Frostshard's Demise

Lost Soul

1 year later...

"You called me... Master?"

It felt wrong to say those words to his tormentor, but did it matter, when you've already turned your back on everything?

He paused when he saw the dents on the floor, made by the rocks when the whole ceiling crashed down the last time he was here.

The last time he was here, a cat died.

No.

Murdered.

The fur on his spine bristled slightly; he could still see her blood on his paws, still feel her dying breath on his face...

A cat, white as the bones of a plucked clean carcass, stared at him from the shadows, his orange eyes like cold stars.

He wondered why he had summoned him here again; after Elderflower's death, more knights had been sent to patrol the Meditation Cave, which made it a high risk for somebody who wished to stay hidden.

"Frostshard."

The bone-white cat's voice was more of a serpentine hiss that made his skin crawl.

A voice of deadly calm, like the ones you might hear in your nightmares.

"Tell me, is he truly gone, and ready to move on?"

"Yes, Lord Lightningstrike," he meowed curtly.

"..."

"Liar."

Quick as a flash, the smaller cat raked his Kyberclaws across Frostshard's cheek, dark crimson splattering the ground.

"Have you not realized the true reason why I summoned you here?" Lightningstrike snarled at him.

"I still sense conflict, yes, very faint, but enough to change a cat's mind."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Frostshard took a step back, baring his fangs.

'What have I missed? I'm sure I did everything he asked.'

'What I did may seem wrong, evil, even, but what's the use?'

'This is my destiny, the right thing to do. If nobody would take a stand against the rotting system that they call the Republic, who will?'

'I am a knight under the mask of a Darkhavener, and I will bring order and prosperity to the Galaxy...'

"Oh, but you do," Lightningstrike's hiss was barely audible, cutting through the line of his thoughts.

"I assure you, my loyalty lies with our goal to make a difference to the Galaxy," Frostshard growled.

"Really?"

A cold smile appeared on the Darkhavener's muzzle, making the hairs on his scruff bristle.

"Let's see how you handle this then."

Then there was that voice, the voice of the cat he'd hurt so much, the voice of the cat who was willing to give up everything for him, the voice that took his frozen heart and smashed it into pieces...

The last link that chained his past and present of Frostshard, knight of Dawnclan.

Sagepelt was dead, and Brambletuft's whereabouts were unknown...

"Frosty?"