Chapter 16: The Broken Rules of the Darkest One

We sat there for a while. I was pretty sure Cloudbreeze left, but I kept my eyes closed just because of mysterious effect. So I sat there, just thinking about life and stuff. What Joann meant when she told me she was waiting. Why Nightpaw said there was a prophecy about me. That's just crazy. A demon wouldn't be wanted by ancient dead cats that supposedly live in the stars. Others may believe in that kind of stuff, but I don't...yet. Being around a bunch of spiritual cats might make me believe. Maybe.

"Cat?" Cloudbreeze whispered, "Are you asleep?" Her breath was right on my ear. She must've thought because I had my eyes closed for so long, I'd begun to fall asleep. Well that wasn't true, obviously, but I decided to stay where I was. I could get a good prank out of this.

I heard Cloudbreeze's claws hit the stone of the medicine cat den. What was she planning? Was she really going to try and hurt me? That was a bad idea. A very, very, bad idea. But then I felt something warm on my nose. Like...another nose. On my nose. Which definitely wasn't weird at all. My eyes snapped open. There was Cloudbreeze, right in front of my face. Her nose on mine. Her face was seriously red too. She could now be classified as a white she-cat with a ginger face. In my book anyway.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel like attacking the cat who just tried to attack me with her nose. I just sat there, all calm-like.

"What are you doing?" I mewed, "I don't think this is called healing."

Cloudbreeze's closed eyes hurriedly flew open, shocked. Then she backed up to the other side of the den. The blush covering practically her whole pelt now.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry." She stammered. I just looked at her, my whole face neutral.

I slowly stalked toward her. Maybe I could get a really good scare out of her. It was funny seeing her rush of emotions. It was what I lived for. Calculating your every emotion until I've figured you out. The basis of everyone is their emotions. Especially fear. Fear is the greatest emotion. Logically. Fear can make you braver, in a way. Fear can make you stronger than you ever imagined. But I crush that fear, and never let you forget the fear you had caused everyone else.

Everything on Cloudbreeze's body spelled out fear. In capital letters. Gigantic capital letters. And yes, I loved it so.

So I took a deep sniff and smirked, "It's okay." I mewed gently. Cloudbreeze's eyes glimmered with hope for a heartbeat, then noticed my deathly gaze, "Your fear makes up for it." I took my claws and grabbed her face. It was no longer red, just drained. Her eyes too. Her green eyes. That held only the deaths of cats she had tried to heal, but failed. The fear glistening in those green orbs looked beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. But, I had to let go of her face. And go find Hollystar so I can go control my insane ways, "Just make sure it doesn't happen again." I growled as warning before I left.

Hollystar was resting in the center of the Clan's clearing. Staring at the sun through the thin layer of leaves. I approached her, drawing attention with every step. I could tell these bloodthirsty cats weren't used to the even more bloodthirsty cat joining them. But I really belong with them, don't I? I'll just kill a lot more cats.

"C-Darkpaw." Hollystar stood up when she noticed my approach, "What brings you to want my presence?"

"Training." I replied blankly. I was planning on just training and practicing when I was here. Mostly. Besides also pranking cats. With my murder reputation. Because everyone loves a good prank by a murderer.

Hollystar thought for a moment before responding. She looked around the Clan, eyes resting on a golden brown tom with green eyes. She flicked her tail at him, signaling for him to come over to her. He was cautious. A bit too cautious. For my liking anyway. He might just be the cautious type, "Blaze, take Darkpaw on a tour of the territory. I have business to take care of. Warrior names to think of. War to plan."

She walked away, leaving me and Blaze to stand around awkwardly. Then he flicked my ear, "Just so you know, I will stop you from recruiting for the Dark Forest."

I tilted my head in confusion, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He growled, "Nice try, but your eyes reveal everything. Only cats of darkness would have blood red eyes." Then he walked towards the entrance of the camp. I followed him, knowing that I must listen to Hollystar and all of my fellow warriors. Unless they've somehow killed a bunch of cats purposely. Then I'll kill them. Without a second thought.

It took every bit of strength Blaze had to not attack Darkpaw right there, in the middle of the camp. He was actually glad Hollystar had chosen him to lead the new apprentice threw the forest. He could lie about a fox that had made it's way into ShadowClan territory and killed Darkpaw. Of course, Blaze knew he would have to put up a great fight to win against him, that cat could kill after all, but he had confidence in himself.

"Wait, Blaze!" Darkpaw called to the golden brown warrior.

Blaze rolled his eyes, but he kept walking at a brisk pace. He needed to get far away from the camp to kill the black tom with amber-blood red-eyes.

"Blaze!" Darkpaw called again. This time through gritted teeth.

"Keep up, Dark Forest cat." Blaze spat, "Wouldn't want to upset one of your leaders or anything, would you?" Then Blaze was attacked. Some cat dared to tackle him to the ground. Blaze squirmed under his attacker, not thinking in the least who it could be but an intruder from another Clan. He flung his attacker into a tree, only seeing the black pelt. It could've been anyone, really. As Blaze got ready for the fatal strike, Darkpaw raced with unimaginable speed to a spot behind Blaze. The next thing he knew, Blaze was pinned against the tree he had flung Darkpaw into.

"I thought you would be better than this, Blaze." Darkpaw mewed in a monotone voice, "You're a warrior, and I'm only an apprentice."

Blaze closed his eyes, waiting for the killing strike. If this would be anything like Crackfoot, he would die instantly.

"Open your eyes." Darkpaw mewed, surprising Blaze, "I need to see your eyes."

So Blaze gave the evil cat his wish, knowing he wouldn't live longer to grant anymore. Darkpaw gazed intently into Blaze's eyes. Soon, the blood color got on the golden brown tom's nerves. So he closed his eyes again.

"You've killed at least one cat of cold-blood." Darkpaw stated, "From a form of spirit."

Blaze's eyes flew open at that. How could he have known that? From his eyes? That's not a normal thing cats do...

"I can smell your fear of me." Darkpaw mewed again. The monotone voice back, "I can smell your surprise, your confusion, your pain." Blaze stared at the tom, confusion riddling his whole body, "I can smell everything you've ever felt..." The apprentice backed up, "You...you've broken the rules. You've broken all the rules. All of them."

Blaze continued staring. What were these rules? What was this mouse-brained tom talking about? There was no way Blaze had broken any...rules. He's followed the warrior code perfectly. Never fallen in love with a cat from another Clan. Always saved kits from certain doom.

"You are darkness." Darkpaw mewed after muttering nonsense about rules, "You are the darkest one."

Then he ran off into the forest.