Darkstar's Wrath - A Faith's Journey Super Edition

Chapter 36

Darkblood took a few shaky breaths in. His eyes roomed the clearing until they found Shadowripple. The warrior hadn't moved since Silverpaw had broken free from his grasp. His gray eyes met Darkblood's amber eyes.

"You didn't do anything... and yet you knew what they were planning..." Darkblood whispered, taking threatening steps toward his former mentor. 

"I did know." Shadowripple meowed, calmly. 

"Then why! Why didn't you do anything! I thought you cared about me!" Darkblood's voice rose to a yell.

"I do care about you, Darkblood." Shadowripple murmured, resting his tail tip on Darkblood's shoulder.

Darkblood shook his mentor's tail off and took the last steps until their muzzles were nearly touching.

"Why?" Darkblood demanded again.

"If I were to do anything, I would've become nothing." Shadowripple replied, holding his amber gaze. He was the first to take a step back. "I'm sorry I couldn't be the cat you wanted me to be, Darkblood." With a last look, Shadowripple turned and walked out of the clearing, his tail dragging on the ground.

Darkblood stood there, staring after him, the only sound was the beating of his cracked heart in his ears.

"Darkblood!" Silverpaw's voice broke the near-silence. 

Darkblood glanced over his shoulder at her and saw she was staring at something. He followed her gaze and he felt his heart shatter all over again. 

Firefox, her orange fur filled with faint stars, was standing on the edge of the clearing with Pinepaw beside her, his green eyes shrouded in pain as he gazed out at Darkblood and Silverpaw.

"Firefox!" Darkblood called out, his mouth hanging agape. A small sad smile crossed her face but she didn't move. Without breaking his gaze, she rose to her paws as did Pinepaw. "No, Firefox! Please, don't take him yet!" Darkblood could feel the plead pulsing through very inch of his body.

Silverpaw had run up to his side now and was staring at Pinepaw, her eyes wide and her chest heaving.

"No..." Darkblood voice was barely audible to his own ears. "Firefox... please..."

Firefox and Pinepaw stole a glance at one another, and something passed between them. Pinepaw gave her a small nod and Firefox pressed her nose tip to the younger cat's ear.

Time seemed to slow down as Firefox's star-filled paws danced along the ashen ground as she made her way slowly over to stand in front of Darkblood and Silverpaw.

"This isn't how things were meant to go!" Darkblood whispered, wincing as his own voice continued to crack and break.

"This is one time when you are wrong, Darkblood." Firefox murmured, stealing a quick glance back over her shoulder.

"How can this be what StarClan intended to happen!" Darkblood drew his head up and looked Firefox in the eyes.

"StarClan doesn't control the lives of cats!" Firefox's voice shifted to a firm almost growl-like tone. "Especially not here! None of us can control what happens here!"

"So you're saying you have no power over what happens in my life!" Darkblood spat. "I thought you said you were going to look over me!"

"Well I would if-"

"Stop it!" Silverpaw yowled. "None of this is helping anything!" 

Darkblood and Firefox shared a look and then both watched as Silverpaw made her way across the clearing and stopped in front of Pinepaw.

Pinepaw held Silverpaw's glance steadily and it seemed like for the first time Darkblood noticed how much older they appeared. Both of his apprentices were larger, stronger, and they conjured the strength to overcome things many could not. 

And despite everything, Darkblood couldn't help but feel a burst of pride explode in his chest.