Lost Hope: Book 6: Future of Hope

Chapter 18

Violetshadow stood at the edge of the Star Hollow with Dandelionheart. The smaller medicine cat didn't meet her gaze when they had walked out of camp the morning after Stonestar's death. He hadn't even spoken to her as they made their way along the well-walked path. And he didn't speak now as he continued forward into the starry forest. Violetshadow felt like she was approaching her doom.

    I should feel victorious, she thought to herself, as her paws pressed deeply into the soft ground. So why didn't she?

    They arrived at the Startree sooner than she would've liked to, and stared up into the glimmering branches of the tree towering over her. Dandelionheart sat down a few paces from the trunk and wrapped his tail neatly around his paws. He glanced up at the sky, and the waning full moon that shone above.

    "You'd better not keep StarClan waiting," Dandelionheart said in a low voice.

    Violetshadow gave him a small nod, and laid down between the roots of the Startree, the bark rubbing uncomfortably at her fur. She had no idea what she was about to wake up to.

    She soon found herself in a dimmed clearing. It looked abandoned in the way that old birds nests do; once full of life and energy, but now dusty unkempt, the chicks all flown away. Violetshadow's tail twitched as she gazed around at the deserted place. Was this StarClan? If so, where were its residents? She took a few steps forward, with no clear sense of where she was actually going, but figuring she might was well look around.

    "Hello?" she said in a murmur. When no one answered, she repeated the question in a louder voice, still meeting the same response.

    What am I supposed to do now? she wondered, her tail lashing across the ground in frustration. "Viperfang, it would be so helpful if you just told me what I was supposed to do, instead of springing this on me," she grumbled. "I can't help with the plan if I don't know what the plan is!"

    "Then let me explain it, kitten."

    For a moment, Violetshadow thought it was another one of Viperfang's silly whispers she heard in her head every now and then. But then she spotted the bright eyes of her mentor staring at her from between the leaves of one of the shorter trees.

    Violetshadow lifted her chin and met the dark tabby's imperious and somewhat amused gaze. She would not be intimidated by a dead cat, even if that cat was Viperfang. "I'm listening," Violetshadow said.

    Viperfang leapt down from the tree and sauntered up to Violetshadow. Her tail bobbed behind her, making loops in the air as she walked, and her ever present grin played on her lips. "Well, listen to this, my dear pupil, StarClan will not be visiting you tonight, because I have them all locked up in the Dark Forest."

    How am I supposed to get my nine lives then? Violetshadow thought, but she didn't say the words aloud. Viperfang continued, "Fortunately for you, your Clanmates don't know that, and therefore, as far as their knowledge goes, you are now blessed with nine lives from StarClan." Her grin widened. "EchoClan's new leader, Violetstar."

    Violetstar. Something about the name caused turmoil in her brain, sending waves of shadows into her body. She had worked her whole life for this. The taste of power still sparked some kind feeling that charmed her, but it also crashed with some thoughts she couldn't quite put words too. Conflicting thoughts. But she lifted her head and pretended she didn't hear them.

    "And now, we get to enact my favorite part of the plan," Viperfang continued. At the sight of Violetshadow's questioning gaze she added in an almost lofty voice, "More death, of course."