The Gathering Shadows

This is my newest fanfic! It is dedicated to all the wonderful users on the Survivors Wiki, which I am a part of. Enjoy!

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Prologue

''Two years earlier. . .''

“Shadowheart! Wait! We need to talk about this.”

Shadowheart growled and stalked towards Skyfeather, his tail lashing. “That’s not my name anymore. You’re not my mate anymore.”

Skyfeather gasped, horrified, and back away. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve joined them.” Shadowheart’s voice was deathly calm. “I’ve joined the darkness.“

“No.” Skyfeather unsheathed her claws and tensed her muscles, but Shadowheart was faster. He lunged, slamming into her side and knocking her to the ground. Skyfeather yowled angrily and clawed at his face, but she was knocked aside and sent rolling across the grass. She leaped to her paws as quickly as she could and drew her lips back with an agonized hiss.

Shadowheart’s fierce yellow gaze bore into her, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

“I can’t believe I loved you once.”

''It was all my fault. All my fault for trusting him and falling in love with him and having his kits.'' She gently brushed her tail against her swollen stomach.

Shadowheart strode forward, brushing his shoulder against hers. “Love can be a powerful and deceiving thing.”

Skyfeather growled. “But you were my mate, Shadowheart! Don’t you remember how much we loved each other?”

“Love is dangerous, is it not? It’s led many down the wrong path before.” Shadowheart tilted his head, and his eyes flashed in the moonlight. Skyfeather’s blood ran cold, and she felt the overwhelming urge to flee.

“Stop talking like that,” she told him weakly. Her voice trembled as she spoke, and she couldn’t hide her fear.

To her dismay, he only seemed amused, and circled around her, watching her carefully. “This is the way of the darkness,” he muttered in a voice that she could barely here. “And the darkness is my calling.”

“No, it’s not!” Skyfeather cried. “Please, don’t fall to the darkness! You know all too well what will happen if you do. You’ll be destroyed.”

“You’re wrong! I’ll become too powerful to destroy.”

Skyfeather froze, her blood roaring in her ears and her heart thundering in her chest. “No. I know you were always too ambitious,” she whispered.

She barely had time to think before he was on top of her again, with his paws on her shoulders and teeth snapping at her neck. Skyfeather screeched and flailed around, trying to get free of his deadly grasp.

“What about our kits?” she yowled.

“They’re nothing but dead to me.” Shadowheart reared onto his hind legs, and with a furious yowl, leaped forward and plunged his fangs into Skyfeather’s neck.

Skyfeather’s screeching was abruptly cut off, and Shadowheart flung her heavy, blood corpse to the side. In the soft glow of the moonlight, he could see the slight curve of her stomach. He felt no regret for killing his mate and unborn kits.

“I’ve done it,” he snarled quietly. “I’ve joined them.”

He stepped forward, and suddenly, a small group of half-transparent cats appeared around him. The largest of them, a thickset black tom, dipped his head to Shadowheart with a snarl.

“Welcome, young warrior. Welcome to the Dark Forest.”

More coming soon!