Darkened Soul



(AN: part of this episode is in SOarkpaw's POV because otherwise it would be pretty darn short.)

Darkend Soul
"She's gone."

Gone

Gone

Gone

Do they believe I'm dead? Or is there worse to come?

''Help me StarClan. ''

''Help me. ''



"Sparkpaw! Are you coming?"

I tear myself away from Shadowpaw's twisted and screaming body. "Yes Mintleaf." I mewed.

The pale she-cat nodded. "Froststar chose you for the gathering. If we want to get there, we need to leave now."

"What about Shadowpaw?" I mewed. "What's going to happen to her?"

An odd look came over Mintleaf. "You'll find out when we get there." She mewed nervously.

I turned back to Shadowpaw. She had stopped crying out, but she was still twitching. I leaned over the black she-cat. "Be safe Shadowpaw." Then I turned tail and ran to catch up with Burnpaw and the others.



"Shadowpaw! SHADOWPAW!"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Sunpaw's voice is still screaming at me. I see her body soaked in blood, and covered in scars. My vision twists, and the scene multiplies. Images become bloody an stricken, as I watch Sunpaw transform into a cat of maggots with no eyes or soul. Darkness everywhere. She kills every cat I love, while I'm stuck to the ground, screeching for her to stop. But nothing happens. I lose everyone. There is nothing left. And whatever it is that Sunpaw became, it has set out to kill me too.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">"Some cat! Help me!"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">But nothing comes. Nothing will save me now.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">"RabbitClan has a very important announcement!" Yowls Froststar. Cats turn to stare at her. She leaps upon her stone, and glares at Darkstar, Tawnystar, and Salmonstar. They say nothing and Froststar begins. "After the battle with BirdClan, one of our apprentices has gone mad. She screeches unknown things, and is a threat to us all!"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">I gasp, and turn to Mintleaf. She sighs and nods. This is what she meant

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Darkstar rolls his dark green eyes. "BirdClan is not concerned about RabbitClan's mad cat. We will not be affected. "

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Froststar looks enraged. "Don't you see! This cat is a threat to every Clan! She is crazy, and if she wakes up, she'll have no regard for the Warrior Code! She could march straight into your camps and kill you all!"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Tawnystar raises her tail. "I believe that Froststar is correct. What are we to say this couldn't happen. We should  do something. " She turns to Froststar. "What is your plan?"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Froststar waits for silence, then mews loud and clear, "We all leave the forest."

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">The gathering falls deadly silent.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Darkstar bristles. "Where do you suppose we go?" He mews.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Froststar lowers her head. "I don't know. I just know we must leave before we are all murdered in their sleep."

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Tawnystar nods agreement and turns to Salmonstar. "What about you? Will FishClan join RabbitClan and SquirrelClan?"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">The young tom nods. "It is best for all the Clans. "

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">All the cats now look at Darkstar. The brown dappled tom finally nods. "But on one condition. No cat orders around my cats." He mews sternly. The other Clan leaders nod.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">And all I know is that Shadowpaw will soon be left without anything.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">I fall.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">I feel nothing but death.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Only it won't come.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">''Kill me now. End this. ''

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">But Sunpaw just keeps laughing cruelly.

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">"This is my revenge Shadowpaw. Revenge on you!"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">What have I done?

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">

"Sparkpaw! We're leaving!"

<p style="font-family: MarkerFelt-Thin; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">I lay a mouse down before Shadowpaw. She screeches regret and pain. I don't know what for. "Sparkpaw!" Yowls Mintleaf. I tear my gaze away from my best friend. The black she-cat writhes in agony, but I push past it and follow Mintleaf. Because there will be nothing left otherwise. ''Goodbye Shadowpaw. '' Sunlight streams through the den. I blink, and realize that I'm finally awake. That my nightmare is over. Only, something seems wrong. Very wrong. There's a rotted mouse in front of me. There are no herbs in the medicine den. And it's silent. I peer into the camp, and see it's empty. No kits charging around. No apprentices practicing battle moves. No warriors going on patrol. Nothing. I search the camp, and find no trace of any cat. They've been gone for at least a quarter moon. I've been abandoned.