Warriors: Omen of the Stars: Night Whispers (my version) Chapter 10

Chapter 10 (Dovepaw's point of view)


Dovepaw hurried through the brush, trying desperately to find the rabbit hole. She had promised Fallen Leaves that she would come back, and she was going to, if she could ever find the entrance. Suddenly, a twig cracked sharply behind her. Dovepaw cast out her senses. A shadow was moving through the forest. Straining on the shadow, it slowly began to take shape. It was a cat, a silver tabby... Jayfeather! Jayfeather was following her. Does he suspect anything? Dovepaw wondered to herself. Is he just looking for herbs? After all, the difference of night and day don't mean a thing to him. A shiver coursed through Dovepaw's body as she remembered her dark dream.
The ground below her paws began to slope downward as Dovepaw neared the lake. She knew the tunnel entrance was near. Feeling around in a swath of brambles, she located the entrance and crawled into it slowly. Earth pressed in around her, making her feel as though she was going to be squashed between the earth. She pulled herself through a tight space, and rolled into the cave.
"I knew you would come."
It was a different voice now, not Fallen Leaves's. Dovepaw stiffened. The voice was nearing her. She looked wildly around, trying to find the voice's owner.
"Do not fear. Rock will not harm you." That was Fallen Leaves's voice. Dovepaw relaxed when she heard it.
Dovepaw saw two shadows coming slowly toward her. "Can't you like... do something to make you more visible?" she asked.
Fallen Leaves's shadow nodded. "I suppose so." He shrugged toward what Dovepaw though was Rock's shadow. Rock shrugged back.
Dovepaw watched closely as Fallen Leaves's shadow brightened into a tabby, but her pelt stood on end as she watched Rock's shadow brighten.
His skin had no fur on it; it was just bare, pink cat skin. His eyes were gray, bulging, and digusting. He had a rat-like tail. Dovepaw shivered.
"Yuck!" managed to escape from her mouth where she was trying to hold it.
Suddenly a silver tabby burst through the end of the tunnel and fell into a pool of moonlight. "Dovepaw!"
It was Jayfeather. He rose to his paws, sniffing the air franticly.
Fallen Leaves turned to face Jayfeather. "Open your eyes, Jayfeather!" he commanded. Dovepaw narrowed her eyes in confusion. Huh?
Jayfeather's eyes opened, and Dovepaw sensed confusion flood from the medicine cat. "I can see!" he exclaimed. He padded softly over to Dovepaw, not seeming to notice Fallen Leaves and Rock. "So that's what the Fourth Apprentice looks like," he mused, and turned to face the two other cats, sitting near the edge of the cliff. Jayfeather nodded to Fallen Leaves. "I'm happy to see you again. I thought the tunnels were gone forever."
Rock stood, and Dovepaw frowned in disgust. That's the wierdest looking cat I've ever seen! "The memory of the tunnels will never be forgotten, no matter how long they have been hidden." he rasped. "Now that the Three know of the tunnels, our ancient ways will never be forgotten."
Dovepaw listened closely. There seemed to be some connection to the Prophecy in what the strange old cat said.
Rock turned to face Dovepaw and Jayfeather, who were huddled closely together in the cold of the night. "After the sharp-eyed Jay and the roaring Lion, peace will come on Dove's gentle wing." Beside her, Dovepaw felt Jayfeather stiffen, and the memory of the dream with Yellowfang flooded back to her in a rush. Rock sat, and his gray eyes seemed to glow in the last of the moonlight.
"Welcome back, Dove's Wing."