Dark Shadows by Chocolatemeerkat (best books for 20 year olds txt) 📖

ears up after hearing a kit squealing. He dashed towards the noise and saw Oceanstar and Windkit. Emeraldtail was behind a flaming log, ready to pounce onto the leader. Lizardeye looked her as she jumped onto Oceanstar, hissing and snarling. Oceanstar wasn't prepared for the attack, but she grabbed Emeraldtail by the scuff and threw her into a burning branch. Oceanstar turned back and realsied Windkit was terrified. She clawed his pelt, making the kit bleed rapidly. Emeraldtail pounced onto her and grabbed Windkit in her scuff. Unfortauntly, she wasn't watching where she was going and ran into a burning branch. It had trapped her and was already burning her fur. Windkit was wailing loudly. Lizardeye watched the leader walk off and then he went over to the branch. Emeraldtail was dying. Lizardeye dragged her out into the clearing and crouched down beside her. She was already dead. The blaze was growing bigger, so Lizardeye had to run out, leaving Bearpelt because he hadn't seen her. Lizardeye then got to safety and was greeted by Morninghawk. She licked his cheek and smiled. Falconsong padded up to Lizardeye. "Where are Emeraldtail, Bearpelt and Windkit?" She asked.
"Emeraldtail is dead." Lizardeye said sadly. "She died saving Windkit from a blow by Oceanstar. Windkit got stuck and I couldn't save him. Bearpelt... didn't make it. I couldn't find her anywhere." Falconsong sighed and sat down, looking at the ground. Suddenly, a brown cat rushed out of the blazing fire with a small thing in it's jaws. Lizardeye smiled, it was Bearpelt. She then rushed over and dropped a small furry thing. "Windkit.. Oceanstar grabbed him from Emeraldtail's jaws... killed him." She panted. Moonsky held back her head and yowled in sorrow. Blazestrike rested his head on Moonsky's shoulder. He then remembered the prophecy. "When the Fire and Echo runs through the forest, Blood will spill. The Song, Dove and the Jay will destroy the cunning Sparrow and the Wind will die in the Ocean." He mumbled to himself. "Windkit must be the wind, Oceanstar must be the ocean. Oceanstar killed Windkit, like the prophecy said." He licked Moonsky's ear while she griefed for her dead son. She stop yowling and looked at Blazestrike. "Thanks." She mummered.
"For what?" Blazestrike whispered.
"Comfort. You are a true friend." Moonsky whispered back.
"I guess so." Blazestrike shrugged. Moonsky giggled and rubbed her nose against Blazestrike's cheek. Darkmystery padded over with a sour look on his face. Blazestrike gulped. He loved Moonsky and he was furious when she chose Blazestrike for a mate. "I'm sorry for your loss." He mumbled. "It's always bad when queens loose kits."
"What would you know about losing kits?" Blazestrike challanged. Darkmystery didn't reply and turned to Moonsky. "I need to speak to you in private." He meowed.
"No, unless I'm coming too." Blazestrike growled. "I know your tricks."
"It will be ok, Blazestrike." Moonsky mummered, following the tom into the bushes. Fernwhisker walked up to Blazestrike. "I'm so, so sorry for Windkit's death. No cat should have to go through this." She said gently. Blazestrike smiled at her and Fernwhisker padded off towards Duststorm. Blazestrike looked up at Snowstar. "What will we do now?"
"I honestly don't know." Snowstar sighed. "But if we listen to StarClan, there will be hope, I can assure you." Badgerstripe then rushed up with Snowstar's kits. Blazestrike walked off and sat down beside Wildheart, Duckfoot and Barkclaw. "I'm worried." He said sadly.
"About what?" Duckfoot asked. "You're one of the most fierce cats in the whole clan!"
"Moonsky. Darkmystery's been acting... strange recently." Blazestrike sighed, drawing a paw over his ear.
"You're younger but stronger than Darkmystery." Wildheart said gently. "And you have something that Darkmystery doesn't have many of: Friends."
"Wildheart's right, you have more friends." Barkclaw agreed.
"I suppose you're right." Blazestrike meowed, shrugging.
"No, I am right." Wildheart purred in amusement. "I'm always right."
"I do recall when you said that Rainflower stole your mouse. It was your brother, not her. So there." Duckfoot giggled.
"Just because you are a senior warrior! Think you have better brains, tut tut." Barkclaw joked.
"Yes, naughty Duckfoot. Stop being a show-off." Blazestrike sniggered. Wildheart laughed and licked Blazestrike's shoulder. "You always know how to cheer me up!" Blazestrike smiled at the young warrior and then glanced at the bushes. Moonsky hadn't returned yet, why was she taking so long? Wildheart nudged him. "Don't worry, Moonsky hates him." She mewed. Blazestrike nodded and laid down.
"Alright, it's too late to travel. So we'll sleep here tonight." Snowstar annocned. Many of the cats got together in groups, because it was quite cold. Blazestrike waited for Moonsky to return. Cloudpaw padded up to Blazestrike. "When will we resume training?"
"Soon." He replied, licking his paw. Moonsky then returned with Darkmystery beside her. He walked off towards Swiftlegs and Owlpaw. Moonsky obviously went over to her mate.
"What did he say?" Blazestrike asked, sitting up.
"He said that I deserved a better mate who would actually attempt to save his own kits. He blamed you for Windkit's death, and he would have thought that you would have risked your life to save him." Moonsky said in a low whisper.
"And allow him control over you? No way! And what does Windkit matter to him? He's our son!" Blazestrike grumbled. "I hate him."
"He won't give up, you know that." Moonsky mummered, laying down beside him. "Now you get some rest and don't worry about him." Blazestrike laid down beside her and fell asleep. Darkmystery's betrayal

The next day, Blazestrike woke up and realised Moonsky wasn't beside him. He glanced around. He couldn't see her glowing white pelt or her crystal-blue eyes. "Moonsky!" He yowled. "Where are you?" He then looked at Darkmystery. Blazestrike could see a she-cat beside him. It was Moonsky. What did Darkmystery want with Moonsky? Blazestrike crept behind a bush and watched them. Moonsky woke up and thought Darkmystery was Blazestrike, she couldn't tell because she had only just woken up. She licked Darkmystery's ear and he woke up. Blazestrike growled and jumped from his hiding spot and onto Darkmystery with his claws at his neck. "You get your own mate, mouse-brain!" He hissed.
"Oh, look, it's little Blazestrike. He's gonna kill me, oh noo." Darkmystery said sarcasticly. He then kicked Blazestrike off him and stood up. "I'm older than you, so back off from her." Blazestrike sat up, his whole body in pain after hitting the ground. He then remembered what Wildheart had reminded him last night. "You're younger but stronger than Darkmystery. And you have something that Darkmystery doesn't have many of: Friends." He mumbled to himself. He then coughed a bit.
"Wimpering kit. You think you're special because you are son of the leader." Darkmystery growled, slashing Blazestrike's muzzle. "You're nothing but dirt! Hear me? Dirt!"
"I'm stronger than you." Blazestrike said weakly. "I've beaten you before."
"Once. But you took everything away from me. Friends, Moonsky, my whole life has been destroyed. But now I will stand against you, until you surrender!" Darkmystery yowled, scatching Blazestrike's leg. He then went for his face until Moonsky stood in front of him. "Calm down, for StarClan's sake! You lost me, end of story. Now get lost." She hissed.
"No, I've only just started." Darkmystery growled, twinning tails with her. He turned to Blazestrike. "I'm off now, bye." He laughed, knocking Moonsky out and dragging her away. Blazestrike couldn't move a muscle. He then heard cats padding toward him. It was Wildheart, Shadowstep, Fernwhisker and his kits.
"We saw it all," Wildheart started. "And myself and Shadowstep want to help you."
"We can't... Darkmystery could be anywhere by now." Blazestrike groaned weakly.
"There is always hope." Ivyfur said, walking over. "I know where he is going."
"Where?" Shadowstep asked.
"He will go to the river, there is a abandoned cave nearby that only he knows about, but I followed him once and discovered it myself. Just so you know, he plans to get help from rouges. He knows some of them, they have some plan I don't know about." Ivyfur meowed. "I can lead you there."
"Well, thanks." Blazestrike said, getting up. "I'm fit for travelling."
"Let's head off then. No one else is awake. If they do, Puffinpaw's going to cover for me." Ivyfur explained, walking off towards the river. The 3 warriors followed while Fernwhisker looked after her brother's kits. Ivyfur was trembling all over as they approached the cave. "You must keep quiet and follow me." She whispered, padding behind a log beside the cave. Blazestrike followed her along with Wildheart and Shadowstep. They looked into the cave. Darkmystery was talking to some very big cats while 2 cats were guarding Moonsky's body.
"They are rouges. Do not let them smell your fear." Ivyfur mummmered. "I can smell Darkmystery's fear, he is very scared."
"Right, so we all know the plan. We now come to the final part, making a clan and driving out LeafClan, SnowClan and SkyClan. We will join up with the remaining 2 clans and rule the forest!" Darkmystery annocened. The rouges yowled in approval.
"But why are we driving out 3 clans and leaving 2?" One rouge asked.
"That's simple Viper." Darkmystery said with a smile. "The 3 clans are good friends, and will try to help eachother at all costs. Pathetic, yes? BloodClan and RainClan on the other hand have tried to destory their friendship and the clans too. They are strong, smart and cunning, they know where to strike. You rouges are some of the strongest around, so joining up with them will make us stronger, but one day we will double-cross them and make the strongest warriors and apprentices join us. The others will be killed for prey, apart from the leaders. They can stay, for now."
"Oh, right, very smart." Viper meowed.
"What are we going to do?" Wildheart whispered.
"Hush." Shadowstep whispered sharply. "Listen."
"Darkmystery, the prisoner's still not woken up. Did you kill her?" Another rouge asked curiously, nudging Moonsky's paw.
"Of course not, mouse-brain, I knocked her out." Darkmystery sighed, padding over. "She'll be my mate, no one elses." Blazestrike looked at Ivyfur. "Please can we attack them?" He asked.
"When I say so... now!" Ivyfur whispered. The 4 cats sprang into action with their claws out. Darkmystery gave a angry snarl. "How did you find me?"
"I knew you came here, and after you took Moonsky I knew you would head here. So I led no one, only the deputy, a determained youngster and Moonsky's proper mate!" Ivyfur hissed.
"I thought you said SnowClan cats, apart from you, have no brains and are frightened of the smallest attacks." Viper mewed coolly.
"How dare you critise your own clan, you ungreatful betrayer!" Wildheart growled. Darkmystery did nothing but sharpen his claws on a rock inside the cave. "Adder, Claw and Fang, guard the prisoner. Viper, Death, Blood, Poison and Flame, fight the invaders. The rest of you stand back and be prepared." He commanded. Viper and Flame threw themselves at Shadowstep while Poison, Death and Blood attacked Wildheart, Blazestrike and Ivyfur. Blazestrike bit into Death's scuff and dragged him across the cave. He then heard Ivyfur having trouble