Epilogue: The return of some old foes...
It was a cold Leafbare night, a solitary kit padded alone through a murky forest, the forest's trees were covered in sticky moss and the branches blocked out the sky, the kit couldn't see the moon or stars, he felt lost, the forest smelt of death and blood, he knew that it was a bad place. The kit stopped and looked up, the moon, something that he could rely on was not there, he felt alone, afraid and in danger. He quickly glanced around, suddenly aware of movement in the long, twisted brambles. He twisted around, trying to pinpoint the noise. He expected to see a monster crawl out of the bushes but he was surprised to see a kit, a kit he knew. "Foxkit!" he mewed when he recognised the ginger tabby.
Foxkit leaped over to him, clearly glad of the company. "Blackkit!" he gazed at the younger, black kit with concern. "Are you ok?"
Blackkit eyed him. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm not scared of some dumb old trees." He puffed out his chest, and scrunched up his face to look tough.
Foxkit looked around, his ice blue eyes wide. "There's cats... I can scent them.. some smell sort of like my father.. but with the smell of death on them." He crouched closer to Blackkit whispering in his ear.
Blackkit rolled his eyes. "We're dreaming! Foxkit don't be such a mouseheart!"
Foxkit didn't hear him, he turned around, leaping up and hissing when another cat crept out of the thorn covered bushes. Blackkit tilted his head to one side when he saw it was another kit. He was pure black like himself, however instead of having amber eyes like Blackkit, he had one amber eye and one green eye. Blackkit thought it was an omen, he had never seen a cat like it. Foxkit hissed at the kit and arched his back, standing in front of Blackkit, as a shield.
The strange kit glared at them and one ear when down and the other up. "What are you doing?" he chuckled, obviously finding Foxkit amusing.
Foxkit's face turned to outrage. "Shut up! Who are you?" he snapped.
The odd kit grinned. "I am Nightkit, son of the mighty leader Breezestar."
Blackkit stared at Nightkit with a sudden interest, the odd tom was the son of one of the most feared leaders around the lake. Foxkit glared at Nightkit with disgust. He was going to say something but before he could Nightkit let out a cry of surprise and fear.
Blackkit twisted around and his jaw dropped open, he looked high overhead, to see a tall dark tabby tom glaring down at him. His amber eyes glowed dangerously and his sharp teeth were locked in an evil grin. He had scars over his body, a scar on his nose and a v shape on his ear, also a newer looking scar on his neck.
Beside his were two more cats, one extremely dark brown tom, with messy fur and scars on his eyes. His eyes were bright amber and his pelt was covered in scars.
The other tom was a lighter brown tabby, very much like the centre cat, he had a white chest, and had a long, thick scar on his neck. He had ice blue eyes much like Foxkit's. Blackkit realised that all the toms were extremely faded, the trees behind them clearly being seen.
"Greetings kits." The centre tabby grinned. "I am Tigerstar. Leader of the dark forest." As soon as this was said Nightkit leaped up and excitedly greeted Tigerstar. "My father has told me about you! He said you are the best warrior in the forest!" he mewed eagerly.
Blackkit felt like he was going to be sick, he had heard the horrors his mother had to go through because of this cat, he wanted to sprint away and hide. He looked around, but there were other cats, glaring eagerly, excited.
"Well, isn't Ivypool's precious kit? I have been awaiting your arrival in anticipation." Tigerstar grinned, he unsheathed his claws.
Blackkit backed away, his ears flat against his head, pitifully hissing. The blue eyed tabby laughed hysterically. These cats are MAD! Blackkit thought, he was the most scared he had ever been, this cat wanted him for something. Something bad. He shared a terrified glance with Foxkit, the normally strong tom looked horrified.
Tigerstar sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. "kits, you may be wondering why you are here... well.. If you have never heard me, Hawkfrost and Brokenstar are sadly... dead." He leaped up.
"We are the strongest cats to ever walk the earth! We were destined for greatness... but to my despair, all these so called heroes have killed every one of us..." he glared at the unseen sky, and then shot his glare back at Blackkit.
"We tried coming back, only to be wiped from the face of the earth yet... again." He spat at the floor. Blackkit recoiled in disgust.
"Not anymore..." he grinned at his companions then looking at Blackkit's desperate face he laughed. "We need you three... for us three to live again." He yowled at the sky and rose on his back paws. "I will have the weakling, might as well make use of his body." Tigerstar said to the two other toms. Glaring at Blackkit with disgust. Blackkit shrunk down to the floor.
"I will have the red one, I have always liked red pelts." Whispered Hawkfrost. Foxkit shared an uneasy glance with Blackkit, both toms knew this wasn't going to end well.
"I will have the son of Breezepelt. I like his ambition." Brokenstar grinned.
Nightkit grinned at Brokenstar. "What? Have I been chosen for you to train me?! I can't wait!"
Brokenstar laughed. "You idiot! I would never train a weakling like you!"
Nightkit's smile faded, and turned into a look of despair. "Then.. what do you want with me?"
Brokenstar rolled his eyes. "A Mousebrain like you would never cope with the concept..." he unsheathed his claws. "Let me show you... then you might possibly understand.."
Nightkit backed away from the fading tom and twirled around and started running back into the cover of the sticky bushes. The messy furred tom chuckled. "I love it when they try to run" with that he leaped over Nightkit's tiny head and faced the small kit. He lifted one paw and slashed the black kit, knocking him over. Nightkit had a huge wound welling up on his left side, Brokenstar lifted the kit in his jaws and took his neck in his huge fangs. Then, without warning he snapped the kit's neck. "NOOOO!" screamed Blackkit. But it was too late, the Darkclan kit's body was covered in claw marks and blood. Brokenstar placed his paw on the kit and licked a tiny bit of blood from his shoulder. His tongue rasped over his mouth as if the tom enjoyed the taste.
Blackkit was smacked by Foxkit. "RUN!" the ginger tom screamed.
Blackkit tried, but his tiny legs couldn't travel very far or fast. He was knocked over by Tigerstar's paw, his long claws travelling deep into his tiny body. Blackkit stood, blood pouring out of the holes. His vision blurred and he collapsed to the ground. He saw Hawkfrost standing over Foxkit's body.
Blackkit knew he was dying, he knew he could do nothing about it, and the worst part was that he could feel it all, the blood draining from his body, the claws piercing his skin, the pain like fire racing through his veins. "We have three kits dying, and it so happens that tonight is the night our spirits will fade forever, but they won't, we will have these kit's bodies and we will rise... WE WILL WALK THE EARTH AGAIN!" Tigerstar yowled.
The other dark forest cats yowled their encouragement.
Blackkit could barely see, but he could make out the picture of Tigerstar's body completely fading. For a moment Blackkit thought her was safe, but then, he felt something enter his body, it felt like wind flowing inside of him. He closed his eyes...
He was in his mind, he knew he was dead, and was now slipping away, but he faced Tigerstar who was now inside of him, and he had no claw marks anymore. Blackkit realised that once Tigerstar killed his consciousness his body was his for the taking. Tigerstar laughed and with a grin, leaped for him, he grabbed Blackkit in his bigger jaws and Blackkit struggled. Trying to release the grip he lashed out with tiny claws, then he felt the teeth crunch on his neck bone...
Blackkit opened his eyes, he was lying in the nursery, next to his brother and sister, however it was not Blackkit next to his siblings but now Tigerstar, in a new body, with a new life, another chance to take the clans by storm...
THAT IS IT! The end of book 1! Oh my gosh!
Its only just beginning though, so thank you for the reviews and favs and all that amazing support!
I will see you again in book two!
Till next time
Neon, signing out (that looks so epic!)
xxxx
