Warriors: Empire's End ~Book 5 Series 3~

Chapter 2

NoName's POV:

Shadeheart barely endured a few minutes of his punishment before protests started to break out. It even got to the extent of threats being thrown at NoName herself.

The small she cat pulled the shadows away from her son, her red fur bristling in anger as she stared at her yowling warriors. "Enough!" This is to show them all that I am in control here! None of them can get away with breaking the rules around here, not with me in charge. But it didn't seem to be going that way at all, in fact it was making everything worse. 

At her outburst, however, her warriors seemed to calm down. They remembered that she was in charge, and that their actions had consequences. In unison, all heads dipped towards her in respect. NoName let out a soft breath of relief, she was still rightfully in control of the Dark Forest. 

A soft whimper made her turn around. Shadeheart was still splayed on the ground, shuddering from his experience with the shadows. NoName scoffed in anger. "You've endured more than this Shadeheart. Get up and stop being a weakling." The red she cat turned to the rest of the cats. "And all of you, get back to your duties." She turned away and left the clearing, letting her warriors  trail after her. 

Blossomfur's death has really messed up Shadeheart. NoName sighed to herself as she strolled through the main clearing and into her shadowed den. Will he ever become the strong leader I want him to be?

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Shadeheart's POV:

Stumbling to his paws, Shadeheart made his way out of the meeting clearing and into the main camp. His heart was still racing from his brief encounter with the shadows. He hated them so much, and he hadn't even done anything wrong..

The black furred tom was met halfway to the nursery by Bluesnow, who was being followed by a swarm of kits. Her kits, Mountainkit, Pondkit and Robinkit, and Blossomfur's kits- whom she had gratefully adopted- Shadowkit, Flintkit and Cinderkit. Shadeheart felt a faint smile rest upon his tremoring lips as the six kits bounded up to their father, demanding he tell them what was wrong. 

Bluesnow respected his personal space, and remained a good mouse-length away from him. Shadeheart sat down to embrace his kits while he looked up at the queen. Her deep blue eyes shimmered with worry, and a silent question burned a hole in his muzzle. What happened?

"NoName thought I needed to take responsibility for Blossomfur's actions." The black tom murmured, flinching as his kits let out gasps of outrage. 

"But you saved NoName from Blossomfur!" Cinderkit hissed, her little tail lashing in anger. 

"NoName is a meanie!" Pondkit wailed, curling himself around Shadeheart's foreleg. 

Robinkit muttered. "You should beat her up for being mean to you."

Shadeheart let out a chuckle while Bluesnow gasped at her kit, immediately scolding him for saying such a thing. "NoName is his mother- your grandmother! You cannot be mean to family." 

"Exactly!" Cinderkit squeaked. "Why does she get to be the exception to that rule?" 

Bluesnow shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know." She turned to Shadeheart, the worry returning to her indigo eyes. "Did she hurt you?"

Shadeheart shook his head slowly. "No.. Only a few minutes with the shadows. Barely anything." He gave the blue she cat a reassuring smile and leaned in to lick her cheek. The she cat responded with a warm purr, nuzzling him back. 

"Thank Starclan she wasn't too harsh on you." The queen whispered. "You've already been through so much."

"And you're helping me recover." Shadeheart murmured, their muzzles gently touching as they spoke. "Without you I'd be so lost."