Thank you so much for your continued support, Whisperblaze luvs Eikko! Also thank you to Willowdream of ForestClan for following!
Okay guys, enjoy! ^_^
"So, you two are going to the Gathering?" Petalspots sat next to Berryshade and Brookheart, sharing tongues before the Clan left.
Brookheart nodded excitedly and shook out her tabby pelt, while Berryshade wrapped her tail around her forepaws calmly. "Aren't you going?" Her sister asked with a bit of disbelief in her eyes. "It's our first Gathering as warriors!"
"I don't know, Berryshade," Petalspots replied, breaking away from her gaze. "I just have this feeling..."
"Is it bad? Should we get you to Mistyheart? Are you in pain?"
"No, no!" Petalspots shook her head irritably at Brookheart's incessant questions. "I don't feel so well, and I have this feeling that I should stay tonight."
"Alright, suit yourself," Berryshade replied with a dismissive flick of her tail. Then her ears pricked up as Jaystar yowled to the Clan.
"Time to go," Petalspots purred, nudging her friends toward the group of Gathering cats. "Have fun!"
"We will!" Brookheart called over her shoulder.
Petalspots watched wistfully as her friends disappeared into the crowd. Berryshade took a spot by Flightpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, while Brookheart took a spot next to Sunblaze, pelts brushing. Petalspots purred with amusement. It won't be long before she's expecting kits!
As they disappeared out of the gorse tunnel and up the ravine, Petalspots wondered briefly, What's wrong with me? Should I go anyway?
But her thoughts were interrupted by a huge yawn. She absently moved her paws toward the warriors' den.
Halfway to the den she bumped into a bright orange shape.
"Hi, Brightfall!" Petalspots purred cheerfully, trying to ignore her sleepiness. "How are your kits?"
"Larkkit's fine," Brightfall replied with an anxious glance at the nursery. "Sandkit's got a bit of a stomachache." Brightfall then took a step back and studied Petalspots. "You don't look so well, Petalspots. Maybe you should get some rest."
"But-" Petalspots protested, but the orange queen was already leading her to warriors' den.
When Petalspots arrived she trudged through the den entrance, and collided with a cloudy gray shape.
"Watch it-" she hissed to Cloudfrost, only to be interrupted by a massive yawn. I should be sleeping right now, not arguing.
To her surprise, she felt his tail brush lightly over her shoulder, but she was too exhausted to think much of it. She pushed past him and sank into her nest.
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Petalspots rose to her paws, studying the forest as it loomed around her. It looked familiar, she knew she had seen it before. She'd had this dream before, but of course her dream self didn't know that.
She called out, not having much control over what she was doing. She'd done that in this dream before, too.
But then she did something different. Instead of walking through the forest like usual, she turned around and walked in the other direction. Petalspots didn't quite know why she did this, but she knew something was different this time.
Then suddenly a flash of orange flickered through the bushes. Slowly, she crept toward it, ears pricked, eyes narrowed. Was it prey? A fox?
It was another cat, crouching in front of another tom. She couldn't see him, only just made out his shape through the branches. Then suddenly the younger cat swung his head around and his amber eyes locked with Petalspots' green. She gasped.
She'd known those amber eyes since she was a kit. She'd seen them in many different emotions: happiness, anger, fear. Mostly fear, just like they were now: filled to the brim with an awful fear. And she would never forget them.
Petalspots jolted awake, narrowing her eyes against the rosy pink sky of dawn. She rose to her paws and stretched, closing her eyes and letting out (yet another) yawn.
What just happened? She wondered for about the millionth time after she had a dream.
Not this time, Petalspots. You have to remember.
She sat there, thinking.
And thinking.
Thinking.
She remembered one thing, and one thing only from that dream. His eyes.
Yes, that's it.
I found him!
Petalspots burst out of the den, her heart rising in an instant. I found him, I found him, I found him! She skidded to a halt as the Gathering patrol entered into the camp.
"Berryshade!" Petalspots yowled, unable to contain her excitement. She crashed into her tortoiseshell sister and shook her head impatiently.
"What are you meowing about?" Her sister hissed. "It's the crack of dawn and some cats are still sleeping-"
"Berryshade! I've found Flamepaw!"
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The breeze ruffled Flamepaw's fur as the forest loomed around him. Everything sat in perfect stillness and silence, as if watching, waiting for something. The young tom couldn't move against the cold stare boring into him.
Flamepaw crouched in front of a dark tabby, burning beneath his fur. He stared at the ground, wanting to escape from this mess. How could he have been so stupid?
"You're not stupid, young one," the tom said gently to the apprentice. Flamepaw backed away a few steps, stumbling, in utter shock. Could this fierce tabby be able to read his mind?
"I can," the tom said nonchalantly. "And don't think you're stupid. In fact, you've made possibly the best decision of your life."
Flamepaw frowned. He was pretty sure that breaking down in front of all his Clanmates, running away, and getting knocked out was the worst possible decision he could make.
"Not at all. It leads you to a tremendous opportunity."
"Just send me back!" Flamepaw burst out. "I want to go back to my Clan! I don't want to be here!"
"Oh, but they don't want you," the tom pointed out. "Even you are thinking that right now."
"Get out of my head!" Flamepaw hissed, springing to his paws. "You've no right to hear my thoughts!"
The tom thrust his muzzle closer, making Flamepaw shrink beneath his fur. "Don't you dare speak to me like that! I hold immense power!" The tom let his fur lie flat again. "You've got potential, Flamepaw. Let me just make you an offer."
"How do you know my name?" Flamepaw mewed. Oh right, duh. He can read minds. "Of course, you can read minds." Thinking fast, Flamepaw quickly added, "See? I am stupid. Surely you don't want to waste your time on me." Flamepaw held his breath, hoping that if this tom thought he wasn't worth it, he could get out of here. He waited, hoping, but not daring to let the thought creep into his mind, instead focusing on the darkening sky above.
"I can still hear that, Flamepaw," the tom sighed. Flamepaw let out the breath he was holding. It hadn't worked.
"Still, let me show you that offer."
Flamepaw tried to resist, but he was whisked into a vision. He was standing on a tall stone-the Great Rock at Fourtrees, he realized-and was staring down at a mass of cats, all crouched low. Could they be...bowing?
Breath stirred his ear fur. "I can give you all of this, if you just choose to work with me."
Flamepaw relished in the thought for a moment. Respected and appreciated by everyone...I'll never be shunned again!
But the apprentice came to his senses. He opened his eyes. "I don't trust you," he hissed.
"Oh really?" A wicked smile crossed the tom's face. "I can show you the alternative."
Flamepaw was sent into another vision, the tang of blood filling his nose and the shrieks of cats filling his ears. Cats all around the ThunderClan camp were dying. Flamepaw rushed to help, but he couldn't move.
Suddenly his eyes met a green pair and an amber pair, both filled with agony and desperation. With horror, he realized that the dying cats in front of him were Petalspots and Berryshade.
This is what will happen if I refuse? Flamepaw thought with a pang of dismay that chilled his heart. Suddenly he remembered something. It was his beautiful tortoiseshell mother on her last breath, staring down lovingly at her kits. Her warm eyes rested on each one of them for a heartbeat. "Please look after each other," she murmured. "Protect each other from harm, always. Don't ever leave them in pain." Then her head dropped slightly, as she murmured. "Promise me."
And after that, Flamepaw couldn't refuse.
He opened his eyes and met the cold yellow stare boldly, not daring to flinch.
"I accept."
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Cliffhangers! YAY! Sorry I haven't been updating very consistently. Hope you guys enjoyed! ^_^