Silentmelody's Dream

Chapter 18

Scratching letters and numbers, twoleg mark, was just getting boring for Silentpaw. Her mentor was talking with Shadestripe, so she was only busy and useful with Stormwhisker.

It was pass sunhigh, the fresh-kill pile was filled, and Clan duties were slowing, ending the long day to an early dusk. Silentpaw zoned off, unable to here Stormwhisker.

"Silentpaw," he said, and nudged her. The mute apprentice turned and looked up at him. "You can go off if you want to. Heh, me needa get me sleep anyways." The medicine cat said, pointing his unusual long snout to outside of the cave. Without a 'twoleg' response, Silentpaw slowly walked out, capturing the low sun sinking into the cold, crispy air. Dragonflame and Orchidshine were stretching their old bodies, yawning as they did. Applewhisker and her mate, Bouncefire, were sharing tongues under the overgrown branch, low in the cold shadows. Silvermist and Nightfeather were amusing Coldkit, Sparklekit, and Eaglekit near the nursery, Silentpaw could here high-pitched laughs from the newborns. The mute apprentice walked out into the clearing, and spotted Echopaw tearing a vole with the corner of her eye.

"Urrg!" Echopaw growled, her ears flat against her head. "Those kits are ruining my sense of hearing! They're deafening me!" Silentpaw laughed inside. Echopaw was so funny when she didn't mean to be. But the kits are growing fast. Its only been a couple days. Their eyes are already open. She thought, and smiled. Silentpaw went ahead and fetched a squirrel and sat down next to the blue-grey apprentice.

A sudden rustle of the brambles sounded behind her as Wolfheart and Shadestripe walked into the camp. Shadestripe was smiling, like he was proud of some sort, but Wolfheart was frowing, not acting like his normal self, his long hooked claws scraping the fallen leaves.

Because of this, Silentpaw hesitated to run after him and greet him happily, like she normally would. It seems as if her mentor has changed completely.
The mute apprentice didn't notice that Echopaw had already left towards the apprentices' den for the night. With a large, sleepy yawn, Silentpaw followed Echopaw's paw-steps to get a good night's rest after a hard day.

**********

The surge a Clan's warriors weight fell on her shoulders, thorns dived into flesh, and claws scraping against claws, fangs bared, shining in the dimmed light that showered into darkness...

Waking up for what seemed like moons, she weakly stood up on her paws. Red light gleamed and the thick scent of blood towered over. Despite the heavily breathing, she went out to find mysterious welcoming.

More sounds of shrieks and yowls of agony sounded low behind her, but one familiar voice yelled louder than the rest; "No! Don't, its Blood!"
But she didn't hear his warning, all of a sudden she fell deep down, a thousand StarClans over, her head bulging, lungs swelling with fast, blood-piercing air.

Instead of a spine-breaking thump, she felt fangs that caught her scruff skillfully, then swung to the side. Finally, she opened her eyes to see someone--

"Are you okay, Silent One?!" A familiar voice asked. All she remembered was feeling the air forged out of her lungs as she fell deep down....

"Are you okay?" He asked again, shoving her with his paw.

"Y-yes...?" She whispered, then stood up. The tom was a pure golden tabby, flaming eyes, and strong muscles. He outline was blurry, like he was just about to fade.

"Here, follow me." He said, flicking his tail. Hesitantly, Silentpaw followed, wrinkling her nose at his reeking scent that washed over her.

Suddenly more cats appearing into the clearing, becoming more visible as they both came closer. They were blurry as well, like the golden tabby was with them. A huge black and white tom, shoulders broad, heavy chains linked his paws, scars covered him, muscles torn, bleeding flesh, and a small bone ripping through his ear. Green eyes reflected deadly poison. "Who'sss thisss?" He asked, voice like Mouthclaw, the deadly snake.

"I found her, caught her falling down." The tom answered.

"Rrrreeyyyeah!" The black and white tom yowled, then clawed the golden tabby's shoulder, down to his stomach. But the only thing the tabby did, was growl quietly and glare at him, rage building quickly.

"Why did you bring her into DeathClan territory?" The black and white tom screeched.

"Bring who?"

No, Silentpaw recognized that voice. Oh, StarClan....

"The Ssssilent One." The snake like tom answered.

"Hello... Silent One." A black tom shouldered his way in between them, red eyes glowing in the mist.

"Blood," Silentpaw hissed.
"Sunflame..." Blood growled. "How dare you bring her here?"

Silentpaw's heart pounded out of her chest. "Sunflame?!" She screamed. "What are you doing here? What in StarClan's name is DeathClan? Wha, who..."

Sunflame's eyes glared at her with sorrow and guilt.

"Screech," Blood flicked his tail to the black and white tom. "Take him some good, heavy beating to teach him a lesson. DeathClan warriors never save puny outsiders." He snickered. Wickedly, Screech slapped his chains against Sunflame's legs, forcing him to go forward into the blurry mist.

Seconds when they were gone, yowls of pain and agony screeched and wailed from behind the thick wall of mist. Tears exploded out of Silentpaw's eyes for her former mentor as Blood, lied his tail on her shoulder and walked together.

"Welcome to DeathClan." He said, suddenly the mist disappeared, and cats stumbled as they walked around the camp. Scars and bruises covered every one of them.

"Let all warriors fierce enough to kill whoever passes them, gather here at the bone rock!" Blood called. All the cats bounded towards the bone rock, Blood took Silentpaw and rested his tail on her shoulder once more, paw over paw like they were Clanmates together.

"The Silent One?" A grey she-cat asked.

"What's she doing here?" A broad shouldered, black and brown tom with a white stomach growled.

"Where's Sunflame?" The grey she-cat asked again.

"Getting a whipping." A grey and white misted she-cat snickered.

But there was only one DeathClan cat who stood still, looking straight into Silentpaw's eyes.

Duskpaw. She thought.

"Enough, enough." Blood nodded, and everyone was silent. "Yes, Sunflame was a complete mouse-brain, again, and kindly led the Silent One into our camp. Now we have her held captive under my claws and fangs, and one move to escape, the Silent One is dead."

Silentpaw saw Duskpaw look down at her paws.

Suddenly, Blood's large paw smacked her down to the ground, claws digging in her flesh. His crooked smile showed yellow teeth and blood dripped as drool onto Silentpaw's fur.

"Fangs and poison are slithering you way, Silent One." He whispered in her ear, his reeking breath washing over her. "Beware for a bite that never gets healed."