Chapter 11 - Timberpaw and Firespirit
In front of him the pool that was once filled with starlight looked dull, with none of its former shimmer.
"The Pool of Vision is loosing power, as is our power over the living realm" Eaglestar murmured.
Timberpaw glanced up at the tom, whose eyes were filled with worry. "You can still see what's going on in our clan and the other clans... right?" Timberpaw asked.
"The pool of vision and our other links to the living world are growing weak, but yes for now we can. We know what happened at the last gathering, yet we found... we didn't have enough power to cover the moon" Eaglestar almost sounded defeated and weary "I believe we cannot send omens also. For now we still can visit medicine-cats when they go into the Star Cavern and drink from the Pool of Starlight. Other than that we cannot speak to you living cats... of course my special link with you will remain, Timberpaw. At least for a long time"
Timberpaw looked at his paws and shuddered.
Eaglestar rose to his paws, "Follow me" he ordered.
They arrived at an area Timberpaw hadn't seen before. It was within a forest of mainly birch and oak trees. There was a dip in the land and within the slight hollow there was no grass, instead sand.
Eaglestar turned around to face him, a serious look on his face.
"It is time we begin some more serious training, closer to the kind Whitepaw will be receiving from our enemy" he announced an unsheathed his claws.
"C-claws unsheathed?" Timberpaw stammered, shocked.
"Yes" Eaglestar replied, as if it wasn't odd or surprising.
Suddenly the former leader bounded towards him with alarming speed. Timberpaw had no time to react before he was knocked over. He hit the ground with a thud and felt Eaglestar's paw press firmly on his side, his claws beginning to pierce Timberpaw's skin.
"Always be prepared. It is the Dark Forest you will be dealing with" Eaglestar said, with a sigh "They won't hesitate and will always go for the kill"
"Yes, Eaglestar" Timberpaw replied quietly.
Eaglestar let him up and the two cats faced each other again. This time it was Timberpaw who struck first, a simple swipe across Eaglestar's face.
"Claws unsheathed" Eaglestar reminded him and Timberpaw realised he had attacked Eaglestar with his claws sheathed.
He jumped back to avoid Eaglestar's paws. The tabby and white tom had reared up on his hand legs and came crashing down on the spot where Timberpaw had been standing seconds ago.
"Close one" muttered Timberpaw, who then leaped onto Eaglestar's back using his claws to stay on even when Eaglestar tried to shake him off. Eaglestar then stopped trying to throw him off then rolled over, with Timberpaw still clinging onto his back. It was too late for Timberpaw when he realised what Eaglestar was doing - he was already squished under the larger tom's back.
He let go and Eaglestar got to his paws. The tom suddenly struck Timberpaw's exposed underbelly, making him cry out in agony.
He rolled over so his belly was not exposed anymore, but his back was. At least now Eaglestar couldn't continue to slash his claws's across his belly.
Breathing heavily he was about to get up when teeth gripped his scruff and lifted him off the ground. Timberpaw let out a surprised yowl and managed to twist around, which hurt to do since the former leader's teeth were still digging into his flesh, and kick Eaglestar hard with his hind legs.
Eaglestar dropped him and he landed on the sandy floor on his side. Quickly he scrambled to his paws and faced Eaglestar again.
"I'll remember that move" Timberpaw told him, referring to the one when Eaglestar had rolled over.
Eaglestar nodded and they both charged forward. At the last moment Timberpaw veered to the right and raked his claws down Eaglestar's side then jumped back.
They began to circle each other, occasionally darting forward to swipe at each other. After some time Eaglestar suddenly sat down.
"Good work for tonight" he praised "It is time you woke up now"
The dream began to fade away and darken. Then it was just black.
Timberpaw blinked open his eyes, rolled over and yawned. Once his eyes had gotten used to the light again he looked around the den. Leafpaw was still asleep in her nest, however all the other apprentices had already left.
Timberpaw sat up and looked at the empty nest beside him, Whitepaw's nest. She was already out on the morning patrol with Birdwing and Darkshadow. Whitepaw was lucky to have Birdwing as her mentor as Timberpaw's mother was a skilled hunter and a good teacher. Timberpaw was certain she could teach his best friend many, many things.
He looked at his pelt. No wounds. Eaglestar had told him that any wound he may get in the training is only part of the dream. But the Dark Forest, that was different. Eaglestar had told him the wounds Whitepaw was likely to get in her dreams would actually exist and she would wake up to see she still had them. Timberpaw was glad Starclan was nothing like the Dark Forest.
Slowly, Timberpaw padded outside and searched for his mentor wondering what Nettlefur would teach him today.
Firespirit's P.O.V
The elderly ginger tom pushed the rest of the tansy aside.
"We need more tansy" he stated, glancing briefly at Breezepaw.
Firespirit picked up the herbs he had put into a pile and brought them over to a stone and started to chew them up. When he was done he wrapped them up in a large leaf.
"Who's that for?" asked Breezepaw.
"Stagkit is ill, he was coughing last night apparently" Firespirit responded then picked up the herb bundle.
"Poor thing"
He exited the den carrying the bundle and headed over to the nursery. Greyfeather greeted him warmly and showed him to where Stagkit was. The small brown kit had a fever and his golden eyes were dull. There was also the coughing which made Stagkit's whole body shudder.
In the herb mix he had included tansy and a bit of catmint. Perhaps it was his old age making him paranoid, but he was worried about the changes of greencough. Young kits were especially vulnerable to it, as were cats his age. Firespirit knew if he caught it, there was a high chance he wouldn't survive.
Perhaps it was okay to take extra precautions. The deadly disease isn't something he should underestimate. It was leaf-fall, close to leaf-bare which was the season greencough usually struck in. Hopefully Starclan granted them luck and they had no serious outbreak of greencough this year.
Starclan. Just what was happening there. Why didn't they cover the moon at the last gathering? Surely Starclan wouldn't have wanted Stagkit and Honeykit to be killed?
Firespirit shook his head, there was no point wishing for an answer he may not get. Starclan had been a bit distant. Sure he did dream at the Pool of Starlight , but the atmosphere there was tense and it seemed Nightclan's starry ancestors were hiding something.
He sat down and nudged Stagkit gently. The kit blinked up at him.
"I have some herbs here, they should make you feel better" Firespirit told him quietly.
He opened up the bundle and Stagkit ate them without complaint, surprisingly.
"I'll go and get a poppy seed" he told Greyfeather "It will help him sleep"
He quickly returned to his den, picked up a poppy seed and returned. Snowpaw, his apprentice's sister, was now in the den. She was talking quietly to Greyfeather but stopped when she realised his presence.
He was about to give the poppy seed to Stagkit when he noticed the kit's condition seemed to have gotten worse. He was struggling to breath, his eyes were wide and he was trembling.
Snowpaw glared at him "What did you do?"
"Nothing, honestly I don't understand..." Firespirit answered, starting to feel really stressed.
"You old fool! You probably fed him something toxic!" She spat and raced out of the den. She returned a very short time later with yarrow leaves.
She forced Stagkit to eat it and soon later he threw up the contents of his stomach.
"H-how did you know to do that?" Firespirit whispered.
"I once ate a piece of prey that had went bad and Breezepaw gave me yarrow" Snowpaw replied, still glaring at him.
Just then Lionstar entered the den and glanced from Snowpaw to Firespirit.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Firespirit must have fed something toxic to Stagkit, the old fool" Snowpaw told him, frowning "He's fine now though, I got him yarrow"
Lionstar looked at Firespirit "You have never made such a mistake before... why now?"
Firespirit was about to respond when the golden leader's eyes widened "The traitor!"
"Traitor...?" Firespirit whispered "who... I never left the herbs lying around..."
"You!" snarled Lionstar "It's you! You fed my son something poisonous! You waited, not rushing off to get the yarrow! Your plan would have succeeded if Snowpaw hadn't been there!"
Firespirit shrank back "How could you possibly say that? I'd never.. I'd never do that... ever..."
"Like I'd believe those lies!" spat Lionstar, his eyes filled with rage.
Firespirit shuddered and Lionstar continued "I bet Starclan set you up to this... they agreed that my kits should die...oh I received a dream. A warning. From the cats Starclan cast aside, just because they thought my kits should live! They said someone would betray me!"
Firespirit's eyes widened and he whispered "That dream... can't have come from Starclan... the place of no stars... they are manipulating you...Lionstar..."
Lionstar snorted then suddenly grabbed him, dragged him out of the nursery and dumped him in the middle of the camp.
"Cats of Nightclan" called Lionstar "Listen up! Someone has betrayed me!"
Firespirit struggled to his paws and looked around at the cats watching him and Lionstar.
"Evidence shows Firespirit, yes Firespirit, is the traitor!" Lionstar yowled "He almost suceeded in murdering my son!"
Cats looked shocked and some looked at Firespirit with disgust.
"Lionstar... you know I'd never-"
"Silence! I was told by cats Starclan had thrown out of their ranks for believing my kits should live! I was told by them someone would betray me!" Lionstar roared.
Suddenly Lionstar raked his claws across Firespirit's throat. Firespirit's eyes widened as he collapsed onto the ground.
This... this is how I die?
Lionstar bent down and whispered into his ear.
"You brought this upon yourself"
Darkness then began to consume Firespirit's vision.
Starclan... are the clans in trouble?
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AN : Ooh special chapter! Originally we were going to have an extra bit on the end, back to Timberpaw's P.O.V but I decided to just leave it at that.
Originally in my plot outline the whole Firespirit thing didn't happen. He died, just not that way. Well to be honest I will be adding things. Especially to the ending which I'm still not too sure about.
Anyway enjoy! It seems things are getting more and more dramatic.
