Book 2 - Warriors: The Servant's Promise

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Stormheart felt something he had hadn't felt four over ten moons. It wasn't insanity—no, not that. It was the feeling of anger, but not just the simple fury that Demonfang felt. He was surged with power because he felt there was an injustice in front of him, and he had to destroy it. Yes, he had to make things fair.

Stormheart ran forward, his claws unsheathed. The pain from his leg was merely equivalent to a sore muscle at this point despite the fact that it was clearly dislocated. His eyes were not narrowed, and nor were they wide. They were normally staring at the light brown Volan in front of him.

Stormheart lunged forward as Negro's father did, and as they crashed together, the brown and white tom did not notice anything bad happening to him. Their claws sliced through the fur on the other's shoulders while the teeth nipped at the neck, searching for a throat to rip out.

After landing on four paws again, Stormheart growled and jumped away. His teeth were bared, and his muscles were burning. Negro's father merely looked surprised as Stormheart paced, waiting for the light brown Volan to attack.

The Volan unfolded his wings and took off into the air with only a simple jump, leaving Stormheart to follow his movements with his eyes. Negro's father didn't go very high up, but he dove almost too fast for the brown and white tom to see. However, at the last second, Stormheart evaded the attack narrowly.

Negro's father hissed with fury, but as soon as he landed on the ground, he lunged toward Stormheart with unsheathed claws and bared teeth. The brown and white tom jumped upward, and as he landed on top of the keen Volan, Stormheart could feel his bones straining with the force that was being pushed against him.

Both toms went rolling away, but as Stormheart sensed he was going to end up on the top, he kicked Negro's father in the stomach forcefully. The light brown Volan hissed, but used his wings to bring him into the sky before Stormheart could attack again.

The brown and white warrior stood, his eyes staring up and Negro's father. Matar stirred in his mind, and Stormheart smiled as his partner thought, You kicked that tom with enough force to break a normal cat's spine and several ribs.

Negro's father suddenly landed peacefully and slowly. Sensing there was going to be time-out, Stormheart kept his power within him for only a moment. He didn't accidentally want to kill a cat that wanted to make peace with him.

"You have eyes like a light cloudy day, and the moon on your shoulder is full," Negro's father observed. "Your strength is far better than when we began, and you are suddenly aggressive. What has changed?" Stormheart stared, finding it hard to form the words.

It must be like before I made up with Matar, Stormheart decided. Like when I attacked Rosestar...

"I am strong...normally," said Stormheart. "My power is kept to a...minimum to save painful deaths for...others." Negro's father just stared.

"Hmm...it seems you are right," he murmured. "If this is your true power, then let me apologize for how I acted earlier. I thought you'd be an easy kill, not a worthy opponent." Stormheart's eyes narrowed.

"My name, though unknown to most, is Strom Kies," said Negro's father. "You are one of four to know my name, and out of those four, none of them are of my lineage or of my decedents. What is your name, young warrior?" Stormheart's eyes continued to be narrowed.

"My...my name is Stormheart," Stormheart answered. "But...why must you know?"

"Tradition," Strom answered. "When I have met my equal, it is custom to give out my name as a symbol of honour to the strong warrior who fights me." Stormheart understood, if only slightly.