Shadows & Spirits

Shadows & Spirits is primarily the first series of Shades of Light.

It is focused around the birth - death of the present day existence of the Embodiments of The Forest, who are known as Dar'Khan and Nor'Themar.

The books within it are:

"Lies and Secrets "(book 1)

"Hate of Knowledge"(book 2)

"Kings of Seasons"(book 3)

* SPOILER ALERT*

Plot
Dar'Khan was born without a father, who had been killed keeping him alive. He was named Dar'Khan by his mother, Seh'Lren(mother of seas), because when he was born, there was a tiny, black snowflake birth mark nearly all covered in his sleek scruff fur. His brother was named Lo'Drak because Seh'Lren knew of the prophecy about a cat of darkness and cold that the Healer had received from the Group of the Star-Speckled Sky. The Prophecy that foresaw doom and death. When Seh'Lren died, however, not telling anyone she knew about theprophecy, Dar'Khan's heart grew cold, and he became isolated.

Meanwhile, Nor'Themar was living a happy life, growing, and when he spotted the young cat making himself isolated, he started to become friends with him. Slowly, easing his way into Dar'Khan's trust, until they were the best friends. The pair now grew together, fought together, learned together, they were the best friends in the Group. As they did grow, they remained best friends. At least, Nor'Themar thought they were the best of friends. In Dar'Khan's skilled, tricky mind, grew thoughts of how he could use Nor'Themar, how his trust in the dark cat would be useable.

One night, when they were full grown, everything changed for Nor'Themar.

Dar'Khan had crept off earlier, at dusk, saying he was going to go hunting, even if he was one of the Soldiers, not Hunters. Nor'Themar, stuck on guard duty that night with a pair of others, didn't stop him.

And in the shadows, underneath the tunnels at one edge of camp, the Orb of Khle'Grun, that kept the Group of the Morning Sun , Nor'Themar and Dar'Khan's Group, together, giving them their powers to communicate with the Group of the Star-Speckled Sky.

And Dar'Khan wanted to destroy the Group. So when Dar'Khan returned, sneaking into the tunnels, down to the Orb, the only thing that gave the Group warning was the Healer, feeling the Orb's pulse of warning. The Healer yowled a shriek, the cats turned their heads.

Nor'Themar and a friend of his were the first to see Dar'Khan. "Why?" Nor'Themar asked in desperation, staring at Dar'Khan, who had grinned. Dar'Khan had given no answer, he had thrown himself against the perfectly round orb, and all of the Group's minds shattered with the crack that formed in the Orb, as the glow of it stopped, and the ache in the Group's minds grew worse, many fell, including the Healer, who felt it worst. Nor'Themar had looked up, seen Dar'Khan, rose to fight him. They fought for little time before Dar'Khan maimed the kind, currently weak cat, striking claws across his shoulder and left eye, half blinding him, leaving Nor'Themar even weaker, bleeding out onto the formerly sacred ground, bleeding, while the Orb seemed to bleed along with him and the others that got in Dar'Khan's way.

Dar'Khan returned later, many deaths by his paws, by this time, all the Group had scattered, the Orb was still shattered, and the land that the Orb had controlled was ruined, gray, dead, useless, and Dar'Khan took control, taking the cats of the Group he could find, forcing them to bow to his rule.

What stopped him was Nor'Themar, returning from where he'd been hiding. Nor'Themar and Dar'Khan fought, all other cats trying to intervene blown away by a blast of ice cold wind.

When the battle was through, Dar'Khan was furious, battered, as was Nor'Themar.

When Dar'Khan left, swore vengeance, swore it on whatever the Group may still have faith in. These were his words, "You think you've won, Nor'Themar. All of you think you've won. You are wrong. One victory is nothing. The Orb is shattered, battered, useless, and with it your faith. You say there is loyalty, friendship. If you were to grind the universe into a fine powder, sift it through a thin series of holes, you would not be able to show me one atom, one grain of loyalty." and he had paused, to look back over his shoulder and grin. "One molecule of hope." he added, before sprinting out, running into the forest.

Nor'Themar healed the Group, pulled them together, used the blood needed to heal the Orb, the blood of a leader.

Dar'Khan rises, comes for vengeance and Nor'Themar. The former friends are spirits of the forest, spirits of warmth and cold; darkness and light.

More than just former friends.

The Embodiments of The Forest.