Thundering Darkness

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"So... you understand the plan? You'll follow through?"

Darkpaw shifted her paws uneasily as she stared up at the circle of spirit cats that encompassed her. While she had been sleeping, she had been 'summoned' to their dwelling place. About twelve cats of varying sizes and colours stood around her in a circle. Some looked mean, while others looked bored or vaguely friendly.

She was in their land now, an open moortop that was bright and vibrant. Various colours flashed around her vision. At the bottom of the hill she was sitting on, there appeared to be a dark, gloomy forest full of shadow, with towering black trees.

"Darkpaw! Listen you mousebrain!" Darkpaw scowled at the she-cat who spoke to her.

"Yeah, yeah. You want me to kill some rogue cat I've never even heard of." Darkpaw found the spirit cats to be significantly less friendly now that she'd come to their realm a few times. Not really the best way to impress me to join your side, guys.

Hisses and scowls exploded from the semi-circle of cats around her, as Darkpaw spoke confidently and defiantly. Even the 'friendly' cats were staring at her with narrowed eyes. A massive tom she remembered as Earthstar looked about to leap at her with unsheathed claws when the she-cat spoke again.

"Darkpaw, dearest, you are so young and foolish. I understand you feel weak, and uncertain of going on a massive quest. For that reason, I have given you a life goal that will be... simpler for a cat of your ability to accomplish."

Darkpaw tipped her head to one side, and blinked innocently. "And what might that be?" She asked.

"Kill Pebblepaw." All the spirit cats seemed to speak in unison, and Darkpaw smiled with all her teeth. That was a task she could certainly achieve.

"Earthstar will check your progress every quarter moon, dearest Darkpaw. Don't disappoint," the she-cat spoke again, and Darkpaw nodded.

This was a task that she had wanted to do ever since Pebblepaw had padded into camp with her brother's blood on her flank. She hadn't been certain at first that it was the right decision, but with the spirit cats all in agreement, Darkpaw couldn't help but feel encouraged. She would avenge her brother's death! Then the claws that pierced her heart from the second she woke up would let go. The world could return to normal. One cat's blood for the security of the clan and a small bit of vengeance. It's normal to want vengeance. We're warrior cats, after all. We fight, sometimes cats die. Pebblepaw will be fine rolling around in StarClan, really.

The spirit world was shifting away from her vision, the cat's shapes paleing. All the cats raise their voices to chant in Darkpaw's mind. "Kill Pebblepaw! Kill Pebblepaw!" Darkpaw grinned, and fell into a deeper sleep.

"Uh... hey." Some cat was prodding Darkpaw in her side.

She let out a grunt, trying desperately to hold onto a dream she had just had. Nightpaw and her had been running through the forest together, flanks heaving with exertion. They had run over rolling hills, past tall pines, until they couldn't run anymore. Then, the two of them had curled up together. Darkpaw could remember Nightpaw's soothing voice, telling her that everything would be alright.

"Come on, come on!" That was Firbush's voice. "Batpaw, are you so useless that you can't even wake up a sleeping denmate."

The prodding hesitated for a second, and Darkpaw hoped that Batpaw had given up trying to wake her. Those meetings with the spirit cats always tire me out. Suddenly, there was an extremely sharp jab in her side, and Darkpaw let out a hiss of pain.

"Unnecessary!" she snarled just as she opened her eyes to look at Batpaw.

The tall white and grey tom flicked his ears uneasily. "Firbush's orders..." he managed, then added apologetically, "yeah. Sorry, Darkpaw."