They Will Never Forgive

Chapter 17

It had been a moon since the patrol had been sent out to find the cure. Lightscale and Redleaf avoided eachother, though both could tell that they were miserable.

It was dark outside as Lightscale grumbled and picked at a small mouse. Leafbare was upon them, and everyone was uneasy. Leafbare always meant weakness, even for perfectly healthy cats. And Lightscale and the others being sick, meant terrible news.

As she was about to bite into it, a small voice spoke, "Um, excuse me?"

Lightscale looked to her left, and saw a thin brown tabby tom, his yellow eyes dull and weary.

"Me and my sister haven't eaten anything. Can you spare that mouse?"

Lightscale had often seen the weaker cats stealing food, but she didn't think it had come down to stealing from kits.

Lightscale pushed the mouse towards him, though every bone in her weak body begged her not to.

"What's your name?" She asked as an even thinner cream tabby she kit carefully walked up.

The tom kit took a bite. "I'm Fernkit and she's Rosekit."

"Do you have any other siblings?"

"No." The kits seemed intent on finishing.

"Where are your parents?"

Fernkit looked up, the last small scrap of mouse on his whiskers. "They're at the cottage." He looked at Rosekit. "or, at least our mother is."

"Our father's dead." Rosekit blurted.

Fernkit nudged her. "Don't say that. He lives in Starclan."

"But he's dead here." Lightscale could hear the shakiness in her voice. The sadness. The anger. The despair.

"R...Rosekit." Fernkit's ears lowered. "W...why would you say that?" Fernkit's began hyperventilating. "Mom... mom's here. She's alive. W...we're n... not alone."

"Little one, don't worry. Your mother's going to be fine" As Lightscale said it, she knew it was a lie. If the patrol searching for the cure didn't come back soon, she knew that most of the cats in the barn would die.

Including Waterpaw.

Lightscale squeezed her eyes shut.

She's strong. She'll make it through this.

Warm fur against Lightscale's stomach frightened her. She opened her eyes to see Fernkit snuggled up against her.

"Wh...What are you doing?" Lightscale shifted away.

"Oh, I'm sorry... uh" Fernkit stood up.

"Lightscale. My name is Lightscale."

"W...We sleep by ourselves. It's really cold." Rosekit spoke this time.

Lightscale looked across the barn to where she used to sleep. She could see Redleaf's flank rising and falling as he slept.

"Can we stay?" Fernkit's small voice interrupted Lightscale's daze.

She gazed down at the fragile kits and smiled. "Of course."

The warm bodies comforted her as Lightscale set her head down on her paws. "How old are you guys?"

Fernkit yawned, then spoke, "Two moons."

Lightscale sighed. She dearly hoped these kits made it through.

~~~~~~~~

The sounds of pawsteps pattered in Lightscale's ears. Her blue green eyes flicked back and forth through the tall, waving grass.