Chapter 13
Flame ran out of the camp, her thoughts blurring together like the ground she ran on. She didn't, no, she couldn't understand. Flight was her mother?! How?! Eventually, she slowed down, coming to sit at a slowly moving river. She flattened her ears, looking down at her paws, and tried to collect her thoughts.
'So, this loner I just met says she's my mother. She could be lying, yes, but she could also not be. But I've just met her! I don't trust her, but then again, what reason would she have to lie?'
She pricked her ears, hearing someone approach. Flame whipped her head around, snarling. A slightly surprised Flash jerked back. "F-Flame?"
Flame let herself relax slightly when she saw that it was just Flash. "Did she send you to come drag me back?" She spat, bristling.
Flash shook his head, coming over to sit next to her. "No, I came on my own. Are you… are you okay?" He asked tentatively, knowing how she could be when upset.
"No I'm not okay!" Flame retorted. "This loner we just met says she's our mother? What about Feather, huh? And what about our clan? We never should've left! What's happening to everyone we left behind? Wolf, Reed, Tiger, River, Bear-"
"Hey!" Flash interrupted. "Hey. It's going to be okay. We'll get through this, they'll get through this." He meowed in a soothing tone, looking straight at her.
Flame flattened her ears. "Will it? Will it really, though?" Snowflakes started to drift down. She looked up to the clouds. "Great. Almost forgot that it was nearly leaf-bare."
Flash looked up as well. "Maybe this is a sign."
Flame glanced over to him, an exasperated look on her face. "A sign, huh?"
Flash nodded. "Newleaf always comes after leaf-bare. So, maybe we just need to get through this, and then everything will get better."
Flame looked down. "Maybe."
Flash stood up, and gave her a nudge. "C'mon, let's get back before we freeze to death."
Flame flattened her ears, and sighed. "Yeah, I suppose." The two headed back to camp in silence.
As they emerged from the camp entrance, the first thing Flame saw was Heather and Flight talking quietly to each other near the den. Grass was nowhere to be seen, probably inside the den, staying warm. Flame glared at Flight, and stalked into the den before Flight could say anything.
She settled down in the den, near the back this time. Flash came in shortly after, carrying two thrushes. He set one down in front of Flame, and settled down next to her.
"Eat up." He meowed before taking a bite of his own.
Flame shook her head, and leaned down, eating the thrush. As she had suspected before, Grass was sitting in the den, out of the chill. After she and Flash had finished their prey, Flight and Heather padded into the den, likely taking refuge from the wind.
Flame refused to make eye contact with Flight, which only made the tension in the den rise a few notches.
"So...um...t-that snow was kinda surprising…" Heather stammered uncomfortably, trying to break the tension.
Grass nodded. "Yeah, I agree."
Flash nodded as well. "I mean, I knew that it was nearing leaf-bare, but I didn't quite expect snow this soon." He gave a quick sneeze.
Flight looked over. "Are you catching something?" She asked worriedly. "I-I can make another den if you ne-"
"He's fine." Flame snapped, glaring at the she-cat.
Flight flattened her ears. "..."
Flash glanced over to her. "Hey, I know you don't like her, but you don't need to be so rude. She's only trying to help."
Flame snorted, turning away so that she was facing the den wall. An uncomfortable silence filled the air.
'Good. Let her feel uncomfortable. She doesn't deserve my kindness.' Flame thought, flattening her ears.
"...How do you think the clan is doing?" Grass meowed softly, not speaking to anyone in particular. Silence filled the den once again, as no one wanted to speak first.
Eventually, Flash cleared his throat. "I hope they're doing okay."
Heather nodded. "Most of them seemed….alright, I suppose, when we left…. Better than...some…"
Flight flattened her ears, looking down.
A tear formed at the edge of Flame's eye. She quickly wiped it away, refusing to let Flight see her grieving. Flash, on the other hand, seemed to have his emotions finally overwhelm him. He started to shake, tears running down his face. This open show of mourning triggered Heather and Grass to start sobbing as well. Even Flight began to cry, but for what Flame could only guess. Despite her efforts to keep herself contained, she found tears streaming down her own cheeks, splashing onto the ground below.
She cried for the clan she'd left behind. She cried for the clan she had failed to protect. She cried for the only mother she ever knew, gone in an instant.
After a long, long while, the wind and the snowfall outside died down, so that everything became much more quieter. The small group of cats had stopped their mourning long before the snow had stopped. Stars twinkled above, covered from view by the bramble overhead of the den. Silence had once again filled the den, this time though, a peaceful silence as the five cats nestled inside slept through the first night of leaf-bare.