Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 34

"I am Skystar, an ancient leader of SkyClan," the tom meowed.

"Are there any others?" Sharptalon asked. 

Two more shadows appeared. One was a scrawny, mottled pale ginger tom with only one yellow eye, and the other was a yellow she-cat with black stripes and amber eyes.

Two other shadows appeared. One was a black and brown tom, and the other was a small, broad-shouldered brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

The one-eyed tom lifted his chin. "I'm One Eye, and this is Bee," he introduced himself, then flicked his tail to the black-striped she-cat. 

The brown and black tom flicked his tail. "I'm Beetle."

The small, broad-shouldered brown tabby tom with yellow eyes unsheathed his claws. "And I'm Snake."

Sharptalon gazed around. "You all need to come back to the others," he meowed.

"And I will become leader again," Skystar growled. 

Tigerstar flattened his ears. "I thought I would become leader," he mewed.

"Well I guess you won't," Skystar hissed. "I was the first leader to die, and I will be the leader of the Dark Forest."

"It doesn't even matter, lets go back," Sharptalon growled.

"It does matter who's leader, mouse-brain. We need a cat to keep the rules in check," Snake hissed, bristling.

Sharptalon loomed over the smaller tom, unsheathing his claws. "The Dark Forest has its own rules!" He hissed. Furious, he lashed out with a paw, his claws slicing Snake's muzzle. Blood spattered onto the ground.

"Quit it!" Slash growled, lashing his tail. 

Amusement shown in One Eye's eye, and Tigerstar looked annoyed.

"Lets go," Sharptalon sighed. 

"You brought them back?" Hawkheart gasped. "I didn't think you'd be up to killing a StarClan apprentice," he mocked.

Sharptalon bristled. "You better not doubt me from now on. At least I went through the barrier, unlike a cowardly cat like you," he hissed.

"Me? Cowardly?" Hawkheart growled. 

"That's enough. Quit arguing like kits," Brokenstar hissed.

Skystar padded forward, his tail flicking. "Step down from your leadership, Brokenstar," he hissed. "I'm supposed to be leader."

"Really?" Brokenstar growled.

Suddenly, Sharptalon felt his vision begin to get dark. He was waking up. He faded from the Dark Forest and jumped awake in his nest, alerted by a cat calling his name.

"Sharptalon! Wake up, it's time to go!" 

Sharptalon blinked open his eyes, seeing Needlepaw looming over the edge of his nest.

"A ThunderClan patrol came. Squirrelstar came here with Flamedawn, Lighttail, and Firestorm," Needlepaw mewed, her eyes shimmering. "We can finally go home and be under the shade of the trees!" 

Sharptalon stumbled to his paws, shaking his head to clear the sleep from his eyes. 

Needlepaw moved aside as she watched the brown tom climb from his nest. "I saw you in the dream. What happened?" 

"I.. went into StarClan through the barrier and ended up bringing back the faded ones," Sharptalon sighed.

"So.... now there's a lot of cats in the Dark Forest?" Needlepaw asked.

Sharptalon crept through the den entrance. "Yes, everyone's back." 

"Sharptalon!" 

Sharptalon spotted Lighttail rushing towards him. His brother slammed into him, almost knocking him off his paws. "You're ok! I've missed you so much!" 

Sharptalon felt his brother's tongue licking his shoulder fur. He rested his chin on the pale tom's head. "It's good to see you too."

Lighttail pulled away. "Since you've been gone, nothing much has happened. Except that we caught fox and rogue scent inside our borders."

"I'm ready for it. How's Stormgaze?" Sharptalon asked, stretching.

"She's fine. And so is Wingkit," Lighttail purred. 

Past Lighttail, Sharptalon spotted Rabbittail sitting at the den entrance. He was glaring at Sharptalon, his tail flicking. 

"Where's Echostrike?" Sharptalon asked.

"She woke up earlier than you and is talking with Squirrelstar," Lighttail meowed.

"Alright, then lets go," Sharptalon mewed, padding past his brother. He ducked through the camp entrance, seeing Squirrelstar talking with Gorsestar and his deputy, Doveclaw. Firestorm, Flamedawn, and Echostrike were with her.

Echostrike turned her head, her eyes glistening as she spotted Sharptalon. She raced forward towards him. "Sharptalon," she breathed. "I woke up and saw you shaking in your nest like you were having a.... nightmare," she mewed. "Are you ok?"

Sharptalon quickly nodded. "I'm fine, thanks."

Flamedawn was looking troubled as he talked with Gorsestar. 

Sharptalon pricked his ears to hear the medicine cat.

"I need to speak with Rabbittail," he mewed. "I think something has happened."

Gorsestar blinked at him. "Ok. Doveclaw, get Rabbittail for me."

Doveclaw hurried away.

Sharptalon padded forward. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing," Flamedawn quickly answered, his eyes wild with panic.

"Sharptalon." Squirrelstar dipped her head. "You're here. Are you feeling better?"

"Better than I was," Sharptalon sighed.

Doveclaw returned, Rabbittail at her side. 

"Rabbittail! I think we should speak with the other medicine cats about this," Flamedawn meowed. "Squirrelstar. We need to get back to camp immediately to fetch Mothstripe and Twistedfoot. Then we need to get to ShadowClan's and RiverClan's camp," Flamedawn mewed. "This is urgent."

Squirrelstar blinked at him. "And your reason is?" She prompted.

"Something has happened in StarClan, I-I... can't explain," Flamedawn mewed. "We must hurry."

"Is Rabbittail coming with you?" Gorsestar asked.

"I assume he is. Flamedawn says it's urgent," Squirrelstar sighed. "We'll send him back once this is over. Take care!" She called.

Sharptalon hurried toward the patrol. Needlepaw looked worried. "Is Flamedawn ok?" 

"Yeah, I guess," Sharptalon mewed. He remembered suddenly that Flamedawn was her father's brother. Of course she'd care about him. 

Needlepaw hurried off to walk with another cat. 

Sharptalon was walking with Lighttail and Echostrike now. Something told him that he knew what Flamedawn was talking about. His fur stood on end.

"Something wrong, Sharptalon?" Lighttail asked.

"No. I guess I'm just worried," Sharptalon meowed, looking at his paws.

Lighttail avoided his gaze. They continued to walk in silence for the rest of the way.