Sorry for the especially short chapter, especially after such a long hiatus! I'm working on another fic at the moment so this will probably only update sporadically. Look forward to a longer chapter in the near future!!
Jayfeather may have called after me. Then again, maybe he didn't even notice I was gone; and, even if he could sense my presence fade, would he care enough to say anything?
I wanted to watch the rest of the funeral with him, but I could not leave Lionblaze alone by himself.
The smoke had reached the camp and I was having difficulty catching my brother's scent. So I wandered, until instead of hard stone walls pressed against my pelt there were thick branches. Did he escape back to the forest?
Was he looking for Ashfur?
I found him with his back turned, facing the dying wildfire. His normally bright and confident amber eyes were dark now, and reflected a world of pain.
"Brother?" My paw felt his, and a faint smile stretched across his muzzle. He wanted company, I could tell. "Why did you run off so? That's unlike you."
Lionblaze turned to face me, though his eyes were averted, still watching the faint flickers of light among the dead black trees. "I couldn't watch it, Hollyleaf. I've... killed so many. But, watching that funeral, I... I never thought about what I was doing."
He lifted his paws, as if to strike, and I flinched instinctively. But instead he gripped my shoulders, gently but firmly. "You can't... tell... anyone."
Fallen Leaves pressed one paw to his muzzle, a gesture that betrayed both surprise and wonder. "What then?"
My words were hollow and cold. Like they were wrapped in ice. "I...
"told...
"everyone."
