Cursed Division - Kindred Whispers book 2)

Chapter 12

The next few days past in The Kindreds hollow with no activity. The tribe was still mourning the loss of Rosie but no one spoke about it. They all dozed around lazily while keeping one wary eye at the top of the hollow, alert for any sign of danger. BerrySong had been gazing at the sky in a trance like state. He still was. He was staring rigidly at the colorful dusk sky, eyes wide, but focused. Perhaps he was speaking to the dead. Hesitantly, Midnight made her way up to him, careful not to disturb him. The blue tom was unaware of her presence but instead his hackles rose in shock, and his eyes began to give a slight radiant glow and he glanced all around, deeply disturbed. She couldn't hold back any longer. Nudging the tom softly, Midnight spoke to him, "BerrySong, are you okay?"
He gave a hiss and leapt away, only for the radiant gleam to die in his eyes and his fur to smooth in relief. "Midnight, you disturbed me."
"Sorry, BerrySong," she mewed apologetically. "I think you were having a vision."
"One in which I usually would claw you for interrupting," he growled. "But those voices loud as they were, I'm glad you brought me back to reality."
She pricked her ears with intrest. "What were they saying?"
"Midnight Rose is on her way and one by one our cats will perish into the control of ruthless claws. The spirits told me so."
Horror and dread sent a shiver down her spine. The moment was nearing where her evil opposite would strike and destroy the tribe. "You have to go warn Frostine!" she fretted.
BerrySong huffed. "I was going to do that anyways, fluff ball. But you were talking my ears off."
Without another word, he grumbled to himself and marched away to the tribe leader's den which was a tall pointed rock, jagged all the way to its thorn sharp top. BerrySong called for the leader who made her way out with her mate, Atka. Midnight couldn't understand their words but saw their worried expressions.

In mid conversation, a caterwaul sounded at the top of the hollow. With a cold feeling of dread, Midnight froze and so did every tribe Member. BerrySong crouched and spoke with a quivering voice. "It's time."
The sound had attracted other cats out of their dens who gazed up in horror at the black figure of a cat standing at the top of the hollow, hateful green gaze glinting as it scanned through the stunned tribe.
Frostine lifted her head defiantly. "Midnight Rose!"
The black she-cat let out a hysterical laugh. "Greetings Frostine," she spoke with a voice colder than the icy earth. "I will destroy your tribe."
Atka padded up to his mate's sides, speaking with a low and deep gruff voice. "We'd like to see you try, pest! Come on down and face us, coward!"
The taunt giving Midnight Rose the courage she needed, she let out a screech that rang out across the hollow walls. Cats began to exchange nervous glances and one cat, a brown and white tom began to spasm uncontrollably, his feet giving away and paws flailing as his body convulsed. His tribe mates backed up, pelts bushed with horror. One cat let out a cry of terror. The brown and white tom soon stilled before lifting his head, face emotionless and eyes black at night. He scanned the crowd before launching himself at Talon who batted at his tribe mate in attempt to defend himself. One by one the tribe lurched forward to help but all were stopped in their tracks, frozen to the earth before falling to the snowy earth, suffering what the brown tom went through. Midnight Rose watched, her glare red as blood as she watched the tribe shift into her mind control.
Several cats tried to fight it but to no avail.

No! This is what I feared! I came here to save the tribe but what can I do against this? These cats are practically mind controlled zombies! Atka began to cry out as he fell victim next. Frostine's eyes widened with horror and she shook her mate, trying to help him regain control. But Atka clenched his teeth, trying to force words out. "No, don't!" He snarled. "It's no use! Go and save the tribe!"
"There's nothing I can do!" she cried. "Please stay with me!"
Atka gave one final reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, my dear."
Then he was consumed, eyes turning into black holes. He curled his lip at Frostine and swiped at her but she dodged and bounded over to Midnight.
"Help! I don't know what to do!" Her ears flat, eyes wide, tail drooped, and voice shaking, Midnight had never seen a leader look so defeated.
"I don't know what to do," Midnight admitted in a hushed whisper. "What can we do? She's controlling your cats."
Frostine was trembling while all around them, every cat was falling under control, turning on each other in a flurry of tooth and claw. Midnight and Frostine were one of the only ones remaining in control. Bumble, the joyful tortoiseshell kit twisted on the snowy earth, her neck at an awkward angle and her bones crunching beneath her flesh before she became zombie-like, hissing and launching herself carelessly at the older cats.
Great stars! Midnight thought in horror. This cat has no mercy! She's willing to control kits, and for what? All this to get revenge on The Kindreds?
"She's your evil opposite," Frostine stated. "You were sent here to protect my tribe so do what you were sent here to do... Save us!" her last words were lost as she fell to the earth, digging her claws in the earth and gazing up at Midnight pleadingly. "Save us..."
Falling victim, Midnight was forced to leave her.
She reached the center or the hollow, glancing around in horror as cats whisked by, hissing and spitting, some letting out cries of rage and pain. All around her were the mind controlled cats. With a jolt, she saw Jeeves launch himself at HoneyFlower and sink his teeth into the back of her throat. Whipping around, HoneyFlower glared at him with black eyes, leaping for his throat. But she was too late and Jeeves lashed a forepaw across her throat instead, sending her to stagger in a pool of gushing blood.
All the while, the sky began to darken above, casting long shadows across the hollow, covering the sun. The light of day began to die, overruled by ominous darkness. In the midst of her distraction, she felt pain in her shoulder and turned to see Blizzard, one of the elders, growling at her, his ragged fur bristling. Racing away, she launched herself up the hollow, several cats on her tail, snapping and clawing at her tail. They missed by mere inches as she scrambled up the hollow to the top while the mind controlled cats clumsily attempted to claw their way up but slid down instead. To her relief, none of them could make it high enough to reach her.