Chapter 2: New Horizons

Jaggedshadow's POV

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the stone-circle for a clan meeting." A large gray tom called, rising from his place on the high rock.

A massive tom walked toward the tall, ancient, circular grey meeting platform. Ethereal moonlight revealed bands of silver that bordered black stripes on his pelt. A small crowd had already gathered around the stone circle.

Cedertail stepped back. "The eldest apprentice has earned his promotion. Jaggedshadow, step into the circle." Jaggedshadow leaped onto the stone circle and turned himself to face his leader. After a few moments of solemn silence, Cedartail spoke once again.

"I, Cedartail, leader of Nightclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look upon this apprentice that stands before you. He has trained for moons, perfecting his already impressive fighting skills, as well as becoming an effective healer, and I commend him as a warrior for his merits." He stepped back, to the edge of the stone-circle, looking into Jaggedshadow's eyes.

"Do you, Jaggedshadow, swear to practice and uphold the ways of a warrior, and defend NightClan with your final dying breath?"

"I swear," Jaggedshadow vowed, his tail tip twitching. Finally! This is what I've wanted for so long.

A deep voice, smooth for it's age, sounded within Jaggedshadow's mind. Don't be so sure Jaggedshadow, this is just one of many defining moments in your life.

Jaggedshadow slid a hindleg back. Plague, how do you know that?

Jaggedshadow, I have seen it all, every step and misstep you will make, every mistake, and every battle you will win.

Jaggedshadow raised a brow. You've seen all that?

Plague laughed. everything.

"I grant you the rank of warrior," Cedartail meowed.

Jaggedshadow lifted his chin up proudly and puffed his chest out, his eyes focused on a rock ledge that stood high above Cedartail.

"This meeting is at an end," Cedartail meowed.

Jaggedshadow padded away from the dissipating crowd and walked toward his brother Nightsong.

"Well done Jaggedshadow," meowed Nightsong.

"Thank you Nightsong,"

Jaggedshadow meowed, "I did my best. I still wish that Pineheart was here."

"You know as well as I do that it can't happen."

"True."

Stoneclaw stepped toward Jaggedshadow. his rough, ragged, stone-gray fur appearing almost white in the moonlight. He stood tall above most other cats. His former apprentice Jaggedshadow was one of the few Nightclan cats taller than he.

Stoneclaw was a kind, noble cat. He had been a great, if strict, mentor, even after his brother's and mate's deaths.

"Jaggedshadow, your marking ritual will be performed at dusk tomorrow." He looked at the moonlit sky. "In the meantime however, I shall show you to your nice new nest within the guardians den."

Stormwind's smooth silver fur shimmered in the pale moonlight as she walked toward Jaggedshadow. Her eyes the colour of oak leaves shone happily, as did her grin.

"Congratulations!" She meowed, "I hope we can find time to ourselves."

"Aw come on, my duties as a guardian aren't that different," Jaggedshadow meowed.

Stormwind walked closer toward him. "Still, I worry our duties will separate us."

"We'll see if they do."

A shorter, stocky brown tabby stepped out from what remained of the crowd. "I'm going to miss you, Jaggedshadow," he meowed, "And I'll never forget you."

"It's not like I'm dying, Shattered Oak," Jaggedshadow replied dryly. He nudged him playfully backward.

"My den will be farther away, that's all." Jaggedshadow turned to follow Stoneclaw.

Stoneclaw nodded toward three moss-lined dips in the cave floor that lay parallel to the western cave-wall. "My nest is the center nest, Ravenheart's nest is behind mine, and your nest is closest to camp."

"What about that unlined nest?" Jaggedshadow curled up in his soft, cold nest that smelt of moss, bracken and pine bark.

Without turning his head to look, Stoneclaw meowed, "That nest is reserved for another guardian, or overflow from the medicine den. Now go to sleep."

Jaggedshadow rested his head on his forelegs, his eyes still open. He closed his eyelids and held them shut, but sleep didn't come, it never came swiftly.

A welcome darkness enveloped Jaggedshadow. He opened his eyes, and looked around.

The moon was high in the star speckled sky, casting jagged shards of cold silver light on the rock-strewn ground. He was dreaming. Jaggedshadow padded toward, and sat underneath a massive, ancient birch tree.

"Greetings Jaggedshadow," Plague mewed.

"Yes?" Jaggedshadow stood up.

"The High Council of Elders have chosen you to receive-"

"You must be joking," Jaggedshadow meowed, "Surely Stoneclaw is the better choice for the position of chosen one."

"I am not joking, not this time anyway." Plague batted Jaggedshadow's uninjured ear with his paw. "The council have chosen you for this honor, as I choose you to guard my memory."

Jaggedshadow puffed out his chest and broke into a purr. "It has been an honor since our paths first met."

"Troubled times lay ahead," Plague meowed, "the fate of the clan may rest on your shoulders, and your loyalty will be tested." He placed his paw on Jaggedshadow's shoulder. "You shall feel it soon, brace yourself."

"I am," Jaggedshadow meowed, with no small amount of bravado, "Bring it on."

Plague set his paw on the ground. "With this energy I instill into you, I give you the strength and courage to take on any opponent."

A searing, tingling sensation enveloped Jaggedshadow's body. His fur brightened into bands of amber and gold and spiked up. His surroundings took on a bloody tint.

Jaggedshadow's vision cleared and he found himself standing tall on a snowy mountain peak.

As he gazed across the vast open sky, Jaggedshadow felt the cold, crisp air on his whiskers. He felt powerful, like he could scale the highest mountain, climb the highest tree, brave any storm, and defeat any enemy.

A gust of wind buffeted Jaggedshadow, but he stood firm, almost unmoved by the wall of moving snow. He closed his eyes, taking in the warmth, the energy, the passion and the strength. This is what I want to feel, not the empty coldness and hate that I usually feel these days. Jaggedshadow kept his eyes tightly shut, hoping to hold on to his blissful vision.

Jaggedshadow opened his eyes to the musty, moonlit forest. Plague stood above him with a concerned and puzzled look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Plague asked, "imbuing doesn't usually throw cats."

"I'm fine," Jaggedshadow meowed, his shoulder throbbing from the impact. He stood. "So, why exactly is this necessary?" And what just happened?

"You will need the powers to fight against vengeful warriors from the place of no stars," Plague meowed, "The powers are a gift, you must use them well, you must use them wisely."

"I understand, and I accept," Jaggedshadow meowed.

"I thought you would," Plague meowed, "You must be prepared to fight. To kill for our clan."

"I am," Jaggedshadow meowed, "Especially since the battle."

"You must learn to let go of what happened at hawk ridge, lest your anger and hatred blind you," Plague meowed.

"Cedartail will pay for his crimes," Jaggedshadow meowed, his hackles raising.

"Do not do anything that will bring you sorrow." Plague stepped into the undergrowth, and vanished, leaving behind a patch of iridescent mist.

As Jaggedshadow stood underneath the tree, a sharp burning pain pierced his chest. He looked down and saw his pelt darkening, wave after painful wave, gradually returning to normal. The undergrowth rustled. Jaggedshadow looked up. A small tortoise-shell she-cat had emerged from the brambles.

"Who are you, and how did you get in here?" Jaggedshadow demanded.

"I'm Roseheart of Thunderclan," she replied, "And I have no idea how I got here. Who are you?"

"I am Jaggedshadow, warrior of Nightclan, Guardian of Plague, and you are walking in my dream, you unkempt rouge," he snapped as his dream faded away.

Jaggedshadow awoke with a start. Stoneclaw had been prodding them in the shoulder.

"Get up Jaggedshadow, we're on the sunhigh patrol," Stoneclaw meowed.

"What about Ravenheart?"

"I'll be on the next." Ravenheart began to stir from her nest.

"Well come on," Stoneclaw meowed.

"Alright, I'm coming." Jaggedshadow heaved himself out of his nest.

Jaggedshadow followed him out of the guardian's cave, and into camp.

"Jaggedshadow, my stores of goldenrod are low." Nightsong stepped toward them.

"Got it," Jaggedshadow meowed, "But I can't promise anything."

Jaggedshadow and Stoneclaw walked toward the entrance tunnel, where three warriors were already waiting.

"I understand that we're to be on this patrol?" Stoneclaw meowed.

"Yes, you two fall in between Shadefern and Moondusk," Rainfur meowed.

The patrol set out from camp as if on some holy quest. The three warriors and two guardians walked through the lush forest, tracing along and scanning Nightclan's border for intruders and threats. They reached a tall, crooked, mossy, tilted old tree known as the watcher's tree, and they all tensed up. Rainfur and Shadefeather looked especially depressed

As the rest of the patrol crossed the ridge, Jaggedshadow walked along, fighting back tears of rage. His vision blurred and he shook as tears dripped down his face. I was just getting to know Icefang; I wish that he had returned sooner. Jaggedshadow raised his head as a tide of tears forced themselves down his face, dripping down his chin and down his fangs. I will tear Cedartail apart for his actions during the battle, that treacherous brute. The patrol left hawk ridge behind.

Before they returned to camp, Jaggedshadow stepped into a gloomy clearing, where an albicant-pelted figure sat motionless, as if he were waiting. He spoke with a deep, crooning voice.

"Vengeance shall be yours," he meowed.

"Who are you?" Jaggedshadow asked.

"I am Whitestone," he meowed, "None of the others can see me, or hear anything I say."

Jaggedshadow chortled. "Go on." What kind of fool does this hag think I am? Most, if not all cats can see spirits.

"I wish to help you," Whitestone meowed, "I can-"

"That is enough, Whitestone." Plague appeared at Jaggedshadow's side. "Begone you fox-hearted, deceitful fiend, you and I both know where your intentions lie."

"This isn't over," Whitestone meowed, "I will return for your answer." Whitestone turned his head toward Plague. "Blacktail sends his regards." He stepped forward and vanished.

"What was that about?" Jaggedshadow asked.

"Nothing," Plague meowed.

Jaggedshadow turned his head. "When did you get here, Roseheart?"

"Not long ago."

"Do you know this cat?" Plague asked.

"No," Jaggedshadow meowed, "She walked in my dream last night, not long after the imbuing."

"StarClan must have sent her here," Plague sighed, "Tiger will defeat fire before blood shall scourge the land."

"Is this connected to my power? And why haven't you told me about this prophecy?" Jaggedshadow asked.

"I only learned of it recently," Plague meowed.

"I thank you for sharing your knowledge," Jaggedshadow mewed.

"I have told you a thousand times," meowed Plague, "that there's no need for such formality."

"Could you show me to your camp? I have important news for your leader," Roseheart asked.

"Sure." Jaggedshadow glanced at where Whitestone had been standing, and saw a large clump of goldenrod. He padded toward the tall, thin stems, and nipped off several. He headed toward camp, his jaws tightly gripping several of the largest stems.

He strode carefully into camp, toward the healer's den, swiftly dodging past Ravenheart, Shattered Oak, Amberpelt, and Darksky on the way to the healer's den.

"Jaggedshadow! You brought my goldenrod," Nightsong meowed.

"T'was not a problem, 'Night," Jaggedshadow meowed, "Just doing service for a fellow healer."

"You do know that you are not a full medicine cat?" Nightsong asked, "and can you please stop calling me that? My name is perfectly good, thank you."

"Sure, whatever keeps you happy," Jaggedshadow meowed with a grin.

"Who is this cat?"

"I'm Roseheart, I'm from Thunderclan," she meowed.

Jaggedshadow and Roseheart crossed the camp, and after some time, they reached the cave that was Cedartail's den.

Jaggedshadow entered the den. "Cedartail, there's a cat here who wishes an audience with you."

"Bring them in," Cedartail meowed. They entered the den, and found themselves in a large, rough walled cave. Cedartail turned toward Roseheart, his gaze locked on her. "What have you to say?"

"StarClan told me to warn you of a pack of cats who will be at your eastern border," Roseheart stated.

Jaggedshadow stepped back. That's what she considers important news?

"Does Starclan consider Nightclan to be helpless?" Cedartail meowed.

"No, Starclan is concerned for Nightclan's well being," Roseheart meowed.

"StarClan needs to keep their meddling paws in their own sky." Cedartail slashed her foreleg with his claws.

"As do the rest of the other clans, and I already know about those rouges. My clan guardians have seen to that." Cedartail sheathed his claws.

"Guardians?" Roseheart asked.

"A Spirit-guardian is a Nightclan cat who has a bond with a cat from our afterlife, who is called a guide," Jaggedshadow meowed.

"To be more precise, a Spirit-guardian shares their body with their guide," Plague meowed.

"Who was that?" Roseheart asked, her fur fluffing up from fear.

"Wait, you can't see spirits?" Jaggedshadow asked her. Sun, moon and stars! He thought. Not only is she a complete fool, she's spirit blind. "The voice was my guide, Plague."

"Oh."

Cedartail narrowed his eyes and stepped towards her. "If you have left my territory by dawn tomorrow, my warriors will not shred you."

"I must stay here," Roseheart meowed.

"Leave my den now," he meowed, "Before I kill you myself."

"No, I wo-" she meowed.

"Yes, Cedartail, we're leaving," Jaggedshadow interrupted.

"Escort her to the border." Cedartail sliced the sand with a claw. "Kill her if she resists."

"Yes Cedartail," Jaggedshadow meowed. I must gain his trust, otherwise my plan will never work. And failure is not an option, not if I wish to live.

"Don't fail," Cedartail meowed, "unless of course, you want to end up like your sister."

Jaggedshadow let out a low, almost silent growl. "I will not fail." How dare he mention Riverpelt like that!

"See to it that you don't."

Jaggedshadow and Roseheart walked down the short, narrow path and through the busy camp. They entered and walked along the wide tunnel that led to the rest of the territory. They emerged from the tunnel opening, and found themselves in a large clearing, which was edged with pine and fir trees and dappled with shadows.

"That was a bold but incredibly stupid move back there," Jaggedshadow meowed, "You must be more careful you idiot, Cedartail has banished, mamed, and killed cats over less."

"No respectable warrior kills another," meowed Roseheart, "The warrior code forbids it."

"We don't live by your rules," Jaggedshadow meowed, "and Cedartail is a cruel, treacherous, murderous tyrant."

They stepped forward and then a black-pelted cat landed, his dark wings folding, in front of Roseheart. "You must not leave."

"Why must I not, Lightningwing?" asked Roseheart.

"If you aren't able to save Nightclan, all will be lost."

"That isn't her place," Jaggedshadow meowed, "it's mine."

"Besides, I have been warned to leave Nightclan territory by dawn, or I will be slain," Roseheart meowed.

"Jaggedshadow, you have Thunderclan blood, you must help her." Lightningwing meowed.

"Blood doesn't matter, it's loyalty that counts," Jaggedshadow meowed, "And I will fight to the death for my clan. Now cross the border and never return."

"Having trouble?" Ravenheart emerged from beneath the bracken, with Nightsong, and her apprentice Amberpelt close behind.

"No, I can handle this," Jaggedshadow meowed, "Just our guest, and this... intruder." his tail lashed from side to side.

"I am no intruder, Jaggedshadow, StarClan sent me." Lightningwing's tail twitched nervously.

"Starclan has no authority here," Jaggedshadow meowed, "no one to save you if I choose to kill you."

"You wouldn't!" Lightningwing meowed, "we are brothers."

"How? Icefang has no sons other than Nightsong and I."

"I heard that Icefang has three sons other than me," Lightningwing meowed, "who's the third?"

"What's it to you?" Jaggedshadow stepped closer to Lightningwing, his tail lashing to and fro.

"I'm just wondering." Lightningwing lifted his chin and stepped toward Jaggedshadow. "I've always wanted to know my kin."

"Icefang is dead, as are Riverpelt and Hawkflight." Jaggedshadow's head bowed and he snapped it back up, his ears flattened against his head. "Get out of here, you winged runt."

"Ok fine, we'll leave." Lightningwing leaped into the air, his wings unfurling.

Jaggedshadow watched Lightningwing fly into the distance, the dark tom's wings slicing through the open sky. Roseheart tensed up and sprang across the scent line.

Jaggedshadow turned and stormed into the undergrowth like an enraged fox. He charged through the spacious, lush green woods, and through clearings and up into a wide, ancient pine tree.

He climbed up it's rough, claw-scared trunk. From his perch in the tree, Jaggedshadow could see the treetops. In the distance, he saw a small brown owl glide swiftly above him. Glancing down at the ground, he saw a sparrow. Leaping from the tree, he landed behind it. The sparrow flew away, sounding an alarm call.

With a heavy sigh, Jaggedshadow padded back towards camp. He felt his paws carrying them towards the snow pool. Jaggedshadow stared into the depths of the water. His eyes glinted golden, his pupils thin slits of black under the piercing sun. Three scars divided the skin and fur above and below his right eye. One of his ears was notched at the top, and two gleaming white fangs jutted down from his muzzle.

When Plague told me about Dawnclan's decision, my fur changed, could I do that again? Jaggedshadow lifted his head and sat down.

Yes, you should be able to. Plague's voice meowed. Think about a cat you know; focus on their fur pattern and colours, and your pelt will follow soon after.

I'll try to copy Nightsong's pelt, I know him best, aside from Stormwind, Shadefern and Shattered Oak. Jaggedshadow stood up and looked back into the pool.

How does it look? Jaggedshadow unsheathed his claws and sank them into the ground.

His black-striped tan fur blacked as if it had caught fire. The ashes spreading quickly from his chest, and his tail-tip began to tingle soon after, as if it had been frozen solid and then thawed soon after.

Plague at Jaggedshadow's left side as usual. "Not bad," he meowed, "now shift back."

As plague re-entered his guardian's body, a familiar wave of warmth washed over Jaggedshadow. He swept the clearing with his senses and focused his thoughts on his fur as it usually was. Shadowy stripes, edged with thin bands of silver, surmounting a sandy background came to Jaggedshadow's mind. A tingling warmth surged along his pelt from nose to tail.

"Are you alright?" Nightsong padded toward the snow pool.

"I'm fine." Jaggedshadow sat down at the sloping, rough edge off the snow pool.

"You're not, and you know it." Nightsong sat down at Jaggedshadow's left side, his tail stroking his brother's back. "Let me help you." Nightsong turned toward Jaggedshadow. "You haven't been the same since the battle."

"I don't need help," Jaggedshadow asserted.

"Are you sure?" Nightsong asked.

"Of course I'm sure, I just came here to think," Jaggedshadow meowed.

"What about?" Nightsong meowed.

"Nothing really." Jaggedshadow stood up. "I must be going, I can't be late for my marking ritual."

"Goodbye, then," meowed Nightsong, "I'll see you at star place in a moon?"

"We'll see."