THE STOLEN || OLD - being rewritten

Chapter 17 - { The Edge of War }

Follow me into the endless night
I can bring your fears to life

Darkness swirled in the sky above as yet another steady downpour of leaf-fall rain spiraled down onto the territory. Darkpaw was shaken to her very core about Runningstar but she knew that if she let any of her true thoughts and feelings slip, it would endanger the lives of those she was working to help escape. Runningstar was one life lost to save the lives of many, and as painful as his death was, Darkpaw pushed herself to understand that if she hadn't had killed him, they would have killed her and thus many more cats would remain trapped inside the walls of The Legion. She felt sick for trying to justify what she did.

Fixing her eyes on the dark horizon, she watched as a crackle of lightning split the sky, dividing the stormy clouds in two. Darkness surrounded the split from all sides. It reminded the small tortoiseshell she-cat how hopeless she felt in this situation. She had promised to save lives because that's what she was sure that she wanted to do. Not because it was what she was sure that she was actually capable of doing. The pressure was building and as another booming cackle of thunder wracked the sky she flattened her ears slightly.

Curling her tail around herself, she breathed in deeply, rain dripping from her whiskers and soaking her thin coat. She was shivering alone in the frigid rain, watching the starless black sky from the top of the ridge. Dawn would approach soon. And she would be called upon to start over. Be the cat she wasn't. She would have to lie. She would have to pretend not to care, to act powerful, to treat cats below her as though they were lesser. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.

Rising to her paws, she shuddered. Stepping through the undergrowth, she headed into the forest; her pale eyes reflecting what little light reached through. The leaf litter squelched and melted under her paws as mud and sleet sprayed her legs and underbelly. Through the pelting rain, a flicker of movement caught her attention. Ducking low, the dark she-cat vanished into the night, narrowing her eyes so that they were harder to see. She saw a sodden silky tail whisk around a clump of ferns before a brawny tom stood out, his emerald eyes catching in the blinding white light as lightning flashed.

"Roanpaw!" Darkpaw hissed, eyes wide as she stood up. Her thin tail lashed behind her as she stepped forward in disbelief.

The tom turned to look at her with relief in his green gaze. "Thank StarClan! Adderpaw and I thought that you may not have made it!" He sighed, coming forward to press his muzzle against hers before Darkpaw paced back to avoid the interaction; leaving him standing awkwardly.

"What in StarClan's name are you doing here! Do you know how dangerous this is!" The she-cat hissed through gritted teeth.

The tom flicked an ear, frowning. "We had just caught no sign of you at the border. We were beginning to worry, is all." He mewed in a hushed voice.

Darkpaw shook her head. "I'm fine. But I won't be if I'm caught with you. The fastest way back is the way you came. You must leave, now!" She almost growled, anxiety glittering in her wide eyes.

The dark tabby tom's gaze lit up with some sort of realization. "What did they do?" He asked, gaze hard.

The tortoiseshell pinned her ears against her skull, eyes narrowed. It took her a moment to process the question and she remained silent for too long before she finally drew in a deep breath. "I..." She started. "It doesn't matter now. I know the kits were stolen. Redflame and Sableclaw did take them and I'm going to get them back to the clans. Maplepaw and Blossompaw are working with me and I've asked them to help seek out more cats who are doubtful of The Legion and are still loyal to the clans." She mewed. "Now please, you can't be here. These cats are dangerous beyond measure, if you're seen here they won't hesitate to kill us both now, run!" She mewed, headbutting his shoulder in an attempt to get him moving.