PANTHERPAW
Unearthly moonlight shone down into the ThunderClan camp, its rays of pale white turning the pelt of a small black tom silver. The lithe dark apprentice sat as still as stone, his round ice-blue eyes fixed firmly upon the night skies. His mind raced with the secrets of the forest, and he let out a small impatient sigh. His loyalty to his Clan meant that it was his duty to tell Tigerstar of Ivyheart's forbidden affair. But was it really that simple? Was that really the answer? And who was Sparrowfeather?The medicine cat apprentice layed down, curling his fluffy ebony tail over his tired blue eyes, his last thoughts a prayer for guidance before being enveloped in sleep.
Pantherpaw awoke to the cries of kits. He felt his heart nearly beat out of his chest. While he had been catnapping, Brightfur had kitted, and something must have gone horribly wrong! He jolted to his paws and started to race towards the nursery. But no matter how fast his paws worked, he could not reach the nursery. He was racing through the same trees, jumping over the same rocks, but the nursery remained a distant spot on the horizon.
"I'm coming, Brightfur! Hold on!" The ebony apprentice yowled, his limbs aching and his lungs burning. Suddenly, he was frozen to his spot, his dark paws stuck to the ground like the stubbornest tick imbedded in an elder's pelt. Pantherpaw struggled to move forward, but he was held back by some unseen force. The cries of the kits grew louder.
Suddenly, there was a rustle in the undergrowth. The apprentice froze, trying to turn his head to see who was approaching him. He could not identify the scent, but he knew it was a cat. The scent of unknown cat did not terrify him so much as the scent of blood. Pantherpaw looked down, and let out a gasp of horror. Blood lapped hungrily at his dark paws, staining them red. Pantherpaw knew he was dreaming, but he could not be more terrified if this was actually happening to him. The scarlet blood stained the ivy leaves around him.
"Pantherpaw," The ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice turned his head to see a shimmering silver tabby she-cat prowling towards him, the sparkle of stars in her dark green eyes. He caught a faint scent of RiverClan in her fur, stronger than the scent of blood lapping at his paws.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?" The ebony tomcat cried, his tail drawn between his legs and his neck hair bristling. The river of blood continued to rush faster and faster as the silver RiverClan queen stared at him with fear in her emerald eyes.
"The Leopard will betray the Clan," She whispered hoarsely, her ears drawn back in fear. The shimmering she-cat paused, as if she was carefully considering her words, "The seed does not fall far from the tree. The Leopard will betray the Clan."
"I don't understand what you mean. Who are you?" The small apprentice glared at the deceased RiverClan cat with confusion in his pale blue eyes, but she only gave him a very sad look.
"Do you have the courage to stop something before it gets out of control?" The queen whispered, her green eyes glistening with sadness. Pantherpaw suddenly realized she was not talking about his destiny at all. "You must do what I could not, and be loyal to your Clan." The young tomcat did not respond, but let the sound of rushing blood fill his ears for several moments, gazing deeply into the silver queen's eyes.
"Who are you?" Pantherpaw repeated very quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper. The mackeral tabby she-cat gave him a very sad smile, such a sad smile that it broke his heart to look at the queen.
"I'm Sparrowfeather," The dead silver tabby replied, giving him a look through narrowed leaf-green eyes, "and I died giving birth to my forbidden kits."
A/N: I know it's kind of a bad chapter, but it all plays out soon. I'm sorry for never updating! I'm so horrible!
in the next few chapters:
Morningpaw's secret is revealed
Brightfur's kits are born
The prophecy is fulfilled
Flamingpaw overhears a secret plot
Pantherpaw discovers who Sparrowfeather was
rate and review please!