Warriors: The Darkest Light (COMPLETED)

Chapter 4

Duskpaw raced through the dark and murky forest as the ground below her seemed to be fading away into pitch darkness. She panicked as she quickened her pace and began loosing her breath.

She looked down towards the ground that vanished beneath her feat. She came to a halt as she spun around to be covered with complete darkness. She shook with terror as she realized her paws began disappearing and fading into darkness as well as her surroundings.

Next thing she knew, her entire body had faded form existence. A low male voice started saying "Dusk..."

Duskpaw looked around and saw no one except for darkness. Then, she looked up and saw a dark grey cat with orange eyes and no pupils. He kept giving her this evil smirk that made her fur rise up.

He mewed with his voice echoing "The night's blood will be spilled by the light of day and the darkness shall fade."

Duskpaw widened her eyes when she realized what was happening "I-is this a prophecy?"

The grey cat kept repeating the same words over and over again until everything faded from around her. "Duskpaw....Duskpaw..."

Duskpaw cried as she looked around for the grey cat "Wait! What does it mean!? Please wait!"

"Duskpaw! Wake up!" A light brown paw kept shaking Duskpaw's black fur quickly. Duskpaw shot her head up quickly to see Leafblossum sitting in the apprentices den looking at her worried.

Duskpaw angrily asked "What is it? I was dreaming."

Leafblossum narrowed her eyes and softly mewed "Hush. All your siblings are still sleeping. You were whispering words in your sleep. Are you ok?"

Duskpaw stood to her paws and yawned with her eyes looking at Leafblossum tiredly "It was just a dream...now why did you wake me?"

Leafblossum shifted her paws and mewed softly "I want to show you the territory. I heard what you were saying to Dawnpaw...I'm sorry you feel that way. I wasn't sure I was ready for an apprentice yesterday...but now I think I am."

Duskpaw lowered her ears as Leafblossum spoke. I don't know whether that's pathetic or just sad... "It's alright... let's just go for the tour to walk this off?"

Leafblossum smiled and nodded as she spun around slowly and paced out of the nursery. Duskpaw followed behind her as all her siblings were still sound asleep. I wonder if any of them received the prophecy...?

She shrugged curiously as she continued following her mentor towards the camp exit. It was still early morning and no morning lark's were even beginning to chirp yet. Duskpaw looked around the forest as they left the camp and it was bigger than she could ever imagine.

The trees seemed to stretch out all the way to the sky, and the grass on the ground wasn't limited by a den wall or thorns. It seemed as if it was an endless journey waiting to be taken by her.

Duskpaw matched Leafblossum's pace as she asked excited "Where are we going first?"

Leafblossum smiled at Duskpaw as she replied smoothly "First I will show you all the clan territories. Then I will show you places like the Thunderpath and where twoleg place begins."

Duskpaw's heart began racing quickly with excitement as Leafblossum finished her sentence. This is more than what a Dawnpaw even saw! Who's jealous now?

Leafblossum approached a large lake and mewed to Duskpaw as they both came to a halt in front if it "Right behind this lake is where the Brookclan border begins. What do you smell?"

Duskpaw closed her eyes as she sniffed the air, letting all the scents flow through her nose. "Fish, frogs, and fresh water."

Leafblossum praised happily "Very good Duskpaw. Yes, Brookclan warriors rely on fish, frogs and many other creatures that live along side or in the water to survive."

Duskpaw laughed "I couldn't even eat a fish...yuck!"

Leafblossum purred with amusement as she spun around "Come. Next stop is Brightclan territory." Duskpaw nodded as she spun around and followed right behind Leafblossum. This is where Dawnpaw met the apprentice and his mentor...

After a couple of minutes of constant pacing, the land below their paws began to flatten into a lighter green color. Leafblossum explained "The grass on their territory is flatter. However, they have longer pieces of grass that help them blend in so they can attack enemies."

They came to a halt at the Brightclan border and Duskpaw quickly knew what she was talking about. Their territory was just a large open field where they were exposed to everything around them. Duskpaw sniffed the air and all she could smell was rabbits and old grass, which sort of make her gag.

Leafblossum mewed again "Next is Sandclan territory. It's a little bit further away...do you think you can make the walk?"

Duskpaw confidently nodded as they turned around and began walking towards where the moon was setting. Along the way, Leafblossum asked her "Have you ever heard of Sun drown place?"

Duskpaw quickly nodded from all the annoying tales Rowaneye would always tell Dawnpaw and her.

Leafblossum explained "That's basically where their territory is."

Duskpaw mewed surprised "Really? It must be so pretty there to watch the sun set every night!"

Leafblossum nodded in agreement "Hurry along now."

Duskpaw quickly nodded as she happily followed her mentor through the forest, until the ground below her became sand. Then, a strange scent filled Duskpaw's nose...it didn't smell like a clan cat though.

Duskpaw asked worried "Leafblossum, do you smell-"

Leafblossum nodded worried "Yeah...rouges...come on!" She began racing towards Sandclan territory and Duskpaw widened her eyes as she raced behind her.

They approached the Sandclan border and it was filled with the smell of rouges. Then, a female voice sneered "Good thing we chose to take over this place! The sun sets are perfect!"

Leafblossum whispered strictly "Get behind that bush. I will be right behind you." Leafblossum pointed with her tail towards a bush that wasn't too far behind them.

Duskpaw nodded as she spun around and raced into the bush. Once she was completely hidden, Leafblossum soon joined her. They were both crouched inside the bush trying not to make any noise, until a snow while she-cat with scars all over her body came into view, with a brown and black tom-cat followed behind her.

The brown and black Tom-cat asked angrily "Ice...what if the remains of Sandclan go to the gathering and tell the clans we've taken over their territory?"

The white she-cat, Ice, replied fiercely "Oh shut up Snake. You're not afraid of little clan cats are you?"

Duskpaw narrowed her eyes as she thought Rouges...and not friendly ones by the sound of it. I hope Leafblossum is thinking the same thing.

Then the Tom-cat, Snake, snapped back "I am not! And I will prove it to you! Those prisoners back at camp?"

Ice rolled her eyes "What about them?"

He finished "I will kill them all." He raced off into the distance with Ice following behind him laughing.

Leafblossum and Duskpaw glanced towards each other worried, knowing they need to hurry back to camp and warn the clan.