Stormclaw sat next to Ivyfall and looked up at the leaders. "Meet me here tonight." He meowed without looking at her.
She looked at him shyly. "I don't know," she whispered.
"Please!" Stormclaw begged. "We both know we have something special, just this one night,"
Ivyfall shuffled her paws uncomfortably. "Fine, just tonight," The leaders finished the gathering, and grouped back into their clans. Stormclaw and Ivyfall slightly rubbed their pelts together and padded of to their different clans, regretful to leave each other. They knew they would be seeing each other later, though. Stormclaw's friend, Ravenflight, crashed into his side.
"Who was that beautiful brown she-cat?" He asked. Stormclaw looked back to see Ivyfall's pale brown tail disappeared into Shadowclan territory.
"Just a friend," Stormclaw lied and jumped into Riverclan's lake. "You remember Ivyfall, right?"
Ravenflight looked back and gasped, "Is that who that was? She looks so much different from when we were apprentices!"
"Well, she is still Ivyfall." Stormclaw joked. They climbed out of the water, and shook the liquid from their pelts, and Pebblestar motioned her tail for her clan to continue. Ravenflight slipped on a rock and splashed water all over Stormclaw.
"Ravenflight you mouse-brain dung!" Stormclaw cursed and pushed his friend back into the water. Ravenflight splashed around in the shallow part of the lake, spraying water on Stormclaw. Stormclaw couldn't resist and leaped into the water after him, sending droplets everywhere.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Willowfern snapped, they didn't know the deputy saw them playing like kits in the lake. She nipped Ravenflight when he stumbled out of the water. Stormclaw looked around for the rest of the patrol.
"Where is-"
"They're all at camp." Willowfern meowed, she must have know that was what he was about to ask. Stormclaw bowed his head at his deputy, then the two damp cats headed back into the Riverclan camp. It didn't take long before Ravenflight was tackled by his kits, Goldenkit and Jetkit.
"Ravenflight!" They squeaked, and Ravenflight eventually shook the two kits from his pelt. Then, he settled down next to his mate Brindlepelt. Brindlepelt licked Goldenkit clean before letting her go play with her brother, Jetkit. Stormclaw jerked his head away, Ivyfall and I could never have kits, he sadly thought to himself. He waited for his clanmates to fall asleep before he left. Stormclaw quietly slipped into the lake and swam to the Shadowclan border. His dark gray legs quickly pushed him into their territory.
"Ivyfall." He whispered. "Are you there?" a small bush slightly moved and Ivyfall appeared out of it. She walked over to Stormclaw, looking back at every sound.
They brushed pelt together, but Ivyfall jumped away ."Your wet!" She squeaked, like a wet kit. Stormclaw shook his dark gray fur, spraying water all over her.
"I'm from Riverclan, I had to swim here," He meowed and gently pushed Ivyfall. Although he could have walked, swimming was much more natural to him. She laid on her back, and stared at the stars.
"Do you think Starclan is mad?" She wondered.
Stormclaw shook his head, "No, it may be against the warrior code, but Starclan will understand our love." He laid next to Ivyfall. Her brown fur bristled as a few bats flew above them.
"I've never seen bats before," She meowed. "I never knew they flew at night..." her eyes grew with wonder. She got back on her paws and started to walk away.
Stormclaw jumped to his paws, "Where are you going?" He asked.
Ivyfall purred with amusement. "Moss, do you really want to sleep in the dirt?"
Stormclaw relaxed, and waited for Ivyfall. He looked back at the shimmering lake. He focused his stare at an unfamiliar object in the water. He saw a vague outline in the distance, and he instantly knew who it was.
"Ravenflight!" He hissed. "What are you doing?!"
Ravenflight walked out of the water. "I didn't know you two where so close," he meowed. Ivyfall came back, and dropped the moss when she saw Ravenflight.
"W-W-Where did you come from?" She stumbled in her speech. She didn't expect anyone to see them in the middle of the night.
Ravenflight flicked his tail toward the water. "I had to see what Stormclaw was up to. He's noisier than twolegs when it comes to sneaking," He joked. "I'll be on my way, you two must want your space."
Ivyfall dipped her head in gratefulness, and fixed the moss into one big nest. Ravenflight leaped into the lake and swam away, Ivyfall watched until he disappeared. She snuggled up in the moss, leaving enough room just for Stormclaw. They star-gazed for a little while, but quickly fell asleep.
"Stormclaw? STORMCLAW!" Ivyfall yelled, Stormclaw jumped out of the nest. "We need to get back." she meowed. Worry edged her voice. Stormclaw nodded his head in agreement.
"Tomorrow?" He asked, Ivyfall gently nodded and licked his head.
"I'll see you tonight." she meowed, before heading back into Shadowclan territory.
"I love you," Stormclaw meowed.
"I love you too," Ivyfall meowed.
Stormclaw leaped into the lake, pushing his hind legs as fast as he could. He pulled himself out of the water, and dashed toward his home.
"Stormclaw, where were you?" Pebblestar asked as he entered the clan, he looked at Ravenflight. His eyes where dull with worry.
"I was hoping to catch some fish near the lake." He lied. Pebbblestar eyed him, but moved on. Swiftpaw ran up to him, with Splashpaw following.
"Stormclaw, can you and Ravenflight take us to the Shadowclan border?" Swiftpaw asked excitedly. The two littermates always wanted to take their mentors to the Shadowclan border.
"Let's go to the lake and fish instead," Stormclaw meowed, not wanting to go to Shadowclan. The apprentice was used to the same answer so it didn't effect him much. Splashpaw ran to his mentor Ravenflight, and forced him to come. Swiftpaw sat next to Stormclaw until Ravenflight and his brother where ready.
Ravenflight quickly groomed his fur, and headed toward the training patrol.
"Where are we going?" He asked, his mouth full of fish.
"Fishing!" Swiftpaw meowed anxiously.
"Fishing..." Ravenflight repeated and looked at Stormclaw in annoyed way. "I've fished plenty for this clan." he mumbled under his breath.
The four cats headed out of the clan toward the lake, it didn't take long before the crashing waves of the water could be heard.
"Remember to always hook the end of your claws to catch the fish, they have slippery scales." Stormclaw meowed to the young apprentices. They nodded their heads remembering the skill. Ravenflight was mumbling words to himself, kicking a small pebble in front of him. Stormclaw motioned his tail for the two spotted apprentices to go ahead.
"Whats wrong?" Stormclaw asked.
Ravenflight looked at him, "I'm worried for you, you're in love with a Shadowclan cat."
"I know," Stormclaw puffed. "We fell in love at our first apprentice gathering, and last night was the first time we meet outside the gathering."
"Just be careful, ok?" He meowed.
"Ok," Stormclaw replied, grateful that his friend accepted his relationship.
"Ravenflight, Stormclaw look!" Splashpaw yelled, the spotted tom broke the awkward silence. They ran toward the lake, and there was Swiftpaw holding a fish almost the size of the tom. Stormclaw's eyes grew with amazement for his apprentice.
"My, my, my, out of all my life, I've never seen a cat your size catch a fish like that." Ravenflight purred, and Splashpaw and Swiftpaw laughed. Splashpaw helped carry it home. Stormclaw couldn't help but worry about Ivyfall. What if she was caught, or got hurt or...
"Are you ok?" Swiftpaw asked, Stormclaw snapped back into reality.
"Yeah" He replied, Swiftpaw shrugged and pick up the monster fish.
"Let me carry that." Ravenflight meowed, and snatched the fish from the apprentices.
"I wanna carry it into camp, to prove I caught it!" The spotted cat boasted.
"I bet I could catch a bigger one!" Splashpaw challenged, Ravenflight waved the fish in Swiftpaw's face, he grabbed it, and dashed toward Riverclan. Splashpaw bolted after him. Ravenflight picked up his pace, Stormclaw knew what he meant and ran toward to Riverclan's camp. They crashed into the camp in a heap. The sun was almost down, and most of the clan was in their nests. Ravenflight went straight to the warriors den, and Stormclaw followed. He noticed Swiftpaw's giant fish in the pile, a warm feeling came over him. Swiftpaw and Splashpaw reminded him of when Ravenflight and he were apprentices.
Late that night, Stormclaw padded out of his home, he looked back. How can I betray my clan? He questioned himself. Stormclaw shook the thought from his head, and dashed into the lake. Using his strong legs he pushed himself across the icy liquid. He climbed out of the water toward the Shadowclan border. Ivyfall ran up to him.
"Stormclaw!" She squealed in delight, Stormclaw rubbed his nose on her forehead.
"I love you." He whispered, "You're all I think about."
"I love you too." She whispered, and pressed herself against him, just then a giant red tom jumped in front of Ivyfall.
"Stay back!" He hissed, and cornered Stormclaw against a rock wall.
"Russetpelt?" Ivyfall sounded surprised, at the toms appearance.
Ivyfall looked at the tom scared, but was to shocked to react...and so was Stormclaw.
Russetpelt didn't even glance back, but he threw himself toward Stormclaw. Before Stormclaw could react he was push into the rock wall. One of the rocks tumbled down, Russetpelt jumped away. Stormclaw tried to get up, but the rock crushed his side.
"STORMCLAW!" Ivyfall cried, and ran toward him. Stormclaw was surround by a pool of blood, with the boulder on his hind legs. Russetpelt stood shocked.
"I didn't mean to hurt him." He stumbled, "I was just-"
"What did you do?" She snapped in desperation and anger.
"I killed a warrior...I can never be trusted. Good-bye Ivyfall..." Russetpelt managed to say and a tear rolled down his cheek. He then dashed into Windclan territory. Ivyfall crouched next to Stormclaw.
"It's going to be ok." She whispered into his ear. His eyes barely open.
"No Ivyfall, it's my time." He meowed, and flinched in pain. "Tell Ravenflight my death, but no one else."
"Stormclaw, you're going to be fine! Please don't say that!" She cried, tears dripped down her cheeks.
"I love you." he whispered, and closed his eyes.
"No Stormclaw, please don't go..." she nuzzled her brown fur into his cold dead body."I'll see you in Starclan..." she manged to say. Ivyfall got up, and wiped her tears, and ran into Shadowclan territory.
A few moons later
Three little kits sucked at Ivyfall's belly. She name them Toadkit, for his dark brown fur, Sunkit, for her light pale pelt, and Stormkit, for his dark gray fur...just like Stormclaw. She looked up at the stars, wondering if her love was watching her right now. Even if there was no one there, she whispered, "Stormclaw, do you like your kits?"