The Rising Storm

Chapter 8: Coming

        Stormpaw lay in the corner of his small prison, he was staring up at a dark shape which did not even make a sound. He recognized this dark shape as the black tom that he had seen in the forest, suddenly he growled at the tom, thinking this tom was and intruder in his camp. When he saw the look in the toms eyes he stopped and paused, this cat didn't seem to care about the clan, instead he seemed totally focused on him. Suddenly feeling vulnerable and small he crouched down, unsure if he felt safe being before this tom or scared. "Wh-who are you?" he whispered, to confused to speak any louder, his voice sounded hoarse "why are you here?" Stormpaw flinched when the tom did not answer but instead rest his nose on Stormpaws head, when he spoke his voice sounded distant.

        "Follow me young one, this place is no longer your home, you belong with your true kin, the time has come for you to return." Stormpaw looked at the tom in confusion, what is he talking about? 

         Stormpaw shook his head and mewed roughly "I don't have any kin, you must have the wrong cat, i'm StormPAW, a clan cat. This is where I have lived my whole life!" As he spoke he felt doubt settle, did I really live here my whole life, Mothflight did say I wasn't her kit... Frowning he looked away from the tom, unsure now of whether or not the tom spoke the truth. "Who are you?" Stormpaw felt a little surprised at how steady his voice sounded compared to the confusion he felt. 

        The tom narrowed his eyes at Stormpaw, he seemed to be calculating what Stormpaw said "once you follow all your questions will be answered in time, do don't be afriad, you of all cats should know I am not the enemy." Stormpaw just blinked at him, why should I know that? He narrowed his eyes, though he did feel suspision towards the tom there was something else as well, something that could call trust.  Reluctantly Stormpaw nodded, he knew that wherever this tom took him it would have a far better ending for then it would be if he stayed here. The tom smiled before nodding seriously, "follow me." The tom turned around and climbed the camp wall before disappearing at the top, the toms head reappeared at the tom, signalling for him to follow. Stormpaw just looked at the wall, his jaw hanging, how does he expect me to climb up, its far to steep! He looked up at the tom with an angered expression, he noticed the tom looked disappointed as though he had expected more. Suddenly feeling angry while not wanting the tom to think any less of him he took a step towards the wall, he could feel his heart pounding and he gulped. He looked up the wall, it was so steep and looked so high from here, shaking his head he started climbing before he could think about it twice. He gasped with shock, he had thought that this wall would be almost impossible to climb but for some reason it was as easy as walking to the fresh kill pile and back. Realizing this he quickly scooted up the wall and when he reached the top he stopped beside the tom, confusion and questions showing. The tom just smiled and flicked him over the ears with his tail before walking away, holding back a growl of annnoyance he followed the tom.

        "So where do we go now?" Stormpaw asked, mildly annoyed, his tail twitching. "It better not be a place that my clan can easily follow us too, or else i'm crowfood." he muttered. The tom just looked back at him amused, they kept walking. As they walked the sun started to rise into into the sky and slowly sink once more, when they stopped Stormpaw felt utterly exhausted. Stormpaw groaned "how much further? We have been walking forever!" Irritation pricked at him when the tom just looked back at him amused.

        "We are here, you can relax now." Then tom looked straight ahead once more as Stormpaw surveyed the surroundings, his eyes widened in disbelief as it was just an empty place in the middle of nowhere with no prey at all.

        "Your joking me, right? There is no way any cat could live here!" 

        The tom smiled "I suppose your right are right about that, but there is more to this place then you think." Turning around the tom waved his tail in a strange way and a weird black spot appeared, Stormpaw walked over cautiously and sniffed it, careful to keep his distance. The tom watched him closely, "once you walk through this it will lead you home, do not fear it." Stormpaw just whipped his head around and looked at the tom with narrowed eyes, when the tom made no reaction he took a small step towards the black spot. It smelled like earth and had no menacing aura around it, slowly he stepped through the black dot and found himself in a dark looking place, as though it were night, stepping forward he looked back at the tom. 

        "What is this place?" Stormpaw asked, there was caution and uneasiness in his voice.

        The tom turned and smiled at him, "you are home, you have finally come home."