Secrets Embedded Within

Chapter 4

Owlstar's POV

I lay curled up in my den, my head throbbing with a pain that felt like it was splitting me in two. The voices, oh the voices! They wouldn't cease. They were like a relentless storm, an unending barrage that seemed to come from every direction all at once.

I was so tired, but I knew that sleep would only make the torture worse. Especially if he was there. He had been gone for a few moons, the best moons of my life. I thought he was gone forever, but it was too good to be true. He reappeared in my dreams, and I wouldn't comply. So he sent... these... these horrible voices to ring in my ears day and night.

Nothing stopped them, nothing made them better, nothing did anything. All I could do was be miserable, trapped in a never-ending nightmare.

I tried to block them out, but they were too loud, too overwhelming. I felt like I was going to go crazy; like the voices were going to drive me to do something terrible. I just wanted it to stop.

"Owlstar?" Ivyleg called out, her voice laced with concern. 

"I'm fine," I said, trying my best to sound confident. "What do you need?"

Ivyleg's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before she finally spoke. "Antfur wishes to speak with you," she said, her voice tinged with suspicion.

I felt a twinge of anxiety in my chest.

"Oh," I said after a moment. "Bring him in..."

The screaming in my head grew louder and louder.

"Stop," I whispered, my voice coming out almost like a whimper.

"What was that?" Ivyleg said, pausing just as she was about to walk away.

"Nothing! I'm fine!" I snapped.

Ivyleg shot me a look of annoyance before sauntering away. I buried my head in the soft moss beneath me, praying for the strength to get this horrible day.

"Owlstar?"

"Hello," I muttered.

"Are you okay? You look like a strangled rabbit."

"Yes! For StarClan's sake, I'm fine!"

"Well, I just wanted to ask who you're taking to the gathering."

"Oh," I said quietly. I hadn't thought about it at all.

"Not you, obviously."

It was Swifttail.

I wanted to tell him off, but honestly, I didn't even want to go. All those voices, all those eyes...

"So?" Antfur persisted.

"Um," I spluttered. "You... Leopardstream... um... you can choose the rest."

"Leopardstream? That little-"

Swifttail glared at Antfur then turned to Owlstar, narrowing his eyes. "You're really not well, Owlstar. Get some rest."

I finally nodded, curling up.

I had to give in. If this kept on for any longer, I'd go insane.

"So I see you've finally chosen to obey me?"

I gritted my teeth as my ears rang and rang with the voices.

I gasped as it finally stopped.

It was amazing. The silence.

"I-I-"