AN: Another chapter. Wow, I'm really pumping these out quickly. I suppose my inspiration came rushing back recently. But I did start school a couple of days ago so expect chapters to be a little bit far between. I suspect this year will be a tough one for me, but I will try and write as much as I can. Enjoy.
Chapter 18: She Lies in Wait
Screech felt like his heart would explode when he looked past the scaly creature's wing and saw her body on the ground, her fur flattened pitifully to her side. Her flanks rose slightly as she took in small breaths of the smoky air around her. Every few heartbeats she gave a feeble cough but made no attempt to stand, speak or flee. Screech took a hesitant step towards the she-cat he loved before taking a cautious look at Night of Rising Fury. "I will not harm you because you have not engaged me. I refuse to fight an unfair fight."
The creature's confession made Screech feel slightly better but he still was wary of its razor sharp claws and beady red eyes. His eyes roamed over the creature's strong muscles and torn up flanks. Dried blood caked one side of its body, staining what Screech presumed were ashen gray scales red. The bat-like wings still hung suspended over the scene, the tips vanishing into the thicker mist above them. Thin veins ran across the near transparent skin. They were shades of red and blue, some transporting blood to and from the arms that held sharp claws. Screech shuddered to think of those claws ripping his body into tiny slithers of skin, fur and blood. His paws bumped into Berrypaw's seemingly sleeping body and he felt warm, sticky blood ooze between his paws. He choked up as he bent down and nudged Berrypaw, willing her to move with all her mind. But she did not. "Berrypaw?" he whispered, trying to keep his eyes away from a long cut that still oozed blood along her flank. "Please, wake up!" With an angry snarl he turned on Night of Rising Fury. "What did you do to her!?" he demanded.
The creature eyed Screech with obvious distaste in its eyes. "She sleeps. And she will sleep until the spell hanging over her is broken."
"Spell?" Screech spat incredulously. "I am not a kit, Night of Rising Fury. I no longer believe in such stupid things.
Night of Rising Fury curled back its lip and let out a roar of laughter that shook his sides and rattled Screech to his bones. The apprentice shrunk away from the creature and cowered closer to the ground in a pitiful attempt at submission. "If you do not believe in such things as spells and curses then you are even more stupid than you look," Night of Rising Fury said after it finished laughing. "Fine. If you do not wish to believe that it is a spell then you could always call it a curse. It does seem to have the nature of a curse, only broken by going to extreme measures in order to remove it."
Screech clawed at the ground beside Berrypaw's sleeping figure. He tried to keep his eyes away from the blood that still oozed from the angry red wound. He still felt guilty that he had not been there to protect her from whoever had cast the curse upon her and given her such a terrible wound. "How do I remove the curse?" he growled through gritted teeth.
The creature pulled its wings down from the mist and tucked them into its scaly flank, hiding the scars and bite marks from what Screech presumed was many seasons of bitter slavery under the harsh rule of the High Stars. "Only after the death of each Harbinger will the curse be broken."
"Each Harbinger!?" Screech cried in pure disbelief. Who did Night of Rising Fury think he was!? He was a mere apprentice still three moons away from even the thought of becoming a warrior. How in the name of the Dark Forest was he supposed to kill four Harbingers of Destruction that were probably just as vicious looking as the creature standing before him. "Why must I kill four Harbingers, including you, in order to wake Berrypaw up!?"
Night of Rising Fury let out a low, strangled hissing sound when Screech brought up killing him. The creature didn't plan on losing his life in Misty Vale. He had spent most of his adulthood in the Island in the Sky, a place where hundreds of creatures like him lived in peace among each other. Dragons were among the most royal, each being able to trace their lineage back to the original four, a council of ancient dragons each with powers beyond the capacity of a normal creatures mind. But during his adulthood the Island in the Sky came under attack. Everyone was slaughtered apart from four individual beings. The last remaining strands of a civilisation wiped out by an enemy they had never even known had existed. The four beings were cast down to mortal earth where they were imprisoned. A group of cats, with powers of their own, used them for their entertainment. And every season they were forced to slaughter any innocent cats that happened to wander into their domain. The Misty Vale belonged to Night of Rising Fury, the last of the Sky Dragons.
"Because," Night finally said, an angry rumble echoing in his stomach, "each Harbinger holds an excessive amount of power that will be transferred to anyone that can kill them. If you can kill all four then your power will be extraordinary, and you will be able to bring back Berrypaw. But, be very careful. If you die at the claws of anyone or thing then Berrypaw will die also. Her life is tied to yours, Screech. Do not kill her because you have been foolish. Now go. Go and save the one you love so dearly." There was a sneer in his tone as he glared down at the tiny cat that was about to venture out on an impossible mission. He would wait beside Berrypaw and await her painful screams as she died the death Screech had just experienced, but twice as painful.
Screech took a deep breath, gave Berrypaw a last longing glance before he turned to Night and matched the dragon's cold glare. "I will return," he vowed. Then the apprentice vanished into the mist without a second glance back at the life he was leaving behind.
Night curled his tail into a circle around Berrypaw. He felt nothing towards the she-cat but it was his mission to make sure she did not die. If she was to die under his protection then the High Stars would surely take their anger out on him. It did not please him to have heard from Harbinger Blood that they had recently gained even more power. "Look behind you…" An odd voice reached his ears in the silent mist, sending a shudder up his spine. Without thinking what he was doing he twisted his head just in time to hear an angry yowl split the silence in two as a shape with ragged claws appeared before him.
Night roared in pain as claws sliced through the soft flesh near his eyes. He threw his head back and tried to toss the shape attached to his face off but whoever it was held tight, green eyes flashing in the gloom. More pain lanced his face as fire burned through one of his eyes. His vision faded from his right eye as he let out a screech of pain as his eye was torn out. "What are you!?" his attacker yowled, claws hanging dangerously close to Night's other eye.
"I am Night of Rising Fu-" he was cut off as the stranger snarled loudly.
"I have already heard all of your stupid speech, Harbinger of Destruction," the sneer in his voice was near identical to the one Night had given Screech before the apprentice had left. "And I heard the bit about gaining power after I kill you, which I plan on doing. But, you are not a lizard, nor are you a bird. So answer my question, what are you!?"
Night knocked the stranger off his face with one clawed paw. "I am a dragon. The last dragon." His eye flicked down to his attacker and he felt shame rush over him at the thought of having his eye torn out by a scruffy calico, weak looking tom. Blood ran into Night's mouth and he spat it out with a loud snarl. "What are you doing in my land?"
"Dragon?" a look of shock passed over the tom's face. "They are supposed to be nothing but legend." Night narrowed his red eyes and expanded his wings with a rush of air, knocking the tom off his paws. A screech tore from Night's throat as he brought his massive head down to the tom's level so that he could stare into the green eyes of the cat that had torn his eye out.
"Do I look like a legend to you? I am quite real, I assure you. Would you like me to tear your legs off so that you can feel how real I am?" Night snarled menacingly. His tail remained curled around Berrypaw, hiding the sleeping she-cat behind his thick tail. The tom picked himself up off the ground and returned his gaze back to the muzzle of the dragon that hovered in front of him. Evil shone like the sun in his eyes as he slipped his claws back out of his paws and curled his lip back.
"Soon you will be nothing but a legend," he snarled and then launched himself at Night. The dragon had a late reaction and felt dread wash over him as claws pricked the soft skin under his neck. He let out a roar and tried to shake the tom off his neck. But the tom would not give in and sunk his claws in deeper to avoid being thrown off. Night went to claw at his throat and then stopped. If he missed he would slit his own throat. Realisation dawned over him as he worked out what the tom's plan had been. To make him slit his own throat.
But the dragon had not counted on the tom sinking his teeth into his soft neck and tearing his throat out. Night let out a strangled cry of pain as his throat was torn out and blood began to pour from it. It pooled on the ground and turned a bright blue as Night fell to the ground, his eyes slowly glazing over. He twitched and convulsed on the floor as the blood that spilt from him began to glow a bright blue. "You will never be what you want," he choked out as the light died from his eyes.
The tom stared at the dragon that had come from legend to confront him in the mist as it took a final breath and fell still. Its dead scales began to glow the same blue its blood was as a rushing sound filled the tom's ears. He felt power rush into his limbs and was jolted from his dreamy state as he felt strength sink into his bones. A whispering sound ruffled the fur beside his ears. "Enjoy my power, Wildest Storm.."
-000-
A cunning laugh that dripped with evil rang out through the swampy forest and set the fur of the three RisingClan cats on end. The forest suddenly felt empty and dangerous, as if shadowy ghosts stalked them through the thick trees. The pine trees came to an abrupt end as the rocky part of RogueClan's territory came into view. Fading rays of sunshine dappled the rocks and only the strongest of the golden slithers of light could penetrate the thick, white wall of mist that started as soon as the rocks broke away from the dark green grass. The mist held an eerie feeling as the three cats stopped when their claws first clicked against the stone. Shatteredlight narrowed her eyes as she followed her father and leader into the mist. She shuddered as the mist closed behind them and locked them in its thick prison. Another evil chuckle rang out through the mist and the white warrior turned to her father with her fern green eyes. She could see her own worry reflected in the eyes of her grandfather as he stared back at her. "This does not feel right," she murmured. "Tornshadow would not have come this far into enemy territory without another warrior. Nor would she not have returned. Two days have passed since she left, father."
She wrinkled her nose at the thought of the strange apprentice. From the first time she smelt Tornshadow's scent she knew something was off about her. The sudden disappearance had only served to strengthen that feeling.
Fallenshadow shook his head and allowed their pace to slow as they picked their way across the piles of rocks. He cast a sideways glance at Hiddenshade to see the deputy deep in thought about the something. The leader decided against breaking the dark tom's concentration and instead the returned his gaze to Shatteredlight's worried eyes. "I know. I can feel the strangeness in the air also. But I refuse to leave a young apprentice out in the enemy territory, even if she has been gone for two days."
Before Shatteredlight could send back a sharp report to her father the sound of claws clicking against stone reach their keen ears and another low, evil chuckle assaulted their ears. "You do not have to search for her anymore, Clan cats. She is closer than you think." The voice sounded too sweet, like whoever was speaking was purposely masking her voice from the RisingClan cats. A pair of brilliant red lights appeared from the mist, accompanied by a pair of blazing green and piercing blue. Surrounding the three bright eyes were many pairs of dull, bleak, heartless, lifeless yellow eyes. It was at that moment that Fallenshadow realised they had walked into a trap. One that seemed well thought out. He was certain that blood would be spilt, and after he took a look behind him and saw more of the yellow eyes. They were surrounded.
"Who are you and what do you want with us!?" Fallenshadow yowled as his gaze slipped back to the enchanting red eyes. A snarl sounded near his ears as Hiddenshade raised the fur on his neck and slid the claws that had claimed the lives of so many rogues out of his paws.
The same evil chuckle that they had heard before rang out before the same voice sickly sweet sounded again. "We want nothing more than your life, Fallenshadow. As well as the life of Hiddenshade, your deputy, and your granddaughter, Shatteredlight."
"How," Shatteredlight spat, "do you know our names and ranks!?"
The mist began to thin out as yet another chuckle ran out. As the mist began to fade, Fallenshadow began to pick out the features of the cat the red eyes belonged too. He was surprised to find that it was a she-cat and even more surprised when he saw how beautiful she was. Her fur was long, black and thick, waving down her flanks in beautiful long strands of shining fur. She seemed well groomed, almost like a kittypet. But her stunning red eyes held the look of a murderer, a look that could not live within the body of a kittypet. But it was the shape that stood beside the she-cat that made a shudder of horror and revulsion run down his spine. Tornshadow's pale green eyes stared back at him, her red flecked fur ruffled slightly in the small breeze that suddenly pushed the rest of the mist away. But it only pushed a small bit of the mist away, revealing ten or so more cats.
Shatteredlight curled her lip at Tornshadow and unsheathed her claws. "How could you!? We took you in and looked after you! How dare you take a RisingClan name, how dare you call yourself a RisingClan cat! I will enjoy tearing your throat out!"
Tornshadow glared back, not a single shred of remorse in her eyes. It was almost as if she had been possessed by a cold hearted killer. Her eyes no longer held the curiosity and happiness they had once held, instead they were dark and stormy. "I hold my RisingClan name as a reminder to the life I had before Crimson found me and fixed me."
"Fixed you!?" Hiddenshade exclaimed. "You were never broken."
The cat on the other side of the cat Fallenshadow assumed was Crimson narrowed her blue eyes at Hiddenshade. "We are all broken, Hiddenshade. And with blood Crimson can and will fix us, in return for complete loyalty to her." The she-cat was a pretty light cream she-cat and her light fur only helped illuminate her blue eyes even more. But like Tornshadow they were dark and stormy; however they were even darker and held a similar murderous glint to Crimson's. But the yellow eyes of the other cats, that each had the same dull brown coat, were all lifeless and dull. It was like they were nothing but zombies.
Fallenshadow turned on Tornshadow with a snarl. "You gave your complete loyalty to this rogue!? Why?"
"I did because she said she would make my life so much better and that she would give me what I want." A faraway look had appeared in Tornshadow's eyes. It was like she could see the thing she wanted but was still so far away from her reaches. Her green eyes turned sad for a few heartbeats before they returned to dark and stormy, her emotions no longer showing through her eyes anymore.
Crimson stalked forwards a few steps and lashed her tail, eyes flashing. "Enough. We came here to complete our first mission, if we sit here arguing about why she did this and why she didn't do this then we will never get it finished!" Then she let out a loud yowl. "Attack!" And all the brown pelted cats launched themselves onto the three RisingClan cats.
They disappeared beneath a pile of plain furred cats, lashing claws and flashing fangs. Blood spattered against the rocks and ran down the sides, leaving behind a trail of red. Crimson, Tornshadow and the other she-cat stayed still and watched the other cats fight a battle with the strongest cats throughout the six Clans. It did not surprise Crimson to see her cats winning. She had placed her knowledge of battle deep within their minds when she turned them into nothing but mindless zombies. A small smile curled at her muzzle as she thought of the rogues, loners and spirits she had forced to become nothing but slaves. Her eyes flicked to where the light she-cat sat, her blue eyes fixed on the flashing claws of Hiddenshade. "If you wish to sink your fangs into his neck then I will not stop you, Jinx," she purred, waving her tail at the pile of cats.
Jinx did not need to be told twice and launched herself at Hiddenshade with ferocious speed. Her tackle wrenched Hiddenshade off his paws and threw him onto his side a few paces away from the writhing pile of fighting cats. Jinx circled the infamous RisingClan deputy with narrowed eyes and bloody claws. "Today," she murmured. "You die." Then she drove her claws downwards and tore into Hiddenshade's fur. He fought back and sunk his teeth into her shoulder blade, twisting it violently until he heard a sharp crack. But Jinx did not even bat an eyelid at her fractured shoulder. She was too overcome with rage and the thought of revenge to even care about the trauma she was putting her body through. Her lack of care for her shoulder threw Hiddenshade off for a matter of seconds and that was all Jinx needed to rip her claws down his face and pull him to the ground by his cheeks. "You took everything from me," she snarled in his ear. "My mate, my mother, my father, my daughters, my sons, my brother and my sister. You took it all! Now I get to take it all back. Watch from the sky, Hiddenshade, watch as your Clan and family dies under the claws of a revolution."
"RisingClan will never die. We are the strongest of the Clans. Don't you know what the other Clans will do once they find out that a bunch of rogues, and a traitorous ex member of RisingClan has a plan to destroy us?" Hiddenshade spat back. He raised one of his paws and tried to slice it down Jinx's face but the she-cat deflected it with one of her paws.
"Then we will destroy them too. We will destroy everyone." Jinx curled her lip and bared her blood stained teeth and Hiddenshade. "Enjoy the afternoon, Clan scum." Then she pressed Hiddenshade's head harder to the ground and sunk her canines into his neck. She dug them down until she felt his wind pipe rub against it. A feral snarl rumbled in Hiddenshade's neck as he struggled under Jinx's strong hold, but it was useless. So he gave up. He lay limp and awaited the death that was bound to come.
"Father!" Shatteredlight screeched as Crimson's cats stopped fighting and held the other RisingClan cats down so that they could watch Hiddenshade die. "Get up! Please! Get up!"
Fallenshadow met Hiddenshade's eyes and gave a small nod. "It has been good fighting alongside you my friend. Keep us safe from your throne in the afterlife. I am certain it is waiting for you."
"Tell Dancingwave how much I love her," Hiddenshade choked back, the pressure on his wind pipe slowly increasing as Jinx began to bite down harder. Her eyes were as cold as ice and filled with revenge. Crimson nodded at Jinx, allowing the she-cat to destroy the cat that had given her so much pain and ripped away all she had left. That was the only sign Jinx needed and she pierced Hiddenshade's wind pipe and ripped his throat out of his neck. The RisingClan tom spluttered and choked loudly as he began to strangle to death.
Shatteredlight writhed under the hold of one of the dull pelted cats. She watched with horror in her eyes as her father's blood pooled around his head, soaking into his dark fur and turning it red.
Jinx waved her tail in excitement as Hiddenshade gave a last harsh cough and laid still, no more air stirring the fur around his mouth. "Well done, Jinx," Crimson purred. "You have done just what we set out to do." She turned to face Fallenshadow. "Join us in SnowClan's Snow Meadow for war when the moon rises once more. If you do not show then she will die as well." As she spoke she lifted one claw and pressed it against Shatteredlight's throat."
"We will be there and so will my entire Clan." Fallenshadow's eyes flicked to Tornshadow who remained where she first appeared from the mist. "I hope you are happy. You have killed our deputy and made RisingClan your enemy. We took you in, Tornshadow. Gave you a name and a life. And you tossed it all away so that you could join this..rogue? I guess we will never know why. But there is one thing I must to before I leave. Because you have betrayed my Clan you will no longer be known as Tornshadow. Instead you will bear the name of a exiled RisingClan cat. From now on you are now as Tornheart, for your treachery and bitter heart. Enjoy your life as a rogue, Tornheart."
Crimson's cats let the two RisingClan cats up and they went straight to where Hiddenshade laid dead. Shatteredlight let out a wail as she sunk to the ground and pressed her nose to her father's already chilly flank. "Let's go," Crimson hissed as she slunk away into the mist. Tornheart gave the RisingClan cats a final dark look before she too slipped away after Jinx and Crimson. The dull pelted cats didn't even look back at the devastation they had caused before they were swallowed whole by the mist.