Out of the Darkness, Into the Light

A one-shot, written by Fallenpaw.

Note: The title was changed slightly.

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My name was long-forgotten. It rotted away like the corpses that litter the grounds below us. I don’t need one. I don’t want one. I can’t have one. My fur is as dark as midnight. My eyes are red like the blood shed on those  Clan  lands. The lands I had to run from. The Clans that thought I would be the death of them.

When I ran, they rejoiced. They cheered the way they would when a new litter of kits stretches their roots into the soil of the grounds they walk in. I curled my lip in disgust at them. I look down on their ways. I was a Death Guard now. I steal their cats who walk to close to death. The cats that dance to close to destiny.

Each time I steal one from them, I bury them in a trench, mark their spot with a stone, and forget about them. Sometimes I sit by their graves. I don’t honor them, though; I smile and wickedly laugh at the stupidity of these cats.

Now, you know how I lived. You know how I suffered. But someone saved me. Here’s how.

— Another dreadful, disgusting night of fog, gloom, and death. The norm around here. You get used to it after a while. You can’t see the stars, or the moon, for that matter. Little light can seep through the dense condensation. Stones and patches of dirt, both new and old, scatter the grounds. The ones farthest toward the Cave of Blood are the ones that lied there the longest. The ones closest to forest are the fresh ones.

I step through the gate that the twolegs made many seasons ago. They used these grounds for the same purpose I did: to lock the dead away. The ground beneath my paws was hard, except over the fresher patches of dirt. That ground was soft. I shivered in the chill of the leaf-bare night. I continued walking forward; the work to be done in these grounds couldn’t be ignored.

After a few moments, I arrived at an old stone twoleg structure. They called in a crypt, or something like that.

I surveyed the stone walls. Cracks began to tear the once-well care-forred structure. Moss grew on roof and vines from the surrounding trees wrapped itself around it. This is where I came in; I have to clean off the plants.

I climbed to the top, and began to scrape the moss and vines away from the structure. It was hard work; but it had to be done. Without me, these buildings would waste away. They were one of the few things I cared about.

However, in the distance I saw something odd. By the gate, there was a cat. One, lone cat. If this cat had any sense, he would have ran far, far away. Or at least came with a group. If he heard the nursery tales about me, he should be yowling and running away.

Or he wouldn’t have come here at all.

I watched the cat, and crouched. It was likely that he would see me though, even in the fog and my crouch. I stand out like a sore paw on top of the stone.

He began to walk up the hill. What a mouse-brained idiot.

“Grave!” He called. I could tell by his voice that he male, a descendant of my former leader (Violetstar), and very, very stupid.

“What do you want,  Clan  cat.” I sneered at him. My, this is fun.

“I want to talk to you.” He responded promptly. Whatever he’s here for, he must have been planning it a while. He doesn’t sound afraid of me at all.

Perhaps he’s not as foolish as I thought. I’ll make note of that.

“Yeah, well, guess what: I don’t want to talk to you. And if you don’t leave now, there will a  very  unfortunate accident .” I replied. That should scare him off.

The young tom didn’t seem fazed by my threat. “Grave, please. Come down and talk to me.”

Young cats, my friend. Or enemy. Whichever you prefer at this point. Relentless, dumb, and increasingly annoying.

“No.” I growled. “Go, or I swear my death I will make you.”

“I’m not afraid of you. I’ll just stay until you talk to me.” He replied, surprisingly cheery. He sat down, and looked up at the stone structure.

Well, I guess I have to deal with him, or he’ll talk my ears off all night.

“Fine, I’ll come down. I’m not making any promises that you’ll be safe, however.” I meowed, frustration leaking into my voice.

He smiled at me. “Long time, no see, Grave.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Badgerbrain.” Okay, I admit, he was beginning to make me feel uneasy. I needed answers.

“I’m Lionkit. Well, I’m Lionfire now. We played as kits in the nursery. We’d talk all day, and prank the elders all night.” He meowed. He looked a little sad.

Then it hit me. He was the cat that was my best friend in the Clan. The only cat who stood by me when the Clan turned against me. But why would he come back? After all this time?

“Mhm. What do you want?” I growled. My voice began to sound slightly nervous.

“I want you to come back.” He said, hope rose through his voice.

 FLASHBACK  Cats filled a camp-sized clearing. Shouting and yowls filled the camp. I was in the center of crowd, with my head lowered. The other cat in the center was our medicine cat. Darkdream.

“Death will roll in through the bouncing river! This cat will be the death of us all!” Darkdream shrieked hysterically. Cats yowled in agreement, and began to race toward me, claws and unsheathed and teeth bared.

One voice rose above the rest. “Riverbounce would never hurt us! She saved us once! Why would she destroy us? She had that opportunity!” It was Lionkit. He was a smart little one.

Cats turned on Lionkit. “You’re just a kit. You know  nothing  about this.” A cat hissed at him.

Lionkit remained unfazed, but his mother grabbed him and hauled him into the nursery.

Tears stung my eyes, and I turned tail and ran out of camp.

Branches whipped at my face and tore my pelt. I kept running through the pain. Until I heard something. Lionkit.

“Riverbounce, please don’t go!” He sobbed. “Please!” Tears ran down his golden-furred face.

“They’ll kill me if I come back.” I meowed.

“No! I’ll convince them, just please, please don’t leave! Do it for me! Please!” Lionkit wailed at me.

“I can’t, Lionkit. And you know it.” I sighed. I wish it didn’t have to end like that.

“Then I’ll come with you!” He said in between wheezing.

“No. Because I need you to do something for me.”

He stopped crying and looked up at me. “What? Anything!” He mewed.

“I need you to look after my sister. Because, I know her. She’ll look for me. She’ll try to save me. But she can’t. Stop her. Tell her a ShadowClan patrol killed me. Anything. Just make her believe you. And after that, watch over her for me. Take care of her when she’s sick. Comfort when she’s sad. Just keep her safe, please.” I touched noses with the kit, as tears began to swim down my own face.

“I will!” He meowed. “Everyday!:

“Promise?” I meowed.

“Promised!”

 END FLASHBACK 

“I want you to come back.” He meowed, bringing me back to reality.

“Why? I’m nothing. They’ll still hate me.” I meowed.

“No. No they won’t. Darkdream was a lunatic. He died the other night. He’s in the Dark Forest.” He pressed, trying to convince me.

I smiled a little at the thought of the cat who ruined it all in the Dark Forest. “No. Now leave. This is my home now. Don’t make me kill you.” I meowed, my voice lowering threateningly as I went on.

“I miss you, Grave. I miss you everyday. I just want you to come back.” He meowed, tears beginning to prick at his eyes.

I remained silent. What if they would let me come back? I could start over. No more Darkdream; no more hate. I could be loved. I could have a new life again.

“I kept your promise. Your sister is alive, and she’s safe. She misses you too.” He went on, breaking the awkward silence.

“Thank you for that… I’m forever grateful to you.” I meowed.

He began to walk away. “I see I can’t change your mind. I’ll go now.” He meowed quietly, tears running down his face.

He was about to arrive at the gain when I yowled at him. “Wait!”

His head shot around, hope filling his gaze. “Yes?!”

“I’ll come back.”