An eagle's shrill cry rang in the air. Jaggedshadow gripped the eagle with his claws, sinking his fangs into its neck. The eagle would not escape his grasp. It could not. Jaggedshadow would not let it.
Besides, even if it did, the eagle was too wounded to fly far. They would both fall. The only question was whether Jaggedshadow would be atop his prey or not.
Jaggedshadow sank his fangs deeper into the thrashing creature's neck. The ground was fast approaching. He grinned. The leap he had made to strike this eagle had been nothing short of supernatural.
Jaggedshadow's companions, who now included Pond Song, were waiting below. They were doubtless watching, not that it mattered. They knew not that it was he who was bringing down this mighty beast. Jaggedshadow needed to return to NightClan. If that meant leaving the others behind, so be it.
Jaggedshadow frowned. Perhaps he could pose as a rogue. Then, he could leave them behind. He envisioned his dark, striped fur being distorted by patches of black and orange. Perhaps they would worry, but their feelings didn't matter. Jaggedshadow had a mission.
Jaggedshadow and the eagle landed with a thump. If it hadn't already died to his bite, it was dead now. Jaggedshadow prodded the eagle. It did not stir. It was dead.
Before Jaggedshadow could stand, Pond Songs' resounding voice rang in the air. "Guardian-warrior Jaggedshadow! Your masterful kill brings you honor. May Caelum revere your skill."
Jaggedshadow leaped back. Now they all knew that he killed the eagle. There was no way he would be able to pretend to be a rouge now.
Pond Song raised her head. "By the power of Caelum, I bless this meal to bring these voyagers strength to return home."
Her words chimed in the air like breaking glass. Jaggedshadow gnashed his teeth. Pond Song could have praised him directly using her soul's voice. But, no. She spoke her praise aloud. She had betrayed him.
Jaggedshadow shot her a glare before sinking his teeth into the eagle. He had caught it after all. Why shouldn't he have the first share? He pulled. It was then, after tearing away a chunk of its flesh, that Jaggedshadow truly appreciated the sheer scale of his kill. It was easily twice his size.
Jaggedshadow dropped the chunk of flesh on a rock. He devoured it, stopping only to lick the warm, salty blood off his face. By the time he stood to take another share there was little left. Jaggedshadow turned away.
Jaggedshadow leaped from a high branch, landing on the highest branch of a tall, slender tree. The sun shone into his eyes. Jaggedshadow narrowed his eyes, jumping to a lower branch. He stared over the treetops.
Before him loomed a mountain. Jutting from the ridge on the left side of the mountain was a ledge. They were close to home. Jaggedshadow was ever closer to his mark.
Jaggedshadow ducked. He was too late. Plague's claws tore into his shoulder. Jaggedshadow hissed. He was unable to mask his pain. Before he could rally himself for an attack, Plague struck. Jaggedshadow struck back. Nothing happened. Plague was gone.
Jaggedshadow sheathed his claws. He wiped away the blood that began to drip from his brow. He turned to leave.
Plague appeared beside Jaggedshadow. "Focus. One cannot become powerful without focus and determination. One can only become strong through will and courage."
Plague's words stung, but Jaggedshadow could not relent. He spun around and gave Plague his attention. "I don't have time for this," he snapped. "We need to go home, not prepare for a battle that may never happen."
"You are in the wrong place of mind. You have no right to deprive NightClan of a Battleleader, especially when a battle such as this is looming on the horizon. Continue your training. "
"If it is so urgent I train, why don't we train within NightClan?"
"Why wait?" Plague's fur darkened. "While you were exchanging platitudes with Stormwind, you could have been training."
Jaggedshadow's eyes widened. Plague only ever lost control of his appearance when murderously angry. Jaggedshadow unsheathed his claws and snarled. How dare Plague describe Jaggedshadow's talks with Stormwind as 'exchanging platitudes'? Jaggedshadow charged at Plague. He would not die to a battle-obsessed ancient ghost.
Plague leaped. Jaggedshadow twisted out of his path. He struck Plague's face from beneath. He was well versed in Plague's fighting style. In fact, Jaggedshadow knew Plague's techniques better than he knew Icefang's techniques.
Jaggedshadow dodged a strike. Nevertheless, it found its mark.
Plague's claws tore into Jaggedshadow's shoulder, setting it ablaze.
Jaggedshadow screamed. He kicked Plague as hard as he could. Plague vanished. Jaggedshadow turned around. Claws raked his chin.
Jaggedshadow struck at Plague's face, side, and forelegs. He leaped away, kicking up frilled leaves.
Plague charged Jaggedshadow.
Jaggedshadow had an idea. He pictured Cedartail and forced his fur to lay flat. Jaggedshadow spared no detail, tracing every dark fleck, every crooked stripe, and every single silver spot on his enemy's long fine fur.
Jaggedshadow dug his claws into the ground as his skin froze over. Once Plague saw Jaggedshadow, he froze. Before Plague could free himself from his shock, Jaggedshadow clawed his face.
Jaggedshadow threw himself at Plague. Before he reached his mark, Plague knocked Jaggedshadow onto the ground. Jaggedshadow turned to counterattack.
He was too late. By the time he rolled onto his back, Plague had already struck him multiple times. Jaggedshadow's own blood covered him by the time he readied his legs to strike back.
Jaggedshadow tried to stand. Nothing happened. Plague held him down. Jaggedshadow swiped Plague's paw off his chest and kicked him in his chest.
Jaggedshadow sat up. He gritted his teeth. The whole of his vessel screamed from the effort it took just to sit up. Plague stood. Jaggedshadow glared at Plague.
Jaggedshadow tried to stand. Nothing happened. Jaggedshadow and his vessel were locked in a state of psychomachia. His vessel refused his commands and he, in turn, heeded not its potent messages. Jaggedshadow tried again to stand, trying desperately to will his vessel into motion. Little happened.
Jaggedshadow relaxed. He had only managed to hold a wobbly sitting position. More attempts to stand would be a waste of time and effort. Jaggedshadow tasted the air. It was thick with the metallic stench of blood. No one was near them. He glanced at his side. His fur had returned to its normal pattern.
Tears had been rolling down Jaggedshadow's face as he bore the Supreme pain wrought by Plague's fiery claws. Jaggedshadow closed his eyes. When he opened them, Plague loomed before him. Jaggedshadow snarled.
Plague drifted to Jaggedshadow as if his apprentice had not moved. His countenance bore a mask of resignation beneath which Jaggedshadow could not glance. "I considered you my equal." He bowed his head. "I see that I was mistaken." Plague turned away and vanished.
Nightsong, Stormwind, and Stoneclaw stood where they were before the fight. Even now, a moment later, they barely moved, their eyes widened in shock. Jaggedshadow turned his head away. He didn't want to see their pitying glances.
Jaggedshadow closed his eyes. Did Plague really think him so weak and unworthy? Perhaps he didn't. Whether that was a true assumption, only time would tell. Jaggedshadow opened his eyes. If Plague returned at some point in the future, all would be well. If Plague never returned, Jaggedshadow would adapt to his absence. It wasn't like Jaggedshadow depended on Plague for much of anything these days.
Jaggedshadow pulled himself shakily to his paws. He had won the psychomachia! Jaggedshadow gazed around for supplies. He needed to dress his vessel's wounds.
Spread along a pair of low-hanging branches was a cobweb. He might need more, but it would do for now. Jaggedshadow walked to the tree. Upon reaching it, he scooped up the web and made it into a wad. He picked the wad up in his jaw.
Jaggedshadow spread the cobweb, careful not to let it touch the ground. He placed it over his wounds on his side and rolled onto a broad, flat stone. Jaggedshadow gazed around. He needed herbs for some poultices.
A lone dandelion stood between the roots of a tree stump. Jaggedshadow took a few dandelion leaves, and a few oak leaves besides.
Jaggedshadow put two oak leaves and two dandelion leaves in his mouth. He chewed them to a pulp before spitting the pulp onto the stone. Jaggedshadow laid down on the stone. He peeled the blood-soaked cobweb off his fur and applied the poultice to the largest wound.
Jaggedshadow sighed. He needed to make a lot more poultices. This whole incident had cost him so much time. Jaggedshadow growled. He had been foolish to think that his companions would not see through his disguise. The least he could have done was roll in some mud or get his fur wet.
Jaggedshadow sat up. Someone approached. He lifted his head. Stormwind, Nightsong and Pond Song were walking toward him. Jaggedshadow turned away. They didnt need to worry about him.
They approached. Jaggedshadow hobbled away, his teeth clenched. Could they just leave him alone? He knew how to dress his wounds and had no need for sympathy.
Jaggedshadow shook his hand. What if they wanted to help him? Of those approaching, only Stormwind didn't know how to use herbs.
Nevertheless, Jaggedshadow wished for solitude. After all, it was Pond Song who had revealed him to the rest of their companions.
Jaggedshadow fell. His pursuers closed in. By the time he stood, they had surrounded him. Jaggedshadow flicked his ear. There wasn't much he could do. He relaxed. He was resigned to whatever they decided.
"We will stay here for a day or two to let you heal," said Stoneclaw.
"That won't be necessary." Jaggedshadow stood. His fur was stiff with poultices. Scarce was fur that wasn't covered by dried leaf pulp. Jaggedshadow began walking.
Jaggedshadow stopped. He heard something. An offer, perhaps? He closed his eyes and asked the sound to repeat itself. It repeated, this time a bit louder. He frowned. Had he heard right? Pond Song was offering him... training?
Jaggedshadow glanced at Pond Song. Had she meant to betray him? He pictured the question flowing from him to her. Perhaps she had meant well. She couldn't have known of his plan, could she?
A sound resonated through Jaggedshadow's head. It was a dull, firm note. Pond Song hadn't meant to betray him.
Jaggedshadow stepped back and tilted his head. So, she hadn't meant to betray him. That answered his other question: She had not known of his plan. Perhaps she still didn't know of it.
If she did know, she gave no indication. Jaggedshadow sat. Pond Song could be lying by omission, but that was unlikely. To his knowledge she had been honest the entire time he had known her.
Jaggedshadow heard more sounds. These were a melody of pleasant, warm notes. They were a beckon. Their exact phrasing was: "Son of Icefang! Follow!"
Jaggedshadow followed Pond Song to a space between two trees. She stopped in front of him. Her stones became a nebula in miniature. Jaggedshadow watched in wonder as they reformed into Pond Song's vessel, which now faced him.
A firm tone echoed in Jaggedshadow. Pond Song was calling Jaggedshadow's attention to something. He looked at her. What would she show him?
Jaggedshadow sat and closed his eyes. He listened for sounds. Terror struck him, accompanied by a loud rumbling pulse. Jaggedshadow hurt. His heart raced. He needed to flee.
Jaggedshadow's eyes shot open. He spun around. The ground seemed to sway underfoot. He needed to leave. Now.
Jaggedshadow stumbled away. He knew not where he was going.
The rumbling pulse stopped. The disorientation lifted. Jaggedshadow turned. He hadn't moved far. The pain all but cleared away, leaving only the faintest of aches.
Jaggedshadow turned. A melody chimed in his soul. It was clear and tranquil, like a fast-moving stream. Pondsong was giving praise to him. For what, he did not know. Strength perhaps? Passion?
A string of sounds. Jaggedshadow sheathed his claws. These sounds were taunt and firm, and Jaggedshadow heard them with both his soul and ears. He nodded.
They were going to practice the techniques she taught him.
Among those were techniques involving communication, travel in the spirit realm, thought shrouding, and self-regulation. Of particular interest to Jaggedshadow were those techniques that related to travel in the spirit realm and thought shrouding.
"So," thought Jaggedshadow, willing the words to his new mentor, "what will you teach me this time?"
