A Warrior's Heart | Omen Of Darkness | Bk. 1

Chapter 30

RobinStar blinked. She looked around confused, her clan was at the lake. That's when she remembered; the fire stone. She suddenly remembered saving her clan, only because of TansyPaw."Well done Tansypaw,"She murmured into her kits ear as she passed her. TansyPaw's ear only flicked when RobinStar praised her kit. The young apprentice was curled in her nest, dirt caked in her pelt and fur ruffled. RobinStar scanned the lake. She then saw a fresh-kill pile. It had a squirrel, shrew, mouse, vole and starling. To top it all off a juicy, fat rabbit drew RobinStar closer. RobinStar scolded herself sharply, let the clan eat first, mouse-brain! RobinStar turned away, wincing at a cold breeze that blew wind into a ripped claw she had gotten when she saved her clan, along with her unharmed clanmates. She sat, tail wrapped around her hurt claw. She glanced hastily at StormCloud's empty nest. RobinStar stopped herself from calling out his name, and limped into the forest, her front right paw held high up."StormCloud?" She called out as she reached the forest, making sure the cats sleeping didn't wake. StormCloud's silver and ginger tabby coat appeared from behind a oak tree. He turned, green eyes calm, but his fur was ruffled, and he looked shooken."Yes, RobinStar?" He responded. RobinStar twitched when her whisker tickled her cheek, and mewed distractedly,"My claws ripped. Care to treat it?" StormCloud nodded, his long tail flicked."It's infected,"He reported,"Try not to hunt today, or anything that you must with this paw." RobinStar's ears pricked. She twisted toward StormCloud,"But I need to help CrowDawn gather patrols to go move the fire stone, and clean up camp!" She protested. StormCloud blinked calmly,"Then you'll have to call her to your nest, and discuss business,"He reasoned. RobinStar sighed defeatedly. She held her paw up, spitting when she smelled the ointment on her claw. She hurried back to the lake, laying down into her nest. She rested her thoughts onto Blood Forest. Somehow, she found it able to put the disaster in her clan in the back of her mind. She had to make sure Breeze didn't strike! Breeze would be a warrior in four more moons; TansyPaw five, and the other apprentices four. Unless they didn't pass their warrior assesment. RobinStar slipped into a dream. Wait-why was Scourge training clan cats? As RobinStar drifted into her dream,-or what she liked to call, her Revenge on a Traitor. She had to remind herself this was for CrowDawn. No one else; just CrowDawn.-RobinStar decided to ask Scourge why was he training clan cats. She would mean it as a challenge for the truth. She'd been perfectly honest, right? She blinked and found herself by the blood river. She shivered remembering her last training session. It was in the river of the scarlet red blood. It was more slimy than the gentle waves of water. Colder, than leafbare's strucks of snow. Scourge slipped into view. Soon FeatherShadow, TigerFur, StormFrost, Wisp, Snow, and Ghost aswell. RobinStar's chest puffed out, she stood tall. She stalked up to Scourge."Why are you training us?" She asked challengingly. Scourge's gaze locked with hers, sending chills through her body. "Because you all want revenge. StormFrost's mate fell in love with another she-cat, so she's going to kill her, but she must be trained. FeatherShadow's mate was murdered by his clanmate; DarkWhisper, before he kills the cat, he must be trained. One of TigerFur's kit was killed by a rogue named Seela. He needs to be trained before killing the she-cat. As she is very strong. You-well, you know why," He responded. RobinStar calmed. She thought Blood Forest planned another attack. They all were like her. She had nothing against these cats. As she was like them. Scourge leaped in front of the lined cats."Today, we train in the deepside of the blood lake,"He meowed,"With a different move than last time." RobinStar tensed, ears pricked. Her paws ached with the feeling of the slimy, so called lake. It slowed her down when sh went in it, its strong current and strong slimy goop pushing the cats back. RobinStar relunctantly listened."This time, partners are StormFrost and Wisp, TigerFur and Snow, FeatherShadow and Ghost, and RobinStar and I," Scourge smirked. Fear surged through RobinStar. She was partners, with Scourge. He'd hurt her badly! Worried and sick feeling, RobinStar glanced at the other cats' faces. FeatherShadow's were wide with horror and terror, probably because of what Ghost did to him last time."The move; you're circling eachother. When you think the time is right, you'll pounce. Without warning your partner, so they can't get prepared. Make your movements fast, too. Then, pin your teammate in the water, until they have no breath. Second, knock them out and back off," Scourge instructed. RobinStar gulped, shoulders rippling under her glossy, but bristling pelt. Scourge guided her into the blood lake. RobinStar blinked and stepped in unwillingly. Her paws immediately froze. She shuddered, tail already dipped in the slimy blood. Scourge began circling, the blood was up to his shoulders, but that didn't stop his confident and dark attitude. His movements were slow, as the blood weighed him down. RobinStar was able to slip in it faster, giving her the advantage. After a couple heartbeats, RobinStar had a decision; pounce now, or get pounced on. RobinStar gulped, trying to gather up the braveness to pounce. She saw Scourge about to attack. Panicking, RobinStar sprang at him, landing clumsily on his shoulders. She clawed Scourge's shoulders. Scourge hissed and spat. He twisted around wildly, unable to shake RobinStar off. RobinStar felt him collapse weakly under her paws. She guessed since she was very strong, and weighed more than the small tom, she could break his bones doing this, but, he wasn't alive. She snarled warningly, giving her opponent another chance. Scourge didn't attempt to stand up, though. RobinStar hissed, her hiss saying,"You lost your chance! Victory is mine!" She slashed open Scourge's neck, blood rushed out. Her paws were stained with blood, her white sock scarlet red. Her heart slowed. She smirked, actually smiling at the taste of the sour blood. RobinStar's ears pricked. SmokeFrost was pinned to the ground, Wisp's sharp, shiny silver claws shoved into the WindClan's deputy's shoulders."Mouse-brained clan cat!" Wisp snarled harshly when SmokeFrost weakly attempted to kick the white mist-coloured she-cat off. RobinStar flinched and stared at Ghost and FeatherShadow. FeatherShadow scrambled onto a black shiny boulder in the blood lake. He gave a warning hiss at Ghost, but FeatherShadow shook with fear. His silver neck fur bristled. Ghost pounced. RobinStar gasped in horror as Ghost scrambled onto the boulder, and knocked FeatherShadow off the rock and onto the black, crisp ground with a thump. Ghost sprang down onto FeatherShadow, knocking him out. RobinStar twisted around, hearing a groan from Scourge. Terror surged through her. Scourge was a mist of darkness, and soon, he stood in front of her again. His fur was clean, groomed and untouched."H-How...?" RobinStar stammered, puzzled. How many lives did Scourge have? Why did Bone die when RobinStar killed him in the battle with Blood Forest? Scourge scowled,"You won. I guess you deserve a goodnight's rest." Relief washed through RobinStar. She was exhausted. Suddenly, she heard a breath-taking yowl."What in the stars..?" She twisted around, scampering behind the boulder where Ghost knocked FeatherShadow on the ground. RobinStar gasped in horror. TigerFur was laying limp on the ground, one of his hindlegs twisted, bloody and broken. Snow's misty white pelt was covered in scarlet red blood. Her eyes were full of satisfaction and anger. TigerFur must've did something wrong during the routine."That's what you get for breaking my tooth!" Snow whined angrily. RobinStar hissed,"That's why you did that?!" Snow lashed her tail, eyes glazed with fury,"So?! You killed Bone!" Scourge twisted in front of RobinStar,"Go,"He meowed, his tail waved in her face, cooling her down, and letting her fade away from Blood Forest. RobinStar woke, feeling a jab in her side,"Ow!" She spat, turning to the cat who jabbed her side."Sorry,"CrowDawn apologized,"But it's time to organize patrols for cleaning out the camp so we can return." RobinStar blinked and scanned the lake. DawnHeart snuggled her kits and whispered something softly into RippleTail's ear. He smiled, eyes round with affection and happiness. IvyFern meowed with TansyPaw,"We can ask to hunt!" She suggested. TansyPaw nodded but then mewed,"Unless we get chosen to help with the camp." RobinStar noticed that TansyPaw was bothered by something. Her tail flicked distractedly from the conversation she was having with IvyFern. MouseWhiskers's eyes were shadowed with sadness and bored. Her frontlegs dangling helplessly in front of her. FrogTail groomed his sister's fur energetically, and seeming desperate for MouseWhiskers to be happy, and the crank she was. RoseFlower slept still, inhaling and exhaling. SnowPaw wrestled with his sister, RainPaw, while ThistlePaw joined TansyPaw. FlowerBlossom and SilverStrike shared tongues. RobinStar glanced at her best friend, and deputy,"Has StormCloud told you the cats unable to go on the patrols?" She asked. CrowDawn nodded,"FlowerBlossom and MumbleTail." RobinStar shot a glance at her father, towering over GoldenLight. His pelt was ungroomed, white hairs sprouting too."I can see why,"RobinStar murmured sadly. She couldn't believe her mother was dead! RobinStar remembered when the fire stone hit...

RobinStar's tail flicked as GoldenLight entered her den,"Hello,"The ThunderClan leader greeted. GoldenLight dipped her head in greetings, her legs stiff."MumbleTail has terrible joints so I wanted to ask if he could take his hunting and duties easier,'GoldenLight mewed softly, her sandy fur glittering. RobinStar nodded,"Sur-"

Boom!

RobinStar screeched as her paws buckled beneath her."Mother!" She yowled, heart racing. Her mother screeched but she cut off into a groan. Dust flew everywhere, blocking RobinStar's view. Terror gripped RobinStar's heart. The dust slowed, and the boom's vibrations ended. She lifted to her paws, which ached. Anxiety pricked RobinStar's pelt. Her clan was silent, few groans and moans. RobinStar fought threw the dust to see a ruffled, dead... GoldenLight.

RobinStar shuddered at the memory."You'll lead the patrol to clear the dens. Bring IvyFern, ThistlePaw, IceSplash and TansyPaw,"She ordered. CrowDawn nodded,"We'll do another patrol once we return." CrowDawn scrambled away, tail held high. RobinStar chose a squirrel from the makeshift prey pile. She ate it, throwing the morsel bite left of the squirrel in a bush. She sighed and curled up in her nest, falling into a dreamless sleep.