Omen of the Sun Book Three: Dusk

Chapter Eleven

Lightningfeather

Lightningfeather was moping in his nest after he had sprinted off into the snow. It hadn't made him feel better, quite honestly, and all that ended up happening was that he got tired, wet, and decided that he should rename himself Frostfoot, for the amount of snow all over his paws.

He didn't want to do much of anything. He hated being angry. He was angry at the world, for putting him in this position. He knew what he had to do. He knew what was right. But he didn't necessarily want to do it.

Lightningfeather sighed glumly. In the morning. I'll do it in the morning. He hadn't eaten all day, but he wasn't hungry. His stomach felt like a rock was sitting in it, twisting itself into a knot.

He closed his eyes, and slipped into sleep.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The forest was quiet. Not a single sound came from anywhere. It was like all the living things had fled, leaving the forest barren and quiet.

Lightningfeather was walking along through the trees, half-wondering where he was, but not really caring. It's nice here. It's quiet.

Lightningfeather looked up at the trees. They were so tall, stretching to the skies, but he couldn't see the tips. They were just long, thick strips of wood. Unending.

Lightningfeather wondered if he would meet anyone. Who would be here, though? Who would spend their time in this place of sadness, of quiet, when they could be spending time living?

Then he heard his name.

"Lightningfeather!" A voice called from behind. Lightningfeather turned, half dream-like. Who are you?

The first cat he recognized took his breath away. His mother, Silverstar. She was standing next to a black tom: his father.

And standing beside them was... Lightningfeather caught his breath. His sister, Honeykit. She had died as she was born; Lightningfeather had never known him. She would have been a better sister than Applestar.

Silverstar smiled, warmly, at him, and Lightningfeather's breath caught. His mother had never looked at him like that before; like he was special, important. No, it had always been Applestar, always having to upstage him, even when they were kits. Silverstar had never looked at him like that. Never.

Honeykit broke free of her mother and father and raced towards him. "Lightningfeather!" She called. The name sounded right when it was spoken by her: it sounded warm, and like home. That was a new experience.

"Honeykit," Lightningfeather breathed. "Oh, Honeykit, I haven't seen you in so long..."

Honeykit stretched her neck to his height and brushed her muzzle against his. Lightningfeather swallowed. For some reason, he felt almost nervous...

But what could be wrong with simply greeting his sister?

Then his father, Lightningheart, who he had never known, who had died before he was born, stepped forward with the careful grace that Applestar had always had and he had none of. How had his sister gotten so much of the good of his parents, and he so much of the bad?

Lightningheart brushed his nose against his son's in a gesture of family that left Lightningfeather spinning. "Lightningfeather," he purred.

"Father," Lightningfeather responded. "I- I haven't met with you since- since you told me that I had to..."

He allowed his voice to trail off, and Lightningheart looked at him almost despairingly. "Yes, son," he meowed.

Silverstar moved forward, and Honeykit followed. Together, they looked beautiful and united, like Lightningfeather had never seen his mother in life. "Lightningfeather. I have made a grave mistake in making Applestar my deputy. I cannot fix it now; it is up to you to fix the wrong I have created."

"But how?" Lightningfeather asked. He knew he should have felt upset, but all he felt was a longing- to be with his family. To know the truth.

"I'm so sorry," Silverstar promised, her voice holding true, real, raw sorrow. "I can't tell you any more than this: you are the spy."

Lightningfeather breathed out, angry. "That's what Father told me," he protested. "I need to know more!"

But the ground was opening up beneath his paws. An earth-splitting roar sounded, and Lightningfeather was falling. The last thing he saw before it all turned dark was his mother's face. Pleading... but also an underlying sense of darkness.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Lightningfeather awoke in a cold sweat. The starlight filtering in through the shafts in the top of the den told him that it was night.

He was too hot; feverish. He got shakily to his paws and looked around. Every warrior was in their nest, asleep, except for Whiteswirl, who was on guard.

He slipped out of the den, padding into the forest, his legs carrying him almost without his consent. He stopped in front of the HollyClan border stream, unsure of what exactly brought him there.

Applestar was there.

And he knew what to do.

"Applestar," he said.

Applestar turned and blinked at him. "Brother," she meowed.

"I... Applestar. I want to be... I want to help you."

Applestar's face broke into a grin. The moonlight passing over it made it look strangely sinister. Lightningfeather felt a thrill of fear. Good-bye, everything I love.

Good-bye, Cinderstorm.

"I knew you would choose the right side, brother," she meowed, and then the moonlight passed and her face was thrust into shadow.

Must. Go. Back. And. Rewrite. CHAPTERS. Omg I was looking at them and they're so bad... lol.

Thoughts of Lightningfeather's past? Comment!

:D

~Rainfeather