Stolen (Book 1 of the Outcast Quartet)

Chapter 18 (Spiritpaw)

I awoke to a throbbing agony that caught my breath in my throat, it hurt so bad… I forced myself to calm down and my breathing slowly returned to normal. My entire body ached, and there seemed to be something off with my left ear. My disoriented and sluggish mind struggled to compute what had happened and how I had obtained these wounds. Then my memories, ones that could come straight out of a nightmare, flooded into my mind. Nightforst had sent me out to confront Hailfall and the other tom… Hailfall tried to keep me quiet but roughing me up a bit… I had snapped. I lost control of myself, I was still aware of what was happening but I couldn’t control myself… I killed him… I stifled the wail that threatened to explode out of me. I had taken a life… abruptly I forced my eyes open.

            I was in the healers’ den, which was filled with the scent of bitter herbs and of scared or sick cats. I hated the scent, there was just something about it that sent me on edge. Maybe it was because it reminded me of how frail life was, of how in an instant anyone of our life’s could flicker out.

            Despite my protesting body, I forced myself to sit up and get a better look around. No one was here, neither Fawncall or Orangepaw. Then I heard a faint scuffling and suddenly Orangepaw emerged from a well-hidden underground passage, clamped firmly in her mouth was a clump of dried leaves. She didn’t notice me for a moment as she carefully chewed the herbs into a paste. When she finally did focus her attention on me, she froze and the gob of herbs in her mouth dropped to the ground. “You’re awake!” she squealed happily, then she grew serious. “You should keep lying down though, you’re wounds are still healing and I don’t want you to reopen them.”

            “Whatever you say,” I shrugged while laying back down on the moss bed beneath me.

            “Oh Spiritpaw, you’re awake,” Fawncall greeted as she casually padded into the den, behind her was Nightfrost. Noticing my staring at our leader, she quickly added. “He wanted to check up on you.”

            “What fortunate timing,” he greeted and upon coming up to my side, prodded me sharply. “Now get up, we have no time to waste.”

            “But he needs rest,” Orangepaw mumbled but the sharp glare Nightfrost gave her, sent into silence as she obediently clamped her mouth shut.

            “Don’t worry Orangepaw, I’m fine,” it was clearly I lie as I struggled to my feet, gritting my teeth at the sharp pain that drove through me as I attempted to walk. Letting out an annoyed hiss, Orangepaw came to my side and willingly allowed me to lean against her.

            Nightfrost frowned in disagreement, clearly wanting me to handle things on my own but then decided against it. A smart decision on his part since without Orangepaw’s assistance, I probably would have fell flat on the ground within my first couple of steps. Without another word, Nightforst slipped outside followed by Fawncall. “Once this stupid meeting is over, you’re going to get some more rest,” Orangepaw instructed me before we exited.

            I didn’t respond for I was too focused on ignoring the pain that shot through my legs with every small step I took. I was panting by the time I had crossed the clearing and reached the rotting log that Nightfrost held meetings. Looking up, I saw Nightfrost leap up onto the log while letting out a loud, ear-splitting screech. The Clan slunk out from the shadows and slowly gathered around the log, Nightfrost’s three commanders took their positions in front of the log to keep an eye on the assembled cats. The Clan-Born cats gathered near the front, and there was an obvious divide between the Stolen who were forced to stay in the back. With Orangepaw’s assistance I managed to get a seat next to Fawncall, who sat with the Clan-Born.

            Nightfrost was silent for a moment, his icy gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd before speaking. “I have three things to announce,”  his cold voice rang clearly through the camp and any whispered conversations in the crowd abruptly quieted. “The first is that Spiritpaw will no longer be training as a guard, he will be given a new rank…” he paused, examining the cats’ faces, before continuing. “Hence forth, Spiritpaw shall be trained as a Fighter under my guidance and no others!”

            I was shaking as I felt all their gazes turn towards me, my heart beating loudly in my chest. Swallowing nervously I looked around, somehow finding the courage to meet the eyes of some of the startled crowd before glancing away. The calm only lasted for a few heart beats, it felt like a lifetime for me, before furious roars rose from the mass of cats. I understood there shock, not only was my rank moving up but the leader himself had decided to teach me.

            “I demand silence!” Nightfrost’s yowl rose above the clamor and his cold yet burning gaze glared down at the assembled. Eventually, the crowd subdued themselves and reluctantly began to listen. “Spiritpaw has gone through a trial in which I will soon explain, and as a reward for completing this trail he was given a rank up from guard.”

            “But this is unheard of!” someone cried from the crowd and murmurs of agreement rippled through the mass.

            “Clearly it is not that uncommon,” the brown advisor whose long claws always remained half-unsheathed, snorted. He was Hollowclaw, and the third in command. His gaze gleamed with unbridled frustration and his tail tip twitched in annoyance. “Have you all forgotten already?” he curled his lip when no one responded. “You only remember things for your own convenience… Spiritpaw isn’t the only one who was Stolen and given a new rank.”

            “If you think back to it you’ll remember a certain apprentice,” Blazeshimmer broken in, the battle-scarred ginger tom sat rigidly and his green eyes gleamed with what could only be amusement. “This Stolen was made a guard but was given a trial, which he succeeded and then started to learn to be a thief. As time passed this young cat showed immense promise and was eventually chosen by the leader to become a commander. A commander with unrivaled skill and intelligence. Now tell me, do you distrust your leader’s judgment by teaching Spiritpaw the ways of a fighter?”

            There was silence following the older cat’s words. “Any who dare disagree on this subject any more can speak with me,” Nightfrost declared. “But I would suggest you think over your words carefully, one slip of the tongue and I will deem you traitorous. You should know what it means to be disloyal, do you not? If not than let me enlighten you, Spiritpaw’s trial was to discover one who was unfaithful to this Clan and to deliver the punishment worthy of his tertiary. Tell me, do any of you know where Hailfall is?” his gaze shifted through the crowd and not waiting for any to respond, he plowed on. “He had been caught betraying his Clan and Spiritpaw killed him. Any who go against me shall meet the same sentence, so I would suggest you live with my decisions or risk being condemned to death.”

            I gulped, the gleam in Nightfrost’s eyes sent shivers down my spine and I felt myself shrinking back.  It only lasted a few seconds before he gained the same cold composure he usually showed. “I have one last announcement, due to Hailfall giving information to a saving Clan, it is time that we move. Our Clan has stayed in this camp for many moons and it is time we leave or risk being attacked. We will leave in three days at dawn, I would suggest you prepare yourselves for a long journey.”