Legacy Rising: Dark Secrets

4

Rewritten ✔
Edited ✘

"You- you what? But- Troutfrost is our deputy!" Shadepaw hissed, taking a step back. His orange-and-black fur was puffed up in both rage and slight fear. He feared Pebblepaw was right, and if she was, Troutfrost might've seen, and then she might be next.

"I'm almost sure!" Pebblepaw exclaimed, almost hurt that her friend didn't believe her. Key word: almost. She knew Shadepaw probably wouldn't believe, since again, Troutfrost is a seasoned deputy, and she is a six-moon old apprentice.

"No, no. You didn't actually watch him kill Goldenglow, did you?" Shadepaw asked, his voice shaking.

"Well, no-"

"Then you must have seen wrong. Must have." Pebblepaw nodded at his words. Shadepaw was older than her-- more experienced, wiser. He knew Troutfrost would never do this. Right?

When the storm has passed, Pebblepaw thought. There will be an enemy...

"I- um- I had this... dream..., Shadepaw," Pebblepaw started, glancing at her friend to see any signs of confusion. He nodded his head, his eyes cold. Continue.

"And, um... there was this voice... and it said, 'When the storm has passed, there will be an enemy who will always last. As the breeze blows in, a choice may cause the Clans a terrible end' and the voice sounded familiar. Am I going crazy or something?" the younger rambled on, only stopping when Shadepaw strode forward and put his paw up to her mouth.

"Shush. You are not crazy. It was just a dream. Just a dream, you hear me?" Pebblepaw nodded at his words, and he put his paw back on the ground.

"Let's get back to camp," Shadepaw murmured again. She nodded, and the two of them started along the winding trail. Going back to camp was much scarier than getting away from it, especially since the night had advanced since then. The shadows were longer, the sky darker, the trees seemingly taller.

Pebblepaw tripped over a branch without a sound. Shadepaw didn't seem to notice and kept walking, leaving the younger cat alone.

"Shadepaw?" she squeaked, turning in a tight circle. "Shadepaw?" she meowed louder, taking a step forward.

"Pebblepaw? Did you fall?" Shadepaw said, suddenly appearing at Pebblepaw's side.

"Eep!" she squealed, leaping backward. Once she realized who it was, she felt her ears heat up in embarrassment. "Yeah," she sighed. "I fell." He nodded, drooping his tail to lay on her back.

"I'll keep my tail on your back so if you fall again, I'll notice," the older meowed, laying his tail on her back. He smiled, and Pebblepaw felt her ears heat up. She glanced to the ground. They make it back to camp unharmed and weren't caught, and Pebblepaw almost immediately passed out once she laid down.

* * *

The next day, Pebblepaw was woken up by someone gently shaking her.

"Pebblepaw," Sparrowpaw's voice sounded, "Troutfrost wants to take you hunting." Pebblepaw blinked open her eyes at that.

Hunting? With Troutfrost? Were her thoughts as she stumbled out of the den, blinking as the too bright sun shined in her eyes. What if he...? she could never finish her thought.

The world seemed to hot to be leaf-bare to Pebblepaw. Little flurries of snow had started falling during the night though, so it had to be colder than she thought. The ground was covered in a thin layer of the cold snowflakes, and Pebblepaw liked how it felt on her paw pads.