Omen of the Sun Book Three: Dusk

Chapter Forty-Four

Goldleaf

Goldleaf watched as Cheetahstar lead the border patrol out of the camp and felt a sinking feeling in his stomach that was quickly replaced by steel.

CloudClan would most likely join with BreezeClan, since Russetstar owed CloudClan for CloudClan giving them herbs to save their Clan from greencough moons and moons ago. He didn't know about HollyClan, however; there was still some bad blood between the two Clans because of the attacks a couple moons ago, and Goldleaf was sure that even if Applestar asked Leafstar for help - which she wouldn't - he would deny her help. Which was good.

So they were outnumbered. That was okay. This? This was the rebellion. Even if the entire group Sunpool had managed to scrape together alongside FlowerClan died tonight, this was going to show Applestar that she couldn't just order cats around and expect them to take it lying down. Moons and moons of him being chased after by Applestar, forced to lie, to avoid Sunpool, to be ultimately thrown around like a ragdoll- this was his response to that. I will avenge my daughter, he vowed silently.

He, Fern, and Enamel headed over to the medicine den, where Bone was sorting herbs. Minnowflight and Sunpool were directing cats and telling cats with pelts that blended into shadows to climb the trees surrounding the camp and wait up there.

Then Sunpool walked over to him and said, "Come here."

Wondering what she could want to tell him, he followed her over into a far part of the camp.

Sunpool met his eyes when they were far enough apart. Her green eyes were so bright in the dusk light, the most brilliant color in the forest. They fixed themselves firmly on his, and he brought himself back to Earth. "What's up?" He asked, hoping he sounded nonchalant.

"This could be the last night of our lives," Sunpool told him. Bluntly. Without a trace of fear. "Of course, you already know what it's like to die, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I do," Goldleaf replied, thinking back to that night when he had died. "Badger deaths are painful. But it only hurts for a second. Then it's oblivion for a bit, then you wake up." He shifted his weight. "It was weird, I'll tell you that."

"Yeah," Sunpool said thoughtfully. "I guess it must have been." She seemed to unfocus, then pulled herself back to the world. "Sorry. I space out a lot more nowadays. Just a little habit. Thinking." She trained her eyes on him. "I wanted to tell you something."

"Then tell me," Goldleaf said, feeling apprehension brew in the pit of his stomach. What could she possibly need to say? Or maybe the question was what didn't she need to say. She had accepted that there was a big possibility that she was going to die tonight. She could say anything.

"I love you," she said simply, "and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I put you through. I know it's partially my fault that Applestar was so horrible to you, and it was vastly my fault that you died, and technically, it was kind of my fault that Emberpaw died." She blinked slowly, licked her lips slowly. Everything was thoughtful, slow, somber. Not the Sunpool he knew. "I figured that if I didn't survive, you should probably know. And I know, everyone hates those endings where you just tell someone something because you think you're going to die. But if I have a life after death, then I'd hate for you to not know. And I'd hate to not tell you in the flesh."

Goldleaf blinked. He took a breath in, trying to slow his heart. "Sunpool-"

"If you don't want to say anything, that's alright," Sunpool said, cutting him off. "I know I already apologized... I know everything's kind of a mess at the moment. I'm sorry. You don't need to say anything."

"But I want to say something," he said, his voice faltering a little. He cleared his throat, and plowed onward. With no plan, no idea what he was going to say. Relying on his brain to say whatever came to mind. "Yeah, there's been bad points, but there's always going to be bad points in love. There's always going to be ups and downs, and if I wasn't able to take that, I would have removed myself from you ages ago. You know I would have gotten out. If I wanted to." He swallowed, not sure if what he wanted to say was coming out right. "If I could have, which I don't think I would have been able to do anyway. Because I love you too, Sunpool. And there's no amount of problems that could change that."

Sunpool's eyes glistened in the shadows. "I..." she murmured. Then she touched her nose to his ear. "I need to go. That was pretty nice for improv, but I need to go. I'm supposed to be at the battlefront." She sent him a quick smile. "I'll be in and out. I have to go now, though." She brushed her muzzle against his, one last time, and stepped back. "I'll be back soon." Then she turned and padded out of the camp, as if she had all the time in the world.

Goldleaf watched her go, watching the cat that had caused him so many problems but had irreversibly led to his solutions.

So I know I said the battles would begin in this chapter but oh well I was in a fluffy mood and this happened

I feel like this is super cringe-worthy, oops

I PROMISE THERE'LL BE BATTLES

~✨🐱✨ Rainfeather ✨🐱✨