Poisoned Leaves

 POISONED LEAVES

Episode Three, Season Four, of Rise.

Enjoy <3

Poisoned Leaves
“This way,” Terran pointed down the path, “I can kind of pick up her scent around here, though it’s a few days old.”

“And why exactly are we following her again?” Karina asked.

“Because she has answers,” Terran explained, “If she’s the one who fed you those leaves, then we have to find out why. It wasn’t just so you could wake up. I bet there’s more to the story then we know.”

Karina sighed her traditional sigh before following her brother. Terran was bent on finding Vicky since their conclusion a day ago about Vicky coming after them.

She knew he was trying to get this done quickly so they could return to Bryce but Karina suspected there was more to her brother’s devotion then she knew. Perhaps his old memories of Vicky were just haunting him.

There were too many memories of Vicky that plagued Terran: his first date with her, the constant reminders that he was hers…and of course, the break up.

Terran shook his head to clear it but his mind wandered back into time.

~

''“Hey,” a quiet, almost shy-like voice alerted Terran, making him look up. “Do you want to join me for a hunting patrol?”''

''A small, brown she-cat with intelligent amber eyes looked down at him. She was one of the quieter cats, though Terran still knew her name. “Sure,” Terran glanced over at his sister, who was arguing with one of the younger cats. She wouldn’t mind if Terran went off for a patrol.''

“Vicky, right?” Terran clarified.

''“Yeah, you’re Terran.” Vicky didn’t even need if she was right. She just knew.''

''Terran smiled at the way she said his name. He didn’t say anything until they got to the border. “You ever think about the Coalition?”''

''“No,” she answered truthfully. “I don’t care for them.” She turned her amber eyes on him, “Do you?”''

''The white tom shook his head. “I don’t care for them—it’s not like I have family or friends there. But I think about them.”''

“Like what?” Vicky’s eyes and tone weren’t intrusive, and that’s what Terran liked about her.

''“Like…how they survive. Why they formed a Coalition instead of fighting as two Clans. It’s like asking us to bond with all the rogues living around the area and fighting together.”''

''“They have a common goal,” Vicky shrugged, “but who cares? They’re too weak to defeat us anyway.”''

''Terran had to disagree with Vicky. The Vipers had been losing more cats than ever before to the war. The Coalition had been easy to fight back when they were two Clans—Terran remembered the easy victories when he first came to the Vipers with his sister.''

''He didn’t mention any of that and they turned away from the border to actually hunt. He chatted with Vicky about multiple things before he realized he really liked how intelligent she sounded and how she dealt with every situation.''

He invited her to eat with him later that day and introduced her properly Karina, who took a disliking to her from the moment they met.

It wasn’t long before Terran asked Vicky out and she said yes.

~

''“Terran!” Vicky called out, her amber eyes following him, “Come on! You’ve been saying you’ll go out with me but you’ve never actually kept that promise.”''

“I’m busy,” he mumbled, “We’re fighting a war, Vicky.”

“The war can wait,” Vicky nudged him, “You’re never spending time with me anymore.”

“The longer we wait, the more cats will die.” Terran insisted, “You know that Vicky, you know the death count in this war is going up and up.”

''“Not really,” Vicky shrugged, “We barely fight anymore. It’s been a few skirmishes ever since Korin killed one of the Clans’ medicine cats. Plus, it’s always the Coalition cats who are dying.”''

''That wasn’t true. Yes, there had been less battles since Korin mercilessly murdered one of the Coalition’s peaceful medicine cats. It had been the DawnClan’s medicine cat. Terran didn’t know if she was ever replaced. But the cats who had been dying were the Vipers. The Coalition rarely lost anyone; their healing skills were far superior than the Vipers, who left the sick and wounded and fend for themselves.''

''“Let’s forget about the war right now. It’s too depressing,” Vicky tugged on his paw, “You’re mine, you know?”''

''Terran was torn by the way she said it. He wanted to be hers but at the same time he was reminded of Karina’s constant warnings of how obsessive Vicky could be.''

“I know,” he muttered, just to keep her happy, “but I need to go on this patrol.”

''When Vicky pouted, Terran added, “Korin will kill me if I don’t. There’s no point in a date if I die the next minute, right?”''

“Guess so,” Vicky rolled her eyes and touched her nose to mine, “Come back to me though, okay?”

“I will.”

As Terran turned away, he could see her mouthing: “You’re mine.”

~

''“Terran!” Vicky called out to him just as he exited Bryce’s holding cell. He froze and barely had time to close to the door and walk a couple steps away before Vicky bounded over and stepped in front of him.''

“You’ve been in that den for the better part of the day,” Vicky wrinkled her nose, “What kind of prisoner are you in charge of now?”

“A special one from the Twolegplace.” Terran didn’t know what he meant by special.

“Not more special than me.” Vicky said pompously.

“Well considering Korin made this she-cat my current assignment, I’d say she is.” Terran planned on just walking past Vicky; he wasn’t in the mood to deal with her.

''Vicky stepped in front of him again, forcing him into the brambles behind him. He cursed and began to pull them out. “There’s a she-cat in there. Don’t tell me you’re getting friendly with her.”''

“That’s nonsense,” Terran flicked his ear but he wouldn’t meet her gaze, “Why would I fall for my own prisoner?”

“A silly little fairytale,” Vicky sneered.

“I don’t get what you want from me,” Terran stared at her, “I’ve been spending time with you.”

''“Have you told me you loved me? No! I’ve told it to you before, haven’t I?”''

“No,” Terran answered truthfully, “We’ve only been dating a few moons.”

''Vicky pursed her lips. “I want you to be mine, Terran. No one else’s. Karina is an exception because she’s your sister. But no other she-cats can enter the picture.” She bared her teeth at the den behind Terran, “Not even a prisoner.”''

“I’m not falling for my prisoner,” Terran snapped, though he could feel his ears turning red.

“We’re making a scene,” Vicky observed, “we’re off, Terran.”

''He almost called out and told her to wait before he stopped. Was there anything in him that really cared for Vicky? She was always a vicious cat, trying to capture him and keep him tethered to her.''

''He didn’t love her. He knew that much.''

Terran sighed and turned towards his den, still trying to pull the brambles out of his pelt.

~

“You know,” Terran said suddenly, snapping out of the unpleasant flashbacks, “I just thought of something.”

“What?” Karina stopped walking and so did Terran.

“Why was Bryce seeing Vicky anyway? She has no business with the brown she-cat and she has no reason to trust Vicky.” Terran frowned, “There must have been a more complex reason for why Bryce was with Vicky, right?”

“Well…” Karina tapped her paw against the dirt, “If I recall correctly, the herbs Flameshadow gave me were given to Bryce by Vicky.”

“Did she now?” Terran arched an eyebrow.

He thought for a moment before his eyes widened. “Vicky must have used Bryce’s curiosity to her advantage. She must have fed Bryce information—whether or not it was true—as well as leaves for you.”

“Why me?”

Terran hesitated. He remembered the way Karina had crumpled to the ground, no visible wound on her. “To control you,” he whispered, but not loud enough for Karina to hear.

He looked up just in time to see Karina’s golden eyes turn black and she lunged for his throat.

~

I’m not so sure how much of a good idea this is but I lead Feathershine and Nightshadow towards the Blood Army border. I already explained to them on how Calypso had come to me with information before asking to meet me again.

“I don’t trust her,” I had said, “as much as she was my friend before, I don’t know what she wants from me.”

“We’ll come,” Nightshadow had offered immediately and I had accepted.

So here we are, the three musketeers trudging through the territory. As we draw near, I wave my friends back so I’m the one in the lead. Calypso is already standing there, her eyes flitting to the two cats behind me.

“You weren’t supposed to bring friends,” she hisses.

“You can’t blame me for being cautious,” I say calmly, “there’s a lot going on and I’m not going to risk it. They’re just here to oversee the meeting. They’re my closest friends and I trust that they will keep this a secret.”

“All right,” Calypso shakes her head, “but there isn’t much I have to tell you.”

She looks very unnerved today and I assume it’s because of Feathershine and Nightshadow.

“The Blood Army has become more and more demanding. Before, they were offering cats a chance to get prey by trading in stocks. Now they are restricting hunting areas and forcing cats to be trading stocks with them. Anyone who doesn’t is being attacked, their loved ones being killed.”

I stare at Calypso in shock. “It’s getting that bad?”

The gray she-cat nods, looking distressed. “I don’t know what to do about it, but I know they are ramping up for something big, presumably against the Coalition.”

“Thank you for the warning,” I say honestly, “but please be careful.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Calypso says darkly, “I’d worry about your own selves.”

She turns and disappears. Nightshadow is the first to speak up. “She was quick to go. I wonder if something bigger is happening in the Blood Army that she isn’t telling us.”

“Something personal maybe?” I suggest, “Calypso seems pretty open about the Blood Army as a whole, but she never talks about how she’s doing in there or what danger she could be in.”

“She doesn’t want to appear weak,” Feathershine points out, “it’s just like how we don’t tell her anything.”

I suppose she’s right, but still, I worry about Calypso. We head back towards camp and even before I enter, I can feel spiked tension. It’s practically tangible.

Applepaw barrels into us the moment we enter the camp. She’s crying. “B-Bryce!”

Fear runs through me. At first I think it has something to do with Jewel or Emerald, but I see my sisters immediately. They are watching us with wide eyes.

“It’s Firepaw!” Applepaw sobs.

“What about Applepaw?” I ask urgently, crouching in front of the apprentice.

“He was poisoned,” she cries out, “and Flameshadow doesn’t know whether or not he can cure him.”

I leave her to Nightshadow before heading towards the medicine cat. Firepaw is curled up tightly in his nest, his eyes closed, his face looking ghastly pale. He is shivering, as if he is cold.

Flameshadow is crouched over Applepaw’s brother, muttering. Herbs are scattered around him.

I back out of the den and shake my head. Somehow, Calypso’s warning slips to the front of my mind, reminding me that the Blood Army are calling for more stocks, which means more poisons and strange remedies.

What is going on?

Is there even a way for me to solve this?

The End.