Chapter eight
"W- Who are you?" Shade stuttered, following the strange cat. He turned his face to her, revealing a missing eye. "Don't you remember me?" He said deviously. "One-eye!" Shade tried to dash away, but one-eye held his tail in her way. "Oh, Shade. Why are you so afraid? I was always good to you. These cats don't even trust you!" Shade looked away. It was true what he was saying, but the clan was best for her, right? She looked around. They were in no part of the clan territory she had ever seen. She looked up and nearly jumped into the treetops. There were no stars! Just a empty dark space, with a glowing red moon in the middle of it. "Where are we?" She asked fearfully. "Why, we're in the dark forest. Your new training place" One-eye replied. "I'm never going to train with you!" she yowled, trying to pull away. "C'mon. just give it a shot. I can make you the best warrior the clans have ever seen! They won't even be able to try distrusting you!" He said. Shade paused. That was what she wanted, right? But One-eye never had good intentions at heart. But maybe she could figure him out, and return a hero! She nodded. "Alright" she mused. "Great! Let's get started"
Suddenly he pounced on her, pinning her to the ground. He dug his claws into her shoulders. "Hey! What are you doing?!" She shouted furiously. "But this is the training! Learn to be a better warrior!" He talked. "Now fight!" Shade sprung up and flung him to the ground, and took a moment to breathe, But in that moment One-eye pounced again. Shade rolled to the side, jumping back to her paws. She slashed out and clawed him, pushing his legs out under his body. One-eye looked surprised, then smiled. Shade hissed, charging forward and pinning him down. As she felt One-eye stop struggling, she let loose. Wrong idea. He immediately, pushed her on the ground. Shade felt his claws dig into her shoulders, and she lay helplessly on the floor. "Alright, I give up. Just stop!" She shouted. One-eye let loose and sat down in front of her. "Good job. But you need to be a bit more prepared for surprise attacks" He chatted, as if they had just gathered to eat some prey. Shade was still standing, her fur bristling up. "I didn't agree to this! I agreed for you to train me, not kill me!" She hissed.
"But this is the training. And it's more efficient than others I have seen in that pathetic little clan" He mewed. "Well, it seems the sun is rising. You'd better get up now"
The in-between
Night was stalking. Vengeful thoughts filled her mind, as she got closer to the kit. She walked out of the bushes, Stepping onto the clearing that looked like it was sodden with blood from a battle. And it should be. Night thought. No, I have to keep my cover. She had coated her fur in the mud already, it was to late to turn back. "Hello" she mewed, putting on her friendliest voice, "It's unusual to see a kit without it's parents here at this time"
She watched the kits face, that was turning surprised. "Uh… I can be here. I'm Little twig and my dad is the leader of SkyClan!" It chirped. Night smiled. This was exactly what she had been hoping for. A naïve kit who didn't know that those exact words were going to mean his death. "Oh! I've heard about you. In fact, your dad sent me to come get you" She purred. The kit's expression changed to worry. "Oh, don't worry, you're not in trouble. He just wanted me to… play with you a bit. Follow me, I know a good spot" She flicked her tail, leading the kit to the river. "The water's warm, get in!" She called. "But what if I drown?" Little twig whimpered. "Oh, it's very shallow. It'll hardly get to your belly" Night answered. She watched as the kits started splashing around. Her amber eyes followed his every movement. In a blink of an eye, she pounced, holding the kit under the water. She dug her claws in its flesh, watching the fear in his eyes with satisfaction. "Your father will feel pain, like he made every other cat around him feel" She hissed, glaring as the kits eyes went blank. One down, three to go. Maybe I can even get him on the way. She padded away, and behind her back the corpse began to be carried away by the current. She washed her claws in a shallower part, and crossed over. I'll be by you soon, my kits. Your father will be avenged. She smiled slyly.