Reedwhisper's Visions [The Sequel to Leafpool's Choice]

Chapter 8

Reedpaw stared at the cat standing before her. The shadowy figure's yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness and shadow, seeming to bore into her soul. One paw, see-through and a bit dirty, stepped out of the shadows, followed by the rest of the body. It was a she-cat, with tortoiseshell fur and a horrible, bloody chest wound, her fur, in spots, matted and clumped with blood. Not all of that blood belonged to the she-cat, Reedpaw realized, but some to others... victims? 

The cat opened her mouth to speak, her teeth yellowed and blood-speckled. Yet, somehow, she was still beautiful, in a haunting sort of way. She left Reedpaw with the feeling of horrified entrancement, unable to take her eyes off of her but desperately wanting to. 

When the cat spoke, her voice was sickly sweet, yet barbed, laced with malice. "Welcome to the place where the victims of StarClan's wrath reside. Welcome to the Place of No Stars."

Reedpaw watched, frozen, as the cat circled her, eyes gleaming. "All your life, you've always heard of StarClan being so high and mighty, haven't you? Yet a cat makes a tiny mistake, and they are cast away, simply for not meeting their absurd expectations. My kits died! Everyone cast me out! Even my own mate has forsaken me! Look at what I have been reduced to! You can't be so sure of what you believe StarClan is, you see. Ask anyone. They'll tell you. My story, the story of the cat abandoned by all.

"Yet StarClan has such a fascination with you. You have captivated them with your connection to them, and you aren't even a clan cat. But are those the cats you want on your side? They turned on me. They turned on every cat here, and now we are left wandering the Dark Forest in perpetual hunger and loneliness. And, in an instant, StarClan could turn on you."

"I..." Reedpaw hesitated, unsure of what to say for a moment, gathering her courage. "I don't believe you! StarClan is just and fair! They would never hurt anyone! You must've done something bad to get here!"

"Ah, but haven't you heard the story of Mapleshade, who killed three cats in her madness and rage? Did your mother never educate you?"

"You're Mapleshade?" Reedpaw's eyes widened. "You did terrible things! You deserve to be here!"

"My kits were suffering. I had to avenge them. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them, drowning in the river. The only way to cease their suffering was to get revenge. Poor Larchkit... he's still drowning, I still see him, every time I lay down to sleep, every time I even blink, he's there, crying out to me, begging for me to save him. This is the life I live, this is what I must go through because of StarClan's unjust ways."

"I've been to StarClan before, and I can do it again! I'll find your kits, and I'll bring them to you!"

"As if anyone would let you sneak three kits across the border of the Dark Forest. Ah, well, it isn't like I have much of anything better to do. Try, young one, but StarClan guards their borders well." Mapleshade settled down, laying on her side, looking at Reedpaw with curiosity and amusement. 

"Now tell me, apprentice, why do you want to help me?" 

"No cat should have to suffer, even you. If I can make you believe me, then maybe you can cross the border back into StarClan."

"Why would I want to go there?" Mapleshade's eyes flashed with anger. "That is the land of traitors and fools."

"I can convince you, I can!"

Alright then, on with it." Mapleshade flicked her tail, seemingly sending Reedpaw away. "Best of luck to you." Mapleshade snorted with amusement, getting up, stretching, and stalking away.

The dried, brittle grasses waved for a moment where she had disappeared, before coming to a stop in the still, humid air, until there was nothing left of Mapleshade but a patch of flattened grass on the ground and a smear of thick, drying blood smudged in the dirt.

"What am I doing?" Reedpaw murmured to herself. "I can't help a murderer!" 

But what about her kits? Don't they deserve to meet their mother, at least once? What about her visions? She's crazed and delusional, and needs help. Needs closure. I can't let her suffer thinking her kits must be avenged! Maybe all she needs is to see them once, and then she'll know. Perhaps that's all it'll take! I can do this!

Reedkit filled with determination and a readiness to take on her new challenge, but somewhere inside her she felt a strange nervous tension, a feeling that seemed to be telling her not to do it, not to trust Mapleshade and to leave and never return. 

"I can make a change," Reedkit muttered, "I can, whether Mapleshade deserves it or not. I may not know why I find myself in StarClan's plains at night when I'm not even a Clan cat, and I may not know how I'm going to make this work, but I'll make it work! Something about this just... makes sense. It feels right."

But why do I get the feeling that Mapleshade is beyond help?