Chapter 13
The war is coming.
I dug my claws into the earth as I stared at the large precipice before me. The land rapidly sloped away, leading to a sheer, rocky drop. Beyond, the land grew craggy, with large stones jutting out.
"You made it."
I whirled around, fur rising up, just as Darkember padded towards me. His amber eyes burned brighter than the rising sun ahead. His large muscles rippled along his pelt as he grinned at me. I dipped my head.
"Yes, Darkember. What do you want?"
The deputy had not spoken to me since our last meeting. His influence was far more subtle, and yet I noticed it. Owlpaw was paired up on different patrols, so that we could rarely speak. I found myself surrounded by his daughter, and other cats who adored him.
My hope had been that Dingofoot would be my rock, grounding me as the shadows pressed in around me more and more each day. But the tom seemed distracted. He was always staring into the distance, mumbling to himself.
I felt a tail flick across my muzzle, and glanced up sharply. In a swift motion, Darkember was standing above me. I became increasingly aware of the sheer drop behind me, and his unsheathed claws.
"We need to talk."
I tried to hold his gaze as he paced around me, eyes bearing into my pelt. He let out a huff as I continued to glare at him. Flamepaw may have given up, but I won't. I saw that vision, Darkember. I know you did evil with Burrowpaw...
"It has come to my attention," Darkember murmured quietly. "That you don't trust me. You don't believe my motives. You think hard, but that is not your role as a Scout."
The beast within me thrashed at his outward contempt. I unsheathed my claws, glancing at the sharp white tips, which glittered in the rising light. I could kill this cat now, I thought.
"But you wouldn't, little snake. Not without knowing my side first."
I glanced up sharply. Darkember tilted his head to one side, and smirked.
"I was your father's best friend, you know. Some would have called us as close as you and that little Owlpaw. When I was an apprentice, outcast among my own clanmates, that little SnakeClan cat would meet me at the border, and we would train..."
"I don't even know my father," I responded coldly.
Pricklestar had told me about him, but scarcely moments later I had witnessed Adderlight's murder. I wasn't entirely sure whether I had actually remembered our conversation about him, or dreamed it.
"You talk exactly like him," Darkember sighed. "So direct, always wanting to be something greater. But you, him, and Burrowpaw, all had one fatal flaw. You cared far too much."
I stiffened at the mention of my brother. In a swift motion, Darkember lunged towards me. Still in shock, the black tabby managed to pin me with ease. He flipped me onto my belly before the thought of thrashing had even entered my mind.
I felt his hot breath on my neck, and winced. His scent surprised me. It was that of the desert outposts from which Owlpaw had nearly been captured. Amber eyes bore down on me.
"Now you'll listen."
"I suppose I will," I agreed quietly, going still.
Darkember seemed disappointed by my lack of fervour. I wasn't a little kit any more. I had more control than my brother likely did over the beast inside me.
"Where was I- oh yes, you and your brother. Burrowpaw, wasn't it?" Darkember tilted his head. "Both such intelligent cats. Yet so foolish. Burrowpaw came to understand in time that what I was doing would save you and Flamepaw. You wondered why he ever sided with me. It was all because of you."
Darkember sheathed his claws, and his eyes darkened with memory.
"Warriors will always be divided. Prey will always be scarce. What are friends but a tool to exploit to ensure you make it to the next sunrise? Ever since I was a kit, I never had any friends. My father was a rogue. I was always different, like you. I had to work up from nothing, with nobody around to support me...
"But I survived, and grew stronger because of it. I learned all about other cats, their strengths and weaknesses, how to make them like me. I even had a mate, but she died."
Darkember paused, glancing behind him. I was struck by how little emotion he conveyed. His whiskers, which twitched as he exhaled were the only signs that he was more than a statue.
"I'm sorry about your mate," I offered, smiling politely. "Could you let me up-"
"This isn't about some random she-cat," Darkember whirled around to face me, and hissed, digging his claws into my shoulders.
I let out a small yelp of pain as his sharp claws embedded themselves into my pelt. The monster inside of me thrashed. I could practically see it, desperately trying to claw its way free. I beat it down.
"There was only one cat who was different. He lived in a world so similar to mine, and yet, he felt so strongly about everything. Strikefang. I introduced him to a she-cat I thought he might like. They hit it off. A few things I arranged behind the scenes, and soon kits were on the way...
Darkember's eyes glittered. "Finally, my SnakeClan friend could join me in DuneClan. I had it all planned out. The two of us were going to rule the world. We were going to be known. We were going to be the masters instead of the ferals at the bottom...
"But Strikefang wasn't strong enough. He was sensitive, and that's what I loved about him. He saw things I didn't, had a certain brand of intelligence I lacked. But that softness... That was what broke hi-" Darkember cut off, and looked away.
He drew back his claws, but I was too rigid with tension to think of moving. There was a strange glint in his amber eyes, a light that I had never seen before. I shifted, and Darkember whirled back to me.
"The point is," he drew back his lip. "Strikefang acted too quickly. He killed the new clan leader before she could get nine lives, alongside the senior medicine cat. We had a plan, but confusion and rage drove him."
"Then, SnakeClan was driven out," I whispered.
A slow realisation was dawning on me. One that I should have seen coming a mile away. Even with a prophecy warning him of half SnakeClan cats, Darkember had kept me and my brothers alive. For one reason.
The blood that runs through me is the same as...
"That's right," Darkember murmured, cutting me off. "It all makes sense now, doesn't it? Strikefang was more than just some cat to you... he was your father."
I had known Strikefang to be a murderer from my talk with Pricklestar, but this was somehow worse.
My father was Darkember's closest ally. And I'm just like him. The strangeness of it all made my mind feel like sludge. I felt as though I was being engulfed in rising flames.
And amidst it all, was one thought, one shape, one cat. Burrowpaw. I could practically see my brother smiling at me, happily. He played mossball with me, joked about putting cobwebs in the warrior's den, all while acting as an ally to Darkember.
"WHY DID YOU DO WITH BURROWPAW?"
I clamped my jaws shut. My eyes widened as the echo bounced off the steep cliffs around us. A singular pebble fell down into the precipice below. Darkember surveyed me with a small smile.
"That, my little snake, you will only figure out if you obey me completely. But you're not ready yet..."
Suddenly, Darkember lunged for my throat. This time, I was ready for him. I managed to wriggle loose a heartbeat before his teeth would have come in contact with my pelt.
My heart thundered in my chest as Darkember circled me slowly, tail curled up like a serpent. I glanced behind me, shrinking away from the massive cliff. My fur stood on end, but Darkember continued towards me.
"You know," he mewed. "This was SnakeClan's former camp... too bad you don't have any friends here to help you. But what use would Owlpaw be? Owls kill snakes after all. She's bound to betray yo-"
I lunged for him.
The beast was ready to be let loose. And for the first time in my life, I was willing to finally let it free. But not yet.
Exhilaration rushed through me, alongside a new wave of vigour. Quick as a snake, I slashed my claw towards Darkember. The tom ducked, and the blow never landed. I fell back, colliding against a wall.
I glanced up, prepared to feel Darkember reaching for my throat, but instead the DuneClan deputy had turned towards a ridge. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw a wall of shadows, with glowing eyes. Then, Darkember let out a fierce yowl.
"Come, my friends! Join us!"
The rogues swarmed around me, but there were others, large creatures with sharp muzzles. Darkember also had dingos as allies. I recognised the grey rogue, who had nearly killed Owlpaw. All the enemies circled me, smirking and hissing in excitement. In a crouched position, I snarled at them all.
"I'll show you all!"
The beast rose up, and this time, I let some of it take over. Without realising what I was doing, I was lunging towards the grey rogue, claws unsheathed.
"Koalaclaw, look out!"
A brown tabby she-cat blocked me, and the rogue stumbled back, horror on their face. I slashed at the she-cat, relishing the feeling of her cry of pain. You hurt Burr... You all hurt Burr...
Dozens of claws closed in around me as the rogues and dingos leapt for me. I dodged them all, running on pure exhilaration. I slashed where I could, not knowing which of my blows landed. My pelt was scrapped and bleeding when I finally saw Darkember, standing poised above the ridge.
"Come for me," I whispered. "Isn't that what you want?"
The fight seemed to have left as quickly as it had gone as I stared into his calm amber eyes. The rogues had fallen still. I noticed that some of them were bleeding. I whirled around to face them.
"Is this really what you want?" I said quietly. "To be led by a cat who wants nothing more than to hurt others?"
"This is more than petty revenge," the brown tabby she-cat hissed. "This is about changing the desert. It's about putting the truly best in charge."
I glanced around uneasily. Slowly, the rogues began to back away, giving room for me to pad towards Darkember.
"I don't know what your game is here," I murmured. "But I'm not playing it. You've proved to me what you are, Darkember. And I want no part of it."
"This was far more than a game," Darkember replied. "It was a test of your powers. And needless to say, I'm disappointed," he stared at my dishevelled form. "Flamepaw actually managed to kill, at least."
"It doesn't matter," I retorted. "I'll show all of our clanmates who you are now! It's over."
"Unfortunately, you won't be showing them anything," Darkember whispered from where he stood. "I arranged a little meeting..."
His eyes gleamed. "With the whole of DuneClan."
I whirled about, just in time to see Pricklestar sprinting down the hill. Owlpaw was right beside her mother. I met my best friend's eyes just in time to see her raw horror as I sank to the ground.
"Pythonpaw? GalaxyClan, no!" Owlpaw shrieked.