Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 9: Hornet's Nest

Chapter 9: Hornet's Nest

"How's Mira doing?" Jump asked anxiously, for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. Scorch bit her lip, frowning in uncertainty. After she'd bound Mira's leg up the best she thought and Painted and Jump had made a den around them, she had started questioning her work.

Mira had fallen into unconsciousness and a fever had taken over the soft gray tabby. "I don't know," Scorch murmured in answer to Jump.

"Don't you know how to cure her?!" Jump burst out.

Scorch felt like crying. It was her fault Mira was hurt, and now she didn't even know if she was able to help her! Not to mention it was my idea to bring the kit back. They were already doing me a favor taking me back to my parents, but now I've gotten them into one heck of a mess.

"I'm sorry," she murmured sorrowfully, pushing the wet moss-ball she'd gotten for Mira closer to the she-cat's muzzle.

"Enough, Jump. Scorch is doing all she can," Painted mewed.

"It's her fault that Mira got hurt in the first place," Jump dared mutter under his breath and Scorch felt even worse.

Painted didn't seem to notice, or perhaps she agreed and just ignored the comment. "Now, I'm going to hunt, you two stay here and stay safe. We're still close to Clan territory, and they know where we are if they want to attack us again. But we can't move Mira right now, so just stay quiet," Painted ordered in a reserved tone.

Scorch had picked up on Painted's prickling and nervous behavior since the fight with the Clan cats. And she couldn't get out of her mind the image of Raven and Painted, mirror reflections. Something had just rubbed Painted the wrong way in that confrontation.

Scorch watched the spotted cat turn away and walk off. "Hey, Jump?" she asked, not turning her head to look at him.

"What?" Jump snapped, fear sparked under his pelt, pressing at his thoughts. Scorch could sense it.

"Did you notice that black she-cat? How she looked like Painted?" Scorch asked.

Jump was silent for a moment. "So, you noticed, huh?" the white tom muttered.

"What is her relation to Painted and Mira?" Scorch got right to the point, still staring at where Painted had disappeared, staring more into space than at any particular spot.

Jump hesitated on a breath before sighing. "You know, that's not a mess you want to get into. And it's definitely not for me to tell you," Jump mewed in a low tone.

Scorch nodded, sighing but understanding. She'd felt the deep undercurrent of emotion that had ran through the three she-cats. It wasn't anything she could help unless her help was wanted. She knew that much.

But now she looked at Mira, frowning and thinking back to an idea she'd gotten a while ago. "Jump... you remember Moonkit?" she asked.

Jump jerked his gaze to her quickly, wary and suspicious. "What about her?" he growled in a tone that told her he was already regretting asking.

"She mentioned that medicine-cats know about healing, and she made it sound as if they're nice," Scorch mewed slowly.

"Your point?" Jump snapped, his eyes already showing his dislike for her idea.

"If I go find Moonkit, she can probably let me to talk to the medicine-cat, and she can tell me what more I can do for Mira," Scorch explained.

"Why would Moonkit help you?" Jump asked. "No, how would you even find her?" he continued.

Scorch frowned at him. "I'm sure I could find her, and she owes us a favor after we helped her home," she mewed logically.

"It's a lot harder to find a cat in that forest then you might think. You're more likely to find the wrong cat," Jump growled.