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

Chapter Nine

"Are you ready?" Cookie's black-and-white pelt blew in the wind as he approached Willowbreeze.

Willowbreeze blinked open her eyes, and nodded her head slowly. She didn't remember drifting off to sleep, but it felt good even though she didn't sleep for long.

"To the gorge we go... again." Mewed Ginger, crossly.

Willowbreeze flinched from her tone. Did she not like going to the gorge? Cookie led the way, his tail stood straight up in the air. While, Ginger, trudged along behind him, with Willowbreeze following beside her.

Ginger kept her gaze ahead, and made no signs of wanting to talk. Willowbreeze was curious and wanted to know everything about them, but she dared not to make a sound in case it made them angrier. 

Not knowing what would happen next, made her whiskers tremble. She Could feel her ears pounding with almost every step she took. If she trusted the wrong cats, she would be crowfood. Her heart began to race as she started to worry more and more.

"So what brings you to the gorge?" Mewed Cookie as he slowed his pace to walk beside Willowbreeze.

Willowbreeze twitched her whiskers with amusement. "I want to meet someone there. Shadowheart. He... he did something terrible. Well at least that's what the Clans think." She paused.

"What do they think he did?" Cookie was very curious in this juicy news of the mysterious black cat they once met.

"Firestar said he killed a deputy in ThunderClan."

Cookie stopped and widened his eyes. "You don't believe him?"

"I want to believe Shadowheart is good hearted, but I don't know." She stopped beside him and hung her head low.

"You've gone this far," Ginger swiped a paw over her ear, "so why stop now? You're so close."

Willowbreeze twitched her nose, unknowing if she did the right thing. She was glad that Ginger finally spoke softly. 

Cookie nodded in agreement. "If you've come all this way, you might as well see it through. You never know, you might find him and learn the truth."

Willowbreeze sighed with doubt in her eyes. "I hope so." She looked down at her paws. "I just need to know."

Ginger gave her a reassuring nudge. "You're brave, coming all this way alone. Don't doubt yourself now."

With that encouragement, Willowbreeze purred softly and nodded her head in acceptance. "Well, we mustn't keep him waiting." She urged them to keep going.

Ginger and Cookie swiftly nodded at one another and led the way, with their tails held high. Willowbreeze followed them in silence and kept her mind steady until they finally reached an open field. She could see it. The gorge was close! She could feel her paws tingle with excitement, or was it nerves? She was still weary of her two companions. Even though they were friendly, she still didn't trust them.

"Okay." Mewed Ginger. "We're here. Just follow that path down. It should lead you into the gorge."

"Thank you." Purred Willowbreeze. "I really needed this." She added, softening her eyes as she glanced at both cats that stood in front of her.

"Of course." Cookie dipped his head. Ginger dipped her head as well, but she kept silent.

Willowbreeze turned towards the path leading down into the gorge. She took a deep breath and headed down. 

"Good luck!" She heard one of them call out. She couldn't quite tell who it was, but she wasn't about to turn back and ask. 

The air in the gorge felt heavy with the scent of damp earth and moss. Willowbreeze padded quietly, her senses alert to every sound and movement. As she walked, memories of Shadowheart lingered in her mind. 

The small clearing where he had rested before drew her attention. Stopping near the familiar scent, Willowbreeze observed the moss-covered den and the traces of a cat's presence. "He's alive." She softly purred to herself. 

She settled down in the clearing, her gaze lingering on the path ahead. The gorge seemed to echo with the whispers of the past, and Willowbreeze found herself contemplating the choices that had led her here. She wondered if Shadowheart would ever return, and if he did, what kind of cat he would be.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the gorge, Willowbreeze couldn't help but feel a sense of solitude in this wild, mysterious place. She took another deep breath and continued down further into the gorge. She kept her nose keen to any signs of Shadowheart being nearby, but to no avail. 

Just as she thought she would never find him, she heard his voice a few fox-lengths down. "Willowbreeze? Is that you?" Willowbreeze stopped and widened her eyes. It was Shadowheart. Her heart skipped a beat as he padded closer to her. He stopped, purred softly and rubbed her cheek with his whiskers. "I never thought I'd see you here." 

Willowbreeze was speechless and didn't know what to say. She sat down and curled her tail over her front paws. "I came to know the truth." 

Shadowheart dipped his head to the side. "About what? Why Whitestorm is dead?" He paused for a moment. "Firestar really did tell everyone." He muttered half to himself.

Willowbreeze suddenly felt bad for him, but it didn't answer her questions. "Yes. I just need to know if you really did it." She got to her paws and slightly narrowed her eyes. "I didn't believe Firestar. I just... need to know." She could feel heart quicken as she looked down at her paws.

Shadowheart sighed and shook his head slowly, then looked down at his paws."I did not kill Whitestorm. I was just as shocked as everyone else when I found him. I just... found him first." 

Willowbreeze lifted her head then tilted it to the side in confusion. "Why did they suspect you?"

Shadowheart sat down and wrapped his fluffy tail over his front paws. "There's another black cat around, that has been tormenting with ThunderClan." He narrowed his eyes again, but in anger of someone Willowbreeze did not know. She longed to know more details, but Shadowheart stopped. 

Shadowheart's words hung in the air, leaving a sense of tension. Willowbreeze's eyes widened with curiosity. Another black cat tormenting ThunderClan? The revelation intrigued her. "Who is this cat?" she asked, her voice a soft whisper in the quiet gorge.

Shadowheart's gaze remained distant, as if lost in thought. "A rogue named Scourge. He's ruthless and cunning. ThunderClan is facing challenges, and Scourge seems to be at the heart of it."

Willowbreeze's fur bristled at the mention of Scourge. The name held a weight of foreboding, as if darkness itself had taken feline form. "What does he want with ThunderClan?" she inquired, her mind racing with worry.

Shadowheart hesitated before responding, his words measured. "He wants revenge."