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

Chapter Ten

Waterlily padded out of the den, her paws making no sound against the soft earth. She carried fresh herbs in her mouth, then gulped  them down as she made her way up the ravine and out of camp. She stopped to look back for one second longer before vanishing into the thick undergrowth. Frostfur stood just a few tail-lengths from the nursery. She had a desperate look in her eyes that made Waterlily feel uneasy.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She had to focus on her duty, not on her past. She had to meet with the other medicine cats, and see what StarClan had to say. She's already been late the last few times. She quickened her pace and met up with Barkface as she headed down a small hill that led just outside of the WindClan border. She followed it and Barkface joined her, his pelt almost brushing hers. 

"Cheer up, Waterlily. This won't be a nightmare forever." He urged her hopes on.

Waterlily narrowed her eyes, and kept her gaze on the ground as they still continued their way to the Moonstone. She couldn't bare thinking of it being a nightmare. This was real, and she couldn't keep her mind from it, no matter how hard she tried. 

Barkface and Waterlily made it to the Moonstone just before the moon hit its highest peak. Waterlily padded down and greeted Mudfur with a slight nod. Littlefoot then padded up to them. His fur was ruffled and messy as if he didn't clean himself for a whole moon. Waterlily suddenly felt sorry for him, and his Clan. "Should we go inside while we still have moonlight?" He meowed with a bit of rasp in his voice.

Mudfur dipped his head in agreement. "Yes, I agree. Let's go." He then led the way down into the tunnel. 

Waterlily followed after him and squinted her eyes as the glow of the moonstone almost blinded her. The scent of herbs then calmed her as Littlecloud padded up beside her. "You look exhausted. Are you alright?" Mewed Waterlily, her pelt brushed up against Littlecloud.

"Yes, just a little tired is all. Being a medicine cat can be quite a lot at times." He purred. He stopped and turned to her. "Thanks." He added, then headed towards his spot next to Mudfur. Waterlily looked down at her paws. She felt like he wasn't telling her everything. He was keeping something from her, but she didn't want to dwell too much on it. She softly sighed then took her place next to Barkface and touched the cold stone with her nose. 

 The Moonstone seemed to draw her into its depths, transporting her to a dreamlike glade bathed in the silvery light of the moon. A small, white and black speckled she-cat, formed in front of her. "Waterlily," she greeted, her voice a gentle murmur carried by a breeze that seemed to echo with the whispers of StarClan.

"Brambleberry." Waterlily greeted her with a purr.

"There is much danger to come, Waterlily." Brambleberry's meow was suddenly bitter as if she was seeing danger for the first time in her life.

"What can you tell me of this danger?" She chose her words carefully, knowing that StarClan was always vague with theirs.

Brambleberry didn't say anything. She closed her eyes and touched Waterlily's forehead with her nose. "Just watch." She whispered.

Waterlily closed her eyes, then reopened them. She was in ShadowClan territory. She could smell their foul scent, but she padded closer to the crowd of cats that stood in the middle of the clearing. She gasped in horror as she got closer and noticed the scent of death. She pushed her way through the cats. ThunderClan, RiverClan and WindClan was all here and she glanced around at the faces. Some of the cats looked satisfied as if they wanted this cat to die. Her gaze then followed theirs and she stopped as she saw who the lifeless body belonged to. It was Tigerstar.

She then looked at the cat that was standing over his body. "No, Shadowheart. How could you?" She softly whispered. Shadowheart turned to her, his eyes blazed like fire. At first it all seemed blurred, then her gaze focused as she narrowed her eyes in anger. Wrapped snugly around Shadowheart's neck was a purple collar, its edges lined with menacing teeth. She widened her eyes in alarm, then tilted it with more confusion. Were those the teeth of the cats he killed?

Brambleberry then took a step back and looked Waterlily in the eyes."There will be lots of blood spilled, but it won't be for nothing." She meowed softly, then padded away. 

Waterlily was left alone for a short moment. She blinked open her eyes. She was back in the Moonstone. The others were stirring as well and she wondered if they had such crazy visions as well. They didn't seem phased by their dreams, so she kept silent as they headed up the tunnel and into the light. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then reopened them as she got used to the light of dawn. 

The other medicine cats departed with a slight nod, unaware of the danger that laid ahead of them. She trod silently through the open fields then stopped just before she hit the thunderpath. Monster roared past her, making their foul stench linger behind them. She crossed once she had a clear runway and stayed alongside the WindClan border once more. 

As she entered the camp, shadows danced on the edges of her vision and her eyes flickered with an unspoken worry. The dawn light seemed charged with a strange energy as she made her way towards the medicine den. 

Cinderpelt then padded up to her as she entered the familiar scents of herbs. "I'm glad you're back. We were getting worried." She mewed as she sat down awkwardly on her haunches. 

"Sorry. I guess StarClan had a lot to share." Her voice drifted as if she was lost in thought.

Cinderpelt dipped her head in acknowledgement, noticing that Waterlily would be best to leave alone for now. She got to her paws and headed out of the den. Waterlily lifted her head and watched as Cinderpelt left the medicine den. "Wait." She finally called out.

Cinderpelt stopped in her tracks and turned to face Waterlily, her eyes bursting with curiosity.

Waterlily looked down at her paws, not really knowing what to say. She trusted Cinderpelt, but she knew that she wasn't allowed to say anything until she spoke with Firestar. "Is Firestar in his den?" She finally asked.

Cinderpelt nodded slowly. 

"Thank you." Waterlily meowed softly. "I can tell you once I get more details." She added then lightly brushed past Cinderpelt as she made her to the leader's den. 

She announced herself before she entered. Firestar scrambled to his paws. He looked as if StarClan had been haunting his dreams. He sat down and slouched his shoulders, his head hanging low.

"I fear..." She stopped, thinking that Firestar could be ill. "Are you alright, Firestar?"

Firestar took a deep breath and straightened up his position. "I'm just a little tired is all. Can't sleep much these past few moons." He confessed.

"I can give you some herbs if you like, I have uh, poppy..."

She was cut off from Firestar's harsh hiss. "I'm fine."

"Of course, sorry." She dipped her head and could meet Firestar's eyes as she spoke of her dream with StarClan. "I fear Shadowheart will come back." She finished.

Firestar then widened his eyes. "Shadowheart is the one that will kill Tigerstar?" 

Waterlily finally looked up at him. His eyes were clouded with worry, yet satisfaction at the same time. "What do you mean?"

Firestar looked down at his paws, "Tigerstar has nine lives. Unless he kills him nine times, that... " He paused, "just sounds impossible." He looked back up at Waterlily.

"I don't know." She finally meowed. She really didn't know what would come of it. If Shadowheart was the one to kill Tigerstar, Firestar could be next. "What if he comes after you next?" Firestar's eyes looked confused, so Waterlily continued. "He killed Whitestorm, remember?"

Firestar then felt as if he was jerked back to the real world. "Yes, I remember. We'll have to stop him somehow."

"How can we stop someone so powerful that he can kill a cat nine times?"

Firestar shrugged. "We can only hope StarClan keeps giving you these warnings. Once you know more details, I want to hear it. I have a feeling this day could be coming faster than we think."