| Hidden Spirit Series | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Secret To Keep |
Over The Horizon | Succeded by: No Coming Back |
Prologue - The Revenge - Thornstar
"Thornstar. Your spies have come back." the dark gray she-cat meowed slowly as soon as she padded inside the den. Her eyes showed anxiety and her small smile that ran along her face was the sign of success.
The huge tabby tom turned around to look at the she-cat. His face was expresionless and his eyes shone brightly, reflecting the light from outside, in the darkness of the cave. He stood up, showing off his muscles and gave a quick shake. "Bring them in. Oh and get me Crowsong to bring me some prey. Tell her to bring me the usual."
The dark gray she-cat nodded politely and ran off outside. Her meows were heard and soon after two cats came inside. One was a cream-coloured tom and the other was a pale silver tom with black spots all around him. Both toms took a few steps after enterring, afraid of getting too close and sat down, ready to speak at their leader's command.
"I suppose you have good news or else it would be a pity for such good warriors to let their lives go to waste." Thornstar simply meowed and flicked his tail for them to start talking.
"They're located just where they've always been. The old DeathClan territory is unhabited. Apparantly, none of them dare to go into it." the cream-coloured tom meowed.
"Though we've seen a few cats steal prey from there. But as leaf-bare left, the number of tresspasers decreased." the other tom meowed, his voice showed how nervous he was and he looked at the leader with questioning eyes.
Thornstar nodded and after a few minutes of silent he stoop up. "That's it? And the gatherings? Their territory? Is it all the same?" he snarled at them.
"Ye..yes. It's all the same. The clans have kept their rituals and everything." the cream tom quickly meowed. "Everything is the same."
"Alright then." Thornstar flicked his tail and both toms quickly rushed out of the den. A muscular ginger tom, who had been sititng on the entrance all along, finally padded in followed by a skinny black she-cat carrying prey and some herbs.
"Everything is in order Thornstar. I've given the order to start gathering travelling herbs and get themselves ready. Kits, elders, everyone." the ginger tom meowed and lay down on a rock.
"You're already giving commands without my permission, Stealthclaw? Keep it up and the clan will think you're their new leader." he meowed, his voice sounding annoyed. The black she-cat placed the fat squirrel she had brough in in front of Thornstar and started making a new nest with the moss that was stacked away at the end of the den.
"The clan thinks nothing. They just follow your oders. I have a right to give orders, you know?" Stealthclaw meowed, grabbing a fat mouse the black she-cat had left for him be the stack of moss.
"Only because you have Deathstar's blood running through your veins means that you have a right to be my deputy. Don't give me an excuse to kill you." he growled.
"Kill me and you're killing Deathstar's only alive descendant. That is something you have no right of doing. According to Deathstar's and GhostClan's law, you shall be punished if you do kill the last descendant." Stealthclaw simply meowed as he took bites of his mouse.
The black she-cat placed the wet moss she had brough in on Thornstar's pelt. She then padded to the moss stack and grabbed a few berries, and placed them beside Thornstar's fat squirrel. As soon as she was done, she gave a quick look at Stealthclaw and rushed outside.
Thornstar growled at his deputy's words and took a huge aggresive bite of his prey. "Yeah. So why don't you just make Crowsong your mate and have kits. That way I can kill you and get it over with." he meowed nudging his head over to where the black she-cat, Crowsong, had left. "I've seen you two. You're just jealous she's my servant."
Stealthclaw laughed. "Don't think you're getting rid of me that easily. Just focus on killing those three clans and then we'll see and talk about my future descendants."
Chapter 1 - Lethal Sickness - Hiddenpaw
"I'm sorry Hiddenpaw. Right now I can't help you." Fairheart meowed and rushed as fast as she could outside of the medicine cat's den. I sighed feeling a little lightheaded. Both Fairheart and Sweetpaw had been so busy these past days. So many cats had been feeling sick with coughs and pain in their throats. It seemed like greencough, but Fairheart had said that wasn't it. She said it was something else that wasn't part of her knowledge.
I padded outside looking desperately for another way to solve at least one of my problems. Each of them brough serious trouble and I couldn't help but feel my head in pain. I saw many cats padding around camp and lots of confusion going on. The sickness was getting worse and worse as every heartbeat passed.
I felt dizzy for a second and decided to lie down. I stretched my paws and looked at the rush of cats. Wildpanther was nowhere to be seen, so for the first time I tried to relax. It didn't work. Three things were in my mind; Blackrock - who might possibly be my father, the mysterious black she-cat who dies and who also seems to have a bond with Wolfpaw and last but not least the prophecy.
Sweetpaw said she was going to help me with the prophecy. It had felt weird when she told me but I felt relieved. I knew I couldn't tell anyone about the prophecy so Sweetpaw's support felt good. We had never been good friends - or even friends - but I needed her help. After all, she was the medicine's cat apprentice.
I closed my eyes as I felt a sudden urge to sleep and as soon as I opened them, I was in the entrance of camp. I looked around, scared. What had happened? Suddenly, my nose caught a scent I couldn't refuse to pay attention to. PuzzleClan! I quickly recognized the scent. They were heading this way. But suddenly, I scented someone else with them. MysteryClan escorts.
With a blink of my eyes, I was lying down where I had been all along. What? I started breathing really fast, trying to understand what was going on. The picture and scents were stuck in my head as clear as if it had really happened. I quickly spinned around to face the entrance and a loud yowl came from outside.
Arcticmask suddenly came in with two cats that I couldn't quite recognize but surely knew which clan they had come from. PuzzleClan! I padded over to Arcticmask who had now stopped in the middle of the clearing and was telling something to Stormstrike. Stromstrike nodded and ran to Freedomstar's den.
"Freedomstar will be here shortly." Arcticmask meowed to them. One was a bronze tabby tom with pale brown eyes and a torn ear and the other was a golden coloured she-cat with green eyes. Both cats nodded.
"PuzzleClan cats! That is a surprise. We haven't had another clan's visitors in moons! Welcome!" our leader meowed form behind me and I sat down, trying to listen to their conversation.
"Thank you Freedomstar. Wildstar has sent us here with a very urgent message and news." the bronze tabby tom meowed.
"Very well Bronzestripe. You and Goldenfox, please follow me." he meowed and both cats nodded and followed him to his den. "Stromstrike, go get Wildpanther and tell him to meet me in my den as soon as possible." Stormstrike nodded and rushed out of camp.
I approached Arcticmask as soon as the three cats had disapeared. "Do you know what's going on?" I asked her.
"No. They just told me they had some urgent news. They also have SecretClan scent on them so it must be about all of us." She meowed and then padde dover to Starseeker and into the warriors' den.
"What was that about? You're already talking to my mom?" Bearpaw meowed as he got out of the apprentices' den. "I know we're friends and all but that's a little weird, don't you think?"
I laughed. Bearpaw had this thing that would always cheer me up. "Very funny. Actually didn't you just see what happened?" I asked him, going back to my serious face. He shaked his head.
"Some PuzzleClan cats just came to talk to Freedomstar about something that seemed serious." I told him making his face darken and his shoulders tense up. "What's wrong?"
"Do...do you think it's about Wolfpaw? Did they find out?" he asked and I suddenly remembered. Wolfpaw had been sneaking off to meet with a PuzzleClan apprentice.
"Don't worry. I bet it's something else. Arcticmask said they went to SecretClan too."
"Maybe they're looking for the cat she's been seeing! We gotta do something!"
"Bearpaw don't-"
"They probably alreday figured out-"
"Bearpaw! Just calm down for a moment. There is a million things other than that, that they could be telling Freedomstar. Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe just go hunting to get your mind off things. Worrying about something that might not even happen will only make things worse."
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Hey! Have any of you seen Wolfpaw? Him, our mentors and I were suppose to go on a hunting patrol." Muddypaw meowed very annoyed. "I am seriously thinking of killing him if he keeps being late!" she meowed, storming off.
"Do you think...?" I asked but Bearpaw was already looking down.
"He'll just keep meeting her. Not even I can do anything." he meowed sadly. I looked around, trying to say something that would make it better but I had nothing.
"Hiddenpaw!" I jumped as soon as my name was called. I turned around and saw Wildpanther rushing through camp. "Get ready, we might be going on patrol." he meowed and dissapeared into Freedomstar's den.
"Oh well. At least I kinda had a mentor-free morning." I meowed.
"Did he even bother to show you the territory?" Bearpaw asked and I knew he was remembering that afternoon when he had showed me the whole territory. It had been a fun time even if it had started a little rough.
I shaked my head. Bearpaw suddenly yerked his head upwards and I saw his eyes follow some movement from behind me. I curiously turned around and spotted Wolfpaw coming in. Muddypaw rushed towards him, clearly mad.
"Where have you been? We were suppose to go on a hunting patrol long ago!" she loudly meowed at him.
"Whatever. I don't give a mouse about the hunting patrol. Just go without me." he simply meowed and started to make his way to the apprentices' den but Muddypaw got in his way.
"I don't care what excuse you have, I want to go on a hunting patrol and you can't stop it from happening! Nettletangle will make you go." she meowed, sitting down but her eyes burning with anger. Muddypaw wasn't the kind of patient cat or the one who would let others boss her around. She clearly shared Littlepaw's bad personality.
But that's when Wolfpaw's bad mood got the best of him. He growled and threw himself on Muddypaw, clearly scaring and surprising her. He showed his teeth with another growl and pushed her against the outside wall of the apprentices' den. I gasped.
Wolfpaw then, without even glancing over to the watching cats, made his way inside, not caring about anything else. I looked over to Muddypaw who was just trying to get up.
"He's so going to get it!" she spat.
"Muddypaw! Enough, get over here." Redfoot meowed on perfect timing. Muddypaw glanced one last time where Wolfpaw had dissapeared and padded towards her mentor. "Bearpaw!" he called. "As soon as Wildpanther is done with his meeting, tell him what just happened and I'm sure he'll deal with your brother. Just don't try anything yourself, we don't want it to end like last time."
I realized that Bearpaw had been heading inside until Redfoot had told him not to. "What do you think got him this mad? Do you think it's the she-cat?" he whispered to me.
"I wish I knew."
A sudden yowl echoed through the whole camp. I quickly turned around and saw Freedomstar looking down at the leaving PuzzleClan cats.
The clan quickle started to gather around, waiting for their leader's announcement. Surely, everyone was whispering among themselves, trying to guess what the PuzzleClan warriors had come to tell him.
Beam sighed. "Here it comes..." he meowed, keeping him focus on Freedomstar.
"I'm sure most of you are already realizing that something is wrong. A sickness veyr much like greencough is spreading, but not quite that. I've been informed by PuzzleClan that their medicine cat, Airwhisker, received a dream from SpiritClan about a journey to find the medicine." he stopped and looked around.
"Nothing is certain for now, but SpiritClan is trying to tell us something. Therefore tonight, every medicine cat from everyclan will go to Free Mountain and try to learn what SpiritClan is really trying to tell us. I ask everyone, if you are feeling the slightest bit different or sick, tell our medicines. We dont' want this disease to spread. Thank you."