Thundering Darkness

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Darkthunder was gasping for air by the time she reached the entrance to ThunderClan camp. Since Troutstar had let her go, Darkthunder had bolted back across the ice without thinking, and hadn't stopped running, even as she gasped painfully for air. Now she slowed as she neared the high bramble and thorn wall that encased ThunderClan.

She turned a bend to reach the tunnel entrance, her paws crunching on a brown leaf that had fallen from one of the now entirely leafless trees. She growled under her breath, knowing instinctively that a cat was going to jump out at her from around the bend.

"Out again, Darkthunder?"

Sure enough, Darkthunder's former mentor, Swiftclaw suddenly loomed above Darkthunder, her claws extended, tortoiseshell pelt fluffed up in extreme agitation. Her tail lashed the ground, as though permitting Darkthunder to respond.

"Yep, Swiftclaw. This time I fell into a freezing river because we thought we found RiverClan, and Smokeblaze wanted me to scout ahead. That's what you understand?"

To her relief, Swiftclaw retracted her long claws, and sat back. Still, her back remained tight and straight, her shoulders oddly tense, even for Swiftclaw. Darkthunder instantly knew something was wrong, even before she heard Swiftclaw's next words.

"A cat came to see Mightystar."

As though they hadn't even been talking about Mightystar at all, Swiftclaw began a whole new conversation. If nothing else rang warning bells in Darkthunder's head, that did. She glanced around as though expecting some cat to jump out of the bushes.

"He came with... a lot. I think you might want to meet him. Mightystar might want you to meet him. Orders..."

Swiftclaw's voice slurred together as though she had eaten poppy seeds. Her eyes seemed in an entirely different place. All Darkthunder could wonder was who stole the snappy warrior and replaced her with a moping snail.

The wind in the forest picked up to a roar, and Darkthunder couldn't shake off the apprehension and premonition that was coursing through her veins. She stared down at her paws for several heartbeats, forcing them not to tremble, even as leaf-bare chill probed into her damp pelt, and Swiftclaw's dull gaze was fixed on her.

"Are you okay?" Darkthunder managed to ask Swiftclaw.

Swiftclaw glowered at Darkthunder, picking up her air of authority. "Why wouldn't I be?" she snapped. "There's no reason to be. Not a single reason at all."

"She's right, you know. There's not a single reason to be worried at all."

Darkthunder couldn't move as she heard the sardonic voice. She watched the ground for several heartbeats, worrying that it would fall away entirely. Or, that she would fall off it entirely.

When nothing happened, Darkthunder levelled her gaze with Swiftclaw. For a few moments, Swiftclaw stared in the direction of the entrance to camp, where the voice had spoken, then her sharp gaze switched back to Darkthunder. Horror mixed with frustration and fury was smeared across Swiftclaw's face. She stared at Darkthunder, eyes blazing.

"You can't avoid me forever, you know? I get it, I get it." Darkthunder couldn't switch her gaze away from Swiftclaw as the tom's voice spoke again. "Try to kill someone and they tend to not want to talk to you."

Then Darkthunder's gaze turned slowly, as though she couldn't control it anymore. It started by eyeing the ground around the speaker. The thorn-sharp unsheathed claws. The muscular brown legs, the scarred chest. The amber eyes which smirked with recognition.