Legends of the Saloli: Approaching Storm (35 page)

“
After Rust took me away to talk,” Blaze continued, “I followed him, and his scent went straight over the Cyclone border. I went after him, and the scent led me straight to the Cyclone camp. He was talking to their chief, Goldenrod. He told her that Icefire could not defeat Darkcover, so he had come to them. Faith, Rust is trying to abandon us for Cyclone!”

Faith looked away, concern shining in her eyes, “How did Goldenrod respond?” she asked.

“
She turned him down and told him that if he ever comes back that she will kill him.”

“
I see. But how does that explain why you’ve been gone for three days?”

“
Three days?” Blaze exclaimed, “I’ve been gone for
three days
?”

“
Yes,” Faith answered, “We sent out search parties for you, but you were nowhere to be found. We assumed the worst.”

“
You thought I was dead?”

“
That, or you had abandoned us for your life as an outsider. But tell me what really happened.”

“
After Rust left,” Blaze explained, “I was about to follow him, but a saloli named Freckle caught me. He and a few others chased me across their territory, and I fell into the river. You probably don’t know this, Faith, but Cyclone has a river on their territory that turns into a whirlpool.”

“
I suppose you got sucked in?”

“
Yes. I lost consciousness. When I woke back up, I was on the riverbank. Two saloli rescued me and brought me to their camp.”

“
What tribe were they?” Faith asked, “Wait, the river in Cyclone doesn’t go into any other territories!”

“
Exactly. I met their chief, Specter, and asked what this was. He told me it was called NoTribe, a place where outsiders could go to band together.”

“
NoTribe.” Faith mused, “There are stories about tribes of outsiders, but I never believed them. It seems, though, that they are true. What happened next?”

“
Specter informed me that he was an albino, then introduced me to his right hand saloli, Mask. She told Specter that he should make me pay for saving my life. They wanted me to stay with them until they decided on something, but I convinced them to allow me to return home.”

“
And you did, Gnaw found you, and that’s the end of it? NoTribe wants nothing more to do with you?”

“
Well, Specter did say, before I left, that they would find me when they had decided on something, and take it.”

Faith’s eyes lit up with alarm, “Blaze, that’s bad!
Very
bad! Please tell me that you found your way here on your own, or at least kept your mouth shut about which tribe you came from!”

“
No, I told them that I was from Icefire, and Mask led me back here.”

“
Blaze!” Faith shouted, “Do you realize what you’ve done? You've just shown a potentially hostile saloli where our camp is!”

“
But she already knew! She led me here.”

“
But if you hadn’t told them what tribe you were in, they wouldn’t have known! Now we’re all in danger!”

Blaze, realizing that Faith was telling the truth, hung his head and tail in shame.

“
We need to tell Rust so that he can prepare the tribe.” The prophet said.

“
No!” Blaze responded, “Didn’t you hear what I just told you about him? He isn’t on our side any more!”

Faith turned to face him, a flash of anger lighting her eyes, “Blaze, do you really have so little faith in your own chief? Rust will never betray Icefire. I know this for a fact.”

“
How can you know that?”

“
It’s not my place to tell you. You will have to ask Rust. Now come, we need to speak with him.”

This was the second time Blaze had heard that, “But how do you explain what he was talking about to Goldenrod?”

“
I don’t know. I’m sure he has good intentions, though.”

“
Wait. At the very least, please don’t tell him what I was doing.”

Faith thought about it, then nodded, “Very well. I will tell him that you were chasing an outsider off of our territory, and were captured by NoTribe.”

“
What about why they know where the camp is?”

“
Because you escaped, but they chased you here.” Not waiting for him to ask another question, Faith turned and ran towards Rust, who was organizing a patrol. His eyes brightened when he saw Blaze.

“
Blaze!” he exclaimed, “You’re back!”

Filthy traitor
, Blaze thought.

“
Rust, I’m afraid I have bad news,” Faith spoke up, “Blaze tells me that he went missing because he saw an outsider on Icefire territory, and chased him away. However, when he reached the north border, he was ambushed and captured by an entire gang of outsiders. They took him to their camp, where he learned that they called themselves NoTribe. They claim that they are a home for saloli with no tribe. They tried to keep Blaze captive, but he escaped and returned here, and in doing so led them straight to our camp.”

“
I’ll send out a defensive patrol immediately.” Rust said without hesitation, turning and running away.

“
He isn’t going to find anyone.” Blaze insisted, “They won’t be back until they decide what they want from me.”

“
Maybe so, but it never hurts to be too careful.”

“
But what about Rust? I’m telling you, Faith, he’s not loyal to Icefire anymore!”

“
Blaze, I’m done talking about this. Rust is completely loyal to his tribe, and that’s the end of it!”

Chapter Twenty Two

Over the next three days, Blaze didn’t forget what he had thought while hiding in Cyclone territory. Since it was obvious, at least to him, that Rust had betrayed them, the best option could be to kill him when they were alone, then blame it on another tribe. Darkcover would be the most convincing. It wouldn’t be easy, physically or mentally. Now that Slicer was dead, Rust was officially the best fighter in Icefire. Rust was also the saloli Blaze had always looked up to more than any other. Killing him would be like killing his own father, even if it was necessary. But how to get Rust alone? Having just returned from a patrol, Blaze lay down in the shade of the common’s tree to think. Before five minutes had passed, he sensed another saloli lay down next to him. Looking over, he saw that it was Newthorn.

“
Hey, Blaze.” she greeted him.

“
Hi.” He said back.

“
You look troubled. Is everything all right?”

“
Yeah, I’m fine.”

“
Are you sure? You’ve been acting strange ever since Slicer died.”

The dream. Blaze hadn’t had the dream for so long that he’d almost forgotten it. But there was the new one now, the one he had had while unconscious. He still couldn’t make sense of it. Find it within? Within what? He couldn’t even begin to decipher what the voice meant by “become.”

“
I’m fine.” he repeated.

The two were quiet for a few minutes, then Newthorn spoke up again, “You know,” she told him, “you’re breaking Sunbeam’s heart.”

“
What?” Blaze exclaimed, “How?”

“
She wants to spend her life with you,” Newthorn answered, “but you never take any notice of her. She thinks you don’t like her.”

“
Of course I like her!” Blaze insisted, “How do you even know this?”

“
She told me. She also told me that she’d ask you for marriage herself, like I did with Smallthorn, but won’t, because she thinks it would embarrass you.”

“
Embarrass me?” Blaze gasped. How low a saloli did Sunbeam think he was?

“
She says that it’s natural. A big hero like you would never take an interest in a common saloli like her.”

Hearing this, Blaze’s heart sank into his stomach, leaving him feeling lower than dirt. Did Sunbeam really think that way about him? How could he fix it? Should he fix it?

“
If you want my advice,” Newthorn said, “I’d run over there and ask her to marry you right now.”

“
But I. . .”

“
Trust me, Blaze. Nothing will make you happier than being so close to the one you love. Just knowing that she is your mate is enough to brighten your worst day.”

“
I. . . I can’t,” Blaze said, his tail wilting in shame.

“
Why not?”

“
Because. . . I can’t tell you.”

“
Yes you can. Whatever it is, I’m sure there’s a way to work around it.”

“
Not this. Trust me, it’s not possible.”

Suddenly, just as before, Newthorn’s eyes lit up with rage, “If you’re so consumed with yourself that you can’t care about the one who loves you, then you don’t deserve to be in Icefire!” She yelled, “In fact, you don’t even deserve to be alive!”

Newthorn leapt to her paws, unsheathed her claws, and swiped them at Blaze’s face. Blaze jumped backwards in time to avoid most of the attack, but the tips of her claws still ran across his face, leaving shallow, but still painful, scratches behind.

“
Newthorn, stop!” he shouted.

Newthorn’s eyes suddenly cleared, and she appeared confused, just like before, “I’m so sorry!” she told him, her voice barely a whisper.

“
What’s going on here?” Smallthorn asked urgently, having seen the commotion and come running.

“
It’s nothing, Smallthorn,” Blaze promised, “just a natural mood swing.”

“
I. . . I’m sorry!” Newthorn repeated, close to tears.

“
Are you sure?” Smallthorn asked, “Newthorn, are you all right?”

“
I don’t know.” she whimpered.

“
Do you need to go see Faith again?”

Without warning, the rage came back, and Newthorn turned to face her mate, “Why are you so obsessed with that old saloli? I’m your mate! Forget about her and think about me!”

“
Newthorn. . .” Smallthorn said in a quiet voice, shocked by his mate’s words.

“
He’s just trying to help you.” Blaze jumped in.

“
I don’t need that old hag’s help!” the brown saloli shouted, not taking her eyes off of her mate, “If she comes anywhere near me, I’ll kill her!”

“
Newthorn. . .” Smallthorn said again, taking a step forward to comfort his mate.

“
Stay away from me!” she hissed, lashing out at him with her claws. When Smallthorn retreated, Newthorn turned away and ran out of the camp.

Smallthorn stood there, whimpering. “W-what did I do?” he asked, tears welling up in his eyes, “Did I offend her?”

“
No,” Blaze promised him, “she’s just having a mood swing. Creatures do that when they’re pregnant.”

“
But I’ve seen her have a mood swing before,” Smallthorn argued, “it was nothing like that!”

“
It must be because she’s so close to her due date,” Blaze suggested, “it’s coming up in the next few days, right?”

“
Yeah, maybe.” Smallthorn agreed, though he didn’t seem convinced, “But what do I do when it happens?”