Lost Hope: Book 4: The Darkest Shadow

Chapter 14

Violetpaw let sleep envelope her, ready to visit the shadowy forest that had almost become more like home than the camp.

    "Well, you had quite the day yesterday," Viperfang said with an amused smile.

    "You made me do it," Violetpaw said, realizing something.

    Viperfang continued to smile. "No, you did that all yourself, my little apprentice."

    "You were whispering to me," Violetpaw hissed, taking a step closer. "I don't know how, but you did. You told me to use my claws. You made me kill her."

    "Now, darling," Viperfang soothed. "You're making it seem like bad thing." She lowered her voice and her breath tickled Violetpaw's ear. "Admit it to yourself, you liked it, didn't you?"

    "I. . . ." Violetpaw was speechless. Maybe she was glad that Sapphirepaw was gone. But that was a dangerous thought to be having right now. She shook her head. "I don't have to admit anything to you."

    Viperfang stepped away from her and smiled wider. "You're right, you don't have to—I already know."

    Before Violetpaw could protest again, Viperfang spoke again, "I have a friend for you, I'll be back momentarily." And she vanished from sight.

    Violetpaw sat and worked her claws restlessly in the dirt, then realizing how dirty they were now, she began to pick the grime out. And then Viperfang appeared again with a familiar white she-cat.

    "Violetpaw," she said. "This is Arcticpaw."

    "Hello, we met at the last Gathering," Arcticpaw said, her eyes meeting Violetpaw's. She realized that one was blue, and the other was amber.

    "Yes," Violetpaw said. "Hello again."

    "Today, I will be showing you both team fighting, because while the ultimate goal is to be the most powerful, it is still helpful to know how to fight side-by-side. I will act as you opponent. Let's start."

    This was how most training sessions went, Viperfang would give the bare minimum explanation and let her figure out the rest. She readied her stance and waited for Viperfang's attack. Arcticpaw copied her, and Violetpaw wondered how many of these visits she'd received. From what she'd seen at the apprentice tournament, Arcticpaw was good, but Violetpaw was still better, despite being a couple moons younger.

    Viperfang struck Arcticpaw first and Violetpaw moved in to block her and counterattack, swiping Viperfang on the muzzle, claws unsheathed. Viperfang backed off a little and Arcticpaw jumped on her, throwing her off balance, allowing Violetpaw to go in and land a few scratches on her. Viperfang threw Arcticpaw off easily and dived at the fallen apprentice. Without thinking, Violetpaw leapt at her mentor, ramming into her hard and letting Arcticpaw escape. Violetpaw reoriented herself quickly and backed away from Viperfang to stand beside Arcticpaw again.

    "Very good," Viperfang praised. "That's all for tonight."

    Violetpaw away abruptly jerked out of sleep and gasped. Her heart was racing from the rush of adrenaline that had been the 'dream.' Most of her mornings started like this. As she looked around the den, her eyes landed on Sapphirepaw's empty nest.

    It really had been her doing, she realized, thinking back to what Viperfang had said. She'd killed her own Clanmate. And she didn't regret it.

    Hoping to clear her head, she padded out of the den after a few quick stretched and grooming to get some breakfast before Phoenixwing could give her any camp chores. She still wouldn't be allowed out of camp for awhile, but that didn't she was going to sit around camp and wallow.

    She took a a nice vole from the bottom of the pile and retreated to a corner of camp that had good shade and was a little more hidden from her Clanmates. As she approached, conversation reached her ears, and she peered around the corner to see her mother and Dandelionheart with their heads bent close together.

    "It's just hard to believe that StarClan made a prophecy about my daughter before she was even born, and that it means she's an 'evil spirit,'" Burrowpelt murmured.

    Violetpaw stiffened. A prophecy? About me? Evil spirit?

    "You know, I think this may have something to do with those visions," Dandelionheart said.

    Burrowpelt's ear twitched. "That's ludicrous, I had those when I was an apprentice."

    "Yes, but, you were an apprentice when you met Fogbreeze. You started getting them after you met him," Dandelionheart said.

    Fogbreeze? The BrookClan medicine cat? I've literally never seen her interact or even talk about him before.

    Her mother seemed to be at a loss for words. When she finally spoke, her voice was hoarse. "Really? Why would they even send those visions to me?"

    Dandelionheart shook his head. "I don't know, but I think you should talk to Sparrowfeather about it—"

    He was interrupted by a thud and Violetpaw realized she had dropped her mouse. Fox dung!

    The two cats looked up and Violetpaw didn't miss the flash of panic on her mother's face that was quickly replaced with softness.

    "Hello, dear. How are you this morning?"

    "Um, good," Violetpaw mumbled. "I was just looking for a place to sit, but I can go somewhere else."

    "No, no," Dandelionheart said before her mother could speak. "I think Burrowpelt was going to go talk to your father, and I need to check on Forestpaw. This spot is all yours."

    They had left before Violetpaw could protest further.

    Thinking hard about what they'd said, she sat down and began to chew absently on her food. Her mother had visions form StarClan when she was an apprentice? I thought that was a medicine cat thing? And furthermore, there was a prophecy stating she was an evil spirit?

    What was going on?