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

Chapter 22

Spectrum's POV:

NoName inspected Maple and Tiger closely. Her white eyes were narrowed as she hesitantly circled the two rogues. She seemed sceptical of them for some reason. Maybe she was simply being overly cautious, to make sure that the two rogues didn't pose any immediate threats.

Tiger stayed silent thanks to the slight invisible pressure Spectrum kept around his neck; a gentle reminder that she would not hesitate in strangling him if he tried anything. Maple didn't need to he kept under control. The fluffy red and black she cat sat neatly beside her companion, her body hunched in boredom and frustration.

Spectrum clawed at the ground impatiently a tail-length away from the three felines. How long was it going to take for NoName to give the orders? They were rapidly losing daylight, and Spectrum still wanted to pay Silvershy a visit.

"Alright," NoName's shrill voice made Spectrum flinch and turn her attention to the red she cat, "Spectrum, take them to the prison. I'll order someone to get them trained so they're ready to join us as full warriors within a moon." She looked up at Spectrum directly. "You're excused for now, but I want more recruits brought here by tomorrow at sundown."

Spectrum breathed a silent sigh of relief and dipped her head to the Dark Forest leader. "Of course, NoName." Then she picked up Tiger and Maple with her powers and dragged them back out of the den. The black she cat hurried them to the prison and practically threw them inside before turning around and blinking out of camp.

It was sundown already, and the forest was nearly completely plunged into darkness. Twolegplace would soon light up, however, so Spectrum had nothing to worry about when it came to looking for where Silvershy was once she arrived there.

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Silvershy's POV:

Silvershy yawned, her ears drooping tiredly as she groomed her three kits. They all snored in the curve of her belly, gripping her soft fur with their paws as they dreamed. The silver she cat smiled sadly at Duskkit in particular. Wind had done all he could for the little tom, but he was officially blinded. Forever. Silvershy's dull green eyes welled with tears for the third time that evening, and she bit her tongue to force back the wails of grief and anger that threatened to escape. She needed to stay strong in front of her kits. In front of everyone.

The Nest had grown quiet. Java's rogues were already sleeping in whatever shelter they would find. Everyone was still shaken by Tofu's ambush yet the feeling of safety was overwhelming. Java had done a good job at keeping his cats calm, and securing the camp. Silvershy doubted they even had guards sitting vigil that night. Things were already going back to normal...

But Duskkit had to pay the price. Silvershy could never forgive herself for letting that happen. It was all her fault that her own kit had been blinded by Tofu. He was barely a few moons old! How was he ever going to learn how to hunt or fight? To care for himself? To protect himself? His life was ruined and it was all Silvershy's fault.

I am a horrible mother. She pressed her head against her kits' slumbering bodies, her face scrunched up and her teeth gritted as she fought back the tears. I am a horrible mother. Why did she ever choose to have kits? She was irresponsible, she was reckless, she was naive. She was not suitable to care for kits, and she now had six examples of that. The first time, she couldn't even hold onto her kits and sent them away to twolegplace. And the second, she let someone blind one of them. What next? What else could StarClan possibly bring upon her that would ruin her two last unscathed babies?

There was a dull thud outside their shielded nest that sent shivers up Silvershy's spine. No, no, no. Her body seized up in terror as there was another thud, followed by quick pawsteps heading straight for them. "It was a rhetorical question! I didn't mean it!" She cried softly, trying not to wake her kits. "Please don't take them from me! Don't hurt them!" She started weeping uncontrollably, rocking backwards and forwards in their twoleg-pelt nest. "P-Please..." She sobbed into Duskkit's soft fur, begging for whoever it was to leave them alone.

"Silvershy." Her strangely familiar voice made the silver she cat snap her head up in surprise. "I'm not here to harm your kits. You're safe now."

The silver queen practically leapt out of her nest and tackled the Promethean in a giant hug, holding her tightly in place with her forepaws. "Oh thank StarClan you're back!" She cried in joy. "I missed you so much Spectrum!"

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