Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 32

"The time has come where we will try to bring back our faded ones."

Sharptalon's heart pounced in his throat. What did that mean? 

Brokenstar nodded to Hawkheart, who padded forward. 

"Once our faded come back, we will be stronger than ever," Hawkheart meowed. "But to bring back our faded ones, we must sacrifice someone."

His last two words dropped like a stone in the silent clearing. 

"A sacrifice?" Sparkpelt echoed, her eyes rounded with confusion.

"Not from you, but a StarClan cat. We can sneak into StarClan and kill one of them," Hawkheart meowed. "Houndleap and Maggottail are close to fading, and Sparrowfeather is showing some signs of beginning to fade."

"How do we go into StarClan though?" Sharptalon asked, raising his head.

"Simple. One of you will go there. And that would be.... you, Sharptalon," Hawkheart meowed, lifting his tail.

Sharptalon bristled. "Why me?" He hissed.

"Just do it, mouse-dung!" Hawkheart growled. "We started to claw our barrier between the real world and ours. But the StarClan barrier is open. Sharptalon, go there and find a cat to lure here," Hawkheart ordered.

Sharptalon unsheathed his claws, his thoughts racing. "Alright," he sighed. He turned away from them, running towards the shadows of the forest.

Sharptalon began to walk through the thick mist, feeling uncomfortable. The light from the glowing mushrooms faded and darkness surrounded Sharptalon. The rotting trees casted shadows along the path ahead.

Sharptalon quickened his walking, his tail flicking behind him. It felt like he was being watched by countless spirits. He was sure of it. He jumped as wind stirred his fur. A whisper in the breeze made his ears flatten. 

Where even am I? Sharptalon quickened his walking once more. Whatever, It doesn't matter. I'm still in the Dark Forest. Nothing new. The stench of countless scents surrounded him and he felt like he was literally being watched now. He quickened his walking until he was practically running through the shaded mist.  

"Save us, Sharptalon."

Sharptalon didn't stop as he heard a faint whisper in the breeze. The ground turned to mud beneath his paws, then turned to very shallow water. But the water felt very thick.

Sharptalon hissed in annoyance as he felt his paws sinking in the thick mud-water. The stench of dead cats was surrounding him like a mother curling around its kit. He continued to run through the thick mud-water, though.

"You're almost there."

Another whisper in the breeze was right in front of Sharptalon. The mist got thicker, almost like blood. Sharptalon squinted through the thick mist, almost thinking he saw a faint glowing light far away. He kept running, then suddenly slipped in the mud. Sharptalon tumbled, feeling the thick mud splash onto his clean brown fur. 

Sharptalon shook the water and mud from his pelt and kept padding through the thick mist. But the further on, it felt like he couldn't breathe, almost like he was drowning in mist.

Sharptalon then felt something sharp, almost like claws, rake his flank. He hissed in surprise. "Stop!" He hissed, almost feeling like a stupid kit for getting scared.

"This is amusing," a deep voice growled in front of Sharptalon's face.

"Who are you?" Sharptalon growled, lashing his tail. He unsheathed his claws, sinking them into the mud.

"One of the faded cats," the voice replied.

Sharptalon then felt a cold chill pass through his pelt. He shivered, feeling strange. He then felt as if claws had raked his shoulder. He lashed out at the air, but only tore through the thick mist and not the familiar fur and flesh. "What do you want?"

"I don't want anything. All that I ask is that you bring me and everyone else back," the voice meowed. It was hardly more than a whisper.

"Well I can't do that if you keep bothering me," Sharptalon growled in response, flattening his ears. He turned back forward, seeing the faint glowing light once more through the thick mist.

"You do realize that you...... probably won't be able to pass, right?" The voice talked once more.

"At least I'll be the first cat to try," Sharptalon sighed. He padded forward, trying to run, but it felt as if something was holding him back. He bristled in anger. "Quit trying to stop me!"

"Mouse-dung, that's not me, it's the barrier!" The voice replied, sounding annoyed.

Sharptalon flattened his ears, holding back a growl of annoyance. I thought Hawkheart said the barrier was open! He pushed against the invisible force with all his might, feeling the air get thicker around him.   

Sharptalon then felt himself move forward, but he couldn't breathe. He tried desperately to draw in a breath, but the mist was so thick now that no air could be drawn into his lungs. He rushed forward, his heart pounded. Am I going to die? A second time, he tried to breathe, but he failed.

Sharptalon clawed desperately at the invisible force in front of him. His lungs began to burn and he gasped for air. His heart was pounding in his ears, beating so loud he thought the ground was shaking. His lungs were screaming for air now and he felt trapped and closed in. 

Sharptalon backed up, hoping he could breathe if he went back, but no air could be drawn in. He backed up even farther, desperately trying to breathe. His vision was beginning to flicker with blackness. No, I never give up! He ran forward with all his might, despite his muscles aching and his lungs screaming for air. He lunged forward, feeling himself pass through something. He felt a jolt go through his pelt, making his whole body shiver.

Sharptalon landed with a thump on his side, his vision dotting with blackness. He drew in a shuddering, gasping breath, struggling to regain his consciousness.  

Sharptalon got to his paws and shook out his pelt. The faint glowing light was closer, the thick mist gone. He turned around, seeing extremely thick mist blotting out the darkness behind it. Perhaps the thick mist served as a barrier between StarClan and the Dark Forest. 

Sharptalon raced forward. The night sky shone above his head, the stars twinkling. The almost-full-moon hung in the dark sky. Stars twinkled on the soft grass beneath Sharptalon's paws. Now I just need to find some random StarClan cat to kill. But who? 

Sharptalon then noticed a small, fluffy white she-cat with brown splotches and pale green eyes. Her feathery tail lifted, bushing up in alarm as she saw Sharptalon. "Ashstar!" She called. "Intruder!"