Shadowstar's Life/Chapter 2

Chapter description

 * Shadowstar wakes up next to the Thunderpath, remembering that she died. She knows there must be five Clans, or they will be destroyed. She turns around and stares at Sun Shadow's motionless body on the ground, and the leader feels overwhelmed with grief. Suddenly, Raven Pelt appears and exclaims the Clan is worried about her, but stops and asks what happened when he sees Sun Shadow's body. Shadowstar orders the black tom to fetch warriors to take him back to camp, and he agrees. Later, Shadowstar notes at the vigil that Sun Shadow truly looks dead, then states that he proved his loyalty to ShadowClan and made a great deputy.


 * Dangling Leaf and the other cats gathered around state their own memories of Sun Shadow as Shadowstar stares at her somber Clanmates. Her gaze meets Pebble Heart's, and with horror realizes a cat with amber eyes stared at her as she died. She wonders why the cat with amber eyes didn't help her and Sun Shadow, and recalls all her Clanmates with amber eyes. Shadowstar decides to sleep to see if rest will clear her mind, but Mouse Ear follows her. The tom says he'd like to organize patrols, to which the she-cat agrees to. She then hears the voice of Juniper Branch saying they'll be more careful on patrol, and Shadowstar also agrees to this despite her thoughts about them competing to become deputy.


 * For a moment she considers snapping at them, but decides against it and heads into her den, thinking she'll chose a new deputy when she thinks the time is right. Shadowstar wakes up later, watching her Clanmates interact and work with each other. The black she-cat worries her cats have figured out she's on her last life, but waves the thought away and reassures herself they haven't. She then notes it has been a few days since Sun Shadow's vigil, and she'd been spending time alone in her den. Her thoughts drift back to the cat with amber eyes, deciding her Clanmates probably wouldn't have watched her die and if they did, it wouldn't be how a Clan worked. Suddenly, Juniper Branch and Mouse Ear pad up to ear, each being injured in some form.


 * Horrified, Shadowstar demands what happened, and they explain they fought because they couldn't listen to each other. Just as they begin to bicker again, the ShadowClan leader silences the two, chastising them for failing to serve and catch prey for their Clan. Instead of coming to terms with their behavior, Juniper Branch and Mouse Ear begin to violently fight each other, but Raven Pelt and Mud Paws quickly separate them. A furious Shadowstar tells her Clanmates to stop arguing with each other, and orders Juniper Branch and Mouse Ear to clean the nests. She, Dusk Nose, and Bubbling Stream go out to hunt, and venture near the Thunderpath to catch mice. Shadowstar orders the she-cats to get into position, but as Dusk Nose chases the prey out, the leader is too slow and misses the chance to catch them. She lies and says it's just the effects of fatigue on her, secretly knowing she must get over what's affecting her.


 * Shadowstar spots a squirrel and quickly dashes after it, but pain hits her leg. She finds herself in a hole, realizing her recklessness has twisted her leg. As Dusk Nose and Bubbling Stream rush up to her, she worries if her nerve is permanently gone.