Brightheart's Revenge

The Last Hope

      I padded into the camp, just as the sun went down, like nothing ever happened. Almost as soon as I padded through, Cloudtail sighed a sigh of relief and padded up to me. He nuzzled my cheek, purring.
     "Where have you been?" he asked. "I have been waiting for you for a long time."
     I licked his ear affectionally and meowed, "I ran into a WindClan patrol, but I'm here now." I let out a soft 'mrrow' and pulled away. "What are you in the mood for? I am kind of in the mood for a thrush." I called to him as I bumped into someone. "Oof!" I muffled.
     I turned to see Daisy. "Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going." I apologized. "Its fine." she purred. I waited until she grabbed a shrew and padded away to grab my thrush. Even though Cloudtail hadn't repiled, I knew he would be happy with the thrush.

* * * * *
     I blinked open my eye to see watery sunshine filtered through the entrance the warriors den. I yawned, arching my back in a long, tired stretch. I climbed out of my nest and into the new cold morning.
     Most of the warriors had already awaken and were on there way to the patrols.
     I padded over to the crowd of cats that surrounded Brambleclaw. I listened in.
     "-Nervous Clans are dangerous." Brambleclaw declared. "Is that why WindClan tried to attack us through the tunnels?" Sorreltail asked.
     "And why ShadowClan accused our medicine cat of murder?" Cloudtail narrowed his eyes. I ran my tail up his spine to sooth him. Then Firestar bounded down from the Highledge and joined Brambleclaw. "We mustn't be drawn into Clan squabbles. We have to concentrate on preparing for leaf-bare."
     'Ugh, leaf-bare is the worst season! Its cold, hard to hunt and hard to walk in the deep snow.' I sighed. 'But the prey would die out without it and the medicine would never grow back....'
     "Icecloud!" Brambleclaws yowl brang me back to the present. Ivypool and Dovewing padded off with Cherrypaw and Molepaw sense Spiderleg had Rosepetal and Foxleap out climing trees. "Take Brightheart, Bumblestripe and Mousewhisker for a hunting patrol." She nodded and Bumblestripe, Mousewhisker and I got up and headed out to a clearing that she thought was best for us to hunt.
     "Alright, Bumblestripe and I will go this way, Brightheart and Mousewhisker, go that way." We all nodded and I followed Mousewhisker silently. I lifted my head, as he and I stopped, and I tasted the air for any sign of prey. "Black bird." I whispered.
     He nodded and meowed, "Hey... I know this is random, but... Well, nevermind." He stammered, his eyes filled with thoughts.
     I gave him a confused look and I mewed, "Spit it out, I won't tell if anyone don't want me to." He nodded then whispered, "Me, Blossomfall and Birchfall have been training in the Dark Forest for the better of the Clans and if you want, I can show you..."
     I thought for many heartbeats. The Dark Forest? For the better of the Clans? If that was true, then the Dark Forest changed. Maybe... Just maybe, I could see what it was like. And if it was wrong, I would warn every cat there secretly and everything would be okay. But why were they training warriors, how were they and was it really for the better of the Clan?
     "Sure, but if I don't like it, will there be a way out?" Dumb question. Theres always a way out! "Well, I think so." He meowed. I nodded and I licked my lips. Somehow, the black bird was still peking at some seeds. It didn't matter to me, a long as I got the bird, I would be happy.

* * * * *
     Mousewhisker and I padded into camp. I had successfully killed the black bird along with a mouse. Mousewhisker, on the other hand, had two shrews and a vole. We deposited our kills and I searched for Blossomfall and Birchfall. My eye landed on them. Mousewhisker and I planned a talk with them once we got back. 
     I padded over to them and I meowed, "Come. Mousewhisker wants to talk to you two and I." it came out quick, and I wondered if they understood. And they did, they followed me to where Mousewhisker was sitting under the shade of the old willow tree. "What is it you wanted us for?" Birchfall asked.
     "Brightheart wants to see us train." he moewed. When they didn't reply, he sighed and rolled his eyes, "The Dark Forest training." he whispered.
     "Oh, right. I think its a good idea. And its good how its almost dark." Blossomfall meowed.
We talked for a long time, and before long, it was pitch black out. Almost every cat went to sleep. "Lets go now." I still don't know how we were suppose to get there, so I asked. "How do we get there?"
     "Through sleep." Birchfall whispered as we climbed into our nests.

* * * * *
     I awoke in a dark, muddy place. I couldn't see the stars and the ground was wet and slimy. I looked around for any sign of a cat. Then a flash went past me. I looked around. No one. Then the cat did it again. My heart speed up and I began to run.
     The eerie light was my only way of seeing, only to make it worse, I had one eye. Then I saw a group of cats, I turned and slowed down once I was close enough. 'Breezepelt? Beetlewhisker? Applefur?' I gulped when I noticed the cats and who they were.
     'Tigerheart? Hollowflight? How many cats train down here?' Then I saw, the one and only... Tigerstar. "Who are you? Wait, its Lostface, right?" I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Maybe he really thought that was my name?
     "No Tigerstar, its Brightheart." I sneered. "Why are you here, Brightheart?" he asked, stepping closer to me. He began to circle me with his eyes fixed on me. "Mousewhisker told me about here, and I came to check it out." His eyes grew wide with shock, then anger. 'What did I say to make him mad?' I thought. "Where is Mousewhisker?" Then I remembered not to tell anyone down here that he sent me... He hadn't said why, but I didn't push further. "Umm...." I honestly had no clue.
     "Hes right here." I knew that cold, icy tone from anywhere. Mousewhisker cautiously stepped forward. He glared at me with worry and anger. I mouthed to him, 'I'm sorry.' and he turned away. "Why did you bring her here?" Tigerstar asked. "Because I thought we needed more warriors." Mousewhisker whispered.
     "We do, but did we ask you to just bring any cat here?" Tigerstar scowled, slashing his muzzle. I jumped over and began to growl in defense, but before I could leap, a paw stopped me. I turned to see Hawkfrost, the one who tried to kill Firestar... The one who showed Mousewhisker to Tigerstar. I lashed out on him. Slashing and biting until I felt teeth grip my scruff and I was thrown to a dark tree. The wind flew out of my lungs and I opened my eye. Tigerstar had Mousewhisker pinned and I staggered to get up.
     "See what she tried to do? She doesn't fight like us!" Tigerstar yelled. "But after a while, she will," Mousewhisker whimpered. "Its either you or her. Which do you choose Hawkfrost?" Tigerstar growled. I got up and Blossomfall ran over and let me lean on her.
     "I would say Mousewhisker for punishment, but this she-cat knows too much. And, it looks like she doesn't have much to live for. Who could love that face?" I looked down and Swiftpaw and Cloudtail popped into my mind. "I have plenty to live for." Hawkfrost pushed Blossomfall to the ground and grabbed my chin with his claws. "Oh? Like what?" he asked, amusement filled his eyes, but hatred was in them also.
     "Swiftpaw," I replied "Whitewing and Cloudtail." I growled. He storted and then whispered into my ear, "Then I guess when the time comes, they will be the first to be killed." He let go and turned I stood up and he raised his tail for cats to listen.
     "Alright, hold Mousewhisker back, he might try to help her." Tigerstar growled. "Breezepelt, Redwillow, Ivypool, kill her." Tigerstar signaled the three cats to go. 'Wait... Ivypool?' "Ivypool, I said you too." Tigerstars annoyed growl pierced my ears.
     Ivypool hesitated then she slowly crept up at me. There was no way out. I slid my claws out then leaped at Redwillow. Breezepelt climbed over my back and started to claw my spine. I screeched in pain and slashed his eye. Redwillow grabbed my scruff and held me up.
     I slashed at the air hopelessly and then I felt a claw slowly slice my skin of underbelly. I screeched in pain. And Mousewhisker pushed him out of the way. Redwillow let go of me and I started to twitch in shock. I slowly put a paw to my belly and I felt the warm blood ooze out of the long gash along my belly.
     I laid my head down and closed my eye. I heard the yowls of rage Mousewhisker let out as he thumped to the ground in pain.
     And soon, it all went black.