Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 40: Lacuna

Chapter 40: Lacuna

Inaudible whispering disturbed Scorch. She opened one eye from her designated nest in the medicine-cat den- err, corner- and glanced out to see who had disrupted her attempt at sleep. Flickertail and Sunstar were talking in low voices in front of the leader's den that was also practically the entrance to the corner.

Scorch tried to ignore them; she knew Flickertail was taking action over her... problem. But that meant that she didn't need to then. It was only this morning that he had confronted her about it. While she had done nothing but mope in her nest, having not been given any poppy seeds to help her sleep; He had been talking with Boulderpaw and Sunstar and every other cat to know if they knew about Sonya.

From what she'd overheard though, no cat had known much about Sonya, though Boulderpaw had answered all the questions he'd been asked. Truth was, he just didn't know Sonya. A few other cats had known something of the ginger and white kit as well, but hadn't know anything about her relationship with Scorch or her current whereabouts.

Scorch glanced up as Flickertail came into the den, tail lashing madly. "We are going to find this cat!" he hissed, glaring at nothing. Scorch rolled and stretched, watching him absentmindedly. "Do your wounds hurt?" Flickertail asked anxiously as he saw her stretching.

"No." They didn't, so why did he look angry at her answer?

"Fine," he snapped. "Do you know where to find Sonya?"

Scorch shook her head. It wasn't lying, she didn't know. Even though Sonya had offered to meet her around dusk- which was right now. "Can I have some poppy seeds?" she asked. The injured kit hadn't taken a single nap that day and she saw growing tired, but not tired enough to sleep too deeply.

"No," Flickertail answered coldly. "Not unless you tell me where Sonya is."

"I don't know where she is," Scorch answered. "She disappeared as soon as we entered camp and I haven't seen her since."

Flickertail looked like he was trying to decide whether or not to believe her. "That's what Bouldepaw told me," he admitted.

Scorch waited for him to give her two poppy seeds and she could already anticipate the feeling of grass on her fur and the sun draping her like a cloak. "I don't know why you need these when you can't feel pain, but they can't hurt you," Flickertail muttered as he gave her two seeds.

Scorch lapped them up and tucked her head close to her chest, waiting to drift out of this troublesome world. She closed her eyes on the turmoil and incessant babble and opened them to a clear, warm day with the soothing touch of nature surrounding her.

Sitting up, she yawned and stretched. Here her wounds were nonexistent and she could move her loose, supple body as easily as ever. Glancing around the shore, she spotted a group of ducklings waddling after their mother toward the lake; a vole digging in the sand; and a fish leaping from the water. As beautiful as it always was.

Not a cloud obstructed the glorious blue sky and the sun was warm and kind without being overly hot or blinding. It was nearly sun-high, so she wouldn't have long to wait for Jasper. Sighing with a sort of contentment, she laid on her belly and watched the waves surge and recede with a mesmerized gaze.

"You're here before me, as always," she flicked an ear at Jasper's greeting. "How are you today, Wing?" she looked up at the name and for a moment wished she could tell him her real name. But some part of her, as weakened as it had become, still held back from revealing her identity.

"You're just always late," she purred. "And I am just fine, as always. I hope the same goes for you," she mewed politely.

Jasper nodded his head as he walked over to her. He laid down next to her, just close enough that their fur brushed and she felt a tingle of excitement go through her as his scent rubbed off on her fur. "Everything is fine. The warm season has fully arrived and the prey is quite plentiful."