Chapter 58: The King - Splitpelt POV
I was with her when she set that thing off. I can't explain how powerful the shockwave of using that black spire. Even though I was tired, I came running over. I'd have assumed failure if it weren't for the content look on her face. Mapleshade had done what was needed and now was unconscious from the strain. Despite her unconscious state, she looked as beautiful as ever. I could feel her energy still humming on the surface of her fur, her aura obvious and loud.
Just the lightest touch got her babbling in her sleep. That is correct. Sleep. Mapleshade has always made a habit of breaking the norms, but that's why I love her. She's like a boulder who just tumbled off the mountain, full of force and energy, carving a path regardless of what tries to stop her, but, unlike the boulder, I know she is unstoppable. I've already seen her encounter problems that any of the five cats I'm made of would have given up on. She's given me new ways to think. Sometimes the problem isn't the problem. Sometimes the approach is the problem.
Speaking of problems, the state Mapleshade was in was quickly becoming a major one. It wasn't that she wasn't regaining energy. In fact, that was the problem. She was like a vortex, sucking in the ambient energy of the Darkforest. She was like the center of a storm, and this storm somehow cried 'Sleeping God'. It was an instinctive sense. Any rational cat would avoid a sleeping god, but the Darkforest doesn't have many of them. The issue lied in the opportunists. I could already tell, if given the chance, those scum of the forest would slay Mapleshade's sleeping form to try and become a god themselves. I couldn't let that happen. Mapleshade needed to be brought somewhere save until she could recover from her coma.
Ever since pledging ourselves as Mapleshade's guardians, Frecklewish and I have had some level cat to cat thought communication. We can think to each other and the other can hear it.
"Splitpelt, what did Mapleshade do this time? Every cat in camp can feel her and somehow knows she's unconscious. Even the youngest of us can feel where she is." Frecklewish asked in both concern and unamused acceptance. I mean this is Mapleshade we're talking about. She's somehow the strongest and most headstrong cat we know, always throwing herself wholeheartedly at any problem that comes her way. Under all that, she's also one of the softest cats we know. She'd do anything for a kit in need or her family. This was a case of both occurring too close together.
"Calm, Frecklewish, calm. Mapleshade is just tired. She fell asleep after that pulse of energy. Unfortunately, this is proving to be a problem. Every foul cat under the eternal dusk will be trying to get her. They're already willing to kill to steal souls. They're going to want to do the same to Mapleshade to become a god. Send whatever cats we can here, and we'll try to bring her back to camp. I have a feeling she's not waking up anytime soon." I replied.
Remembering our trip over here, I knew I'd have at least a two day trip to get back to camp. I couldn't perceive the 'layers' as Mapleshade puts it. That time would be further bloated by the need to both carry and defend Mapleshade at the same time. There was no use in delaying it. This place had no natural defenses and actively resisted changes, so I needed to move Mapleshade now. Mapleshade was bigger than me, so it was difficult to find a position to lift her. I did eventually find one, with her draped over me, and her paws still lightly dragged on the ground. I was still too winded from all the 'jumps' to come up with anything else.
I'd barely gone a quarter of a day and I could hear paw steps nearby. I dropped Mapleshade to free myself up to fight. These opponents seemed to think me an easy mark. I could already tell there were four of them. This was likely the first wave of many, likely the weakest as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to just pass them up. Mapleshade was broadcasting our location constantly, and I didn't have the means to outrun them. Instead, I waited for them. I heard them drawing closer and closer.
"Give her up, and we might let you live." Called one of the cats stalking nearby.
I gave an amused chuckle. "You know that might actually be threatening if you were actually threatening."
It really did not take much to set that cat off. They threw themselves at me with absolutely no tact. I responded with something simple, so simple that it might have been confused as an accident. I summoned a sharpen stick from the ground and watched as the cat impaled itself upon it, writhing and screeching. I may be a guardian of Mapleshade, the Mother, but mercy is not my strong suit. Who am I kidding. I was giggling as I watched that cat fade. They deserved nothing less for wanting to hurt my beloved.
"Either the rest of you run now, or I'll receive the joy of fading you. Your choice." I yowled out to the stunned attackers.
By now, another two had already joined the attack force. A defense in what was relatively a clearing was not what I wanted. On top of that, I was not in perfect condition. Maybe I could steal some energy from them. As long as I didn't try and take on their soul, I could probably recover what I lost in the jumps. With that plan of action, I created a ring with two opposite exits around Mapleshade and I, creating two effective choke points. I didn't have the energy to split into five, so splitting in two would have to do. The parts of me that were Thunderstar and Skystar split off to focus one chokepoint while the rest set to defending the other. Amusingly enough, two went to face my hybrid of two while three faced off my hybrid of three. I spared them no mercy and did not toy with them like I desired. I killed swiftly and drew portion of their lifeforce away to sustain myself. It was… messy but necessary.
When they were dead, I dissolved the ring to continue on, the fight having taken far longer than I hoped. Thankfully, there came a benefit in the form of Snowtuft. Snowtuft must have sensed Mapleshade's state and come running. He was the closest other cat from the Unseen Stars.
"It was quite the run to catch up to you. What do you need of me?" Asked Snowtuft, still tired from the jumps he managed.
I pressed my paw against him to transfer some of the stolen energy before replying, "We need to get Mapleshade back to the Unseen Stars. Right now, every power-hungry cat in this place is vying for her power, but we'll be getting backup as we go back. Spare these foxhearts no mercy for any cat who threatens Mapleshade deserves none."
Snowtuft militantly nodded stating, "Just as I expected from the King."
"What's this King business?" I asked, slightly unnerved by the title.
"It's just what the Unseen Stars call you. Mapleshade's the mother, and you and Frecklewish are the King and Queen. Sunflower and Buzzardpaw came up with it. Something about if you and Frecklewish are a king and queen, it would mean you tend to Mapleshade's kits like a nursery king or queen." Snowtuft answered cocking his head in thought.
I mulled over the word king for a while before deciding the title was acceptable. It was a word that did instill authority.
"You may call me King if you desire. Just don't go thinking that it makes me soft."