Warriors: Sounds of the Forest

Chapter Eleven: Blackheart

Only moments after Riversong finished teaching Whitespot the medicine basics the six of us left for Windclan territory.
My fur prickled at this thought for windclan was the last place I wished to go. After all Whitestar was there and he was not worthy of being trusted.

"Here we are..." murmured Riversong as we reached the Windclan border. 

One scent reached out to me the most, Whitestar. His rank scent sent shivers up my neck, but if I was lucky he would not let his dark powers loose on us this time.

Tigerfangs fur also seamed to prick with unease, but he did not know what I had faced only a few moons ago. We were led by Snowfire into the camp, her body did not show any of her feelings, if she had any to be shown now at all. 

Just as we prepared to cross the scent line, a fresh scent appeared. And followed by it was a sleek brown tom who's amber eyes were filled with distrust and hate. "Who are you?" he snarled "a new clan or something, do you expect me to let you just prance on our territory? Tell me before my claws find your eyes!"

"We have business to discuss with your leader." I herd Snowfire snarl at him in reply 

For a moment his eyes seamed to glisten with a speck of fear, but he quickly hid it.  

"Fine, follow me." he spat angrily

At the Windclan camp we were greeted by hisses and threats from scared enemy warriors who still bore the recent fights anger. 

The Tom who had escorted us to the camp left us and walked to what must have been Whitestars den.

His voice hit me like claws being raked across my face as he yowled angrily at the Tom.  

It was clear we were not welcome.

Once Whitestar finished and a now-saddened brown Tom left his den, he called us in. 

I really did not want to go in there, I would rather die, but Tigerfangs tail wound with mine caused me to fine a slight amount of courage which was enough to make me go in.

Whitestars navy blue eyes met mine as I entered the den, he knew who I was, he knew I did not like it here, he knew He could easily over power me in a seconds time, he knew... Something that I did not know just yet.

"What do you want?" he asked us a hint of aggression threatening his calm voice. 

"Bare some important news-" Snowfire said beginning her explanation of our quest.

When she finished Whitestars eyes hid their emotion, but it was clear to me that those eyes held one thing he could not hide- darkness, pure evil darkness. 

"So that's why your scents are mixing, to form a new clans scent."

"Yes, Blackheart and Tigerfang are thunder and clouds, I am river, Pinefall is shadow, and I think that Dewkit may be another shadow." Snowfire said flicking her tail at each of us in turn.

"What about her?" Whitestar hissed looking at Riversong.

I wish I could have stood up for her but with my voice gone she would need to do so herself.

"I am here to translate for Blackheart, her voice has been stolen and to speak she writes on this," she let her tail rest on my stone slab. "then I read it out-loud so others can understand her."

Whitestar nodded "So why are you here?"

Dewkit flicked her tail back and forth through the air with a different rhythm in each stroke, as soon as Snowfire began speaking again I understood this was Dewkits way of speaking. And at that moment I longed to understand her, and to be able to speak with the ease she used in her tail.  

"Do you wish to learn her language Blackheart?" Snowfire asked me kindly as if speaking to a kit, I didn't like how she said it but I did wish to learn. So I nodded. 

Dewkit quickly said something with her tail and for a moment Snowfire didn't seam to understand her but she quickly found out and turned her eyes back to me.

Our exchange bothered Whitestar, I could feel it in the ground. He did not want me to speak at all.  Quickly he calmed himself down and spoke again, "So I need to call forth a meeting don't I?"  

We all nodded, his eyes became slits as he left the den to call forth his clan.
As he leaped onto his calling place he said the words that made all of thoughts in his clan gather. 

Snowfire exchanged a glance with him and began to explain to the cats that surrounded us. Taking my place at the center of the clearing I began to listen.

"We are looking for a cat with powers of the wind! Do any of you know of these powers, or have them?"  When she paused and waited for a response a black she-cat stood up, she had a silvery grey chest and paws, her blue eyes were clouded with fear. 

"I am Silversong. I-I have been experiencing weird powers lately and I think I may be the one you want."

"Good!" Snowfire perked up, "So that's every one but Skyclan!" and with that we left the camp, leaving Whitestars hostile glare behind us. 

As we walked toward the Riverclan camp I chose to wander away from the group, to get some alone time. 

I went into the territory I knew best, my old clans territory, Thunderclan. I knew no one would challenge me there, even with the new clans scent already forming on my pelt. 

The sweet smell of rabbit hit the roof of my mouth as I walked, my mind searched for a memory of when I had last eaten, it felt as if it had been long ago, so I choose to hunt. 

Letting my body drop into the hunters crouch I sniffed again for the rabbit. It was near. Slowly I stepped forward, then sniffed again. Now it was only a tail length away and I could see it's white fluffy tail in front of me.  

Then I leaped and let my teeth find it's throat. The taste of fresh kill was wonderful on my tongue..  

Once finished I tasted the air for the rest of my new clan, but I only caught a faint trace of them, a different scent was closer and definitely fresher.  

'Splashstar?' I asked in my head.

"I'm sorry.." he whispered

'Why?'

"They are with me, they followed me, I am sorry..."

'Who?' I asked quickly 'please Splashstar who followed you?!'

I expected Splashstars quiet voice to reply but instead I herd her shreak in pain.

"Hello Blackheart." a new voice snarled "Remember me?"

I knew that scent, it was a scent that I had not smelt since I had been a younger warrior, a scent that carried a darkness that I thought I had long forgoten...

'Badgersoul.'