They Will Never Forgive

Chapter 16

Lightscale sat at next to the cottage. Though the sun was warm on her face, she was angry.

"Yeah, he's not showing up." The guard, Pinebreeze, told her.

Lightscale huffed. "Back to the barn then."

The fur along her back rose as the entered the barn, and in the back, Redleaf.

A quiet growl emerged from her muzzle.

She hurried over to him. "Why didn't you come?"

Redleaf was lying in his nest. He looked up with a sigh. "I just changed my mind. I... I don't want to see Waterpaw like that."

Lightscale huffed. "Well, if you didn't want to see her, you didn't have to say you wanted to come."

Lightscale settled down beside him. From the corner of her eye, she saw an apprentice sized tom glare at them.

I hadn't really been noticing if others saw us together. Will they find out?

Lightscale worriedly looked around. Only the apprentice had been looking at them. She cleared her throat.

"You can tell me what you're thinking, Redleaf's. It's okay." Her voice changed.

He put his head on his paws. "I want to go back to my clan."

"Doesn't everyone?"

He sighed. "I have something I can lose, but I still want to leave."

Lightscale felt a twinge in her heart. "W...well you don't have to lose anything."

Redleaf rolled onto his back, staring up through a hole in the roof. "It not like I want to, but, I need to leave."

"We're all gonna leave when Smalltail and the others get back." Lightscale frowned.

"I need to get back to my clan. I feel so useless here. My sister needs me. She's pregnant with my best friend's kits." He sighed. "You'd think I'd be angry that they have a closer relationship, but, my family is the most important thing to me."

Lightscale lowered he ears. "Am I part of it?"

"We shouldn't plan for a future we're not sure will even happen."

Lightscale growled, her anger once again re-surfacing. "Well that's a way to think positively."

Redleaf looked away, his eyes full of sorrow.

Lightscale sighed, standing up. Her bones ached. "I'll see you later."

She turned around, holding her breathe and trying not to look back. She slowly looked around the barn, an uncomfortably small amount, since most cats had either left to the cottage, or died.

A familiar pelt striked up interest. Lightscale smirked as she saw a glowing white pelt. Still as smooth as ever.

She padded over. The white she-cat smirked, though her blue eyes were dull.

"Lightscale, how nice to see you again." Sarcasm dropped off her tongue like honey.

"Didn't realize you were here, Snowwhisker," Lightscale said as she glared at her.

Snowwhisker gently licked a paw. "Well, if you want to know what's happening back at camp, I can tell you."

Curious, Lightscale nodded, though she was still suspicious of her.

"Whitestripe had her kits."

Lightscale's eyes widened. "What? I didn't even know she was pregegnart."

Snowwhisker sighed. "And she was apparently sick, but had been rolling in lavender and stealing herbs."

Lightscale's tail lashed, the suspicion fading slightly. "What happened to them?"

Lowering her ears, Snowwhisker spoke. "She had four kits. Three died."

"Whitestripe?" Whitestripe was one of the cats who simply ignored Lightscale. That was a lot better than anything else.

"She died as well."

Lightscale sat down and huffed. "When did this happen?"

"Three days ago. That was the day before o got sick." Snowwhisker rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Probably because I was with her all the time."

Lightscale couldn't believe that she was having a pretty casual conversation with a murderer. As if sensing the growing uneasiness, Snowwhisker spoke, staring into her eyes.

"Did you tell anyone?" She said quietly.

Lightscale tried to keep her fur flat. "No."

Snowwhisker looked at her questionably, but nodded. "Good, I hope I can trust you."

"Why are you letting me live?" Just as the words escaped her mouth, Lightscale regretted saying it, but Snowwhisker's face was calm.

"Because, honestly, your a good asset to the clan. And to kill you would be a waste." Lightscale was surprised by the gracious compliment, but Snowwhisker's mouth curled into a slick smile. "Besides, if you do tell someone, there are plenty of cats I can kill to make your life even more terrible."

He eyes flashed to Redleaf, and Lightscale suddenly felt the consequences of what they were doing.

"Weren't you on your way somewhere?" Snowwhisker looked up at her.

Lightscale's fur stood on end, her tail bushed, and she backed up. She quickly ran out of the barn.

Once again, though in the light, she felt defeated.

I can't do it. I can't do anything. She'll kill me.

"Lightscale."

The voice that usually brought warmth to her chest, now filled her with dread and fear.

"I don't want to see you."

"I was blinded by despair. I'm just homesick, I didn't mean to say that."

"I don't want to be with you." It took all of her strength to not crack.

It's for  your own good.

"I..."

"I don't want to see you." Lightscale hissed painfully back. She than quickly bounded away into the moor, feeling his anguished gaze on her back.

I did the pregegnart thing on purpose. If anyone has seen the video, you'll understand. Also, I'm extremely sry for the late update. I've been having practically no motivation at all.