Legacy (Book 1)

Chapter 22: New World

Chapter 22: New World

"I need to go to the Moonpool tonight! I must share with my ancestors!" the voice, deep but clear, signaled a young tom to Rainstone. She lay perfectly still, she was shaking with confusion, but if there were toms around here, she'd stay still until she found their intentions.

She felt a lump in her throat as she recalled what had happened before she'd blacked out. Her kits had died and the flood had whirled her away until she gave in completely. She didn't even understand how she was alive; she'd half-expected to see Song ready to take her away like she'd done with Dusty.

She knew what had awoken her, ancestors. The word that she'd presumed only she understood, was being used with such confidence and regularity that she felt her own understanding must be shaky and thin. She listened back to the conversation.

"It isn't safe, the rivers are still in flood and you can't get around them without swimming. I will not lose any cat to them. If StarClan wishes to speak with you, they can do so here," the tone of an older tom rang with authority and finality.

The other tom scuffed his paws, sending a bit of cold mud splashing against her back leg and she shivered. "And you have that cat to take care of, if she doesn't come through soon, we need to figure out what to do with her," the older tom added, and Rainstone almost felt two pairs of eyes trained on her and she wanted to wiggle uncomfortably.

She heard a sigh of resignation from the younger cat. "Fine, Sustar, I'll stay back this moon," the young tom's voice was full of wistful longing.

She heard the swish of a tail through the air. "Thank you, Flickertail, I'm sure StarClan will understand," Sunstar mewed, his voice growing more distant and she heard the sound of retreating paw-steps, they sounded muffled through. She heard the other tom, Flickertail, sigh and turn away, following the Sunstar.

Left alone to herself, Rainstone dared opened her eyes. The images and colors were hazy at first, but gradually fell into place. She lay in a soft moss and feather nest stretched out on her side, her dead paw folded awkwardly in front of her muzzle.

The den was muddy and a swollen stream edged along the side of the wall, running past near her tail. Stacks of herbs lay on thick waxy leaves to protect them from the mud. She recognized some, but not all. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, she had never seen such a big stock; obviously she was with a group of cats, not just a few rogues.

Maybe those cats Flake and Hopper mentioned? The river that had carried her away would have been heading in the direction Hopper had said they lived. Fear and curiosity filled her, Flake had told her to be weary of these cats, and Hopper had told her they were alright as long as you didn't bother them.

Rainstone tried to push herself up in a sitting position, but her heart was as heavy as her paws and she fell back down, panting. She couldn't help but picture her two tiny tom kits, covered by earth and rocks and brambles and flowers.

It stuck icy thorns in her heart and she could have cried in pain. She shut her eyes tight and suddenly felt a surge of anger toward these cats. They should have let her die! She didn't want to live, and she would have died if they had left her alone. She felt empty and alone.

She could feel the poultice on the back of her head, it would have become infected and she'd have died from that if she had not drowned first. Why couldn't they have just let her die, let her shed off the pain and sorrow of this life. Maybe walk with Song back to the mountains and watch her family from above...in the stars.

She felt as if she'd been denied a life instead of saved. She rolled over so that her face was turned toward the mud wall of the cave. She studied the den without thinking of it. It was completely a mud and dirt den, hollowed out by the stream no doubt. The ground sloped up a little and was sandy at the entrance where sunlight shone in.