Hate, or Love? (Sequel to Me, or Her?)

Part 5: A True Lover's Heart

"Is it just me, or did you look like a frog when you made that jump?" he comments with a sweep of his tail and an amused sparkle in his eyes.

Rolling my eyes, I set the fresh-kill down and respond with equal mischief, "I assure you that I am fully cat, not frog, frog-brain."

He gives a mmrow of laughter. "That was amazing, though," he continues. "I think my best catch was on a mouse that ran right into a rock out of panic." He paused. "Or I guess that was my funniest catch."

I gaze at him for a while longer before reclaiming my prize and making the way back to the tree den. Shaking my head to myself, I grow slightly curious on how Scamp's mind works. It's great, really. It must be the work of StarClan that he has come this far. Or perhaps his kittypet ancestors watch him very closely from their holy litter boxes.

Great rabbit, it's so easy and fun to joke about kittypets and their ways. But Scamp, he is no ordinary kittypet. I glance aside at him and look briefly at the blue collar he wears around his neck. I wonder why he has not taken it off of him yet? I can only think of two answers: either he wants to keep some memory of his Twolegs, or he simply cannot get it off.

We return to the tree den and settle a couple tail-lengths away from it. I pull some feathers out of the thrush so that we don't have to practically eat them, spitting a few at Scamp, where they stick to his nose or get caught in his whiskers. I happily watch him shake his head to get them off of him.

"You get first bite, since you caught it," he insists after his little ordeal.

I want to argue with him, to say that he should get first bite because of all the prey we ate before this caught by him, but I force my mouth shut and refrain from doing so. I have already argued enough with him since we first met, and after last night, I want to try my best to keep the peace in the air.

In answer, I do take the first bite of the thrush, but I allow him to have his first bite from the meatiest and best part. We eat in silence, the noises of the forest all we need right now.

A few moments pass, and the fresh-kill is about half-eaten. And at that time, Scamp stands up after swallowing his mouthful. I assume that he is full and is going back to the tree den, but he begins walking in the opposite direction of it. My mind is filled with confusion like a dip in the ground is filled with rainwater.

"Scamp," I ask, my voice light with kindness, but I try my best to keep the true fear I feel hidden, "where are you going?"

The black tom halts in his steps and slowly turns back around to look at me. His expression is almost unreadable, but I can still detect a small sadness in his eyes. His bright, amber eyes. When he speaks, it is monotonous, so very unlike his usual spunk. "It's the fourth day I have been with you - more than you agreed to. I guess this is goodbye." He turns to leave again.

Dread causes my heart to skip a beat and then beat rapidly. He's... he's leaving? Has it seriously been only four days since we met? Already four days? My mind fast forwards through everything that has happened since I left ForestClan: the dog who caused me to climb up the tree Scamp was in in the first place; Scamp's annoying chattering like a squirrel the entire first day; the fox attack and Scamp coming in to rescue me; Scamp helping me recover with my walking; and then Scamp later on rescuing me from drowning in the river. We've been through so much together, and the thought of him leaving.... The longing within me grows even more, and now I understand what it is.

I do not want Scamp to leave me.

"Scamp, wait!" My call is louder than I initially intend it to be, but right now I don't give a single dung. He looks over his shoulder at me, the same expression on his face, though now with a small touch of hope. I open my mouth to say something other than those two words, but my mind goes blank. A moment passes. A long moment of us just staring into each other's eyes. His bright, amber eyes.

And then I know what I need to say.

"Scamp, I want to say that I'm sorry for how I behaved since we met. I was just so heartbroken that Hawkstrike chose Rosebreeze over me. I felt like my life was over, that I had nothing else to do with it, because I thought my future was to be with Hawkstrike, but he ruined it. I know I wasn't the friendliest she-cat most of the time, but the longer we have been with each other, it made me realize that some things aren't meant to happen, but some things are. It could not have been just by chance that I climbed up the same tree you were in - and need I remind you, I was planning on climbing that particular tree before I even knew you were there. I think... I think we were supposed to meet. And I am now thankful for Hawkstrike making me leave ForestClan, or else I wouldn't have found you."

I gaze at Scamp to see his reaction. His face has softened, and he takes a couple steps forward. Before he says anything, I add in a voice that carries as much affection, care, and passion as possible, "I love you, Scamp. Please, don't leave."

There is only a single heartbeat that separates my words from Scamp's actions. He rushes forward and presses his chest up against mine, nuzzling my ear with his nose. "I love you, too, Cedarfrost," he responds in a murmur with as much affection, care, and passion as I did. His nose his soft against my ear, soothing. My heart aches with love, and the emptiness I felt when I woke up is now filled with warmth.

Eventually, he pulls back to stare into my green eyes, his amber ones now shining with the life of love. My heart swells even more. "When I first saw you running from that dog down below me, I felt in my heart that I needed to talk to you, needed to stay with you, at least for a while. I felt that something was going to happen. Something special. I don't know how I knew, but I did. I just had... something in my mind, telling me that I had to." He glances down at the ground for a couple heartbeats, then returns his gaze to me. "And I guess that feeling was right. Don't feel sorry about how you acted towards me. You said it yourself - you were heartbroken. That is completely understandable. Know this, Cedarfrost: I will not leave you." He presses his nose up against mine, and even more warmth spreads through me, rippling my fur.

That feeling was right. Maybe it was the work of StarClan? Whatever it was, I sure am thankful for it.

Scamp backs away from me and walks toward a hazel bush. I wonder what he is doing, but instead of asking, I watch him. He scans the bush for a moment before his eyes light with satisfaction. He manages to shove a sturdy branch between his neck and his collar. As he walks backwards, the collar is stopped from going further along the branch by another twig that grows out of it. After pulling and shaking his head several times, Scamp finally jolts backwards and regains his balance. He looks at me with an ecstatic expression. What hangs on the hazel bush branch is his blue collar. With neither of us saying a word, I rush up to him and nuzzle his now-bare neck. I even lick his cheek a couple of times.

It seems as if we have both been freed by own things, then. Scamp of his Twolegs' hold over him, and me of my torment about Hawkstrike, though we will still never forget that they are an important part of our pasts and have molded us into who we are now. We are no longer a warrior and a kittypet. We're not even wildcats. We are free felines who have grown to love each other like two doves and are ready to start a new life with each other.

Plus two or three others.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The fifth and final part is finally out! Thank you all so much for reading all of this if you did, as well as Me, or Her?!

*prays that you read Me, or Her? before this one* xP

But seriously, thank you! It means the world to me for someone - you - to read something that I have written. I hope to see some of you in any of my other books I post on here! It would be awesome if you read more of my writing :)

Thank you again for reading! Please vote, comment, add, and share! Thank you!! .W.