Darkness Calling - Warriors And Multi-Fandom Fanfiction

Chapter 1: Scar In My Mind

The trees swayed in the late morning breeze as the sun shone down a lustrous glow on the land. Crisp leaves let go of their grip on the crumbling branches and swayed slowly through the smooth wind, descending downward towards the flowing fronds. They rested next to the curled shape of a prickly, unkempt tail that flattened the grass abruptly and shadowed a murky dimness along the glisten of shining light spread across the grass. The cat's ears were pinned against his bristly, blood-stained fur as he watched the scene around him with tired eyes. His stormy grey eyes were bold in the shining light of dawn. He was a shadow - a lost soul in a world of serenity, a life off-path. Gaze raising to the shimmering sun, his mind clouded with pessimistic yet relieving thoughts.

I'm nearly there, mom...

Suddenly, something broke the silence. Eyes flying open, his pupils darted around cautiously, yet his claws remained sheathed. Why bother fighting? Why bother making a stand? He sighed and returned his gaze forward miserably. Just as his gaze settled down, he abruptly felt a strong weight plummet down onto his fragile body. A spiteful hiss was urged out of his mouth as he shut his eyes tight, kicking forward with his back legs weakly. Scents flooded his nose to notify him of what this was: another cat. Even though his eyes were closed, he could feel that this cat's claws were not out; all he felt was tensed paws against his prickly, dark fur. The cat didn't seem to retaliate. Carefully and slowly, he opened his eyes to see a broad muscled tom with leafy green eyes full of desperation staring down right at him. The stranger's eyebrows were pinned against his eyes, but not through anger or hostility - through distress. Chest raising up and down more gently, a bold, hasty voice came from the cat.

"Look, I'm not here to hurt you or threaten you. Just, please, tell me where I am and where my brother is.." The more languid tom looked up at the other, brazen tom with confusion as he tilted his head slightly. Narrowing his eyes, he let out an effortless reply that sounded as if he wasn't bothered.

"Uh.. You're at the Kittypet Place. You should know that as you're one of them too." He referred to the dangling necklace around the broad tom's neck. It was a gold amulet hanging from a thick brown thread - he expected some sort of collar, but obviously his Twoleg wanted things different for his pet.

"What? No! I'm not one of them. This is just some... I dunno, the Upwalker gave me it. So where's my brother? Did they take him too?" The anonymous cat's voice still remained at a level of urgency and his paws were firmly placed on the other delicate tom's shoulders. The tom wriggled with annoyance under the other cat's paws pinning him down strongly.

"Well, if you want answers, get your paws off me!" He hissed irritably. The strangers eyes glistened with a short flicker of hostility as he roughly removed his paws from the negligent tom's body. Returning steadily to his unstable paws, the tom's stormy, narrowed eyes glared at the stranger. He grunted, muttering under his breath.

"Stupid kittypet.." The stranger immediately gave him a frown as he knew that he had said something. With a more stern voice, he spoke, his eyes showing a brief sense of frustration.

"What's your name?" Instantly, the less broad tom let out a snarl, abrupt clouds of hostility filling his eyes and making his thin tail lash defensively.

"Why should I tell a stranger who looks like they're about to kill me any moment?!" This spiteful remark made the stranger's muscles more tense, forcing out a low growl from his gritting teeth of agitation.

"It's a name, you mouse-brain! Like I'd do anything with a useless name. I could call you rat-face if you prefer that to your normal name, because that suits you too." The anonymous cat said with malignant amusement. Though he still felt uncertain, the scrawnier cat grunted angrily and muttered his name.

"Comet. What's yours, Kittypet?" His name-calling was somewhat intelligent in a devious way. The stranger grunted, then responded brusquely.

"Dean. Now answer my question." Comet's ears flicked in a pique manner, his eyes rolling briefly and his smaller muscles slightly tensing under the demanding green blaze of Dean's eyes. Tail tip twitching, he replied with a bitter tone.

"Don't know, don't really care. Don't really see a lot of cats that pass by here anyway." Frowning angrily, Dean spat a reply, his tail lashing back and forth through his protective state.

"Look, he's my only kin. If you even give a damn about anything, it's hard to see. I don't want to find him dead, or in a sort of state like you are. You've obviously never had kin. You're just some idiot who lives off wasting other's time." Comet's eyes widened with shock at Dean's reply, which soon turned into burning fury. His ears pinned against his head and his teeth bared, yet his deep anger was only driven by his despair.

"I've had kin, alright. Kin who have been murdered right in front of me! I've never felt what it's like to have siblings.. The only one there for me was my mother. Well guess what? Her blood was spattered all around me! You know why I'm in this 'sort of state'? Because I have nothing to live for. All I want to do is be with my mother. That's all I've ever asked, but then life hit me right in the face and told me to forget it. I don't wanna live in a world that hates me. I don't wanna live in a world where you have to help others and others have to help you. Why should I even bother helping others, when all anyone else gives me is a scratch on the face and a scar in my mind?!" His eyes were glazed with pain as memories flooded his mind. Dean's ears slowly flattened, Comet's words making him feel guilty. He shut his eyes, keeping them closed for a moment before letting out a sigh and reopening them. All anger and frustration was drained out of him as he spoke with a softer voice.

".. I'm sorry about that.. It's just.. He's all I got left. He's my responsibility, and if I don't look out for him then I don't know what to do. I need to get to him as soon as I can.. I need to go back home." His voice had a sense to it, like it was a plead. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Comet stood and thought with eyes of hinted sorrow.

.. I guess I could do one good thing before I die... But is he just tricking me?

Paws kneading the soft ground with uncertainty, he sighed with frustration of whether to help the cat or not. Was this trickery? Or was this really a cat in need of help? And even if he needed help, why help him? Then he remembered. His mother's words echoed in his mind like a gentle murmur of guidance, almost soothing him completely as it reminded him of her:

"Help others as you help me. Treat others as you treat me. Love others as you love me."

"... Fine.." He muttered reluctantly, instantly standing up and whipping around stubbornly as a spark of pain lay hidden at the back of his clouded eyes. As he started to stalk off into the bracken, his ears pricked upwards. He heard no paw steps behind him. Standing still with uncertainty, Dean stayed put with hesitation and suspicion in his eyes. With annoyance, Comet turned around hastily with burning eyes of agitation. His tail whipped once before speaking with a rather hostile tone.

"Well?! Are you coming or not?"