I'm seriously sorry about the ridiculously long wait for this chapter, especially since I promised that this one would be out quicker than Chapter 7. I have some (bad) reasons for now getting this one done, but instead of offering excuses, I'll try to apologize by getting Chapter 9 and following chapters out much faster. This is a climactic chapter, but Chapter 9 is what much of this story has been leading up to since the very first chapter. So anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 8
Darkpaw felt a surge of satisfaction as the mouse in his paws ceased its squirming and died. "Did you see that amazing catch?" he called to his mentor. He held up the plump mouse in his jaws, displaying it proudly.
"Well, ShadowClan territory certainly doesn't get mice very often," Bonetail meowed as he emerged from the bushes. The muscular tom paused, and Darkpaw waited for his opinion on the catch.
Duskstar had chosen Bonetail as a mentor in hopes that his fierce loyalty to ShadowClan would be passed on to her son. Bonetail's devotion to his Clan was unyielding. He always made it his first priority.
"You caught the mouse flawlessly," Bonetail finally mewed. "However, I cannot say the same for your previous attempts at hunting today. You seemed distracted, and your attempts at catching your prey were clumsy. Were you distracted by thoughts about that WindClan she-cat?"
"Of course not!" snarled Darkpaw, dropping the mouse as he spoke. "I'm ShadowClan, through and through. What would I gain from hanging out with WindClan cats?"
A quarter-moon ago, Foxwhisker had taken Darkpaw and Bonetail with her on a trip to WindClan. There, she had introduced Darkpaw to WindClan's medicine cat-a young she-cat named Snowpaw. Snowpaw was smart, pretty, and friendly, and although Darkpaw had never met her before, she seemed strangely familiar.
"Oh really?" asked Bonetail, a teasing tone apparent in his words. "Foxwhisker tells me that you've been going to the medicine den every day, demanding to see Snowpaw again."
"Not every day!" growled Darkpaw. "Foxwhisker is your sister. You should know that when she says something, you first compare it to the facts at your disposal, and you then dismiss it as a lie no matter how well it matches up."
Bonetail shrugged and started walking back towards the camp. Feeling annoyed, Darkpaw raced after him, nearly sprinting to match the length of his mentor's stride.
"Redclaw tells me that he wants you to be at the Gathering tonight," Bonetail mentioned after a few moments.
"Well finally," grunted Darkpaw. "At long last, I get to go to my first Gathering."
"You know, I'm fairly certain that medicine cats are always at the Gatherings," Bonetail added.
Darkpaw perked up. It had been far too long since he'd seen Snowpaw. He listened to his mentor attentively as they walked through the shadowy forest.
"A WindClan queen named Dovesong is going to give birth any day now," Bonetail continued. "Foxwhisker is going to stay with Snowpaw for a few days and walk her through the kitting process. She wanted to know if you would like to tag along."
"Of course!" Darkpaw blurted out without thinking.
Bonetail nodded. "Then it's all set," he purred. "You'll leave the Gathering with WindClan and stay there for a couple of days. I'll see you again after that."
"Wait, you're not coming?" Darkpaw asked. He didn't want to miss out on his training, even if it was only for a couple of days.
"Sorry Darkpaw," murmured Bonetail. They were just outside the camp now. "I'm not even going to the Gathering. I have my own business to take care of. But don't worry one bit. Once you're back, we can train extra-hard to make up for the few days you miss."
"Sounds great!" Darkpaw purred. Even though he was sometimes frustrating, Bonetail really was a great mentor.
Bonetail stopped right before the bramble thicket. He shot a glance back at Darkpaw, eyes showing anxiety.
"By the way, have you ever heard of a cat called Arise?" he asked, a distracted tone to his meow.
Darkpaw shook his head. "Never heard of such a cat," he replied. "Is it important?"
Bonetail sighed. "Not really," he muttered, pushing through the bramble thicket and into the camp.
Darkpaw followed him, but the large white tom was already halfway across the camp, black tail held high in the air.
"Hey, Darkpaw!"
The speaker was Fernheart, Bonetail's mate. She was a lithe brown and white tabby, and her small size set a stark contrast with her huge mate. She shot over to him, eyes retaining their perpetual sparkle.
"Have you seen Webnose anywhere?" she asked.
Darkpaw shrugged. "I suppose she would be in the Nursery," he mewed. "After all, she has Hopekit and Blazekit to look after."
Fernheart nodded. "I suppose so," she agreed. She smiled at him. "Bonetail thinks of you like a son," she purred. "Look after yourself, okay?"
Darkpaw nodded as she padded off. The sun was setting, and soon it would be time to set out for the Gathering.
His paws tingled with anticipation. He was going to see Snowpaw again.
…
Darkclaw impatiently paced back and forth. The Clan was getting up early to fight Bonetail, so he had needed to be up even earlier to make time for his daily morning training. It was only a couple of hours past Moonhigh, and moonlight spilled through the trees into the forest.
The jet-black tom growled. He was supposed to be training so that he could defeat Bonetail, but he hadn't even started yet. His mind was whirling with conflicted thoughts, amplified by the approaching battle.
Darkclaw sighed and sat down beneath a nearby tree. So Bonetail knew something about Arise, did he? It was the last thing he said to me before he betrayed the Clans. How could I have forgotten that?
A cool breeze blew through his fur as he thought. Well, Bonetail's hatred of medicine cats makes sense now. He was angry over Fernheart's death, and if Arise told him that the medicine cats were to blame, he would have had plenty of reason to agree. He hates Foxwhisker because she wasn't there to save Fernheart. He hates Snowcloud because Foxwhisker left the camp to help her out. He hates Sunstorm and Dawnfern because ThunderClan could have spared one of its two medicine cats to help Snowcloud, but Foxwhisker was sent instead. He hates Nightheart because-well, do you really need a reason to hate Nightheart?
Darkclaw grunted as he stood up. Bonetail was a traitor to the Clans, and he needed to die if ShadowClan was to be kept safe. But even so, Arise was the true villain behind all this. Maybe Duskstar isn't paying attention to me because this is about more than just Bonetail. Yeah, that has to be it! I'm just not looking deep enough. He's the greatest threat to the Clans on the surface, but I'll have to cut the roots of this and kill everyone who would cause strife. If I do that, she'll notice me. Right? Isn't that it?
Darkclaw unsheathed his claws. He had wasted far too much time that could have been used for training. Now, he needed to be stronger, faster, and more deadly than ever.
"Hello again, Darkclaw. I hope you haven't missed me too much."
He whipped around, snarling at the newcomer. "Arise."
The tortoiseshell tom nodded, advancing leisurely toward him. "You're going to confront Bonetail today, aren't you?" he asked. "I mean, really fight him this time. I would never mean to offend you, but your last attempt was quite abysmal. I do wish you better luck for this try."
Darkclaw hissed, barring his teeth as Arise drew closer. "Quit your games Arise," he snarled. "What are you after?"
Arise stopped on the spot. The tortoiseshell sat down and yawned, but his gaze remained focused on Darkclaw. "Must you be so sceptical of me, Darkclaw?" he asked. "I simply came to tell you that I'd be cheering for you. I could have made it clearer with some sentimental speech or something, but my intentions are honest." When Darkclaw continued to glare at him, Arise added, "That's what friends do for each other. Haven't you had any?"
"Of course I have friends!" Darkclaw snapped. "I mean, who hasn't? There's Snowcloud, and there's-" He paused. At the moment, he couldn't really think of anyone else. Whatever. Does it really matter than I'm too tired to list all my friends?
"Well, moving on," he continued. "I don't care what you say you're here for! I know that what you really want is to use me to destroy ShadowClan. You did the same thing with Bonetail! He knew you even before he turned traitor. You told him that medicine cats were to blame for Fernheart's death, didn't you? You got him to start tearing the Clans apart, and now you want me to finish it!"
Arise shrugged, padded over to Darkclaw, and wrapped his tail around him. "You forgot one thing," the tortoiseshell tom hissed into Darkclaw's ear. "If I wanted Bonetail to break the Clans with his rebellion, why would I send you to stop him?" He crept back, meeting Darkclaw's eyes. "No, Bonetail is my mistake, one that needs fixing. He came to me, seeking the power to unite all the Clans. Of course, I told him that true unity could only come through belief in your StarClan. And, I may have expressed my displeasure with a few things in your system. But Bonetail has taken my advice too far, and can only think about killing your medicine cats. As if the deaths of StarClan's chosen will bring the Clans any closer together."
Darkclaw nodded as he listened to Arise's words. It seems that Bonetail's betrayal hurt him just as much as it hurt the Clans. Is he as much of a victim as I am?
Arise drew closer to him. "I came to you because I knew that you could help," he explained, hurt showing in his eyes. "Darkclaw, I truly admire you. When the time comes, can you put my regrets to rest? Can you do the right thing, and kill Bonetail for me?"
He admires me? Really? No cat has ever said that about me before. Darkclaw nodded to the tom before him. "I'm strong enough," he replied. "So I'll do it for you."
"Thank you," Arise replied. "Darkclaw, we'll meet again." He turned, vanishing into the darkness of the forest.
Darkclaw let out a frustrated growl as Arise departed. Will I ever understand anything?
As he sat, shivering in the forest, he heard another voice call out to him.
"Darkclaw?" asked Owlflight. "Oh, there you are! I thought I'd find you out here."
Frustration seeped through Darkclaw, and he raked his claws across the cold earth. "What are you here for?" he snapped. "Did you come to taunt me about the battle?"
The mottled brown she-cat shook her head as she entered the clearing. She walked over to him carefully, stopping when only a tail-length remained between their noses. "You're troubled, aren't you?" Owlflight asked.
"I have to kill Bonetail," Darkclaw murmured, not even sure why he was telling everything to her. "He was like a father to me, but he betrayed my trust and the Clans. Now that Fernheart is gone, I'm the cat with the strongest connection to him. So, it's my job to end this. Don't you see? All along, this is how it was meant to go."
"Are you sure that's the way?" Owlflight asked. "If you kill him, what will it prove? That you're better at fighting than he is?"
He shied back from her. "So?" he spat. "The heroes of the past killed their enemies! What's wrong with me killing mine?"
Owlflight drew closer, touching her tail to his flank. "I want to fight alongside you, Darkclaw," she said. "And I will respect your right to a choice. But if you kill Bonetail, the storm inside you won't stop raging. The Clans may win the day, but in the end, nothing will change."
Darkclaw gritted his teeth and bowed his head. "If another way presents itself to me, I'll take it," he grunted. "There? Now will you stop bothering me?"
Owlflight nodded happily. "Then I promise to support you in all things," she replied. "Now come with me. Our Clanmates are waiting for us."
…
Darkclaw crouched in a bush, waiting for the battle to begin. Branches scratched at his muzzle as he looked out at the trees that sheltered the rogue camp. To his side, Tidepaw grumbled.
Darkclaw didn't like working with Tidepaw any more than she liked working with him, but he had to adhere to Finflutter's plan. Silently, he promised that he would attack the rat-brained tom if RiverClan and ShadowClan ever met in battle.
Tidepaw's grumbling was becoming progressively more bothersome, so Darkclaw sighed and turned to face her.
"Try to act a little more vengeful," he suggested.
"Um, what are you talking about?" asked Tidepaw. She seemed too confused by his advice to carry on with her bothersome grumbling.
He glared at her. "Everything thinks that the rogues wronged you," he hissed. "If someone notices how indifferent you're acting, don't you think they might figure out what really happened?"
Tidepaw glared right back at him. "What if it's time to stop hiding?" she asked. "Darkclaw, what we did that day can never be forgiven. Maybe it's time I accepted my punishment for this."
"What we did?" he snapped incredulously. "I don't recall having any part in it. Tidepaw, you killed your father all by yourself."
The blue-gray she-cat recoiled as if struck. She ducked down, averting her eyes from Darkclaw.
"I did, didn't I?" Tidepaw murmured.
"Yes, you did," growled Darkclaw. "So, why were you blaming me? The only blood that will cover my paws is Bonetail's blood. Were you just so desperate to have someone to blame your burdens on that you lashed out at the nearest cat?"
"I'm sorry," she muttered. Then she turned to him, her eyes angry. "But Darkclaw," she added, "you desire to kill Bonetail for what he did. So, you tell me. How does that make you any different from me? In the end, we're both killers."
"It's loads different!" he snarled. "Bonetail is threatening innocent Clan cats!"
Tidepaw started to reply, but Darkclaw quieted her with a flick of his tail. Foxwhisker had padded up to the tree barrier's entrance. The attack was about to begin.
"I'm just a harmless medicine cat out for a walk," Foxwhisker yowled, making her words overly loud. "Sure would be a shame if anything happened to me."
Almost immediately, three rogues leaped out from behind trees and surrounded Foxwhisker. "Oh, the predictability," muttered the medicine cat.
"I guess this is our lucky day," purred Bear, who Darkclaw remembered from the battle at the original ShadowClan camp. "One of the medicine cats has just walked up and presented herself to us. What do you think of this, Siren?"
"I think Bonetail will be most pleased by this," one of the other rogues hissed as they circled Foxwhisker. "If he was satisfied by your battle with those ShadowClan cats, just think of the rewards we'll reap by turning over a medicine cat to him!"
Before any of the rogues could continue their conversation, Foxwhisker flicked her tail twice. It was, of course, the signal to attack.
Well finally. Darkclaw unsheathed his claws and leapt from the bush, with Tidepaw just behind him. From around the forest, four more cats emerged from similar hiding spots.
"This is inconceivable!" gasped Bear.
"I think you'll need to redefine that word," Foxwhisker snapped as she unsheathed her claws and swiped at him, "because this is quite clearly a trap."
Darkclaw rushed towards Siren, feinting left to distract her. As she tried to strike, he rammed her from the side with his head. Off balance, she toppled to the ground and he grabbed her by the throat, holding her with unsheathed claws.
Looking around, he saw that the other cats had subdued their opponents just as easily.
"I'm going to let you go free," explained Sootstain, who was holding Bear with the same grip Darkclaw was using on Siren. "But don't think you're safe just because you don't have claws at your throat. Make one wrong move, and your friends will find out what happens to rogues after they die."
"You claim to have strong morals, and yet you do something like this?" grunted Bear. "I can't believe how hypocritical you are, Clan cat."
"We can talk about the morals of this later," snapped Sootstain. "For now, I'll give you a little tip. Don't talk down to the cat whose claws are at your throat."
Bear glared at Sootstain, but then he sighed and shrugged. "Okay, you win," he said. "I'll do whatever you want, just as long as Siren stays safe."
"When I release you, go straight to Bonetail," Sootstain instructed. "Tell him that you've captured ShadowClan's medicine cat, and get him to come alone. If you alert him to our trap, then you can say goodbye to your friends."
Bear nodded impatiently. "Okay, okay, I said I'd do what you wanted," he growled. "Now just get it over with and release me."
Sootstain sheathed his claws, pushing Bear out of his paws. "I'll glad we could come to an understanding," he purred.
Bear nodded. Before padding into the camp, he gave a meaningful glance at the cat in Darkclaw's paws. "Don't worry Siren," he hissed. "I promise that you'll be okay." Then he disappeared into the trees.
Darkclaw waited an uncomfortably long time for something to happen, all the while aware of the she-cat he held with his claws. Hurry up and get out here, Bonetail. You want the medicine cat, and I want you to face justice.
Finally, Bonetail padded out from the trees and into the clearing. He took one glance around, and nodded to himself. "A trap, as expected," he grunted. "But then, such things are inevitable when my sister is involved."
Before Darkclaw could leap towards him and strike like he so desperately wanted to, Sootstain padded towards his brother.
"Bonetail, why are you doing this?" he asked. "You were always such a noble and loyal warrior before, but now you've fallen so far."
Bonetail glanced at his paws, giving a flustered sigh. "You could always leave now with your life, brother," he suggested. "I wanted you to be happy when we were Clanmates, and I still do now. The only cat here that I have any business with is Foxwhisker. She can't think that my quarrel doesn't extend to her just because she's my sister."
Sootstain shook his head. "I can't just do that, brother," he replied. "It would be giving up, turning my back on everything I stand for. But you can still change. Come back with us now, disband your rogues, and give up your hatred of medicine cats. You could become a ShadowClan warrior again. You might even have a shot at Clan deputy!"
Bonetail gave a melancholy chuckle. "I'm sorry, Sootstain, but you know that can never happen," he purred.
"Bonetail, please," begged Sootstain. "Is this what Fernheart would have wanted?"
Bonetail's eyes suddenly filled with rage. "You never knew true love, Sootstain!" he snarled. "You just ran off with some RiverClan she-cat for a single night. It's not as if you could understand me!" Then, as if suddenly aware of himself, he calmed down. "I apologize for my outburst," he purred. "Tell me, have you ever heard the tale of the Dark Prophecy?"
Darkclaw grimaced, reminded of how Foxwhisker had forced him to listen to that story.
Suddenly, Tidepaw broke away from the group and padded over to Bonetail's side. "I think I can understand you," she purred, eyes filled with longing. "You received your own prophecy from StarClan, didn't you? And whatever the contents of that prophecy were, they somehow led to your mate's death. You were grief-stricken, and you blamed yourself. How could you not? It was your fault, just like the prophecy said. Eventually, you grew sick and tired of living with guilt welling up inside you. But instead of moving on, you lashed out and blamed a group of cats that were easy scapegoats. The medicine cats, of course. They gave you the prophecy, so they were to blame for your tragic loss. You knew that you couldn't bring Fernheart back, but you felt that you could avenge her by slaying the medicine cats. Is that it? Is it what happened? You got a prophecy, and then everything changed?"
Darkclaw had been growing progressively more fed up as time passed. Now, it was too much. Something inside him snapped as Tidepaw too tried to rationalize Bonetail's actions. "Everyone, just shut up!" he growled. "Look, we have Bonetail outnumbered, so we've just about won. Let's just defeat him, go home, and offer these theories as we share a victory feast."
"Finally, someone got it," purred Bonetail, nodding to Darkclaw in appreciation. "Now, let's start this again. Come out!"
Right on cue, ten rogues stepped out from behind the trees, forming a circle around Bonetail.
"Now, tell me again who outnumbers who?" the massive white tom snarled.
"So Bear revealed our trap after all?" asked Foxwhisker. "I guess you can't really ask for honour from rogues."
Bonetail shook his head. "I told you already, my sister," he growled. "I always know that something's up when you're involved!"
Sootstain grunted in response, and let out a loud yowl.
Suddenly, the trees in the clearing began to shake.
"Oh, not this again," muttered a rogue she-cat that Darkclaw recognized as Iris.
The rest of the ShadowClan and RiverClan cats leapt from the trees, most landing safely on four paws.
"Yo, Bonetail!" Finflutter called. "Sorry for ripping off your plan, but some things are just too good to pass up, y'know?"
Bonetail spat a curse as the Clan cats lined up behind Sootstain. "You there, Log!" he called to a brown rogue. "Go and get the rest of my cats. Everyone else, you can fight. Just don't kill anyone!"
The rogues surged forward, fearless even though they were outnumbered badly. However, the Clan cats were equally fearless, and they fought against the rogues.
Darkclaw was distracted for a moment, but a prodding from Siren's tail brought him back to the real world. "You have me now," she snarled. "Just get it over with and kill me. I'm tired of waiting."
Darkclaw contemplated the life in his paws. If he moved his claws just a little bit, then he would rid the world of one more rogue. He considered this for a few moments.
Finally, he sheathed his claws. "You're free to go," he snarled. "I'm not going to kill you."
Siren moved away slowly, bowing her head to him. "Thank you," she purred. "I'll remember this for the rest of my life."
"I don't care!" Darkclaw snapped. "I just want you to get out of my sight!"
Siren nodded, turning and running away. Darkclaw stood still, watching her leave. He wasn't sure why he had bothered to spare her.
"Time to join the fight now, brother," meowed Cherrynose as she slid to his side. "But you have to be ready to kill the rogues if need be."
Darkclaw stood straight and moved to stand beside her. "Of course I am," he purred. "You know me well, don't you?"
Cherrynose nodded, just as more rogues started spilling out into the clearing. "I know that guy!" she murmured, pointing at a ginger tom with her tail. "His name is Ben. I'll handle this." She raced off, calling out a battle cry as she did.
Darkclaw scanned the clearing, seeking out his target. He wanted to find Bonetail, of course. Great, he's nowhere to be found.
Just then, Tidepaw took off into the camp. Darkclaw glanced at her quizzically as she departed. Wait, maybe she saw Bonetail? he wondered. I'm not going to let her fight him before I get my chance!
He moved himself quickly through the clearing, darting past a dense growth of trees to get a view of the rogue camp.
He gave himself a few moments to gaze at it in awe.
The rogue camp lay in an immense crater, said to have been formed when a stone fell from the sky and shattered the earth. Makeshift nests were set up within the crater, and only a few small paths let one descend into it without a steep fall. Darkclaw had heard stories about it before, but he had never seen it with his own two eyes. Ace had only taken him to the trees right outside the crater.
He slid down one of the inclines, landing in the rogue camp. Darkclaw identified the yowls of Tidepaw, and another RiverClan she-cat. Quickly, he raced further into the camp.
He was met with disappointment. Tidepaw and Willowfern were locked in combat with Slash and Whitefeather. There was no sign of Bonetail anywhere.
"Do you believe that love can last beyond one lifetime?" asked Slash. He leapt forward, striking true on Tidepaw's scar. The blue-gray she-cat screamed in pain, then staggered back and collapsed.
Darkclaw rushed forward, lifting up Tidepaw and placing her on his back. "I'll get her to a medicine cat," he snapped to Willowfern. "You can handle these two, right?"
"You're not going to force yourself into this fight?" asked Willowfern.
Darkclaw shook his head. "I understand you," he replied. "This is something you need to do by yourself."
Willowfern smiled at him, determination in her eyes. She turned back and parried a blow from Whitefeather.
Darkclaw ran for the path back out of the crater. The other rogues in the camp had left to join the battle, so he had no one to slow him down.
"Why are you saving me?" croaked Tidepaw as Darkclaw carried her out of the crater and through the trees.
"Shut up before I start asking myself the same question!" he snapped in response. "Idiot."
He rushed to where RiverClan's medicine apprentice Rainpaw would be waiting, grudgingly ignoring the battle. Finally, he found her just behind the clearing. He dropped Tidepaw in front of her, and she gasped.
"Tidepaw took a nasty blow to her scar," he grunted. "I trust you can make your Clanmate better?"
Rainpaw nodded, but she seemed nervous. "I'll try to do my best," she mewed.
He turned, preparing to head back onto the battlefield. Finally. But, before he could advance into the clearing, Duckfoot rushed out, wailing. "Duskstar has lost a life!" he cried.
Darkclaw paused mid-step, shuddering with grief. Mother. I don't want to lose you. While he had been avoiding the battle, his own mother had given one of her lives for the Clans. I'm just sitting here like a useless lump of fur! It isn't fair to everyone else!
Suddenly, Hopepaw's prediction came back to him. "Bonetail will die. Duskstar will die. The RiverClan warrior Icefang will die." Darkclaw gritted his teeth. Hopepaw's prediction about Duskstar's death had come true. His mother would be revived, but the other cats wouldn't be so lucky. Am I giving up hope for them just because Hopepaw was right about two cats? If I do that, it means accepting my own death. I'll just have to show Hopepaw that she isn't always right. Darkclaw readied his claws. He would prove that the Winds of Death weren't infallible.
"You have a Clanmate called Icefang, right?" he barked at Duckfoot. "Where is she?"
"Well, I think she's, uh…" Duckfoot started before trailing off into silence. "I could have sworn that I saw her fighting. How about I lead you to her?"
Darkclaw grunted an agreement. "Just as long as you can get me there quickly," he added.
Duckfoot took off into the clearing, with Darkclaw easily matching his pace. All around them, the battle raged. However, Bonetail was nowhere to be seen.
Duckfoot swerved around the fighting warriors, avoiding them with ease. Suddenly, Log stepped in front of the two Clan cats. "You're just a couple of strays," he snarled. "I'll deal with you."
The rogue leapt at the two warriors, tearing part of Darkclaw's pelt as he just barely dodged to the right. Log leapt on top of him with lightning speed, dragging him to the ground. Darkclaw wrestled with him frantically, trying to get a solid grip as his opponent bit at his fur. I may not have his finesse, but I'm stronger than he is. I should end this now.
Extending his back legs, Darkclaw pushed against Log. He launched himself away from the snarling tom, his momentum sending him rolling through the grass.
The dark tom pushed himself to his paws beside Duckfoot, just as Log did the same. "I don't have time for this," he spat. "I need to find Icefang right now!"
Duckfoot grunted. "I'll do this then," he offered. His tail sprang up, and he pointed it towards a nearby bush. "I'm pretty sure you'll find Icefang beyond there," he explained. "You go and find her, while I stay here and fight Log."
The brown rogue sprang at Darkclaw, but Duckfoot stepped in front of him, matching Log's attack with his own claws.
Darkclaw took the opportunity the RiverClan warrior had given him, rushing away from the two fighting cats before Log could attack him again. "Keep your claws sharp!" he called to Duckfoot as he retreated.
He darted across the clearing, swerving by some of his Clanmates as he did. He crashed through the bush, tearing its leaves open as he rushed through it. As he bolted out from the bush, he was just in time to see Sleet looming over a gray-and-white she-cat. She gazed up at him, eyes bulging with horror, as he held her to the ground.
"Bonetail told us not to kill any of you, but there's no fun in that," Sleet hissed. "I won't deny myself the taste of fresh blood!"
At once, time seemed to slow. As Sleet thrust his jaws toward the she-cat's throat, Darkclaw launched himself off the ground, propelling himself at the rogue tom. Don't think I'll let filth like you hurt a Clan cat, ratbrain. The force of Darkclaw's leap knocked Sleet off balance, and his jaws only managed to tear the she-cat's ear.
As Sleet began to right himself, Darkclaw swatted his muzzle. Enraged, Sleet rushed at him and swiped at his flank. Darkclaw pushed back at Sleet. The rogue fell to the ground, and Darkclaw followed him down. The two toms rolled along the earth, wrestling with each other.
Darkclaw struggled to avoid Sleet's erratic claw slashes as they bit at each other. He pulled back as Sleet swiped at him, managing to avoid all but a knick on his shoulder.
Feeling smug, he pushed all his weight against Sleet, sending the tom rolling across the forest floor.
Sleet remained down as Darkclaw stood. "Now, how should I finish him?" he mused.
Before he could decide, he heard pawsteps approaching the clearing, and a familiar voice accompanying them.
"Kiai!"
Two young cats, a brown tom and a gray she-cat with white stripes, shot into the clearing. As they did, Sleet stood up and sneered at Darkclaw. Still dazed, the rogue tom was knocked over again by the young newcomers.
"I got scared and ran away before we could go to battle," Blazepaw admitted, standing over Sleet. "But I won't be a coward any longer. From now on, I fight for my Clan!"
Ace, the Rogue Hunter nodded to him, eyes shining with pride. "See, I told you!" she mewed. "All you needed was a little bit of courage, and then even the toughest enemies would be no match for you."
"I'd love to hang around and chat," Darkclaw snapped as Sleet rose up again. "Well, I actually wouldn't want to do that. But even if I did, I'd still have to get this RiverClan warrior back to a medicine cat. Do me a favour and don't get needlessly killed, okay?"
"Not dying is my specialty!" Ace exclaimed as she dodged a swipe from Sleet and headbutted him in response. "Now finish the fight!"
"Come on, Icefang!" Darkclaw grunted to the RiverClan warrior.
The two Clan cats spun and sped out of the clearing, breaking through the bush as they did so. Darkclaw scanned the clearing, searching for a sign of his former mentor among the fighting cats. Enough hiding, Bonetail. Where are you?
He turned to glance at Icefang, who was standing still just behind him.
"You saved me," she murmured. "But, how did you know I was in danger?"
"It doesn't matter," he growled. "Just get back to Rainpaw. I have some unfinished business that I need to take care of."
"If you say so," Icefang sighed. She shot off through the clearing, dodging the fighting cats as Darkclaw and Duckfoot had done earlier.
As Darkclaw looked over the clearing, a passing breeze brought a familiar scent to him. It was Bonetail. "Finally," he muttered. "It's time to end this."
Paws tingling with excitement, Darkclaw turned and rushed towards the source of the scent. He burst into a nearby clearing, his claws unsheathed and his fur sticking up with fury.
In front of him, two white toms, one with a black tail and one with black spots, where locked in combat.
"Bonetail, please!" Sootstain pleaded as Bonetail slashed his muzzle. "It doesn't have to be like this. We can still stop this madness."
Bonetail released a ferocious yowl and slammed his brother to the ground. "You can stop this fight, if you want," he snarled. "I've already told you what I want."
Sootstain shook his head. "I won't give up either," he mewed. "I know I'll find you in there somewhere."
Darkclaw thumped his tail on the ground impatiently. It was his fight, and he wasn't going to let anyone waste more of his time.
"Bonetail, enough!" he snapped. "Let Sootstain go. He's already lost this fight, and with it his chance to face you. From now on, this is my fight. I'm going to end all of this, right here and now."
Bonetail glanced at him, surprise gleaming in his eyes. Smirking, he lifted his paws and released Sootstain. The ShadowClan tom scurried away and squared up beside Darkclaw.
"Darkclaw, I'm sorry if I've ever mistreated you or hurt you in any way," Sootstain hissed. "But please, you have to save my brother. You know that he used to be a good cat. This battle doesn't have to end with death."
"You're not part of this anymore," Darkclaw snapped back. "Just sit back and we'll see what happens."
His rage filling him with strength, he rushed forward and leapt at Bonetail. The white tom calmly sidestepped the attack, and Darkclaw crashed to the ground.
"So you've come to face me, Darkclaw," Bonetail purred. "Your connection to my struggle is barely tangible at best. Do you really think that the five cats I seek are worth this much fighting? Can you defeat me when you can't even comprehend my anguish?"
"Why is everyone so obsessed with talking?" Darkclaw growled as he pushed himself to his paws. "I don't care if what you're doing is right or wrong. You betrayed me, so I came here to fight you!" He charged forward again, angrily swiping at Bonetail's muzzle.
Bonetail moved his head to the side, dodging the swipe. As he did, an amused purr rumbled through him. "Very well, Darkclaw," he replied. "I'll teach you despair with my claws."
Bonetail swung his claws at Darkclaw. The jet-black tom had started to duck before Bonetail's move had even begun, but Bonetail's claws managed to slice at his ear and reopen the half moon-old wound Tidepaw had given him. Next, the larger tom shot forward and slammed into him. Bonetail's immense weight knocked the wind out of Darkclaw.
Pain shot through Darkclaw as Bonetail raked his claws across his flank. Flailing blindly, he sliced through Bonetail's muzzle. Enraged, the white tom smacked at Darkclaw's eyes with his tail, momentarily blinding him. Then he swiped at him, cutting open Darkclaw's own muzzle.
Darkclaw released a pain-filled yowl. His blood rushing to his ears, he skipped back. Then, he darted forward again, biting at Bonetail. The white rogue swung around, leaving Darkclaw with only fur clasped in his jaws.
Darkclaw gritted his teeth and attacked again, this time managing to clamp his jaws around Bonetail's tail. Bonetail screamed, tearing his tail out of Darkclaw's mouth as he spun around. The large white tom swiped furiously at Darkclaw, who just barely avoided his blow.
Bonetail growled as he shot forward. He aimed for Darkclaw's flank, but it was a feint. Before Darkclaw had time to react, Bonetail had wrapped his jaws around the dark tom's front leg.
The larger tom's teeth tore through his flesh. Darkclaw screamed in pain and staggered back. Bonetail advanced towards him, rage filling his eyes. No! It wasn't supposed to go like this! I was supposed to defeat you and earn acknowledgement from my Clan. I can't be a failure. I'm not going to go down like some useless lump of fur!
Bonetail raised a paw, striking Darkclaw's jaw with a powerful blow. Darkclaw spat out a mouthful of blood as he shrunk back, trying to get away from Bonetail. However, the large white tom was too swift. He shoved his claws into Darkclaw's chest.
Bonetail sneered as he hoisted Darkclaw up into the air. Darkclaw struggled to break free, but Bonetail was powerful, as always.
Bonetail gave him a smug look of superiority. "It looks like you wasted your chance to fight me after all," the white tom hissed. "But then again, that was inevitable. Until you have experienced my torment, you will be unable to defeat me."
Darkclaw spat at him in response.
Bonetail growled, digging his claws deeper in Darkclaw as he held him in the air. Darkclaw watched helplessly as the rogue decided how to finish their battle.
And then, just as hope seemed lost, a voice rang out through the clearing.
"Hey Bonetail! Want to see if you can outrun a medicine cat?"
Bonetail turned around, tossing Darkclaw to the ground. "So you've decided to offer yourself up to me again, Foxwhisker?" he asked. "Then this time, I'll finish you for sure!"
The ShadowClan medicine cat darted out of the clearing, heading towards the rogue camp. Bonetail ran after her, leaving Darkclaw lying in the clearing.
Pain filled him. Every single part of Darkclaw's body was aching from his fight with Bonetail. Frustrated, he tried to stand, only to collapse before he could get back on his paws. He grunted in annoyance.
Then, Sootstain stood by his side. His Clanmate reached down, helping Darkclaw get back up.
"My words didn't get through to him," Sootstain sighed. "Your claws couldn't bring him back to his senses. I guess that's it, then."
Darkclaw shook his head. "I'm going after him," he mewed. "I promised myself I wouldn't turn tail and run away like a failure. I'm not going to give up until every last fight is seen through to the end."
He stepped forward, feeling the pain amplify as he moved. Howling with rage, he continued moving forward. The pain stabbed at him like sharp claws, but he had to go after Bonetail. Nothing else mattered.
Gritting his teeth, Darkclaw broke into a run. He banished every thought except Bonetail from his mind as he ran forward, following his former mentor's scent trail.
His body screamed at him and he felt like he would collapse again, but he pressed forward, racing through the shadows cast by the forest. Finally, he broke free from the forest.
Bonetail was standing above the crater alone, ignoring everything else in his rage. "She got away!" he snarled. "I lost her, just like I've lost everything precious to me."
Instead of announcing his presence, Darkclaw continued to run forward. He forced himself to accelerate as he neared Bonetail.
As the tom continued to cry out in fury, Darkclaw lunged at Bonetail. He crashed into the large white tom, his momentum making Bonetail stagger backwards.
Bonetail turned his head, eyes bulging with horror, and met the eyes of his former apprentice.
"This," Darkclaw hissed, "is for ShadowClan."
He slashed at Bonetail's flank, and the already unbalanced tom stumbled back over the edge of the crater. For a few moments, it looked as if he would succeed in righting himself. Then his immense weight pulled him down, and he tumbled over the edge.
There was a satisfying crack as Bonetail hit the bottom of the crater. Darkclaw's eyes remained locked on him for a few moments, and a strange feeling coursed through him. Did I…win? Did I actually do it?
Darkclaw padded along the edge of the crater. Soon, he located a safe route down. He rushed into the crater, heading over to where Bonetail was lying.
As he stood over his former mentor, Darkclaw smirked. "Not an elegant death, but at least an effective one," he mused. "I suppose it's an end befitting a rogue."
At this, Bonetail's eyes shot open.
Darkclaw instinctively recoiled, but Bonetail made no attempt to attack him. "You've won," Bonetail rasped. "You've beaten me, and broken my body. I can't even move my tail. Truly, you have surpassed me."
Darkclaw nodded as he unsheathed his claws. "I know," he hissed.
"Now," Bonetail asked, "are you going to kill me?"
As the large white tom questioned him, Darkclaw stopped. Cherrynose and Arise both told me that I had to be ruthless, and that I should kill Bonetail. But Sootstain begged me, actually begged me, despite how that goes against everything he stands for, to save his brother. And Owlflight is convinced that there's another option, another way to overcome the rogues. I know I should be doing what I want, but what do I want? What's the right thing to do?
Above all the thoughts swirling through his head, one voice rang clear. "So, you tell me. How does that make you any different from me? In the end, we're both killers."
"Shut up, Tidepaw," he muttered. "I am different."
Bonetail continued to stare at him, eyes expectant.
Finally, Darkclaw sighed. "I don't know what I want," he admitted. "I could kill you, and take my vengeance. That's what I've been pushing for all along. Or I could take you back to the Clan, where you would confess your crimes and we would talk things out. I understand how that's an option after seeing the pleading in the eyes of my Clanmates. But I just can't choose. I don't know what I want!"
Darkclaw stared at his paws, misery filling him. Bonetail continued to stare at him silently. After what seemed like a long time, Darkclaw glanced up at him.
"Well, you have truly surprised me, Darkclaw. I never thought that you'd make it this far. But now that you have, I believe that congratulations are in order."
The air around Darkclaw spun around, condensing. Above Bonetail, it converged into the shape of Arise.
"However, I do believe that you have failed to finish the job," the tortoiseshell continued. He unsheathed his claws and smirked.
"Arise, stop!" Darkclaw pleaded. "I haven't made up my mind on what to do with him yet!"
"You haven't?" asked Arise. He paused for a moment before giving a dismissive shrug. "Well that's a real shame. I've already made up mine."
Darkclaw leapt at Arise, intending to knock him away from Bonetail. However, he passed right through him, landing on the ground with empty paws.
He gasped with shock. "What are you?" he asked.
Arise sneered. "I am more powerful than you could possibly comprehend," he hissed. "And I already told you that if we fought, you would lose."
Arise shoved his claws into Bonetail's neck. Blood flowed over his paws, and he continued to push until there was a sickening snapping sound. Then, the wind swirled around Arise and he was gone.
"Fernheart," Bonetail whispered as blood foamed at his mouth, "I never wanted this. I am so, so sorry."
His chest stopped moving and he lay still.
"No!" screamed Darkclaw as he collapsed to the ground. "This isn't what I wanted! You took my choice, Arise! Come back here and fight me!" He continued to scream, even though he knew it was a futility.
Darkclaw heard pawsteps approaching him as he lay on the ground. "Now, now, Darkclaw," purred Foxwhisker. "It's okay to just rest. You look like you took a lot of punishment fighting Bonetail, so take it easy. You can let your rage out later."
"What would you know about it, rat-brain?" Darkclaw snapped.
"Just calm down," Foxwhisker snapped as she began to lick at his wounds. "I'm trying to help you, but that's a bit hard when you're an inconsiderate brat. After I'm done with you, I'm going to mourn my brother. Both the noble tom consumed by vengeance, and the tom he became are lost to me now."
"Okay, okay," sighed Darkclaw. "Just get it over with quickly."
He waited as Foxwhisker continued to clean him up. Despite himself, he had to admit that she was quite good. Above, dark clouds had begun to form. Soon, they broke, releasing a storm upon the territory.
Even after Foxwhisker was done with him, Darkclaw continued to lie in the rogue camp, feeling cold, wet, and anything but victorious.
…
Although he knew that the Clan was celebrating outside, Darkclaw lay in his den and ignored them. They call me a hero, but what am I really? What is it that I want out of life? Is it really acknowledgement? In the end, I just don't know anything.
Curled up in his den, he wondered when Blackfur would be better. Then his thoughts changed to where Ace had run off to after the battle. Then, those thoughts were gone as well, replaced by worry about the strange powers of Arise.
Darkclaw sighed and rolled over. He needed to get some sleep.
Just then, he heard the sound of approaching pawsteps. He shot an eye to the entrance of den, and saw Hopepaw entering.
"Oh my frog Darkclaw, do you have to be so hard to find?" the white she-cat exclaimed.
He grunted and turned around to face her. "I was in my den the whole time," he growled. "It's not like I was hiding in the lake."
Hopepaw sat down and stared right into Darkclaw's eyes. Her gaze was almost unnerving. "Well, you should be at the centre of attention," she declared. "Today, we recognize you as ShadowClan's champion."
Darkclaw shrugged. "Yeah, well what if that isn't what I want?" he asked. "Why are you even here, anyway?"
Hopepaw sighed, looking nervous herself. "I'm here because I'm lonely," she admitted. "No matter how hard I try, Webnose only ever seems to care about Blazepaw. Now, I try not to be jealous or anything, but it hurts."
Darkclaw nodded, gazing back into Hopepaw's green eyes with sympathy. "I can relate," he mewed. "I always want to work hard so that Duskstar will pay more attention to me. So, I know what it's like to want your mother to acknowledge you. I did have Lilymist to raise me, but she's gone now."
Hopepaw purred softly, drawing closer and touching his flank. "I'm sorry about the loss of Lilymist," she whispered. "And, thank you Darkclaw. You always make me feel safe."
For a few moments, the two cats simply sat together, appreciating the mutual feeling of understanding. Then, Darkclaw reluctantly broke the silence.
"Hopepaw, do you remember your prediction on the day of the Half-moon?" he asked.
Hopepaw nodded to him, but she continued rubbing against him. "The Winds of Death told me that Duskstar, Bonetail, and Icefang would die," she recalled.
"Yes, and today Bonetail died and Duskstar lost a life," Darkclaw continued. "But the Winds of Death aren't perfect. A rogue named Sleet nearly killed Icefang, but I stopped him. Hopepaw, I saved her. I did it. I beat the Winds of Death. And if Icefang can be spared from her death, maybe I don't have to die either."
Hopepaw shook her head, eyes clouded with sorrow. "I'm sorry Darkclaw, but I already told you that the Winds of Death can never be cheated," she explained, her voice trembling with mourning. "If I had the power, I would do anything I could to prevent the deaths that are foretold. But I'm as powerless as the rest of you, forced over and over to watch deaths I have already seen come about. Today, the Winds of Death came for Bonetail, and they also took a life from Duskstar. Just as surely as that, they will come for you and Icefang."
"No!" Darkclaw snarled. "I won't let them get me. Now that Bonetail is gone, the Clans are going to be much safer. I can dodge death for a little while."
"You don't understand," Hopepaw snapped back as she broke away from him. "This isn't something you can stop just by acting tough. A storm of hate and rage, like nothing the Clans have seen for hundreds of moons, is coming. The Clans thought Bonetail was a threat, but he was merely a herald of that storm, a hint at the hardship to come. It will be like the rise of the Dark Forest and the coming of Ragnarok in the Echo Wars, only many times worse."
Hopepaw tore at the ground in frustration as Darkclaw listened to her speak.
"And this time, the Clans will wither and die. There is nothing any of us can do to prevent it. I am sorry."
To be continued…
And with that, we have ended the Bonetail arc. As you can see from all the plot threads I've been setting up, this was pretty much a prologue to the story I'm trying to tell. So, what did you think of this chapter? And as a random question, do you ship Darkclaw with anyone?
Next time, we'll be seeing Leafkit again. It's been a while since I've written a Leafkit chapter, but this next one will be an extremely important chapter for her. Chapter 9 is going be extra good, because so far Leafkit seems to be overshadowed by Tidepaw and Darkclaw.
Anyway, thanks for reading! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope to have just as much fun writing Leafkit again. I hope you can enjoy this as much as I do!