Scarlet River P16

        The trio left the city behind them, only slowing their pace when they had reached the edge of the large forest. River did not say a word as they passed the roads with their roaring monsters, cresting a hill and looking out over the fields, asleep in the last weeks of winter, and the Twolegplace, nests covered in snow. Stonekit and Echokit did not break the silence, attempting to give River her space.

        When the three grew tired, they rested in a small outcropping of trees on the edge of the Twolegplace. Stonekit went hunting, while Echokit laid down beside the brown she-cat. River rested her head on her paws and stared at the trunks of trees around them. For a while, they waited, listening for Stonekit’s return. Finally, the tortoiseshell mewed softly,

        “Do you...want to talk about it?”

        “There’s nothing to talk about.” River responded numbly. Her friend said nothing else for a long time, and Stonekit brought back two mice.

        They ate in silence, but River could tell the two were trying hard to think of what to say to her. She pushed the rest of the mouse toward Stonekit, having only taken a bit, and turned away. The tom’s tail flicked with concern.

        “You should eat a bit more, River. We’ll all need our strength in order to make it back to the clans.”

        River didn’t respond, closing her eyes. Her friends shared a glance, deciding to leave her to her silence. They curled up, and all three drifted off to sleep.

        River had no dreams, and when she woke, she could only follow her friends as they led the way through the fields. Again, silence seemed to plague the trio, and River could tell Echokit was growing uneasy. Stonekit seemed to accept it, but his sister often padded close to him, whispering quietly. Stonekit gave vague responses, but River knew what they were talking about. It was on the third day, as the sun was setting and they had nearly passed the Twolegplace when a sudden wave of anger swept over the brown she-cat.

        “Would you stop talking about it?!” She snapped. Echokit had leaned toward Stonekit again, but now the two were staring at her in bewilderment.

        “We were just talking-” Echokit began, but River didn’t let her finish. Instead, the she-cat stormed past her friend, leaving both of the cats staring after her.

        When they settled into a makeshift camp that night, River slept away from them, and in the morning, she hunted alone. The two seemed to put up with it, which made River somehow more angry. She didn’t know where the feeling was coming from...all she knew was that she couldn’t keep it locked inside.

        They made their way around the Twolegplace, crossing fields and woodlands in order to avoid the tangled streets. River kept ahead of her friends, stalking at least five paces in front at all times. She heard Echokit murmur something to Stonekit, and River gave them a swift glare. The next time she heard her friend murmuring to Stonekit, she caught a few words, and finally decided to break her silence,

        “We failed, okay?! I get it! There’s no reason to go on about it! Why don’t you two just hurry back to your clan and leave me alone!”

        “River, we’re bringing you back too. We aren’t going to abandon you now.” Stonekit meowed, but River scoffed.

        “Oh, you’re so loyal! Following your stupid code like it has the answer to everything.” She dug her claws into the dirt. The ground was cold, frosted over, and River felt like she was shouting at nothing now, “Life is more complicated than that! No one has the answer! No idiotic code can help you! Why don’t you both just grow up?!”

        Echokit continued to stare, but Stonekit seemed to grow angry now.

        “Hey, there’s no need to get so angry all of a sudden. We’re just trying to help-”

        “Stop helping! I never asked you to-to throw yourselves into danger for me!”

        “Oh, well I’m sorry I’ve apparently been nothing but a nuisance to you!” Stonekit shouted back, and River hissed at him.

        “Exactly! You’re a nuisance! A useless, pathetic coward who could do nothing to help my mom!”

        Stonekit recoiled, his muzzle scrunched with anger. River knew she had gone too far, but the words just slipped from her mouth. Echokit’s eyes were wide.

        “You don’t mean that, River.” The tortoiseshell meowed, but River could only back away. Tears were stinging her eyes, and she didn’t understand what was going on. Why was she yelling at these cats? There was no way she would ever blame them for what happened, and yet she was calling them cowards…

        Anger was still burning in her stomach, and she could feel more venomous words rising in her throat. Before they had a chance to escape, she turned and ran into the fields.

        “River!” Echokit’s call followed her across the open space, but the brown cat didn’t stop. She kept running, sore legs pumping until she was across the field and tearing through the snowy, bare undergrowth of a narrow woodland. Skidding to a halt, she squeezed into a bramble thicket, not caring if the twigs tugged at her pelt. Her breaths came in ragged pants, and she closed her eyes tightly, curled on the cold forest floor.

        What is wrong with me?! The she-cat thought, anger giving way to a bout of sadness.

        She remained under the brambles until her mind drifted away and sleep took her. In the distance, Echokit and Stonekit called her name.

        River was used to waking up in the Green leaf place...she wasn’t used to feeling angry at her ancestor, though.

        The moment she opened her eyes, Forerunner was sitting before her, slender tail wrapped over her paws. River sat up, meeting the she-cat’s blue gaze, but feeling no calm in their depths.

        “Why didn’t you answer me?” The brown cat asked. Forerunner’s expression didn’t change.

        “I cannot fight battles for you, kit.”

        “I don’t want you to fight for me. I want you to save her.” River gritted her teeth, stepping toward the silver cat. “Bring her back! You can resurrect cats, right? Bring Shard back to me!”

        “It doesn’t work like that...I told you, I could only do that once, and I did it for you.”

        “Than undo it! Take it back and use it for her!”

        Forerunner shook her head slowly.

        “River, what you’re feeling is only temporary. You must calm yourself-”

        “Don’t tell me to calm myself!” the she-cat snapped, tail lashing wildly. “How can you even comprehend how I feel?! I don’t even know how I feel!”

        The ancestor was silent for a moment. Calmly, she murmured,

        “What happened, River?”

        The brown cat stared in disbelief, anger rising.

        “You know what happened!”

        “Tell me.”

        “You know!”

        “Why are you upset?” Forerunner cocked her head slightly, “are you scared to say it?”

        “No! I’m not scared! I’m not -i-it’s just...”

        “Tell me what happened.”

        “She’s dead, Forerunner!!” River exploded in the she-cat’s face, one burst of pure rage. “She died! Killed by the fox-dung eating Legion! And I'll kill them, you hear me?! I swear I'll kill them! Because I’m never going to see her again and it's all their fault! I’m never going to see her and it’s...it’s…” The rage subsided, leaving the she-cat to sink down onto her haunches, head bowed to the floor. Her voice no longer held any heat, just bitter sadness as she mewed, “She’s gone...my mom’s gone…”

        Forerunner said nothing, eyes softening as she watched the young cat cry.

        “I didn’t...I couldn’t save her...and now I’m all alone…”

        “You are wrong, kit.” Forerunner’s voice was no more than a whisper, warm and soothing. She bent toward River, touching her chin to the cat’s forehead. “You’re no longer alone at all.”

        River felt herself falling to the side, and she opened her eyes. The green trees had disappeared, along with any hint of her ancestor. Lifting her head, River slipped out from beneath the brambles. The moment she stepped into the open air, her eyes widened. Stonekit and Echokit were sleeping beneath the trunk of a tree, not two tail-lengths away from where she had been hiding. The two must have followed her scent and found her asleep, deciding to wait for her outside.

        A wave of guilt crashed upon the young cat as she stared at her friends. In a quiet voice, River mewed,

        “I haven’t been fair to either of you...you’ve done so much for me, and I’ve barely known you for a moon. You truly are the most loyal, most courageous warriors.” Her voice cracked, and she bowed her head. “I don’t know...how I can repay you...”

        “Start with an apology.”

        River looked up quickly. The two Thunderclan cats had raised their heads and were looking at her, their eyes soft and warm. The silver-striped cat swallowed her tears, trying to keep her voice steady,

        “I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry for everything I’ve put you through. A-And I’m sorry for being so abrasive and short-tempered. I’ll try to do better, it’s just been-”

        She was cut off by Echokit, who crashed into her with an overwhelming hug, knocking them both into the snow.

        “Apology accepted.” the she-cat meowed, beaming.

        Stonekit came forward to embrace them both, helping River to her feet. The two siblings withdrew, and Echokit locked eyes with the loner.

        “We get that it’s hard, but if you really want to make it up to us, then come back to the clan, alright?”

        The silver-striped she-cat looked away.

        “I’m not fit to be a warrior…”

        “That’s a load of fox-dung.” Stonekit meowed, waving his tail. “If you really believe that, then I want you to promise me that you’ll prove yourself wrong.”

        “Yeah!” Echokit added, eyes shining, “Promise us both: you’ll come back to the clan, and prove to everyone, especially yourself, that you’ll become one of the finest warriors anyone's ever seen!”

        “T-That’s a lot to…” River trailed off, eyes flicking between the two young cats. How can I possibly refuse? Even if they asked me to do a difficult, nigh impossible task, I could never turn them down...we may have failed in the end, but they pulled off the impossible for me, and they did it simply because they knew I needed help… The brown she-cat lowered her gaze, closing her eyes as she gathered her strength. Straightening her back, she looked at her friends, determination seeping into her. “I promise I’ll become a great Thunderclan warrior, if that’s what it takes to repay you!”

        Stonekit and Echokit smiled widely, and together they meowed,

        “Then let’s go home!”