Chapter 4: Voices

A mind of misery troubled by endless distress falls prey to the awaiting darkness of the fiend, senseless carnage brings earth shattering devastation to the world, and frozen fear seeps through its victim's bones stopping their heart cold.

It was time.

After days of quietly bidding my time and musing the days away it was time for the job to finally commence.

I wonder if StarClan even saw this coming. They'd had constant surveillance on me since the night of my clash with Brightstar and Hawkgaze, and hadn't gotten a shred of knowledge on anything. I knew it was just eating them up inside to not know what we were planning. They'd find out in due time though. What we had in mind was designed to do just that.

Before this night was over StarClan would receive a blow so huge that it would shake the very foundation of their hold over the Clans. A blow so devastating in might and power that I was only too happy to deliver. To get to StarClan I first had to weaken the power they had. The Clans were a central point in the source of StarClan's power, and to succeed I needed to break that connection.

Throughout history there has always been one Clan that had multiple falling outs with StarClan. One Clan who always just for a moment saw through the web of lies and deceit and broke away. One Clan who was the first and only Clan in history to publicly break away and deny the higher power that was StarClan. And that one Clan was ShadowClan.

ShadowClan.

A Clan that took pride in their own solitude. A Clan of cats known for their unparalleled stealth, underhanded tactics, and seen as slimy balls of fur by the other Clans. It's funny to think of ShadowClan as this great and noble Clan now when back as a member of ThunderClan I saw them as nothing more than Clan breaking renegades. Now I see the truth though. In a way I guess you could say I've seen the light. Any Clan that can see that StarClan only has its own interests at heart deserves the praise and respect of every living Clan cat.

ShadowClan would be the first crucial blow in toppling StarClan from power. All it took was some careful planning and precise timing, and we'd have them bowing to my paws in defeat. It was time they learned what it truly meant to suffer. What it felt to be beaten and battered to a bloody pulp until you could barely stand to rise. They'd get their first taste of what my vengeance held in store for them. It was only a matter of time.

Before I commenced with the operation however, there was a more troubling situation I still hadn't dealt with. No, ThunderClan wasn't in trouble again. That I could handle. No, this was something entirely different.

For the past three days I had been hearing a voice inside my head.

Insanity

Was I going insane? No, I don't believe my mind had caved in on itself. This was something else; something sinister. Insanity doesn't happen overnight. It's a slow process in which the afflicted individual slowly begins to unravel mentally and sometimes physically. I will admit that I'm not fully sound of mind with what I've been through, but I'd know beforehand if I had lost my mind.

It started soon after I had departed from ThunderClan territory. At first it was merely a nagging buzz in the back of my head. It was easy enough to ignore at first, but as time drew on the buzzing began to intensify in volume. It soon came to a point where the buzz transformed into a piercing shriek of a scream that had me tearing tufts of dirt up and yowling my head off. For a brief moment in time I actually played with the notion that I had simply gone mad. That was of course before I heard the voice speak.

"Cloudstorm."

It came out of nowhere. One moment I think my eardrums are going to explode from the sheer pressure of the scream, and then next this. I froze upon hearing the voice not sure if I had imagined it or that someone was nearby. I glanced around my surroundings attempting to find somebody to put with the voice, but it turned out I was completely alone. What then? Had I just imagined that I'd heard someone calling me?

Then I heard a snicker from behind me. I whipped around baring my fangs, but again there was no one there. At this point I was starting to feel uneasy. Someone was watching me, but I couldn't find them. It felt almost as if they were just within my reach, but still so far away at the same time. It didn't make sense! And with all these mind games being played I was starting to get fed up.

"If there's something you want I suggest you stop hiding like a fox hearted coward and face me!" I growled out loud into the cold empty wilderness.

I will admit that I wasn't expecting to receive a response. Whoever was stalking me had the upper hand in me not being able to see them. So it was very surprising for me to get a response, but shockingly find it coming from inside of my head.

"Hello, beloved," a crooning voice giggled wildly, echoing throughout my head.

I inhaled sharply momentarily surprised to find that the voice was indeed coming from inside of my head. Can you say you've actually ever had a conversation with a voice inside your own head?

"Who are you?" I demanded out loud, deciding to take the initiative. "Where are you? How did you get inside my mind?"

My questions were met with wild burst of laughter as the voice replied in a crazed tone.

"When are you coming to see me my dear, beloved? The kits are asking for you every day, and I've missed you so much."

"What are you talking about? Who are you?" I growled angrily as my ears rang loudly with mad laughter. "What kits? Do I even know you?"

"Larkkit looks so much like you now, beloved. His eyes even light up with that joyous glow of excitement when he slaughters his prey just like you," the voice crooned in a silky tone. "He'll grow up to be a fine warrior just like his father, won't he?"

I shook my head in disbelief trying to grasp the situation. What was this? Who was this crazed voice going on like we were mates? It even said we had kits together. I clenched my jaws tightly together as another burst of mad laughter rang rampant throughout my mind. It reverberated in crazed bursts off the insides of my skull, and I found myself getting lost in it.

Dark images of dead bodies and pools of blood flashed through my mind, as the voice giggled madly. I watched in horror as a flash of menacing claws struck out and slashed the throat of a small kit. The kit fell limply to the floor and its head rolled sideways to face my direction. Time seemed to stand still as I found myself staring into the lifeless blank eyes of Cherrykit.

I stumbled back in absolute and utter disbelief. No! How? Why? I couldn't understand what I was seeing. Then I gasped in horror, as I saw the large claws from earlier rise high into the air and slam down to make impact with Cherrykit's head.

The only thing I heard was the sick sound of Cherrykit's skull cracking as blood splattered everywhere painting my sight red.

Blood

It was so wet; so STICKY. The smell, oh the smell was so overbearing. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't take it. She was only a kit. Why?Why!Why!Why!

Suddenly I felt a cold slap of wind. I opened my eyes to find myself lying in the snow on the outskirts of ThunderClan. My heart hammered loudly in my chest, as I shot up looking around.

It was a dream I realized. Nothing more than an illusion conjured up by the voice. That may be true, but it still didn't erase the lingering memories and smell of blood from my fur. I hunched over exhaling deeply, as I watched my breathe turn into icy mist before disappearing.

The voice was gone. I no longer heard its mocking laugh or crazed speech. I shook my head warily realizing how exhausted I now felt. I don't know what that voice had done to me, but now I was completely drained. It had been a terrifying ordeal for me. However it wouldn't be the last.

Like I said I've been hearing the voice for the past three days now. Later after my first encounter with it the voice returned. Like the first time I was forced to withstand its crazed declarations of love, and being deemed its 'beloved.' Once again I was forced to endure another wild hallucination that only grew worse as time drew on.

For the past three days now I haven't so much as found the time to eat. The times in which the voice would pop up were spontaneous and completely random. I couldn't be sure when or where I'd be attacked by another hallucination of finding myself in ThunderClan's camp littered with the dead bodies of all my former Clanmates or drowned in a lake made up entirely of blood.

I'm not insane though. I can still think clearly when I'm not being subjected to the voice's mind games, and I still know what my priorities are. StarClan was my one and only concern. My mind may in fact have been infected by some ancient sickness caused by them. I wouldn't put it pass them to try something like this. No matter though, I refuse to let it beat me. I won't be shackled down by any infliction of madness, no matter how serious.

I had a job to complete tonight, and nothing was going to stop me. Not StarClan, nor the voice.

The air still carried the slight chill of cold from the snowstorm, as I settled down for sleep tonight. I wasn't sleeping because I needed rest. No, my presence was needed in the Dark Forest, and I can't say I was too thrilled about it.

My relationship with the Dark Forest was a strained one if anything. We were both using each other. It wasn't a secret, just unspoken common knowledge. We both knew that without the other we couldn't get what we wanted. I was using them to get what I wanted, and Icefrost was doing the same in return to me. As long as both sides held up their own part of the deal there wouldn't be any problems. For now anyway.

I curled up into a ball, resting my head on my paws. I closed my eyes and attempted to fall asleep. It wasn't too hard seeing as I'd been up the past three days dealing with an insane voice. Slowly I felt myself begin to drift off, as the looming darkness above began to swallow me up. To travel to the Dark Forest is almost like submerging yourself underwater. The icy cold of the water slowly begins to creep up inside your bones wrapping around the body's interior and then separate your otherworldly self from your body.

The process is almost instantaneous depending on how tired you are. What felt like only seconds later I awoke to find myself in the Dark Forest. When I opened my eyes and took my surroundings in I immediately realized something was off.

Darkness

More darkness than I thought the Dark Forest was capable of. The area was swamped in it. Picture the darkest place you've ever been in your life and now imagine an even darker force coming and overwhelming that. I glanced around unfamiliar with this part of the forest as a shiver ran down my spine.

Something about this area wasn't right. I was vaguely reminded of the dark pool I'd seen on my last visit here and how it had gave me the same bad vibes this place was now giving. Something that felt ancient, deadly, and forbidding for any living cat who dared come here.

I stepped lightly across the forest floor, traveling slowly as I tried to identify where I was. I had certainly not been to this part of the forest before, and with good reason. Every single thing around here was dead. The grass was wilted and reduced to crumbled tendrils that crunched under my paws. The trees hung at sloping angles with rotting tree trunks and treetops bare of any leaves.

There was also this reeking scent of something, crowfood most likely which seemed to be emitting from the very air around me. It was a barren wasteland to be put bluntly. A land so sparse of any living source of material that the air itself seemed to echo a sense of loneliness and despair. It was a sentiment of emotions I was familiar with.

I suddenly felt something squish under paw. I stepped back to check what it was, blinking in surprise to find the mottled corpse of a black crow. Or better yet what had originally been a crow. The body had decomposed to just but a mess of depleted organs, bones, and feathers.

I scrunched my nose up in disgust as the smell of crowfood wafted upward. I was starting to get sickened by that smell. I continued on my way looking around hoping I could at least find a landmark to tell where I was. One place you never wanted to get lost in was the Dark Forest. I had no worry of running into any of the cats here, as they tended to stew in their own solitude, but this place held a few ancient hazards that wouldn't bode well for a living cat as myself.

Upon having these thoughts a startled yowl emerged from my mouth, as the ground where I walked suddenly gave out on me. I felt myself fall forward, rolling swiftly down a hill I hadn't known was there. I tumbled down being battered by the stiff ground before painfully coming into full contact with a thorn bush.

The thorns immediately pierced my flesh splashing the bushes scarlet with my blood. With a grunt I tore myself free losing several tufts of fur in the process. I gave a brief lick to my wounds, rasping my tongue over them in irritation. I was going to have a word with Icefrost concerning my transportation to this place when we met up. I don't think I have to say that I was getting just a bit ticked off with wandering lost around this desolate wasteland.

Suddenly as I was raging angrily on in my mind a sickly sweet scent caught my nose, flaring my nostrils in the process. My widened in surprise as I, for the first time, realized the surroundings of where I was standing.

All around me lay a large canopy of a forest of thorn bushes. It seemed to stretch on for several tail-lengths, but that wasn't what had caught my attention. I now understand why this place reeked of crowfood. Everywhere, trapped in every single thorn bush was the dead mottled corpse of different assorts of prey. Their bodies hang in clusters, hanging limply pierced by the thorn branches of the bushes which were stained scarlet in their blood.

I gazed around in shock wondering what in the world I was witnessing. It was almost as if this place served as some sacrificial landmark. It wasn't right. I knew that much. Whatever had done this I wasn't willingly to stay and find out why. It was as I turned to depart the bloody massacre that I heard it.

It rang out echoing throughout the thorn bush forest sending a chilling shiver down my spine. That laugh. I knew that laugh. It rang out again bouncing from both sides around me. I shot my head around trying fruitlessly to trace the source. It was here. How had it gotten here? My mind was one thing, but the voice had followed me to the Dark Forest. Impossible. No, this was something else. I could tell this time. The voice had a body here; I could almost detect the heat signature of the body it was coming from.

I unsheathed my claws and step away from the thorn bushes. The voice was somewhere nearby mocking me, and this time I was going to do something about it. Suddenly I heard the mewling of kits, as the voice rang out mockingly.

"Hush there my little ones. Yes, I know you're all excited. Your father's finally come home to me."

The voice rang out once again laughing maniacally. Mocking me. Teasing me. I'd had it. No more. I'd had enough of these mind games. I wasn't to be trifled with. I would be made a fool of no more.

"ENOUGH!" I roared.

The laughter immediately ceased, plunging the entire clearing into deafening silence. I sat there breathing heavily as my nerves spasm out of control. Mu fur seemed to buzz with a slight tingle, as a sickening feeling of revulsion washed over me. This was starting to grow hectic.

I shook my fur furiously trying to rid myself of the sickening feeling. This voice was starting to affect me worse than before. With a final glance thrown towards the thorn bush field of mutilated prey, I began backing away. Whatever this place was it was helping the voice get a stronger reception on how to affect me. I needed to get away from this place; anywhere else in the Dark Forest was better than here

I headed southward led on purely by instinct. My senses were blaring at maximum capacity as I entered a deeper part of the forest even more barred of light than where I'd originally been.

I traveled on in silence, as certain parts of the forest began to look familiar. The undergrowth seemed to become denser while overrun with wild overgrowth of thorn-bushes, bracken, and large overhanging trees. An immense feeling of foreboding suddenly wash over my body as I traveled on, and it was then that I knew where my intended destination would be.

As the trees parted I wasn't at all surprised to find myself overlooking the dark pool of mystery once again. At the bank of the pool I could clearly make out Icefrost's dark striped flank facing the pool, who slowly turned to face me as I drew closer.

"You're late," he growled upon seeing me.

"I stopped to smell the flowers," I answered sarcastically, not at all in the mood to hear his complaints.

Icefrost blinked slowly, his blue eyes narrowing to slits. "Is that so?"

His tone carried a slight warning in it, but I wasn't to be intimidated. Blame it on my aggravation at being taunted by the voice, if you will, but I wasn't in the mood for Icefrost's attitude.

"Look, I'm here now. So why don't you get your tail out of a bunch and stop side tracking the mission."

"Yes, you've been doing a lot of that lately haven't you, Cloudstorm?" he said, snidely.

"What do you mean?" I asked perplexed.

"Oh, nothing much," he replied. "Tell me, Cloudstorm, how is ThunderClan doing these days?"

My ears perked at this. "And how would I know about that?"

"Let's agree not to play games with each other, Cloudstorm," Icefrost growled. "We both know that you nearly killed yourself to fetch catmint for ThunderClan."

"So, you've been spying on my personal activities?" I growled.

Icefrost's eyes seemed to glint strangely before answering with, "Let's just say a little rose told me?"

A rose, huh? Okay, I got where he was going with this little game.

"And so what if I have, Icefrost? What I do outside of the Dark Forest is my business and my business only."

"Of course it is," Icefrost agreed. "However, when that business strays from our intended goal that's when I start to get involved. I'll let this one time go Cloudstorm, but I suggest you not try something like it again."

"Is that a threat?" I whispered softly, a dangerous warning laced in my tone.

"I'd prefer it not be." Icefrost spoke in a neutral tone, his blue eyes blazing brightly. "But if you insist on being this way I'm sure you'll have much success taking StarClan on alone."

I opened my mouth to snap back before stiffly pausing. He had cornered me in a tight spot; one I wouldn't be able to get out of. I needed Icefrost and all the benefits being a cat of the Dark Forest gave him. Without any of it I'd be powerless to do a thing against StarClan. The taste of defeat is bitter one at best, and I wasn't one who bit his tongue and swallowed his pride very well. However, I needed his help, and to get his help I had to comply with his wishes.

Icefrost automatically knew beforehand that I would give in. Continuing on as nothing had happen he turned back to the dark pool. Gazing intently into the murky waters Icefrost raised a paw and touch it to the water. I watched as his paw created a small ripple of waves as the water swished around slightly. I was about to finally ask Icefrost the question of exactly what was this pool when it suddenly began to glow.

I blinked in surprised before stalking forward slowly to see what was happening. I watched alongside Icefrost as the water began to shift and take shape before my eyes before finally settling to reflect the inner workings of ShadowClan camp.

"What is this?" I blurted out unable to hide my curiosity.

"It goes by many names for many different uses," Icefrost said. "But in this case it's a two way connection between here and the living world. Or in other words it's a link between the cats of the Dark Forest and a living Clan cat's dreams. This is what you will be using to accomplish what needs to be done."

"How does it work?" I asked.

"Simply step forward and let the depths of the water take you under."

He was kidding, right?

Noticing my expression a faint smile crossed Icefrost's face. "You have nothing to fear, Cloudstorm. You are in no danger of drowning whatsoever."

He may have said that, but it didn't reassure my feeling of actually going under this pool that gave off a dark feeling. How was I to really know that I'd still come back up in one piece after a dip in that water?

"Be quick in your assignments," Icefrost spoke. "There's no telling how long it will take StarClan to catch wind of this. And don't forget this," he said, pushing forward a bundle of cobweb.

I nodded before bending down to grab it and then wadded into the water. The water was surprisingly warm. It also didn't cling to my fur like sticky goo I'd originally thought it to be. I wadded farther and farther into the water until my paws could no longer touch the bottom.

"Focus on our target," Icefrost called from the bank. "Picture yourself dropping right into her dreams."

No matter how I may have felt about him I found myself listening to Icefrost's advice. Focus on the target. Picture myself falling right into her dreams. I suddenly felt the weight of the water clinging to my fur drag me under. I let myself go without a fight and tried to relax as much as possible as complete darkness overtook my sight.

"Focus on the target," I repeated over to myself. For that brief moment in time I let go of my obsessive hate of StarClan. There was only one cat I needed to put my full attention on tonight. One cat who was unknowingly going to be an asset to my conquest. The one cat that was the sole key to starting the beginning of the end for StarClan.

The ShadowClan leader Nightstar.

In that instant the murky water swept over me in a whirlpool of waves, and I was gone. To travel from one dream world to another is certainly a once in a lifetime experience. Imagine being trapped in a whirlwind of hundreds; no scratch that, thousands of emotions and feeling them all rush through you at unexplainable speeds of time and acceleration. In one word it was simply exhilarating.

I felt so incredibly free during this time. So light and unburdened by the stress of the world above me. Was it possible that I was feeling complete happiness? I don't know, but for the first time in a very long time I actually felt...content. Sadly though, with every good thing in life it must to come to an end. Sooner than I would have liked I felt the feeling of euphoria lift off of me. Blinking, I gazed around to find myself in a luscious green meadow shining brightfully as the golden sun above shined strongly, warming my fur.

The green meadow stretched on forever it seemed, and Nightstar was nowhere in sight. I was hoping that she was somewhere close by so I wouldn't have to stay here longer than needed. No matter, I had a job to complete and I would do so with the utmost haste.

Concerning the job now I guess it was better than never to fill in my unwillingly participant on what part she would play in all this. Depositing the bundle of cobwebs to the ground I then placed my paw over it, and focused on channeling her spirit. Slowly a cluster of black dots began to appear and interact with each other. In a matter of moments the thoughts began to shift and take form, and suddenly I was staring face to face with the former ShadowClan medicine cat herself, Leafbreeze.

Leafbreeze winced as her eyes came within contact of the bright light from the sun before glancing around in surprise. When our gazes met I saw her inwardly flinch before taking a frightened step back.

"You!" she whimpered, glancing around frantically for what I assumed was help. "No. Anybody but you!

"Hello, Leafbreeze. It's nice to see you in one piece again," I greeted her as none threatening as possible. Unfortunately for me it appears that when you kill someone their not exactly thrilled upon seeing you again.

"What do you want? Was killing me once not enough for you!" She spat angrily.

I resisted the urge to growl at the comment. She was justified in her anger I suppose, so I shouldn't get upset. It wouldn't bode well for her if I did.

"If it's any consolation I would have rather not killed you," I admitted to her. "It was nothing personal, Leafbreeze. I assure you. Your death was instrumental in furthering my revenge against StarClan."

Leafbreeze let out a scornful laugh as she glared at me. "You're insane," she growled. "You're nothing less than the very embodiment of evil itself, Cloudstorm. I can't even begin to comprehend how a cat could become so twisted and corrupt. You're a monster!"

Monster

Was that really what she saw me as? A monster? A creature bent on nothing more than inflicting fear and terror into its victims. Was there a chance I had actually delved so deep into the darkness of my heart that I was now seen as a monster by others?

I shook these thoughts from my head, instead, focusing back on Leafbreeze. I had a job to complete and couldn't risk getting side tracked.

"Call me what you want, Leafbreeze, but before this is all over you'll see the truth."

"What's that?" she spat spitefully. "That you've become nothing more than a heartless murderous trait-aaaaah!"

Just as she began to finish insulting me I'd lost it and resorted to a tactic I'd seen Icefrost do once before. Gripping her heart tight between my paw I gave it a forceful squeeze and watched as Leafbreeze gave a painful scream before collapsing to the ground.

"Let that be a warning," I hissed venomously. "I will not tolerate any tongue, Leafbreeze. You are nothing more than an object specifically created for my use and will act as accordingly."

Leafbreeze whimpered pitifully as I stalked around her. "Be thankful, Leafbreeze, because thanks only to your connection with ShadowClan are you being summoned here."

"ShadowClan?" she gasped out. "What do they have to do with this?"

"More than you know," I told her. "But be thankful to me, as tonight I'm going to reunite you with your former dear leader, Nightstar?"

"What do you mean?" she asked. "What are you going to do to Nightstar, you filthy rouge. I swear upon StarClan if you hurt her I'll-"

"You'll what!" I snarled in her face, causing her to cower back in terror. "You don't seem to understand, Leafbreeze. It's not me who's going to do anything to, Nightstar. It's you. You're going to lie to her."

"Never," Leafbreeze seemed ready to say, but another squeeze of her heart put that to rest.

I chuckled darkly as Leafbreeze withered in pain on the ground unable to do anything about it. I have to say that it actually felt good to watch another cat besides me suffer for once. It probably helped that Leafbreeze did nothing to make me feel bad about the predicament she was currently in.

"Ready to listen?" I asked, watching a shiver run across Leafbreeze's body as she desperately tried to catch her breathe.

Torturing Leafbreeze had run its course and now I was ready to get back down business. If it took me to squeezing her heart until it almost exploded I wouldn't hesitate to take that route.

"Like I was saying," I began. "You're going to lie to Nightstar, Leafbreeze. And before you get the silly notion that there's some way around it you're wrong. I own you," I whispered to her, motioning to the bundle of cobwebs between my paw. "Having control of this not only dictates what I'm able to make you do, it also allows me to choose what you'll say."

Leafbreeze's eyes grew to the size of two moons as it dawned on her what this meant.

"You- you can't," she spluttered. "I won't allow it."

I shook my head at how stubborn she was being. "Haven't you been listening?" I asked. "There's nothing you can do about it except stand there and repeat everything I command you to tell Nightstar. Don't worry though, Leafbreeze. It won't be all bad. In the end you'll see that everything I've done was for the benefit and bettering of the Clans and everyone else. I promise you that."

I wasn't sure if my words were getting through Leafbreeze's skull or not. Being brainwashed by StarClan so long had twisted her logic to a point where anything against what StarClan had told her was right or wrong was conflicting with her morals. Suddenly I heard the thumping of incoming pawsteps as I looked off in the distance and saw an all back she-cat with a splash of white on her chest heading straight our way.

It seemed good fortune was shining down on me after all. Nightstar was actually heading my way saving me the trouble of tracking her down. Without being seen I quickly crouched down and merged myself into the tall weeds of grass surrounding the area. Leafbreeze, who was still suffering from the earlier injury I'd inflicted, was still splayed on the grass and unable to stand.

As Nightstar grew closer I saw her eyes light up in excitement as she caught sight of Leafbreeze. Coming to a stop by the medicine cat's side I watched as Nightstar helped Leafbreeze to her paws.

"It's so good to see you again old friend," Nightstar cheerfully greeted, touching noses with Leafbreeze. "ShadowClan hasn't been the same without you I hope you know. I was simply shocked when Goldenshine told us about finding you after you'd been killed by a fox."

Leafbreeze watched Nightstar with wide sad eyes as her old friend talked. She knew what she was about to do to her. She was going to deceive her old friend into believing a horrible lie, and there wasn't a thing she could do about it.

Deciding to take control now, I forced my influence over Leafbreeze through her heart, and began my thickly webbed layer of deceit and deception.

"Yes, it is good to see you to, Nightstar," I made Leafbreeze say. "I'm only sorry that I was unable to leave ShadowClan better prepared before I was ripped away."

"Don't you go believing that," Nightstar told Leafbreeze firmly. "You've trained an amazing medicine cat in Goldenshine, and we've not had a sick or injured cat he couldn't handle so far."

"I suppose," Leafbreeze said, dipping her head to Nightstar in respect. "However, I haven't come here just to visit you, Nightstar. I came here to warn you."

"Warn me, Leafbreeze? About what?"

"ShadowClan's destruction." I whispered ominously through Leafbreeze's voice.

"Destruction?" Nightstar gasped in shock. "How? Why is this happening? What is StarClan doing to help us?"

"StarClan?" Leafbreeze said with contempt followed by a short snort. "My dear, Nightstar, it is StarClan who has allowed ShadowClan's destruction."

"That's impossible!" Nightstar shouted. "Why would StarClan allow the death of ShadowClan?"

"Because they can," Leafbreeze's body whispered. "Because they don't care about your Clan. Because they don't care what happens to it. A storm like none the Clans have witnessed before will strike and ravage the Clans like the sky itself has turned against you, and only three Clans can be saved from its wrath. StarClan have all agreed that ThunderClan, RiverClan, and WindClan are too important to be wiped out. However, ShadowClan is expendable."

"Expendable?" Nightstar echoed in a hollow voice, her eyes wide in disbelief.

I watched the fear creep into her eyes and ruffle her fur. She had bought it. Just like that. I could see her fake front as a fearless leader flee away to be replaced with nothing more than a scared cat. A cat that feared death, a cat that feared for the safety of her Clan. Just like that I'd just shaken her trust in StarClan. However, I wasn't finished yet. No, I had to make sure there was no possible way that ShadowClan would ever look to StarClan for guidance again.

"However, there is a way to save your Clan, Nightstar," I had Leafbreeze's body say. "There's one way to ensure that you'll still have a Clan to lead after the storm, but you have to do exactly what I say."

"Anything!" She said in a pleading tone, her eyes wide with fear and hope. "Tell me, Leafbreeze. Please! I'll do anything to save my Clan."

"Renounce your ties with StarClan, Nightstar. Renounce everything that you've come to know and worship about them. They have abandoned your Clan, and left it to die. Don't be left helpless to the wolves. Rebuke StarClan, and the control it has over your Clan. Lead your Clan as you would see fit, and not by their Clan law. Only and only then can you have a chance of surviving the storm. If you do this I promise ShadowClan will live to see a new horizon. The dawn of a new day. But if you don't, and cling to some idiotic notion that StarClan will change its mind, and spare you you'll die. You, and your entire Clan will be wiped out, and StarClan won't bat an eye."

"I- I.. I don't know," Nightstar whispered in a frantic state. "I'm finding all this incredibly hard to believe, Leafbreeze. You've never once lied to me, and I trust your judgment, but-"

"It's either this or the death of ShadowClan!" I growled through Leafbreeze's voice. "Think for a moment, will you, Nightstar. This isn't the first time StarClan has abandoned ShadowClan. They've done it countless times before throughout Clan history, and like the mousebrains we are we eventually go crawling back to them. Set a standard for the future leaders of ShadowClan. You can lead your Clan without StarClan, but it's up to you to make the first move."

Nightstar looked deeply troubled, as she digested what Leafbreeze had told her. I could see the immense struggle going on within her mind on what to do. On one paw, as leader it was her duty to do everything within her power to make sure they stayed safe and protected. On the other paw however, the cat who had grown up adoring StarClan, and even received her nine lives from them was fighting to make her voice heard.

It was an internal battle of turmoil for the ShadowClan leader and even now, with all I'd said, I wasn't sure if she'd agree. This was the major flaw that I'd foreseen in Icefrost's plan. Chance. If anything I hated to leave my fate in the hands of chance. Chance was unpredictable and unreliable for those who needed it in dire situations as these.

"Okay," Nightstar's voice rang out. "...Okay, Leafbreeze. I'll do what you say. For the survival of my Clan effective immediately ShadowClan has now cut ties with StarClan."

If I hadn't heard Nightstar say it I probably still wouldn't believe it. She had agreed? ShadowClan was no longer a following pawn of StarClan. Triumph rage wildly through my body, as I let a small smile cross my face at being successful. It had all worked out after. Even with all the unknowns Icefrost had refused to acknowledge, we had succeeded.

Or so partly.

My demeanor darkened dramatically, as the thought of what I lastly had to do came to light. If Nightstar had truly cut ties with StarClan then she should have no problem with my final request. This request however, rode with it all our hopes and aspirations. If this didn't work this entire trip would have been for naught.

It was time to go in for the kill.

"Good, good, Nightstar," I spoke through Leafbreeze's voice. "You're that closer to protecting your Clan from what's to come. However, what you've just promised isn't enough. There one final thing you must do before ShadowClan can fully be rid of StarClan's influence."

"What is it, Leafbreeze?" Nightstar asked warily. "What more is there I can give to ensure my Clan's survival?"

This was it. The moment where either I would succeed or fail.

"You must relinquish your lives," I snarled. "They were given to you by StarClan which also serves as an aspect of you still paying homage to them. Relinquish the remaining of the nine lives StarClan has bestowed upon you, and then I swear ShadowClan will live to see the dawn of a new day."

"My lives?" Nightstar asked in shocked. "Leafbreeze, please tell me you're joking?"

"I'm only telling you what I know to be the truth, Nightstar," Leafbreeze said. "The nine lives bestowed upon a leader are nothing more than a curse. The curse of StarClan, as I call it. They only give you those lives so you can suffer and live longer to worship them."

"Tell me, Nightstar?" I asked through Leafbreeze. "Do you find it enjoyable to be killed time after time only having to come back a little more battered each time and worse for wear? This is what StarClan wants. They want you to fall prey to the curse, but if you give me you're remaining lives now you'll be purified of it. Leading your Clan with the one and only life you were born with. This is the true worth and meaning of a leader. Being willing to lead your Clan while being just as prone to death and disease as they are without hope of another life to back them up."

Nightstar seemed to be at worse of mind than she had when she'd first been asked to renounce StarClan. One of the perks that came with being a leader was having the nine lives given to them by StarClan to protect their Clan. Her giving all the lives she had remaining from StarClan was basically asking to give up her life multiple times.

"Ho-how does this work," Nightstar stuttered slightly. I was shocked to find that she had actually agreed to the crazed request. She was really going through with it, the fool.

"Just close your eyes and it'll be over before you know it," Leafbreeze said. "When I've taken the last of your StarClan given lives you'll wake back up in ShadowClan a little weaker, but ready to serve your Clan."

I still couldn't believe it even as I spoke. Like a fool Nightstar stood right there before Leafbreeze, and closed her eyes. She was actually resigning herself to the fate of giving up her lives, and I couldn't believe it was actually happening. I hesitated upon ordering Leafbreeze to attack. Was I right in doing this? Really, could I so badly deceive a cat who was so willingly to do whatever it took to protect the thing she loved? Was doing this making me into the monster Leafbreeze had spoken of?

"That's right my beloved," the hysterical hiss of the voice suddenly whispered in my ear. "Do it!" It crooned softly. "Give into your bloodlust, and do what must be done. You know you want to. I can feel your heart racing in anticipation."

I didn't know what had come over me, but something in the way the voice spoke propelled me to order Leafbreeze to launch forward and pin Nightstar down to ground. Nightstar just lay there with her eyes close. She didn't even try to fight it.

"Let this be known as the day ShadowClan rebukes the name of StarClan!" Leafbreeze yowled loudly. Emotionally I ordered her to raise an unsheathed claw and come slashing down to slice open Nightstar's chest.

In a show of flashes and rainbow like funnel explosion of color I watched in amazement as two ghostly images of Nightstar rose from her body. The lives zoomed around the grassy meadow in a show of flight before heading our way and disappearing into the bundle of webs that was Leafbreeze's heart.

When it was all over I looked to see Nightstar's chest began to slowly heal itself leaving behind a ragged scar and a now aged looking she-cat. Without so much as a warning, Nightstar's body began to fade away, and with it the dream meadow. The clearing around me disintegrated right before my eyes plunging me into darkness. Unknowingly I subconsciously released Leafbreeze's body back to the middle plain of existence without a word.

"Isn't it amazing what a cat will do for the thing they love?" the voice mockingly asked before laughing madly afterwards.

The laughter continued to rang throughout my head before finally dying out into a hollow snicker vanishing. Emotions ran wild across my body, as my mind finally came into realization of what had just transpired. I had actually let the voice goad me into snatching Nightstar's lives away. That had been the main goal of the mission sure, but at what price?

For that split second in time I'd allowed myself to be controlled. Not controlled like a mentor would do to an unruly apprentice, but as a puppet being led along strings by its master. Was I losing the will to control my own actions? Was the voice starting to get the better of me?

I didn't know the answers to these questions. Troubling as they were I had to focus on the bigger task at hand. StarClan. First and foremost was my main priority and objective. Hearing voices or not I couldn't fall prey to this illness when so much had to be done. And with what Icefrost had in mind for these lives I needed to be at one hundred percent.

I felt a forceful tug at the loose crook of skin on my neck. Realizing what was going on I grabbed the bundle of cobweb between my jaws and held on tightly as my body flew straight up into the air. I was headed back to the Dark Forest with the prize Icefrost had so desperately waited and craved for a little less sane, but then again, who truly is?