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

Chapter 36

TansyShade felt her paws tingle with excitement. It was her first gathering as a warrior! A quarter moon had passed since her guilty doing of splitting innocent sisters, she had been trying to push that away. SnowFeather leaned on her, ThistleTooth on the other side. She had been trying to decide which tom would be her mate, as the two brothers had announced she had to choose, but she liked both of them! What should I do? ThistleTooth was funny, and clumsy when it came to hunting, he was perfect for when TansyShade needed a good laugh. SnowFeather, on the other paw, was brave, caring and would put so much into protecting his kits. Again, perfect for having a family. TansyShade gulped down hard,"I have decided!" She blurted out, blinking frantically. The brothers looked at her, eagerness and love in their eyes. TansyShade took a deep breath."ThistleTooth,-I choose, ThistleTooth." SnowFeather blinked with hurt, his mouth gapped and TansyShade could see he wanted to snap at his brother with claws."I respect your choice, besides,-"SnowFeather suddenly looked better,-"IvyFern and I...well, like each other!" Happiness flooded through TansyShade tail-tip to nose."That's wonderful!" ThistleTooth and TansyShade padded together through the forest, her clanmates in front and back of her. SilverStrike was nervously chatting with StormCloud behind them, and IceSplash was speaking with IvyFern in front of them.

The stony path in front of TansyShade looked sharp with rocks. It glinted in the moonlight, and threatened to rip at the cats pads. Soon, the clan halted at the log bridge to cross. Forgot about this! What if I fall in the lake? That'll be so embarrasing! Hesitation edged TansyShade's mew,"Must I cross this?" ThistleTooth nudged her cheek with his nose,"Are you scared?" He teased affectionately. TansyShade let out a mrrow of laughter."No!" Finally, it was her turn. ThistleTooth waited on the other side. He had gracefully done it, not a single mistake. TansyShade prefered being dry than wet, so she gave it her best shot. The brown bark looked slippery, it glistened with water. It's bark had moss on it, and it was rough beneath her paws. TansyShade steadied herself. She was half way through! Her tail was balancing her, her ears, too. She kept her ears straight, her tail high in the air, directing her. Finally, she made it across, a wobbly leap. She blushed when ThistleTooth praised her,"Well done!" She told ThistleTooth she was off to speak with another cat, and padded in the direction of ShadowClan apprentices. Her mind was brought back on BranchKit and MoonKit. HollyPaw had took BranchKit, and was appearantly her  sister, is what TansyShade was told. Soon, she found the black apprentice."HollyPaw!" TansyShade called.-HollyPaw was boasting about a finch she had caught to two WindClan apprentice, RabbitFoot's kits with HarePounce. One was named, AlderPaw, a ginger-red tabby she-cat with amber eyes. The other, a silver-gray tom named, RockPaw, he had long legs, and green eyes.- HollyPaw's ears pricked and she looked at TansyShade, her green eyes glowing. She slithered over."Yes?" Her voice was hard to hear over the rest of the cats."How is BranchKit?" TansyShade demanded. HollyPaw's eyes darkened."Depressed,"She added in a hiss,"And it's none of your business anymore!" HollyPaw stomped back to RockPaw and AlderPaw."Cats of all clans!" Yowled TawnyStar."The gathering has now begun!" The ShadowClan leader began,"Prey is running well this leaffall, and we are prepared for leafbare. FoxTail has kitted to my third litter. She has had SpottedKit, IvyKit, and BranchKit."-TansyShade realized he wanted to not give away his weakness of BranchKit not being ShadowClan.-"And that's all." TawnyStar gave permission for SmokeFrost to speak, the WindClan deputy, as RockStar wasn't there."RockStar has sadly, died of an unknowned sickness. Half a moon ago, I had gotten my nine lives and my new name, SmokeStar. Our deputy is SquirrelWing." SquirrelWing was LostFur's kit. Her siblings were WhisperMoon, and SheepPelt. WindClan called their deputy's name,"SquirrelWing! SquirrelWing! SquirrelWing!" SquirrelWing's ginger fur looked hot with embarrasment. Her ears were also flattened."Prey is running well, and we have two new apprentices; RockPaw and AlderPaw!" RiverClan chanted the apprentice's names. After the noise died down, SmokeStar continued,"RabbitHop is also expecting kits again." SmokeStar's tail flicked to RobinStar. TansyShade narrowed her eyes."ThunderClan is in troubling times. CrowDawn, our deputy, was murdered by her daughter, Breeze. Breeze was killed by a monster, and is not a threat. I would watch out for Seela, though. She hunts for revenge, and will kill any cat in her way."RobinStar reported,"LilyTail has also been killed by Breeze. But, to make up for the troubled times, FlowerBlossom is kitting any day now. And I know, some new pairs have been matched. Prey is running now and we have a new warrior; TansyShade." RobinStar glanced at TansyShade through guilty but loving eyes."TansyShade! TansyShade!" Chanted ThunderClan. TansyShade didn't feel embarrased. She glared at her mother through hatred, and was froze in place. ThistleTooth was next to her, paying no attention."Prey is running well, and SilverStrike is our new deputy,"RobinStar finished. ThunderClan chanted SilverStrike's name. RobinStar signaled DoveStar to speak."RiverClan is well. Prey is fine. AcornWind and FernCreek are now elders, and their kits are respected warriors. RiverClan is lucky to have these five fine warriors; ShrewBird, SwiftPetal, CloudDrop, NightFlower and BlackClaw." RiverClan chanted the five warriors' names. DoveStar continued,"Sadly, WaveSplash had died mysteriously at the lake, and now that RobinStar talked about this rogue, I rememer seeing her. She must've killed him because she was still in our territory. But, our new deputy is ShrewBird!" RiverClan called his name." We have four new apprentices, all mothered by DoveStream, fathered by BluePelt: WavePaw, KestrelPaw, AmberPaw, and StormPaw. WavePaw's mentored by ShrewBird; reports say he is best fighting, KestrelPaw is mentored by NightFlower; he is a good hunter, AmberPaw is mentored by SwiftPetal; she's a swift hunter, and StormPaw is mentored by BlackClaw; she is a swift fighter." DoveStar finally finished."StormPaw! AmberPaw! KestrelPaw! WavePaw!" RiverClan chanted. StormPaw's gray pelt shimmered, her blue eyes glowed. AmberPaw's white and light ginger pelt was bright, green eyes excited. KestrelPaw's black-gray pelt stood on end and his amber eyes showed embarrasment. WavePaw's blue-gray pelt was shining, blue eyes shining with pride. TansyShade couldn't hold it in. She sprang onto one of the branches of the gathering tree and yowled."Listen! LilyTail and Breeze weren't killed that way, RobinStar killed them!" Yowls and protests shot in the air.

"No! RobinStar's loyal!"

How do we know you're not the traitor?!"

"How do we know she's lying?"

Everyone silented, and the cat who said that stepped up. HollyPaw."Get down from there!" Yowled her mentor, FeatherShadow. HollyPaw ignored her mentor's command."We have no evidence TansyShade is lying, and by the look on RobinStar's face,-"The ShadowClan pointed at RobinStar panicked face,"-It sounds like it's true."

TansyShade silently thanked StarClan for HollyPaw. After a while, everyone believed."I shall give her what she deserves, a punishment." TansyShade knew what she was really going to do.

Kill her.

The day after the gathering was interesting. TansyShade licked ThistleTooth's cheek before padding out of the warriors den. RobinStar was in her den. TansyShade stalked up to it, lips drew back in a snarl."Yes?" RobinStar scrambled up."I'm here to kill you! You are a traitor, no matter how you fix it, I'm avenging LilyTail!" She snarled, and pinned her mother. RobinStar didn't fight."Last night, I had a dream,"TansyShade breathed."Listen..."

The Branch knows! The Branch knows! Run, the Branch knows! Howl along, and listen now. The time has come, for the Tansy to tell. Break the Shade, young warrior, and find the way, that you must go. Love Robin, love her well. And lead her dead, till you tell and fell. Over the cliffs, over the mountains, and to the gorge, she must go. The Branch does know, and will tell, if you don't kill her soon, so shall she well. An omen of darkness does come, after she's dead, you will know, and go.

RobinStar rasped,"Kill me now, StarClan doesn't mind." TansyShade's gaze went soft."I do still love you..."She murmured. TansyShade felt her heart tighten. She was leading her mother to the gorge out of clan territory, to die." Follow me."She mewed. RobinStar followed,"I know a secret way." The ThunderClan leader squeezed through a hole in the back of her den. TansyShade followed. She was silent as she led her mother out of clan territory.

Finally, they reached the gorge from dawn to sunhigh. TansyShade gulped."I never ment this..."She cried to RobinStar. RobinStar looked surprised. TansyShade pinned her mother, the leader's head hanging down into the gorge."TansyShade, Help!" RobinStar screeched, batting at TansyShade's muzzle with claws unsheathed. TansyShade let her claws crawl from RobinStar's belly, to forehead. Then, she ripped at her mother's throat. RobinStar gagged as blood welled from the wound. She was losing life after life. She lost eight. I'm sorry! Oh mother, you don't understand! I'm saving you by killing you! TansyShade scornfully pushed RobinStar down the gorge.

"Goodbye, mother."