CotS #1: The Dark Path (currently being rewritten)

Chapter Seven

"Littlecloud, you made a choice," the older warrior meowed tartly. "You cannot go back on it now."

For a moment, he looked like he regretted it as he faced his former mentor. Then he relented.

"Maybe so," he responded. "But I believe Hazelshade is worth everything."

Oh right. Hazelshade. Iceflame's maybe-daughter. I wasn't jealous at all. I didn't even think he'd ever loved me. Not that it mattered, right? I didn't want a mate. Didn't ever.

I scanned his house, my odd powerful sight scanning through everything. Inside stood a plump white she-cat who was gorging herself on that awful kittypet pellets that they called food. So, that was Littlecloud's mate? I couldn't tell if she was expecting kits or whether she was just fat.

"Stormdawn! Quit creeping us out! Why are you staring straight at Littlecloud like that?"

I hadn't realized I was looking through Littlecloud, because my super-cool vision could apparently see through anything. Maybe he had moved in the way while I was looking.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "Let's go back."

Heathermist nodded agreement, although it had been her idea to come in the first place. We were all awkwardly shuffling away when Littlecloud called after us.

"Wait! Where... Where is she buried? May I... I want to..."

"You made a choice," I said flatly.

His eyes were so filled with sorrow that I almost killed myself for being so mean to him. But then he nodded, his eyes darkening.

"I understand," he meowed coldly. "Warriors are heartless. That's one of the reasons I left." I smiled grimly back. 

"We look after each other," I mewed. "I had only hoped you would as well."

For a moment, he was unable to speak, but then he nodded and dashed inside his Twoleg den.

As we walked back, Swanpaw chatted animatedly with Fallowpaw and Duckpaw and Peacewind and Heathermist talked about strategies for training apprentices. Cloudysky approached me.

"Did you love him?" he asked gently and quietly.

"Love who?" I asked, absent-mindedly. Why were we always on this topic these days? It wasn't so long ago that Emuwing had asked me if I loved Duskypaw. As if! But Emuwing had actually seemed really disappointed.

"Littlecloud," he responded.

"What? No!" I replied instantly. Love LITTLECLOUD? Great StarClan, no! Why would I love Littlecloud of all people? Besides, he had a mate. Hazelshade, or whatever her name was.

"Well, just saying," Cloudysky meowed quietly. "I saw how you looked at him. Then your lip curled in disgust, like about what he'd done, abandoned you. Is that how you feel?" He almost looked concerned for me. Now, if anything was wrong, it was the concern he showed for me. He must like me too, but I didn't want him to.

"You a young warrior or an ancient elder?" I responded lightly. "I don't love him." My lips had probably curled upon seeing the food pellets. Or at least, what was supposed to be food. Not Littlecloud. I'd never, ever loved Littlecloud. Because he and I and Minnowpelt ... we'd never been close. I hadn't been with Emuwing until a moon ago. I avoided his eyes.

"You love him," Cloudysky repeated. He almost looked ... sad.

"Why do you care?" I was finally feeling a spark of annoyance at him, like the annoyance I always felt at Duskypaw when he trailed me around. Don't tell me it was another tom mooning over me. I'd had enough of those insolent furballs!