~ Beware the Blood Moon ~ // Halloween Contest Tale
Oct 8, 2019 18:54:05 GMT -5
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Oct 8, 2019 18:54:05 GMT -5
Stars gleamed among the night’s sky, only ragged scraps of clouds to float by aimlessly. Below, the small clan slumbered softly within their nests. Young Reedpaw was no different. In her nest, she slept nicely with sides rising and falling rhythmically. However, her mind was a different story.
Her subconscious ran through a void of darkness, frantic. All around her body there was nothing but penetrating darkness, never ending. No forest floor resided beneath her paws, only the feeling of a smooth, cold, and unknown surface. Above, no hint of skies gave way, either. Even agonizing silence rang in her ears, not even her own breathing being heard.
The more Reedpaw ran, the more she panicked. The more the young she-cat desperately wanted something, anything else but black to see, the further away that possibility seemed. She feared that she would be sprinting through nothing for eternity.
That is, until a voice suddenly emanated from the darkness. At first, Reedpaw couldn’t make out what it was saying as it repeated the same syllables over and over, echoing all around her. Her legs finally ceased in their endless race, and her head whipped around. Frantically, her ears swiveled atop her head as her eyes scanned the void of her surroundings. But nothing definitive could be located.
“Hello?” she called out, her voice coming out in this nightmare for the first time. It echoed deafeningly in the quiet, causing the she-cat to flinch. The whispers continued, gradually growing louder now, but a source was impossible to locate no matter how much she tried.
“Beware the blood moon.” Reedpaw jumped as the words whispered harshly right by her ear, so close that breath could be felt. Yet, to her eyes and even nose, there was still nothing there. A glowing, crimson orb faded into the darkness above her, looming ominously overhead. Abruptly, the sense of falling came over her, and the red orb rapidly grew smaller as she left it behind.
Wind blew from below and roared in her ears, and her paws felt nothing beneath as her legs now flailed for anything solid. It felt as though her heart had completely stopped beating, and she screamed. This time, no sound came from her jaws, no matter how hard she tried to cry out. It became hard to breathe.
Splash! Her eyes shot open just as the sensation of cold water grasping her body in deadly claws washed over her dreams. She sat up in her nest, chest now heaving as she panted shaky breaths in and out. Quickly, her green eyes adjusted to the dark den, and she looked further back to see her mentor – Hawkwhisker – sleeping soundly in his nest. His evenly rising and falling ribs showed this.
“Just a nightmare…” Reedpaw breathed to herself with relief. She never thought she would have been so happy to see another cat before. Her attention quickly changed, however, when her ears caught the sound of rustling leaves from outside the den.
Curious, the she-cat crept to the den entrance and peered out into the night, her own dark pelt blending in with the darkness. Instantly, her eyes locked onto movement, watching as one of the toms of the clan backed out of the Nursery cautiously. “What’s Whiteclaw doing in the Nursery at night?” she whispered to herself, squinting to get a better look.
The gray tabby tom’s head finally appeared, and, within his jaws, a purely snowy kit hung carefully. Whiteclaw glanced around the camp then, causing Reedpaw to duck her head back into the den to avoid being seen. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, the tom carefully started to pad out of camp. His white paws stepped lightly, casting no sound in the shadows as he made his exit with the singular kit.
Reedpaw peeked back out into the camp hollow as Whiteclaw’s tail trailed out the camp’s entrance tunnel. Her ears went back as she wondered what Whiteclaw could want of his kit and where he was taking her. She had to find out. It was all too weird.
Carefully, the young she-cat picked her way through the sleepy camp and to the tunnel of wild roses. Whiteclaw’s scent led the way fresh in her nose, even above the blooming flowers sweetness. She followed the trail with ease through the dimly lit forest. All around her, only the sound of an owl’s calls broke the silence, even her pawsteps quiet.
Finally, well beyond the territory’s border, she caught sight of a flash of white through some holly leaves, and her body stiffened to a halt. Her eyes soon recognized the little kit who had been stolen away from her slumbering mother. She sat there in the fallen, dried leaves. Her bright blue eyes shone brilliantly in the silvery moonlight strands that bathed her as she looked up at her father happily.
She titled her head to the side, indicating that she was questioning something. The poor thing couldn’t hear, but her beautiful eyes caught any cat’s attention instantly, ever since they opened just two suns ago.
Reedpaw situated herself to be engulfed by the holly’s leaves, so as not to be caught. She watched intently. What was going on? Ears perked forward, the she-cat crouched and listened silently.
“I wish I didn’t have to do this, but you’ll never make it in the clan,” Whiteclaw told his young daughter, even though he was well aware she couldn’t hear him. He shook his head and sighed. “You’re a disgrace to me anyway, imperfect. Still, it pains me to have to kill a kit.”
Wait? Kill a kit? Whiteclaw as going to kill his own kit just because she couldn’t hear? She couldn’t let that happen! Reedpaw was about to lunge out of the holly to stop him, but it was too late.
In one, swift motion of his claws, the little kit fell lifeless, like the leaves her snowy body now rested upon. Reedpaw’s muscles froze in place at the sight, and Whiteclaw looked down without a word to say. His back to Reedpaw, he began to lick the blood from his white paw as if nothing had happened.
Suddenly, it felt like something snapped inside of Reedpaw. As a Medicine Cat Apprentice, she had sworn not to do any harm to other cats – unless self-defense – and only help. However, pure, hot rage boiled up inside of her. How could he kill his own kit just because she was deaf? He was evil!
Her mind went blank as she saw only red and Whiteclaw. With a yowl that broke the stillness of the night, Reedpaw lunged from the holly bush, catching the tom completely off guard. She pounced on top of him, her claws flying mercilessly as fur began to fly.
Whiteclaw wailed, having been knocked to the ground by the surprise attack. His belly bled, and he kicked out to shove Reedpaw off. She was sent across the forest floor, but that only lasted for a heartbeat. Instantly, she was back on him, rage over the death of an innocent fueling her.
The two began to roll as Whiteclaw tried to use his size and experience against her. However, in his moons of being a Warrior, he had never faced an enemy with such ferocity before. Plus, his belly already stung and leaked with deep gashes, causing his being to become gradually weaker.
“Stop it, Reedpaw!” he commanded as they kicked up leaves and tumbled. His claws dug into her shoulders, but she didn’t feel a thing. Pain meant nothing in the moment.
“You killed her!” the Apprentice snarled and managed a swipe over the tom’s left eye, blinding him there. “For nothing! She was innocent!” Another swipe, and more crimson specks littered the forest floor.
Whiteclaw rolled so he was over her. There, he pinned her to the ground, his teeth showing with claws digging into her forelegs. “Don’t make me kill you, too! You’re valuable to the clan,” he warned her coldly.
Reedpaw looked back at him with flaming, emerald eyes. “So was Icekit!” Just then, she snapped her jaws down onto one of the forelegs pinning her down, sinking her teeth as deep as they would go. Whiteclaw howled in pain and jumped back, freeing himself from her grasp but also freeing her of his.
Without wasting any time, the she-cat scrambled to her feet. A hint of strategy glided into her mind, and she hopped into the dark shadows of the trees and undergrowth, out of his sight. She kept her eyes on him as she tip-toed around to the side she’d blinded.
Whiteclaw looked around frantically with his good eye, but he had lost sight of her. Fear pounded in his heart. Whether it was fear of an unseen enemy, having to now also kill the clan’s Medicine Cat Apprentice, or the fear of being exposed for his crimes, he did not know. But it was there, as clear as the hot pain from his sustained injuries.
“You will pay for your crime,” Reedpaw hissed then lunged.
Whiteclaw didn’t have time to react. All he saw was gleaming teeth and passionate eyes flash in the moonlight as a shadow left surrounding darkness and came for him. Then, nothing. His form fell like a rotten tree, joining his daughter among the leaf-litter.
Reedpaw panted as the taste of metallic blood sat on her tongue. She stared down at the two forms, both leaking liquid life from their throats. Lifeless eyes stared ahead from Whiteclaw, filled with dulling panic. Icekits, however, were wide with surprise and betrayal. It wretched Reedpaw’s heart.
That snapped her out of her crazed state. Adrenaline faded from her veins, and her muscles relaxed slightly, allowing each claw to sheath. For a few moments, her eyes stared transfixed on Icekit’s expression. Then, water fell from the heavens above as a thunderstorm moved in overhead. Loudly, thunder crashed, but it didn’t faze the Apprentice. She just kept staring at the lifeless kit, soon moving to the once-respected Warrior, as her mind began to race.
The sequence of events finally started to sink in. Her eyes grew wide as her mind reeled. “Oh no…” Her paws guided her backwards three steps before pausing again, her sight never leaving the torn-up Warrior. His belly boated long gouges, forepaw punctured by four holes, and his throat missing entirely. Suddenly, his panicked eyes of fading blue seemed to directly into her soul, judging her. Her heart fought its ribcage prison.
How could she kill a Warrior of the clan? What would happen when she got caught? What would the clan do to her? Exile was the best option, but the worst was meeting the same fate as him and his daughter. But she had done it to give Icekit justice!
Yes, justice. Reedpaw’s mind swam in gradually calming waters. She had killed Whiteclaw because he senselessly murdered his own kit. It was only right his own life was snuffed out. He was impure, a criminal, a menace. He deserved it.
Suddenly, Reedpaw felt a sense of calm wash over her like a freezing breeze. “You deserved it,” she breathed out to Whiteclaw, her own eyes growing cold like ice. Stiffly, she stepped back over to his body and loomed over it, meeting his stare with unblinking eyes of her own now. “You’re a monster. Disgusting.” She spat at him.
‘Hide the evidence.’ A voice whispered within her mind, her own voice but much colder. ‘Throw away his body and bury the kit’s.’
“Yes, I will do that,” she said out loud as if answering her own internal thoughts, her voice completely devoid of emotion now.
First, she dug a small but deep hole into the soaking earth, at the base of a steady oak tree’s trunk. Within its roots, she carefully placed Icekit’s being then filled in the hole. “I’m sorry, little one,” she whispered over the new grave then turned to her father.
By the scruff his neck, Reedpaw heaved Whiteclaw’s limp body across the forest floor. His large form made it hard for her, but the she-cat was determined to do this. She had to. Finally, after leaving a trail of mud behind for a good distance, she arrived at her destination.
A river running near the kill sight raged with the storm, sending mist in a flurry as rapid crashed against steadfast stone. It was the perfect spot to dispose of the treacherous tom’s corpse. Reedpaw opened her jaws and spat out a remnant of gray fur which lingered on her tongue. Then, she moved to his other side and began to push with her forepaws. Her shoulders finally stung with the effort, giving into the fact of her injuries. But she pressed on until Whiteclaw’s form rolled over the bank and tumbled into the angry water with a splash barely audible over its own thrashing. The body bobbed only a few times as it floated away then succumbed to the water’s power and was pulled under, out of sight.
Reedpaw watched on without a flicker of emotion in her eyes at first, but as he left, she felt something different rise up into her chest. It was similar to a feeling she had felt once before, when she had helped save another Apprentice from deadly greencough with Hawkwhisker.
Pride swelled up into her heart, along with a sense of accomplishment. It twisted her heart with warmth. Yes, this had been the right thing to do, for sure. She felt it now. It swamped her, rising up from the ground her like morbidly great tree sprouts. Yet it covered her in a veil of grasping swamp water, drowning her happily.
With this feeling, Reedpaw headed back to camp, her mind and heart growing numb with the delight each step she took. Even her body took on this trait, the fallen leaves no longer there to her. All she felt was morbid accomplishment.
By the time she reached camp, her pelt was soaked clear to the bone by the freezing rains, yet it still fazed her none. Reedpaw looked around the empty camp, noting that not another cat had stirred since she’d left. Even with the heavy rain and booming thunder overhead, every other feline remained blissfully asleep and unaware of the horrible transpiring events and the others about to come.
‘Impure. More are monsters like he was,’ her inner voice hissed to her. ‘They deserve to feel justice. Make them feel justice.’
The she-cat’s head swiveled to the Apprentice’s Den, her eyes locking onto the entrance. “Tigerpaw is too ambitious for his own good. All he wants is power, and he will destroy this clan if he ever gets it. He’s already injured others during training with reckless abandon,” she told herself verbally, keeping her voice low. The rain helped to mask her comments and pawsteps as she neared the den.
Her black form stood in the den entrance, and lightning flashed, illuminating her figure for just an instant. Yet all cats inside were sound asleep, totally unaware of her presence. Quietly and under the cover of shadows, she slipped like a snake into the shelter and over to the Apprentice, her gaze now transfixed on the tiger tabby which slept peacefully within the warmth of his nest.
For a moment, Reedpaw loomed over him, watching as he slept. ‘Do it. He’s a menace, just like Whiteclaw. He’ll only follow in the older tom’s pawsteps if left to live.’
Reedpaw waited for a clap of thunder then struck. Paired with the loud boom, she lunged for the young tom’s throat, severing his lifeline in an instant. Her claws held him down as he suddenly thrashed, but it only lasted a heartbeat. His body rapidly weakened, and his spirit left him silently as his body fell still, not even completely understanding what had happened.
Carefully, the she-cat gazed around the den, but the only other Apprentice was still fast asleep, the storm covering for her actions. Reedpaw nodded to herself and turned to exit the den as her inner voice spoke once more. ‘Flashfur killed another Warrior from HillClan then laughed about it. He is no better than Whiteclaw or Tigerpaw.’
Without a word, Reedpaw headed for the Warrior’s Den next. Like before, her dark form slunk into the shelter with ease and silence. Again, she loomed over the white and black tom until another boom rang out. Then, she struck and swiftly killed him in the same manner as the others, keeping his confused and quickly dying body in check before it went still. That sense of false pride continued to drown her, much to her delight.
‘Redwing hates kits, even teasing and taunting you when you were younger. She’s nothing but a bully.’ The voice seemed to get impatient now, wanting more and more blood faster. No, it wasn’t blood that it wanted. She wanted that feeling of accomplishment, of justice, to continue. But each time she killed, that feeling faded more quickly, so it needed to be satisfied continuously with more death. Even the metallic taste of their lives was beginning to no longer bother her.
Again, Reedpaw patiently awaited the storm’s signal. Redwing was out like all the rest. One by one, the she-cat took away the lives of most of the clan’s Warriors, using just about any negative reasoning she could to justify her actions. Only three Warriors now remained safe, for the time being.
That’s when her mind flew to the thought of Finchstar. The golden leader was aggressive towards the other clans and anyone who was not OakClan by blood. She had once even turned a sick rogue away during a harsh leaf-bare, surely sending him to an agonizing death. He could have been treated. Reedpaw would have gladly helped him back to health. He had been so kind when she met him at the border while picking tree bark strips, but Finchstar being the escort and Leader decided that he wasn’t worth their supplies. She decided his life meant nothing, not just to her but to the world. Even when the Apprentice argued and Hawkwhisker backed her up, Finchstar had none of it and chased the poor tom off. She harbored evil in her heart, just like all the other others. She had to go, too.
Reedpaw stepped out of the den, her head tilting back as she looked up the sky. Clouds covered most of the stars now, but some still managed to poke through as the rain had lightening up quiet a bit. Still, thunder roared, so she would have cover to continue her good work.
As she began to pad towards the Leader’s Den, a shriek pierced the night air. Slowly, she turned her attention to the Apprentice’s Den, where the sound had come from. Abruptly, a silvery she-cat burst through the ferns, eyes wide and panicked.
The Apprentice spotted Reedpaw’s dark silhouette among the shadows, soon confirmed by a flash of lightning. “Tigerpaw’s been murdered!” she shouted to Reedpaw, her very being shaking with fear and adrenaline.
“I know,” Reedpaw meowed back, her own voice monotone. “Because I killed him. He was a danger to the clan. His ambition and recklessness would have destroyed us.” Her green eyes harbored a sudden spark of joy. “He’s not the only one. I’ve killed many now. I’m ridding the clan of impurity. Soon, we will be nothing but justice and peace. No more bullies. No more criminals. No more hate. Isn’t it wonderful, Lightpaw?” she asked with rising glee.
The other she-cat stared at Reedpaw in growing horror. Each word spoken sickened her, twisting her heart in revolt. She took a step back, jaws agape and speechless for a moment, but only a moment. “No! It’s not wonderful! It’s murder!” she yelled back, thunder booming in the middle of it. “You’re a cold-blooded murderer!”
Reedpaw’s newfound joy faded, her eyes instead filling with cold malice and distain. “You’re going to tell, aren’t you? You’re going to tell Finchstar and have me exiled,” she growled, taking a threatening step towards the other she-cat. “I can’t let you do that, Lightpaw.”
Lightpaw narrowed her eyes at Reedpaw and took a step backwards, hear going back. Her sodden fur began to lift as her heart started to race. “Reedpaw, don’t do something you’ll regret,” she warned, rising the terror coming across in her mew.
“Oh, I won’t regret it if it’s for the good of the clan. If you’re going to betray me then you’re not good,” the black she-cat growled back and several more steps towards her. “I’m sorry, Lightpaw. I hate to kill my own sister, but if that’s what it takes to make the clan pure then so be it.” Deep down, despite her words, she wouldn’t despise doing the act, even to her littermate. No, her mind would still tick itself into believing the sin to be holy.
Lightpaw backed up more as Reedpaw approached, but her tail soon hit the rose thorns which made up the camp’s wall. The thorns prodded and poked her pelt, but the silvery she-cat still sunk into them in a feeble effort to get away from her Reedpaw. The crazed look coming to her sister’s eyes sent chills running down her spine. “Please, don’t do this,” she begged.
“It’s too late,” Reedpaw snarled then lunged. Her fangs and claws glistened in the low light.
Unlike the ones taken in their sleep, Lightpaw could fight back, and she did. As Reedpaw threw herself at her, the silver Apprentice dodged to the side with everything she had, fumbling her pawsteps and then tumbling in one of the many puddles which had formed as a result of the heavy rains.
Reedpaw landed right into the rose thorns and yowled as they stabbed her flesh. She scrambled out and whipped around to bare her teeth at Lightpaw, her fur puffed out and fury gleaming in her eyes. With another yowl, she leapt again, claws ready to make contact.
Once more, Lightpaw dodged, this time rolling out of the way and sending water droplets back up into the air. She was about to get back up to run again, but Reedpaw was faster; she always had been.
Reedpaw’s claws sunk into her sister’s forelegs, pinning her onto her back. “You’ll die,” she hissed but then stumbled back, letting go of Lightpaw, as the Apprentice battered her belly hard with powerful hind legs.
Lightpaw took the opportunity to flip onto her belly and get to her feet. By now, other cats of the clan had begun to stir, and they screeched with horror upon discovering their dead clanmates, slain within their own nests.
She tried to blindly run, desperately wanting to get away as the wails of horrified friends and family echoed. However, Reedpaw was always quick to recover, and, as Lightpaw tried to flee, she leapt onto the silver cat’s end. Reedpaw’s claws dug deep into her flanks, pulling to drag her back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” The black she-cat laughed. All sanity had left her being now, replaced only with craze fueled by blood death and false justice. Lightpaw twisted around to swipe at Reedpaw’s face, catching her muzzle and leaving three streaks of reddening skin on her lip to her nose. But Reedpaw only flinched at this, her sense of pain dulled by adrenaline. “You’ll have to do better than that!”
Finally, Reedpaw dragged her closer and let go of Lightpaw’s flanks for only a split heartbeat. Her claws transferred to her sister’s shoudlers and pinned her onto her spine once again. This time, however, Reedpaw was careful to place her hind legs on Lightpaw’s, so there was no way for the other she-cat to fight back.
Pure fear and betrayal filled her eyes like mesmerizing moons. Images of their time as kits, as friends, flashed before her mind. Those memories now sour, Lightpaw opened her jaws to say one final thing, knowing this was the end, but nothing came out as Reedpaw leaned down and wiped away her life. In moments, Lightpaw’s form went limp as crimson leaked from the wound and mixed with a nearby puddle.
Reedpaw panted as she continued to hold Lightpaw down, even though there was no longer any movement, not even breath. Finally, she moved off and stepped back, the realization of what she’d done creeping into her heart. That sense of accomplishment didn’t come, not like before.
She looked to the puddle by her paws, its tint growing ever redder. Quietly, even her inner voice silent, she moved over to the water’s edge and planted her feet then tail, sitting by it. Her reflection stared back at her, tinged.
“What happened?” Hawkwhisker had emerged from the Medicine Den with all the commotion. Other cats were starting to do the same, ready for battle but only finding Lightpaw’s lifeless body and Reedpaw sitting in the camp’s clearing.
Reedpaw didn’t turn her gaze away as Hawkwhisker cautiously approached Lightpaw’s corpse. His eyes widened when he caught site of the red stream emanating from her throat and the frozen fear within still eyes. His body shook as his gaze lifted towards Reedpaw. “Wha-what did you do…?”
Reedpaw continued to stare down into the puddle. Behind her reflection, clouds slowly parted to reveal the glowing sphere of the moon. It shone red in the bloody puddle at her paws, and she felt a twinge of amusement. “Beware the Blood Moon,” she murmured to herself then turned to glance over her shoulder at her mentor, a chuckle escaping her jaws. “Beware me.”
Her subconscious ran through a void of darkness, frantic. All around her body there was nothing but penetrating darkness, never ending. No forest floor resided beneath her paws, only the feeling of a smooth, cold, and unknown surface. Above, no hint of skies gave way, either. Even agonizing silence rang in her ears, not even her own breathing being heard.
The more Reedpaw ran, the more she panicked. The more the young she-cat desperately wanted something, anything else but black to see, the further away that possibility seemed. She feared that she would be sprinting through nothing for eternity.
That is, until a voice suddenly emanated from the darkness. At first, Reedpaw couldn’t make out what it was saying as it repeated the same syllables over and over, echoing all around her. Her legs finally ceased in their endless race, and her head whipped around. Frantically, her ears swiveled atop her head as her eyes scanned the void of her surroundings. But nothing definitive could be located.
“Hello?” she called out, her voice coming out in this nightmare for the first time. It echoed deafeningly in the quiet, causing the she-cat to flinch. The whispers continued, gradually growing louder now, but a source was impossible to locate no matter how much she tried.
“Beware the blood moon.” Reedpaw jumped as the words whispered harshly right by her ear, so close that breath could be felt. Yet, to her eyes and even nose, there was still nothing there. A glowing, crimson orb faded into the darkness above her, looming ominously overhead. Abruptly, the sense of falling came over her, and the red orb rapidly grew smaller as she left it behind.
Wind blew from below and roared in her ears, and her paws felt nothing beneath as her legs now flailed for anything solid. It felt as though her heart had completely stopped beating, and she screamed. This time, no sound came from her jaws, no matter how hard she tried to cry out. It became hard to breathe.
Splash! Her eyes shot open just as the sensation of cold water grasping her body in deadly claws washed over her dreams. She sat up in her nest, chest now heaving as she panted shaky breaths in and out. Quickly, her green eyes adjusted to the dark den, and she looked further back to see her mentor – Hawkwhisker – sleeping soundly in his nest. His evenly rising and falling ribs showed this.
“Just a nightmare…” Reedpaw breathed to herself with relief. She never thought she would have been so happy to see another cat before. Her attention quickly changed, however, when her ears caught the sound of rustling leaves from outside the den.
Curious, the she-cat crept to the den entrance and peered out into the night, her own dark pelt blending in with the darkness. Instantly, her eyes locked onto movement, watching as one of the toms of the clan backed out of the Nursery cautiously. “What’s Whiteclaw doing in the Nursery at night?” she whispered to herself, squinting to get a better look.
The gray tabby tom’s head finally appeared, and, within his jaws, a purely snowy kit hung carefully. Whiteclaw glanced around the camp then, causing Reedpaw to duck her head back into the den to avoid being seen. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, the tom carefully started to pad out of camp. His white paws stepped lightly, casting no sound in the shadows as he made his exit with the singular kit.
Reedpaw peeked back out into the camp hollow as Whiteclaw’s tail trailed out the camp’s entrance tunnel. Her ears went back as she wondered what Whiteclaw could want of his kit and where he was taking her. She had to find out. It was all too weird.
Carefully, the young she-cat picked her way through the sleepy camp and to the tunnel of wild roses. Whiteclaw’s scent led the way fresh in her nose, even above the blooming flowers sweetness. She followed the trail with ease through the dimly lit forest. All around her, only the sound of an owl’s calls broke the silence, even her pawsteps quiet.
Finally, well beyond the territory’s border, she caught sight of a flash of white through some holly leaves, and her body stiffened to a halt. Her eyes soon recognized the little kit who had been stolen away from her slumbering mother. She sat there in the fallen, dried leaves. Her bright blue eyes shone brilliantly in the silvery moonlight strands that bathed her as she looked up at her father happily.
She titled her head to the side, indicating that she was questioning something. The poor thing couldn’t hear, but her beautiful eyes caught any cat’s attention instantly, ever since they opened just two suns ago.
Reedpaw situated herself to be engulfed by the holly’s leaves, so as not to be caught. She watched intently. What was going on? Ears perked forward, the she-cat crouched and listened silently.
“I wish I didn’t have to do this, but you’ll never make it in the clan,” Whiteclaw told his young daughter, even though he was well aware she couldn’t hear him. He shook his head and sighed. “You’re a disgrace to me anyway, imperfect. Still, it pains me to have to kill a kit.”
Wait? Kill a kit? Whiteclaw as going to kill his own kit just because she couldn’t hear? She couldn’t let that happen! Reedpaw was about to lunge out of the holly to stop him, but it was too late.
In one, swift motion of his claws, the little kit fell lifeless, like the leaves her snowy body now rested upon. Reedpaw’s muscles froze in place at the sight, and Whiteclaw looked down without a word to say. His back to Reedpaw, he began to lick the blood from his white paw as if nothing had happened.
Suddenly, it felt like something snapped inside of Reedpaw. As a Medicine Cat Apprentice, she had sworn not to do any harm to other cats – unless self-defense – and only help. However, pure, hot rage boiled up inside of her. How could he kill his own kit just because she was deaf? He was evil!
Her mind went blank as she saw only red and Whiteclaw. With a yowl that broke the stillness of the night, Reedpaw lunged from the holly bush, catching the tom completely off guard. She pounced on top of him, her claws flying mercilessly as fur began to fly.
Whiteclaw wailed, having been knocked to the ground by the surprise attack. His belly bled, and he kicked out to shove Reedpaw off. She was sent across the forest floor, but that only lasted for a heartbeat. Instantly, she was back on him, rage over the death of an innocent fueling her.
The two began to roll as Whiteclaw tried to use his size and experience against her. However, in his moons of being a Warrior, he had never faced an enemy with such ferocity before. Plus, his belly already stung and leaked with deep gashes, causing his being to become gradually weaker.
“Stop it, Reedpaw!” he commanded as they kicked up leaves and tumbled. His claws dug into her shoulders, but she didn’t feel a thing. Pain meant nothing in the moment.
“You killed her!” the Apprentice snarled and managed a swipe over the tom’s left eye, blinding him there. “For nothing! She was innocent!” Another swipe, and more crimson specks littered the forest floor.
Whiteclaw rolled so he was over her. There, he pinned her to the ground, his teeth showing with claws digging into her forelegs. “Don’t make me kill you, too! You’re valuable to the clan,” he warned her coldly.
Reedpaw looked back at him with flaming, emerald eyes. “So was Icekit!” Just then, she snapped her jaws down onto one of the forelegs pinning her down, sinking her teeth as deep as they would go. Whiteclaw howled in pain and jumped back, freeing himself from her grasp but also freeing her of his.
Without wasting any time, the she-cat scrambled to her feet. A hint of strategy glided into her mind, and she hopped into the dark shadows of the trees and undergrowth, out of his sight. She kept her eyes on him as she tip-toed around to the side she’d blinded.
Whiteclaw looked around frantically with his good eye, but he had lost sight of her. Fear pounded in his heart. Whether it was fear of an unseen enemy, having to now also kill the clan’s Medicine Cat Apprentice, or the fear of being exposed for his crimes, he did not know. But it was there, as clear as the hot pain from his sustained injuries.
“You will pay for your crime,” Reedpaw hissed then lunged.
Whiteclaw didn’t have time to react. All he saw was gleaming teeth and passionate eyes flash in the moonlight as a shadow left surrounding darkness and came for him. Then, nothing. His form fell like a rotten tree, joining his daughter among the leaf-litter.
Reedpaw panted as the taste of metallic blood sat on her tongue. She stared down at the two forms, both leaking liquid life from their throats. Lifeless eyes stared ahead from Whiteclaw, filled with dulling panic. Icekits, however, were wide with surprise and betrayal. It wretched Reedpaw’s heart.
That snapped her out of her crazed state. Adrenaline faded from her veins, and her muscles relaxed slightly, allowing each claw to sheath. For a few moments, her eyes stared transfixed on Icekit’s expression. Then, water fell from the heavens above as a thunderstorm moved in overhead. Loudly, thunder crashed, but it didn’t faze the Apprentice. She just kept staring at the lifeless kit, soon moving to the once-respected Warrior, as her mind began to race.
The sequence of events finally started to sink in. Her eyes grew wide as her mind reeled. “Oh no…” Her paws guided her backwards three steps before pausing again, her sight never leaving the torn-up Warrior. His belly boated long gouges, forepaw punctured by four holes, and his throat missing entirely. Suddenly, his panicked eyes of fading blue seemed to directly into her soul, judging her. Her heart fought its ribcage prison.
How could she kill a Warrior of the clan? What would happen when she got caught? What would the clan do to her? Exile was the best option, but the worst was meeting the same fate as him and his daughter. But she had done it to give Icekit justice!
Yes, justice. Reedpaw’s mind swam in gradually calming waters. She had killed Whiteclaw because he senselessly murdered his own kit. It was only right his own life was snuffed out. He was impure, a criminal, a menace. He deserved it.
Suddenly, Reedpaw felt a sense of calm wash over her like a freezing breeze. “You deserved it,” she breathed out to Whiteclaw, her own eyes growing cold like ice. Stiffly, she stepped back over to his body and loomed over it, meeting his stare with unblinking eyes of her own now. “You’re a monster. Disgusting.” She spat at him.
‘Hide the evidence.’ A voice whispered within her mind, her own voice but much colder. ‘Throw away his body and bury the kit’s.’
“Yes, I will do that,” she said out loud as if answering her own internal thoughts, her voice completely devoid of emotion now.
First, she dug a small but deep hole into the soaking earth, at the base of a steady oak tree’s trunk. Within its roots, she carefully placed Icekit’s being then filled in the hole. “I’m sorry, little one,” she whispered over the new grave then turned to her father.
By the scruff his neck, Reedpaw heaved Whiteclaw’s limp body across the forest floor. His large form made it hard for her, but the she-cat was determined to do this. She had to. Finally, after leaving a trail of mud behind for a good distance, she arrived at her destination.
A river running near the kill sight raged with the storm, sending mist in a flurry as rapid crashed against steadfast stone. It was the perfect spot to dispose of the treacherous tom’s corpse. Reedpaw opened her jaws and spat out a remnant of gray fur which lingered on her tongue. Then, she moved to his other side and began to push with her forepaws. Her shoulders finally stung with the effort, giving into the fact of her injuries. But she pressed on until Whiteclaw’s form rolled over the bank and tumbled into the angry water with a splash barely audible over its own thrashing. The body bobbed only a few times as it floated away then succumbed to the water’s power and was pulled under, out of sight.
Reedpaw watched on without a flicker of emotion in her eyes at first, but as he left, she felt something different rise up into her chest. It was similar to a feeling she had felt once before, when she had helped save another Apprentice from deadly greencough with Hawkwhisker.
Pride swelled up into her heart, along with a sense of accomplishment. It twisted her heart with warmth. Yes, this had been the right thing to do, for sure. She felt it now. It swamped her, rising up from the ground her like morbidly great tree sprouts. Yet it covered her in a veil of grasping swamp water, drowning her happily.
With this feeling, Reedpaw headed back to camp, her mind and heart growing numb with the delight each step she took. Even her body took on this trait, the fallen leaves no longer there to her. All she felt was morbid accomplishment.
By the time she reached camp, her pelt was soaked clear to the bone by the freezing rains, yet it still fazed her none. Reedpaw looked around the empty camp, noting that not another cat had stirred since she’d left. Even with the heavy rain and booming thunder overhead, every other feline remained blissfully asleep and unaware of the horrible transpiring events and the others about to come.
‘Impure. More are monsters like he was,’ her inner voice hissed to her. ‘They deserve to feel justice. Make them feel justice.’
The she-cat’s head swiveled to the Apprentice’s Den, her eyes locking onto the entrance. “Tigerpaw is too ambitious for his own good. All he wants is power, and he will destroy this clan if he ever gets it. He’s already injured others during training with reckless abandon,” she told herself verbally, keeping her voice low. The rain helped to mask her comments and pawsteps as she neared the den.
Her black form stood in the den entrance, and lightning flashed, illuminating her figure for just an instant. Yet all cats inside were sound asleep, totally unaware of her presence. Quietly and under the cover of shadows, she slipped like a snake into the shelter and over to the Apprentice, her gaze now transfixed on the tiger tabby which slept peacefully within the warmth of his nest.
For a moment, Reedpaw loomed over him, watching as he slept. ‘Do it. He’s a menace, just like Whiteclaw. He’ll only follow in the older tom’s pawsteps if left to live.’
Reedpaw waited for a clap of thunder then struck. Paired with the loud boom, she lunged for the young tom’s throat, severing his lifeline in an instant. Her claws held him down as he suddenly thrashed, but it only lasted a heartbeat. His body rapidly weakened, and his spirit left him silently as his body fell still, not even completely understanding what had happened.
Carefully, the she-cat gazed around the den, but the only other Apprentice was still fast asleep, the storm covering for her actions. Reedpaw nodded to herself and turned to exit the den as her inner voice spoke once more. ‘Flashfur killed another Warrior from HillClan then laughed about it. He is no better than Whiteclaw or Tigerpaw.’
Without a word, Reedpaw headed for the Warrior’s Den next. Like before, her dark form slunk into the shelter with ease and silence. Again, she loomed over the white and black tom until another boom rang out. Then, she struck and swiftly killed him in the same manner as the others, keeping his confused and quickly dying body in check before it went still. That sense of false pride continued to drown her, much to her delight.
‘Redwing hates kits, even teasing and taunting you when you were younger. She’s nothing but a bully.’ The voice seemed to get impatient now, wanting more and more blood faster. No, it wasn’t blood that it wanted. She wanted that feeling of accomplishment, of justice, to continue. But each time she killed, that feeling faded more quickly, so it needed to be satisfied continuously with more death. Even the metallic taste of their lives was beginning to no longer bother her.
Again, Reedpaw patiently awaited the storm’s signal. Redwing was out like all the rest. One by one, the she-cat took away the lives of most of the clan’s Warriors, using just about any negative reasoning she could to justify her actions. Only three Warriors now remained safe, for the time being.
That’s when her mind flew to the thought of Finchstar. The golden leader was aggressive towards the other clans and anyone who was not OakClan by blood. She had once even turned a sick rogue away during a harsh leaf-bare, surely sending him to an agonizing death. He could have been treated. Reedpaw would have gladly helped him back to health. He had been so kind when she met him at the border while picking tree bark strips, but Finchstar being the escort and Leader decided that he wasn’t worth their supplies. She decided his life meant nothing, not just to her but to the world. Even when the Apprentice argued and Hawkwhisker backed her up, Finchstar had none of it and chased the poor tom off. She harbored evil in her heart, just like all the other others. She had to go, too.
Reedpaw stepped out of the den, her head tilting back as she looked up the sky. Clouds covered most of the stars now, but some still managed to poke through as the rain had lightening up quiet a bit. Still, thunder roared, so she would have cover to continue her good work.
As she began to pad towards the Leader’s Den, a shriek pierced the night air. Slowly, she turned her attention to the Apprentice’s Den, where the sound had come from. Abruptly, a silvery she-cat burst through the ferns, eyes wide and panicked.
The Apprentice spotted Reedpaw’s dark silhouette among the shadows, soon confirmed by a flash of lightning. “Tigerpaw’s been murdered!” she shouted to Reedpaw, her very being shaking with fear and adrenaline.
“I know,” Reedpaw meowed back, her own voice monotone. “Because I killed him. He was a danger to the clan. His ambition and recklessness would have destroyed us.” Her green eyes harbored a sudden spark of joy. “He’s not the only one. I’ve killed many now. I’m ridding the clan of impurity. Soon, we will be nothing but justice and peace. No more bullies. No more criminals. No more hate. Isn’t it wonderful, Lightpaw?” she asked with rising glee.
The other she-cat stared at Reedpaw in growing horror. Each word spoken sickened her, twisting her heart in revolt. She took a step back, jaws agape and speechless for a moment, but only a moment. “No! It’s not wonderful! It’s murder!” she yelled back, thunder booming in the middle of it. “You’re a cold-blooded murderer!”
Reedpaw’s newfound joy faded, her eyes instead filling with cold malice and distain. “You’re going to tell, aren’t you? You’re going to tell Finchstar and have me exiled,” she growled, taking a threatening step towards the other she-cat. “I can’t let you do that, Lightpaw.”
Lightpaw narrowed her eyes at Reedpaw and took a step backwards, hear going back. Her sodden fur began to lift as her heart started to race. “Reedpaw, don’t do something you’ll regret,” she warned, rising the terror coming across in her mew.
“Oh, I won’t regret it if it’s for the good of the clan. If you’re going to betray me then you’re not good,” the black she-cat growled back and several more steps towards her. “I’m sorry, Lightpaw. I hate to kill my own sister, but if that’s what it takes to make the clan pure then so be it.” Deep down, despite her words, she wouldn’t despise doing the act, even to her littermate. No, her mind would still tick itself into believing the sin to be holy.
Lightpaw backed up more as Reedpaw approached, but her tail soon hit the rose thorns which made up the camp’s wall. The thorns prodded and poked her pelt, but the silvery she-cat still sunk into them in a feeble effort to get away from her Reedpaw. The crazed look coming to her sister’s eyes sent chills running down her spine. “Please, don’t do this,” she begged.
“It’s too late,” Reedpaw snarled then lunged. Her fangs and claws glistened in the low light.
Unlike the ones taken in their sleep, Lightpaw could fight back, and she did. As Reedpaw threw herself at her, the silver Apprentice dodged to the side with everything she had, fumbling her pawsteps and then tumbling in one of the many puddles which had formed as a result of the heavy rains.
Reedpaw landed right into the rose thorns and yowled as they stabbed her flesh. She scrambled out and whipped around to bare her teeth at Lightpaw, her fur puffed out and fury gleaming in her eyes. With another yowl, she leapt again, claws ready to make contact.
Once more, Lightpaw dodged, this time rolling out of the way and sending water droplets back up into the air. She was about to get back up to run again, but Reedpaw was faster; she always had been.
Reedpaw’s claws sunk into her sister’s forelegs, pinning her onto her back. “You’ll die,” she hissed but then stumbled back, letting go of Lightpaw, as the Apprentice battered her belly hard with powerful hind legs.
Lightpaw took the opportunity to flip onto her belly and get to her feet. By now, other cats of the clan had begun to stir, and they screeched with horror upon discovering their dead clanmates, slain within their own nests.
She tried to blindly run, desperately wanting to get away as the wails of horrified friends and family echoed. However, Reedpaw was always quick to recover, and, as Lightpaw tried to flee, she leapt onto the silver cat’s end. Reedpaw’s claws dug deep into her flanks, pulling to drag her back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” The black she-cat laughed. All sanity had left her being now, replaced only with craze fueled by blood death and false justice. Lightpaw twisted around to swipe at Reedpaw’s face, catching her muzzle and leaving three streaks of reddening skin on her lip to her nose. But Reedpaw only flinched at this, her sense of pain dulled by adrenaline. “You’ll have to do better than that!”
Finally, Reedpaw dragged her closer and let go of Lightpaw’s flanks for only a split heartbeat. Her claws transferred to her sister’s shoudlers and pinned her onto her spine once again. This time, however, Reedpaw was careful to place her hind legs on Lightpaw’s, so there was no way for the other she-cat to fight back.
Pure fear and betrayal filled her eyes like mesmerizing moons. Images of their time as kits, as friends, flashed before her mind. Those memories now sour, Lightpaw opened her jaws to say one final thing, knowing this was the end, but nothing came out as Reedpaw leaned down and wiped away her life. In moments, Lightpaw’s form went limp as crimson leaked from the wound and mixed with a nearby puddle.
Reedpaw panted as she continued to hold Lightpaw down, even though there was no longer any movement, not even breath. Finally, she moved off and stepped back, the realization of what she’d done creeping into her heart. That sense of accomplishment didn’t come, not like before.
She looked to the puddle by her paws, its tint growing ever redder. Quietly, even her inner voice silent, she moved over to the water’s edge and planted her feet then tail, sitting by it. Her reflection stared back at her, tinged.
“What happened?” Hawkwhisker had emerged from the Medicine Den with all the commotion. Other cats were starting to do the same, ready for battle but only finding Lightpaw’s lifeless body and Reedpaw sitting in the camp’s clearing.
Reedpaw didn’t turn her gaze away as Hawkwhisker cautiously approached Lightpaw’s corpse. His eyes widened when he caught site of the red stream emanating from her throat and the frozen fear within still eyes. His body shook as his gaze lifted towards Reedpaw. “Wha-what did you do…?”
Reedpaw continued to stare down into the puddle. Behind her reflection, clouds slowly parted to reveal the glowing sphere of the moon. It shone red in the bloody puddle at her paws, and she felt a twinge of amusement. “Beware the Blood Moon,” she murmured to herself then turned to glance over her shoulder at her mentor, a chuckle escaping her jaws. “Beware me.”