They Will Never Forgive

Chapter 21

"Though we were all hit hard during the sickness, I never thought we would be defeated. We will always remember those we lost." Emberstar's voice sounded loud in the hollow. "Willowclan, Mapleclan, and Amberclan must work together to get back on our feet."

Rainstar dipped her head to the orange tom. "Yes, we must." The Mapleclan leader looked around the hollow. "And I thank everyone who helped the kits and elders who made it through this tough time."

Lightscale's memory flicked with images of Rosekit and Fernkit.

Stormheart and the newly made warrior Hawthornclaw sat at her left, their heads hanging at the loss of Waterpaw.

Flightstar stepped forward and looked at the other leaders. "Though we are safe now, we should get back to our clans. The sickness could still be lurking."

Murmurs of acceptance and understanding echoed throughout the hollow as cats began separating into their respected clans.

Lightscale hadn't seen Redleaf at the gathering. She felt a flicker of worry as she padded towards Needlepaw, at the back of the group.

His gaze was full of worry as he looked up at her. "Do you think the sickness will come back?"

Lightscale shook her head. "No, I don't believe so. And even if it did, we know the herbs that will cure it."

Needlepaw's eyes brightened.

Lightscale padded next to the apprentice as they walked back to camp.

As they neared camp, Needlepaw scampered ahead next to Patchpaw.

Replacing Needlepaw, Nightfire padded up beside her. Lightscale tensed.

"I...um... am sorry for what happened yesterday," Nightfire said, his ears down.

Lightscale didn't look at him. "You tried to kill me."

"I know, I know, but... but I was just..." He shook his head. "I don't have an excuse, but I want you to know that I regret it."

Lightscale looked at him through the corner of her eye. She couldn't throw the image of his horrific eyes out of her mind. "You should."

"I was just angry about you leaving me, when all I wanted was to repay you."

"That's the reason. You don't care about me at all," Lightscale huffed.

"That's stupid," Nightfire growled. "I did care about you." His voice lowered. "I still do."

Lightscale rolled her eyes. She didn't have any more feelings for him, she was certain of it. "I'm sorry Nightfire, but I don't."

Nightfire sighed, and Lightscale could barely hear what he said.

"Don't worry, I can fix that."

/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\

The clan settled back down into their nests, talking happily about cats they hadn't seen in moons.

"It was nice to see Dawncatcher after so long." Rosefeather was speaking to her brother, Tanflame.

Tanflame nodded. "I'm glad she's ok."

Lightscale settled into her nest, warily keeping an eye on Nightfire.

Snowwhisker lay down close by and opened her mouth in a large yawn.

Lightscale set her head down and closed her eyes.

But sleep did not take her. Everything seemed so quiet that she could hear a mouse scuttling nearby outside camp. She could hear a twig snapped as a fox scurried away.

The den grew eerily cold, and Lightscale could her the faint pitted patter of snow on the roof of the den.

The cold continued to push against her pale fur as grey, dawn light faintly filtered through the roof.

Knowing there was no point in staying, Lightscale stood up and stretched out her fur. She quickly groomed her flank, though her fur still stood up, shielding her from the cold.

Lightscale gingerly wove her way to the entrance of the den.

As she exited a sharp cold air clawed her face. She squeezed her eyes at the brightness. Slowly opening her eyes, Lightscale's chest fluttered with the excitement of a kit.

She had only seen snow twice before, when she was one moon old.

It was beautiful. It was completely unbroken. A smooth, still ripple of snow across the clearing.

Lightscale walked tensely into it. It barely reached her stomach.

A small laugh exited her as a small snowflake tumbled onto her nose, but it quickly melted.

A content sigh escaped.

Looking around, and only seeing Greysparrow guarding the entrance, Lightscale gleefully bounded in the snow. The sudden urge was too strong as she jumped in and out.

Lightscale leaped into a deep snow berm. The snow reached her ears, and for a second, she felt claustrophobic. But Lightscale quickly leaped away.

She landed in front of Brownclaw, who was trying to hide a smirk.

Lightscale lowered her ears and looked at the ground.

"We all have the urge to act like a kit, Lightscale." He huffed. "But we can control it." He flicked his tail and stretched. "You should work on that."

The faintest glow glinted in Brownclaws eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"Snowwhisker should be up soon to assign duties," Brownclaw said.

Lightscale stood up straight and nodded.

Brownclaw turned away, but looked behind him. "Have an okay day, Lightscale."