Warriors: Pure & Perfect

Chapter 1

The rustled winds that blew inside the den set Ebonylight's fur on edge as she attempted to burrow herself deeper into sleep. She grumpily lifted her head tabby head and blinked off the rest of tiredness from her gaze. Others would think it weird, but she always thought that when something disturbed her in sleep, then it was a signal for her to wake up. The silence in her den, threatened to overwhelm her, as the familiar scent of herbs drifted toward her nose.

Staggering back up onto her legs Ebonylight yawned exposing her acutely sharp teeth. Medicine cat duties could wait, she needed to stretch the stiffness out of herself. With each paw step from the darkness encompassing her den she squinted her eyes and prepared herself for the blinding rays of the sun. As expected the beaming sun shot onto her face, making her fur prickle in irritation.

"It's Ebonylight!" came the squealed reply of Bluepaw from all the way across the clearing. "We all wondered when you'd stop sleeping furball."

Ebonylight snorted as she gazed down dazedly at the large apprentice. "Maybe because I needed some beauty sleep." She growled good-naturedly as sleep still slightly tugged back at her eyelids and it took all of her willpower no to give in.

Bluepaw chuckled, "Is that how you became the greatest medicine cat of all time? I highly doubt it your superiorness."

"Well certainly not by being interrupted by a few very fluff-brained apprentices." retorted back Ebonylight. Her pelt prickled in slight irritation.

At that moment, one of the warriors Ebonylight recognised as Chasingglow chastised him away. Noticing the medicine cat's face, he dipped his head apologetically. "Bluepaw! Shouldn't you be with your mentor?, you're bothering poor Ebonylight to death!"

"Aww, but I just wanted Ebonylight to know that I look up to her so much." mumbled Bluepaw loud enough for the she-cat to hear. "I appreciate that."

Bluepaw sent her a grateful look back. "Sorry I was being such a bother Ebonylight. I guess, I was just over-enthusiastic that's all."

"Oh, it is no problem. I like the added compliments to my day." Ebonylight purred in amusement to the embarrassed apprentice.

Bluepaw's face instantly lit up at her praise. "Thanks Ebonylight, I will leave you alone now and I am sorry that I am so talkative all the time."

"It is ok Bluepaw, don't worr-" Ebonylight muttered before whisking around hearing the slight whispery voice near her unnerved ear.

"Weak, she is a useless apprentice. Finish her off-!" Ebonylight shook her head and hissed violently as she spun around.

"Intruder!" Bluepaw screeched. The she-cat whipped around slightly shaking, at Ebonylight's reaction. The she-cat pinned back her ears as she in surprise noticed all of her Clanmates starting to chaotically run around. "What is going on?"

The thick-pelted she-cat whipped around to see all of her Clanmates yowling and running in fear. "Silence!"

"What is going on?, why are you all running around like headless mice?!" Toadstar yowled out angrily.

"Bluepaw overreacted as usual," came the scornful reply of Mellowpaw. "What else is new?" The massive tom growled in irritation before glaring at the smaller apprentice.

"It was my fault I was the one who thought I heard things." Ebonylight defended the rebuffed-looking apprentice.

Mellowpaw followed his angry gaze towards her. "Oh I just meant that I didn't want cats to get hurt. That's all."

Ebonylight glared at the young apprentice. Clearly he would grow up to be one of the boastful warriors. Calming herself down, the she-cat out of the corner of her eye noticed Bluepaw giving her a grateful glance. "I suggest you think before you speak next time. Suppose that Bluepaw was telling the truth would you be so quick to dismiss it all as one of 'Bluepaw's dramatics' ?"

The burly apprentice looked down at his paws and his mentor Rosepelt just fixed her with an apologetic look. Ebonylight sighed impatiently and headed back into her den. "I love the apprentices and all... but... sometimes I wish I could-..."

The whispers from earlier interrupted the medicine cat's thoughts, whisking around she looked wildly from side-to-side. There was no one in sight but her slightly frayed herb storage, it was as if she could hear them but not see them. "Get rid of him! He is nothing but a nuisance!" Came out a sinister echo from what seemed next to her.

The words sent a shiver down Ebonylight's spine. She didn't know what they even meant and decisively chose to ignore it. "You fool, stop acting like a cowardly kit. Get rid of him you know that with his boastfulness he will never become a warrior."

"Shut up!" Ebonylight yowled and without thinking shredded one of her herb piles with her unsheathed claws.

Ebonylight then stared in horror at what she did. She just destroyed one of her carefully stocked herb piles! To make matters worse, it was one of the most important herbs that were now scattered pathetically on the dusty floor, marigold and now that it was leaf-fall...she would most likely not find  huge amounts of them left in the territory.

"Ebonylight, what is going on in here?" came out a deep reply from the entrance. The she-cat froze and whisked around to meet her leader's gaze in horror. "Umm, I guess some reckless kit came in and started playing around." She stammered nervously but she was a terrible liar and it was clear that Toadstar didn't believe her.

"I see, well you will have to do well to keep them out next time." Toadstar muttered, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Are you sure everything is alright?"

Ebonylight nodded, a little too quickly "Yes, everything is fine Toadstar." She said and started on recovering the marigold. She felt the leader's presence waver at her tone but out of the corner of her eyes she watched him nod matter-of-factly and leave the den.

"Good job." A sinister whisper echoed out, sending frustration and fear deep into Ebonylight's heart.

"What do you want?" Ebonylight asked exasperatedly as she flopped down on her white belly.

"Watch your future unfold." came out a murky reply. "You will rise as one of the greatest leaders ShadowClan has ever had." The voice added.

Ebonylight started convulsing, as a dark vision, started appearing in her peripheral vision. Instantly, she almost shrieked out loud. The sound of blood spilling on the ground, cats wailing in fear and terror, as she saw herself on the high rock with a menacing smirk. It was all too much and the she-cat forced herself to pull back and in desperation pelt out of her den.

"Ebonylight?" came out a worried mew from her litter-mate Sparrowmist.

Ebonylight acknowledged her with a flick of her ear but otherwise heeded her no attention. It was the rest of her Clanmates she was watching fearfully.

'How can this be my fate? How can this be my Clanmate's fate?' Ebonylight thought anxiously, self-hatred started building up inside herself as she realised that strangely... she felt drawn to the vision rather than opposed to it.