Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 22: First Begun, Half Done

Chapter 22: First Begun, Half Done

"That was an... interesting night," Boulderpaw commented as they neared the ThunderClan border and the midnight adventure hallowed to a close. Scorch gave a sidelong glance at Boulderpaw, they'd been silent most of the walk back, lost in their own thoughts and Scorch's thoughts had gradually turned to thoughts of sleep.

"I suppose it was," she agreed, thinking back to Sunstar and Boulderpaw's initial meeting. "You didn't seem to like him much," she commented, but it was almost an accusing tone since he had made the debate so much more difficult with his superficial dislike.

"Something about him just got on my bad side right away," Boulderpaw hissed through gritted teeth, quickening his pace and moving from her side to in front of her.

Scorch tried to ponder what had immediately gone screwy between the two, but her head was muddled with exhaustion and it was crowded with pictures of fluffy white clouds gilded with pink as the sunrise hurried the night out on a breath of sunlight.

"Why did you come all this way?" Boulderpaw's voice snapped out of her sky-gazing.

"Hmm?" she questioned dumbly, looking at him blankly, too tired to even pretend that she cared.

"Why did you travel with me all the way to the border? We passed your den a while back, right? I could have gone back the rest of the way on my own if you were really so exhausted," Boulderpaw mewed hurriedly, avoiding her gaze.

Scorch couldn't unravel his emotions that she was sensing so she just yawned and responded to the question. "We're friends, right? Friends see each other home, to make sure they get there safe."

"Why? I can find my way by myself, and its not like you'd be much help in a fight," Boulderpaw pointed out.

"That's not the point though," Scorch sighed. I'm really too tired for this right now..."Friends like to stay together as long as they can, because as long as friends are around, we can keep going for as long as we need too. But as soon as we're alone, we feel exposed and lost, we doubt and we fear, so a little longer walk is worth the added peace," Scorch mewed, eyes sliding closed as she continued walking forward.

"Not that you can worry when you're asleep," Boulderpaw pointed out as she tripped over her own paws.

Scorch yawned again, "I'll take a little nap at the border before I go back," she mumbled.

"If you're sure..." Boulderpaw led her to the border. "Make sure you get back home quick, the longer you stay near her, the more danger you're in," he reminded her as she found a little hollow with overgrown ivy covering half of it in a protective red shield just before the border.

She laid down and mumbled a good night to Boulderpaw before falling asleep. Boulderpaw passed over the border and glanced back at his little friend. The red and black mottled kit was barely visible under neath the red ivy, and she blended in quite well; no one would notice her, she'd be fine.

But he hesitated. He was tired, but not as tired as she was since he had made sure to take a long nap before dusk, he was sure the silly kit hadn't thought that far ahead. He turned back to where Scorch was already soundly asleep. Grabbing her gently by the scruff, he carried her deeper into the woods, following vaguely the direction he knew her den was in.

I may be your friend, but you were my friend first. He'd never tell or admit it to any cat, but he'd turned so sour toward his Clan-mates that they had avoided him and he had resorted to wandering the borders, searching for a fight to direct his emotions to or to end him.

That was what he'd been doing when Scorch had burst out of nowhere and saved the life he didn't want. But she had changed him, her stubborn optimism and ideal plan-forming mind that was both clever and left too much to fate. She was his friend because she had saved him even if he lost his life in her plans. I want this life now, and I want to change things now. I know my destiny now, and I will fulfill it completely with Scorch's help.