Burst of Fire

Chapter 13

It was just after sun-fall. Cloud stood over his tribe from the big-rock, still unsettled from his "conversation", so to say, with Twig. He didn't understand how the small kitten was able to read his thoughts. Maybe Twig was the child of the Burst of Fire prophecy, and not Fire himself? Being in a special prophecy was, after all, the only way to have power in that time, and Twig was Fire's son...

Oh well. That could be worried about later. At that point and time, Cloud had a tribe meeting scheduled to discuss the matter of the murderer. Below him stood the entire pine forest tribe, kittens and all, anxiously awaiting the results.

"It has come to my attention that we have not yet uncovered the identity of the killer..." Cloud began, the tribe fidgeting beneath him, "So I suggest that, until the matter is resolved, no one is to leave Pine Forest territory for any purpose." There was a harsh silence among the clearing. Cloud scanned the faces of his people, surprised to see a look of true pain flashing across Oak's face.

Oh, yes. Cloud remembered, feeling guilty. I had forgotten about Oak's meetings with Lightningpool of the Moorland tribe. I know that it must hurt him deeply, but... This is for the safety of all of the tribes. We cannot let a killer loose into the world, no matter what the circumstances.

"I'm sure that if Storm was still alive, he would have chosen to do the same thing." Oak spoke out, surprising Cloud with the hint of sympathy that edged his voice. "Let's hear it for our leader! Our leaders, for Storm's will is still alive. Right here atop the big-rock! Let's hear it for Storm; let's hear it for Cloud!"

The tribe went wild, leaping up and purring and chanting. Cloud was touched to think that his tribe really believed in him that much.

"And I believe in you, too." It was faint, just a whisper in the dark, but Cloud definitely heard it. Instantly, the tribe meeting was put to the back of his mind.

"Storm...?" Cloud whispered, uncertain, "Is that you?" But the moment had ended, leaving Cloud to face his tribe. They cheered for him, their eyes glittering with excitement. Even the kittens were shouting for joy. Cloud was about to join them when something happened that didn't fit in with the crowd: A single tear rolled down his cheek and splattered on the rock face beneath him.

As the tribe began to clear out of the clearing and head to their resting spots, Cloud only just managed to hold back his emotions. However, as soon as everyone left, Cloud lifted his head to the clouds and wailed silently to his brother, his mate, to anyone he had ever loved,

"Everyone! How can you forgive me? After what I did to all of you... JUST KILL ME AND GET IT OVER WITH!" Cloud broke down atop the big-rock, and he didn't move from that spot all through the night.

************************

Fire spent a long while talking with the beautiful Snowstreak and meeting other cats that had been trapped inside the clear, blue abyss between the clouds and the Earth. Fire even met his own mother, Blossom, who had been taken down in the legendary war of the field (Oak and Pine Forest tribes vs. the field dogs) and eaten by the murderous bloodhounds. She was excited to see Fire after so long, but sad that he had ended up like her.

"So, mother?" Fire approached Blossom nervously, "How long have you been here, exactly?"

"Oh, I don't know." She replied after a short while, "Time is hard here. For some, a season is like the time from sunrise to sunhigh. For others, dawn to dusk can be many lifetimes long. It feels like I've been here for a single moon change, full-black to full-white."