A Spark in the Night, part one: The Spark Ignites

Chapter twenty-four

I think I should keep my distance. Just in case. Softcloud had assigned herself to a hunting patrol with Spekleheart, hoping to talk to her former mentor, and see if her theory was right. After a brief moment, she figured out what to say. "So, what were you talking with Leafclaw about earlier?" she asked, looking closely for any signs of discomfort.

The older warrior looked at her, looking slightly startled for a heartbeat. "Nothing important."

"Really? You looked serious about something."

"Well you clearly can't read expressions." Spelkeheart paused, before adding, "You couldn't if... If your life depended on it."

Softcloud looked at her former mentor. "So now you're hinting?"

Spekleheart halted, losing her dignity for a moment, before regaining her composure. "So you know, then, huh?"

"If I didn't know, now I would."

Speckleheart glared at her, dropping the friend act, and hissed, "It's your word against ours. We've been serving the Clan much longer than you."

"I'm deputy!"

"You're not very reliable about this subject, you've been making claims since you were an apprentice; I remember you coming to me and telling me everything. You were so trusting. It was hilarious. It was pathetic. You irk me, Softcloud. That's why I'm helping them. They have their own reasons that we're not sharing with the enemy. But mark my words, we will succeed and no cat will suspect a thing. They're all mouse-brains, especially you." Speckleheart spat out each word.

"What did I ever do to you?"

"I just told you."

"So everything, you telling me we were a great team, you comforting me- about Foxtail, and Shinepaw," her voice choked for a moment. "Everything was a lie?"

"Yes, it was. Get it through your head."

"I'm the deputy. Emberstar trusts me, I can tell him everything. He won't believe me about Leafclaw and Grasswhisker, but he might-"

Splecklehear cut her off. "It's clear he's been stressed lately, you couldn't bring yourself to add to his worries, I know you well."

Softcloud looked around. "There's a squirrel there. We're supposed to be hunting. I'll catch it."

"I can smell the fear on you. You're just trying to get away. But don't worry- I won't kill you. Leafclaw and Grasswhisker want to relish that themselves, and they're my friends, so I decided I'd let them. May I add that I'm telling them exactly how I trained you, and that soon enough, they'll be able to predict your every move?" Speckleheart purred, fauxing a gentle tone. "Oops- I've said too much, haven't I?" She meowed, but it was clear that she was confident in the plan she'd formed with Softcloud's enemies.

"I'll go catch that squirrel." Softcloud meowed, not knowing how to respond to what Speckleheart- the cat she'd trusted so much until just the day before- had just said to her.

Speckleheart growled something else, but Softcould didn't listen.

Softcloud dropped her squirrel on the fresh-kill pile and padded towards the warriors' den, where she found Raindew. "Do you know where Strikestone is?" Softcloud asked the gray tom.

Raindew thought for a moment. "I think he went to the nursery to check on the queens and kits."

He's so responsible. "Okay, thanks, Raindew."

Raindew nodded as Softcloud turned and headed towards the nursery. Strikestone wasn't there, but she picked up his scent. After exchanging a few words with Roseberry, who'd just moved into the nursery, she followed her mate's scent trail until it suddenly stopped. She searched for Strikestone, but he was nowhere in sight. Fighting back panic, she darted around, searching more frantically. She was about to yowl out for him, but stopped when she heard a familiar voice from in a tree. "Hey, Softcloud? I'm a little stuck. Can you help me?"