Legacy (Book 1)

Epilogue

Epilogue

Rainstone walked forward, her steps heavy and her movements slow. She was grateful that the sky was overcast, the hot sun hidden behind the protective clouds and a heavy breeze constantly flowing over her.

"Do you need to stop and rest?" Needlepine asked from her side, eyeing her anxiously.

She shook her head, too out of breath to respond in words. They'd left the Clans over half a moon ago, and the fact that she was carrying kits was more obvious than ever with the time for kitting drawing closer. That's why she couldn't stop.

She needed to find their home soon, very soon. But she wasn't worried, she could feel it, she was close, so close. She just knew that once she'd find this place, the place that would be her home with her mate and kits; she'd never feel the need to leave ever again. And she was happy with that.

She glanced at Needlepine, his green eyes scanning the surrounding bare landscape for enemies. At first, when he'd woken up after she'd carried him away from the lake, he had wanted to go back. But after watching her go on without him, had followed her, confessing that he had already decided that he would go with her if she really did leave.

They didn't know what had happened to the Clans, though Rainstone hoped they had won. But somehow... she felt things weren't so good back there, but she couldn't muster the strength to go back and help. The Clans had survived for countless seasons before she arrived, they'd survived tough spots before, and they'd survive this as well.

"Are you thinking about your Clan?" Rainstone asked breathlessly.

Needlepine looked at her gently, brushing against her side, inviting her to lean on him which she did gratefully. "Yes... I may have left ShadowClan, but I'll never forget them and everything I had there," Needlepine mewed with slight wistfulness.

Rainstone nodded, understanding, she had left a part of her heart back in the mountains and another sliver by the lake, she'd never leave it behind for good. "I know, but we will make our own home and raise our kits safe and soundly," Rainstone sighed, just picturing their kits with them.

"Okay, I need a break," Rainstone finally admitted, sitting down on the short yellow-green grass that was parted by sand.

"Are you hungry?" Needlepine asked, looking at her belly lovingly.

"Do you really need to ask?" Rainstone groaned, she was always hungry though it hadn't been like this the first time she had kits. Of course they were dead, so hopefully this is a good sign? She lay down on her side, squinting up at the gray colored sky while Needlepine went to hunt.

She twitched her nose as a raindrop fell, quickly followed by another and another. She twitched her ears as a rumble of thunder reached her ears and she sat up, shifting her rounded belly with the movement. She hunched her shoulders and looked around as the rain fell more heavily.

The surrounding area was completely bare, only the ground and the gray sky. Although a dark smudge in the far distance hinted at a forest. She shook her head, sniffing the air for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

The air smelled different here than usual, a rich, heavy salty tang wetted her muzzle and kept her constantly licking her muzzle to ascertain the mineral that she was craving lately. The rain fell more heavily in a pounding haze and she looked around nervously for Needlepine.

She got to her aching paws and walked forward, as she continued, an odd roaring filled her senses and it reminded her of a constant rumbling of thunder. Rainstone paused; the ground had become completely sandy and was massaging her tired paws as she walked in it.

I can feel it thrumming in my chest... I'm so close to where we'll stay, but where? The open area offered no protection from weather or enemies. Rainstone kept following the roaring sound in the driving rain that stung her eyes and lashed at her fur.

She halted abruptly as she ground fell away at her paws. She was standing on the edge of a sandy cliff, about as high up as the topmost rim of ThunderClan's hollow. It was almost a straight down drop, except for a thin, weaving trail that she could follow down.

But now she lifted her gaze, not looking down, but across. It stole her breath away, an expanse of dark blue-gray water stretched as far as she could see. The storm was driving the waves up dangerously high and the wind driving the rain down in sheets over the water.

It's amazing! She could hardly think the words as she stared open-mouthed; the water, the sand, the cliff. It was perfect for her, now all was left was to find Needlepine and a place for shelter.

But this is it, I'd never get tired of this, I can stay here for forever and a day.