Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 29: Deadly Eyes

Chapter 29: Deadly Eye

"Snake-pelt!"

"Flea-bitten rogue!"

"Heartless murderer!"

"My... that's a lovely compliment..."

Scorch held her breath as her hearing was pounded upon by a stream of insults that was broken only by hisses, growls, and grunts. Those voices... are familiar. She attempted to open her eyes but pain exploded and colors danced behind her closed eye-lids.

"Scorch!" she heard her name called and it came from a voice that made her heart jump and put everything in place. That's right, I was attacked by that cat and than she jumped in front of me and saved me. But how? Scorch could feel the cat who had called her quickly nuzzling her over and she stiffened when a gasp of horror was uttered.

"Quick, we need to take her to someplace safe," Scorch's muddled senses barely registered that she was picked up off the ground and swung through the air as the cat carrying her broke into a swift run.

"Wait..." Scorch panted. "What about-"

"Painted? She is fine, that cat is no match for her," Mira's proud purr near her ear carried her trust in her sister.

"Why?" the red and black patch kit gasped out.

"Its a long story... I'm sure you'll hear it later. Jump, we can stop now," Mira ordered the tom cat that was evidently carrying her.

"Scorch, can you open you eyes?" Mira's voice was close and worrying as Scorch felt herself laid down on her back on the cold snow.

"No... not yet. I'm too tired," Scorch's voice broke into a mumble as sleep threatened to overtake her. She could feel it looming; a thick, heavy, pain-killing escape that- as her pain increased when she resisted- seemed more appealing.

"Don't you dare go to sleep!" Mira's uncharacteristically sharp voice startled her enough to be taken away from the border of sleep, but it soon wore off and the restful land loomed even closer.

"I said, 'don't you dare!'" Scorch jumped and her eyes popped open as Mira cuffed her ears hard. It hadn't hurt much, but she could feel the sting of a fresh scratch in the open air.

Her vision was blurry but she could sense the desperate worry of Mira and Jump clearly. She realized they were pressing snow to the back of her head where she guessed she'd been hit. "How bad- huff- is't?" Scorch's words slurred and her eyes slid back down, but sleep was a long way off now.

"Its pretty bad and it won't stop bleeding," Jump's voice was tight but frankly honest.

"That's why I'm sleepy," Scorch mumbled in her throat. "Find cobwebs instead, and bind it tight," she forced her mind to work for a moment and was able to utter the words.

She heard a quick, uneven patter of retreating paws and Mira's scent faded slightly while Jump's anxiety grew. "Just stay awake for a few more minutes," he coaxed, voice smooth. Scorch wished he would use his usual harsh tone, it was making her more sleepy with that honey-smoothed voice in her ears. She was clawing away from sleep, but it loomed closer and closer until it was on top of her.

Crack!

The slight sound of the creak of snow shot through her like a bolt of lighting. That cat's scent drifted to her, the scent of blood was just penetrated by the cat's deadly scent. "Jump," she grunted, feeling the gravity of the situation fall more heavily than sleep.

"Stay awake," he coaxed in response.

"No..." Scorch forced her bleary eyes open even though she couldn't see anything anymore. She lifted a trembling paw that had no power and pushed Jump's paws away from where he'd been pressing snow to her wound. "Behind you."