Chapter Four: Tension and Shock
The sun was high in the sky when Swiftpaw and Hawkshadow headed out to the mossy clearing that was the training area for apprentices. Three moons had passed since Sagewing had received the prophecy, but nothing terrible had happened…yet. On the way to the clearing, Swiftpaw stopped, head raised and jaws slightly parted.
“What do you scent, Swiftpaw?” her mentor asked.
Swiftpaw’s eyes gleamed. “Rabbit!” she meowed in a low voice as she dropped into the hunter’s crouch. After a few minutes her sharp eyes located a young rabbit under a low bush. Creeping very slowly forward, and keeping her footfalls light, the black and white apprentice edged towards the rabbit.
The rabbit’s ears twitched as Swiftpaw stalked closer. She put her paw down on a dry leaf…and the rabbit exploded out of the undergrowth. Swiftpaw instantly shot after it, her paws skimming the ground in pursuit. Hawkshadow only had to wait a few minutes before a delighted Swiftpaw came trotting back, the rabbit in her jaws and her eyes gleaming.
“That’s amazing!” Hawkshadow purred.
Swiftpaw dropped the rabbit and began to scrape earth over it. “It wasn’t hard or anything. I didn’t know I could run that fast, though!”
“Neither did I! Come on, let’s head over to the training clearing and tell Rainpaw and Tigerfang!” Hawkshadow meowed enthusiastically, and they set off.
At the training hollow, Swiftpaw’s brother Rainpaw and his ginger mentor Tigerfang were waiting for them. When Rainpaw saw the large rabbit in Swiftpaw’s jaws he let out a surprised mrrow.
“Did you catch that, Swiftpaw?” he exclaimed.
“Yes, Rainpaw, I did.” Swiftpaw was looking very pleased with herself, and her mentor glanced at Tigerfang, a gleam of amusement in her eyes, as if to say ‘Look how well I’ve trained my apprentice!’
Fortunately, Tigerfang got the funny side of it, and the mood was very happy as the two apprentices, watched by their mentors, practiced fighting moves in the warm sun.
Swiftpaw launched herself at Rainpaw, her small body hurtling through the air like a magpie. When she landed Rainpaw let out a surprised mrrow as the breath was knocked out of him, bur he quickly retaliated. He relaxed, pretending to give up.
“Ha! Take that –” His sister was cut off from her victorious yowl as Rainpaw pushed upwards with his wiry body and sent her flying. She landed with a bump on the soft mossy ground and looked up, purring with amusement.
“That was a great move!” she congratulated her brother. He started to purr as well. The two apprentices lay in a patch of warm sun, the heat making them drowsy. Their mentors were still talking, the tabby and grey pelts touching. Rainpaw had dozed off, his dark flank slowly rising and falling. Swiftpaw started to fall asleep, but when she closed her eyes all the warmth was drained from her. Her eyes flew open again in shock, but her surroundings were dark. The only sound was a distant roaring, like the wind tearing through the trees. The sound grew louder and louder, until it nearly deafened Swiftpaw. Then a voice cut through the clamour, cold as the bitter wind of leafbare.
“Danger is coming.
A fight between the light and the darkness.
Darkness will consume the forest,
And Night will rule.”
Images flashed through the terrified Swiftpaw’s mind: dying cats, their jaws open in soundless yowls of despair, slashing claws, and eyes the colour of blood, glinting with malice. All this was accompanied by horrible screeches, yowls and snarls. Swiftpaw thought she was going to be sick, but as quickly as it had started, it stopped.
Swiftpaw woke. The three other cats were about to leave. She joined them and they all headed back to the camp. She kept her head low, so no-one would see how horrified she was. Quickening her pace, she arrived at the stone hollow before the others, and went straight to the medicine den.
***
Ebonypaw was sifting through some odd-smelling piles of herbs, her eyes narrowed in concentration. She looked up when her sister entered, and noticing her expression, asked,
“What’s wrong, Swiftpaw?”
Swiftpaw told her everything in her vision, seeing Ebonypaw’s eyes widen into blue pools of horror as she spoke. When she had finished, Ebonypaw explained that she had experienced the same thing, and had told her mentor, Sagewing. After finding the medicine cat and telling her about Swiftpaw’s experience, they flopped down in the apprentice’s den.
Before either of the sisters had a chance to speak, there was a shocked yowl from outside.
“Amberfur is dead!”
Instantly the two young she-cats were on their paws and out of the den. A horrible sight met their eyes as they emerged.
The golden she-cat was lying on her side, a huge gaping hole torn in her throat and her pretty fur matted with dried blood. There were shocked gasps all around. Pebblestar was on the Highledge, and the cats turned to look as he spoke.
“Amberfur’s death was unexpected and tragic, and we will all mourn her greatly. Mossleaf, please tell the Clan what happened.
The pretty tortoiseshell was on a boulder next to the ledge. Her green eyes were round with disbelief, and Swiftpaw remembered that she was Amberfur’s sister.
“I had taken a hunting patrol out. There was me, Duskywhisker, Wolfheart…and Amberfur. We had split up to try and find more prey. I was about to catch a vole when I heard a scream. I rushed over to where the sound had come from, and Amberfur was there. She was lying in a pool of blood, dead when I reached her,” the she-cat finished, her head bowed.
“Thank you, Mossleaf.” The Clan gathered around the body of Amberfur, paying their last respects. When it was Rainpaw’s, Ebonypaw’s and Swiftpaw’s turn, they only had a brief time to say goodbye before Pebblestar summoned them to his den.
“Rainpaw, Ebonypaw, and Swiftpaw. I have something to tell you. Please do not blame me or any cat for what you may think afterwards.” The three siblings exchanged confused glances, and their leader continued.
“Amberfur is not your mother,” he began. “Your real mother is dead. She was…killed by foxes.” Ebonypaw noticed the hesitation, but let him continue.
“I am deeply sorry that you could not have known this sooner. Please do not think any less of any cat because of this.” The grey tom seemed flustered, and Ebonypaw wondered why, but not aloud.
“Who was our father?” The question came from Rainpaw. There was no worry in his eyes, or fear, only curiosity.
Pebblestar’s eyes were expressionless. “A rogue,” he mewed simply. Rainpaw opened his mouth to ask something else, but Pebblestar spoke first.
“You can leave now. I felt you had to know. Sorry.” Pebblestar turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving the three young apprentices puzzled, curious, and determined to find out who their parents really were.