Looming Darkness

Chapter 12

The weather had significantly warmed overnight. Instead of the icy breeze of yesterday, a warm wind now blew across the camp, and any remaining patches of snow were gone. It felt like new-leaf already. As everyone had noticed and pointed out, this leaf-bare had been way less harsh than the last leaf-bare. Because there wasn't as much cold and snow, prey was more abundant than any cat could have thought, and there had been no word of whitecough at all, which relieved every cat greatly. Whispersong vividly recalled last leaf-bare's whitecough with a shiver. Whispersong shook the thought away. All the cats who had lost their lives to the sickness were safe in StarClan. 

Thinking of StarClan reminded Whispersong of the eyes sign she had seen two nights ago; she had told Echoheart yesterday, and so far nothing amiss was reported. Echoheart had volunteered to go on one of the dawn patrols to make sure no one was overlooking anything that might have to do with the danger. She had promised that when she got back to camp, she'd tell Whispersong if she had found anything unusual.

Whispersong now sat beside Bumblefrost and Star and was recounting to them how she had seen the eyes last night, and how she and Echoheart had thought that the Tribe of Endless Hunting hadn't sent it to them this time, but that StarClan probably had.

Star And Bumblefrost looked shocked and concerned, as Whispersong had told them that Echoheart thought that maybe it was a warning that the danger was finally coming to the forest, and that the prophecy was about to unfold.

Whispersong turned as Yellowflower ran up to them, looking worried. "Have you seen Goldheart lately?"

"No, why?" Whispersong asked, fur tingling in fear.

"I haven't seen him since we came back from collecting herbs yesterday!"

"Yesterday?" Bumblefrost echoed in confusion.

"Didn't he come back with you?" Star asked.

"No, he told me he was going to take a little longer to dig up the rest of the herbs, so he told Moonshine and me that we could head back early and carry the herbs we'd already collected, and he said that he'd be right behind us. I went to bed right when I got back because I was so tired, and when I woke... I expected Goldheart to be there in the den too, but he wasn't!"

"Was his scent fresh on his nest?" Whispersong asked, fear escalating.

"No! It was stale!" Yellowflower was near hyperventilation.

"Tell Eveningstar and ask him to send out a patrol," Whispersong suggested, fighting to sound calm to prevent Yellowflower from having a panic attack.

"Eveningstar is on the dawn patrol!"

"Sunfur?" asked Echoheart.

"On the other dawn patrol!" Yellowflower wailed. "No more cats can leave the camp, not with so many gone!"

"I'm sure a few more can, if this is an emergency," Whispersong murmured, heart pounding uncontrollably.

Yellowflower's eyes were alight with terror. "Will you come with me?"

Just as Whispersong was about to answer, a group of cats burst into the camp, eyes filled with rage and horror. Sunfur was at the front of the returning patrol, and Bronzepelt, Eaglefeather, and Pinepaw were behind her. All four cats had huge eyes, lashing tails, and heaving flanks. Terror was flaming in their eyes.

"Goldheart is dead!"

Silence. Dead silence. A silence so deafening it hurt Whispersong's ears, filled with ringing. Shock rippled across the camp, and gasps echoed off the trees around them. Whispersong gulped in a breath of air, heart racing faster than her mind. Her mind became fuzzy. Her vision blurred, and she swayed on her paws.