Crimson Blood Chapter 3

Hello everyone! I see I have some readers, which encourages me to write some more. I didn't expect this to be a popular story, but I'm glad you guys are commenting. The feedback is great! So, as the title says, this chapter is longer than the others and has some surprises. You seemed to like the poem in chapter one, so I'm going to start making my chapters longer while adding a short introduction poem-like-thing at the beguinning to my chapters. Thanks for reading, again. If you are new and haven't read the first two chapters, read them!

'New story coming out soon. If you are interested in the link, just ask and I can post it. I'm still working on the first chapter, but it's coming along well. '

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 Introduction

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   Innocent ambitions

 Grow to something more

 Rage and fury and the reek of death

 Blood will spill on the floor

 Time ticks past like the bubbling brook

 Lies and betrayal thicken the air

 Revenge for something that another cat took

 Will give the whole valley quite the scare

 The prophecy has been sent

 A omen has rained down

 If you were the to simply open your eyes

 You would see the fear was all around

<p style="text-align: center;">- - -

<p style="text-align: center;"> Crimson Blood

<p style="text-align: center;"> It's true you know 

<p style="text-align: center;"> We all bleed Crimson Blood 

<p style="text-align: center;"> You can hide from your fate 

<p style="text-align: center;"> But we all bleed Crimson Blood 

<p style="text-align: center;"> - - -

<p style="text-align: center;">'I had been punished for 'attacking' my brother. After two moons of cleaning the elder's bedding, getting moss, fetching prey and doing basic tidying chores, I belonged in the forest, hunting and practicing battle moves. My brother still had a stupid limp, and he had made a whole entire huge deal over being clawed by me. He should learn if he was a weakling, he would be hurt. It isn't my fault he can't fight his own battles. Now every single warrior, plus my mother and father, jump to his defense in everything. He gets the fattest piece of prey after 'resting' all day, while I work my tail off? No argument, the meal goes to him. Whatever I say or do, someone is right there to say I'm wrong and protect my brother. And even if it has nothing to do with Hawkpaw, they'll bring the event up just to guilt me.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'  I don't feel guilty. Like I said, he got what he deserved. All weaklings are better of dead. They're a waste of fresh kill and time. '

<p style="text-align: center;">'  I get punished for my strength and skill, and he is rewarded for his laziness and pitiful fighting. How is that fair? I can only barely keep my bright ginger tail from lashing when they bring it up, but I say i'm sorry and coo over my brother and agree with every insult and scornful hiss they throw at me for what I've done. I accept their idiotic arrogance with ease, for one day I know I will rule them all.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'  Suddenly Reedwhisker bounds up to me, as I sift through piles of soiled bracken and ragged old pieces of moss. I look up, large amber eyes glittering. Maybe she'd come to tell I would be able to return to training. '

<p style="text-align: center;">' "Crimsonpaw, my dear girl." The senior warrior hisses through bared fangs. By her furious appearance, I'm guessing that she didn't deliver the news I had hoped. I licked at a patch of my pure scarlet chest, partly amused at her bristling anger. '

<p style="text-align: center;">'"Yes, my dear mentor?" I spat back, mocking her sarcastic sweet tone. He narrows her eyes, determining wether she could scold me. I could always claim I was being sincere, and I guess she decides against it, because she ignores my rudeness.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'"Meeting. Redstar is much to weak to yowl the cats together. His voice is a mere whisper." She sighed sadly. "Just gather below High Ledge. There has been a prophecy." She mews shortly, then whirls away and storms off. I blink, all mocking spite gone and replaced by curiousty. A prophecy! '

<p style="text-align: center;">' I rush to below the high, crumbling dusty ledge that spurt out of the rocky wall that sloped to the valley. Above it I could see the springy dew covered grass and flowers that led into a grassy meadow where we hunted rabbits and field mice. I flicked my fluffy red tail and peered upwards to see Yarrowleaf, our medicine cat, standing and looking over the edge. He trembled like the height was scaring him slightly, and I winced at his fear. How crude, to have a medicine cat afraid of high places.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'Slowly warriors gathered around me, and Sagepaw eyed me with distaste. Like I cared how my kin saw me. Let her be sharp with me! She hissed in my ear as she passed something that I couldn't make out, then returned her glare to her paws. I rolled my eyes scornfully. Moonpaw skittered to the front, bouncing happilly on the tips of his claws. "How exciting!" I heard his squeal, "I'm so excited to hear the omen!"'

<p style="text-align: center;">'I curled my lip is disgust, but before the joyful little kit could continue, the meeting begun. Yarrowleaf gulped and took a deep breath.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'"Me and my apprentice, Wetpaw," I heard my brother's name and twitched my ear. Wetpaw glanced at me. I nodded curtly, and he returned the favor. "We recieved a prophecy at Star Reef. StarClan reflected the light on the water until the water turned red and scarlet, lapping thickly at the shore. The reef was filled with b-blood." Our cowardly medicine cat stammared. i perked my ears as Wetpaw, my most respectable sibling pushed Yarrowleaf out of the way with a crude growl. I felt a twinge of thankfulness that at least one of my litter mates wasn't mouse brained.'

<p style="text-align: center;">'"I saw it for myself." He licked his lips, and unlike Yarrowleaf he seemed intense and stern rather than scared. "There was red blood in the Star Reef. Afterwards I dreamed of a omen." He announced. "I will repeat it for all of my clan to hear. 'Beware of a dangerous ambitious killer, and the two that join forces to destory the clan, blood will be spilled, wars will be lost, tragedy will stike." He finished with a satisfying rasp. Gasps rippled through the cats, and Redstar hobbled forward.'

<p style="text-align: center;"> "I will discuss this with my senior warriors!" He cried, but his voice fell into a fitful coughing. He was elderly and weak. "We must find out who will betray us, and stop them before the deaths begin." He wailed. I leaped to my paws, anger surging through me. "The traitors probably ARE the some of the senior warriors. A apprentice couldn't do all that single pawed. Everyone should have a say, in case one of the traitors tries to convince you otherwise." I argue.

<p style="text-align: center;"> A shocked silence remained for a moment before my mentor spoke up. "It was terrible and rude to disagree out loud with your leader." She screeched. "I am ashamed. You will be punished later." She paused. "Though that was very shrewed, I think she may have a point, Redstar. This is something that must be discussed with every single warrior and apprentice."

<p style="text-align: center;"> Yowls of approving cats cried out, and Redstar nodded stiffly. "Fine!" He snapped. Poppyrose herded her kits back inside, Fernkit and Dustkit wailing in protest. Soon Poppyrose appeared, alone, from the nursery once more. Elders sat up straighter, and two of the apprentices that were appointed only yesterday were forced to keep quiet, but still allowed to watch. "Alright." Redstar finally mewed, "Let us begin. Any suggestions on what to do or who might doom our clan?" He sniffed bluntly, not stopping to glide into the matter smoothly. He shot right into the problem, and nervous mutters rose from the crowd.

<p style="text-align: center;"> Redstar hissed in frustration. "Fine, we'll start with Whitewing. Any opinions on the matter?" The white tom looked around skittishly then spoke. "I think that maybe... no hard feelings, but Flintpool has a lot of ambition." He mumbled, looking at his paws. Screams of protest erupted, and Redstar silenced them with a flick of his tail. "Next!"

<p style="text-align: center;"> Cats rose and spoke, everyone with a different view. I got my turn, and I proudly stode to the ledge. "I think that the traitors, the three of them will consist of Redstar, our deputy Fawnstorm, and our medicine cat Yarrowleaf."

<p style="text-align: center;"> The anguish was so loud now that I winced in disgust and distaste. "Let me explain, you fools!" I spat. "Each are puny weaklings. They can't defend themselves and they are worthless cowards. I say we rid of the now and elect new and stonger ranks of power." I yowled. There was a silence. Then I was dragged off High Ledge, and tossed aside like rubbish.

<p style="text-align: center;"> "You fiend!" I yelled to my offender. "They are filthy weaklings! Waste of fresh kill piles of crow food!" I swore harshly, thrasing and spitting.

<p style="text-align: center;"> Finally I was pinned and tossed into the medicine den, where Yarrowleaf shoved thyme down my throat until I passed out.

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