To The Death-Book 1

Chapter 8: ZERA

Zera looked around, panicked. What's happening? Do I smell Shadow Kingdom? Why would Vitani do this?!  

"What's happening?" Ocean yelped.

"Shadow Kingdom is attacking!" Zera exclaimed. 

"We need to alert everyone!" Ocean yowled. 

The two she—cats ran around, alerting all the cats. While they were running around the village Zera stopped. Vitani. 

"Zera!" Ocean yelled.

"That's her. We can get her to get the others to stop."

"Then we'll get her, Vitani was it?" 

But Ocean ran off before Zera could answer. The two tried to pin Vitani against a rock. She clawed at Ocean but the two didn't let go.

"Look I can explain—"

"First you capture Zera now this!? You're horrible Vitani," Ocean snarled. 

"What—what did Zera say about me? You seem like friends. After you tell me I can explain," Vitani looked relieved. 

"She said you where a cruel, heartless Shadow Kingdom soldier who captured her and killed Fritz," the blue she—cat answered.

"What?" Vitani grew angry and turned to Zera, "Zera, I can't believe you." She turned back to Ocean, "so you're not friends?"

"What do you mean? We're great friends!" Ocean looked at her puzzled. 

"If you were really 'great friends' then she would've you you the truth. Not lie to you,"  Vitani responded. 

No! Not now! Zera tried to signal her to stop. 

"You're just messing with me and it won't work," Ocean retorted, "right?"

"Well..." Zera couldn't look at Ocean, in the heat of battle, and lie. "Vitani isn't lying."

"What? What secret are you hiding?!"

"Zera and I grew up together, killing Fritz was an incident. If I knew I would've let her go. Fritz raised us. I wouldn't betray someone who raised me. But apparently Zera changed her mind. As kits she invited me into her family, but I got captured and—" Vitani stopped and looked away.

"Zera, why didn't you tell me this?" Ocean demanded.

"It's just—"

"I have never lied to you, not once!" Ocean interrupted.

"Vitani probably lied too!" 

"I just said you were a friend, nobody really cared though. I never once talked about you in a bad way. But I guess I can now."

"Just go," Zera begged, "take your friends and go."

"Okay..."

Soon the battle was cleared up, and everyone was being sent to the healer, including Ocean. She started to walk out of camp, when Zera ran up to her.

"Hey! Are you hurt?" Zera inquired. 

Ocean didn't reply and acted like she wasn't there. 

"Come on. Please talk to me."

No reply came from Ocean. Ocean glanced at the other side of her face and saw a big scar across her eye. 

"Are you okay? Does it hurt?" 

But there was still no reply. They then arrived and Zera was forced to go home without Ocean. I didn't mean for this to happen. I have to see her again, talk to her. A figure walked into the den.

"Ocean! Thank god you're okay! Please, forgive me. I'm so sorry."

"I can't forgive you!" She finally snapped, "you lied about the most important thing on your life! I  can't ever forgive you!"

"Ocean please. I just thought—I thought you'd think I was evil, or something."

"But you couldn't have told me later? When you knew I wouldn't judge you?"

"You don't understand—"

"Yes, I do.  You know me Zera. But apparently I don't know you. And I can't live in a place where I feel like I'll be judged, or living with liars."

"What do you 'judged'?" 

"You've seen me around others! Always trying to show off!"

"So what are saying?" A tear rolled down Zera's cheek

"I'm leaving to join Rainshallow Village. Forever."

"No! Ocean please! Don't do this!" Zera sobbed. 

Then the one thing she always knew about herself came out of her mouth.

"I love you!"

Ocean stopped. 

"Three words won't stop you now." Ocean turned away and walked out of sight.

Zera sobbed, all alone. Now she had truly lost everything she loved.