Legacy (Book 1)

Chapter 13: Shadows

Chapter 13: Shadows

"This is goldenrod, its pretty rare, but is great for healing wounds," Rainstone mewed, pulling out the rarest herb she had to allow Half sniff at it.

The black and white kit was now five moons, almost finished with her training. Today was the last day. "What happens when I'm done training?" Half asked as Rainstone put her scanty bit of herbs away. As the leader's mate, she used more herbs then before. Not that she'd complained, she enjoyed anything that could keep her paws busy.

"Nothing. Cliff, your mate, is already a fighter, so you just go on and use what I taught you in your life," Rainstone answered. Half wouldn't be going on the assessment around the mountains, pity.

"But I want to do something! Something important!" Half protested, her claws gouging the cold dirt floor.

Rainstone shrugged, flicking a bit of dirt off her paw. "Tough, I'd like to do a lot of things as well, but that's how it is," she growled.

Half flicked her tail mutinously. Rainstone knew she hated the rules almost as much as she did, but she wouldn't say so out loud, her black and white ears were crisscrossed with scars from when she'd voiced her doubts. She'd been clawed more then Rainstone, Cliff wasn't as forgiving as Night.

Speaking of which, his scent drifted to her along with the cold scent of snow. "You're dismissed, we won't be meeting again to train, you've learned all I have to teach," she mewed curtly.

"Will there be a ceremony?' Half asked.

"No," Rainstone answered curtly, turning away from her former trainee, disappointment tugging at her paws at the thought of not spending time with Half again. The annoying little cat gave her enough distraction to get through the cold, lonely days of the cold season, she'd never forget her little friend.

She touched Half's black ear gently, "I'll miss teaching you," she murmured, her heart pulsing in her chest.

Half's eyes glimmered in amusement, "Even if I am a snotty little owl?" Half teased, using the name Rainstone had so often called her.

Rainstone smirked, "Yep, even a snotty little owl can become a friend," she purred, flicking Half's cheek lightly with her tail.

She turned and padded out of the den, her ears twitching as she heard Half's last words echoing after her. "I'll miss your training as well, even if you're an irritable old jay."

Rainstone purred and padded toward Night, he was padding toward her, his paws clean of snow. As the cold season waned off, the top snow would melt then refreeze during the night, leaving the snow icy and slick.

"How was your day?" Night purred, touching her ear as she brushed her muzzle along his cheek.

"Good, I finished training Half today," she reported, pressing against him as they walked to his den, formerly Crag's den. It still held a trace of Night's father.

Inside the dirt and stone ground was covered with lichen that grew soft and feathery and a large round hollow in the back was full of fresh feathers and moss. It was a very comfortable nest. "So how was your day?" Rainstone asked as they settled in their nest, grooming each others fur.

"It was fine, I've got to go out again later though, Pepper told me that he thought he scented those rogues again, but he should be back before long," Night mewed. Rainstone's heartbeat sped up and her ears pricked. Could she possibly get a little sparring match in with Pepper later? They hadn't been out together for what seemed like moons, though it'd only been a few days.

She missed the days when they spent all their extra time together, but now Pepper had kits and was busy being instructed by Hawk on leadership problems. As her thoughts had wandered, Night had began speaking again.