Warriors The Next Chapter: Still Darkness - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Two

Shadowheart's body ached as he traveled through harsh brambles all throughout the night. His paws throbbed with every step, the sharp sting of thorns digging into his flesh, leaving tiny droplets of blood that soon dried up and matted his fur.

The moon cast a pale light over the dense undergrowth, its silvery glow filtering through the tangled branches above. Shadowheart's breath came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving with the effort of pushing through the unforgiving terrain.

Despite the pain that gnawed at his every move, Shadowheart pressed on, driven by determination to put distance between himself and the life he had known. He became accustomed to the pain and trekked through, until he finally made it to the open and untouched lands beyond the Clans could ever know. His breath slowed as he caught his breath, looking down a steep hill.

Patches of snow still clung to the ground as a warm breeze began to drift towards Shadowheart. He lifted his muzzle and could smell a faint scent of rabbit. He licked his lips and crouched down, following the scent. The scent grew stronger as he made his way down the hill and into the long grass.

The wind gently rustled the blades of grass around him. The rhythmic whisper of the breeze intertwined with the distant chirping of crickets, creating a symphony that underscored his solitary journey. The open landscape afforded him a wide view, allowing him to scan the horizon thoroughly. In the distance, the faint outline of a rabbit caught his attention, its gentle movements barely visible against the backdrop of swaying grass.

He crept up slowly, making sure to avoid any sounds that could scare his prey. Once he was a safe distance, he leaped and caught the rabbit in his jaws. He bit down into its neck as he secured it with his paws. With a purr, he picked up the rabbit and padded to a place where he would remain hidden away from danger.

A garden lay near on the sidelines of the open field. He raced over to it and settled in the undergrowth of an abandoned twoleg den. He laid down and ate his catch, licking his paws and mouth once he finished.

Shadowheart prowled cautiously through the unfamiliar terrain, the stench of twolegs filling his nostrils as he cautiously weaved between dens that were occupied with fuming monsters resting by them. He sneaked past it all and sighed with relief once he reached the terrain that lay behind their dens.

The landscape beyond the Twoleg nests was a patchwork of overgrown grass and forgotten debris, a stark contrast to the harsh, sterile environment he had just traversed. The scent of fumes were soon forgotten and he was able to settle near an old tree stump. He laid down and let sleep take over him.

The morning light poked through the clouds, adding an orange glow to Shadowheart's fur. He opened his eyes at the first sight of light and set foot for a proper place to live until he found Scourge. Though the idea of seeking refuge within their towering nests was foreign and unsettling, the possibility of finding a secure shelter compelled him forward.

He made his way through once again, but more careful as twolegs began to come out of their dens and hop inside the monster's jaws. He scanned for any signs of movement towards him, but luckily his dark fur made him unnoticeable against the dawn's casting glow. He crept onward, seeking one that was not as busy.

Just as he thought he found one, a tortoiseshell she-cat came charging at him. She lunged at him,  claws outstretched.

Shadowheart jumped and quickly went into a crouch and hissed furiously. He pummeled her to the ground and he pinned her down, growling and baring his teeth.

"Midnight?" She mewed. Her voice was soft.

Shadowheart held out his paw to rake her belly, but he hesitated and took a step back, letting the she-cat scramble to her paws. He shook his head slowly. "No, I'm Shadowheart." He replied, cooly.

She looked down at her paws in awkwardness. Shadowheart debated whether to attack her while she wasn't looking or if perhaps she was actually friendly. She smelled of a kittypet and he guessed that she came from one of the nearby twoleg nests. "If you don't mind me asking, who is Midnight?"

The she-cat's amber eyes darkened as she answered. "Just another cat." She replied crossly. Shadowheart could feel he wasn't welcome, so he turned to go the other way. "Wait." She called out after him. He stopped and turned his head, glancing over his shoulder. He blinked curiously. "You're one of the Clan cats, aren't you?" She added.

Shadowheart turned back his head, facing forward. His eyes narrowed. "I used to be." His mew was hoarse.

"Used to be?" She tilted her head to the side. "My name's Whisper, by the way. I live just down yonder." She flicked her tail to the grassy moorlands that was surrounding a huge twoleg nest.

"I was blamed for something terrible and so I was banished." He explained, finally turning around and sitting down to face her.

Whisper padded a little closer to him, but still weary of his odd scent. "So you have come to seek refuge with the nofurs?"

Shadowheart tilted his head to the side. "Nofurs?"

"The things that stand on two legs." She explained, wrapping her tail over her front paws.

"Oh, we call them twolegs."

"Makes sense." A purr rumbled in her throat from amusement of the name. Both cats were silent for a few moments. "Midnight was my son. I had three kits." She paused and sighed, closing her eyes in shame. "My nofurs didn't want me having kits, so I ran as far as I could to give birth. I was so weak and frail, that I couldn't give them the milk they needed. I left to get food from my nofurs, then when I returned, two of my kits were dead."

Shadowheart listened in silence, and looked at her with pity in his eyes. "I'm sorry." He finally mewed, feeling her sadness swell up inside her. "I can't imagine what losing your kits feels like."

"One was missing. I looked for days, but I assume that he, too, passed." She finished. She shedded a small tear as she opened her eyes and looked at Shadowheart.

Shadowheart kept her gaze, then widened his eyes. "Where did you have your kits?" He asked, slowly.

Whisper shuffled her paws as if she was thinking and had forgotten where it was. Then she lifted her head and sighed just before answering. "It was in some tall grass. All the way down over there." She pointed with her muzzle.

Shadowheart glanced at the direction where she had pointed. It was near the Clan's territory. "In Clan cat territory?"

"I believe so." Her voice rasped, as she looked down trying to remember if she had smelled his Clan scent before.

Shadowheart rose to his paws and softened his eyes as a purr escaped from his throat. "I think that I am Midnight."