A Warrior's Heart | Omen Of Darkness | Bk. 1

Chapter 34

Terror washed over TansyPaw as she watched her mother kill LilyTail and Breeze. She stared in fear as her mother stumbled broken-heartedly into the shadows."RobinStar!" TansyPaw wailed as she sprang out of the cover of an oak tree. RobinStar twisted around, her pelt covered in blood."I'm sorry, TansyPaw,"She cried,"I needed to make CrowDawn's death worth it..." TansyPaw felt her mother's sorrow, but RobinStar killed LilyTail!"You killed LilyTail!" She hissed. RobinStar dipped her head,"Yes,"She mewed regretfully,"I didn't mean anything by it.." TansyPaw snarled at her mother, twisting around, and breaking into a run."IceSplash!" She called distractedly,"I'm ready to train!" IceSplash emerged from the warriors den,"Good. It's time for your warrior assesment before we go to the gathering." TansyPaw forced herself to look eager to be a warrior, but she wasn't. RobinStar staggered into camp, her fur ruffled but no sign of the blood once on TansyPaw's mother. TansyPaw daren't look at her leader. She was a murderer! Did she know what she did?! Suddenly, her loneliness returned.

"Can't play, TansyKit!" RainKit spat as she scrambled after her brothers. TansyKit sighed, tail curling around her.

TansyPaw snapped back to the present. She sighed, ears flattened. She used to think her mother was the only one to understand her. But now, her best friend was IvyFern. She then felt love burst from her. IvyFern. Still, IvyFern didn't know half of her.

The prophecy.

Lonely still, TansyPaw listened to IceSplash,"You go ahead, I'll catch up. Hunt at the clearing first." TansyPaw slowly walked painfully out of camp. She sniffed. Rabbit?! Now excited, she stalked the rabbit. Still, the empty hole in her heart wasn't filled. She definitely didn't have a warriors heart. She pounced on the white rabbit, scampering on a moss bed. It squealed in terror as she cracked its neck. TansyPaw groggily buried it and sniffed again. Scenting squirrel cowering on a tree up above. TansyPaw gulped, glancingnervously at the sturdy, broad bark of the tall, huge oak tree. She scrambled up, bravery pushing her up. She saw the squirrel. Careful not to slip, she pounced. The squirrel was dead in her paws, but she imagined it as RobinStar, dead underneath her paws."Ahh!" She yowled, frightened. She collapsed, laying on the ground, legs spayed out. She lifted up, hearing a voice."Hello,"A gentle voice meowed. TansyPaw lifted to see IvyFern."Sorry,"She blushed, embarrased. IvyFern lifted her friend up, grooming TansyPaw's head."What's wrong?" IvyFern asked.     IvyFern's glowing eyes glimmered with love and friendship. TansyPaw sighed,"Nothing...oh!-it's something. I can't lie to you! But, you can't know what...you'll betray me..." IvyFern seemed bewildered TansyPaw said that."No I won't!" She insisted, tail flicking. TansyPaw let out a small weep and whispered to IvyFern what RobinStar did."What?! IvyFern gasped, terrified."S-She, killed LilyTail!?" TansyPaw nodded, heart shattering. IvyFern gazed at her calmly, licking her neck fur,"Where is her body?" She asked. TansyPaw gapped."A-At the thunderpath," She anwered shakily. IvyFern's tail flicked as she bounded off toward the thunderpath. Heart racing, TansyPaw skidded after her friend. IvyFern towered over LilyTail's dead body, who's neck was ripped open, tufts of robin-coloured fur sticking on it,"We can't let the clan know it was your mother,"IvyFern murmured, eyes narrowed. TansyPaw sighed and picked up the bloody red tufts of fur."Go collect your rabbit and become a warrior,"IvyFern insisted as she dragged LilyTail onto the thunderpath,"No one will no anything. They'll think she died on the thunderpath." TansyPaw stifled a protest, and relunctantly staggered into the forest, after her buried rabbit and squirrel. She unburied her prey, mouth watering at the taste of the delicious rabbit. It's white fur was stained with blood, only making TansyPaw more frightened."IceSplash, I caught a rabbit and squirrel,"She mewed, coming up on her mentor, who was sharing tongues with SnowFeather and ThistleTooth. SnowFeather and ThistleTooth gazed at TansyPaw thoughtfully, making hotness spill on TansyPaw's pelt."Okay, I'll tell RobinStar,"IceSplash purred, chest puffed out. IceSplash bounded off, leaving TansyPaw sitting awkwardly with two mouse-brained toms."Hey, TansyPaw,"ThistleTooth mewed,"Want to hang out after your a warrior?" SnowFeather took his brother's spotlight quickly,"Want to go hunting with me after your a warrior?" He asked playfully. TansyPaw smiled awkwardly,"Sure, to both of you mouse-brains!" ThistleTooth gave SnowFeather a hard glare, and what TansyPaw could make out of it said,"Leave...she's mine...-dung!" Gulping, TansyPaw glanced at High-Tree, where RobinStar sat, looking sad and bothered,"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather below High-Tree!" She called. TansyPaw sat underneath, pelt bristling as her mother continued,"I want FrogTail and RoseFlower to lay CrowDawn in her grave after this, but rather than that, I have two announcements. First, TansyPaw step up." TansyPaw carefully stepped up, glaring at her mother's gentle but troubled gaze,"I, RobinStar, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has worked hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her as a warrior to you in her turn." RobinStar glanced at her paws."TansyPaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect this clan, even at the cost of your life?" TansyPaw nodded curtly, gaze still full of tension."Then with the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. TansyPaw, from this moment on you will be known as,TansyShade. StarClanhonors you, and your loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." TansyShade gazed at IvyFern, calming and stepping into place with her friend."TansyShade! TansyShade!" SnowFeather and ThistleTooth chanted the loudest."Now,"RobinStar began as the clan quieted down,"I must choose a deputy. Which I shouldn't have to do,"She added bitterly,"I hope StarClan approves of my choice. SilverStrike, do you accept this role?" She asked her former mentor. "Yes,"SilverStrike replied."Then you are now the new deputy of ThunderClan!" RobinStar flicked her tail, calling the meeting to an end. TansyShade glared at her mother. RobinStar glanced back, eyes full of grief, guilt and pain. TansyShade felt a little pity for her mother. But, why should she?! She quickly reminded herself of her mother's kills. FlowerBlossom padded up to SilverStrike and RobinStar, and TansyShade overheard."I'm having kits, again,"She announced."Congratulations!" RobinStar smiled weakly. TansyShade turned, fur bristling. Kits were the last thing she needed. She knew the whole clan looked forward for her kits, but no. I can never. TansyShade murmured silently."Now will you hunt with me?" SnowFeather scrambled up to her."Or-hang out with me!" ThistleTooth butted in."Erm....later,-or! uh,-tomorrow,"TansyShade stammered. ThistleTooth nodded eargerly, and SnowFeather gave a respectful dip of his head."What ever you wish,"He mewed. TansyShade scampered away from the crushed toms. Suddenly, StormCloud bursted from the honey suckle entrance, the young medicine cat holding two, small newborn kits."I can handle this, but, they're our clanmates now,"The young tom mumbled. TansyShade clambered over to him."I'll help!" She volunteered. StormCloud gave her a brisk nod. TansyShade studied the crying kits. They were both she-cats. One was a dove-like gray, with white paws, tipped-tail, ear tufts, belly, chest, underbelly and muzzle."Let's name her, BranchKit."StormCloud mewed. The other one was a white she-cat with black and gray spots on her back, A black tipped-tail, ear tufts, paws, muzzle and neck."We'll name that one...MoonKit,"Mewed TansyShade. TansyShade curled around the kits, and sniffed their scent. They weren't ThunderClan they were...RiverClan."StormCloud,"She murmured. StormCloud glanced at her,"Yes?" TansyShade let her gaze bore into his."They're from RiverClan." StormCloud seemed startled."We can't keep them, then."He meowed immediately."They don't belong to us." TansyShade lifted to her paws, fur rising."We can't! You found them, they surely don't care about them!" She protested. She questioned herself; Why am I protecting these kits? StormCloud sighed."We will sneak out with them once they're strong enough." Relunctantly, TansyShade agreed. She left the medicine cat den scornfully. The kits were adorable, and if ThunderClan found them, they deserve them. TansyShade went to the entrance to camp, and kept vigil.

Two sunrises later, MoonKit and BranchKit were bestest friends, and foster mother was FlowerBlossom. Still, TansyShade felt guilty about this. Tonight, her and StormCloud would sneak them out."I'm a bird!" Squealed MoonKit innocently."No your not!" Purred BranchKit, stepping on her sister's stomache. The sun was going down, and unfortuneatly, fast."Kits, come with me."TansyShade whispered to them. StormCloud took MoonKit, and TansyShade BranchKit. Together, the ThunderClan cats snuck out of camp, and towards the river."Why are we going across the river?" BranchKit asked, blue eyes glowing. TansyShade didn't reply as they leaped across the stepping stones, and entered RiverClan territory."I told MistyPond to meet us here."Mumbled StormCloud. TansyShade let BranchKit go."Go have fun with your sister." It's your last time. She thought scornfully. MistyPond, a fluffy white she-cat emerged from water willows."These are the kits?" She mewed in a very, gentle voice."Yes,"StormCloud mewed,"BranchKit and MoonKit." MistyPond sniffed them carefully."I'll take....MoonKit."She decided. MistyPond picked up MoonKit carefully."Huh?! BranchKit, help!" MoonKit wailed as MistyPond started going away. TansyShade felt like she was going to be sick."MoonKit!" Screeched BranchKit, who raked her claws down MistyPond's legs. TansyShade drew BranchKit back with her tail."It's too late,"She murmured,"I couldn't help.."