Chapter 19: The Threat Won't Leave Us

The sadness went with me to where Hollystar wanted us to talk. I didn't understand. Why would I be sad? Why would I feel like I was going to break down any second?

"So." Hollystar mewed, "When did this whole thing start?"

I looked up at her. Tears were forming in my eyes. I did everything I could to keep them there. As far as I knew, Hollystar didn't suspect a thing. I still remained silent, though. Talking about my story with Sunwind made me cry. Why would this be any different.

"Well?" Hollystar growled, impatiently.

I took a deep breath, "She's going to kill me." I whispered, "And then destroy all of the Clans."

Hollystar's eyes narrowed, "Who's this...'she'?"

I shook my head. I didn't know why I was dodging the question. I was perfectly capable of answering. But I just couldn't. Because I saw the blood. And I was scared. Blood dripped from Hollystar's eyes. Like she was crying. I knew she wasn't, though, because her whole face only showed anger. At Blaze for allowing someone to control him. Anger at me...for everything else. I was the only cause for her problems. Before she met me, it was perfect. She had rule over ShadowClan. Now all the cats in her Clan were afraid of me. She was scared of me. She had all the other Clans fearing her. Now, if I go to their gatherings, all the Clans will be fearing me. She was free to wander wherever she pleased without being hissed or spat at. Now, she has to keep an eye on me to make sure I don't kill everyone. She was at peace with everything. And I caused a rift in that peace. Yes, it may change when she died, but she wasn't going to die soon. She was younger than most leaders. And with her fighting skills, she couldn't be beaten.

"I-I can't say anything right now..." I muttered, "S-she said she would be here when the blood appears. I don't want to upset her."

"Good. It's nice to see you know when to speak. Maybe next time I'll make the blood not so obvious." I hate her. I really hate her. I wish she would just jump into a pit of flaming lava and go back to where she came from. Hell. The place where every cat who kills for fun deserves to go. The place for cats who thirst for power.

When I saw that Hollystar's bloody eyes weren't disappearing anytime soon, I turned and left. Hollystar didn't call for me to come back and talk to her, and for that I was grateful. I really didn't want to talk anyway. Maybe if I got someone who I could trust, I could tell them about Opin's plans. But only if Opin didn't suspect them of anything.

"Hi Darkpaw!" Nettlepaw mewed gleefully as I walked into the camp, "What were you doing with Nightpaw on your back earlier?"

I rolled my eyes and ignored her. I wasn't in the mood to talk to a cat who's main setting was happiness. I kept walking, hoping to get some sleep. Although, I figured I wasn't going to get any. Nettlepaw didn't seem like the type to stop pursuing her prey.

"I'm interested in that fact too." I turned to see Cloudbreeze behind me. Her eyes were narrowed. Anger was radiating all around her. I backed up, not knowing what was wrong with me. ShadowClan has definitely changed me. I've only been here for two days, and they're changing me. For better or worse, I could never tell.

Luckily, the little fear spike only lasted for a few moments. Then, I was back to normal. I faced Cloudbreeze with confidence, not knowing why I needed it, "She brought me to the forest for some reason. When I woke up, she explained what happened and fell asleep. I brought her back so no one would think I killed her."

Cloudbreeze's anger turned to confusion, "Then why is she bleeding?"

If that mockingbird don't croak...Lion's gonna get you a poisonsed rope...

I can't be completely sure why that specific part of the lullaby came to me then. But whatever it was, Opin surely wasn't going to let anyone who bothered to help me live. I ran back to the medicine cat den. Nightpaw was bleeding from her legs, flank, and mouth. She coughed up more blood.

"Oh...my...god..." I silently cursed Opin. I could tell that Nightpaw was going to end up being important in my life somehow. And now Nightpaw's going to end up dead, "Screw you mother." I whispered.

"Love you, son."

Blood gurgled in Nightpaw's mouth, and began bubbling up in her nose. Cloudbreeze reached for cobwebs, and placed them on her wounds. I didn't understand. The blood was only supposed to be a hallucination. Did this mean I was in some sort of dream right now? No. I couldn't be. It felt too real.

"I walked in here." Cloudbreeze explained, "Nightpaw was just sleeping peacefully. I was getting herbs for Sunwind...she was still a bit messed up, seeing you brought back some bad memories. When I turned around, I saw a tail slipping away and Nightpaw like this. I panicked, and found you before I did anything to stop the bleeding."

I growled, "That was a bad decision. She's much more important than me."

I didn't see Cloudbreeze's face at my comment, because I was focused on Nightpaw. I assume her face was something like ultimate shock. Eyes wide, face red. With what I know about Cloudbreeze, most everything I do makes her fur red with anger. Or something else. I don't understand she-cats. Then, with her whole face covered in this ultimate shock, she blinks a bunch of times trying to analyze what I've just said.

Then kill more and more and more...Until blood covers the floor...

I heard footsteps. Bloody footsteps. I don't know how I could tell that, but then again, I did scent everything Blaze had ever felt before. That's not normal. Normal cats can't smell every single emotion. My ears pricked. Whispers. From a she-cat. A voice that sounded strangely like Joann...

"Look at you, demon." The words sent chills down my spine, "Look at the way you've killed almost everyone else. Is it has heartbreaking as you thought? Or is it so bad you would trade places with her?"

I growled, and followed the voice. Cloudbreeze was wise not to ask or follow me. All I could think was that Joann did this. But that jut made me angrier, because Joann wouldn't do this. Plus, she was dead.

"D-Darkpaw." Nightpaw whispered. I turned my head. I walked over to her, furious at my sister. Because she was the one who did this. I was sure.

"What do you need?" I mewed.

She glanced around. Nervous. Highly aware of everything, "Frost is coming. The angel has to stop her."

For some reason, the sadness came back. When she said angel. I'm guessing because I'm the demon. The demon supposed to destroy the world. The demon supposed to kill everyone. I didn't really care about how she was able to still breathe with all her wounds. I didn't really even care about the part about 'Frost.' I just cared about the angel. And that I wasn't the angel.

A growl slipped out of my throat. I could feel Cloudbreeze flinch through the earth. How can a cat make such dog-like sounds? Those were Cloudbreeze's exact thoughts. I didn't even care that I could read her mind now! I didn't care about how I could feel such a small movement from three tail-lengths away. I just cared about something that was out of my control.

He's crazy... Cloudbreeze's thinking again.

"I'm not crazy." I growled. Cloudbreeze stammered with questions, none of which were important, "Ssssh," I walked over to her and placed one of my really sharp claws in front of her mouth. That instantly shut her up, "Some things you aren't meant to know." I frowned, and growled again, "So just leave it alone, okay?" She nodded obediently.

I left to find out where Blaze went. Opin must have leaked something into his mind. Something useful. Something that could help me figure out exactly what Nightpaw meant by angel. Why I could suddenly read minds, hear things that shouldn't be heard, feel things that shouldn't be felt. Who Frost was. What was happening. I desperately needed to find out. I couldn't help but have the feeling that I was all in the center of things. The sadness was slowly seeping through my body. I wanted to cry. I've only cried once in my entire life. When I told Sunwind about my past. Even then, I don't know why I was crying. But I couldn't cry now.

Hush little kitty don't you cry...Don't dare cry and you won't die...