but it was still a life. You died a lot sooner than you should've, son, but if you stay here then your afterlife will be also cut short. Please, for my sake, just leave me behind."
"I..I…fine. If it's want you want then I'll go," Hawkfrost's voice cracked as he hung his head in defeat. No final goodbye was said. Hawkfrost merely touched his nose to Tigerstar's shoulder and then limped over to where Hiddenstorm was waiting.
Tigerstar's glazed amber eye turned on Scourge but no hatred filled them. There was only pain and loss. "I have to thank you for saving my son's life. He wouldn't have left if I'd told him but that little speech of yours convinced him. Maybe that's why BloodClan followed you so easily; because of your silver tongue." Then the leader sighed quietly before his head lolled to one side. Tigerstar; one of the evillest cats to walk the living world was dead.
"Scourge!" Palesun's scream shook the black tom from his thoughts and he turned just in time to watch a tree collapse to the ground, trapping them in a ring of scorching fire. "Hiddenstorm's found a way out!"
Way out? Maybe that useless, buffoon of a tom is actually worth something. He streaked over the ash covered clearing to find the remaining cats – Hiddenstorm, Sinkingsun, Hawkfrost, Palesun and two of Shadelight's toms – gathered around a small hole in a smouldering bramble bush. "I'll go first, to make sure the other side is safe," Hiddenstorm offered. Before anyone could object the huge tom shouldered his way through the bramble bush and disappeared into the smoke. Shadelight's toms followed quickly after. Scourge allowed Sinkingsun to slip through next with Hawkfrost trailing after her, head still drooping.
"Go on," Palesun nudged her mate gently, "I'll be right after you."
Scourge nodded and slipped through the bramble bush but as he turned to help Palesun through the brambles burst into flames. There was nothing Scourge could do but watch as the bush collapsed in on itself, trapping Palesun in the ring of fire with no way of getting out. Her fear filled cry pierced his heart and as Scourge turned his head to stare at the bedraggled group behind him he could see his sadness and pain reflected in their own eyes.
"I promise I'll always protect you. I'll always be there for you, even if it means dying."
The words he had spoken to Palesun the day he had asked her to be his mate echoed in his mind and just like that an idea fixed itself into his brain. As if the same idea had spoke itself into Sinkingsun's mind she stepped forward and laid a tail on Scourge's shoulders. "Do it for Palesun. None of us are going to survive, Scourge. I see that now and so do you. You promised Palesun that you would always be with her, even in the moments before death."
He inclined his head in a small nod of respect as the yellow she-cat with her red legs moved back to where Hawkfrost was standing. The last remaining descendant of Tigerstar placed his muzzle on top of Sinkingsun's head and the she-cat snuggled into the tabby tom's fur.
"It has been a pleasure fighting and walking alongside you," Scourge meowed. Then he turned, took a deep breath and then launched himself into the fire that had consumes the bramble bush. He felt fire lick at his pelt for what seemed like ages before slightly cooler air washed over his pelt and hard ground smacked into his side.
A familiar voice shouted his name with pure joy and it was that voice that brought him back from the brink of unconsciousness. He opened his eyes to see Palesun staring down at him. It made him jump a little to see her so close. He scrambled shakily to his paws and buried his muzzle into her fur, breathing in her sweet scent. "I promise I'd never leave you," Scourge murmured into her fur.
"I know you did. I always knew you'd find your way back to me," Palesun whispered. She hissed quietly as an ember singed her fur. "But now we're both going to die."
They both settled on the ground in the middle of the clearing, as far away from the roaring flames as possible. Scourge wrapped his smaller body as far around Palesun's as it would go; shielding her from the pain he knew would overcome them soon. "Everyone's going to die. There's no place in the four territories that is safe from this destruction. Everyone will die," he explained, tone dull.
Before Palesun could answer the fire was upon them. At the same time a horrific shrieking noise ripped across the entire dying world. Scourge raised his head painfully from the fire that was beginning to burn as his body to see some monstrous creature scaling the edge of Skyward Mountain. When it reached the top it brought a massive paw down on the top of the mountain that created a sound similar to thunder. Heartbeats later a flash of purple light lit up the fading world followed by a massive clap of thunder. Then Skyward Mountain exploded in a mixture of fire, smoke and lava that sent a shockwave hurtling into every corner of the dead territories.
Fire; it seared his pelt and parched his throat leaving nothing but a gritty feeling behind when he attempted to either gasp for breath or swallow. Ash; it smothered his fur and worked its way into his eyes, making them sting painfully whenever he blinked or moved them. Smoke; it worked its way into his lungs and turned every gasping breath into a sour tasting cloud of thick, black smoke.
Death; it extended a misty black paw and took the pain away, replacing it with an eternal feeling of peace.
AN: Do you want to know why this chapter took so long to be written? Because it's over 6000 words long. Yep. Second last chapter is the longest chapter.
Goodbye all my favourite dead kitties. RIP Brokenstar, Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, Sinkingsun, Hiddenstorm, Palesun and Scourge. You will all be dearly missed. I seriously am going to miss the relationship between Hawkfrost and Sinkingsun; as well as the one between Palesun and Scourge. :'(
I'm going to go cry a little now.
-Hunter