Legacy (Book 1)

Chapter 16: Beginning Again

Chapter 16: Beginning Again

When Rainstone woke the next morning, she saw she was staring into three pairs of eyes. Two green pairs and an amber pair. She laughed half nervously, half self-consciously. "Hello," she mewed, slightly confused, and blinked up at them.

They sat back and allowed her to roll herself onto her belly. She stiffened as she realized something was wrong. She shook her front right paw, she didn't feel anything and it lolled uselessly. "What's wrong with my paw?!" her voice shrill with fear as she stared at the wide, soft paw.

"I think its frozen, you won't be able to use it again," the voice, although edgy, was toned with sympathy. Rainstone looked up at the she-cat, she recognized her as she cat who had brought her to the den last night.

But that wasn't what made Rainstone gasp. It was the same she-cat she'd fought while traveling on the final assessment with Night! The she-cat's unruly dark brown fur had golden brown dapples, as if she was spotted with dust.

"My name is Dusty," the she-cat introduced, then swept her tail toward the two other cats, the two toms they'd fought. "And this is Pummel and Stretch," Dusty mewed, a little annoyance in her voice as the two toms shouldered each other for the better spot.

"Hello!" they chorused. Rainstone dipped her head awkwardly, wondering if they recognized her. Pummel was the gray and white tom with green eyes, Stretch was the skinny brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

The two toms were slightly smaller then Dusty, making her think they were younger, close to her age, the two were probably littermates. But Dusty had the same shade of green eyes as Pummel, she wondered if she was from an older litter.

"Hey! I know you, you crossed through our territory last summer," Pummel mewed, his green eyes gleaming.

"Summer?" Rainstone echoed.

"Warm season," Stretch inserted.

"Yeah, you were with that fighting black cat," Pummel chatted on. Rainstone shot a quick glance at Dusty. The she-cat definitely didn't look surprised. She already guessed.

"Yeah," Rainstone mewed slowly.

"Well, what are you doing back here?" Stretch asked, leaning his striped muzzle toward her.

"Er... passing through," Rainstone mewed.

"Why were you traveling so late at night? And in a blizzard?" Pummel asked, jumping up and putting his paws on Stretch's head, forcing his brother to the ground as he leaned in closer.

"Good cover," Rainstone mewed, shuffling back a pace as Stretch pulled backwards and Pummel rolled forward.

"So, Rainstone, why did you say you were missing or dead?' Dusty spoke up, eyeing her with curiosity and wariness.

"Because I'm supposed to be dead to some cats, and missing to others," Rainstone growled, not really wanting to fully explain why that was so. Lucky for her, Dusty didn't seem inclined to ask.

"I've heard rumors of the cats in the caves, bad things really," Dusty shot a glance at the two toms who had started bickering, as if she didn't want them to hear. "I hear they treat she-cats poorly," Dusty murmured in her ear.

Rainstone gave a curt nod, still not wanting to say anything. Dusty turned away from her, "Well," she mewed, addressing the two toms, "If you have enough energy to fight, then you have enough energy to hunt. And hurry back, Crystal is visiting us today," Dusty mewed to the two toms.

They nodded and headed out, pushing for who got out first though the small slit opening. Dusty watched them with an affectionate look in her eyes. Was she really their mother? "Your family, right?" Rainstone mewed, not wanting to make an assumption.