¢нαρтєя тняєє: ¢яα¢кѕ ιη тнє ωαℓℓѕ

Panicked eyes opened to see nothing but dark gray walls and a small beam of pale light that trickled in through a crack in the roof of the cavern. Pebbles lay scattered at the mouth of the cavern that peered out into a hall of gray stone. Everything with her mountain kingdom was gray; from the floor to the roof, it was all a dull shade of gray. Only the throne room was alive with light and colour as it looked out towards the valley of the Clans.

The fragile threads of her dream were beginning to snap and fade stirring yet another inward panic attack. She clutched frantically at the remaining threads as if they represented her life. Their faces remained burned in her eyelids and every time she blinked they were watching her with murder in their eyes. "Away, demons," she hissed under her breath, careful not to wake the sleeping tom beside her.

For the first time in her life she felt real fear, unbridled, untamed, violent fear as it flooded every inch of her quivering body. Ever since the dream had first begun to assault her every night she'd never been able to see their faces; they'd been blurred or hidden from view as the five cats attacked viciously and won, slicing her head from her body, watching as it bounced down the mountainside into the bubbling clouds.

But tonight…tonight the dream had been so terrifyingly different. No longer had their faces been blurred or hidden. They'd been perfectly clear. Yet that was the most terrifying part of it. The ability to see their faces meant that she could look into their eyes and see every emotion that they harnessed. Hatred, rage, anger, exhaustion, sadness, grief, longing and unsureness. She'd seen her murderers and she'd seen everyone they loved. They would pay for planning her death. The Clans would pay the ultimate price. She didn't need to rule over six Clans of weak cats when she had the world in her paws.

However before she could set her new plan into motion she needed to discuss it with her oath-takers. Silently she rose to her paws and slipped out of the cavern, almost running into a soldier as she hurried from the dark cavern. The soldier blinked before bowing low to the ground. She stared at the soldier, "where is Jinx?"

"Lady Jinx is out on the ledge outside the throne room," the soldier responded almost instantly. She inclined her head, brushing quickly past the soldier so that he would not see her tight smile. If there was one thing she adored about her soldiers it was their utter devotion to her and the fact that they would die so that she could remain living. Their minds being controlled was just a small set back but it made her dream of a time where she could rule over armies without having to wipe their minds, where she ruled over subjects that adored her as their ruler instead of hated her with everything they had.

A ragged sigh snaked out from her parted lips. The Clans would never see her as a just leader, not after the murders and crimes she had to commit to become their ruler. Perhaps it was time to move on to other civilisations of cats that were seeking a strong ruler to govern over them. A little killing instead of a lot might just win her a kingdom that did not hate her.

Suddenly she blinked and growled through gritted teeth. What was she thinking? She ruled by spilling blood, that was what she had been created to do. Sure she'd supposed to have only been overseer of StarClan – which no longer existed – but ruling through blood was instinct. A hard glint appeared in her eyes. Come sunrise in four days the Clans would no longer exist, either killed or absorbed into her massive army. Then she'd move on to other places, conquering and absorbing as many civilisations as she wanted to.

Bright sunlight appeared before her eyes as she stepped into the alive throne room. The sunshine sent dark shadows dancing across the uneven stone floor before retreating to the hole in the side of the mountain, the hole that looked out over the Clan territories from far away. A waterfall thundered down the mountainside, spraying the outcropping ledge behind the three stone thrones with chilly water. Small tufts of hardy mountain grass grew in clumps across the outcrop fed by the water and mountain air. Sweet smelling mountain herbs also accompanied the grass. It was beautiful to gaze upon late at night when it was washed with red light from the moon.

A silhouette sat comfortably on the edge of the outcrop, tail tip twitching ever so slightly. It did not stir when the she-cat sat down next to it. Her stomach stirred slightly. "You have not spoken to me for two days, Crimson. What has come up that you find so important to speak with me about it?" There was no missing the bitterness within Jinx's voice as she turned cold blue eyes onto her leader.

Crimson shifted uncomfortably under Jinx's gaze. "How would you feel about wiping out the Clans altogether?"

"You wish to destroy the Clans after you worked so hard to acquire them?" Jinx sneered, "Whatever for?"

"Recently my dreams have been plagued with visions of myself dying at the claws of five unknown Clan cats. Until recently I have never been able to see their faces. That was until tonight when their faces became clear to me." Crimson paused to sift through her memories to make sure their faces were still there. She relaxed when she found them. "I have decided to annihilate the Clans to demolish this threat. Do you have a problem with this, Jinx?"

The cream she-cat shook her head yet a sneer still adorned her face, "have you told Tornheart about your decision yet? I'm sure the real her might disagree entirely with this."

"I would if I knew where she was. A soldier informed me last night that Tornheart left the mountain almost half a moon ago. I can only assume that she's headed to the Clans to check up on them which is annoying," her nose wrinkled. "I suppose the Clans deserve a little warning about their imminent destruction. Tornheart will have to do it. How quickly can you have a small part of the army ready in the throne room?"

Jinx flicked an ear, "before sunset. But should you really be fighting with your current condition?" Her eyes lingered on Crimson's stomach. The black-furred she-cat felt her blood turn to ice. Surely Tornheart hadn't told her? "No one told me, Crimson, and no I also cannot read minds. The look on your face was enough. I've been around pregnant she-cats before and honestly your stomach has always been streamline but now it's already starting to bulge."

"Oh." Crimson averted her gaze, allowing her surging emotions to focus on the thundering waterfall. Within heartbeats the water stopped running and the thundering ceased as the waterfall came to a shuddering stop. She took deep breaths to calm herself. If any of her enemies found out about her condition they'd be lining up at the Hidden Door to kill her. "You will speak of this to no one or I will kill you. Go pick 30 of our strongest soldiers, both living and controlled, and get them to the throne room before sunset. We leave at the first sign of darkness."

"Yes, my leader," Jinx growled tensely with a glint of hatred in her eyes. As she brushed past Crimson she leaned in to whisper in her ear, "remember, Crimson. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Then she slunk off into the shadows ringing the throne room leaving a stunned Crimson behind. Had Jinx just threatened her?

Ignoring the slight panic rising in her throat Crimson stepped back into the cool shadows of the throne room, making her way regally back to her cavern. Her soldiers bowed low when she walked past but they were all mindless. No rogue soldiers, the ones that still had their minds, were allowed past the Hidden Door – a door covered by an illusion so that it blended into the rest of the mountain. For the past sixteen moons that had passed since she finally took her place as the one true ruler of the Clans Crimson had been restless. There had been nothing for her to do except sit in her mountain kingdom as a Queen, which she didn't mind but she missed the feeling of flesh under her claws and blood splashing against her fur. She missed the unimaginable stench and sound of war as it raged around her. She missed her freedom; the ability to stalk through uncharted forests without bodyguards flanking her sides, Jinx following behind her of Frozengaze trotting lightly in front of her whilst spinning wonderful tales of his home realms. Thinking of Frozengaze sent a tiny thrill racing up Crimson's spine and she visibly cringed, frightening an apprentice aged soldier into submission.

The otherworldly tom had been nothing but trouble since he had arrived, making sure the whole world knew how he placed toms on a higher pedestal than she-cats. It annoyed Crimson to the point where she wanted to slit his throat but something had held her back from drawing her sharp claws across the arrogant tom's throat. Then there were the times when the tom had been nothing but charming, taking her on walks through the small forest not far from the Hidden Door. It was the only clump of trees on the entire mountain, save for a few scraggly ones that dotted the steep cliffs of the near impassable mountain. He'd told her so much about his home that Crimson was convinced that he was extremely homesick but she did not know why he refused to leave. It was during those peaceful walks that strange feelings of nervousness and exhilaration whenever he said her name had started, appearing as a fluttering of wings in the pit of her stomach. It scared Crimson for she did not know what the emotion was and she daren't ask Jinx or Frozengaze save they spread rumours about her. Only Tornheart could be spoken to about this and the black she-cat was not even in the mountain.

It was obvious to Crimson that cracks were beginning to appear in her firm rule and they needed to be filled. One such crack was the Clans that refused to bow entirely to her rule. There were always cats that tried to rise up against her and despite killing them or threatening to bring around another Game of Blood.

However rumours had reached her ears from scouts she had sent out searching for more places to conquer of four different Clans living peacefully amongst themselves away from the terror that had enveloped the other six Clans. PrairieClan, ViperClan, MudClan and LeafClan. Four more Clans that most likely still held strong beliefs to the Dark Forest; four more Clans that Crimson would enjoy tearing apart until she was their supreme leader. Yet beyond even those four Clans lay another three Clans even stranger than RisingClan despite their similar sounding names. SinkingClan, DawningClan and SettingClan. Yet the strangest thing about these three Clans was the face that they did not worship the Dark Forest. Instead they looked up to their ancestors in Eden, governed over by a 'Council' as her scout had said.

A cruel grin appeared on Crimson's muzzle. Soon her claws would meet flesh and her fangs would taste blood. Soon war would once again erupt, just as she wanted.

Her cavern loomed up before her and she gratefully padded inside to her nest. Butterflies flitted to and fro in her stomach as she glanced down at Frozengaze's sleep form. He looked so peaceful when asleep, so unlike the intimidating cat he pretended to be during the day. Something within her slightly round stomach moved, making Crimson jump a little at she stared down at it. Within her new life was forming as well as an heir to her throne. Without really knowing it, Frozengaze had given her a way to ensure her kingdom lived through another generation. She promised to herself that if a she-kit was born into her first litter that she would be the next ruler regardless of what Frozengaze wanted. She was the ruler, not him. But she couldn't just forget all that the tom had done for her. He'd given her enough power to raise her mountain from the ground, to create an illusion strong enough to hide the entrance to her domain, given her a family that grew within her and kept her sane in a time when everything threatened to overwhelm her.

"Oh, what can I ever do to repay you for everything you have done?" she murmured quietly.

Frozengaze shifted in his sleep and opened a single dark blue eye, fixing it on Crimson. She felt her body shudder under his gaze. "Your tears are the only payment I'll ever need," he hissed before rolling over. Within heartbeats his breathing slowed to the pace of a sleeping cat.

My tears are the only payment I'll ever need? Crimson sat puzzling over the words of the tom for what felt like an age before she gave up, weakly stating that he needed her tears as a ritual to return back to his home.

Crimson had no idea just how wrong she was.

-000-

At first she through she had merely woken up as her eyes fluttered open to see the long grass of the meadow they had fallen asleep in. The sound of sleeping cats reached her ears as she spotted the two sleeping bundles that belonged to the two Chosen she had found. Yet upon further inspection using a minor spell Tornheart found that another life form stalking through the long grass towards them. A wave of panic washed over Tornheart as she frantically cast a spell that rendered the sleeping Chosen invisible just as the grass to her right parted and a dark shape stepped into view. She went rigid as she stared up at her master.

"How nice to see that you are alive, Tornheart, after you left the mountain without my permission," Crimson's voice was deadly calm. "What are you doing in the Clan territories?"

"Am I not allowed to visit the Clans we rule over to cause a little mischief?" the lie slid easily from her tongue as relief cleared her clouded mind. Crimson had yet to discover her freed mind.

Crimson raised a brow whilst a cruel smirk appeared on her muzzle, lighting a wild spark in her blood red eyes. "You wish to cause some mischief then? I can help you with that, but first you must do something for me." Tornheart nodded obediently as her master continued, "tell the Clans at their gathering tonight that I am going to be paying them a visit very soon as I have seen the faces of those that wish to destroy me. I am coming to kill them before they kill me."

Warm blood turn to ice in Tornheart's veins upon hearing Crimson's plans. She'd run out of time with only having found two of the Chosen! "H-How long will it be until your arrival, if you don't mind me asking?" she prayed to anyone that was listening that Crimson did not hear the waver in her voice.

"Three days. My army and I will arrive on the third night. Make sure the Clans had gathered and are waiting for me on High Star Island," Crimson visibly flinched, "that night or I will not be pleased."

"Yes, mistress," Tornheart murmured.

Crimson grinned – a smile that did not quite reach her eyes – before it faltered and fell slightly. Red-flecked ears pricked curiously; something was bothering her master greatly. Gently Tornheart reached out with her magic, tapping gingerly at Crimson's mind. Instantly she was transported into a memory of Crimson's; a memory in which Jinx so openly threatened her leader and Frozengaze spun a wicked riddle. When she resurfaced from Crimson's memory it was like resurfacing from underwater, a small gasp working its way from her throat. Jinx was either really brave or really stupid to threaten Crimson within her own kingdom of stone.

A small – yet devious – plan came to mind and Tornheart had to refrain from smiling. "A few days before I departed Jinx told me that I should keep my friends close and my enemies closer. Do you know why she would have told me that?" It wasn't hard to miss the look of fear and horror that flitted across Crimson's face.

"I, uh, no I do not know why Jinx would have said that to you," Crimson replied offhandedly. Her red eyes flicked down to her stomach as she sat down. Unsureness pooled in her eyes as she looked back up at Tornheart and the red-flecked she-cat felt her heart swell sadly. It was clear that Crimson was terrified of what she was going through. "Jinx knows."

"What? How?" Now Tornheart could understand her master's fear. Jinx would undoubtedly use Crimson's current condition to her advantage, exploiting the fact that the ruler of the Clans was carrying the kits of a tom from another realm. "She has tried to hurt you, has she?"

"No, of course not. I wouldn't let her and neither would my soldiers but I am unsure of what she might be planning. You and I both know that Jinx has never fully supported being only second best. After she got her revenge on Hiddenshade her heart was no longer completely involved in our planning and scheming. I fear she will use my kits as leverage to overthrow me."

Tornheart's eyes fell to Crimson's slightly rounded stomach and suddenly she felt overwhelming guilt at planning to kill this she-cat that carried kits. She could only hope that Crimson's kits were born before the Chosen reached them. The guilt for killing innocent, unborn kits was something Tornheart had no desire to feel even if she wasn't the one to deal the blow. "Have you told Frozengaze yet?"

"Definitely not! He would just think of me as weaker than before!" Crimson exclaimed. "I'm sure he will know who their father is when the kits are born, if he's even still here by then." There was a tone of sadness buried deep within Crimson's monotone voice that surprised Tornheart. Did her master feel something more than just friendship with the strong tom?

"You have feelings for Frozengaze, don't you? That's why you don't want to tell him! You fear that he will abandon you now that your kingdom will always have traces of his bloodline in it!"

Crimson hung her head in hooded shame before her eyes sharpened with anger at Tornheart's revelation. "What I feel for Frozengaze is my own business, not yours. Whether he leaves or not does not bother me at all! If I hear rumours like this buzzing around the Clans then I will hold you entirely accountable for spreading them!"

"Of course, my lips are sealed. Have you thought about just killing Jinx? That would ensure the safety of your kits before and after they are born," Tornheart offered.

"It is certainly a pleasing thought but I need Jinx alive to work alongside us. She is a skilled trainer and fighter; an invaluable member of my army."

Tornheart's brow furrowed. "Well if you can't kill her then I don't know what you can do other than just keep an eye on her. Is she coming with you when you travel to the Clans?" Crimson nodded. "I can speak with her then and ensure she keeps her mouth shut?"

"That would be much appreciated, Tornheart. Remember to tell the Clans of my arrival in three days and to have them gathered for me. Keep safe." Before Tornheart could respond Crimson had vanished before her eyes and she realised that her master had never really been here at all, just sent a ghost of herself to where Tornheart slept.

With a sigh of relief she lifted the invisibility spell on the Chosen only to see Icepetal's enraged face hovering mere whiskers from her own. "What's this about Crimson coming to pay the Clans a visit in three days!? Wasn't the uncalled for slaughter on SnowClan enough for her?"

Fear chilled Tornheart's veins as she rose to her paws, shouldering Icepetal away from her. Luckily Rainpatch was still snoring lightly. "How much of that conversation did you hear?"

"Only the tail end," Icepetal snarled. "Why is she paying the Clans a visit?"

"Because she has seen the faces of the Chosen five and is coming to kill you. We have only three days to find the remaining Chosen and get out of the valley or Crimson will kill you all, thus bringing around the end of the Clans," Tornheart answered truthfully. There was no need to lie to the white-furred she-cat. She deserved to know just how much danger she and the other Chosen were in.

Icepetal's tail lashed as her eyes narrowed, "how many Chosen do we have left to find?"

"Can't you count, Icepetal of SnowClan?"

"How many?" she demanded icily.

"Three."

AN: Think of this chapter as a filler whilst I fiddle with the next Clans allegiances.

-нυηтєя