I'm gonna do it. NO MORE IGNORING WHAT MUST BE DONE. Updates will be slow. I'm also working on a book and I have a life, but I hope to work on FFN stuff whenever I get a chance!
Lionear awoke, confused. He was still bleeding, and his head pounded. He was sure he was going to die soon. He didn't want to leave his sister, but he was sure he'd already lost too much blood. His breathing slowed, and he gave up hope.
He was alarmed when he caught the familiar scent of his father, Fireclaw. So he was going to be finished off then? That thought barely made him twitch a whisker. Go ahead! He was dying anyway.
Lionear flinched as he felt something touch a wound. He felt only confusion when he realized that cobwebs were being applied to the gashes across his body. He was even more confused when he felt a gentle tongue run through his fur.
Lionear opened his eyes slightly, though he still felt exhausted. It really was Fireclaw! It was impossible to believe. Why was his father—an Ember—taking care of him? Suddenly Lionear didn't want to resist. He relished the feeling of having a caring, loving father. He had never had one, even before he and Icegaze knew they were Gemini.
Fireclaw had never really been there, and Frostdawn had died when they were young. This feeling of being protected was new, and Lionear had forgotten how nice it was to have someone take care of him.
He purred slightly, the pain ebbing away. His father nuzzled him lovingly, and Lionear wanted that moment to last forever. That sign of endearment was something he would never have expected from his father.
Love? Was this truly love? Was this the thing that had been missing from his life?
All of this time his own father was trying to murder him and Icegaze! Had he really changed for the better?
Then Fireclaw left, and the happiness was gone. Lionear sighed, and lifted his head up. At least he'd stopped bleeding. He was still badly wounded, but he was sure that he could manage to stand up. If only he could find Icegaze!
He shakily rose up, wincing. Lionear couldn't stay where he was. Someone could easily find and kill him, and he didn't want to risk that. He looked around, trying to figure out where exactly he was. He wondered if he was close enough to the border. He scented the air, and was instantly disappointed. He had a better chance of walking back to camp, which certainly would not be a good idea.
Lionear wondered if Fireclaw was still close by. Maybe his father could help him and his sister!
No. Now that was wishful thinking.
The orange tabby limped toward the place where he assumed his sister was fighting. The sun was beginning to rise, making it easier for him to navigate. He scented the air, and hope filled him.
Lionear pushed through some ferns, and found Icegaze on the ground, passed out. The body of a brown tabby lay a few fox-lengths away. He had a feeling it was an Elemental that had been killed by either Stormfur or Feathertail.
He ran forward and nosed his sister, checking her injuries. He looked around, but saw no Gemini. Where were the two that he had encountered? Had they been illusions? Lionear shook his head before looking around for cobwebs. With the sun rising, it meant the dawn patrol would be leaving soon. They would be in big trouble if they were found. The two were certainly not in any shape to fight.
He was so relieved though...
A tail touched his side and he jumped. Next to him was Feathertail, holding a bundle of dripping moss in her jaws. He stepped back to allow her to give it to Icegaze.
Icegaze blinked open her eyes-not that it made much difference. Her tail thumped on the ground and Lionear practically leapt for joy. She was fine!
He tapped her lightly, and he could feel her purr. Lionear pressed himself against her, feeling happier than he had ever been. Icegaze signed to him, explaining that they would have to leave soon. He nodded and stood.
Stormfur entered the clearing and stopped, looking surprised. He said something that Icegaze translated immediately via her tail.
'What's he doing here?'
Lionear narrowed his eyes. Watched Icegaze's tail suspiciously.
"I mean, we need to get out of here soon. Icegaze, ask Lionear, are you well enough to travel?" He nodded and stood shakily.
Icegaze flicked her tail. "Lionear, while we walk you need to explain what happened. You smell like Fireclaw and blood."
He did, and by the time he'd finished they were outside Clan territory. Lionear realized that they were going in the opposite direction of the twolegplace. He shrugged, but was glad they could travel with other Gemini.
He tapped Icegaze, asking her if she was okay. She nodded but was obviously still shocked.
Lionear felt someone tap him on the shoulder and turned. Feathertail was trying to communicate something. He looked ahead and saw mountains. They were still far away, but he understand that they would have to cross them. He didn't understand why they couldn't communicate through his sister. Didn't they understand that it would be easier?
Feathertail bumped him again and Lionear gasped.
His mind was flooded with memories. They were not his.
He saw a black tom in distress, and then a limp silver body. It lay in a pool of blood in what seemed like a cave. Lionear saw other faces and recognized Stormfur's.
The memory changed and he could see mud covered cats slinking past a waterfall. Before he knew it he was one of those cats.
Lionear blinked open his eyes and found himself still walking with Icegaze, Stormfur, and Feathertail. It was another vision of the past! The only problem was that he couldn't figure out what it had come from or what it was supposed to mean. The only thing he knew was that it must have been a bad omen.