Chapter 9

So sorry I was so absent but I had testing this week and have two more tomorrow, but then I'm free! Also I want to inform you Ashes that Keeper of the Starry Night has an amazing story called Winter Eternal and it's amazing! AGAIN KEEPER OF THE STRAYY NIGHT HAS A BUNCH OF AMAZING STORIES! So does Foxstar534emma and Captain Bat! Fox even has a forum called Fireclan and Friends, and it's so very amazing! So please go check all of their stories out and stuff if you're awesome! And we can thank Keeper for editing this chapter and inspiring me for this chapter. Ciao babes!

Pouncer was playing with Juniperfrost's three little kits, now each a moon old. Pouncer gave them his best badger face as a growl rumbled in his throat. "I'm going to eat you all up!" He threatened, looming over Fogkit, Wrenkit, and Blossomkit. They squealed and started running away from him. Pouncer started chasing them, his paws pounding into the earth as he mimicked the white and black beast.

Wrenkit tripped as his littermates ran past him. "Wait! Come back for me!" He squealed. Pouncer grabbed the little kit and started swaying. Wrenkit was squeaking with fear, but giggling with happiness.

"I'm suddenly tired," Pouncer said faking a yawn. "I think it's time you come to my den so I can gobble you up!"

"No please Mr. Badger! My momma will miss me! Daddy the badger's got me!" Wrenkit shrieked.

"Wrenkit, I'm coming for you!" Fogkit yowled as he jumped onto Pouncer's back, digging his tiny, thorn-like claws into his scruff. Blossomkit focused on batting Pouncer's haunches while Wrenkit dangled in his jaws.

"Oh no, I'm dying!" Pouncer cried as he dropped Wrenkit on his littermates and fell over, faking his death. Blossomkit jumped on Pouncer's flank, letting out a yowl of triumph while her brothers kept batting Pouncer's fake dead body.

"ROAR! I'M SUDDENLY ALIVE!" Pouncer shrieked, jumping to his paws, startling the kits. All three kits were sent tumbling across the nursery floor, giggling until they couldn't breathe. Pouncer went over to collect the kits and lead them to their mother.

Juniperfrost tsked when she saw Pouncer and her kits walk over to her, fur in tangles and eyes crazed with excitement. "What did you do to them?" She asked, sighing. Pouncer shrugged sheepishly and grinned.

"Aw, Juniperfrost, they're fine. We had the best day- Right, little warriors?" Pouncer asked, winking.

"Uh, yeah! We had really fun! We killed him!" Blossomkit puffed out her tiny chest out in pride while her brothers nodded. Juniperfrost smiled and laughed.

"Oh, that's wonderful dears! Now let Pouncer be on his way, I think I heard Zeldastar say she needed you on a patrol." She said, facing Pouncer. He nodded and left the nursery, but heard the quiet mumbles of Juniperfrost and Foxflame (Who was sitting in her nest), talking to the kits about the proper way to fight.

Chuckling lightly, Pouncer made his way over to Zeldastar, Regnantstorm, Poolpaw, and Thornlight. "You wanted me on the patrol, Zeldastar?" Pouncer asked. Zeldastar nodded and focused her attention to Thornlight.

"Didn't you say you could smell a strange metallic stench?" She asked, green eyes swirling with curiosity.

"Well, yes. I was hunting with Berryfoot and Emberwing when something made a weird noise, and the stink of metal filled our noses. Terrible." He said, wrinkling his nose. Zeldastar nodded, intrigued.

"I bet it's a twoleg," Poolpaw spat. Regnantstorm hushed him by flicking him in the ear. Poolpaw winced and soon quieted down to a soft grumble. "Stupid twolegs." He mumbled. Regnantstorm hushed him again and stared at his sister and Thornlight.

"Whatever it is, we should check it out." He meowed sternly.

"Yes, but stay cautious." Zeldastar warned, leading them out of the tunnel. Pouncer followed after his patrol, falling behind Regnantstorm, right next to Thornlight.

"Was it creepy?" He asked the black and white warrior. Thornlight nodded and shook out his pelt.

"Yeah! I got chills and started to feel like there were ants crawling in my pelt!" Thornlight shivered and began to advance forward, Pouncer following. "Anyway, how are you feeling?" Thornlight asked.

Pouncer smiled and shrugged. "I'm good. Juniperfrost's kits have made my life more fun, and I'm sure Grayfur is over the moon happy." he smiled. Thornlight let out a purr and smiled.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure Grayfur would kill me, but I have the biggest crush on Juniperfrost." Thornlight said, blushing. Pouncer let out a laugh and rested his tail on the young warrior's back.

"She's beautiful and very fun, but way off limits," He teased. "Grayfur would very much kill you if you even gushed at Juniperfrost." he laughed. Thornlight flattened his ears, embarrassed, but laughed. Suddenly, chills started to creep up Pouncer's spine and he felt exactly like Thornlight had described: Terrified.

Darkness suddenly swirled around them, causing Pouncer's vision to go dark. Stumbling blindly, he heard Regnantstorm rush pass him, and a soft "Oof" come from Zeldastar.

"Hello?" He called, straining to see. A few seconds later, a response came from his left- Poolpaw.

"Over here!"

Angling his ears toward the sound of his voice, he began to shakily make his way over there. His brain felt muddled, he couldn't think clearly. 'What In Starclan's name caused this?'

Suddenly, a shadow, darker than night, reared up in front of him. He could barely make it out against the blackness pressing against his eyelids. It looked vaguely twoleg-ish, but hulking, bigger, much bigger. Green, luminescent slime oozed in places on its body. Strange green growths could also be seen on it. Pouncer's heart was pierced with fear, and his head was suddenly filled with images of everyone he cared about dying, or something worse. Moonfire. Whiskershadow. Skyflower. Nightfall. Cinderblaze. Keeper.

Letting out a whimper, the normally brave and cocky warrior was reduced to a shivering mess in seconds. The shadow loomed over him, and with a jolt he realized that it was not in fact black- Rather, it showed no color, simply a void, and his eyes were merely perceiving it as such. (1)

The shadow drew nearer to him. Its mouth opened, revealing rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth, each of them easily a tail-length long, all of them dripping with black venom. It loomed in front of him, and Pouncer shut his eyes, praying to anything, to everything he could think of, to help him-

And then a screech sounded, long and harrowing, making Pouncer's bones tense up and his heart quake with even more fear. Another screech sounded, from right in front of him, and he managed to realize, through the muddled mess that were his thoughts, that the shadow must be communicating. A series of more screeches followed, each of them worse than the last, and by the end Pouncer was just wishing for it to end. 'Please, please, stop...'

He barely registered the crunching sound as the hulking shadow, taller than two two-legs and three times as wide, moved away. He barely noticed the red light shining through his eyelids as sunlight returned. All he knew was that it was over. And he was filled with sweet, glorious relief.

If you couldn't tell, those last few amazing paragraphs (From 'Darkness suddenly swirled...' onward) were from the beautiful mind of Keeper, so thanks Keeper!

(1)- Inspired by Book 2 of the Magisterium series, titled The Copper Gauntlet -Keeper of the Starry Night