Post by Moonstar on Jul 17, 2007 21:02:33 GMT -5
Just a word of warning, this chapter's fairly dark.
Chapter Two
A Reluctant Mercenary
Dustclaw slept peacefully in the warriors den, with help of poppy seed, of course. He needed it after the day’s terrors. However, despite the poppy seed, something woke him up. Anger rushed through him at what it was. The smell of a RiverClan warrior. He stalked out of the den, and then out of camp, following the scent. Then he saw him. A black tom cautiously slunk through the territory, almost invisible on the dark night. But Dustclaw saw him. Hissing, the dark gray tom jumped at the intruder.
“Dustclaw! Sorry, I swear by StarClan I’m just passing through. I’m no good at catching rabbits anyway!” The dark gray warrior immediately let go and jumped off the cat in shock.
“Nighttail?” He said incredulously.
“Call me Night. I’m now a rogue.” Dustclaw’s fur bristled in anger. I’m now a rogue! There was only one reason Dustclaw could think of for Nighttail, or Night as he was now called, for going rouge.
“Great StarClan! Moonstar exiled you for looking like your grandfather?” He spat. Nighttail’s mother was a she-cat named Lostshadow, the kit of the slain BloodClan deputy Slayer, and of the slain betrayer of RiverClan and murderer of Wavestar, the leader prior to Moonstar. And Nighttail was unfortunate enough to have the uncanny resemblance, with his jet black fur and burning amber eyes. The former RiverClan warrior twitched his tail in irritation.
“Don’t jump to conclusions! I left by choice.” That shocked Dustclaw anymore. He left intentionally?
“But…why?” The black tom hung his head in grief.
“I lost my kit, my only kit. He was young, I didn’t know him for long out all, but I loved him more than anything. More than his mother.” He murmured. “And I had known Wildfire since I was an apprentice. We had a secret friendship, and I was a great enough fool to trust him. It’s my fault he was stolen. I got Smogkit into this; I’m getting him out of it.” The dark gray tom was spellbound by this promise to rescue his beloved kit. In DeathClan, usually kits had more than one she-cat who nursed them. One she-cat would nurse him for one month, and then a new one would be appointed. Slink had said it was so no one would get attached and grow soft. In fact, the only reason Dustclaw, his slain sibling Smudge, Feather, and Mugs, were allowed to be so close was because Slink was their father. And this was a completely different world, where a father would give up his home just to find his kit. Though he had lived in WindClan for a long time, the love in the Clans still amazed him.
A moon had past since Nighttail went rogue. Snowstorm, a young RiverClan warrior, went hunting early one morning. She sort of hoped that she could find Nighttail. Moonstar didn’t want to do anything yet; most likely because he still didn‘t fully trust the black warrior. She knew she’d have best luck if she tried fishing rather than land prey today; she was upwind. However, she saw a black tom. It could be Nighttail! Lostshadow and Icefur are really worried…I should try and get him to come back to the Clan! Snowstorm went out to meet him, but as she got closer, an uneasy feeling began to overcome her, but searching for comfort for her former mentor, Lostshadow, ruled her unease. But it was too late eventually. Only when she was too close did she see it wasn’t Nighttail, but some other black tom with two other cats following one or two fox lengths behind! She stood frozen for a second, her blue eyes fixed on the three cats in horror. She turned to run, but the black tom leapt. Reinforced claws dug into the back of her neck. The other two cats helped pin her. A welcoming blackness greeted her.
The black tom got off Snowstorm’s corpse, staring down without a trace of pity. Smiling cruelly, he said,
“I told you Feather wouldn’t regret her alliance with BloodClan. Now it’s time for you to uphold your part of the deal.” He nodded at a gray and black tabby, who was staring at his paws. How could I do this? I can’t go through with it! The tabby cat thought in horror. I sold my friends for a stronger group. I was happy with them, but when I heard about DeathClan, I was corrupted and no longer content.
“Sleek!” The black cat growled. The gray and black tabby jumped.
“Right! Sorry, Onyx.” Sleek murmured. “Give me Snowstorm.” The black cat snorted as he called the dead cat by her real name. Still, he picked up the body and gave it to Sleek. Feeling like the lowest creature on earth, Sleek left with the corpse.
“I really think we should’ve told Duke before running off like this, Sleek.” A golden tabby she-cat mewed disapprovingly. Sleek didn’t reply at first, just kept walking. Is it too late to get out of this? It’s not too late to not get deeper in it. He thought.
“It’s far too urgent a matter to waste time waking Duke, Rose. Or Rogue for that matter.” Sleek meowed back.
“But how come you woke me then?” The she-cat challenged. Sleek shut his ice blue eyes for a second, thinking of a good answer.
“After what have to show you, let’s hope I can claim you have kits to look after so there will be only one death if my fears are confirmed.” I’m sorry, Rose. It will be yours… Rose gasped in horror, but was deeply moved that Sleek had become such a brother to them he would lay down his life for her. Then silently he flicked his tail at something. It was Snowstorm’s body. Rose darted over to it, stammering unintelligently. Tears slid out of Sleek’s eyes, but that betrayed nothing, for it looked like grief over Snowstorm’s death. But that was only part of the reason for his tears.
“Who would’ve done this?” Rose mewed in shock. Looking at her brokenly, Sleek whispered,
“Duke. And I’m sorry, my dear, because Moonstar is now going to kill you.” Before the golden tabby could ask any questions, Sleek leapt into a nearby clump of ferns, and jumped out wearing dog teeth on his claws to reinforce them. Rose shrank in fear.
“Sleek, what are you doing…” She began, but Sleek jumped on her. Tears flowing freely, he sliced open her side. Eyes filled with shock and horror locked, one pair blue, the other amber. Rose went limp, except for the occasional jerk of pain. And she screamed in agony as well, forcing Sleek to shut his eyes, so he couldn’t see his crime.
“I’m sorry, Rose. May StarClan accept you with honor.” That’s more than what they’ll do for me. Sleek thought bitterly.
Despite the darkness in it, I like it because it shows the light side and the dark side of Sleek.
Chapter Two
A Reluctant Mercenary
Dustclaw slept peacefully in the warriors den, with help of poppy seed, of course. He needed it after the day’s terrors. However, despite the poppy seed, something woke him up. Anger rushed through him at what it was. The smell of a RiverClan warrior. He stalked out of the den, and then out of camp, following the scent. Then he saw him. A black tom cautiously slunk through the territory, almost invisible on the dark night. But Dustclaw saw him. Hissing, the dark gray tom jumped at the intruder.
“Dustclaw! Sorry, I swear by StarClan I’m just passing through. I’m no good at catching rabbits anyway!” The dark gray warrior immediately let go and jumped off the cat in shock.
“Nighttail?” He said incredulously.
“Call me Night. I’m now a rogue.” Dustclaw’s fur bristled in anger. I’m now a rogue! There was only one reason Dustclaw could think of for Nighttail, or Night as he was now called, for going rouge.
“Great StarClan! Moonstar exiled you for looking like your grandfather?” He spat. Nighttail’s mother was a she-cat named Lostshadow, the kit of the slain BloodClan deputy Slayer, and of the slain betrayer of RiverClan and murderer of Wavestar, the leader prior to Moonstar. And Nighttail was unfortunate enough to have the uncanny resemblance, with his jet black fur and burning amber eyes. The former RiverClan warrior twitched his tail in irritation.
“Don’t jump to conclusions! I left by choice.” That shocked Dustclaw anymore. He left intentionally?
“But…why?” The black tom hung his head in grief.
“I lost my kit, my only kit. He was young, I didn’t know him for long out all, but I loved him more than anything. More than his mother.” He murmured. “And I had known Wildfire since I was an apprentice. We had a secret friendship, and I was a great enough fool to trust him. It’s my fault he was stolen. I got Smogkit into this; I’m getting him out of it.” The dark gray tom was spellbound by this promise to rescue his beloved kit. In DeathClan, usually kits had more than one she-cat who nursed them. One she-cat would nurse him for one month, and then a new one would be appointed. Slink had said it was so no one would get attached and grow soft. In fact, the only reason Dustclaw, his slain sibling Smudge, Feather, and Mugs, were allowed to be so close was because Slink was their father. And this was a completely different world, where a father would give up his home just to find his kit. Though he had lived in WindClan for a long time, the love in the Clans still amazed him.
A moon had past since Nighttail went rogue. Snowstorm, a young RiverClan warrior, went hunting early one morning. She sort of hoped that she could find Nighttail. Moonstar didn’t want to do anything yet; most likely because he still didn‘t fully trust the black warrior. She knew she’d have best luck if she tried fishing rather than land prey today; she was upwind. However, she saw a black tom. It could be Nighttail! Lostshadow and Icefur are really worried…I should try and get him to come back to the Clan! Snowstorm went out to meet him, but as she got closer, an uneasy feeling began to overcome her, but searching for comfort for her former mentor, Lostshadow, ruled her unease. But it was too late eventually. Only when she was too close did she see it wasn’t Nighttail, but some other black tom with two other cats following one or two fox lengths behind! She stood frozen for a second, her blue eyes fixed on the three cats in horror. She turned to run, but the black tom leapt. Reinforced claws dug into the back of her neck. The other two cats helped pin her. A welcoming blackness greeted her.
The black tom got off Snowstorm’s corpse, staring down without a trace of pity. Smiling cruelly, he said,
“I told you Feather wouldn’t regret her alliance with BloodClan. Now it’s time for you to uphold your part of the deal.” He nodded at a gray and black tabby, who was staring at his paws. How could I do this? I can’t go through with it! The tabby cat thought in horror. I sold my friends for a stronger group. I was happy with them, but when I heard about DeathClan, I was corrupted and no longer content.
“Sleek!” The black cat growled. The gray and black tabby jumped.
“Right! Sorry, Onyx.” Sleek murmured. “Give me Snowstorm.” The black cat snorted as he called the dead cat by her real name. Still, he picked up the body and gave it to Sleek. Feeling like the lowest creature on earth, Sleek left with the corpse.
“I really think we should’ve told Duke before running off like this, Sleek.” A golden tabby she-cat mewed disapprovingly. Sleek didn’t reply at first, just kept walking. Is it too late to get out of this? It’s not too late to not get deeper in it. He thought.
“It’s far too urgent a matter to waste time waking Duke, Rose. Or Rogue for that matter.” Sleek meowed back.
“But how come you woke me then?” The she-cat challenged. Sleek shut his ice blue eyes for a second, thinking of a good answer.
“After what have to show you, let’s hope I can claim you have kits to look after so there will be only one death if my fears are confirmed.” I’m sorry, Rose. It will be yours… Rose gasped in horror, but was deeply moved that Sleek had become such a brother to them he would lay down his life for her. Then silently he flicked his tail at something. It was Snowstorm’s body. Rose darted over to it, stammering unintelligently. Tears slid out of Sleek’s eyes, but that betrayed nothing, for it looked like grief over Snowstorm’s death. But that was only part of the reason for his tears.
“Who would’ve done this?” Rose mewed in shock. Looking at her brokenly, Sleek whispered,
“Duke. And I’m sorry, my dear, because Moonstar is now going to kill you.” Before the golden tabby could ask any questions, Sleek leapt into a nearby clump of ferns, and jumped out wearing dog teeth on his claws to reinforce them. Rose shrank in fear.
“Sleek, what are you doing…” She began, but Sleek jumped on her. Tears flowing freely, he sliced open her side. Eyes filled with shock and horror locked, one pair blue, the other amber. Rose went limp, except for the occasional jerk of pain. And she screamed in agony as well, forcing Sleek to shut his eyes, so he couldn’t see his crime.
“I’m sorry, Rose. May StarClan accept you with honor.” That’s more than what they’ll do for me. Sleek thought bitterly.
Despite the darkness in it, I like it because it shows the light side and the dark side of Sleek.