Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 37: Still Breathing

Chapter 37: Still Breathing

Pounding heartbeat; flowing paws; streaming tail; no air. Boulderpaw passed minute upon minute in a race against the trail he followed. The trickle of blood on the snow he covered in flying scores had tapered off but the footprints carried on steadily in an unfolding pattern that made his skin itch under his boiling wounds.

The sunset blazed red in front of him, but his eyes glared beneath its fiery ribbons and focused solely upon what he was seeking out. Scorch... Scorch... Scorch... where are you? The scent on the snow was dead, the cold had gotten to it before him. Nothing but the carefully paced paw-prints remained for him to tail.

The repose of night descended on the forest as he entered into unfamiliar territory but he didn't let up. Exhaustion burned out in his muscles until they felt cold in their hurried lengthening and shortening strides. His breath hung in puffs behind him, too slow to freeze to him as the wind tore his breath out of his mouth.

"Find Scorch-"

Images flashed behind his eyes.

"Do this for her-"

Sonya's voice was nagging and sweet and it blistered his anger. She seemed to know everything, why not help Scorch herself? Why even let this happen? Why let Scorch die?

No! He savagely snapped at himself. If she were really dead, Sonya wouldn't instruct me to heal Scorch's wounds. She must just be close to death, Crowpelt and Nightwing were wrong. I need to hurry up! He pushed his numb paws harder, ignoring the cold that invaded even his burning energy.

He didn't see the tangle of roots in the moonlight shadows as he tripped and flew through the air. His paws missed the ground and he hit the snow so cold and hard that it tore at his fur with crystalline softness. He laid there panting for a moment, gathering his thoughts that had been shorn down to the bare numbness of emotion.

Looking up, he could see the stars smiling down on him. Smiling with that sardonic iciness they reserved just for him. Scowling back at them, he rolled around on his back- too tired to get to his paws. He saw that he was in a circular clearing where the pines mixed with oaks and maples. The familiar trees weren't very homely looking without laughing leaves to dress them up.

Ferns and briars were abundant over here and crowded around one oak tree in particular, reaching up to constrict and choke the tree trunk. He blinked once, and again. He could smell Scorch and he was sure he wasn't imagining it.

Looking around the starlit clearing, the shadows hunted close to him but couldn't get close enough to pounce as he investigated the scent on wobbling legs. A slight shifting sound drew his attention over to the briars.

Peering into the thick tangle of dark stems that loomed in the second-hand nightlight, he thought he could make out something. A paw? It took three more seconds to realize it was Scorch lying trapped on a cushion of broken briar stems that poked mercilessly into the limp body.

Shock filled him as he saw Scorch laying there so motionless. So soundless. He tried to reach into the briar bush but she was too far back and he anxiously looked and found a rabbit tunnel in the briar patch. It was a tight squeeze until it closed off from his entirely not far away from Scorch.

Hissing and backing away with half his pelt stolen by the greedy twigs, he glared at this bush as his fear and anxiety worked as an energy maker. And a reckless decision maker. "Hold on, Scorch. I'm coming." He called out in vain. He sensed she wouldn't answer, but he still talked to her.

"Ouch! How can you stand this? You have my respect to tolerate this in silence!" he babbled as he climbed on top of the briar bushes. The thin sticks broke but there were enough of them that he didn't sink past his his carpals. Struggling to lift his paws and put them back down, he hissed as he received countless scratches to decorate his paws.