Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 34: The Sun Sets

Chapter 34: The Sun Sets

Scorch laid on her side, her eyes watching nothing. I wish I could have some water... But there wasn't even any snow left in her little prison for her to lap at meagerly. It wasn't even a prison, really, since there was no guard. Had her legs not been wrapped in bramble tendrils, she imagined that she could have made an easy escape.

The sun was just rising on the first morning of her stay as Nightwing's prisoner. She wasn't sure what he had planned exactly, since she hadn't seen him after waking from sleep. And part of her wished she would have awoken dead. It would be worse to have to live through the nightmare she had dreamed that night.

The nightmare was scary enough, and the pain then wasn't even real... how horrible will it be in real life? She didn't know, and the silence she was subjected to gave rise to awful imaginations about her upcoming death. Would she be killed in front of others as some grand spectacle? Or would Nightwing do it secretly? Would it be quick, or drawn out? Would it be by claw or tooth, or perhaps poison?

The unending uncertainties kept growing more and more gruesome until Scorch felt that she must be hallowed eyed and shivering. The ache of her wounds kept her awake as pale light shone through the pine-tree rafters. Her ears pricked, something was odd...

The sun had cleared the horizon, or had just about- she couldn't tell very well with the tall gorse around her. But the camp that laid beyond her enclosure was incredibly silent although the pungent scent of NightClan cats was as strong as before.

Curiosity battled with apathy until she finally decided that she couldn't do anything even if she were curious so she laid down on her head again and waited. The air was cold and settled moodily upon her melancholy. Her mind wasn't working, for once in her life she wasn't thinking of anything. Or at least she wasn't conscious of thinking about anything.

I've heard of despair, I've even sensed it from other cats. But I never thought I would experience it. Despair was a cold thing, indeed, she felt weak and empty. Time had turned from seeming indefinite to painfully short and inexplicably fast.

She was teetering on the edge of consciousness again as she reached for the land of dreams. She would take even nightmares over the world right now, nightmares gave her feeling at least- this life had nothing for her right now.

Scorch closed her eye and breathed a sigh of relief as she drifted in the dark sky of unconsciousness. "Are you giving up?"

The voice tapped on the ice of her mind. No, I am just waiting.

"For what? Nothing will happen if you're always waiting. You have to make things happen yourself, if you don't, its as good as giving up, for 'later' turns to 'never' in a heartbeat!"

Scorch flickered her ears, this wasn't quite a dream. Maybe I have given up, then, there is nothing I can do right now. I'm trapped and beaten. It hurts and I'm tired, I couldn't do anything even if I wanted. I'll just have to wait for some other cat to help me first. Scorch sighed, it really did feel like she was giving up. But she couldn't see anyway out of this hopeless situation on her own, what was she supposed to do?

"That's no excuse! You promised no matter what you would not give up hope! You said you had no intention of giving up hope! Where has your courage gone? Does it flee the moment things become difficult? It doesn't matter if you're a kit or weak, if you just get up and fight, something will happen!

Scorch snorted, wishing to drive the voice from her mind. Something like getting myself killed?

"Possible," the voice admitted and now Scorch almost recognized it. "But you will die for sure if you don't do anything. Miracles won't happen if you don't look for them..." The voice was fading, an echoing whisper that slowly vibrated the sheet of ice over her head until a clear crack broke through.