A/N: I'm still in shock about the nine reviews. All your questions will be answered eventually.
Chapter Four
Now separated, brother and sister spent their final moments in a corner of the camp, thinking of nothing but each other. Shadekit refused to eat until Turtlestar pointed out that he would starve, which meant that he would not see Mosskit again. It was an effective way to control the two siblings: threatening them with the fact that they couldn't see the other again if they misbehaved.
On the eighth day, when the reddish orange sun rose once again, our ashen protagonist was still under extremely heavy guard. She was escorted to Rainstar's den to "get ready" for the ceremony and the climb up Mount Crimson —a mountain that was said to be stained with the blood of ugly creatures that had been slain by the goddess— to Blossom's lair.
I was the first sacrifice, though not necessarily official. My name was forgotten over time, and I was just called "the kit who was first to satisfy Goddess Blossom's needs". After I died, many others came with me. All with the kitten fluff still on their faces, never getting a true chance at life. The one who is telling you this story right now, me, is Reedkit.
Mosskit shook as the pale yellow rays of sunlight crawled into the sky. It was still slightly dark, cold dew on every blade of grass. The water soaked her through and chilled to the bone, but at least it felt like rain.
The rain was what she longed for the most. She wanted to hear the song of the rain again one last time before death, to listen to the melodic pitter-patter sound. Mosskit let the dew saturate her fur and pretended it was the rain falling on her fur.
"Hurry up." Haretail, her aggressive sentry, drew his lips back in a snarl. "Sacrifice. You should be grateful that you get a chance to meet our Goddess; many of us do not have that honor."
The pale gray kit bristled. Honor? How was dying an honor? Mosskit ran on her short legs, feeling a cold substance —morning mist— on her pelt. She quickly reached a mass of wood and stone. Haretail came to a halt beside her, but Mosskit paid him no heed.
"Come in," said a frosty voice. "Quickly."
Mosskit was thrust into the den by Haretail, who left after making sure she didn't run away. The kit was left alone to face Rainstar.
"As you know, you will be sacrificed to Goddess Blossom today, along with three other kits from different Clans," the elegant leader meowed.
Mosskit glared at her leader. Shadekit was a obviously WindClan cat, not a ThunderClan one; one of the other three kits was him, and he was not from a different Clan. Rainstar ignored the she-kit's stare of defiance and continued to speak.
"We will be having a ceremony. Afterwards, your sire Stripedpelt will lead you to Mount Crimson, which you will climb to reach Blossom's lair. There, our Goddess will accept you as the four hundred thirty-sixth sacrifice of WindClan."
Yes, this was the four hundred thirty-sixth moon in the new world. StarClan was extremely crowded with kits by now, and we hated seeing more come every moon. But there was nothing that any cat, living or dead, could do.
"Behave and look your best to earn a good opinion of WindClan from Goddess Blossom. You are doing this for WindClan's happy life, and we thank you for it." Rainstar's vooce took on an official, brisk tone.
Empty words. They used to be filled with meaning, but as the new moons passed, it was simply a speech given to the sacrifice of WindClan.
"Yes, Rainstar." Mosskit growled softly after speaking. It was now Rainstar's turn to have her fur stand on end.
"You, a mere kit, dare growl at your leader? Ungrateful little creature!"
"What is there to be grateful for?" the kit countered.
The blue-furred leader did not reply, but instead padded out of the den and to her usual spot for meetings and occasions. "Follow me," she ordered.
Mosskit meekly did so, getting a spot on the fallen tree. Its bark was smooth like the scales of a fish, weathered by claws after claws of leaders sitting on it. She selfishly wished Shadekit was there with her, so they could go through these terrifying moments together. Mosskit wondered briefly if her brother was having his own ceremony out there, in the foreign forest of ThunderClan.
"Cats of WindClan!" Rainstar yowled, her voice ringing in Mosskit's tiny kitten ears. "Today is the day. Our sacrifice, Mosskit, will be accompanied by her father Stripedpelt to Mount Crimson to meet our Goddess Blossom. She is the four hundred thirty-sixth kit that we have given. Tonight, we shall have a feast to celebrate the new moon."
The blue-gray she-cat swiftly flicked her tail, signaling to the warriors that they could begin chanting.
"Goddess Blossom! Goddess Blossom! Goddess Blossom!"
Mosskit stared at the cats, her own Clanmates, in disgust.
Even Mosskit's own mother was cheering. Every cat she thought had at least cared a little bit about her was willingly casting the kit away for their perfect lives. Complete rejection.
Stripedpelt dipped his head to Rainstar and padded up to stand behind Mosskit, who jerked herself away. Her dad's breath was hot on her back as he whispered to her. She could almost see his gleaming green eyes.
"Don't try anything funny, stupid kit . . . or else there might be a little accident on the way to Mount Crimson."
"You wouldn't dare," Mosskit muttered as Rainstar retreated to her den and dismissed the cats. "Blossom wouldn't be happy."
The dark tabby gave his kit a look filled with menace. "Call our leader by the title of Goddess. You do not deserve to directly speak of her." He raised his voice for the cats to hear. "Now, Mosskit, we should get going."
Mosskit fluffed her fur up, but followed Stripedpelt obediently.
She would do anything to see Shadekit again one more time, even if it was to walk to her death. Sweet, loyal Mosskit loved her younger brother so . . .
They trekked through the vast moor towards an icy-looking landscape. Even from so far away, Mosskit could see rusty streaks covering a tall, frightening figure.
This was Mount Crimson.
This was where they were heading.
The smoky kit quivered as Turtlestar finished her complementary "Goodbye" speech and took him by the scruff. She planted him on the Highledge.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for an important ceremony!" the calico she-cat meowed. The ThunderClan cats gathered around Turtlestar, gazing up intently at their commanding leader and him.
Shadekit.
Even the greatest of minds will know when to be scared. This was one of those times where Shadekit felt like cowering in the darkest spot there was in the world, covering his eyes and burying himself into the blackness for all eternity.
"Because ThunderClan had no kits this moon—" Turtlestar paused to glance at the she-cats disapprovingly "—we have . . . borrowed . . . a WindClan kit. Shadekit will go with Wetwhisker and the other sacrifices to Mount Crimson, where Goddess Blossom's lair is. There he will sacrifice himself for the good of ThunderClan. We thank you for your bravery, Shadekit." The calico cat gave a hesitant dip of her head in Shadekit's direction and swiftly disappeared into her den.
Wetwhisker, a rugged cream-colored tom, nodded to Shadekit and beckoned him over.
"Be polite when we get there," he murmured into the kit's ear. Shadekit nodded, the words flying right over his head. All the dark gray kit knew, all he was aware of, was that he would see his sister again.
"And calm yourself!" Wetwhisker snapped. Shadekit realized that he was bouncing all over the place, stirring up dust. He flattened his ears self-consciously.
"Sorry," the tomkit muttered.
Wetwhisker sighed. "C'mon, kit. Let's go. We cannot delay our travel any longer than we already have."
ThunderClan camp was the farthest from Mount Crimson. They'd have to walk quickly to catch up with Mosskit and Stripedpelt. But Shadekit was a determined cat, that was for sure. He would find his sister again, no matter what stood in his way.
Blossom walked back and forth, ears pricked and tail erect for any sign of pawsteps. She felt weak, drained of energy, like she always did on the day of try new moon before she refueled.
They should be coming any moment now, her heart said greedily. I'm hungry. I can not have this lack of power for any longer.
"I told you to be quiet," Blossom snapped. "Just shut that voice of yours, and we'll all be happier.
Except for me.
"No one cares about you," Blossom meowed harshly. Her green eye began to flicker again. She felt like she was getting torn apart all over again, just like on that day.
She hated that day, and she wasn't going to dwell in the memory.
"I'm so sorry, Blueflame!" The black cat shrieked to the endless sky, shaking, but she ignored the trembles.
It was just the cold, after all . . .
You've gone crazy, the voice declared.
"It took you that long to figure it out?" Blossom felt herself get dangerously close to fuming. One more bit of rage and the war was lost. She couldn't give in, not yet. She had to save the Clans from the new world. She had to save herself from the voice.
That's it. The voice took on a silky purr. Get angry. Be controlled by me. I feed off of your burning passion. Set yourself on fire. Get angry.
It was much more easier to succumb to this voice than to continue fighting. Blossom felt herself slipping and jerked her head up. No! She couldn't give in!
Give me blood . . . the voice whispered. Much to Blossom's dismay, it began chanting the same words as the night where she murdered her own half-brother.
Want blood. Need blood. Kit blood. Young blood. Fresh blood. Want blood. Want blood. Need blood. It's mine, all MINE!
The black she-cat jumped at the screeching voice. "No! I'm not getting controlled again!"
We are one, my dear. You can't escape.
"You are not a part of me!" Blossom increased her speed. She started running for no apparent reason, bounding up the rocks and zig-zagging back down, as if a monster was chasing her.
Don't bother running. I am in you. I'm your influence.
"I don't want you! I want my mother!" Blossom unwittingly sank her sharp claws into the stone beneath her feet, cracking the long weapons. "Blueflame! Forgive me! Please . . ."
Careful with those claws. I don't want a little weakling as my host. Weakling, weakling, weakling, the voice taunted. This time, Blossom failed to see her heart's malicious intentions and reacted like any cat who had been insulted.
The goddess bristled. "I'm not a weakling!" The moment the words escaped Blossom's muzzle, she knew she had made a fatal mistake. The anger took over, much to her voice's delight. Her flickering green eye turned into a deep bloody red and her lips were curled in a sadistic snarl. The haze came back to her vision. The goddess felt bloodlust wave over her, wanting nothing more than to tear apart the bodies of little kits. This was an untamed savagery, taunting Blossom mercilessly.
Yes, yes, YES! The sound of her heart intensified. It beat rapidly, as if the fury that the goddess felt was quickening it up. I have now taken over your mind. You are mine, and do not forget that. The measly part of you that is still foolishly fighting can do nothing to stop me now.
Blossom had lost once again.
A/N: This barely made it to 2000 words. You have no idea how long I was tugging at my hair and adding details to reach the goal. The next chapter, however, will be more interesting. *evil cackle* Read and review, my peeps!