Chapter 7:

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Brightpaw repeated over and over again, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Stormlight sighed, flattening her ears with an annoyed grimace. It had taken forever just to get the apprentice back onto land rather than let her flail around in the lake.

"Brightpaw-" She began but was cut off again.

"I am so sorry!" She wailed, "I didn't know, please, I don't want to die."

"Brightpaw," Stormlight repeated, trying to get her attention.

"I'll leave the clans," the apprentice continued to blubber, "I'll go to the mountains an live there where I'm out of your way. Please just don't kill me!"

"Brightpaw!" The silver-grey she-cat shouted, causing the black an white she-cat to jump. "Look."

Stormlight lifted up her paw, allowing tiny sparks of lightning to dance around it. Brightpaw's brilliant blue eyes grew round as she stared at it.

"Y-you're Cursed too?" She stuttered out, glancing up at the older cat.

Stormlight nodded, placing her paw back on the ground, "I've known since I was an apprentice."

"S-so you're not gonna t-tell Brackenstar?"

She shook her head, "no, never."

Brightpaw let out a loud sigh of relief.

"However," Stormlight continued, "you do need to learn how to control your power, just in case."

Brightpaw nodded obediently, Stormlight guessed she was so shaken that she was just going along with whatever she was saying.

"Are you gonna help me?" Brightpaw pricked up her ears.

She nodded, "and I'll have some help too."

"Who?" She tipped her head to the side.

Stormlight smirked to herself, "oh, I know a cat."


"What?" Ace flattened his ears, "another Cursed?"

"Yes," Stormlight nodded, "she saved me from drowning."

"And you want my help to train her?" He asked.

"I know it's gonna be hard, especially considering how suspicious and hostile the clan is towards Cursed cats right now," sighed the light grey she-cat, "but I don't want to just let Brightpaw die!"

"Me neither," Ace nodded, "of course I'll help."

"Ah, thank you."

Stormlight lay down onto the floor, gazing out onto the moonlight bathed lake. The two had snuck out of camp to sit at their usual spot by the lake, looking out onto the water. She yawned, breathing in the fresh, night air.

"You wanted to tell me something?" She glanced up at her friend who was sitting beside her.

"Yeah," he began, "I was just wondering, what you thought of the clan."

"The clan?" She frowned, "as in Lightningclan?"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean?" Stormlight glanced at her.

"With all the things going on, especially with Breezecloud and Patchfur being killed, how loyal are you?"

'Is this a test?' She wondered.

"I'm loyal to my clan, Ace," she told them, "and I hate what they're doing but they're still my family and I still love them."

Ace sighed, "I don't understand your idea of loyalty, these cats would kill you if they ever found out about your power."

Stormlight chuckled, "if you're not loyal to the clan, who are you loyal to?"

"I'm loyal to you," the reply was almost instant.

Stormlight could feel herself getting hot under her pelt, "really?"

"Yeah, you're nice and stuff," Ace looked across the lake, "I guess. Better than how anyone else in this clan has treated me."

"How do they treat you?" She asked.

"Like a rogue," he kicked the sand into the water, "sometimes it feels like you're the only cat who actually seems to care."

"That's a lie," she chuckled, "I'm pretty sure Brightpaw admires you and Shadowheart's your friend too."

"I think," Sighed Ace, "what I'm trying to say is that I don't think I want to be loyal to the clan."

Stormlight frowned, "are you… Leaving?"

"No, no," he said quickly, "but I- Starclan, I don't know how to say this."

Stormlight pushed herself back into a sitting position, pressing herself against Ace whose gaze remained fixed on the lake.

"Say what? just say it, Ace."

"Stormlight," he looked at her, "I… Like you…"

Stormlight grinned, "you like me?"

"Yeah, like, like you." Ace shuffled his paws.

She turned to him, a grin on her face.

"Well, Ace, I like you two."


A/N: THis chapter is painfully short and I'm sorry. The conclusion to this book is coming up and lemme tell you, plot twists are the best! Y'all are probably going to hate me with the cliffhanger I end this book on whoops (by the way, this series is a trilogy so the next book will be the finale).

Also, what do you think of Ace x Storm? I need opinions.

As well as that, don't forget to check out my new story 'So This is How it Begins.'

Thanks for reading!