four. follow my lead. 

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

"You're leaving?" The she-cat's voice cracked. Like her heart, she was struggling to hold herself together. She could feel each slice and shatter in her chest as she watched her true love turn to the thorn tunnel, where he was about to leave her forever.

The ginger tom, who was now darkened by the shade of the trees, slightly shook his head. "I have no choice, Pearfeather." He didn't dare make contact with her eyes, for he wouldn't be able to pull away if he did. "It will be better for me." He insisted, rather he tricked himself into thinking. "I can start over."

Pearfeather's whiskers twitched in sadness. The deep feeling spiraled through her soul, like a summer leave drenched in hurricanes. She glanced around, blinking back the puddles which threatened to spill over her rims. "You're wrong." She argued back, "You belong here, with your clan, with your friends, with me." She persisted, gripping her claws into the soil for balance. "Please don't leave me."

The brown-furred she-cat with eyes that were impossible to ignore, inhaled a brave breath. "I love you." She stepped closer, her heart thrumming like a hummingbird in her chest. She would do anything to make him stay, even confess the truth. "I love you. I have since we were kids. It's always been you and it will only be you."

Swiftshadow finally lifted his head. His eyes drifted from the soil up to see Pearfeather's two, wide, desperate green eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but words were dried on his tongue. A flicker of a figure caught the corner of his eye. His eyes flashed aside to see the dark shadow of Mottlestar slither from his den. He was staring from afar, pushing and goring Swiftshadow with his poisonous gaze. Get out of here.

The tom could feel the pressure building inside. His heart began to race in his chest, pumping toxic fear through his bloodstream. The words fell rapidly from his jaws, he wasn't thinking. "No- I can't- I have to go," He yanked himself away, casting one last look at Pearfeather. "I'm sorry."

The heartbroken she-cat was abandoned, standing alone amidst a cloud of kicked-up dust. She felt comparable with the dirt; stepped on, nothing, floating. When the haze faded out, she could see the small, ginger figure of Swiftshadow bolting away. Her heart ran along with him. And in her dreams, she would race beside him, to wherever their paws may lead. Running away and starting a new life didn't sound so bad- she would do anything to be with him.

"Sometimes making the right choice is the hardest." A heavy voice from behind her spoke up.

Startled, Pearfeather shifted around, coming in proximity with the new leader. She hadn't yet had the pleasure of chatting with him since his promotion in the Clan hierarchy. But right now didn't feel like the right time. Why was he listening anyway?

Mottlestar flicked his ears as he took another step forward. His tall figure bent over the she-cat, covering her from the harsh sunlight and burying her in a protective shadow. The trees swayed and the two cats were brushed with a cool wind.

Mottlestar's face remained plain as he spoke, "I granted him permission to leave. He told me he didn't like his life here," Lies elegantly sounded from his tongue, "He wanted something new, something exciting."

Pearfeather's face scrunched into a confused frown. She didn't want to believe what her leader was saying. How could Swiftshadow leave her like that? The memories began to flood back and each one of them stung. Of all their times of playing and laughing, not one meant something to him? "He was my friend," She squeaked, as though she was trying to convince herself.

Mottlestar took in a long sigh. "Your friend was a scoundrel," He began, "He was lazy and he never cared for anyone but himself." He stared at Pearfeather, studying how weak Swiftshadow had made her. Mottlestar felt sick to his stomach. "If he truly loved you, he wouldn't leave." He wanted to rewrite Swiftshadow's story, to erase the friends he once had, to rewrite them as enemies. It would make his plans easier.

Moments of silence passed through the air. Mottlestar bowed his head in an attempt to appear polite. "You have my condolences, Pearfeather. I know how it feels." That was not a lie. But before recalling on the feeling for too long, the marbled leader picked up his droopy head and gave life to his voice once again. "I'd love to introduce you to someone, if you're interested."

Pearfeather nodded slowly, realizing that if Swiftshadow was moving on, so should she. But her voice was still soft with sadness. "That sounds lovely, thank you Mottlestar."

He grinned, "Follow my lead." He leapt off to a joyous trot, diving deeper within the campsite.

Before accompanying him, Pearfeather took one last look back. Her eyes shuttled down the thorn tunnel and chased after Swiftshadow. Though he was nowhere to be seen and was probably strides ahead on his new life, she felt that pull on her heart again. From kits, she had spent everyday by his side and for him to simply leave her as such: it felt strange. Something was off. Did he really want to leave? No- her head suddenly shook itself, ridding the hopeful thought. You must let him go.