"Willowfrost, no!" My eyes widen with terror as I watch my mother's lifeless body land on the ground with a heavy "thud". The WindClan warrior that took Willowfrost's life has now fixed his gaze on me, sweeping his tongue over his muzzle.
"No!" I screech, frantically running away. "Please don't kill me!" My heart quickens as I hear the pawsteps of my attacker behind me, getting closer and closer. I can feel my attacker's hot, sticky breath on my neck...
My eyes fly open. My breath is fast and shallow, and my heart is pounding against my chest. I take a few moments to calm down. It was just a dream, I comfort myself. You are safe in your nest. I look to my side and see my brother, Rainpaw, curled up next to me, breathing softly into my neck fur. Slowly moving away from Rainpaw, I sit up in my nest.
Another nightmare. They returned a few sunrises back. I don't know why they are coming back, but I don't like the cold feeling of distrust and loneliness that always fills me when I wake up.
Even though I was only a kit back then, I can clearly remember that day. The day the three other Clans drove us out. We now live past our old territory, hidden in a small hollow covered with trees.
Not everyone survived that day. Three-quarters of our Clan is dead, including my parents. There are only eleven cats left. Emberstar, the deputy, Ivyleaf, the medicine cat, Cherrynose, four warriors, one expecting queen, one elder, and Rainpaw and I are the only ones left in ShadowClan.
It all started with the Gathering. Emberstar, Ivyleaf, and few other warriors, including my father, Fireclaw, attended the Gathering. Rainpaw and I were still kits, so we were not allowed to go to the Gathering. We stayed in the nursery with Willowfrost and eventually dozed off.
The moon had begun to lower in the sky when heavy pawsteps thundered right outside of the thorn barrier. Rainpaw and I were jolted awake, only to witness the Gathering group running into the camp, followed by RiverClan, ThunderClan, and WindClan.
Emberstar had shrieked out, "Run!", before getting tackled down to the ground by a ThunderClan warrior. Willowfrost, her eyes wide with fear, told Rainpaw and I to run for our lives, and that she would be with us soon. It was then when the WindClan warriors tore open the nursery, raking down the bramble walls and reducing them to shambles.
It was at that moment when I ran. I could only think about how I had to continue to run, no matter how tired I was. I had to live, and follow what Willowfrost had told me.
After a while, when I convinced myself that no enemy warrior would find me, I slowed my sprint into a trot. It was then when Willowfrost arrived, only to have the WindClan warrior follow her, and kill her. Screaming, heart wrenched with grief, I began to run once more.
It had become dawn when I slowed and collapsed, crying at the thought of not having a mother. That was when Ivyleaf found me, and carried me to our new camp. There were a lot of sleepless nights the first moon at our makeshift camp. I would wake up screeching Willowfrost's name to run away from the WindClan warrior. By the second moon, the nightmares had subsided and I had decided to help the Clan as we recovered.
Three moons later, we are struggling. Prey is scarce, leaf-bare is approaching, and there are no dens. We have recently just been able to make nests. Emberstar and Ivyleaf's nests are far off in the shadows, the warriors sleep underneath an elm tree, and the queen and the elder sleep in a small abandoned rabbit burrow for shelter. Rainpaw and I sleep in a leaf pile, with a tree stump right next to us. Despite the progress with the nests we have made, I wouldn't be surprised if ShadowClan were to die off.
A rustle of movement arises from the shadows across from me. Emberstar emerges from the shadows, his fiery pelt shining in the sun, his stride confident. He bends his haunches and leaps up onto the Tall Oak, the tallest tree in the clearing. "Warriors and apprentices of ShadowClan! Gather around the Tall Oak!" Rainpaw stretches his eyes open and lets out a sleepy yawn. I lightly prod him with a paw.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. Emberstar's calling for us." I prod Rainpaw on the side once more. He groans and rolls to the side, mumbling something about going back to sleep. "C'mon, Rainpaw. You know that Emberstar doesn't like latecomers." When Rainpaw doesn't move, I sigh. "Whatever, your loss." I stretch my limbs and pad towards the clearing. Cats sleepily stumble towards the Tall Oak, still trying to shake off their dreams.
Emberstar sits patiently on the Tall Oak. He studies the cats beneath him. "Where is Rainpaw?" he asks, looking pointedly at me. I duck my head in embarrassment. "Still asleep," I mumble, feeling hot and uncomfortable. Sighing, Emberstar flicks his tail. "Redfoot, Stormhawk - go get him." The two warriors get up and walk to the leaf pile behind me. A few moments later, I hear mewls of protest. Turning around, I see Rainpaw getting hoisted to his feet. His eyes, still heavy with sleep, are struggling to adjust to the light. Redfoot and Stormhawk escort Rainpaw to the clearing, where they plop him next to me.
Emberstar dips his head to the two senior warriors. "Thank you." he meows. Looking at Rainpaw sternly for a second, Emberstar begins to talk. "I have gathered all of you today to discuss our current situation. It has come to my attention that it is time we make dens. It is apparent that we will be staying here longer than we had thought." He pauses, surveying the Clan to watch our reactions.
I dig my claws into the earth beneath me. Everyone in this Clan knew that we would not go back to the lake. Even if they didn't believe it, they knew it in their gut. I don't like the thought of never returning to the lake. It doesn't settle with me well. I feel like we need to go back to prove something, like even though they drove us out, we are still strong.
"ShadowClan is not welcome at the lake," Emberstar raises his voice. "RiverClan, ThunderClan, and WindClan clearly showed us that. ShadowClan is in a pit of loss, starvation, and abandonment. For as long as we are ShadowClan, we will remember the pain from the wounds that the three Clans bore into our hearts and bodies. For as long as we are ShadowClan, we will continue to mourn the loss of our loved ones, and be beaten down so we cannot continue. For as long as we are ShadowClan, we will remember that day. And because of it, we cannot move forward. But today is the day where changes will be set, where memories will only be memories, and where we will move forward."
I stare at Emberstar and exchange looks with Rainpaw. Where is he going with his?
Taking a deep breath, Emberstar meows, "I, Emberstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my ancestors to witness my word. As the warrior code states, my word is law, and nothing will go against it. From now on, this Clan will be known as DarkClan." Several cats around me gasp. Emberstar ignores them and continues speaking. "No longer will we be plagued by the nightmares or the pain. We will be strong, and move forward. We will forget our past, and work for a better future." His gaze travels around the Clan. "Ivyleaf, set the patrols." The silver tabby she-cat nodded back to her leader and walked to the front of the Tall Oak.
"Redfoot, and Foxfang - start on the warriors den. I'll help you with that. Emberstar," She looked above her. "You can move in the the little cave next to the Tall Oak. Stormhawk and Frostleaf, go out hunting and see what you can find. Wolfpaw and Rainpaw, you can work on your den and the nursery. Check on Honeycloud and Dustfang, for me, please. Cherrynose will be there too."
I nod importantly at Ivyleaf. As Rainpaw and I head to the small burrow, I can't help wondering what it will mean now that we are DarkClan.
Does it mean anything? Why Dark? Is it because of a new name, that we can return to the lake?
I hope we can. No matter how many times Emberstar changes the name of our Clan, I will always remember that day. The pain will always remain in my heart as I mourn for my dead parents.
Someday I will get revenge. And when I do, RiverClan, ThunderClan, and WindClan will regret driving us out and killing the cats that they killed. They will understand the pain, the torture, the terror that we have to go through now so we can survive. They took so much from us, and yet they still get to walk as innocents and live without hiding.
They don't deserve that sort of freedom.