CotS #1: The Dark Path (currently being rewritten)

Chapter Thirteen

I marched out of the nursery in a businesslike way. I saw Duskypelt motion to me, and to the fresh-kill pile, but it wasn't nearly time for the evening meal yet, and after Cloudysky just ... well, did that to me, I wasn't going to fall for yet another tom's trap. I was tougher than that. They couldn't shake me so easily, and I wasn't in need of love or comfort. Because I'd learnt. I couldn't trust anyone. I could make friends, definitely, but not best friends forever. Not someone I could confide my secrets in. I couldn't trust anyone with secrets, and I never could. Trust wasn't worth it. Trust was what brought pain, and what would eventually break me. I gave him the tiniest shake of my head, and watched him trudge away in disappointment.

I went to the one friend I had left. Emuwing. She was probably the only one I trusted now. I'd trusted Iceflame until 'Feathermist's descendants' came. Then she'd been cruel, following Stonestar, sure, but still cruel, and that had led to Iceleaf's death. So I couldn't trust her anymore. I couldn't trust Stonestar, either. What was up with them? Why couldn't I trust my leader and deputy? Was I really that paranoid, and couldn't trust anyone in the Clan? I probably was, although I wished I wasn't. I felt I needed to be able to trust my leader and deputy, but they weren't trustworthy. My eyes flickered in the direction of the nursery, but I turned away. It wasn't time to visit anyone, and I didn't want to see Wheatpelt. Besides, I'd just been in there a few moments ago.

Upon entering the medicine den, I noticed Frostkit and Sunkit were there. What? I'd barely left the nursery a few moments ago. Wait. Had Amberfire and the other queens left them there because of me? Because I was there, and they knew I cared about these cats? No, it couldn't be. They weren't savage that way.

But I'd seen the challenge in Amberfire's eyes, the demand.

I finally recognized those fiery green eyes of hers.

I'd seen them once before, just passing ... just passing Twolegplace. My mind meandered from what I was originally supposed to be doing. I was caught in a new mystery that I would never drop. What had they been again? Her eyes, and the ones I'd seen in Twolegplace?

They were identical. Now I remembered. The same fiery hot burn, though not amber, not quite glowing. But they had burned, really burned into mine.

Hazelshade. That was the only possible one, wasn't it? She was the only Clan cat who'd left young enough to be Amberfire's kit. So Woodfur and Amberfire – they'd had a daughter in her all along?

"Oh. Hey!" Emuwing called cheerily.

I snapped back into the present. I'd entered my friend's den, and I'd probably been gawking at her herb stocks or something for the last minute or so.

"Are you okay?" Emuwing asked, concerned. "You were ... staring at tansy."

Called it. "No, I'm fine," I insisted. "Er... how come Frostkit and Sunkit are here?" I feigned genuine curiosity even though for some reason, I couldn't care less. They weren't my responsibility. I'd had a friendship with their mother, but that was all.

"Oh, them," Emuwing meowed dismissively. "Amberfire said they were coughing, but them seem fine. I don't know how Dawnstream had Amberfire – she's so fierce, and Dawnstream was docile."

Was docile the right word? The last thing I'd seen Dawnstream do was slit her own throat. But I said none of that to Emuwing. I was pretty sure she didn't want to hear me criticize her mentor, and I wasn't about to lose what little friends I had left.

"No cough," I repeated. "They should be heading back to the nursery, then."

Emuwing shrugged. "I don't know. I got the feeling they weren't wanted. I mean, Amberfire practically dragged them here. Bit funny to drag sick kits, don't you think? Even though they don't seem sick. She didn't even look concerned."