The Stepping Stones part I

Shadowstar loathed waiting and patience was not her strong point.

But nevertheless she found herself waiting for an hour; perched on the Mainland side of the bank with owl cries ringing through her ears and the hostile scent of TangleClan cats drifting by on the
ice-cold breeze shrouded in dark, sinister mists.

Winter was coming soon, the black and white she-cat mused mentally.

Most of the birds had flown away to warmer places.

Prey has already begun hiding in their hollows.

Nights were longer, and morning skies redder.

Goldenbranch had even told her she had seen snow-clouds drifting by.

And of course there was that spine-chilling wind.

And that eerie sound like someone calling my name, Shadowstar thought to herself.

"Shadowflower.." The eerie sound whispered eerily.

A shape formed in the mist, sauntering towards her. Shadowstar held her breath.

But then had a sudden realization. She narrowed her eyes and said coldly,

"My name is Shadowstar, oh high Shadestar, as appointed to me by StarClan at StarGlen.
Speak to me, if you can, instead of all this skulking around in the fog trying fruitlessly to frighten me."

Shadestar's honey-and-poison laugh resounded from the fog and she strolled out into the moonlight towards the IslandClan leader. Her whisper was heard only by Shadowstar, despite the numberless hordes of TangleClan cats secretly hidden in the shadows.

"Ohh little sister, you don't have to prove anything to me. I'll always know you're weak until the day you die by my paw."

"If anyone dies today, it will be you, traitor." Shadowstar unsheathed her claws and took her stance.

A hawk cried overhead.

 

 

"You don't want to do that, Shadowflower." Shadestar smiled. At the flick of the TangleClan leader's tail, Shadowstar was surrounded by a horde of her sister's minions, all ready for battle.


"Forward. We're going back to the camp. Wouldn't you like that, Shadowflower? A visit to the TangleClan camp."

***

To be continued...