Flashes in the Shadows

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FLASHES IN THE SHADOWS

By Shadedpaw

ALLEGIANCES

THE WANDERERS

LEADER: GRASS - dark brown tabby tom with white paws

CLOUD - silver tabby tom with blue eyes

ROWAN - ginger and white she-cat

ASPEN - black and white tom with amber eyes

MOLE - elderly grey tom

FEATHER - light brown tabby she-cat

WREN - dappled golden tabby she-cat

QUAIL - cream and white tom with blue eyes

BRACKEN - golden-brown tom with blue eyes

MINT - tortoiseshell and white she-cat

PIDGEON - pale grey tabby tom

DUST - black tom with white legs

TAWNY - brown and white she-cat

EAGLE - ginger tabby tom

SAGE - grey and white tabby she-cat

LIZARD - reddish-brown tom with leaf-green eyes

ICE - pale grey she-cat (Expecting Quail's kits)

FLOWER - pale cream and grey she-cat

SUN - yellow she-cat with blue eyes

FOX - dark ginger tom

BARK - brown tom with bushy fur

CROW - black tabby tom

HAZE - dark grey she-cat with a tail that fades to white

BEECH - sandy brown tabby tom with amber eyes

TANSY - golden tabby she-cat (Mother to Fox's kits: Spruce: dark brown tabby she-kit, and Wing: small blind white tom)

FLAME - dark ginger tom with green eyes

RAIN - white speckled black she-cat with dark blue eyes

PROLOGUE

 "Rats! Rats are attacking!" Shade heard a Wanderer shriek. She got up and out of her cold, dry nest. Her kits, Flame and Rain began to follow her.

 "Stay here. You don't know how to fight yet." Shade said. Many cats are going to be injured in this battle. I can't risk you two to be among them, She thought.

 Shade dashed into the battle. Immediately, a rat began to bite her tail-tip. Shade clawed its back, then flinched as the rat's teeth sank into the back of her leg. Then the creature sprang at her, landing on her back as it raised its claws, ready to strike. Shade threw the rat off her, then snapped at its throat. After a moment of struggling, the rat went still.

 Shade saw her mate, Bracken desperately attacking two rats who were biting him. Shade bared her teeth to the rat who was clawing Bracken's muzzle. It screeched as Shade's claws tore its fur. The other rat abandoned Bracken, and began to advance on Shade. Bracken lunged at the rats, just as they leaped on Shade. One rat was swept away by Bracken, but the other kicked Shade's flank, then it went for her throat. Shade quickly ducked aside, then raked the rat's side. A large pool of blood started to squirt out of the rat's wound. The rat fell to its side with a thump. A moment later, its breathing ceased.

 Shade spotted Braken at the edge of the battlefield, then she flashed him a look of gratitude. Then, a familiar ginger pelt caught her eye. It was Flame, squirming as he was pinned down by a rat three times his size. The big rat snarled at Flame, flexing its claws.

 Flame! No! Shade saw that Rain was on the rat's back, clawing and pulling at the rat's fur. Her tiny claws made no impact. The rat only gave an irritated twitch of its pelt.

 Shade ran, pushing away the rat who began to follow her. When she was only about a fox-length away, she crouched, then striked. The rat turned its head right before Shade's claws and teeth hooked onto its fur, leaving a long scorch on its back. The rat hissed as blood dripped from the gash Shade had left. Turning to Shade, it let go of Flame. Now was her only chance to save Flame.

 "Rain! Get Flame into the nest!" Shade said. The black and white kit's fur was bristling, while her brother's eyes, half-closed, were dull and disoriented. Suddenly, Shade felt a hard blow on her face. Blood poured over her eyes, and the rat snarled.

 Shade and the rat began to circle each other. The rat's fur was drenched in blood, so much that it looked more red than its usual dusty-brown colour. It was limping, and its belly was scarred badly. But Shade knew she wasn't in a better state. After what seemed like forever, Shade lashed out at the rat.

 The two were entangled in a storm of blood and torn fur. Time seemed to slow down. Shade's jaw began to close on the rat's throat, while the rat flung itself at Shade's belly. Spasms of pain ripped through Shade. The rat was furiously screeching and squirming on the ground. Then everything went black.

 When Shade opened her eyes, she saw Rain crouched beside her.

 "Shade? Shade! Please wake up! The rats are gone. We won! And I took Flame to his nest and-" Rain was cut off when her eyes met Shade's. Her dark blue eyes widened. "No..."

 For a moment, Shade's heart filled with joy. She and her family all survived the raid, and none of her kits were hurt. Why isn't Rain happy?

 Then it came to her. she looked down at her paws. Shade was standing on her own body. I'm dead. And she can see me. 

 All of a sudden, Shade's vision blurred, and she heard many cats speak together.

Sharp nettles will darken the drizzling sky,

Fire will weaken, turning into a single ember,

And the New Star will stop the storm of Stones, Droplets, Ripples, and Blaze.