Rising Storm [Warriors: Lakefront Sagas Introductory]

•Chapter Three•

Wind swirled around a ginger-and-white tabby as she watched a buzzing the Rippling Lake's camp. The faces of most warriors were void of emotion. Just soulless, emotionless, faces that stared at her with the slightest of annoyance as they walked by.

The apathetic society of the Empire was greatly diminishing to the spirits of all, and those born into it were taught to never be sad, to never be happy, to never hold emotion. But when Skystar appointed Swiftmind as her Deputy Lieutenant after her previous Deputy Lieutenant was banished and rumoured to have been killed by Root warriors, things changed in small forms. It was, however, not enough to change those that were knee-deep in the harrowing society of the Rippling Lake Empire.

"Are you feeling okay, Gingerfur?" a voice spoke warmly behind her. The ginger-and-white molly spun around to see two warriors staring at her with concerned confusion. One was a black molly named Ravensong, and the other was a ginger tabby molly named Mapledusk.

She pulled up a weak grin as she gently reminded the two. "My name isn't Gingerfur anymore. It is Fallenhope now."

Mapledusk's face frowned at the response as the ginger molly walked up next to Fallenhope. "That's the name Skystar gave to you after you lost your father. Your true name will always be Gingerfur."

Fallenhope pulled away from Mapledusk. "Still," she mewed. "Gingerfur is no longer my official name under Skystar's decree. I will never be known as Gingerfur again..."

"Skystar can get thrown into the Rotting Forest," Ravensong replied with a stern tone. "Who is she to blame you for grieving the loss of your father when she also grieved her father's death as well....just differently...," Ravensong shook her head wildly. "The point is, her decree means nothing if it is hypocritical of her."

"Hypocritical of who?" a gruff molly's voice spoke bitterly. Fallenhope turned her head around until she froze when she saw a light grey-and-white molly staring at them with ferocity. Fallenhope felt herself gulp as the molly strode over to them with an angered hiss. "Answer my question!"

"S-Skys-star," Ravensong stammered nervously. "H-how n-nice to see you u-up so early!"

"It's far into sunup." Skystar meowed with suspicion gleaming in her eyes.

"Mapledusk looked up at the sky, acting surprised, as if it was a brand new discovery. "Oh, it is?" Mapledusk then looked at Skystar. "We should check up on Swiftsight about patrols then. Ravensong promised him we would!"

The two mollies slowly moved away from their commander towards the other side of camp; Ravensong beckoned for Fallenhope to follow them. Skystar watched them with scepticism in her eyes before the molly commander's body disappeared into the surrounding trees from their sight. Ravensong muttered insults under her breath while Mapledusk attempted to calm the sleek-furred molly down.

"Skystar is nothing but a rude, cold, fox-hearted, contemptuous, abhorrent leader who should never have attained Authority!" Ravensong rambled nonsensically. "If only I could get my paws on her without punishment, I would—"

"Ravensong," Fallenhope hissed as she put her paw in front of the black warrior; Ravensong looked at her in surprise. "That's enough. It's over and done with."

"Mapledusk nodded in agreement. "Skystar may be obdurate in mannerism and in nature, oftentimes in ways that are indescribable, but we need to be level-headed. A time will come when she will go, and Swiftsight will become leader of Rippling Lake one day. Won't there, Gingerfur?"

"Fallenhope bristled her fur at the insistence of them calling her by her old name, but flattened it as she replied. "Yes, there will. Her actions will be judged. Her arrogance, her sickening rules, they will collapse. Dusk Hollow will be freed. Swiftsight will become our First Commander. Hope and harmony will be ours. We just need to remain vigilant and wait-and-watch for the time being."