Warriors: Nightpaw's Identity(Book 3 of the WBI Trilogy)

Chapter Eleven: The Beginning of the End

Bumblestar POV

A solemn look hovered on Ashstar's face as I informed her of ShadowClan's true plan. She said nothing, digesting what I had told her bit by bit. Her calmness and poise in such a heated situation was commendable; I could perhaps tolerate her presence alongside me as I ruled the lake after all.

"By the time we reach our camp, it will be too late. We must intercept them another way," said Ashstar.

She was right. Much of our warriors' energy had been expended racing over to retaliate against ShadowClan, but even if we were in our best condition, it would be near sunhigh before we could arrive in WindClan territory. This strike had been calculated to perfection, and it was embarrassing how well it had worked. Rowanstar was not as pitiful and mouse-brained as he appeared. If he could just forsake that foolish warrior code nonsense, his high and mighty attitude, he could have been as ruthless a leader as I! Honor was a mere tale for kits, and with his Clan's survival on the line, he had glimpsed the truth.

It would be even more satisfying to shred his throat now, to toss aside his mangled body. Rowanstar made a worthy, cunning foe, but he did not have the advantage I had. My insatiable lust for blood and power would guide my actions and snuff out any semblance of remorse. I was not held back by feelings as he was. 

As I stood in the ShadowClan camp contemplating the situation, I felt the itch of sadism intensify to a crescendo. The burning sensation in my paws was overwhelming; I needed a kill soon. It had been too long since I had been able to unleash the beast. It was always present, gnawing at the back of my mind, clamoring for me to relinquish control. My restraint was waning, but I only had to cling to this civilized veneer for a bit longer.

"Bumblestar?" Ashstar inspected me, worry shrouding her gaze. "Are you alright?"

I returned her stare, hoping my expression was placid enough to assuage her fears. "Yes, I'm fine. Just got lost in thought."

The WindClan leader did not seem fully convinced, but she did not voice any further concerns. "I think we should head to RiverClan territory. I think it is likely that they either cross back through there, or hide out there."

"I agree. Let's get moving!" I yowled.

Our party traipsed off in the direction of the border. There was no chatter among ourselves, only the sound of twigs crunching underneath our feet announcing our movement. The eerie silence reminded me of the wordless shock that had enveloped the ThunderClan camp following Sandstorm's death. The context of the mood in this circumstance was something quite different; it was though they were witnessing their own demise, slow and agonizing. The knowledge that this would be the final meeting of the two sides must have spawned a somber dialogue in their minds. There was a particular horror I spotted in the senior warriors' eyes; I could only guess that they were horrified at what the Clans had devolved into. Hardly more than an assembly of rogues strung together by tradition.

The stench of ShadowClan wafted toward us, alerting us to a small group nearby. I dropped into a crouch, and the rest of the group followed my example. As we inched up on them, gaining ground despite our stealth, I was stunned to see how slow the party was moving. They were no faster than an adder crawling on the ground. Why did they not advance with more urgency? Where was the rest of the Clan?

Then it occurred to me. This was an evacuation of the kits and the elders, likely with a few warriors as an escort. My logic was confirmed as I made out the shape of a scrawny elder, hobbling a few fox-lengths behind the group. One of the cats circled back and nudged the straggler along, but even with the sluggish pace the entourage was travelling at, the limping elder could not keep up. I could not help but to chuckle at the foolishness; this was the most pathetic thing I'd seen in my entire life, and mind you, I've seen Blossomfall die.

A few ShadowClan cats' ears pricked up, indicating that they had heard my laughter. It did not matter if we had the element of surprise or not; with our size advantage, we would have no problem overwhelming them or catching any of them who attempted a cowardly escape.

"Overtake them, wound them, and pin them to the ground, but I don't want them dead until we've interrogated them," I hissed.

The escort patrol hardly had time to react before they had been subdued. They were felled as easily as greencough taking out a newborn kit. The hobbling elder yowled in protest, but he thought better of making any further noise as I shot a scorching look in his direction. I sat down, sweeping my eyes over our ragtag prisoners.

"Well, well, well, I've seen rainstorms more troublesome than you lot." I forced a bored expression on my face, relishing the opportunity to mock these ShadowClan fools. "Now, you'll tell me what I want to know if you want to live."

Of course, they were not surviving this under any circumstances. I think they knew I had no intention of letting them go. One cat, who I recognized as Tawnypelt, writhed beneath her captors' grasp. It was an exercise in futility, but she struggled anyways. In spite of the hopeless circumstances, she possessed a fighting spirit that refused to be tamed and to go down with ease. She raised her head and flashed me a defiant look. My eyes narrowed to slits; I was confounded by this show of resistance.

But that was quite alright. If they did not want to comply, I would be more than happy to torture them until they did. The real fun was just beginning.

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying the new chapters! Thanks for reading!