Hey guys! Sorry for the really late update...again. I've been having a lot of trouble writing recently. It took me three days to get down 200 or so words, and then I listened to Penatonix - Radioactive and God gave me the ability to write the rest of the chapter. Thank the Lord! Oh, and by the way, from this chapter on, WhenCowsFly has helped me scheme and has given me ideas. PREPARE TO TREMBLE! MWAHAHAHA!
Anyways! XD On to review answering!
WhenCowsFly: Yeah, she really doesn't do well when it comes to losing others, and Goldenfur's trying his best to not be a jerk-face. But that doesn't mean that he won't still be... POSSIBILITIES! I was very happy to write that part about Blackfur's forgiveness. He really does love her.
IMFABULOUS D: I considered killing them off, but I has de plans for dem...*dastardly rubs hands together as purposely pronounces words wrong* Thank you so much! :) I'm glad you love it! I hope I can continue to make it enjoyable...and full of cliff-hangers... RICK RIORDAN CRAZINESS ACTIVATED!
Jayfeather luva: LOLZ! Weirdness is amazing! :P :P :P :P :U Thanks! I'm very happy that you think that!
Now, without further blabbering from me...
CHAPTER!
Chapter 33: Goldenfur
Goldenfur had tried his best, but Greyleaf's condition had just gone downhill. Even with the Newleaf increase in prey, she was frightfully gaunt. Her bones showed through her unkempt grey pelt, and her eyes were shadowed and glazed over. During the day, she dragged herself around painfully, grimacing with every step. At night, she would scream and cry out in her sleep, tears streaming down her face. Her claws would lash out, grab, and stab into anything they could get a hold on, including Goldenfur. When she woke up and saw the scoring marks on his body, she would cry anew, but the she-cat never said a word. It was as if her voice was as broken as her heart.
No matter what Goldenfur tried, he could not get her to feel better. He tried joking around, tripping over his own tail, lovingly grooming her fur, whispering encouragement into her ears—everything. But despite his best efforts, she remained in her horrible trance.
The Thunderclan tom wondered what it was that plagued Greyleaf's dreams, what it was that was terrifying enough to cause her so much trauma. Did she have nightmares about death? Was it the thoughts of losing the rest of her family? Could it be that she was afraid of her own fate? He knew so little, and it irked him. How could he help her if he didn't know what was wrong?
He sighed and picked his way across the empty hollow to where she sat, detachedly gnawing on a wing bone, her eyes far off and distant.
"Hey, Greyleaf," he the tom mewed, settling down beside her, "Do you want to go hunt?"
She didn't respond, just mutedly got up and walked towards the thorn tunnel, her movements robotic.
Goldenfur trotted after the she-cat and waited for her to exit before following.
They emerged into a beautiful, budding forest that was full of lush, new greenery. Several trees were beginning to grow fruit, and others were dusted with flowers. The grass underpaw was soft and springy, its color bright and healthy. Birds were singing in the trees, and a squirrel chittered from within a nearby bush. Their surroundings were simply magnificent.
"Look," the Thunderclan warrior whispered, pointing a paw at a plump thrush that was slowly walking across the path ahead of them as it pecked at the little seeds that littered the forest floor, "I'm gonna try and catch it for you."
He smiled at her, but she remained as impassive as ever. The gesture of happiness fell from his face, and he sighed heavily. "I'm trying, Greyleaf," he murmured, eyes closed and head hung, "I really am."
He readied himself in a hunting crouch and stalked forward, silent as the sky on a still, cold night. The bespeckled bird grew closer and closer in Goldenfur's vision, its back turned to him as it leisurely picked up the tiny brown seeds. The tom's vision tunneled into just that one point—the thrush. One more second. One more breath. One last step.
He leaped.
The bird never knew what hit it, for its life was met with a silent and swift end. Surely, it felt no pain as his canines severed its brain stem? What quicker a death could there be?
He turned around and called out, "Greylea—"
She was gone.
Chapter 33: Greyleaf
Wandering...
Alone...
Lost?
Am I really lost?
No.
But...
No.
Well, maybe...
Greyleaf mustered up all the energy she could and peered through the veil. All she could see were trees and bushes. Thunderclan territory.
Was I here with someone?
No.
Wait...maybe...
She remembered Goldenfur's voice.
Yes.
I wasn't alone...
But I am now.
She growled in annoyance at herself and swiped weakly at a bush. It barely budged. She hated her life. Everything had a contradiction . Everything had a chance. Everything had a maybe, a could have been, a what if.
What if I hadn't met Pinestar.
What if I had never had my kits.
What if I hadn't chose wrong.
What if I had stopped Sparrowclaw from coming to camp.
What if...
What if...
What if...
Greyleaf was sick of what ifs.
She curled her lip in fury and loathing—loathing towards herself.
None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone with him! None of it!
But then...
"NO!" She yowled, refusing to think about it, voice cracked, croaky, and scratchy from neglect and misuse. She covered her head with her paws, claws digging in to flesh. Blood dripped down her face and past her clamped eyes, pooling on the ground in front of her.
"I know," whispered the familiar, tainted voice—a voice so odious that it didn't deserve to exist.
Greyleaf shot to attention. "You!" She snarled, glaring at those horrible, Starclan forsaken eyes that lurked in the shadows of the trees.
"Yes, me," it silkily replied.
"Wha—" she coughed, chocking on her own words, "What do you want with me!"
The glowing orbs narrowed, slit pupils narrowing further, and it laughed maliciously. "Oh, you'll see. You'll all see."
That was no answer. "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME!" Greyleaf repeated, screeching like a banshee.
"Ooh, hush, hush," the voice chided, "Lets not consort with anger, shall we." It sighed, and the eyes disappeared for a moment before reappearing on the tabby she-cat's left. "Well, if you're so eager to know, I guess I have no choice but to tell you."
It's speech lilted in a fluid manner, and the eyes disappeared once again, this time reappearing to her right. When Greyleaf squinted, she could just make out the shadowy form of a stalking cat. It seemed to smile wanly at her before continuing around in its malignant circle.
It was toying with her.
"You see," the shadowed cat said, its tone as smooth as milk, "What I want is simple, but its none of your concern. What is of your concern is what I plan to do with you—and your kits if you choose to disobey." It slowly moved a paw across its neck.
"You," her voice quavered, "You can't kill me."
"Now, why would I want to do that?" It fakely pouted, shaded form molding into a cat with it's lip stuck out.
"Th—then what do you want?"
A conniving white grin broke through the shadows. "Oh, darling, you haven't guessed yet? I want you,"
It paused, and glimmering white claws appeared in the dark, and the shadow-cat held its dark paw up to its face, those dreadful eyes burning behind them.
"To kill Goldenfur."
GASP! WHAT IS HAPPENNING! EVERYTHING'S GONE INSNE! WE ARE NEARING THE LAST CHAPTERZZZZZ!
Question Of The Day: Do you think she'll do it?