Confessions of the Damned

Chapter 16: Tricks

a/n: Hey guys, so I changed the name of the story. I'm trying to get a little more traffic on it, because, wow. I reread the entire thing the other day, and it's by far my best work. This thing is a masterpiece. I also think the title is more suiting, given that Deadrose isn't even the main character.

Violet ran through the forest, her spirit passing through trees like wind. Her paws felt like air, and she was able to fly great lengths over the ground.

I'm dead, Violet thought to herself, invisible tears stinging her eyes. I'm actually dead. I was put on the earth to be sick and tortured… only to die and still carry on in this filthy world!

She climbed up a tree with an unnatural speed, claws barely touching the bark. She stood at the top, and looked over the forest with a rage so violent she could hardly see.

I will have my revenge, you sick, disease ridden excuse for a clan, she thought to herself, narrowing her eyes at the familiar trees of Frostclan.

You will pay for what you did to me.

To all of us.

"Hey, what are you doing up there?"

Violet jumped as she heard someone speak. She looked down, peering through the leaves and branches. Two ghostly shapes looked up at her.

"Who are you?" Violet called down. So I am not the only spirit that walks the forest… that's both comforting and alarming.

"My name is Tiger," The bigger of the ghosts said in a friendly voice. "And this here is Lores."

"Hi," Lores smiled and waved a paw.

"Um, hello," Violet narrowed her eyes. "My name's Violet." They seem strangely cheerful.

"We're having a bit of a get together with a few of our friends," Tiger continued when Violet didn't speak. "Would you like to join?"

Violet flattened her ears. "You don't even know me." This is so weird. It's like us spirits have a world of our own… a world the alive are blind to.

"We may not know you, but we sure have heard of you," Lores said, nodding his head as if he were impressed. "Damn girl, we heard you made quite a bit of a mess on the rocks in the river."

Violet thought of her body, and how it was splattered across the rocks. She thought of how it washed up mutilated at the shore, forever lifeless. She felt confused, wondering why Tiger and Lores were looking up at her with approval.

"Yeah, I guess I did," Violet said at last. She started making her way down the tree, deciding to trust them. I haven't so much as talked to anyone in days, Violet thought to herself. If they turn out to be weird, I can always leave.

"Just jump," Lores instructed.

"I don't want to hurt myself," Violet replied. Lores snorted. "What's the worst that's gonna happen? Gonna break your invisible spine?"

Violet sighed, realizing that being a spirit was going to take a long time to get used to. She took a flying leap off the last branch, landing on the ground lightly.

"Let's go," Tiger said. "The others will be waiting."

Violet said nothing as she followed the ghosts through the trees, wondering who the other cats were. Well, not cats, I guess, Violet thought. Spirits of whatever they used to be.

Tiger led the way for a long time, finally stopping as they reached a stone wall, reaching high in the sky.

"We're here," he announced. Violet looked at him in confusion. The wall had no entrance, and there wasn't a cat in sight.

"Are you sure?" Violet mumbled.

"Yeah," Tiger said. "Follow me."

Violet watched in awe as Tiger walked through the rock, Lores behind him. All of the instincts Violet had had when she was alive told her not to walk into the wall, because it would be solid. But she shoved them away, and pressed her face into the stone.

Behind the wall, spirits of all shapes and sizes were gathered. It was obvious they were waiting for Tiger and Lores, because they all stood up rigid at once, and stopped talking. Hmm, Violet looked around at the stricken faces of the spirits. They look scared… but Tiger and Lores seem nice to me. I'm probably just imagining it.

"Any signs of Denver?" Tiger barked out, his voice angry and cold. Violet winced; his tone was nothing like the gentle one he had used to lure Violet out of the tree.

"He said last time that he didn't want to be a part of this anymore," a she cat put in timidly.

"He said last time that he didn't want to be a part of this anymore," Tiger sneered, mocking her. "Well, Ginger, I remember last time you said you'd find yourself a host body sometime soon. How's that working out?"

"I'm still working on it," Ginger mumbled, looking away. Violet felt bad for her, confused on why Tiger was being such a jerk. However, something was holding her back from standing up to him.

"Who's that?" another ghost called out. All eyes shifted to Violet.

"This is Bloodrocks," Tiger said, before Violet could say her name. "She's one of the ones who fell over the falls."

Everyone started to whisper after Tiger said that, and Violet shifted her paws uncomfortably. That's a hideous name! And it's not mine… my name is Violet. Violet!

She opened her mouth to say so, but an invisible forced seemed to stop her. Her mouth felt dry, and it was as if her voice had disappeared. She thought of Tiger, and wondered how a spirit could even gain so much control.

I don't care about these ghosts, Violet thought, shrugging it off uneasily. I guess they can call me Bloodrocks if it makes them happy.

She then sensed someone looking at her. Looking up, Violet locked eyes with another spirit. He looked familiar, but Violet couldn't figure out why. He was a larger tom cat, with a handsome ghostly figure and a nice face. He stared at Violet, not breaking away.

A sudden image of an elders decaying body took shape of the spirit, and Violet gasped. The cat breathed and coughed, lungs wheezing and rattling. His fur was matted together in rotten clumps.

And then it disappeared.

Violet stared into the eyes of the spirit, realization hitting her hard.

It was Rust.

"Tonight's the night," Denver said, looking up at the full moon. "The others will be meeting soon."

"I take it that's a bad thing," Whitefire sighed. She looked around, hoping no one was listening. They already think I'm insane, Whitefire thought to herself. The last thing I need is them overhearing me talking about a ghost meeting. Out of habit, Violet looked over at Denver to see if he had heard what she was thinking. She relaxed as he stared forward, oblivious.

I always forget that he can't hear what I'm thinking when he's in a host body.

A sudden image of Jaypaw flashed into Whitefires mind, and she thought back to the other day when they had fought. I miss him, Whitefire thought sadly, thinking of her friend. His body may be alive beside me, but his soul is what I want. Denver, who noticed her staring at him, smiled. Whitefire smiled slightly back, feeling very unhappy.

I love Denver, but I love Jaypaw too. Denver stealing his body is wrong. Oh, Starclan, what do I do?

"The others will be wondering where I am," Denver said suddenly, looking off into the distance. "I bet Tiger's mad."

"Screw them," Whitefire mumbled, turning away. Screw you. She didn't want to talk to Denver.

I usually want to talk to him all the time, but right now he's making me sick, Whitefire thought, happy she was free to think what she wanted. The image of the real Jaypaw was haunting her like Denver used to. She stared at him, feeling a dull anger rise from within her bones.

He tricked me once

He tricked me twice

Into loving him

But at what cost?