Cold Blooded: Dapple's Downfall

Ch 11, Dreadful Night

"Hey stop it!" Moonshadow yelped, breaking into a run.
"You can't escape me! I will make you eat the slug!" Blackfang laughed, racing after her.
The two were racing around camp, laughing and yipping as Blackfang tried to catch Moonshadow. Even though being just about six years old, Moonshadow was displaying tremendous speed and agility! She was going to be a powerful and skillful Nightwatcher when she grows up.
From my perch up on the rocky ledge looking over the camp, I watched them race about.
Earlier Snowsong told me what happened at that place....she did make such a deal as the demon told me. And it all but haunted me, for everything what the demon had said was true and was possibly coming true as well.
All the pieces were fitting together and the picture was becoming clearer. But that wasn't what scared me the most, it was the demons last words to me....
It said it couldn't save me, but how could that be when it was able to warn me now before the Dracoweres attack us? Because of it we are leaving this place for awhile until it's all over, so why would it say it couldn't save anyone when it did? Either way we were going to leave in the morning tomorrow, Graysky and Stonepelt consented to my plan and will inform everyone when it is time as to not cause a panic in the mean time.
My attention turned back to Blackfang, who was stopped in his tracks panting from exhaustion from the chase. Moonshadow on the other hand looked almost as energetic as she was before, clear to see that she was the winner this time around.
"Told ya I wouldn't be eating no slug today Blackfang! I'm just too fast for you!" She cheered, the excitement shining in her icy eyes.
"Fine, you win this time Moonshadow, but next time you won't be so lucky!" He laughed in exhaustion.
I couldn't help but smile at the amusing scene, trying to push away  the eerie sight of the sun sinking father down the sky.
All seemed so normal and peaceful now, all the more to be more chilled from what the demon told....
"Dapple," a voice called out from across the clearing.
I looked up to see the waiting figure of Sunleaf, his tails draped over his paws as he looked up at me.
"Yes, what is it?" I replied.
"I need to talk to you," He said.
"What about? Is something wrong?" I asked in rising anxiety.
Sunleaf simply shook his heads, which relieved me a bit from my fears. He waved his tails for me to follow him as he turned away and padded outside of he camp.
I walked down from the ledge at a normal pace as to not rise suspicions from the other Nightwatchers in the camp. Making my way to the camp entrance I saw my brother sitting under the ancient willow, the place where our kin rested for their last journey. But also where our mother laid as well.
"Dapple, you have been acting a bit strange today, are you sure you're doing fine?" He began, the concern in his brown eyes surfacing.
"I'm fine Sunleaf, it's just I have been a bit paranoid about these next few days," I chuckled, trying to cover up my own concerns.
But Sunleaf saw right through my fake smile, his eyes looked more worried than before as he raised an accusing eye.
"I'm not fine, I feel like I don't know what is what anymore! Things I didn't know are true and it scares me! Now I so terrified of something awful happening to everyone in the camp!" I moaned.
For a moment Sunleaf said nothing, but he then continued talking.
"How many times to I have to say this Dapple, you only know what is right and what is wrong to you, not anyone else." He sighed.
"It's fine to be scared sometimes, I am too! I have to figure out how to deal with my growing daughter and now more pups, that's scary!" He smiled, making me smiled a bit too at the thought of my rambunctious niece.
"See you're going to be fine brother, you just need to decide for yourself and don't looked back at what might have happened in the past. That's what Needlefur would say to you too Dapple," He said softly, a twinge of sadness glinted in his eyes for a second at the mention of our mother.
"She probably would Sunleaf, thank you," I smiled, grateful for his words yet again.
"Now come on, let's go check to see if the camp's not on fire because we left Moonshadow without surveillance!" He barked, giving me a push with his paw.
"That's right, I totally forgot about that ball of fluff!" I laughed.
"Then come on, we gotta save everyone before it's too late from her terrible wrath!" He yipped rave off to the entrance.
I turned my head to take one last look at the willow, the sunlight glowing down upon it. And in my mind it made me feel as if Needlefur was there beneath the tree smiling as she watched us run off back to camp like she used to.
"Thank you mother," I whispered as I began racing back. Behind me the wind blew, making the trees leaves rustle like chatter. And although it was day now, I couldn't help but dread the coming night.....
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"Goodnight Dapple, I hope the bugs bite you in your sleep!" Moonshadow shouted as she was ushered into the nursery with the other pups.
"Goodnight Moonshadow, I hope you like your new friends in your nest!" I shouted back, trying not to laughed.
A yelp sounded from the nursery as Snowsong shouted at Moonshadow to be quite.
I burst out laughing, tears of joy dripping from my eyes as I wiped them away.
"Oh she never learns does she!" I chucked.
"Nope, she's quite a rascal. But her mind is poisoned with evil thoughts of revenge now!" Sunleaf laughed as he too padded into the nursery to help his mate settle all the pups down.
I let out a exhausted yawn as I turned back and padded into my den, feeling the lack of sleep weighing on me.
I settle down into my nest and
let the sleep take over my consciousness.
I opened my eyes to be met by the blackened dead trees from the previous night with the demon.
I searched all around me but to not avail the white demon Nightwatcher never showed.
Then suddenly behind me a clock struck twelve and boomed out, making me jump and spin around to confront what ever was there.
I stared in shock for in front of me was a giant black wolf with a clock in its chest, green wings, and black horns growing from its head. It stared down at me with its black eyes with green slit pupils as its clock kept booming eerily.
"Your time is up Dapple of the Nightwatchers." It said unemotionally.
"What do mean?" I called out, my voice beginning to tremble.
"It means your going to die Dapple." It said.
"No! This can't be! Tonight was the night wasn't it, it was too late after all like the demon said!" I moaned, succumbing to my own fear.
"Who are you and how the heck do you know my name?" I howled, distressed in the supposed doom.
"I saw you're memories just like the millions of creatures that have come before me in their twilight. Now you speak your final words to me before I cut your chain." It said revealing a end of a chain in its paw.
Looking down the chain I saw in horror that it lead to me and was connected to me.
Frantically I tried pulling the chain off but it wouldn't budge.
"You can't remove that chain for it is your chain of time. Even now as you speak I talk to the many of your kind tonight, for they too have the same fate as you. After your chain is severed you will soon die and go with my brother and leave this realm forever." It said examining the end of the chain.
"Answer me this then, how can you be here, are you truly real and who is your brother?" I frantically stuttered looking you at the enormous wolf.
It paused for a moment, as if itself didn't exactly know the answer to my question.
"I am no longer real yet exist somewhere, lost and broken in an infinite rule that oversees all. Your other question will be answered once you see him."
I stared blankly at him, not understanding anything what he meant by.
"You should calm yourself, for it does you no good. In the end all despise me for this and I see no difference in you from the others that do," It said turning its cold gaze back on me.
It was right that I did despise it that I cut my life off when I didn't want to leave. It was unfair and all would agree! But Needlefur, Sunleaf, and all the other Nightwatchers believe in me, they trust me with their lives and I led them to this point!
"You can't be blamed for our deaths, only the ones who take the lives from us can be blamed. And me too, for I led them down this trail of blood and I couldn't see what laid ahead," I moaned calming myself, letting my fear go.
"So your demise is your kin's as well. Interesting you say that though it's not true to my eyes, still you resent me for your final undoing in your heart." It said blinking.
Tears were beginning to stream down my faces.
"Yes you can say it's our demise."
The wolf just continued to stand there looming over me, like a shadow.
Finally it moved, it grasped my chain and lowered its head and took hold of it in its mouth.
"Goodbye Dapple of the Nightwatchers," It spoke as its clock boomed one last time.
Then it's fangs bit down on the chain, and as it shattered as well did my dream along with it.
Opening eyes I saw a dark looming figure in my den, the figure of a large male Dracowere.
"Goodbye retched Nightwatcher!" It spat as it raked its claws across my throats.
My heads fell to the ground, my blood splattered across the stone walls and ground. As it began pooling around my faces the Dracowere smiled and stalked out of the den.
My vision was fading as more of my blood was lost, but I could hear faintly the screams and shrieks from other Nightwatchers.
I could feel tears streaming down my faces as my vision was all but gone and my hearing was depleted. My senses left me and all that remained was the pain in my throat, my death sentence.
This was my end, this was my downfall.