Hello my wonderful lovelies. Thank you for reviewing! Hope you enjoy.

Nightstorm: When are you going to tell them about the story you are planning for me?

Me: Because that isn't confirmed yet. Just do the frickin' disclaimer!

Nightstorm: Fine. Born of True Destiny does not own Warriors.

Chapter Forty-Five

She heard his paw steps thump over the fallen leaves moments before their eyes met. In the arriving darkness of night, his pelt looked like shadow you could not see through, it was one so solid and black under the density of the overhanging branches. His eyes were round and confirming, like he was speaking to her with them. The slight dip of his head let her know that he was ready.

Nodding back at him, she gazed at the tiny moving figure between them. It scuffled among the plants behind the trees, oblivious to them. She didn't bother to be careful as she leaped at it, because that wasn't the point. She yowled and landed intentionally right before it, scaring it away and into his claws.

As he delivered a killing bite, he looked up at her. "What'd I tell you?" he said, smiling. "Fourth time's a charm!"

"Oh, Nettlepaw," Ice called back to him. "You know we failed before because forest prey is much smarter than Twolegplace prey."

"Also because you're a terrible hunter," he said back with a teasing tone.

Ice couldn't help but grin. There had to be some way to lighten the mood a bit. They had run from the alley just earlier that day and even though Ice enjoyed the rush of adrenaline that came from it, her heart felt like it had been weighed down by the realization that they were leaving, not that she would miss those weakling soft-hearts. And Nettlepaw was very upset with how things had worked out, but he couldn't argue too much. He promised that he would follow her, so follow her he shall.

They had been trying to hunt since sunhigh that day and now the only sign of that sun was the pale gray light that floated weakly upon the horizon. She could only see the dark silhouettes of things in the forest they stood in now, the only light to guide them, the eyes of their companion.

She heard her belly rumble with hunger, and closer up now, she could see that the mouse they had caught was small and bony, but she supposed it would do.

Ice flicked her tail. "Should we head over to your tree where we can see things better?" Light always emitted from the inside of Twoleg nests in the early hours of the night.

A slight movement through the darkness told Ice that her friend was shaking his head. "No. It would probably be best if we stayed in here for the night. Those Alley Cats could be looking for us."

"For what reason? I thought it wasn't worth it to kill us."

"Everyone likes revenge, Ice," he said knowingly.

She glared at him as he spoke. They both knew what he was talking about. "You fox-heart," she said.

He laughed softly. "Are we going to eat of what?"

Her belly rumbled again. "Yes. Please."

They settled down across from each other, the mouse between their paws. Nettlepaw took the first bite and while chewing, nudged the prey at her. She took a bite of it, feeling better now that she was eating. She pushed the mouse over to Nettlepaw and asked him something.

"How do you feel about leaving?"

He looked a little unsure at the question. "What do you mean exactly?"

Ice curled her paw inward. "I mean exactly what I said."

"Well..." he trailed off, in thought. His eyes gazed right through her and into the broad darkness ahead. "What we are doing, I feel incredibly, incredibly uncertain about it. I know it is wrong, but at the same time, it's like I should go along with it. Is that what you were asking?"

"More or less," she rumbled. "But how do you feel about leaving the Twolegplace?"

He nodded, understanding. "I see. Well, I've been here for quite a while, being back in the forest, even though these woods are particularly close to everything, it does send some shivers down my spine."

"I like it," Ice said proudly. "The darkness suits me."

Nettlepaw laughed, but it was an uneasy laugh, and his voice was high and wavering.

Ice cleared her throat. "Anyway, my thoughts. I cannot wait to get away from all of this. Especially those Alley Cats. They were so needy and stubborn."

"Stubborn?" Nettlepaw echoed with bewilderment. "They did everything you said."

"Not all of them," Ice murmured, thinking of Slither. "And they couldn't have the least bit of respect for themselves? Sure they had every right to be afraid of me, but bowing down at my paws isn't helping me see them as loyal warriors. That's just making me see them as pathetic weaklings."

"So you aren't going to miss anything about them?" questioned Nettlepaw.

"Should I?"

"Didn't they teach you something about yourself?"

Ice glanced at him like the answer was obvious. "Not really. Sure they took part in actually showing me that something was wrong, but I really owe it all to you."

"Great," Nettlepaw said, dragging the word for several heartbeats.

Ice smiled with amusement at him. "Uncomfortable?"

"Very," he replied. "You know that I think that this is so incredibly wrong, what we are about to do. Ice, don't you worry about the possibilities? These Clans aren't Alley Cats. They are stronger, meaner and smarter, not to mention the skill that they have. What are you planning on doing? Killing them off one by one?"

"To be honest, I'm not fully sure on what the plan is," admitted Ice, "But I know for certain that this is what I must do, or things for me, will just be...I can't even explain it."

Despite the dead seriousness to her tone, Nettlepaw looked angered, but he said nothing, and tore off a remaining piece of meat from the mouse viciously. Ice curiously watched him, wondering what he wanted to say, but he never glanced her way.

Once the mouse was cleaned to the bone, Nettlepaw and Ice looked for a place to spend the night. The next day, they would begin their journey back to the Clans.

Soon enough, they found a sheltered dip in the ground sheltered by a thick layer of branches and leaves above. Not even a speck of black sky could have been seen from where they were. Ice curled up first, and realized how tired she was the moment she put her head down. Nettlepaw settled beside her, his fur hardly touching her except for a few hairs along his spine that tickled the tip of her ear. It made her think of how they were so close, but so far, how he agreed with her, but they were never on the same page. Ice sighed, thinking that she was upset about it, but with a jolt, she realized that she wasn't.

She felt absolutely nothing.

A new dream came that night, and this time she hoped it was a good one. She could feel the world opening up around her, preparing her for her night visions. The blackness dissolved around her, leaving her standing in a dark clearing, the only signs of light, an eerie glow from somewhere in the distance.

But it was enough for her to see what she needed to. Dead trees with branches like long claws stretched from the fog-covered ground the the black sky. The grass- or what was left of it -was hardly visible through the murky air that sat heavily over her paws.

Ice flicked her gaze from side to side, trying to distribute a figure from the dark atmosphere. She knew where she was now, but something was missing, something that tied it all together.

"Come out," she heard herself call, voice fearless and even challenging. "I no longer fear you."

Silence. Stillness.

"Are you out there, watching me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at the surrounding trees that circled the clearing. Seeing it now, suddenly made her feel like she was trapped, her confidence dropped, but only so slightly.

More silence. More stillness.

"Do you think I was born yesterday?" Ice asked. "You aren't going to fool me, nor are you going to scare me. You brought me here for a reason. Now show yourself, so we can settle whatever crow food things you have to say to me."

Nothing.

"Typical. Try to make me feel secure and alone before you pop out of nowhere and frighten me out of my fur. That's not happening again. I'm ready for you this time."

Somewhere, but yet from nowhere, a voice rose to her ears. "Do you not appreciate me?"

Ice squinted and looked around, searching for where the voice came from.

"Don't look around. Look within. Don't you remember it by now? We joined together, so we can could finally accomplish what we have wanted all of this time. Perhaps, my friend, it took you longer than I ever would have expected, but you have at last realized the true purpose of all of this."

White mist rose from the ground, following a single pattern of movement, swirling around each other until it was the form of a cat. Too glowing green eyes opened from the head, and glared expectantly at Ice.

She felt lightheaded, different. Something was wrong. "You-you! I-what is this?"

"It's understandable that you are confused, but I still have my grip on you. You're still trapped."

"Trapped?"

The misty white cat before her laughed. "Yes, trapped. Let's take a test, shall we? Do you remember the task? Of getting revenge on the Clans?"

Slowly, it began to flow back. "Yes?"

"Is it a question or an answer?"

"An answer! Yes!" Ice didn't no why, but she was afraid of herself, but her mind was still mostly clouded with fog, so all thoughts escaped her until she was forced to focus her attention back to the cat.

"Good," it hissed. "This is just a little message from me to you. Never. Back. Down. Listen to no one but yourself. Take the first answer and go. This isn't some sort of assessment, you know, where you can go and change your tactic half way through when you're falling through the floor. No, this is huge, and you will make sure you remember that!"

Ice nodded, blinking.

"Good," it growled. "I'd hate for you to go back to your old self again just because of some little thought that changed your mind."

Ice shrunk back. "I don't understand."

"And you won't," the creature snarled. "I'll make sure you don't remember a word you heard tonight, except for that single thought in you head. Sweet dreams, Ice."

The mist swirled again, the eyes fading to nothing but darkness as everything seemed to snake its way around her, within in her, until she was left with nothing but a sheer blackness to fall into.

Eh? Good? Bad? Okay? Tell me in review!

Oh my gosh, I feel like there is so much to the story unexplained. I wish I had time to make it all make sense, but I don't. We are nearing the end, my lovelies! Keep reading!

Nightstorm: And reviewing!

Me: That's right. And review!

~Destiny and Nightstorm