Chapter Eight

I hardly slept all night. It was mostly on and off. For that one moment, I thought things would be okay. But as usual, it was quickly snatched away from me. Silver slunk into the den."Come, Dreamer." He said to me."My name is not Dreamer." I grumbled like an angry elder. Silver rolled his eyes."Yes it is." He summoned the two toms in and they both grabbed my scruff. I was ready to dig my claws into them, but not after the look my father gave me. I could never fight him. I was dragged into the clearing, then onto the huge boulder.

"My fellow rouges." Silver called loud and clear. Every cat listened with intention."I am happy to say our Princess is found!" They all cheered. My father was pretty good at this announcer stuff."I will be holding a contest for who gets her." My head zipped to look at him."What!?" I snapped."Dreamer, it's nothing bad. Just let the toms do the work." That seemed to really light my fuse. "I can't believe this." I muttered. I felt so used and helpless. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of ginger in just outside the clearing. I craned my neck to see better, but a tom shoved me to look at the cats.

Silver turned to me."Who do you want in the contest, Princess." He asked me."Nobody. I want to go now." I said with a smile. Silver pushed his face into mine."You're are not leaving. Now pick some!" I looked sadly among the toms, then to my surprise I recognized a face. It was Lionfritz! He stood casually at the edge of the crowd."Fine. I pick....him......him.....and him." I looked at two toms that looked discouraged, then at Lionfritz. Luckily, my father didn't seem to notice that he hadn't been there before."Very well."

The rest of the cats backed away, and the three stood."You three shall battle. Whoever is left standing wins." Lionfritz looked worried."You mean kill? I could never do that?" Silver shrugged."Sure you could. Look at you." It was true. Lionfritz was more well-built than the other toms."But I would never kill anyone! It's-" before he could finish, both toms crashed into him."Stop preaching and lets get down to business!" One snarled."Lionfritz kicked them off easily, but they were stronger than they looked. The both charge at him and bowled him over.

After tussling for a while, the toms had Lionfritz pinned, and one raised a paw threateningly. I can't let this happen! I screamed suddenly and threw myself out of the grasp of the guards. I ran down and head-butted one tom. The other stood in confusion, then I hissed at him and he ran. Lionfritz got up and stood next to me. Silver stormed down the boulder and over to us."What was that Dreamer?" He said angrily."That's against the rules." I scoffed."Like I care. We're leaving." Silver laughed."You think one of my followers would help you out?" I smiled."Nope. Let's go Lionfritz."

"What?" Silver looked and Lionfritz in confusion. He then realized he hadn't been there before."Bye, Silver. You aren't my father." I said before he could snap out of it. We turned and ran. It was quite a while before we finally heard Silver tell them to come after us."Follow me." Lionfritz said and suddenly turned. I followed him, realizing that we were running along the edge of the ravine. As we pounded along, I saw five pillars of rock in the ravine."Come on." Lionfritz easily jumped on each, as did I. Without looking back, we tore into camp.

"Dreamingstrike!" Snowbird flung herself onto me and tackled me down. I laughed."Good to see you too." The clan slowly migrated over."Lionfritz helped me out." I explained a little later. They all praised him, but he didn't seem proud or anything. He just gave me a humble smile now and then. Meltingblade padded over to me."So, now that you're back....." I sighed."I need to go to something right now." Leaving him dumbfounded, I went to Lionfritz."Thanks, I wouldn't have gotten out without help. He smiled and nodded."No problem. I didn't understand why the clan just stopped. Meltingblade told them it was helpless." My eyes narrowed and I turned to him for a brief moment.

I suddenly felt a chill go down my spine. Meltingblade and Poundstep conversed quietly, both had dark looks on their face. Was Meltingblade really what he was posing to be? I knew already that Poundstep worked for Flick, and the way they were speaking didn't look to promising. Lionfritz rested his tail on my back."You okay?" He asked, his voice unusually gentle. I shook my head and turned back to him."Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go to Whirlwind and Snowbird."

Chapter Seven

"Wake up! Wake up!" I heard Snowbird break into my sleep."What is it now? A tree's on fire?" I said sarcastically as I sat up."Of course not silly!" Snowbird giggled."I heard that Meltingblade is gonna ask you to be his mate!" I stared blankly for a moment until what she said soaked through."What!?" I jumped up. This isn't what I wanted! I had so many things to accomplish."Isn't it great!" Snowbird purred."We'll both have mates!" I shook my head."I don't know...." Snowbird quickly interrupted."Oh hush, Dreamingstrike!" She smiled and led me out of the den. To my disdain, Meltingblade was waiting by the fresh-kill pile.

His face lit up when he saw me. He padded over and my eyes glued to the ground."So, Dreamingstrike." He smiled."I was wondering if you could-" Lionfritz padded up mid sentence."Excuse me, what's going on?" Meltingblade flattened his ears."I was asking her a question." He hissed."Back off." Lionfritz's green eyes went ablaze. Just as I thought a fight was going to break out, a random, bracken colored tom burst into camp. His eyes narrowed on me and he pounced at me. Before anyone could react, his jaws were closed on my scruff. I found myself too shocked to move. The tom was surprisingly fast even though he was carrying me.

Lionfritz, Meltingblade, and soon half the clan ran after me. Without warning of any kind, the tom leaped over a ravine."AHHHHHH!" I screamed in pure terror as the earth appeared many tail-lengths below."Shut it." The tom growled through my fur as he landed. All the cats skidded to a halt on the other side. They looked sadly after me. They're just giving up!? I thought with panic. Pain began to sear into my back. The rocks weren't exactly doing any favors for me as I was dragged. I don't know how, but suddenly I was unbearably sleepy. Once the tom stopped running, I fell asleep.

~~~

I awoke to many cats looming over me."Quick! She woke up!" They all quickly scattered. I sat up to find myself in a cozy den. I lumbered to the entrance and looked out. Many other cats conversed and did other activities. It looked much like a clan. Then my heart stopped when I saw a familiar silver tom on a boulder. His bright yellow eyes focused onto me, and he smiled."Da- Silverfury?" He leaped down and padded to me."It's Silver now." He said gruffly, but then his expression softened."But you can call me Dad." Feeling a rush of joy, I leaped forward and nuzzled him."Oh Dad! I missed yo-" I then pulled away."Wait, hwy is your name Silver?"

"Glad you asked." He purred."You see, I encountered these rouges after you ran away. Since I was such an excellent fighter, they placed me as their leader. Now that you have been retrieved, as my daughter, you are the princess." I cocked my head."Princess?" Silver laughed."You see, we have our own naming system. I'm the King. My mate would be the Queen. All my sons would be Prince's, and my daughters as Princess's." I slowly sat down in wonder."I'm glad you are happy to see me, but I can't stay." I said slowly. My father's face became concerned."Why not? This is where you belong." I could tell he was hurt."I know, but I have a clan." I sighed."I have my best friend. And I even have a tom that likes me. I think he was going to ask me to be his mate."

Silver laughed."Why would anyone think of that? No clan cat is taking my daughter as their mate." He said confidentially."But you were a clan cat! You were a deputy!" I said sadly. How could my father become this? His eyes narrowed."Clan life is unstable and provides no safety for families." He half said, half growled."You are not going back." "Yes I am!" I demanded. Silver scowled."If that's the case, you aren't leaving this den." He turned to two very large toms."I want you two guarding her den at all times. When the time is right, I will find who deserves to be my daughter's mate." They nodded and took their place in front of me.

"I will check on you later." Silver turned around and stalked away. I stormed back to the nest and flopped in. most of the den was cave, so it was unlikely of a stealthy escape. If I tried to get out in the small leafy section, the guards would surely hear me. Even though there was only a few seconds I thought my father had changed, I was surely shocked at what he had become. He had been the most loyal clan cat I had known. Now he hated clan life. I slowly cried myself to sleep, remembering that time so long ago in the tree stump.

Being afraid was my only weakness. There was nothing that bothered me more. Cats could criticize me, hurt me, anything. But nothing was more affective than being afraid. Once again, I found I was furious with myself. I needed to suck it up and figure out how to save myself. The others weren't going to come and save me. They couldn't jump the ravine. I buried my face into the moss, my breathing going deeper and slower as sleep overcame me.

Chapter Six

You know Déjà vu's? It was almost like that, except I knew I had done it before. I woke up dazed, back in the familiar Medicine Cat Den. Snowbird was once again at my side. However, this time Whirlwind, Lionfritz, and Meltingblade as well."You okay?" All four leaned over me. I shook away the fog that clouded my thoughts."Yeah, I'm fine." Meltingblade shuffled his paws."Why did you black out anyways?" I suddenly felt sick again. The others must have seen it, because they ran forward as if I was going to fall out."Nothing," I finally choked out. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to say what I had heard so long ago.

They didn't seem satisfied."Well, it's just, Flick is a bad cat and all." I fibbed. Snowbird flicked her tail."Why don't you come on out? It's a wonderful, sunny day!" There was something in the back of her mind making her excited. I shrugged it off and heaved myself out of my nest. I slipped out, and realized it was Sunhigh. I was about to share tongues with Snowbird, but she went immediately to Whirlwind. I rolled my eyes and sat down. I thought I saw Lionfritz stare at me, but it must have been an illusion because it was Meltingblade that approached. We just started talking, then Whirlwind spoke.

"May I have your attention everyone!" He shouted. Snowbird was fidgeting like a mouse, and I could now easily guess what was going to happen."I know this is a little unusual, but I wanted everyone to see." Whirlwind turned to Snowbird and sat down."Snowbird, will you be my mate?" Everyone in the clan gasped. To my surprise, not, Snowbird nodded."Of course!" She tackled him to the ground."Aw!" The whole clan sighed in unison. I rolled my eyes again and stormed out of camp. I found my new favorite spot that day. It was a nice, grassy cliff covered in daises. It overlooked the rest of the forest, and you could see a waterfall.

I sat there and breathed in the wonderful smells of the earth. But of course, it wasn't long till I heard something behind me. I turned around and was a little confused when I saw Lionfritz come out of the brush."Something wrong?" I had to admit, I would have told him everything, except it was the second sentence I had ever heard him say to me."No, nothings wrong." I said bluntly and turned back to the view. He came up and sat down beside me. He was clearly waiting for the truth."Is it something about Whirlwind and Snowbird?" He asked a little more gently. I sighed."It's just, everyone's life is so perfect. You have no idea what I've been through. Nobody I have loved has lasted long." Lionfritz looked over the edge of the cliff.

"Well, I watched my whole family be slaughtered by rouges against my will." He said. I could tell he was trying hard to choke back tears. I looked at him and saw my own, scared reflection."I'm sorry." I said quietly. I couldn't think of anything else to say. I heard another rustle and saw Lionfritz jump up. I turned calmly to see Meltingblade."Hi." I smiled a little, then realized the atmosphere had changed. Both Lionfritz and Meltingblade seemed very prickly."Just wanted to see if you were okay." Meltingblade said, his voice dripping with forced sweetness. He seemed to be glaring at Lionfritz. I looked to him, and saw he was about the same.

"What's with the tension?" I broke into their little glaring contest. Both toms shook their heads with embarrassment."Uh nothing." They each said. I decided if I stayed any longer, I would see them break out in fighting."Yeah, I'm gonna go now. Bye bye." I rushed through the ferns and back to camp.

~~~

I heard Orchidblossom tutting."You bad cats. You should never fight with your clan-mate." I peeked into the den and saw the irritated faces of Lionfritz and Meltingblade."Yes Orchidblossom." Snowbird came up from behind."What happened?" She said lightly."Lionfritz and Whirlwind got in a fight. I don't know why though....." I trailed off. Snowbird gasped and looked inside. "Did you hear any of it?" She asked eagerly. Of course Snowbird was hungry for gossip. I laughed."Well, me and Lionfritz were talking a little bit, then Meltingblade came. I could feel tension between them so I left." Snowbird was very silent."Are you okay?" I cocked my head.

"Oh! Nothing!" Snowbird shook her head and smiled. I shrugged."Whatever you say." That night was the worst night ever. I repeat, ever. I saw Lionfritz in a starry meadow, then Meltingblade came out of nowhere and began tearing at his throat. I shuddered, then heard someone come up from behind me."Dreamingstrike." I whipped around to see a lovely gray she-cat."Who are you?" I asked, my voice quavering."I am Featherstar, the previous leader of Stealthclan. We need to say many things to you." My mind was racing.

Me? Being visited by Starclan? Featherstar continued without regarding me."We must repeat the prophecy we said to Desertstar." My eyes widened as her voice twisted into many."The savior of your clan shall rise from ashes. She must face the lurking evil when the stars bleed." Truly hoping it didn't mean me, Featherstar whirled away from my sight. I was falling and falling until I slammed into the ground.