Flight Of A Raven

Chapter 4

Ravenpaw had changed. She didn't know how exactly, but when she looked at her Clanmates she felt an anger that surely couldn't be hers. After all, she was prophesied to destroy them, to bring darkness to WindClan. She couldn't really resent them for hating her. She did too.
"Why can't it be mine?" A voice in her head whispered. "Why can't it be my anger? They have wronged me. They have pushed me aside. Coldmist was right. If StarClan wills it to be so, then who am I to stop them? I choose my destiny, not the cats around me."

I can't just- she began, before the voice cut her off again. "I can. They think that I am a mere apprentice, a pawn to their games. But I am strong to have resisted their taunts for so long, and strong I will remain. They are weak. They hide beneath pitiful numbers, an entire Clan against one. I'm sick of being constantly denied a chance at greatness. They do not see me for who I truly am now, but soon they will. Only the strong survive!"

Yes, she thought. Yes.

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Breezepaw had known of Ravenpaw's chhange of heart. "The broken to rise, shattered soul drawing blood, gleaming scarlet." She had said while they were patrolling the tunnels one day. "Blood like a second skin, pouring from a murderer's paws. Bloodied claws, gleaming in the moonlight. Face a mask of red, licking it from their fur, bloody teeth glinting, eyes gleaming with satisfaction."

It had sounded like a prophecy. It was probably meant to.
But Breezepaw had promised to stand by her, no matter what choice she picked.
"I must pledge my allegiance sometime." she had mewed airily. "Why not swear fealty now?"

And then had she became slightly unnerving.
"But first we must recruit the kits! Especially Russetstripe's, as they're named after a villain anyway."

"What?"

"We're recruiting for your Dark Army, aren't we?" she'd asked in false innocence.

Ravenpaw leveled her with an unimpressed look. "Oh, put a rabbit in it. But who in StarClan's name is Russetstripe?"

Breezepaw had purred in amusement. "A SkyClan queen, mother to Voldemortkit. They're nearly apprentices now."

"That is a very strange name; was their father a rogue?"

"Volekit, Deerkit and Moorkit are their names. The father is Hailstorm, the SkyClan deputy and littermate to their medicine cat. That's a lot of power for ones so young. The Clan will place a great burden on their shoulders. And when they fall to the river, you will be there to teach them to swim."

"I - what? I'm not going to manipulate cats, and I'm not evil, Breezepaw!"

The silver she-cat didn't seem to get the hint. "When you take over the Clans, can you eliminate ThunderClan? They have too much power and far too many cats in further arcs."

Well then.
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Author's Note: The voice in bold in Ravenpaw's head is Coldmist, pretending to be her conscience. We see that Dark Forest cats can speak in other cat's heads in Tigerclaw's Fury, where Mapleshade speaks to Tigerclaw. However, in this story, instead of seeming like another cat in Ravenpaw's head, Coldmist acts like he is her. He is much more cunning and manipulative than the DF cats in canon.