Warriors: Poisoned Loyalty {COMPLETED}

Chapter 24

The moonlight filtered through the small gaps in the den's roof, casting faint silver light onto the mossy nests. The camp was still, only the distant rustle of the long grass and occasional hoot of an owl breaking the silence. Poppypool shifted in her sleep, her body curled around the remnants of the day's anxiety. She hadn't slept deeply in moons, and tonight was no exception.

A sharp gasp shattered the quiet of the medicine den.

Poppypool's eyes snapped open. For a moment, she wasn't sure what had roused her, but then she saw the small, trembling figure of Dusk bolt upright in their nest, eyes wide with panic. They were panting, their fur bristling as if they had just been in a fight.

"Dusk," Poppypool called softly, rising from her nest and padding over. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe."

Dusk didn't respond at first, still lost in the terror of their dream. They were staring straight ahead, their chest heaving as though they were still running from something– or someone.

Poppypool reached out gently, touching her tail to Dusk's shoulder. "Dusk, it was just a nightmare. You're here, in GlacierClan. Nothing's going to hurt you."

Dusk blinked, slowly coming back to reality. Their trembling began to ease as they looked at Poppypool, their wide, fearful eyes beginning to soften with recognition. They took a shaky breath, though their body still shivered.

"I..." Dusk's voice was weak, barely more than a whisper. "I dreamt about them."

Poppypool tilted her head, concern etching her features. "The rogues?"

Dusk nodded, their gaze dropping to their paws, as though ashamed. "I couldn't... I couldn't get away from them. They were everywhere. They kept chasing me. Gravel... Ridge... Vine... I couldn't escape."

Poppypool settled down beside Dusk, her fur brushing against theirs in a comforting gesture. "Tell me what happened."

Dusk hesitated, their breath still uneven, but then the words tumbled out of them, as though the weight of the nightmare had loosened their tongue. "Gravel– he's the leader. He... he's the one who killed my mother. He took me after that, made me a part of his group when I was just a kit. I never had a choice."

Poppypool's heart clenched, horrified. She had known the rogues were dangerous, but this... this was far worse than she had imagined. "That's terrible," she whispered, her voice soft with sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Dusk."

Dusk continued, their voice shaking as the memories spilled out. "Gravel's ruthless. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. If anyone crosses him, he makes sure they regret it– he's... cold, Poppypool. He doesn't feel anything. He just takes."

Poppypool listened quietly, her heart aching for the young cat. "And the others?" she prompted gently, sensing that there was more that Dusk needed to say.

"Ridge," Dusk muttered, their fur bristling again at the name. "She's Gravel's second-in-command. She's not as cruel, but she's... she's deadly. She's Gravel's biggest supporter. In battle, she's swift– she kills without hesitation, without a single misstep. Everyone is terrified of her."

Poppypool's tail twitched uneasily. The idea of cats like Gravel and Ridge roaming the territory, threatening her Clanmates, made her fur prickle with tension.

But it was Dusk's next words that sent a chill down Poppypool's spine.

"Vine," Dusk whispered, their voice thick with a mixture of fear and resentment. "She was supposed to be my mentor. She taught me how to fight, but... she enjoyed it too much. She didn't just fight– she liked to mock her enemies, to humiliate them before finishing them off. She kept pushing me to be more violent, to use my claws in ways I didn't want to." They swallowed hard, their eyes dark with the memories. "I hated it. But if I didn't listen... she'd punish me."