Split: Book One: Dimming Embers

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19

Darkfire squinted. She couldn't quite discern her surroundings from the heavy fog that was draped over the shifting landscape. Wherever she looked directly, the world shifted and pulled away with her. She forced her eyes to open wider, ignoring the blaring pain, and a shadow came into view.

Darkfire stood beneath the towering volcano, its shadow cast over her pelt and the swaying ground beneath her. But standing upon it was not Echostar. Echostar lay below the volcano, scarlet staining her pelt. She was dead. Horror beat through Darkfire as the corpse slowly turned over, forced to stare at empty white eyes and a mouth that opened and shut autonomously without words. She stumbled back as the world grew dark and a moon emerged from behind the volcano, forcing its way into the darkened sky.

Suddenly, a claw wrapped around the volcano, massive and curved, digging into the stone of the volcano and causing cracks to spread in an ominous spiderweb across the surface. Amber and gold appeared from within the cracks, slowly trickling down the dark stone, glowing and pulsing. Another claw wrapped around the other side, and the cracks thickened. The earth trembled beneath Darkfire's claws and the tortoiseshell stumbled, her breath quickening.

In one swift motion, the claws twisted and the tip of the castle was ripped away from its base, revealing a massive, twisted face.

Brightgleam stared at Darkfire, eyes wide and gleaming with sadistic joy. The top of the volcano went sailing through the inky air, crashing with a massive thud somewhere beyond the horizon. Brightgleam stepped forward as the lava splashed around her feet and lifted her chin with a grin. Scarlet dripped from her pelt, whether blood or lava, it was impossible to tell.

"Executed," Brightgleam whispered, and Darkfire stumbled back. She found she could move, her claws sinking into the ground. She spun and began to run, straining against the force that pulled her back. But her steps were clumsy in slow. Claws dug into her pelt on both sides, and she fought to stay upright. Her breath came sour and short. Brightgleam's delighted laugh echoed in her ears, surrounding her and plunging her into inky darkness like the sky. Trees surrounded her, but they too whispered and leaned. Then faces appeared within them. Faces of Darkfire's friends, her Clanmates, even storage cats that she didn't recognize. All of them, everyone, was laughing and sneering at the struggling she-cat. Darkfire stumbled, her forelegs flying out in front of her and eyes widening. She turned her head, chest heaving with effort as she strained. Claws had reached up from the ground, dark and gleaming, to wrap around her leg. Darkfire yowled and screamed for help, but the trees just laughed and laughed and taunted and teased. Darkfire's heart thundered in her chest as she pulled and pulled, but the claws were like iron. She shook her head wildly with a sob as tears began to slide down her cheeks. The mountainous footsteps of Brightgleam were getting closer. There was nowhere to run.

Then the claws released. Darkfire stumbled back without a second thought. They dissolved into smoke, drifting away on the breeze with whispers and hisses as they curved and slid smoothly through the darkness. Darkfire ducked behind a tree, pulling her tail closer to her and crouching down. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed, prayed to StarClan and all of her ancestors that Brightgleam wouldn't see her. That she would be safe.

She risked a glance between the leaves of the bush that had somehow replaced the tree, and she turned her head away quickly at the sight of the dark ginger tabby pelt that bristled and flowed smoothly against the forest.

"Where are you, Darkkit?" said the voice of Brightgleam, and suddenly Darkfire was young again. "I just want to play."

Darkfire shook her head, tears pricking at the corner of her eyelids.

"Darkpaw?" said Graypaw, her voice hollow with terror. "Darkpaw? Bearpaw and I miss you! Please come out!"

But it was impossible. Impossible because Graypaw and Bearpaw were dead. Then Graypaw's anxious voice dissolved into Brightgleam's cold laughter and a fresh wave of grief washed over Darkfire, so strong that she had to bite down on her tongue to keep from crying.