Eyes of Black

THis story is by SS, and is about the legend of the Dark Eyed
Copyright

Prologue

Whispering Darkness

A crisp cold wind blew through my grey fur, its long silky texture moving in the breeze. The clouds looked as if EverClan and NeverClan fought in the wide open sky, battling just above the cliff on which I sat.

 Today was my ceremony, the Changing- I would sit on an edge of a cliff by the ocean and watch, just as my father did. When the sun begins to set, I will return to my clan with my new eye color and rank.

 But first I had to wait, listen, watch. My father, Ocean Watcher, started this tradition when he first came to the cliff- the place my clan calls home.

 The storm rumbles on the horizon, it tosses and turns, like a wounded cat. It yowls its pain from the heavens, a mighty thundering boom from down here. The tension of the air put my fur on end; but no matter, soon the sun will set and my eyes will change. A prickle of anxiety ran through me, what if my eyes don't change color? What if they stay the same? Will they shun me?

 Just breathe.

 I watched the rolling waves crest the invisible hills and clash upon the shore. I watched the ospreys loop and dive into the sea, snatching silver fish, leaving feathers in the wind. I watched the ocean, just like my father.

 Finally, blinding red light pierced the stormy skies, flooding the darkness with fiery light. I slowly sat up, stretching, and curling my tail. I dared not look at my reflection in the rain puddles or smooth stone that littered the cliff. I kept my eyes tightly on the narrow, stone edge leading to camp.

 The cliff was hallowed once you faced the front of it. Its stone ceilings curve high in the air, carved by ocean spray and made home by my clan. The dangling stone points made excellent dens and meeting halls. The stalagmites on the cave floor were homes to the young and the flightless, guards stood watch over them from their raised stone platforms.

 All eyes and heads swerved to me as I came down the pass, their heads bobbing to see my new eye color. I walked proudly through the crowds, avoiding eye contact, seeking my father's-the leader- den. The crowds began to murmur worriedly and my pelt began to prickle.

 What was wrong?

I sat down in front of the Speaking Stone and waited for Ocean Watcher to come. The cats, my fellow clan-mates, were rigid and uncharacteristically quiet, their eyes darting about.

 The whoosh of wings and the ruffle of feathers announced my father had landed upon the Speaking Stone. I dared not look up. What if my eyes disappointed him?

 He spoke, "Whispering Darkness, you were sent to the post and have returned. Look up so that I may gaze into your eyes."

 I looked up. We locked gazes. Shock and disbelief warred in his ocean blue eyes.

His mouth opened and closed, as if in a loss of words. Worry ate away at my soul as I waited for him to announce their color.

 His voice wavered slightly as he called.

 "Whispering Darkness, your color..."

 He paused, confused.

 "Is black."

Chapter One

"Storm Watcher," I hissed from my nest in the sleeping den, "Get up, I need to talk to you."

Just a few hours before the sun had set and my eyes glazed over in a thick black color. Ocean Watcher had dismissed the crowd and disappeared into his den with our mother and council. I can imagine they are talking about my eyes, I could feel fire blaze in my chest in anger.

Storm Watcher opened his grey eyes and stood up, I knew he wasn't sleeping- he usually never does. He stepped carefully over Moon Blossom and Diving Osprey who were sleeping with each other's paws touching.

There was an undeniable glare in Storm Watcher's eyes as he passed them. With one last leap he poked his head out the den and onto the ledge. "What do you want?"

My muzzle curled, "Your Dad's pride and joy, tell me, does he plan to kick me out?" Storm's face was unreadable.

"I cannot speak for our father but I do not think he will exile his own daughter, do you?" He gave me that annoyingly logical look. "Come on, you need to get out. I know a place I usually go to because of my... problem."

Storm Watcher shared only one secret with his sister, and that was of his inability to sleep. He could not fall asleep until deep into the night and this often caused problems. He hid his exhaustion well, knowing a leader would not falter.

I gave him a curt nod and we leapt of the ledge, our wings opening against the breeze. We soared from the crescent shaped exit and out upon the ocean. A bitter wind numbed my nose and whistled in my ears as we flapped our way south, towards the LightningClan border.

The half moon glowed halfway through the sky covering everything in a partly hazy outline. "I didn't know you came out so much." I said over the crisp air.

Storm Watcher did not respond.

We soon landed upon a grassy cliff wet, cold grass clung to our legs as I followed him down the hill. A small hole opened up in front of us. A large tree grew along its edge shielding its view from the sky. *A perfect place to be when you don't want to be found.*

He bounded into the depths his wings locked to his sides. I leapt in after him, eyes adjusting quickly to the faint light.

A massive cave system surrounded us. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like bats- which were certainly here as well- and stalagmites were covered in bits of lime stone. Small pool littered the floor and ever drip of water that fell from the roof made a loud echo. *What is this place?*

Storm Watcher turned his head to me, eyes glittering in the darkness. "These are the Echo Caves."