Dark Night (Book 3)

Chapter 7

"M-mom? Is that you?" I whisper in the cold, dark cave.

The black and white cat lifted her head weakly. "Night? Oh Night! Is that really you?!" She cries and forces herself to give a raspy purr.

"It is you!" I cry. I grab the squirrel I caught and hand it over to her. "You need to eat!"

Flower, my mother, purrs and tries to eat. "I can't believe after all these moons I get to see my daughter again! Where is Shadow? Surely he is with you?" She says, concern filling her blue eyes.

A pang of guilt hits me as I remember the dark gray tom. But he is gone. There is no need to talk about him anymore.

"Mom.. Just.. Focus on getting better, okay?" I reply as I lick her cheek.

"Um, Nightpaw? Can I speak to you?" Whispers Flare from behind me.

"Sure."

"Your mother is dying." He bursts.

"What?" I exclaim.

"She is really weak and sick. She doesn't remember much that happened. I found her half-starved by the edge of the forest. She was just lying there motionless, with a wound on her leg that is severely infected."

"Can't you help her?!" I hiss. "This is the first time I've seen her in moons. I'm not losing her to another sickness!"

"I'm sorry. There isn't anything I can do." He meows.

"No! I'm not losing her again!" I yell and I pad over to my mother and stroke her head with the gentle lapping of my tongue.

"I heard your conversation with Flare. He is right. I am dying." Flower says, setting her head down next to the half bitten squirrel.

She barely touched it.

"But..but.. You can't die! You just can't." I wail, feeling like a kit again.

"I love you, Night." She says, as she closes her eyes. And slowly, her breathing comes to a stop.

"Flower! No!" I cry.

"Nightpaw. I'm sorry." Flare says.

"It's okay.. Hey ow!" I hiss.

Flare just clawed at my muzzle!

"What was that for?!" I hiss.

"Nightpaw, I'm sorry but I have to-"

"Hey Flare! Have you gotten her.. Oh Nightpaw!" A familiar voice sounds from behind me.

"Blazepaw! Oh thank Starclan you're okay! I thought you disappeared!" I cry

"Disappeared? Me? Nah.. I just went out for some fresh air." He meows.

"Well you scared me half to death! I really thought you were gone!"

"I would never leave you." He purrs.

I purr back. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

Blazepaw shoots Flare a look.

"Um.. Flare is a friend. I came here to say hello and check on Flower. How is she anyway?" He asks.

"Dead." I say, barely a whisper coming out of my mouth.

"Oh no.." He begins. He rests his tail tip on my shoulder. "It's going to be okay." He says.

Is it really going to be okay?

"So, Flare this is my brother Blazepaw and-"

"He knows." Blazepaw says.

"Wait, so he knows that we..?"

"Yes." Blazepaw says.

"But I thought you said not to tell any cat! And yet you are the one telling Flare! What if he goes and tells everyone our secret?!" I exclaim.

"Nightpaw, relax! I trust Flare. Now come on! The others will be worried about us. How about you come too, Flare?" Blazepaw says.

"Sure." Flare replies as he shrugs his shoulders.

Well Flare is really nice. I guess I can learn to trust him.

*********

"There you are! I was just about to go looking for you!" Exclaims Stormclaw, as he rushes over to us. "Blazepaw! You're okay! Oh.. Who is this?"

"My name is Flare." The ginger tom meows.

"He's a rouge." Stormclaw growls.

"Stormclaw. Leave him alone! I was a rouge too, remember?" I meow

"Yeah but you're different! I trust you and your brother. But that doesn't mean I can trust every cat." He says, giving a low growl

"You can trust him." I reply

Stormclaw just snorts. "We'll see about that. Now come on. The others are waiting for you."

"Hi! Blazepaw! Glad to see that you're okay!" Meows Shimmerpelt eagerly as we settle down for some fresh kill.

Flare picks up a vole and settles down next to me. "Wanna share?" He asks.

"Sure! How'd you know vole is my favorite?" I meow, taking a bite.

"Um, lucky guess..?"

I give a mrrow of laughter. "I'm just teasing."

Stormclaw pads next to me and curls his tail around his paws. He growls softly.

"I'm going to take a nap." I announce.

Stormclaw sure doesn't like Flare. Is it because he is jealous or something?

I settle down in my moss covered best, tuck my nose in my paws, and drift off to sleep.

^*^*^*^*

Dark foggy mist pools around my white paws.

Where am I ?

The air smells foul and the sky is pitch black. The moon is gone.

"Don't trust him" a voice echoes though the clouds.

"Trust who? Who's out there?" I meow.

"Don't trust him! You know who I mean."

"No, I don't. I-"

Suddenly darkness hovers over me and I start to see something.

A vision!

I see Goldheart, and Shimmerpelt. Flare.. Darkflower.. Blazepaw.. And even Stormclaw. They are all surrounding something.

I pad next to them.

What are they looking at?

I peer over Stormclaw's shoulder. It's a dead body!

My body!