Chapter 5: The Confession
Rougefoot opened his mouth as if to speak but Cindertail raised a paw.
"You are meeting this Icechest cat you mentioned before are you not?" Cindertail meowed.
Rougefoot bowed his head. He was ashamed. "Yes."
"I am not going to scold you, I'm not going to tell anyone either. Remember that story I told you about Hollyheart?"
"Yes." Rougefoot meowed.
"Well I did what you are doing right now. Sometimes I still go out to meet her."
"You do?" Rougefoot asked.
"Yes. The tree does things to my old bones and I need to exercise them every once in a while."
"So you go out to meet Hollyheart?"
"That would be correct. You should meet her sometime. She is one of the most amazing cats you will ever meet."
"I bet she is." Rougefoot meowed.
"Hey youngster, I'm going out to meet her in two sunrises. Would you mind coming with me?"
"I would love to Cindertail."
"Thanks young one. Would you mind taking me to see this Icechest of yours?"
"Sure. I can take you tonight if you want."
"That would be pleasant." Cindertail meowed.
"Hey Cindertail?" Rougefoot meowed.
"Yes?" He answered.
"Can you tell me about Angelstar? Shortleg told me a little about her."
"Angelstar… My mother…" Cindertail replied.
"She was your mother?" Rougefoot asked, shocked.
"Yes. My sister Grassfoot was Mapleheart and Shortleg's mother."
"So you are Shortleg and Mapleheart's uncle?"
"That would be correct." Cindertail replied. "Well about Angelstar. She looked just like you but with a little lighter coat. She was the nicest cat in the world. She took care of everyone. She would try to solve everything with wit and talking, not with violence. She was a very clever cat. She loved to hunt for her Clan and go with her warriors on patrol. She loved my father very much. She loved everyone very much. She finally died on a Roaring path accident. She died as soon as she was hit by that awful Beast. It was red, the color of blood. It had a black stripe down its side and it roared louder than any other Beast we had ever heard. It was deafening to our sensitive ear fur. We finally got her off the Roaring path. May her beautiful soul rest in peace. She was a great mother."
"That is such a caring thing to remember her by."
"Yes it is. I miss her. May Angelstar, Grassfoot and my father rest in peace."
"Who was your father?" Rougefoot meowed.
"I don't exactly know young one. He died when I was very little. I think his name was Firespark."
"What happened to Grassfoot?"
"Age took over her. She died shortly before you were born. She was a wonderful cat too."
"I bet she was. You're a wonderful cat as well."
"Why thank you young one. You are pretty good yourself."
"Thank you Cindertail. Would you like some fresh prey?"
"Yes please, and I can wait for you to come back from hunting if that's what you mean."
"That's exactly what I mean. Thanks for understanding Cindertail."
"You are very welcome." Cindertail meowed.
Rougefoot walked into the forest. He caught a vole and a mouse after a while. He brought it back to Cindertail, who was waiting patiently. He set down the prey in front of him.
"Oh Rougefoot I only need this vole, you can have the mouse for your efforts well made."
"Thank you very much Cindertail." He ate the mouse quietly.
Cindertail yawned. "Well young one, if we are going to see your Icechest we better catch up on our rest."
"Yes I think so too." Rougefoot meowed in agreement.
Cindertail curled up into a ball. Rougefoot walked to his nest and lay down, falling asleep thinking of Icechest.
He woke up near High Moon. Cindertail was already awake, sitting in front of Rougefoot.
"It's time to go young one." Cindertail meowed quietly.
"I know." Rougefoot meowed. He got up and shook himself off. They passed Snowclaw, who was on guard duty.
"Where are you going at this time at night Rougefoot?"
Cindertail snapped back at Snowclaw, "Is it any of your business where we are going?"
"Well no but…" Snowclaw meowed. He inched back and flattened out in terror.
"But what?" Cindertail growled. Rougefoot never knew there was so much fire still in the old cat.
"But you shouldn't be out this late. Be careful." Snowclaw meowed.
"Thank you." Cindertail meowed. He led the way out of the tunnel and to the MoonClan border. Icechest was already waiting.
Her eyes widened in alarm. "Who… Who is that?" She squeaked.
"I'm Cindertail young one. Rougefoot told me a lot about you."
Icechest stared at Rougefoot. "Can you trust him?"
"Absolutely." Rougefoot answered.
"Hi there…" she meowed timidly. "I'm Icechest."
"I can see why." Cindertail stared at her frosty chest.
Cindertail lay down on the pine needles. Rougefoot lay down beside him and Icechest lay down in front of them.
Cindertail whispered to Rougefoot where Icechest couldn't hear, "She's a beautiful cat, you made a good choice."
Rougefoot smiled. He looked at Icechest. She truly was beautiful. Her red fur gleamed like a brand of low fire and her chest was as white as a cloud.
Icechest was also looking at Rougefoot. She thought he was very handsome in his unmarked dark gray coat. Their eyes met and they looked to the ground quickly. Rougefoot walked over to her slowly and licked her head gently. She rubbed his cheek softly. She whispered in his ear, "I love you Rougefoot."
"I love you too Icechest." He meowed.
They gently rubbed cheeks. Rougefoot just remembered Cindertail was there and looked at him.
Cindertail was looking into the trees. His eyes looked distant. 'He's probably thinking of Hollyheart.' Rougefoot thought.
Icechest's slit eyes were opening slowly. They shot open when she heard a rustle in the bushes. Tinyflight emerged.
Icechest's hair was fluffed out all over. She looked around wildly.
"I'm alone." Tinyflight meowed flatly.
Icechest gradually calmed down. Her fur flattened ever so slowly. She buried her head in Rougefoot's shoulder. She trembled.
"What are you doing Tiny?" Rougefoot asked.
"I was worried about you Rouge." Tiny meowed.
"I can take care of myself," Rougefoot growled.
"I never said you couldn't." Tinyflight meowed in a monotone.
"You followed me here!" Rougefoot spat angrily.
"Rougefoot…" Icechest meowed softly.
He paid no attention to Icechest. "I thought I was your friend. I thought you would never do this to me."
"It's because I cared I came looking for you. Snowclaw came and got me saying you and Cindertail had gone out in the forest. I didn't want you hurt so I came looking for you."
Rougefoot dropped his head. "I'm sorry for snapping at you Tiny."
"It's ok Rouge." Tinyflight licked Rougefoot's shoulder.
Rougefoot licked Tinyflight's head in response. He pressed in closer to Icechest, defending her.
"Hello Tinyflight." She meowed from the other side of Rougefoot.
"Hello Icechest." Tinyflight meowed. He turned to Rougefoot. "You better be getting back. Rising Sun is coming soon."
Rougefoot turned to Icechest. "Meet me here in two sunrises."
"I'll try," she whispered in his ear. She licked the bridge of his nose.
He licked her ear. He breathed in her sweet scent one last time before he aroused Cindertail and walked back to his camp with them.
Tinyflight returned to his nest at the top of the pine tree that grew in his camp. Rougefoot walked Cindertail back to his tree where he collapsed in exhaustion. Rougefoot walked to his nest and curled down and had some much needed sleep.
