Post by The Only Froggems YOU KNOW! on Apr 25, 2006 21:37:20 GMT -5
DARKSHADOW'S DARK PAST
By Froggy
Copyrighted by Froggdly Inc.
~Chapter One~
Padding through the moonlit forest Darkshadow’s pricked ears strained to pick out the beating of a heart. Gazing up at the sky in a thoughtful, yet angry, mood he remembered the day everything changed…
It had been one of the few like this, angry black clouds speckling the sky, threatening to engulf the full moon. It had been quite warm through most of Leaffall and it was surprisingly cold. Surprisingly, yet not exactly harshly. Tonight was a Gathering night, as it had been on that fateful day. In fact, tonight was his first full moon as a Loner. He had been one of the few select ThunderClanners chosen to go. He supposed he was picked because that was only the second time he had gone to a Gathering, and he was 25 moons old, now that was harsh!
He could tell that many cats didn’t like him; he was an outsider, a misfit; in a group of perfect cats. Never doing anything right, he was frequently punished, all because he wasn’t the most coordinated cat. Ok, that was a bit of an understatement; he was about as coordinated as a fish out of water!
However, he hadn’t needed more friends, Cedarfang, his best friend, and now mate, had always been there for him. But when your leader doesn’t even acknowledge your presence, well, that gets hard to take. His leader Ravenstar, a black tom with piercing orange eyes, had never liked him. Between that, the taunts, and the angry glares from cats, he was not the happiest cat you would’ve met.
Trotting along with Cedarfang and the rest of ThunderClan, they approached the Great Rock. Using his powerful muscles Ravenstar leaped onto the immense rock and sat in the well-worn ThunderClan place. Gazing uneasily up at the dominant cat Darkshadow cringed as Ravenstar glared down hatefully. Shuffling closer to Cedarfang he let his head drop respectfully, telling his leader that he respected him, a tad. As soon as the other Clans arrived the Gathering began.
Stepping ahead of the others Ravenstar told of kits, apprentices, and warriors. Just as Darkshadow thought Ravenstar was done the black tom spoke once more. “Cats of all Clans, I come here bearing sad news. Tonight Darkshadow has told me that it is his last night with ThunderClan.” Murmurs of shock broke through the clearing like fire, most cats were just surprised that he was leaving, they weren’t sad that he was going.
Cedarfang turned around sharply as she grasped what their leader was saying. “You didn’t really tell him did you?” she demanded in a harsh whisper.
“No, but I am leaving, I can’t take anymore of this.” With a nod to his former Clanmates and Ravenstar he padded quickly out of the clearing.
Moving quickly through the bight, moonlit forest he heard pawsteps behind him and hurried onward, thinking it was some cat out for a midnight snack. It stopped suddenly and Darkshadow became confused, was it out to get him or not? But then there it was, started up again.
Trying to outwit his enemy Darkshadow silently climbed onto a low branch and watched as a cat slipped out of the shadows into a clearing. With a mrrrow Darkshadow leaped squarely onto his foe’s shoulders. As he tore out chunks of fur he recognized it, not the cat, but fur, for the cat was now nearly hairless. Darkshadow questioned quietly, almost sadly, “Why did you follow me?”
By Froggy
Copyrighted by Froggdly Inc.
~Chapter One~
Padding through the moonlit forest Darkshadow’s pricked ears strained to pick out the beating of a heart. Gazing up at the sky in a thoughtful, yet angry, mood he remembered the day everything changed…
It had been one of the few like this, angry black clouds speckling the sky, threatening to engulf the full moon. It had been quite warm through most of Leaffall and it was surprisingly cold. Surprisingly, yet not exactly harshly. Tonight was a Gathering night, as it had been on that fateful day. In fact, tonight was his first full moon as a Loner. He had been one of the few select ThunderClanners chosen to go. He supposed he was picked because that was only the second time he had gone to a Gathering, and he was 25 moons old, now that was harsh!
He could tell that many cats didn’t like him; he was an outsider, a misfit; in a group of perfect cats. Never doing anything right, he was frequently punished, all because he wasn’t the most coordinated cat. Ok, that was a bit of an understatement; he was about as coordinated as a fish out of water!
However, he hadn’t needed more friends, Cedarfang, his best friend, and now mate, had always been there for him. But when your leader doesn’t even acknowledge your presence, well, that gets hard to take. His leader Ravenstar, a black tom with piercing orange eyes, had never liked him. Between that, the taunts, and the angry glares from cats, he was not the happiest cat you would’ve met.
Trotting along with Cedarfang and the rest of ThunderClan, they approached the Great Rock. Using his powerful muscles Ravenstar leaped onto the immense rock and sat in the well-worn ThunderClan place. Gazing uneasily up at the dominant cat Darkshadow cringed as Ravenstar glared down hatefully. Shuffling closer to Cedarfang he let his head drop respectfully, telling his leader that he respected him, a tad. As soon as the other Clans arrived the Gathering began.
Stepping ahead of the others Ravenstar told of kits, apprentices, and warriors. Just as Darkshadow thought Ravenstar was done the black tom spoke once more. “Cats of all Clans, I come here bearing sad news. Tonight Darkshadow has told me that it is his last night with ThunderClan.” Murmurs of shock broke through the clearing like fire, most cats were just surprised that he was leaving, they weren’t sad that he was going.
Cedarfang turned around sharply as she grasped what their leader was saying. “You didn’t really tell him did you?” she demanded in a harsh whisper.
“No, but I am leaving, I can’t take anymore of this.” With a nod to his former Clanmates and Ravenstar he padded quickly out of the clearing.
Moving quickly through the bight, moonlit forest he heard pawsteps behind him and hurried onward, thinking it was some cat out for a midnight snack. It stopped suddenly and Darkshadow became confused, was it out to get him or not? But then there it was, started up again.
Trying to outwit his enemy Darkshadow silently climbed onto a low branch and watched as a cat slipped out of the shadows into a clearing. With a mrrrow Darkshadow leaped squarely onto his foe’s shoulders. As he tore out chunks of fur he recognized it, not the cat, but fur, for the cat was now nearly hairless. Darkshadow questioned quietly, almost sadly, “Why did you follow me?”
