Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 18: Lucky

Chapter 18: Lucky

The sun was rising. The clear night had given way to a cloudy dawn and the air was moist with the scent of rain. The chill breeze that drove the clouds in had an edge even sharper then previously known to the kit. Scorch watched from the arched grove at the top of the path that led down to the Moonpool.

Faint gray light silvered the path down to the lake. But Scorch stayed still. Her thoughts swirled, her eyes stayed staring. What's my next move? She could see several paths for her to take, but all faded into shadows and mist before long.

One was for her to go back to the den, and by that she meant Painted's and the others den. One was her to go and seek out Flickertail or Skypool and collect more information about the Moonpool. A third option was to go find Boulderpaw and test the new information she'd accumulated. A final, tantalizing option was for her to just leave.

She could feel it, just above her reach. The fresh air of freedom. It was a fanciful idea, one she was aware that she knew she'd never take, but it tingled her senses nonetheless to tease the idea. To go roaming, she could survive on her own now if she was smart. No worries, no difficult cats to answer to, no lives to worry about, no mysteries to solve.

But then, my life would be quiet boring. She smirked to herself, it was the very truth and she had no reason to argue with it. She yawned and stretched. She felt as if she hadn't slept at all last night, but she was strong enough to get steadily to her paws and head down the path. She'd decided that she'd seek out Boulderpaw, it seemed like the most pleasant thing to do. Not that he was particularly kind last time we met. She rolled her eyes as she remembered his rather... unfriendly parting words.

Stop. She hesitated, looking around. She was still outside of sight of Clan territory, but she knew she was close. Boulderpaw had said he wouldn't help her; but she wasn't taking his words as anything but tough talk. She'd done the same with Moonpaw,and she knew how well that had ended out. Will he attack me too?

She wondered if she could stand to be attacked by another cat she thought of as a friend. But I'm willing to risk it! I... I trust him more then I trusted Moonpaw. It felt embarrassing to admit even to herself. Thinking as if there was already a connection between them, an unbreakable bond. That's how she liked to think, but it was so unsupported that she doubted it could be true.

But there's something about Boulderpaw that I can't forget... Just something beneath the surface that I can sense. He's special, and I'd like to know why. She slowed as she neared the ThunderClan border. So how do I find Boulderpaw?

She didn't really come up with any clever ideas, so she supposed she'd just have to try to guess where he might be and start searching. Well, he was acting awfully suspicious sniffing around the ShadowClan border last time, I suppose its a start.

Scorch didn't really believe in, 'luck,' but she would consider herself lucky if compared to most other cats she'd met. But it didn't mean she thought this would be incredibly simple. Not long after crossing the border, a mouse darted in front of her and she had it caught before she could think.

She felt a little uncomfortable, Leafpaw had drilled it into her head that it was against the fundamental base of the warrior-code to steal prey. But I'm not a warrior! And I'm awfully hungry... Besides, if I left it, it may just go to waste!

She gave in, ignoring her pricking conscious and focused on how good this mouse felt in her empty belly. "Hey! Its a rogue!" She jumped, startled at the sudden flurry of angry voices. She turned in time to see three full-grown cats racing toward her with fangs flashing and claws outstretched.