Night Falling

 NIGHT FALLING

Episode Nine, Season One, of Rise.

Enjoy <3

Night Falling
Terran is cute when he’s working. Or thinking. Or doing anything really. Not that you know, I’d tell him that.

The white-gray tom has a scrunched up look on his face and his eyes are strangely unfocused. His tail twitches constantly and when I poke at it, it flicks upwards and smacks me in the nose, causing me to sneeze.

Yet he still doesn’t break his concentration.

I sigh dramatically. Terran flicks an ear and glances my way. “Yes?” He gives me a curious glance, “Is something wrong?”

“I’m bored,” I groan, “My sisters are playing with Applepaw and Feathershine and Nightshadow are hunting.”

“And?” Terran pretends not to notice my glare.

“And you’re staring into space!”

Terran rolls his eyes, “I’m thinking of a battle plan, Bryce. In case you haven’t forgotten, the Vipers are almost upon us.”

“I know,” I flop my head down so I’m resting on his back, “but I’m in need of someone to talk to and Karina’s…I don’t even know where she is to be honest.”

“Probably discussing plans with the leaders,” Terran supplies, “she’s been doing that for the past hour or so.”

“Yeah and you’ve been sitting here like a shell of a cat,” I huff, “can’t we discuss plans together or something? It’s hard for me to pitch in when you think in your own head. I’m not a mind reader.”

Terran laughs and I feel the vibrations in his pelt. “Alright, what do you have?”

“I should be asking you that,” I say crossly, “you’re the one thinking.”

“Ah, must I always provide you with the brains?” Terran chuckles, “Surely there’s a brain hidden somewhere in that head of yours?”

But I always think of you. I snort, “My brain is too good for simple cats like you,” I say stoutly, “you surely cannot understand any of my thoughts.”

“So there’s none?” Terran scoots so my head rolls to his paws and he glances down at me with his clear blue eyes. They’re twinkling with amusement and I roll my eyes.

“As if,” I scoff, “I just thought you needed the practice with your brain, if you have one.”

Terran gives a loud laugh and several cats glance at us. “It’s these moments that make me feel like it’s been worth all this trouble,” he has a solemn look on his face. I say silent, though I want to bring the smile back onto his face. “When I was younger, I never thought I’d join the Vipers. But when I did, I thought I’d never sway from them.”

The silence stretches between us and then Terran closes his eyes. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to put down the mood.”

“Don’t be sorry,” I murmur, “It’s always good to let something out.”

Terran reveals his blue eyes once more. “I don’t know if I made the right choice,” he hesitates, “I mean I’d never leave you and your sisters there, but I’m not sure if this will be what I want.”

“Were the Vipers a home you wanted?” I ask softly.

The gray-white tom doesn’t reply for a long time. “I don’t know,” he says finally, “the Vipers were the only choice Karina and I had after our mother died. Our father was a Viper, though we never knew who he was. It only seemed logical to go seek a home from the group he was with.”

Before I can say anything else, Karina bounds over. “Terran! The Vipers have set up a ring around the territory. The wolves are just behind them.”

Terran leaps his paws immediately. “Did you tell Amberstar and Hawkstar?”

“Yes, but I’m not sure how fast they can assemble the right lines. I need your help.” Karina’s golden eyes are frantic.

“What is going on?” I butt in, “Why are you too so nervous?”

Terran glances down, “Go get Shadeflower.”

“Excuse me?” I blink in surprise, “Nightshadow’s sister? The one we rescued from the prisons? Why do we--”

“Bryce,” Terran cuts in sharply, “Please just go get her.”

“Tell her the wolves are here.” Karina adds.

I spin around and head for the medicine cat den. I skid to a halt and poke my head inside. “Flameshadow? I’m sorry I need to speak to Shadeflower.” Before the kindly medicine cat could stop me, I crouched next to the dark she-cat and whispered. “Terran and Karina – the two Vipers who saved you – they need your help. The wolves are here.”

Shadeflower goes rigid. Her dark amber eyes are filled with fear and she stands and races out of the den. Flameshadow jerks his head and yelps before dashing out after her before pausing. I crash into the medicine cat and see what he is staring at. Shadeflower is talking with Terran and Karina, her eyes sparking with intelligence, replacing the shattered look in her eyes.

Terran nods grimly and he heads for the leaders’ den while Karina races outside. Shadeflower stands where she is, the light dying from her eyes once more. I frown and head for her. “Shadeflower?”

She glances at me, the broken look covering her eyes once more. I try not to flinch away but I lead her back to Flameshadow, who frowns.

Nightshadow bounds over worriedly. “Is she alright?” He whispers, “I was so astonished when I saw her racing towards the two Vipers. I thought she was going to kill them to be honest.”

“No, she helped them with something,” I gaze at Terran, who has reappeared and is making a beeline towards us. Nightshadow curses under his breath but I nudge him.

Terran is breathless by the time he makes it to us. “Did Karina head out already?” His blue eyes are sharp and focused.

I nod once and without another word, Terran streaks out of camp after his sister.

“Something’s up,” Nightshadow growls, “you should follow them.”

But I’m already moving. I hurry after Terran and I follow his scent trail out towards where Karina is crouched. I hang back, not wanting to intrude on whatever plans they have.

Terran seems overly tense. “How long do you think before we can convince Amberstar and Hawkstar to get out here with the troops they need?” The gray-white tom hisses, “Look at these masses.”

Karina shudders. “Maybe we should let the others understand what’s going on.”

“We don’t even know what’s going on,” Terran snaps, “Shadeflower holds all the secrets. That’s why they took her in the first place, remember? She knows the secrets behind the wolves, except she’s been pushed too far to be much use.” He shakes his head, “I can’t believe she actually gave us help. After all she’s been through…”

He trails off and Karina doesn’t reply. After a few more pauses of silence, Terran continues. “I need to go back and get Bryce. She’s probably worrying her head off, especially the way I stormed off like that.”

Adrenaline rushes through me and instinct made me shrink back. My leg brushes a few twigs, and they move against the fallen leaves. The rustling makes Terran glance up. “Bryce,” he says, almost calmly.

“Hi,” I say meekly, “am I interrupting something?”

Karina rolls her eyes, “I’ll see to the other side. You take Bryce and round up the prepared troops. We don’t have much time.”

The dark gray she-cat disappears and Terran approaches me. “You were listening the entire time, weren’t you?”

I nod. Terran sighs. “Come on, there’s no point in hiding the truth anyways. The wolves are almost upon us, though I hoped to try to keep the fear to a minimum.”

“I’m not scared,” I try to say bravely, though my voice wavers.

I let Terran help me up. He’s so steady, even if these conditions. I wonder where he keeps his fear locked away or if he has any fear at all. “Let’s go back to camp,” he suggests, tossing one last dark look over his shoulder at the baying wolves.

“Why are you guys so terrified of the wolves?” I ask shakily, trying to shut out the howls from my mind to concentrate, “And why does Shadeflower have the answers?”

“All in good time,” Terran reassures, shushing me, “we have to go round the troops right now.”

We race back in camp and Terran hurries to the leaders’ den without another word. I wait awkwardly on the side before Nightshadow joins me, “What happened?”

“The wolves are coming,” is all I say.

The black tom furrows his brow and obviously wants to ask more, but Terran reappears. “Bryce, come over here.” I bound to his side. “I need you to stay with Shadeflower while I take the troops out.”

“Why?”

Terran hesitates. “Never mind that,” he pushes me towards the medicine cat den, “just keep her inside, alright?”

Before I can protest, Amberstar steps outside and calls for her troops. In moments, the majority of the Coalition’s forces have left the camp and I’m left standing there, dumbfounded.

Nightshadow and Feathershine are left behind also. “Take care of my sisters,” I say briskly, heading for the medicine cat den, “please keep them inside and have Applepaw play with them or something.”

Flameshadow glances up when I come in. “Good, I was hoping you would come. She’s moaning about wolves.”

I frown. I crouch in front of Shadeflower and try to get her attention. “Shadeflower? What do you know about the wolves?”

Shadeflower’s head snaps up and her eyes – her eyes. A blank look has filled her vision and she stands, making a move for the entrance. The one thing Terran told me not to let her do. I quickly move to block her, but to my surprise, she knocks me aside. I let out a yelp and lunge for her, bowling her over. Flameshadow is shouting something in surprise but I don’t hear him.

“Okay, no wolves,” I mutter, “um…Nightshadow?”

The mention of Shadeflower’s brother seems to calm her down. The broken look replaces her blank stare and I let her up slowly, relieved.

Flameshadow helps his patient back to her nest. “What are you doing?” He scolds, “She should be resting.”

“Terran says she knows something about the…you know,” I frown, “I wanted to see if I could figure it out.”

Sudden howls fill the air and Shadeflower screams. I flinch and she barrels for the entrance, slamming me into Flameshadow. I curse and untangle myself from the medicine cat before racing outside after the dark gray she-cat.

Nightshadow is already out there, trying to calm his sister down. I catch up to him and huff, “Can you settle her down? Terran says to keep her in the den--”

Shadeflower promptly collapses in front of us, her eyes glazed over. “Help me to the den,” I command a stunned Nightshadow, “I need to keep her in there, in case she gets some sort of reaction to seeing the fighting if it gets here.”

Nightshadow helps drag his sister back into Flameshadow’s den. “Stay here with her,” I plead Nightshadow.

I race back outside and this time I see Amberstar backing into the camp. The wolves’ howls fill the air and I see Terran, bloody and scratched, diving into the camp. “Where’s Shadeflower?” He shouts at me, trying to hold back a Viper.

“Inside,” I point to the den.

“Get any warrior out of their dens,” Terran goes down under two writhing cats.

I scurry to my den and get Feathershine out and order her to go get Nightshadow. I tell Applepaw to stay where she is before lunging back outside and attacking one of the toms pinning down Terran.

The white tom beats back the other one and together we drive them away. “Thanks,” he huffs, “I don’t know where Karina is. In fact I don’t know where the other half of the army is.”

Worry shoots through me but I have no time to think about that. The Vipers and their wolves are edging into our camp. I can’t let them touch Emerald and Jewel.

New energy surges through me and I let my body take over. Cats scream and go down, but I don’t see any of it. All I know is that my claws are tearing through skin and I can feel blood running through my paws.

“Bryce!” Nightshadow pushes his way to me. I glance up, the sound of my name jerking me out of my trance.

The black tom helps me beat back the wolf I’m fighting and a shadow detachs itself from the bush next to Nightshadow.

“Nightshadow--” I begin, my head spinning.

He sees the fear in my eyes and turns. But he’s too slow and the wolf’s jaws close around his flank and I scream.

Suddenly Karina is there, beating back the wolf and killing it. She nudges Nightshadow and easily swings him onto her back and pushes me away. “Find Terran,” she snaps, “I can’t find that fool.”

My head is whirling from the experience but I stumble away from the dark she-cat. Cats blur my vision and someone spins around. I shriek slightly and I feel a hard blow to my head and then I feel myself falling.

Someone supports me before knocking away the Viper she-cat. “Bryce,” Terran says softly, “are you alright?”

Yes. I want to say, but I just shake my head. Terran doesn’t say another word but helps me to my den where my sisters fuss over me instead. I don’t have many wounds, but just the memory of the wolf’s jaws closing around Nightshadow makes me shudder. “Stay here,” Terran says softly, “I’ll be right back.”

But he doesn’t need to move. Amberstar shouts. “Leave Vipers! We’ve defeated most of your beasts and your cats are no match for the Coalition.”

Korin’s throaty growl snarls, “Only because you had two filthy helpers. Traitors.”

Terran’s gaze hardens but then a call of retreat comes from outside and a cheer goes up from the Coalition forces.

“We won?” Emerald asks tentatively.

“We won,” Terran says grimly, his eyes sweeping the damage, “at what cost, I don’t know.”

The End.