Book 4: Sol's Revenge & Whisper's Path

Whisper

Over the course of several moons I watched in amazement as Blossompaw, now known as Blossomfang, created a clan out of nothing. She was kind and understanding, her talent for bringing cats together amazed me. I knew her and Flint would be happy together. Although they didn't admit their feelings to each other it was apparent they were in love. The only issue was Zilla.

Zilla joined the clan along with Cookie and Icy. She was nice at first, normal. Kind of quiet. But one day she changed, and the night sky warned me she was dangerous. The stars also told me Echos never fade, they keep on going forever. I had yet to figure out what it meant. However I had my suspicions. And I wasn't a dull cat. My instincts were almost always right. So it worried me when I recognized the way Zilla acted snarky and pushy. Her appearance didn't match the cat I remembered but her attitude was unmistakable.

Zilla was my dead sister Echo.

Through reincarnation or possession or something else my long dead sister was inside of the golden she cat. An Echo never fades.

I watched Zilla smirk and cozy up to Flintpaw. Blossomfang glared on from the distance, but she didn't comment. I wished she would just tell Zilla to back off, I wanted her to tell my sister to move on. But Echo never gave up on anything. In that way she was exactly like Sol. I wouldn't be surprised if they were plotting together. She was the one who was making me age so quickly. She would have me out of the way soon enough and then she could focus all of her energy on destroying Sol. But along the way nothing would stop her from taking down Ashclan too.

I couldn't, I wouldn't let her take away my home. She had already taken everything else away from me, I wouldn't let her hurt Ashclan.

...

My ears perked up at Blossomstar's announcement. She had recently gained her nine lives. And Echo recently nearly destroyed Ashclan. While Ashclan was sharing dreams with Starclan, Zilla attempted to kill Blossomstar, only to have Flintmask come to the rescue. Zilla had officially changed her name back to Echo. And she wasn't alone. She had seduced a foolish city cat named Shane. Him and his army of cats planned on destroying Ashclan and taking the forest for themselves. Echo failed in killing Blossomstar, however she succeeded in capturing Flintmask. No doubt she would use him as a pawn in killing Blossomstar. Echo had developed a deep seeded hate for the white she cat. And Echo had plans to destroy my clan, my home.

"Echo is working with Shane, a boss of part of the city. I have enlisted the help of a cat named Niko. She also rules half of the city. Niko promises to help us get rid of Echo." Blossomstar announced. Murmurs of hope rippled through the clan. We stood a chance against her now. However it wouldn't be enough to stop Echo, because Echo had Sol. Together the pair would destroy everything. And all I can do I sit back and watch everything unfold.

There is also the coming darkness. It gets larger each day in the night sky. Whatever it means Sol will surely use it's power. And he will surely use me too.

"Blossomstar!" I rasped. The white leader glanced at me.

"Yes Whisperheart?" She said, using the warrior name she gave me.

"I have an idea...a battle strategy." I murmured. Blossomstar waited for me to continue.

"There is that large field just a little ways away from here. That could be the battle field. Niko and her cats would wait in the tree line while Ashclan braved Echo and Shane. Niko would come in as a second wave." I stammered. Ashclan stared at me with intensity. Blossomstar smiled.

"I will carefully consider your idea and mention it to Niko when she visits to battle strategize. For now you should take your apprentice and collect herbs for the battle." Blossomstar ordered. I bowed my head and quickly shuffled into the forest with Icepaw in tow. I could use the time to clear my mind. I looked up at the darkening sky. The first stars came out. My eyes widened as I saw my brother in the sky. He was playing another group of clans for fools. He was going to use the darkness to take over them.

I just prayed he wouldn't be able to find me. But with Echo on the loose as Zilla, it was only at matter of time before Sol came for me.

"It doesn't matter what Sol's plans are for hurting me. All that matters is Ashclan." I whispered to myself. I rose to my paws and motioned for Icepaw to return back to camp with me. While we were walking back I swore I saw a flash of darkness streak through the tree's, but it was only my imagination. Echo couldn't reach me right now. I had Starclan's protection guiding my pawsteps.

...

My heart pounded loudly in the silence.

Icefire raced from cat to cat, tending to their wounds.

No one else moved or cheered, we were to stunned to speak. Especially me.

It vaguley registered in my brain that we had won the battle between Echo and Ashclan.

My heart skipped a beat as my eyes landed on Niko.

Her message ricocheted through through my mind.

"I have a message for you, from your brother, Sol. He says the Eclipse is coming, and he needs your help." Niko had said. No doubt Echo had spoken with Sol and delivered his message to Niko. Sol didn't care if I helped him or not with the coming darkness. He found pleasure is knowing that I knew he had found me.

Only moments before Niko shared with me the earth shattering news that Sol knew where I was, I had been racing through the battle field. Exhilaration coursed through my veins. I felt young again. Echo and Shane had declared war on Ashclan and Niko. Ashclan had won, and Zilla, also known as Echo my sister, had died. Niko and Shane returned to the city just outside of the forest. They promised Ashclan peace so long as we didn't interfere with the city cats business. Blossomstar promised she would leave the city alone and she thanked Niko. Flintmask hovered over his mate with fear in his eyes. Blossomstar was weak, Echo had conquered three lives from the brave leader. But she would be fine.

Oh Whisperheart...what will you do now? I wondered with despair. The curse Echo had laid upon me had not yet been lifted. Even though her host body Zilla had perished Echo only returned to the stars. She would continue with her revenge on her brothers. First me, and then Sol. The only way to lift the curse would be to kill Sol. Then I would no longer age twice as fast as I should. But would I live long enough to find Sol and kill him? My guess was I only had about two moons left at my rate of ageing. And I couldn't just abandon Ashclan.

I was so entangled in my own thoughts about my sister and the curse that I didn't realize Blossomstar was saying something to me. It barely registered that we were gathering our dead, those who had fallen in battle. When I saw the still white figure laying in the blood stained grass my heart stopped. Icefire. My apprentice.

I was by her side in an instant. A single gash at her throat showed me that she had died quickly, and the claws of one of Shanes cats. I gently buried my nose in her fur. She was so young, so full of spitfire. Despite her sharp tongue and robust attitude she had a gentleness in her paws that proved she was a worthy medicine cat. And now she was gone, another thing taken from me by Echo.

No more. This was something I had to take care of.

"Blossomstar!" I called out, breaking the silence covering the blood stained battle field. Sharp blue eyes glanced up at me. I quickly dashed over to her.

"I haven't spoken to my brother in years..." I said was lost in thought. I turned to Blossomstar. "There is something I have to do, and you're going to have to trust me."

"I do trust you Whisperheart...I just have one question to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"Was Echo your sister?"

I looked at her for along time. "She was," I said softly. Blossomstar nodded.

"Do what you need to do, Ashclan will persevere."