Now we've got perspective from the Pack's side of the Prophecy! I wonder how the story will shift with this information? :)
Snap.
Green eyes flashed and whipped around to face the noise.
"Vix? Vex? Is that you?" Scorch growled, turning his gaze to the two russet pelts in the entrance of the den. "Why've you returned so soon?"
Vix and Vex looked at one another, Vix's mouth twisted into a vicious grin.
"Big news sir, big news!" He shrieked, hopping around the den. "Feather alright! Feather much taken care of!" Scorch stiffens, glancing at Vex in confusion for explanation as his the fox's brother pranced around him.
Vex sat down, his fluffy tail curling over his paws.
"The Clan cats," he yipped. "Cinder and five others took her back to their camp."
"What?" Scorch's eyes snapped wide.
No! What if they kill her?! Feather, no, I have to... He stared at the ground, his fur bristling.
"I doubt they're going to kill her," Vex said simply. "They actually patched up her wounds."
Scorch's gaze lifted to Vex, his jaw parting in shock.
"What...?"
"Yepper depper!" Vix cackled. "Your pretty feather and scary cinder all in one place! All in one place, haha! Haha! Scorch will die to their paws! Die die!"
"Vix, enough," Vex snapped, scooting over and popping his brother over his head. "I apologize Scorch, I—"
"No, don't," Scorch turned away from them. "Don't apologize. He's right."
His green gaze darkened and glittered over the words.
Feather was safe, now...
"What do you two wish for prey?" He asked gently, rising to his paws. "What will be your payment?"
Vix and Vex looked at one another, before turning to Scorch with large fangs bared.
"We want..."
Vix's eyes glowed with hunger, and Vex's jaws grew slick with saliva.
"Wolf."
Kestrelpaw knew something was going through her mother's mind, as she watched the grey she-cat saunter through the grass, her head low. The wolf; who Cindercall called "Feather", lumbered alongside her, limping and whimpering ever so often, Mumblebee keeping a close eye on her as they went.
Nettlepelt and Fleetpaw stood beside Cindercall, leaving Kestrelpaw and Pearlight taking up the rear.
She watched her mother and father as they pressed close to each other, the grey she-cat glancing to Feather occasionally, before looking to Pearlight.
"Does Cindercall seem... More upset than usual?" She asks softly, glancing at Pearlight with wide, fearful eyes.
The tom was silent, watching the grey she-cat's back, before glancing to his apprentice.
"I... Can't tell..." He says with a soft sigh. "I've known her for so long, but I still don't know how to read her much anymore. She's... Different. She always has been around wolves."
"She has...?" Kestrelpaw whispered, her ears twitching. "Why?"
Pearlight was silent for a moment, before he exhaled slowly.
"Because those wolves... They're tied to Cindercall. She's... lost more than you might think to them. One in particular." His gaze flashed with anger, and Kestrelpaw's eyes widened. Pearlight never seemed to get angry.
"Was it that one?" She asked, flicking her ears to Feather.
"No," he shook his head. "There was one..." Pearlight swallowed, shuddering slightly, his fur bristling. "I... I'm sorry, Kestrelpaw, but it's better if we don't talk about this."
Kestrelpaw opened her mouth to retort and push him, only to see his reaction.
The warrior that she considered an amazing mentor was... Scared.
She turned her gaze to the ground as they tread along the path.
If there was a creature out there that could scare Pearlight, then...
Should she be afraid too?
Mumblebee's head was low as they moved to the meadow, his gaze dark.
"We can't bring Feather into the camp," he mewed softly to Cindercall. "There's... been a situation, and we need to keep her outside of there for now."
Cindercall paused, glancing to him.
"A... situation?" She echoes.
"I'll tell you later," he murmured, his voice cracking. "We need to find her a place to stay."
Cindercall's ears twitched as they entered the training meadow, her gaze flickering over to the cave that Oddbird had shown her.
It was too small for a wolf, but there had been one beside it that had been large enough.
Hopefully the tom wouldn't inspect the cave...
She nudged Mumblebee.
"I know a place. Come on." She veered the group to the side, nearing Oddbird's little cave of collectibles, stopping in front of the larger cave. "Here."
"You're sure it's safe?" Mumblebee asked, sniffing it.
"Yeah," Cindercall nodded. "Oddbird has small cave over by here, where he keeps little trinkets. He showed it to me and I saw this cave too."
Mumblebee stiffened at Oddbird's named, his eyes widening briefly, before he cleared his throat.
"I see..." His voice shook softly. "Let Feather know this is where she'll be staying. That she can't get into contact with the Clan cats until we figure out what to do with her and how we're to do it."
Cindercall watched Mumblebee softly, confusion swarming in her mind.
Why did he seem so off?
Nettlepelt seemed to stiffen beside her, his fur bristling.
But he didn't speak.
Cindercall turned to Feather.
"You'll be staying here," she murmured gruffly. "Don't contact any other Clan cats aside from us, okay? We need to figure out what our next step is, and well... You wolves didn't leave a good impression last time."
Feather watched her carefully, before turning to the cave.
"This will do," she rumbled, stepping inside with a slight limp. "I will see you again, Cinder." She murmured, casting a final glance to them before disappearing within the darkness of the deep cave.
Pearlight, Kestrelpaw, and Fleetpaw disappeared to go find mint to rub over the cave to hide the she-wolf's scent, while Nettlepelt and Cindercall pulled Mumblebee to the side.
"Mumblebee," Cindercall mewed gently. "What happened? You said there was a situation?"
Mumblebee's gaze darkened, and his eyes wandered back in the direction of camp.
It was a long moment before he spoke again.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, his voice cracking. "We held the vigil without you, Cindercall... There was... nothing I could do..."
Cindercall's eyes widened, and Mumblebee turned to meet her gaze.
"While you were gone... Oddbird was killed..."
His gaze glittered darkly.
"By Shadowcry."
Cindercall felt numb, as the cats slowly started to swarm her and greeted her back with solemn murmurs of both worry and relief.
"They're okay!" Someone mewed.
"Thank StarClan, we were so worried when you came to get Mumblebee!" Another crowed.
"Is everyone alright? Who was injured?"
"Pearlight! Nettlepelt! You're alright!"
"Fleetpaw, thank the ancestors you're alright!"
Cindercall stumbled through the crowd, her tail dragging on the ground as she shifted past them, barely hearing the words that met her ears.
Oddbird...
Her gaze remained on the ground, unblinking.
She knew they hadn't spoken much... But...
"Let's see..." Oddkit's gaze scrunched up as he surveyed Aspenkit and Cinderkit. "You guys are way too tiny to be on our team! Sweetkit, you can have them!"
Sweetkit trotted over, bumping heads with the small tom, purring warmly.
"Yeah, you're gonna regret that later when we sweep your tails!"
"As if!" He laughed. "We'll win! We're gonna be great warriors!"
"We'll be great too!" Cinderkit whined. Oddkit's tail curled and he puffed up his chest.
"Well duh, of course you guys will; but first you gotta catch up with us older cats! All of us will be great, and all of us will be the best of friends when we're older, ya mouse-brain!"
She barely managed to find her nest, curling up and tucking her tail over her nose.
"We don't talk much anymore, Oddbird," Cindercall mewed. "I've missed hunting with you, y'know."
Oddbird purred with amusement.
"Yeah, I know. I promise; when you come back from your expedition, we'll go on a hunting trip. Me, you, Fleetpaw, and maybe Sweethawk and Jaypaw too! It'll be fun!"
Cindercall's gaze brightened, and she nudged shoulders with Oddbird.
"That sounds great! I can't wait!"
Her eyes fell shut, sleep gripping her and pulling her into darkness.
It wasn't long before Cindercall awoke again.
Her gaze shifted around, expecting fire and blood to coat the forest, just as all her nightmares began.
But... Instead she found herself in a strangely familiar meadow.
"Welcome, Cindercall," a soft, pretty mew echoed through the grass. It was a familiar voice, but... It wasn't Moonstar, or any cat she knew.
"Who's there?" She called. "Moonstar?" She glanced around, searching through the tall grass.
But there was no response, and Cindercall pushed through the grass, ears twitching and eyes searching for the source of the strange voice.
She shifted and moved, the warm wind buffeting her fur, before she heard the soft trickling of water.
Cindercall found herself moving out of the tall grass, pausing as she found herself by a gentle trickling stream...
She glanced around, her fur fluffing out as the wind slowly started to cool, and she sat by the water's edge.
"Hello...?" She called softly, looking around. "Please... Who's there...?"
But only silence answered her.
The wind chilled further, her fur bristling against it as cold wind whipped against her fur.
She stared at the stream that bubbled and trickled through the rocks.
"Cindercall...?"
Her gaze shot up, her eyes widening when she saw the cat on the other side of the stream.
The cat's white fur fluffed against the cold wind, her wide gaze sorrowful and pained.
Cindercall stiffened, her fur bristling even further.
"Frigidheart...?"
Frigidheart's gaze darkened, and she stepped towards the water.
"Cindercall!" She wailed. "Please! You must help us!"
Cindercall stepped towards the water as well, moving to cross over it as she started to realize the she-cat was disappearing.
"Help you? How?!"
"The mountain," the she-cat whimpered. "Is crumbling..." Her voice began to fade, as she rushed through the water. "Only the moon... can fix... the mountain..."
"What do you mean?!" Cindercall wailed, rushing for the she-cat.
But then there was nothing beneath her paws. Not rocks, not river...
Just nothing...
Death will come with the fire...
Cindercall's stiffened, her eyes snapping wide.
You're a monster! A murderer!
Her fur bristled against the harsh words.
You're behind it all, aren't you, Cindercall?
You're the one who brought the fire...
Cindercall suddenly felt the ground crashing back up to her, yet she couldn't see it through the dark fog.
She stumbled and raced forward, panic and fear charging through her as darkness choked her vision and breath.
You're the reason they're dead...
Harder, she ran, her legs pumping as fast as they could.
You're the reason they'll keep dying...
Her breath was ragged and torn, her eyes flickering around frantically as she tried to find a way out of this darkness; a way to escape these words.
You're nothing...
But...
A...
Monster...
Nettlepelt nudged Cindercall awake quickly, his gaze wide with worry as he watched her thrash in her sleep.
The she-cat woke with a start, shaking terribly, her gaze flickering up to him.
She didn't need to say anything, as Nettlepelt pressed closer to her, his tail sweeping over her quaking coat.
He rested his head on her shoulders, his gaze soft and gentle as he looked to her.
She met his gaze slowly, tears slowly beading into her eyes.
"Nettlepelt..." She whimpered softly.
He nuzzled her softly.
"No matter what, Cindercall," he whispered gently, pressing as close to her as he could. "This... Is not your fault..."
Cindercall's gaze shut, and she pressed against him, the shivering slowly coming to a halt.
Nettlepelt never let go of her, watching her even as she fell asleep once more.
No matter what...
His gaze glowed as he watched the she-cat fall into what he prayed was a good dream.
I won't let you do this alone...