Legacy: Timeless (Book 2)

Chapter 49: Abience

Chapter 49: Abience

Scorch awoke, her nose twitching as she noticed the sweet smell wafting just in front of her closed eye-lids. Giving a little grumble, she stretched her ebony green eyes open and blinked against the dauntingly bright sunlight. For a moment, she didn't move. It felt so good, the warmth slowly soaking into her water-clogged fur as she lay upon the fresh grass- the dew just disappearing from the green stalks and leaving them with a sweet scent.

But the source of the delicious scent- a mouse- compelled her to roll from her curled position to her paws and tuck into the meal. As she munched the mouse meat, she looked around, discombobulated by the strange surroundings.

Green pine trees loomed around the glade, spiking up darkly against a clear blue sky. The sun was hazy and hung upon the top throws of the pine trees with no clouds were in sight. A tall, sweet-smelling juniper bush stood protectively behind her and a small spring bubbled peaceful and blue by a mound of damp and freshly churned dirt.

At the sight of it, Scorch could feel the chilly breeze and the shadows that crept from the pines were upon her vision as she stared at the grave. Scorch pushed the half-eaten mouse away from her, it didn't smell so sweet anymore. The mouse blood and bones sickened her.

"Oh! You're awake," a voice called cheerfully. Scorch turned her head slowly as Boulderpaw padded up the sparkling green slope, holding a starling by the wing an he waved his tail happily. She dipped her head slowly in response to his greeting, words sticking in her throat.

Boulderpaw's blue eyes glanced at her half-eaten meal anxiously, "Are you sure you're not hungrier?"

Scorch nodded again, turning to look at the grave. She stared, despondent, while Boulderpaw ate the starling in silence. Her thoughts ran over and over all her memories with Painted.

The meeting when Painted pulled her from the ocean, the travels as she bounced along the sandy shore while Painted snapped at her to quit wasting energy. The sadness in Painted's gaze when they stopped at her family's' graves, the arguments over helping the Clans; emotions of anger, frustration, happiness, silent tensions, and then relief that had sparked between them so often. But Painted had always been there, had always come back for her. Scorch felt little and tremulously vulnerable without Painted's watchful green gaze on her.

"Come on," Boulderpaw shook her from her thoughts, "We need to get back to camp," he mewed, "This place isn't doing you any good."

Scorch felt a flash of anger, "I don't need it to do me any good! I don't want to leave Painted," she hissed, swiping at Boulderpaw with unsheathed claws. He ducked out of range but his blue eyes were no longer gentle, they were sharp as flint.

"You can't sit here and mourn until you're half dead. Pull yourself together. Every cat has to go through sadness at one time or another. Death is a part of life, that's just how it is. Learn to deal with it and move on," Boulderpaw growled, looming over her.

Scorch ignored him and looked away. In her heart, she knew he was right. She had things to do and cats to help. But her fervor was lost in her grief, the reasons why she had fought for so long against the wishes of her friends were lost in her misery, she couldn't even recall the reasons she'd given Painted for helping the Clans. All she wanted was to sit here in peace and be lost in her thoughts.

Tears welled up again as she was pulled between what she wanted and what she knew she had to complete. Blinking, she felt herself whirled away into a torrent of water. Silvery light glimmered above her and rushed besides her as she choked on the water that filled her lungs. The panic and shock paralyzed her.