Warriors: The Chosen Warrior: Final Darkness (Book 6)

Chapter 11

The cool stickiness of the air pressing itself against her disturbed Leafsong's sleep. Before she opened her eyes, she knew what she could expect to see. The she-cat's had this same situation happen to her too many times before.

Sitting, Leafsong waited for Nightblaze to find her to lead her to Wolfscar. She wondered what their cruel mentor would "teach" them tonight, for since Owlheart gave her to the grotesque tom, it felt like every session was him merely watching her and Nightblaze fight one another. She hoped that he had yet to notice their mutual care for one another and how they did not fight as well as they possibly could with tooth and claw.

A dark shadow of movement caught her eye, and Leafsong looked up to see Nightblaze approaching. The black-and-ginger tom simply gestured with his tail to signal her to follow him. Leafsong sped up her footsteps to walk beside him.

"Do you know what Wolfscar has planned for us tonight?" she asked, making small talk during the trek.

"If he has anything planned, he hasn't told me." Nightblaze sent an amused glance her way. "How are things going in ThunderClan?"

"They're fine," Leafsong responded, looking elsewhere. Her next words were said slowly. "There is an unexpected visitor, though."

"Really. Who? Do you think I know them?"

StarClan, I hope not. "I don't think so," she replied. "He's my... brother."

Nightblaze looked at her with curiosity. "You've never told me you had a littermate!"

"Well, I do - technically," she added softly. "I also had a sister."

"I'm sorry for your loss," the tom murmured, immediately noting to use of the word had. "Why is your brother an 'unexpected visitor'? Does he not live in ThunderClan?"

"No," Leafsong answered softly. "He and my sister were exiled soon after we became warriors."

"Oh."

They walked some distance in silence.

"I've never had any littermates of my own," Nightblaze murmured. "But there was someone I had grown very close to when I was alive, close enough to call them my brother." A pause. "I've never seen him in this place."

Leafsong gave a sideways glance at him. "Could I ask you something? It might be a bit personal."

"Go ahead."

"Why are you in the Dark Forest? You seem like the nicest cat I've come across here, and that's saying something."

A long silence passed.

"It's complicated."

He surged forward to enter the clearing Wolfscar was waiting for them in. Leafsong followed after him, not completely satisfied with the answer. But she understood how it could be a difficult topic for him to talk about.

Any formal greetings were skipped. "Better hope your minds are sharp," the large white-and-silver tom meowed lowly. He was sitting down heavily in the center of the clearing, his one amber eye tracking his apprentices as they made their way toward him. "Your strengths are going to be put to the test tonight." His eye flicked to Leafsong and lingered there. She couldn't prevent the great chill that crawled down her spine. "Let's see how you hold yourself against me, Chosen Warrior."

Her mouth grew dry as she realized what was about to happen.

I'm going to have to fight Wolfscar.

She quickly started running through her battle techniques in her head, to try to figure out a way for her to even have a chance beating him. The tom was huge compared to her, practically two times her size, mayhap even three. He was immensely strong, and no doubt a fierce fighter. She wouldn't be surprised if he had given himself the scar on his face.