Shadows in the Night

Prologue

A light brown tabby she-cat slipped out of a thorn tunnel, into the dark canopy of the forest. She looked upwards, trying to catch a glimpse of the warm moonlight, but the leaves and branches were so dense that even Silverpelt couldn't fight it's way through. The shadows of the trees loomed over her threateningly, and she couldn't help but let out a shudder of fear. Taking a few deep breaths, she forced the fur along her spine to lay flat. I can't let anyone find me here. I bet my fear scent can be detected from a mile away. 

Lowering her body to the ground, she placed one white paw in front of the other, whimpering as she passed the scent marks of the group of cats she knew as family. The she-cat sat up, and shook her head decisively. Do this for Darkclaw. Shuddering as her fur made contact with the sludgy, damp ground, she flattened her ears against her head, and warily glanced around. She stiffened as she caught a flicker in the shadows.

"Who's there?" She meowed, her voice barely a whisper. The tabby braced herself as the figure moved towards her, and sighed in relief as she recognised the black and white tom. She felt her heart flutter as it did every time she saw him. Don't be silly! She scolded herself. This is no time to be mooning over toms! 

His amber eyes glistened as he stared into her eyes, and then the tom took the lead, leaving the tabby she-cat to follow him. She growled at the disgusting feeling of the marshy ground. Her paws felt as heavy as bricks as she trudged sluggishly through the undergrowth. 

"Are we there yet?" She asked her companion. The tom shook his head. 

"We're not far," he replied, his mew hushed and low. The light brown she-cat widened her eyes in fear, and fluffed her fur out as she detected the glimmer of amber eyes in the dark, and then a pair of bright green orbs. She felt a growl rumble in her throat, and lashed her white-tipped brown tail back and forth, unsheathing her claws. As the moonlight suddenly struck the unknown cats, the tom next to her ran his tail down her back. She immediately relaxed, trying to resist the urge to purr. 

"Snake," her companion meowed, dipping his head to the first cat. The brown she-cat tipped her head to the side, studying his features. Snake was a white tom with matted fur, and had a pair of striking amber eyes. He was well built for a loner, with muscles rippling across his fur. "And Sidewindercliff," he added, nodding respectfully to the second cat, a jet black she-cat with a white underbelly and striking green eyes. What an odd name. It sounds clan-like, but at the same time it doesn't. And what in the name of StarClan in a sidewinder?

"Blacktail," Snake replied, dipping his head in return. He then turned to her, and she felt a flutter of nervousness in her stomach. He could easily kill me. "And you are?" 

"Leaftail," she murmured, staring down at her paws.

"Leaftail," Sidewindercliff repeated, her green orbs boring into her. "We have been watching you," she meowed, flexing her claws that reflected the moonlight. 

"You want revenge, or do you not?" Snake meowed, stalking over to her. At once, Leaftail felt rage burn in her core, setting her blood on fire. 

"They exiled my father," she spat, unsheathing her claws and scoring them across the earth.

"Do you want to take revenge for him?" Snake asked. Leaftail looked up at him, surprised. "Do you want to take revenge for him?" He repeated.

"Yes."

"Leaftail," Sidewindercliff meowed, padding over to her. "We've been watching you, because... we need your help. We can give you all you've ever dreamed of; a clan to lead to destroy your own. All we ask is that you recruit more cats to join us, and once we take over your old clan, the land will be ours." Leaftail thought for a moment. This is what i've always wanted. 

"Do you accept?" Snake meowed.

Leaftail hesitated, and then with the gazes of three cats boring into her fur, she looked up at the stars, and meowed, "I do."

//I'm sorry that this was posted after chapter 10, but I forgot about it D': But here you go! I hope you like it :)