Looming Darkness

Chapter 9

"But they need you, Whispersong! I need you! 'With the whispering voice of two!' not the whispering voice of one! If they can't trust both of us Two, the Clans will be destroyed!"

"But... Oh, Echoheart! My life's falling apart! My world is crumbling around me! I don't know what to think, or feel, or do anymore! And don't tell me it'll work out, because I'm starting to think that it won't! Why did StarClan choose me? I'm worthless!"

"No you're not!" Echoheart snapped. "You're my sister! And I'll defend you for as long as I live, no matter what any other cat says, even our parents or our own leader! We will work this out; we have to Whispersong. We are the Two. And remember," Echoheart murmured fiercely, staring into her sister's dull brown eyes. "You are not alone."

* * *

Echoheart sat beside Clovertail in the early morning light, sharing a mouse. The breeze was cold and sharp, tugging sharply at their fur. Clouds hung over the forest, threatening to dump snow.

"Hey, Echoheart!" It was Cherrypaw. "Are we going training today?"

"I think so," Echoheart replied with a deep sigh, teeth chattering.

"Good!" Cherrypaw squealed, trotting away toward Lilacpaw to tell her the good news.

Echoheart blinked again. It felt weird being a mentor, and to be in charge of another cat. She was used to it being the other way around. It didn't seem that long ago that she had been out in the forest as an apprentice herself and training with Bronzepelt.

Echoheart suddenly remembered; last night had been the Gathering, and she hadn't asked any cat what had happened yet. She turned to Clovertail. "You went to the Gathering last night, didn't you?"

Clovertail nodded grimly.

"What happened?" Echoheart asked worriedly.

"Lots of stuff, and none of it is good news," Clovertail murmured. "Well, I suppose there is a bit of good news: Flowerpaw and Ripplepaw were announced as full NightClan warriors: Flowersong and Rippleclaw."

Echoheart nodded.

"That was all the news for NightClan, and basically the only good news. Next Nettlestar spoke. First she said that one of their elders, Patchnose, or something, was getting weak with a new-leaf cough, and she told the other leaders to watch out for it in case it spread." Clovertail paused for many heartbeats. "But then she.... well, she announced that Flamethorn and Emberclaw disappeared about a half-moon ago."

Echoheart widened her eyes. "They disappeared?"

Clovertail nodded. "Nettlestar thinks they ran away to join Rainstar. She said that the day after Emberclaw and Flamethorn left, one of her patrols scented Rainstar by the river, and that's where Flamethorn's and Emberclaw's scent-trails disappeared."

Echoheart blinked. "So now we have three rogue DayClan cats out there."

"And NightClan said all three of them were scented by the Thunderpath a few days ago."

Echoheart narrowed her eyes. "By NightClan territory? How have they been going that far, through Clan territory, without being spotted?"

Clovertail shook her head and sighed. "I don't know, but it's suspicious and not good."

"Anything to do with Rainstar isn't good, especially now that she's been reunited with her two loyal kits," Echoheart muttered bitterly. "She's probably planning to do something again, something evil, like last time." She shuddered, remembering what Whispersong had said to her on that patrol a half-moon ago: that Whispersong knew Rainstar had another plan.