Warriors: Troubled Tides ~Series 2 Book 2~

Chapter 3

Nutwhisker's POV:

"Someone's coming!" Shinewing yelped. "Hide!"

Nutwhisker leapt to his paws, immediately grabbing onto one of the kit's scruff and diving into the undergrowth with Watersplash following, the second kit in her jaws. They hid in tense silence inside the bush, out of sight. Shinewing stayed in the clearing, innocently sorting through the herbs they had collected.
Dapplegrey skidded to a halt in the clearing. "Shinewing!" She demanded. "Is anything wrong?"

Shinewing's lie rolled smoothly off her tongue, much to Nutwhisker's relief. "Nope, I'm just collecting some herbs. Why?"

"We heard yowls." Blizzardstorm meowed. "I thought someone was dying."

Nutwhisker felt Watersplash flinch slightly, her breathes silent. She had recovered sufficiently from the kitting but she was still tired. Normally, a queen would rest during this time after their kitting but Watersplash wasn't able to. Not with all the other cats around. They had formulated a plan to bring the kits into camp later on, once Watersplash had completely recovered. They had agreed to take the kits to Silverwing, saying that they were found abandoned by the border. Hopefully Silverwing would allow two more kits into her litter.

"I heard them too. I just thought it was a fox or something." Shinewing shrugged again, her eyes still glued to the herbs she was sorting.

Nutwhisker twitched his whiskers in surprise. He hadn't even thought of using the fox scent, that they had found earlier, to their advantage.

Mousenose pricked her ears. "We did find fox scent along the way here. Maybe Shinewing's right."

Dapplegrey narrowed her eyes but nodded slowly. "Mm... Alright." She seemed reluctant to leave the conversation but eventually she turned away. "Let's head back to camp. Oh and Shinewing?"

"Yes?" Shinewing meowed, still not looking up.

"Be careful. If there is a fox around, it could attack you."

"I'll be fine." Shinewing promised, finally meeting Dapplegrey's gaze.

As the patrol dived back into the undergrowth and into the distance, Nutwhisker emerged with Watersplash. Shinewing siged softly. "Ready to go back to camp yet?"

"I'll never be ready." Watersplash breathed, nuzzling her two kits lovingly. "But I know I must."

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Stormstar's POV:

Stormstar made it safely to camp without diving too deep into his thoughts. The black tom stumbled into his den and collapsed into his nest, his head spinning.

What is going on with me?

His eyelids grew heavy as his head rested on his paws. Tiredness overcame him, momentarily pausing his racing thoughts. It seemed that within heartbeats, Stormstar was delved into a dream.

Stormstar awoke in his dream, still disorientated. His heart was racing uncontrollably and blood roared in his ears. He blinked his blue eyes rapidly, trying to make out something, anything even, but all he saw was dizzying blackness. He looked at his paws, seeing that the darkness had covered them as well. He could only faintly make out his legs. When he twisted around to look at his back, Stormstar could barely see his own pelt. These are the problems with having black fur.

"Oh, Stormstar." A female voice purred, sending chills running along his spine. "What a muddle you're in. You can't even lead a border patrol."

Stormstar searched around him for the owner of the voice, wandering aimlessly in thw darkness. A small growl rose in his throat. "Who are you?"

"My identity is not needed at this moment in time." The voice held a hint of venom in it, causing another growl to form in Stormstar's throat.

"How do you know me?" Stormstar demanded with a slight hiss, his paws moving frantically to try and get him closer to the voice. But everytime he thought he was ontop of the voice, she sounded right behind him.

"I know all." She chuckled and Stormstar twirled around to face the sound. At first, Stormstar expected to see the same blackness he had been haunted by throughout the entire dream but instead he saw a pair of glowing white eyes. "Ah, you've found me." She grinned, her teeth gleaming unnaturally in the darkness. "Now, let's see what will rile you up.." She disappeared from view again and Stormstar lunged for the spot she had just been, only landing clumsily in the blinding darkness.

"Get back here!" Stormstar snarled in anger, his claws slashing wildly around him as he tried to find the she cat again.

"All in good time." Her voice echoed around him, coming from all sides at once. "First, I'd like to conduct a small test."

Stormstar paused and growled. "What test?" He didn't get the answer he was looking for. Instead, he saw two glowing green eyes ahead of him and a soft voice call out.

"Stormstar, I'm scared."

Stormstar's heart leapt in his throat and his paws moved towards the green eyes. "Silverstar?" His voice choked in his throat as he neared his deceased mate. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"Stormstar, this place is scary." Her voice was small, quiet and insecure.

Stormstar halted, his eyes narrowed slightly. Silverstar was never insecure and scared. "You're not Silverstar." He meowed, a small growl in his voice. "Stop playing games with me!"

The fake Silverstar came into view, "Oh Stormstar... Have you forgotten me?"

"No, I would never." Stormstar hissed.

"Then why are you with Petalstar?" Her voice rose into a loud screech, making Stormstar flinch.

"I-I don't know..." He answered, voice strangled. "She's nice.."

Silverstar stepped closer, her sweet scent surrounding him. It was hard for Stormstar to remember that this wasn't the real Silverstar. Everything about her was so real.

Suddenly, Silverstar was replaced with Petalstar. "Stormstar I hate you! You had a mate before me! You love her more than me!"

"N-no!" Stormstar took a step back, eyes wide. He screwed his eyes shut and yowled. "Stop it!" The faint memories of Rabbitstar messing with his dreams came rushing back and he yowled without thinking. "Stop it Rabbitstar!"

"Rabbitstar?" Petalstar had gone and was replaced by the glowing white eyes of the strange she cat. "Hm..." Her eyes blinked slowly, as of she were recalling a long lost memory. "Let's see..."

Suddenly, claws pierced Stormstar from behind and he whirled around to see Rabbitstar's gaze boring right into his. "Stormstar! We meet again!" His laughed and tore at Stormstar's pelt. "You got out of my grasp once, but not again. I'll rip out all your lives even if it takes my own lives from me!"

Stormstar yanked himself away from Rabbitstar, panic radiating off him. Rabbitstar knows where Lightclan has settled. He'll send a patrol to our territory and finish what he started. Then, the more logical side of him replied. He's just an illusion. It's not the real Rabbitstar. He answered himself again. How do you know? He has the power to mess with our minds!

The voice chuckled at him. "You're easily broken. You're already talking to yourself." Then, Rabbitstar was gone and Stormstar was left alone again. "Looks like my work here is done. Now, off to my next target..." Then Stormstar was plunged out of his dream.

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