Life of RavenForbidden (discontinued)

Chapter seventeen (Ravens POV)

I blinked open my eyes in dazzling sunlight. Birds chipped around me. I lay there peacefully, listening to the birds tune. Suddenly, the song took on a anxious, warning note. Startled, I jerked up, hitting my head on a low branch. I tried to moan, only to relize me mouth was numb. Fear crawled around me. I was in some sort of confinment. The trees swirled and curved above me, their branches jutting out in dangerous places. The ground was springy moss. But something about this perfect place made me shiver. The trees where to close together, providing no place to get out. And the birds still sang their song with anxiousness. It was a small space, almost making me feel claustrophobic. Suddenly, the branches shook and a entrance appeared as the bushes parted. Perplexed, I started forward, but stopped. Bushes do not part randomly. Birds do not get scared... Suddenly, I understood. I was kidnapped.

"Hello?" I fumbled to say, but it probably came out as a mumble. The numbness of my jaw was wearing off, sending jolts of pain every time I tried to speak. When no one responded, I slowly stood, only to fall back down as me legs collapsed. Laying on my side in fear, I tried to remember hurting myself. Suddenly I remembered. The Brightclaw. The pain. My breath came out in short gasps as thoughts whizzed around in my brain. Would I be like this forever? How can I talk ever again? How can I walk? Am I going to die? No! I responded forcefully. I will not die. "Ah, good. Your awake." With a jolt of energy and anger, I spun around, ignoring the pain I felt in my jaw and legs, I snarled viciously, and sprang toward the voice. Claws flailing, striking wilding, I hissed and snapped. But with one swipe of his huge paws, he sent we reeling. "Now, now, Raven, dear, lets not get hasty. You don't want to pick back up where we started, do you?" The tom cooed. I felt scary realization spread from my nose to my tail tip. I knew this tom. Him and I, we had a history. And not a very good one. I struggled to my feed, slightly dizzy, and focused on the burly grey tom in front of me. "Dark Claw." I mumbled, feeling dumb and awkward as I tried to make my words make sense, even with the pain in my jaw. 

As soon as I said his name, I was sent back into a wave of memories. When I was a kitten, only a few weeks old, I became friends with a tom who lived alone in the forest. No one knew about this, for it was our little secret, he had told me. We met almost every night, chasing each other around the woods and up trees. But when news came saying that Oak was dead, I blamed Dark Claw. I never met him again. But one night, while everyone was asleep, he crept into my den. He said cats where chasing him. He needed help. Normally, for any other cat, no matter how much I hated them, I would help. But not Dark Claw. He killed my brother. So I turned him away. I could hear the cats attacking him- They're screeches echoed through the forest. I felt guilty for days, thinking he was dead. I should have helped him. But I didn't. Then, one morning, I went out hunting. Suddenly, Dark Claw dropped down from a tree and landed in front of me. I was so happy to see him. But he was not happy to see me. He was scared. Bad. He blamed me, and threatened to kill my family. Inflamed, I attacked, snarling and biting and clawing. He held me down, though, with his powerful claws. I fought to escape, but it was no use. I knew he was going to kill me. But I still fought. I fought until I had claws ripped out, scratches, chunks of fur missing... Finnaly, he let go and ran off, yelling, 'you haven't seen the rest of me!' And I knew I hadn't.

"Dark Claw." I repeated, drawing out his name the best I could.The big tom took a slowly walked forward, till I could smell his stinking breath. "Oh, Raven, whats the problem? Can't I talk to an old friend-" He ran his tall under my chin, making me flinch, "-Without all this... Conflict. "It was not really a question, maybe because it had an answer. And the answer was no. Never again. I sighed loudly in asasperation. "Dark Claw, what are you doing, kidnapping me like this? Have you really held a grudge sense we where kits, you.." I had to stop and sit down. My legs where numb and bruised, my jaw awkward and ajar.  Whats wrong with me? Where is Shadow?!  "Dark Claw, let me go at once." I said firmly, ignoring his amused look at my jumbled up words. Suddenly his gaze hardened. I expected an attack, but all he said was, "No." And turned around and stalked toward the entrance. He paused. "Oh, and don't even think about escaping. I have guards." Tired, hurting, angry, and sad, I slumped to the ground and fell into a uncomfortable sleep.