For @Dark_Nightshade13 She was running. Tears were falling down her face, her heart was thundering in her ears. Black paws slapped against fallen leaves as she sped through the forest, carrying her away. Away forever. Faster, higher, so that she’d never have to come back. Never have to see Vineripple again. Never hear her taunting jaunts and see her press her pelt against Thornstar and rub her nose along his jaw- Nightshade let out a choked sob and stumbled, pushing to her paws once more and carrying on. She was carrying his kits. For StarClan’s sake, she was carrying Thornstar’s /kits/. Heronfeather had told her so, not three sunrises ago. Would Thornstar still be blushing at Vineripple’s jokes, smiling at her laugh, holding her close and bringing her to his nest if he knew? Great StarClan, the trees were laughing at her. They were looming over her, their dark shadows clawing and sucking at her legs, pulling her backwards, slowing her down. A flash of green leaves became her lover’s eyes, the sharp red pool of her blood became Vineripple’s evil stare. Shadows seeped from the trees, thick and sticky like blood. Wrapping around her body and pulling her down. They pulled and pulled, wrapping around her torso, climbing into her mouth. She began to choke, heart screaming as she couldn’t breathe. Shadows and blood, shadows and blood. The trees were laughing at her, her mate and Vineripple were leading their jolly. Laughing and laughing and echoing until Nightshade fell and gave up her fight. >>><<< In the Warriors Den, a black she-cat gasped awake, midnight eyes wide with terror and body trembling. The den was empty. Heart thundering, Nightshade looked around, a cool green-leaf breeze tugging at her loose fur through a drift in the leaves. Outside, camp looked calm. Cats groomed each other, lazy and lethargic in the warm sun, stomachs full of fat mice and squirrels. Everything was fine. It had been just a dream. But she knew: A dream based in truth. Swallowing, she pushed herself to her paws, tail wrapped around her stomach only barely starting to round. Emerging from the den, she took in a shaky breath, trying to expel any thoughts of blood and shadows and dark, echoing laughter. Sheepstep saw her and grinned, waving a fluffy white tail in greeting. “Someone slept in.” He purred, Honeypool laughing kindly at his side. Nightshade smiled sheepishly and sat down. “I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Just.. Just lots on my mind.” “Do you wanna talk about it?” Honeypool asked gently, her amber eyes round and warm and soft. Nightshade politely shook her head. “No, that’s fine. I shouldn’t drag your moods down with my drama. I think I just need to go on a quick hunt to clear my mind.” She cast a glance at the clear blue sky. “It’ll be nice on a day like this, anyways.” “Well, we’re both here if you ever want to talk.” Honeypool mewed. “Thank you.” Standing, Nightshade lightly shook out her fur and slipped out of camp, letting out a breath of air once she was out of sight. She really couldn’t tell them. She couldn’t tell them about the way she saw Thornstar look at her greatest enemy, or the words she knew they shared. She couldn’t tell them about her ever-increasing nightmares or the fact she was carrying kits. She just… couldn’t. And, swallowing, she realized that she had never felt so alone. Just then, the bushes rustled and the one cat she dreaded to see most of all stepped into view, her amber eyes cutting into Nightshade’s blue ones. They were both silent for a moment, until a smirk slid over Vineripple’s expression. “Hello. I saw you tossing and turning last night on my way to the Leader’s Den.” Nightshade stiffened as she saw Vineripple’s satisfaction grow. “Nightmares?” “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you?” Nightshade growled, digging her claws into the ground and trying to fight back the tears she felt pressing at the backs of her eyes. “I really would. I care about you, Nightshade.” She purred silkily, beginning to circle the she-cat. “You seem like you’ve been off-tilt for a couple of days.. It isn’t anything about the kits, is it?” Nightshade’s heart seized in her chest and she whipped around to face Vineripple. “How do you know?” Heronfeather might be fond of Vineripple, but Nightshade knew he wouldn’t tell her about something as sensitive as that no matter how well he looked upon the vile she-cat. ..Right? “Oh, I just overheard in passing.” She smirked, tossing her head. “Vineripple, if you tell /anyone/ about this-” “Oh, Nightshade, I wouldn't dream of it. I couldn’t bear to both reveal your little secret /and/ be the reason why they grow up b-stards.” Nightshade’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t-Did she really just say that? Then, all of her fear, her doubt, her grief, it flipped a switch and turned to cool, controlled rage.
“You think you’re smart, don’t you?” She growled, seeing Vineripple flinch at her tone of voice. “You think you’re so smart, sitting up on your pedestal with Thornstar wrapped up in your pretty illusions and fantasies where you truly care for him. When there’s room in your cold, black heart for love. He can’t see through it, not yet, because you’re good at it. You’re a good trickster.” She spat the word out like it disgusted her. “But I know. I’ve always known. I know that when you look at him you don’t see another cat with emotions, with fears and dreams and aspirations. You take him from me when you want him, and break his heart whenever he doesn’t fall at your feet in worship. You tear off little pieces of him, one by one, in hopes that they’ll find a way to mend your fractured heart.” Vineripple snarled lowly, tail lashing. “But it’s too late. It’s much too late for that. Because with every cruel word, with every backhanded compliment and evil mistake, your heart will only grow blacker.” “Don’t act like you know me!” Vineripple snapped. But Nightshade had had it. This time, Vineripple had pushed her just a little too far. “Then don’t act like you love my mate!” She snarled, taking a step forward and causing Vineripple to jump back. “Because I know that there’s only twisted lies on your tongue when you’re whispering sweet myths in his ears.” She watched as Vineripple’s eyes darkened with hate. “You’re just jealous that I have everything you’ve ever wanted.” The tabby leapt, claws outstretched- And was shot down by a bundle of gray fur. Thornstar stood over the she-cat, cold fury burning in his forest eyes as he pinned her down, tail lashing behind him. “Were you about to attack Nightshade?” He growled, voice trembling with barely-controlled rage. Despite the question, the answer was obvious. Yes, of course she was. “Thornstar, she-she was claiming that I didn’t love you-” “And she’s pregnant with my kits!” He slammed a paw on top of her throat to keep her from talking, m-rder in his eyes. “I don’t ever, /ever/, want to see you harassing my mate again. You’re despicable.” Suddenly seeming to realize that he was suffocating the she-cat, he stepped off of her, body still trembling with fury. Vineripple heaved herself to her paws, rage in her eyes as she looked between the pair. Finally, she growled, “You’re both going to tear this Clan apart.” “No, Vineripple.” Thornstar mewed. “We won’t. We will be stronger together because we love each other. Because we help each other and those around us. Because we don’t tear each other down and attack others out of fear and jealousy, like you. You are hereby exiled from ThunderClan. And, without you, we will prosper. We will grow and thrive without your black seed of evil trying to splinter this Clan.” Both she-cat’s eyes were wide in shock. Had-Had he really just.. Exiled Vineripple? Told her to leave and never come back? That she was no longer welcome on ThunderClan land? Vineripple laughed darkly. “Well, I think you’ll grow to miss me.” Then, she turned and.. Was gone. There was silence. The birds continued chirping, Thornstar and Nightshade watched where their greatest enemy had disappeared and.. There was silence. Finally, Thornstar turned to Nightshade, guilt written all over his face and grief on hers. The tears came, and then Thornstar was holding her. “Nightshade, I’m so, so sorry.” He whispered as she sobbed into his fur. She was happy that Vineripple was gone, happy that he had finally realized what she was doing, but.. It had all been so stressful. So draining. So exhausting. She couldn’t remember the last time he had held her like this, his warm, comforting scent wrapping around her and telling her that he would never leave her side again. “I shouldn’t have-I should’ve seen, known that-.. There’s nothing I can say to make it up to you, but I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much. I love you with everything I am and you own every piece of my heart. You’re more beautiful than Silverpelt and sweeter than green-leaf honeysuckle. These kits will know of our love, too. And we’ll all be glad of it. ..I love you, Nightshade.” For a moment, she couldn’t catch her breath, body still shaking with grief. Finally, though, her breathing slowed and she felt a sense of calm and peace fall over her, engulfed in the cat that she now knew belonged to her and only her. “I love you, too.” I also made you some pictures, the difference between the two that look exactly the same is that the first one has a white background and the second one has no background/is transparent. :3 Click or press any button to see them all~
