CHAPTER 14
Rockstar woke with a gasp of horror. He looked around wildly until he remembered where he was. The terror of his dream hung in his mind. He couldn’t remember anything except that he felt as if he was in grave danger. Trying to control his shivering, he licked his chest to smooth his bristling fur. As the shock ebbed, the realized that it was just a nightmare. Rockstar sighed in relief. Legs shaking, he got up and padded to where Stormfur was talking with his mate, Brook.
“Hello Stormfur, Brook,” Rockstar greeted. Stormfur dipped his head to him, but Brook just nodded and slipped away from Stormfur’s side. Rockstar tilted his head in confusion.
“Brook feels a bit awkward around you,” Stormfur admitted. “I think she’s still shocked about… you know.”
Rockstar nodded in understanding. “Stormfur, I must ask,” Rockstar lowered his voice. “My clan is weak and tired. Are we close?”
Stormfur nodded. “Very. We should be able to reach the lake my moonhigh.”
Rockstar bristled in excitement. “Great! Thank you, Stormfur,” he added, licking the warrior’s shoulder. “StarClan will honor your bravery.”
Stormfur nodded in embarrassed thanks and padded to where Brook tore at a piece of prey.
Waving his tail, Rockstar padded out of the alcove. There he ran into Bouncefoot.
“Hi Bouncefoot,” Rockstar mewed. “Do you want to go hunting?”
“Sure,” Bouncefoot mewed. Nodding the two brothers padded out of the alcove. Telling Bouncefoot that he would try over near a large birch tree, Rockstar ran into the other direction. The sniffed the air. Mouse! Rockstar could hear its tiny scuffling under the leaves; Rockstar lowered his body to the ground.
Rockstar was about to pounce when a yowl burst out of the trees. Before he could react, a shadowy shape pinned him to the ground. Rockstar let out a shocked gasp. It was Bouncefoot and Patchfoot! Rockstar struggled under his grip when Bouncefoot let go of him. Scrambling up, he faced his brother.
“What was that about?” he growled. Bouncefoot’s eyes smoldered, and for an instant he looked just like Fire.
“It is my time to be leader, Rockstar,” he hissed. “Remember me to StarClan.”
Boucefoot let out a battle cry and Patchfoot pinned Rockstar down. Bouncefoot looked into his brother’s eyes.
“Why?” Rockstar rasped. “You’re my brother.”
“Kinship is a weak and meaningless bond,” he snarled. “That’s why it was so easy to kill Tinywhisker.”
“You killed Tinywhisker?” Rockstar gasped.
“Yes. And that so called ‘tribe cat’ was Patchfoot.” He and Bouncefoot let out an evil sounding laughter.
“You are so easily fooled,” he growled. “I was born to lead. I’m taking over SkyClan, no matter how many times I have to kill you.” Bouncefoot lunged for his neck, and Rockstar braced himself for the pain.
Suddenly a hiss burst out of the bush. He saw a black cat throw himself at Bouncefoot yowling, “Traitor!” Rockstar looked up to see his former apprentice, Nightflash, fighting with Bouncefoot.
While Patchfoot was distracted, Rockstar threw himself up and pinned him down. He let out a hiss of anger. He looked at Nightflash.
“You saved me,” Rockstar mewed. Nightflash just nodded and snarled in Bouncefoot’s dust covered face.
“How could you?” he spat. Rockstar had never seen his former apprentice look so savage.
“Rockstar is not just your leader, working twice as hard as anyone to find a new home, but he’s your brother! Doesn’t kinship mean anything to you, you worthless piece of foxdung?” Nightflash’s amber eyes burned with rage.
“No, and it never has,” Bouncefoot spat. “It is a weakness. Look how easy it was to kill Tinywhisker. She was blinded by kinship, and for that she had to die.”
Nightflash’s eyes stretched wide, then they closed tight. “No…” he rasped. His eyes flashed open. “No!” His eyes suddenly turned as white as stars, and Rockstar gasped. Suddenly the young cat’s voice changed.
“Bouncefoot,” he mewed. Rockstar gasped. It was the voice of Tinywhisker! Could she have possibly left StarClan and entered Nightflash’s body? Soon the wind picked up, Thunder rumbled in the distance, and soon Nightflash was in the air, eyes glowing. Rockstar knew what was happening: Tinywhisker was getting her revenge.
“I was your sister,” he mewed in Tinywhisker’s voice again, yowling over the strong wind. “I supported you and cared for you. Didn’t that mean anything to you?”
Bouncefoot stared up at the cat, his eyes wide and shocked, with a trace of fear. Tinywhisker went on.
“I see what you would do as leader. You would destroy the clan from the inside out. It is time to end it before it is too late.”
The wind howled even louder, and suddenly a lightning bolt split the air and struck a tree. Rockstar felt its power surge through his paws. The tree let out a moan and came falling down to earth. Bouncefoot and Patchfoot let out screams of fear, but it was too late. With a sickening crunch the tree fell on the two warriors, and their screams were cut off. Suddenly the wind dropped into a whisper, and the clouds rolled unnaturally quickly away. Nightflash lowered to the ground and his eyes turned back to their normal amber color. He was panting, and the awe in his eyes told Rockstar that Nightflash had witnessed the whole thing.
“Rockstar,” he rasped. “Did what I think happened did happen?” Rockstar nodded, too shocked to speak.
“I can’t believe Bouncefoot was a traitor. And Patchfoot.” Nightflash’s voice grew angry. “I trusted him. How could he do that?”
“I don’t know,” Rockstar admitted. “but StarClan showed us their will-” Rockstar cut off and stared in front of him at where the tree had fallen. Crimson red blood oozed out from under the tree, but that wasn’t that what made Rockstar feel horror rise up in his belly.
Standing over the blood, there was a shadowy shape standing there. Rockstar made out Bouncefoot. His eyes burned as he whispered, “This is not over yet, my brother,” and then vanished.