Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Third Chapter

Ch. 18 - Extinction Resistance

Shadow,

I need you home. There are more Light Claws. I didn't want to bring you into this but they won't leave until their questions are answered. I don't know what they want, though.

Be safe while travelling, I love you.

Love, Shade.

I bit my bottom lip and glanced at Harry, Hermione, Ron Jenny and James, who were happily bounding onwards towards Sirius' place by the stile. We were halfway through Hogsmeade and I had got a letter from my mate, urging me to come home. "Guys." I said quietly. They stopped and turned to me curiously, "Tell Sirius I couldn't come. I don't know when I'll be back." I turned on my heel and sprinted off, leaving Jenny calling my name, "Shadow! Shadow, wait!"

*

A journey of many hours only took me one hour that day, for I was very worried about both my mate and my clan. None had noticed my disappearance so far, since many knew I did not linger during the weekends and the afternoons. It just made me that much more mysterious - perks of being a Shadow Claw, I guessed.

I landed so heavily I almost ripped my wing membrane, but there was no time for that then, so I rushed into the camp and immediately recognised Shade pawing the ground at the entrance of our cave. "Shade!" I yelled, and he looked up rapidly. We leapt towards each other and nuzzled lovingly, "What's going on? I just got your letter..." I mumbled quickly, but was interrupted by a dark voice, despite the Light inside its soul.

"Ah, the last. The last Shadow - the final kitty to the end of extinction."

Shade growled furiously and stepped in front of me slightly. I licked his ear and glared at the group of Light Claws - around twenty - standing before us. One stood forward, his body build muscular yet scarred from head to paw, just like Mad-Eye Moody, but perhaps not as much disfiguration. I snarled, "You have no right to be here. None have committed a crime, and none are in immediate danger. You filthy, loathsome-" I spat each word like a poison I never should have swallowed. The sky thundered and swirled with clouds, but none moved to rain upon us.

The Light Claw let out a thundering roar and I silenced, getting a scolding look from Shade. I huffed through my nose and stood my ground, "You dare speak to an ultimate as you have-"

"I am an ultimate, you scumbag." I was vexated. "In fact, I am the only ultimate I see before us all, since you- you dirty hunters, were the reason my whole species faded away!! But you can't kill me? Can you!? No! Because the balance must be kept and what do you do? You claim high ultimate kingship over the Claws when. You. Don't. Deserve. It. You don't deserve any more than a domestic feline!" I roared, the only thing holding me back was Shade and even he couldn't hold me back forever.

The clan spectating gasped, "So it's true." Whispers started flinging across the clearing. "Dirty liars." "I always knew it." "I wish I could kill them all." "Scum of this world." The mothers ushered their kits and cubs inside the Nursery quickly, afraid they would be hurt or taken away. It had happened before, who was to say it wasn't to happen again?

"SILENCE!" Shade snarled. The whole clearing fell silent. "The Light Claws are no more welcome in my clan than a diseased canine, however they have made their terms, and they will not leave until we meet them. The Shadows may be nearer to extinction than a Star Claw, but they are strong and the balance must be kept. They cannot and they will not touch mea umbra." He gave me a loving and caring glance and I lowered my ears, feeling guilty for lashing out without even discussing anything.

"We need answers, Alpha Shade." The Light Claw leader stated. Shade nodded and linked our tails possessively, "Right this way, Alpha Lumo." He muttered, padding off with me by his side. The Light Claw snarled, "I am a-"