Prompt #1- Luca (Pt. 3)

Part Three

Luca walked out of the cave and along the wall behind the waterfall. He kicked a stone into the water and started padding down the river. As he walked, the roaring sound of the waterfall faded to a distant rumble. He knew that he shouldn’t go out into the jungle on his own, but he didn’t care right now. He just wanted to walk and think.

He thought about Ash. Why doesn’t she ever notice me? He wondered angrily. It’s not fair! He raked her claws along the ground, growling. His claw caught a root in the ground and Luca winced, hissing. He sat down and examined his paw. It seemed like his claw was ripped.

Jade will be able to fix this, he thought before remembering that Jade had kits now and probably didn’t have the time to heal anyone. But he had to go back anyway. His small injury had snapped him back to reality and it was getting dark. He had to get back before anyone started worrying. He limped back the way he came and made it to the cave just as the sun disappeared below the trees.

As soon as he entered the cave, Ash basically ran into him. “Luca!” she exclaimed, nuzzling his cheek. “You scared me! Don’t do that again, got it?” She looked up at him, her pale grey eyes serious and full of affection.

Luca blushed. “I won’t, I promise.” He licked Ash’s cheek, and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

Luca looked up at the others. They were all staring, but they quickly looked away when he raised his head. He quickly stepped away from Ash.

“What is it?” Ash asked. She was slightly smaller than Luca, so she had to look up at him when she spoke to him.

“Nothing, it’s just…” Luca tailed off.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed.” Ash meowed, stepping closer to Luca. “No one will care about it.”

Luca stared down at her surprised. “About…what?”

Ash looked uncertain. “About, well, about us.”

Luca purred. “Do you really feel that way about me?”

“Of course I do!” Ash exclaimed, her eyes bright. “I’ve felt that way about you since that day I met you!”

“Really?” Luca’s eyes widened. “Me too! But I never thought that you liked me!”

“Me either! But I’m so glad that I was wrong.” Ash meowed quietly.

The two cats padded toward the others, tails intertwined.