Looming Darkness

Chapter 3

Whispersong opened her eyes, expecting to see Bumblefrost, Echoheart, and Star beside her. But she was in the warriors' den, with her DawnClan Clanmates around her.

Several days had passed since they'd returned home, and they had been spent resting, eating, and renewing their energy after the long journey from the mountains. Whispersong recalled that day with a yawn. They were home; they were finally home. But now her Clan knew she and Echoheart were part of a prophecy. What if their Clanmates expected too much of them? What if they let them down? What if they failed? What if she failed? Whispersong shook her head. No. They couldn't. Wouldn't. She had to believe in StarClan's faith in her and Echoheart.

Whispersong sighed. The Clans were relying on her, a cat that was sticking up for a DayClan warrior even after everything Rainstar and her warriors had done. DawnClan already knew that Whispersong loved Bumblefrost, knew that she'd stick up for him, even if his loyalty could never truly lie with DawnClan. Whispersong sighed again. But what would the other Clans think when they found out about her and Bumblefrost? Would they trust her enough when the time came to fulfill the prophecy? Surely they would agree with what Rustypelt had said about it the other day, wouldn't they?

Whispersong's heart sank as she remembered the argument she and Rustypelt had had a few days ago; she knew lots of cats agreed with her father, and would act like Echoheart had when she'd first found out, but couldn't they learn to trust Bumblefrost like Echoheart eventually had? Like DawnClan, DuskClan, and NightClan had with Stormpaw? If they could learn to find trust in a young DayClan apprentice, the daughter of Rainstar, they could find trust in just an ordinary DayClan warrior, couldn't they? After all, Bumblefrost had stayed by Echoheart's and Whispersong's sides the whole time they were on the journey, and he'd learned to trust Echoheart too. He could be loyal to DawnClan!

Whispersong scanned the dimly-lit den. To her relief, her father was nowhere to be seen, nor was her mother; she hadn't come across them since the day they'd returned.

Whispersong stood up and stretched, then crept over the sleeping warriors and out into the clearing. She saw Bumblefrost and Star, sitting in the corner of the camp away from everyone else. Star looked frightened, but Bumblefrost looked angry. He was hunched over, glaring at Pinepaw, Needlepaw, and Rosepaw.

With a feeling of foreboding, Whispersong jogged over to him. "What is it?" she hissed in his ear. "Did you sleep well?"

"Those three nuisances," he scowled at Needlepaw, Rosepaw, and Pinepaw, "told us that DawnClan didn't need scum like us. They made us sleep next to the entrance, took our moss, and said that the only use we'd be were useless lumps of fur. They said that we don't belong here and that we never will." The anger faded from Bumblefrost's face and was replaced by sadness. He turned to Whispersong. "You said DawnClan would accept me."

"I never said it would be easy," Whispersong sighed, her heart throbbing painfully for him. "But if you start proving that you can be loyal to DawnClan, they'll accept you."

"I doubt it," Bumblefrost growled. "You see how long it took Echoheart? Well, imagine getting a whole Clan, all like Echoheart was, to trust me! It'll never happen. And I don't want to be loyal to rude flea-brains like them. Why would I? If they treat me bad of course I won't be loyal back to them!"

Whispersong silently agreed with him, and, in her sadness and love for him, in her longing for his happiness, she meowed, "Look, you... you can try and go back to DayClan, if it'll make you happier. R-Rainstar isn't there anymore..."

"What? Are you insane? I'm never going back!" Bumblefrost spat, then his eyes softened. "I want to be wherever you are, but... I can't go on like this, Whispersong! I just wish we were back on the journey again: no cats judging us, no separate Clans, just us being who we wanted to be!" He stared at his paws.