Betrayal Cuts

 BETRAYAL CUTS

Episode Seven, Season Three, of Rise.

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Betrayal Cuts
As I draw near the Viper border, I realize that I smell two scents instead of one. I also realize that I’ve never caught Vicky’s scent before in our meetings, as if she had just showed up.

These two cats have been here for quite awhile, and the second scent is too familiar. I feel dizzy with confusion, but I can’t seem to place the second scent.

“I have to go, Vicky.”

“No you don’t. You promised you would spend some time with me. After all, it’s been a couple moons since we last saw each other, right? We had some good times together, don’t forget.”

“I won’t forgot,” the tom’s voice mutters, “but you have to understand I’m not supposed to be here.”

“Of course not,” I can practically see Vicky’s smile. I keep going, wanting to hear the rest of this, wanting to know who was with Vicky.

When I step out, I regret it immediately.

Terran is pressed up against Vicky, who is practically draped over him. “Come on,” she coos, “you promised.”

“Vicky,” Terran says patiently, “I--”

“Terran,” I whisper.

The white tom starts and whirls around, throwing Vicky off. “Bryce!” He takes a step towards me and glances at Vicky. “Bryce, what are you doing here?” Before I can answer, he rounds on Vicky. “That’s why you wanted me to meet here. Not so we could get back together,” he growls.

“Get back together?” My head is spinning, “Why are you here, Terran?”

He opens his mouth to reply but I find I don’t want to hear the answer. “Never mind that,” I spin around, “I don’t care anymore.”

“Bryce,” he runs to my side, paw blocking my way, “it’s not what it looks like, I swear. I’ve been trying to find out about Ruby, for you.”

“Don’t lie,” I find tears in my eyes and blink them angrily away. “You and Vicky were dating back when you were in the Vipers. Do you regret dumping her for me? Is that why you’re giving her a second chance even though she hates you?”

Terran stares at me with sky-blue eyes. He’s so close I can see the white flecks in them. “No, Bryce, I wasn’t here for that.”

“Stay away from me,” I push him away, “I don’t want to see you ever again.”

“Bryce!” Terran calls after me, “You have to let me explain!”

“You disappear for practically half a moon and then I find you with her? And now you expect me to believe whatever you have to say? You’ve always had a smooth tongue, Terran, and I want to trust you. But right now, I can’t, okay?”

I turn around and run back up the Dip, expecting Terran to follow me back to camp, to tell me that he’s sorry. I want him to.

But he doesn’t. When I glance back, he’s still standing there, watching me go. Why doesn’t he come back with me? I find panic creeping into my heart. Is he so influenced by Vicky that he would rather stay with her?

I have to tell someone. I run back to camp and nearly crash into a startled Flameshadow. “Bryce!” He exclaims, “I was just going out to find you.”

“Is everyone asleep?” I glance around the nearly quiet camp.

“Almost,” Flameshadow shrugs, “it’s late.”

“Why are you up?” I ask before he can ask me.

“I tried everything with Karina and when none of my remedies worked, I gave her the leaves.” Flameshadow explains. It takes me a moment to remember the leaves that Vicky gave me. The same leaves I forgot to tell Nightshadow and Feathershine about. “And it worked.”

“It worked?”

“She’s awake and in my den, but weak. She’ll have to stay in her nest for a couple days before she can start recooperating and exercising.”

“Can I visit her?”

“Sure,” Flameshadow smiles, “I’m going for a quick walk, so don’t disturb Shadeflower or any of the other patients.”

“I won’t,” I promise, trotting towards his den.

Karina is indeed awake when I peek inside. She’s grooming her fur as if her life depends on it. Shadeflower is awake as well, staring at the dark gray she-cat intently.

“Karina,” I breathe out.

She looks up and her tense expression melts into a smile when she sees me. “Bryce!”

“You’re okay,” I rush over to her, purring, “I was so worried. Flameshadow told me nothing would work until he gave you the leaves.”

“What leaves?” Karina frowns. I notice Shadeflower leans in closer when she hears this, her amber eyes alert.

“This she-cat gave it to me,” I say hesitantly. Karina is my friend and I trust her, but she’s also Terran’s sister. How well would she take this news?

“Who?” Karina urges me to speak up.

“Vicky,” I finally say.

Karina’s eyes widen by a fraction. “Vicky?” She repeats in disbelief, “As in Terran’s old girlfriend?” She snaps her mouth shut as if that was news I shouldn’t have known. “I mean--”

“I know,” I sigh, “she told me on the first meeting.”

“First meeting,” Karina echoes, “you’ve been seeing Vicky for more than once? And she gave me leaves to cure me?”

“Yeah,” I bob my head, “she’s been helping me.”

“Helping you with what?” Karina looks suspicious.

“Finding Terran,” I bite my lip. Karina narrows her eyes even more and I realize that this might have been a bad idea.

The dark gray she-cat lashes her tail. “My brother isn’t here? What a fool,” she mutters, “where in the name of the stars could he be?”

“On Viper territory flaunting with Vicky,” a bitter tone enters my voice as I recall tonight.

Karina gives a dark laugh. “Terran would never get back together with Vicky, Bryce. Enough has passed between the two of them for him to forget whatever he had with that she-cat.”

“What did go on between them?” I can’t help but ask.

“This and that,” Karina sighs, “believe it or not, Terran was a she-cat’s tom back then. He was trying to escape from our kithood memories and he did it by being with any she-cat that was interested in him. Vicky calls him selfish because it had seemed like all he wanted was to entertain himself. I don’t think Terran is selfish though,” Karina adds, defensively, “he just needed a filter for his pain.”

“Bree?” I remember Karina and Terran mentioning her when I had told them about the blood flowers.”

“Yeah,” Karina nods, a little absentmindedly, “Bree is one of the reasons.”

“Who was Bree? I remember you mentioning she was Terran’s best friend…”

Karina eyes me strangely. “Terran was always a quiet kit and I was always protective of him. He befriended a nearby kit by the name of Bree, who was the same age as us. She was playful and helped coax Terran out of his shell. She died from a poison mixture that was given to her by our father.”

“That’s all?”

“What do you mean ‘that’s all’?” Karina scoffs, “Terran is still affected by it today. He’s even more quiet than usual though lately he’s started to show some of the fire he had around Bree. Nobody touched his heart like she did.”

“Not even Vicky?”

The dark gray she-cat rolls her eyes, “Are you using this as an opportunity to find out if Terran’s worth your time?”

“No!” I flush, “It’s just that I don’t actually know a lot about Terran. And after today…I’m not sure if I really knew him at all.”

“Privacy is Terran’s safe haven,” Karina shrugs, “but since Vicky isn’t really his secret to keep, I’ll tell you. Vicky liked Terran more than he actually liked her. He was just in need of a new relationship so he agreed to start going out with her. When she found out that he was spending time with you in your prison den, she broke up with him.”

“Did you ever get in a relationship?” The question pops out of my mouth.

Karina twitches her whiskers. “Nope. Love’s not my thing and I’m not sure if it ever will. I don’t really like the idea of handing my heart over to someone. Seeing how it’s affecting Terran proves to me that I shouldn’t ever fall in love.” She shrugs.

“Someday you’ll find someone who will change your mind,” I promise her without thinking.

“Like you?” Karina purrs.

I blush and I say goodnight to the dark gray she-cat before ducking out of Flameshadow’s den just as the medicine cat was padding in.

~

“Terran!”

The white tom heard his name being called again for the seventh time. Still, he didn’t bother turning around as he stalked away.

“Stars, Terran, you’ve been trying to talk to for the past few days and when I try to talk to you for once, you decide to ignore me? And you wonder why I broke up with you.” Vicky raced to keep up with the white tom.

“You tricked me.” Terran snapped, turning around to face her, “You played with my emotions when you knew Bryce would be there.”

Vicky raised her tail in submission. “I was jealous of her.”

“Jealous enough to be meeting with her and feeding her false information?” Terran hissed, “I don’t know what you’ve been telling Bryce but you better not be hurting or threatening her.”

“That’s where you’re wrong!” Vicky lashed her tail, “I’ve been helping Bryce.”

“You expect me to believe you?” Terran stared at the brown she-cat in disbelief, “You’re a cunning she-cat. I know you will do whatever you can to achieve your goal.”

Vicky just glared at him. “I let her know just what kind of tom you are.”

“And what kind of tom is that?”

“A selfish, pompous jerk!” Vicky declared.

Terran flattened his ears. “Look, I’m sorry for the whole deal, okay? Yes, I was a little irrational--”

“Irrational is your smallest flaw.” Vicky snorted.

“I’m not here to talk about me,” Terran turned away, “I was here to get information and you turned me down.”

Vicky watched him go in silence.

~

I sit outside my den, staring up at the stars. My sisters are asleep in their nest. Despite my night antics, I’m not tired at all. As I glance at the stars, I wonder if my parents are up there.

I wonder if Bree is up there.

Terran has been on my mind since I saw him with Vicky. I still miss him terribly and even though I’m upset at his betrayal, I still want him to be by my side, telling me it was all a mistake.

As I pad into my den, I wonder if he’s going to come back, or if he’s going to stay out there forever.

I curl up next my sisters, wishing he was here now to help keep me warm, despite the warm newleaf breeze.

The End.