Coldblooded: Moonshadow's Dark Past

Ch 18, The Eight Leaders

Shadowmoon stood there in front of me, looking as if a ghost had spoken to her just now. Now that I think about it, I can tell that we are in my dreams again like usual when we see each other, but I get the feeling that this is different.
"Are you alright Shadowmoon, you look like you saw a ghost or something?" I looked on watching her.
"Oh sorry, it's really nothing really, but there is something I must show you. Come" she said, her eyes showing nothing to me.
"Okay show me then." I asked.
Padding behind Shadowmoon, we soon find ourselves in a new dream with mountains all around and clouds made a white blanket over the sky. Alpine trees grew everywhere and the sunlight felt as if it were a gentle ember heating me to the bone. This was different from any other dream.
"We are here, now show your selves!" Shadowmoon shouted.
Soon after, I saw the moving figures of Nightwatchers appear, eight of them all in single file. Upon their arrival I noticed that one of them I knew, Dapple! My spirits lit up as he drew nearer in front of the other seven Nightwatchers. He simply smiled and stopped before me, then from out behind him the other Nightwatchers divided on each side of him making a circle around me and Shadowmoon.
"What's going on Da....." I was interrupted by the Nightwatcher sitting left of him.
"Greetings Moonshadow, we are the eight former leaders of the Nightwatchers. My name is Shadow, I was the first leader." The Nightwatcher said, his bright yellow eyes gleamed.
The next one beside Shadow spoke and so forth, " I am Cloud, the second leader," a male black gray pelted Nightwatcher spoke with blue eyes.
A bluish colored female Nightwatcher spoke next,"I am River, the third leader," her yellow eyes brimming with glee.
The rest except Dapple were all black furred.
"I am Ember, fourth leader," a fiery eyed male Nightwatcher spoke.
"I am Petal, fifth leader," a light green eyed female Nightwatcher nodded to me.
"I am Smoke, sixth leader," a large gray eyed male Nightwatcher greeted me.
"I am Needle, seventh leader, I was leader just before you were born, you may call me Needlefur," a friendly deep green eyed, spiky furred, female Nightwatcher introduced herself.
"And I am Dapple, eighth leader, but of course you already know that," Dapple joked smiling happily at me.
"Well we the eight leaders have asked you to met us here because there is something we must do and discuss. River please inform Moonshadow about what we must do here." Shadow spoke.
River stepped forward, "Moonshadow, as last of the Nightwatchers, you must become the ninth leader. To properly give you your title that you were destined to have on Smoth all those years ago, we must perform the ceremony for leaders in order for you to become the ninth leader."
"Why do I have to become the ninth leader, I am no leader myself and there is no more Nightwatchers alive?"
"Because you truly are a leader Moonshadow, the last one, the final leader." Smoke spoke.
"Yes we all agree, we must perform the ceremony before it's too late, for the time is now." Cloud nodded.
"Come Moonshadow, sit and close your eyes." Ember turned a pointed to a newly appeared stone pillar.
I bunched my muscles and jumped making it to the top with ease and sat closing my eyes.
"Good now don't be alarmed when you feel pain, we must use you blood to complete the ceremony, it hurts only a little." Petal calmly said.
I could hear paw steps padding towards me, I guested that I was Shadow and sure enough I felt a claw pierce lightly into my flesh and I knew blood was oozing out. The sharp pain was coming from my right paw and it continued to sting.
The ceremony ended quickly and I couldn't tell what they did but it was over. I opened my eyes to see as they bowed their heads and greeted me as the ninth leader. Then Needlefur spoke to me in a disorienting tone.
"Moonshadow, you must beware of the one within you, it's becoming restless and yet to awaken, but when it does it will be the start of a great destruction."
"What?" I said stumped, "Do you mean Shadowmoon, we have already settled things now, I have dominance."
Needlefur just shook her head and wished me farewell along with the other Nightwatchers. Now all left except Shadow. He looked dead serious at me and darkly said
"He lives within you, you must overcome him or you will be swallowed up in the madness as well...."
Then Shadow faded away and I knew I was waking up. I was waking up to the new life I have at the Skyjolt camp.