Beast of the Sea - WARRIOR CATS

Interlude- Dewstar

Interlude

For several long heartbeats the shadowed she-cat didn't move. Her whiskers scarcely twitched in spite of the howling wind and cascades of rain which streaked down her pelt. She was utterly focussed on the small dark grey, the flailing paws, and the wide ice-blue eyes of Ferretpaw, as she tumbled to her watery demise.

The splash occurred mere seconds after the shadowed she-cat had hurled the apprentice into the water, yet it could have been centurites. Staring into the ice-blue eyes reminded the cream cat of another warrior entirely, one that had simultaneously meant everything and nothing to her.

"No!" A screech split the air.

It came from the brown tabby beside Dewstar, and she sensed fury and anger directed at her, yet she didn't act on it, not yet. She had to wait. She had to be sure that Ferretpaw indeed was gone, that the beast sunk to the bottom of the ocean, finally being laid to rest alongside Wolfstar, her mother.

The wind seemed to howl louder than ever, yet Dewstar didn't shift her position. Shadows wreathed around her paws. After the transformation had taken place, just moments prior, Dewstar had realised that she would no longer have a cream pelt, instead forever having something reminiscent of the shadows.

It was a small price to pay, really, considering that she now was more powerful than any other cat alive.

"She's dead," Dewstar said at last, to no cat in particular. Then, she lifted up her muzzle, and cackled, in a horribly twisted sort of way.

The swirling shadows vibrated against her pelt; somewhere in the dark forest, Night must be pleased. Then, without so much as a backward glance, Dewstar turned away from Ferretpaw and Wolfstar's final resting grounds.

"You MONSTER!" Ripplepaw shrieked. Out of the corner of her eye, Dewstar saw Ferretpaw's sister glaring up at her.

Dewstar had no interest in the little white she-cat. She had never been her mother's daughter, not like Ferretpaw had been. Perhaps she acted more like the rogue father, the one Dewstar knew was long since dead. Scarcely glancing at Ripplepaw and Littlepaw, Dewstar flicked her tail.

At once, the order was followed. Strikeclaw, Honeypaw and Bubbleburst lunged towards the two troublemakers, bowling them to the ground. Strikeclaw's gaze was blank, unfeeling, as she pinned Littlepaw to the stony earth. Bubbleburst constrained a writhing Ripplepaw.

He glanced up at Dewstar, a strange, desperately hungry sort of look in his amber eyes. She didn't return it, merely turned away.

"Take the traitors back to camp," she said in a cold, low voice, the voice she seemed to have received after the transformation. "Prepare additional cages for the GladeClan and CaveClan warriors we will be capturing. I will reward those who give obedience early on."

"Of course," Bubbleburst said quietly as Dewstar padded back into the forest.

Thickly knotted trees surrounded her now, roots and branches obscuring her vision whenever she looked. Dewstar took a deep breath, settled her paws under her nose, and thought for a long, cold moment. Perhaps a small part of her was living still, for exhaustion at everything that had just happened seemed to seep into her muscles.

It's a pity Whisper will never get to see this. Dewstar thought, experiencing a very, very small pang of grief that she tried and failed to admit she hadn't felt. If only she hadn't betrayed my trust. She could have been my deputy...

"Look!" Wolfpaw bounded forward towards Dewpaw. She gestured at the ocean in front of them; the stars shimmering more brightly than ever onto the still surface now at the time of no-moon. "Tonight's the night! We finally get our powers! Crabstar said so! What do you think you're gonna get?"