Warriors: Sounds of the Forest

Chapter Forty-Three: Blackheart

My eyes hovered over the Tom briefly, his deep forest green eyes observing my every move. How could this tom, who brought me so much pain, be my mate.

"Why can't I remember anything?" I asked again, distrusting his last answer yet unsure of how the answer would come as the hatred I had seen in his eyes frightened me.

His eyes closed as he tensed, "I've already answered that question." He said holding back a snarl. Then looking up he continued "why don't you tell me what you can remember?"

With that answer I could feel I could not trust him fully, though my brief memory had shown him happily playing with kits that looked as though they were related to the two of us, he was now clearly showing a different mind set. 

"I can remember you... and our kits. But nothing else."

His ears perked "how many kits?" He asked slightly unsure.

I thought for a few moments as I pictured them again, "four..." I replied slowly. "Why does that matter?" 

Watching the Tom I realized a small pool of tears had formed at his paws as he looked down, the dim lighting hiding his eyes.  

Perhaps this tom was my mate after all, if he truly cared for these kits.

"You don't remember much than." He said with a quiet sigh. "... Those kits are dead."

"What?" I asked in shock, my slight memory had been lost to the icy grip of death. As sadness hardened like a stone in my heart I asked, "wh- what were their names?" With a shaking start.

"They were, Midnightpaw, Spashpaw, Snowpaw... And Greykit." He said with dark tone. "Shortly after you left a cat named Riversong killed them and fled to the mountains. I'm here to help you get revenge."

"Then I thank you..." I replied. "But if Riversong is in the mountains how will we get there?"

"We already have a plan." Tigerfang smirked, the darkness it held no longer worrying me.  

He then began to fade, as did my surroundings.  

"I will receive you when you wake." He said "we will bring you to the mountains."

As his dark striped white pelt disappeared I saw two shapes appear at his sides, just as everything went black. 

---

My eyes slowly opened to cats surrounding me, one of them having gasped upon my awakening.  

As quickly as they had appeared before me, they left, being forced out by a speckled black Tom and a orange tabby shecat.

"Are you ok Blackheart?" The Tom asked, his eyes full of worry.

"Yes." I replied, for some reason my voice cracked as though it had not been used in a while. Though its sound still caused the two cats to stare in shock.

"You can speak!" The orange tabby gasped, her voice full of happiness.

I flicked my ears, confused by her joy. "Haven't I always been able to talk?" I asked  

The two cats glanced at each other, the joy fading from their gaze.

"You mean..." The Tom said "you can't remember?"

"No." I said flatly, not extremely pleased with explaining myself once more. 

"So would you mind telling me where I am, and who you two are?"

The orange shecat lowered her head as she looked at the ground, leaving the Tom to explain. 

"I'm Darkflame, the thunderclan medicine cat, this is Amberstar, the leader of our clan. You are in the medicine den because you wouldn't wake up after your meeting at the moonstone... Snowstar and them had to carry you here."

"And you said I couldn't speak before?" I asked.

"No.." Amberstar sighed, looking up once more "moons ago, a cat named Whitestar stole it from you. We thought it had been permanent, and you were taught a language to use by your sister."

"I have a sister?"

"Yes, her name is Riversong."

With that I stopped, Riversong?! The one who had killed my kits and fled? 

My claws sank into my bedding as I sat up. "I need to go to the mountains." I hissed.

"What about your kits?!" The Tom gasped. "You remember them right?"

I lowered my head and let a growl rip through my muzzle "my kits are dead, I need to see Riversong as soon as possible!"