Lost Hope: Book 5: Forest of Vipers

Chapter 13

Over the next couple of days, Violetshadow watched as Griffinwing gave birth to four kits and wondered how she would be able to convince Stonestar to give her one. Maybe she wouldn't actually have to convince him. After all, she was close to the best warrior in EchoClan.

    Apparently she wasn't the only one who had noticed this development because it was the first thing Viperfang brought up when she went to the Dark Forest that night.

    "You will have to wait six moons of course," she said. "But it's a step in the right direction. And good thing there's four, better chance of you being chosen."

    Violetshadow thought that Viperfang was planning something with the kits, but she didn't reveal anything as she led her over to where Dahliapetal sat with a young she-cat who Violethshadow guessed was her new apprentice, Quailpaw.

    "Dahliapetal, Quailpaw," Viperfang said to them. "Welcome young one." She smiled at Quailpaw, who seemed to flinch a little under Viperfang's too-broad smile.

    "Who are you?" Quailpaw asked. She looked at her mentor. "Where are we?"

    "Don't worry," Dahliapetal said softly. "You're safe here. This is Viperfang, you'll learn a lot of useful things form her."

    A second later Tarantulaclaw appeared. "What did I miss?" He threw a smile in Violetshadow's direction. She didn't return it.

    "Do you have new kits in BrookClan, Tarantulaclaw?" Viperfang said, turning to him. "Violetshadow does and Dahliapetal here has just gotten an apprentice."

    "Well, Redthistle is expecting, so it wont be long until the kits are born," he said. Viperfang nodded approvingly. "Good. We're going to need all the cats we can get to take down the Clans."

    "Take down the Clans?" Quailpaw squeaked.

    Viperfang nodded. "And you'd be good to keep your mouth shut about it. I need loyal cats, not little tattletails."

    Dahliapetal licked her apprentice's head comfortingly.

    Violetshadow knew that this was Viperfang's ultimate goal. Her brain still had doubts now and then about what this might mean. Absolute destruction. But wasn't that what she wanted too? Her mother had betrayed her. The cat she had thought was her father had betrayed her. All of EchoClan had betrayed her. As Violetshadow closed her eye, she knew that she would expend her every last breath helping make Viperfang's vision a reality.