Chapter 2

Home of Shadows

Darkness stopped at the tree line, her jet black fur bristling with anticipation as she stood before what was to be her new territory. Without a moments hesitation she stepped into Dark Heart Woods. It seemed as soon as she entered the shadows swallowed her into their depths. Taking a glance around Darkness was aware that bearly any light was visible and it was almost completely dark, but Darkness was built to live in the shadows and blackness, her eyes adjusted perfectly. Darkness could see everything clearly "perfect" she thought as she ventured deeper into the dark.

Darkness padded along her cold gaze flickering from side to side as she surveyed her new surroundings looking for a place to settle down in. She was also very much aware that the sun should be rising by now, yet the eiry forest showed no sign of brightening.

'Even better' she thought 'Now I won't have to deal with the sunlight'. Darkness walked further into the woods unknown to her she was being followed.

Thorn looked at his sister, he couldn't belive that such a great cat as her could change so quickly considering the shocking truth of who she really was.

Flash Back

"Uhg" Thorn moaned as he woke up; in his cat form as usual, a light summer breeze blew over him gently rustling his fur gently. As the breeze passed over him a sweet and familiar sent trickled into his nose rousing him "Starlight" he murmerd drowsily.

"Finally he's awake" muttered a voice sarcasticly.

"Hush Zeb, this is no time for that" A femal voice snaped, her voice full of authority

Thorns eyes fluttered open to be met by two rose colored eyes staring back into his, it was another cat. She was a white cat with long feathery fur that seemed to shimmer like she had stars woven into her pelt. The cat had a slim frame with a neat head and pointed ears and a long tail, but most shocking was the she-cat's eyes they were a pink rose color.

"Hello Thorn, my name is Siree" she told him in an even voice.

"What!" Thorn gasped leaping to his paws "Th-that's impossible" Thorn stammered "Siree is

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one of the most powerful and ledgendary goddesses y-you can't be her" Thorn sputtered his voice growing higher in panick.

"I'm so sorry Thorn I know how much of a shock this must be for you, but I really am Siree, I know you must be woundering why you are here and I'm afraid it isn't good, I am so sorry but you have died Thorn and you are now a spirit."

Thorns face fell "I'm dead" he whispered "But what about my tribe and-and Starlight"

" Thorn your tribe did not survive either, your tribe is where most spirits go after they have passed on, but I have summoned you to the region of the gods and goddesses because there is something you need to know, it's about Starlight"

Thorns head snapped up at the meantion of his sisters name. "Mind as well take a seat before we tell you" sounded a voice next to Siree. The cat who spoke was also a she-cat, who had short cream colored fur a slim yet mucicular body and mist grey eyes. "My name is Kirar" she informed him

"It is an honor to meet a powerful goddess and best friend of Siree" Thorn said respectfully bowing his head, before sitting down as Kirar had suggested, and turned to look at Siree who was waiting to start.

"Well I first you should know who Starlight really is, you see Starlight is a goddess as well as my daughter" Siree announced

Thorn gasped in complete shock but controlled himself so Siree could continue.

After a moments pause Siree continued " Also Starlight is not dead but she is in trouble the attack on your tribe was directed twords her by Kar and now she is changing into a cat even I don't recognize, I need you to watch over her though you will not be able to interact with her, will you do that?" Siree asked.

Thorn nodded his head instantly. Siree sighed with relief "then go at once, and thank you for fulfilling your destiny and protecting the fire of the night Thorn" Thorn nodded his head again before turning to leave.

End Flashback

Sighing sadly Thorn followed Darkness, a ripple of fear ran down his spine and his dark brow fur stood on end as he looked around him taking in the dark woods that seemed to cage him in

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keeping him prisoner. A feeling of dread and death seemed to float around him clinging to his fur like a bur that refused to come off. Shaking his head Thorn quickly ran after Darkness.

Catching up to her Thorn matched her steady pace. The dark and dreadful feelings that Thorn had felt before didn't seem to affect her at all, infact nothing seemed to really affect her, her eyes were blank and expressionless. Thorn longed to comfort her, to plead with her to change back to the loving and gentle person he once knew. But Thorn knew he couldn't he felt truly helpless and he hated that feeling, his sister needed him and there was nothing he could do.

Darkness stopped, she peered at the thick curtine of brambles that hung from the rock overhang that jutted outward from the thick stone wall that she had discovered witch was a bunch of very large bolders. Walking towreds the thorn curtine Darkness curiously pulled at the edge of the curtine dislodging some of the hanging tendrels. As the tendrals fell they revealed not the shadowy rock that she expected but a darkness that stretched back into the depths of the rock, a cave.

Carfully stepping into the opening in the curtine of thorns that she had created her cold eyes flickered back and forth as the scaned the cave, taking in every detail. Venturing into the cave Darkness noticed a couple of stones that jutted out of the wall to create shelfs, there were also a couple of cracks that were wide and deep enough to store supplies in. Walking further back the sound of the steady dripping of water reatched her sensitive ears. Following the sound Darkness entered a smaller carven, there she found the source. From a crack in the roof water dripped into a pool that had formed sending small ripples shuddering across the surface of the water.

Slipping back into the main carven Darkness dropped her pack onto the cold stone floor and it landed with a soft thud. Raising a paw her long sharp claws extended, Darkness brought her paw down with as much force as she could muster and slashed the cave wall leaving four parallel deep slash marks in the solide stone marking the cave as her home.

Thorn glided around the cave his sister had just claimed as her home, Thorn gave an inward shiver. He coulden't grasp why she would want to live here or even stand living her. The whole place radiated with despair and bleakness.

'I swear Starlight I will never abandone you no matter what you have become, you are my sister' Thorn thought full heartedly meaning every word of what he just vow

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"Hi Thorn Siree thought you could use some company" a soft familiar voice sounded behind him

Thorn whipped his head around in surprise "River" he gasped as he looked at the cat who in the tribe was his best friend as well as Starlight's. 'Starlight will be so happy to see River' Thorn thought then stopped and then it hit him Starlight wouldn't be able to see River because she couldn't even see him.

"This must be really hard for you seeing her like this, I know how you feel it hurts me to" River murmered as she settled down next to him, her eyes fixed on Starlight who was now in her first form, unpacking her pack.

Sadness glimmered in Rivers hazle eyes "I wish I could just talk to her and let her know she isn't darkness" River whispered longingly.

Thorn nodded his head in aggrement "I wish I could do just that" he responded "So you meet Siree" Thorn asked her curiously, woundering if the great goddess Siree had told River the information on his sister that she had shared with him. Turning his head torwds River egarly awaiting her response.

Thorn could tell she was thinking about her answer carfully.

"Yes I meet Siree, she told me some interesting things" River said slowly shooting a quick glance in Starlight's direction, before returning her steady gaze back to him.

"What did she say" Thorn asked saying every word carfully trying to hid the burning curiosity in his voice, though he was sure his eyes betrayed him showing how anxious he was to hear her answer.

"Well" she paused before continuing "Siree told me about Starlight, and about what happened to the tirbe" River glanced at him "Didn't she tell you too"

"Yah Siree told me about her" Thorn murmered stairing absently at Starlight.

"Amazing heh we'v been living with a goddess and we didn't even know it" River laughed without humor.

Thorn didn't respond, but continued to watch Starlight.

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Darkness now in her first form started to pull items out of her pack. Pulling her clothes out of the black pack first, she placed then in ones of the cracks in the smooth cave wall that was wide enough to store them in.

The only other thing in her pack was the bear claws she had obtained from her last meal, she placed these on one of the stone shelfs before exiting the cave.

Stepping into the fresh air Darkness took a deep breath inhaling the damp air, the different sents played in her nose most prominent was the smell of leaf mold that carpeted the forest floor. Walking forward Darkness weaved through the trees till a sharp sent alerted her she had found what she was looking for. The sharp sent was coming of a sasafrac tree it's bark rough with numerous grouves just like a canyon. Giving a grunt of satisfaction Darkness raised a clawed hand and in a swift flouid movment easily slashed the two ft thick trunk all the way through cleanly. A loud moaning echoed around the forest as the large tree toppled over the leaves quivering violently as the tree connected with the ground with a thud. Walking over to the log Darkness made quick work of the branches, easily stripping them from the trunk.

The long trunk lay naked now stripped of its branches. Flexing her hand Darkness went on to divide the loge into 5 logs each seven feet long. Wrapping her arms around the front end of one of the logs she grunted with effort as she lifted up the log. Pulling with all her might Darkness slowly dragged the log back in the direction of her cave. The trailing end of the log leaving a shallow rut in the ground.

After a few minutes of dragging the box through the dark woods darkness finally reached the cave, mustering up the last of her strength Darkness dragged the log to the furthest reaches of the cave on the left hand side and positioned it next to the cave wall. Darkness leaned against the cave wall pressing her cheek against the cold stone, her breathing was labored from carrying the heavy log when she wasn't at full strength, I'll have to get the other logs tomorrow she thought frusterated at her lack of strength.

Darkness sank unstedily to the floor just as sleep began to creep up on her lick a vine creeps up a tree something caught her eye. Fighting back sleep she looked to were she had slashed the wall, it seemed a faint light was being emited from the slash marks. Pushing herself of the floor she stumbled over to to the slash marks. Peering closely at them she was surprised at what she found, in the in the slash marks she discovered a clear bluish green stone the reminded her of the moon and they seemed to glow even though no light was present.

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It puzzled her not just because the odd stone seemed to imit light but because the light didn't hurt her or cause her any discomfort. Curiouse she raised a clawed hand and slashed the wall looking closely she saw the same glittering stone shinning back at her from the new marks in the wall. She looked at them closely again but this time she was looking how deep it went into the rock wall before she hit the crystal it was about half an inch deep 'Odd' she thought slightly confused by two things.

That's odd it's impossible for this type of stone to make a crystal such as, and what is this crystal? It doesn't belong here. She searched her memory trying to hunt down perhaps a stay thought or moment in time where she had come across a stone such as this, but she came up with no answer but only more questions.

Then all of the sudden something crossed her mind something that made no scense. No light that is pure exist in Dark Heart Woods the only light here is so dim that it's almost black yet this light shines pure, and yet it doesn't bother me. Interesting very interesting I think I would like to have a closer look at this odd stone.

Raising her hand to the stone she used her sharp claws as a chizzle to remove some of the covering stone in a small area carful not to harm to stone that lay underneath. Once she finished removing the cover stone in a small area she very carful cut into the shinning rock and removed a pice the size of her fist. Her cold gaze never strayed from the mysyriouse stone as she slowly walked gracfuly over to the other side to the cave and sank to the floor, her back resting against the log. It's leafy fragrance still clung to it stubbornly and filling her senses with it's odar.

Darkness held the mysterious stone close to her face to get a better look at it. The stone felt cold and hard in her hands. Darkness eyed the rought edges on the stone from were she cut it out of the rock wall. Using her steel sharp talon like nails Darkness carfuly carved away the rough edges of the bright stone, befor using some of her energy that only a goddess could harbor to make the stone flawlessly smooth.

Reaching over she grabbed a long strip of leather she was planning to use for another pourpous cutting a good sized piece of the strip she measured it to fit around her neck before picking up the odd jewl.

Again calling apon her powers she fused the center of the leather strip to the jewl. Looking smugly at her "Piece of art" Darkness pulled the necklace overhead and let it drop around her neck. Looking at her reflection in the large piece of silver that she had hung on the cave wall Darkness noticed that something was happening to the odd stone that now hung around her neck. Looking down Darkness noticed instantly that the pure blue light coming from the stone faltered as it started to flicker then stop glowing for a heartbeat and when it started to glow again it was no longer the pure bluish light but a blackish purple light just like the stone had become black and purple.

Even the pure stone was affected by the blackness in Darkness's heart. She smirked bitterly at it; not even the pure blue stone could stand against the blackness that stained her heart like a shadow.

Darkness closed her eyes clutching the stone that hung around her neck. This was here life now she was a cat of hatred with a black heart and this stone that hung around her neck proved it.

The next day Darkness finished collecting the rest of the logs and lined them up with the log she had brought in the previous day. Running back out of the cave Darkness searched around till she found a large patch of long dry grass gathering as much as she could carry back to the cave and made a few more rounds to collect more grass. Once she had enough she went back out for the other matireal she needed; moss.

It wasn't hard to find moss almost the entire forest floor was covered in the soft spongy stuff. After awhile of she gathered as much as she needed and placed the pile of moss next to the pile of grass. Quickly picking of armfuls of the grass she spread it out evenly over the the logs then adding some sand from the cave floor on top of the grass to hold it down.

Next she layered the moss over the dry grass and sat on it to make sure it wasn't to lumpy; it wasn't but she still wasn't done.

Running gracefully over to one of the cracks in the wall were she stored the pelts from her kills. She placed these on top of the most and stepped back to admire her new bed that she had created.

As she lay there a small voices echoed in the back of her mind it was the voice of an enraged cat seeking reveng and would not die until she got it. Kar will pay for what he did, I will not rest until he is dead I am no longer that weak fool I once was. Darkness thought murderously; revenge would be hers and hers alone.