Warriors: Sounds of the Forest

Chapter Thirty-Two: Riversong

The hard feeling of the thunderpath scraped at my paws as I lagged behind the two toms who had been leading me to the mountains.  

Several moonrises had passed since our night in the small patch of forest. And now as the sun had begun to set again, my heart felt as if in more pain then ever at the realization of how far I was truly headed.

Tobby glanced back at me and slowed his pace to match mine, as I looked at both of our paws I noticed that, though he was a rouge, his paws where much stronger then my forest-soft paws.

"I'm sorry for being so slow," I sighed "I'm just not used to the ground here."

Meeting my eyes Tobby replied kindly "It's ok Riversong, I know what it's like to be new to this sort of ground."

"You do?"

"Yes, I grew up in the foxes forest before they moved there. But since there where so few cats and so many foxes..." he sighed looking away. "The few of us left chose to leave rather then die fighting against impossible odds." 

We where silent for a few moments before I replied.

"Is that where Oreo is from as well?"

"Not entirely.. He started as a house-cat, or in your words 'Kittypet, but he left them when he decided that he preferred the forest."

"Why where the two of you so deep in the foxes forest then?"

"Those of us who fled the forest take turns checking the forest for lost house-cats, or outsiders such as yourself. We make sure they don't whined up as fox-prey."

"that makes sense." I replied with a curt node, but held the rest of my reply as the sight of an end to the twoleg nests caught my eye. "Finally!" I purred as I suddenly forgot my pain and sprinted for the end of twoleg place.

The moment my paws hit the soft ground I dropped myself to the ground relaxing instantly as the thought of my hopefully soon to be ended journey entered my mind, it felt as though I was already halfway home. 

After a few moments I stood again realizing that Tobby and Oreo still stood on the border of twoleg place and the grassy fields between there and the mountains.

"I guess this is it then." Tobby grunted, trying to sound indifferent though I saw saddness flicker in his amber eyes.

I felt a small amount of sadness also enter my heart as I realized he was partially right, 

"It doesn't have to be," I said "You could come with me."

But Oreo shook his head "All cats who enter the mountains never return..."

I turned my eyes two Tobby wanting him to reply on his own.  

His eyes clouded over as he spoke "My sister went up there long ago, and she never returned."

"Then I will still see you at least on my return to my clans territory." I said as my voice cracked slightly.

"We shall only hope." Tobby grunted as his strong shoulders sagged, I knew that in his mind he thought that I was to die in these mountains.  

Once turning to Oreo I realized that it was clear that he also thought this.

Padding to them perhaps for the last time I touched noses with each of them in turn. Then I said my likely to be a final good bye.  

"thank you both for leading me to this point in my journey. I will remember you until the day I join Starclan."

At that I turned and began to walk towards the mountains, that walk soon turned to a run, which sped into a sprint as though I ran for my life.

Soon I was going to be home!