Everlasting Love

The morning dew mixed with the tiny raindrops was cool under my soft, pink pads as I trotted out into the lush, green forest. Leaves were glistening silver as raindrops pelted them. My beautiful white fur was matted from the heavy drops, but I didn't care. I had to see him.

Who? It was Darkclaw from ShadowClan. I know it was against the warrior code to be mates with someone from another clan, but nothing can stop us, not even the warrior code. We met at the edges of our borders, ThunderClan's and ShadowClan's, although the rain washed away the scents.

"Dappletail, over here!" mewed a voice behind me. I recognized it as Darkclaw's. He had this deep, rumbling voice that I loved. I whipped around and raced towards him. His dark pelt blended in the shadows of a pine tree in his border. His front white paw was the only visible thing I could see.

"Darkclaw?" I whispered as I silently trotted toward him. We pressed our pelts together, even though mine was matted and dirty, and his was full of mud. I guess you have to get used to having mud on your pelt weighing you down on rainy days when you live in the damp marshes!

"Look," Darkclaw whispered, "We can't keep on meeting each other anymore! One of the sunhigh patrols reported ThunderClan scent in our borders! Rowanstar is starting to send night patrols to check the borders every night, starting tomorrow, I think."

His news shocked me. I mean, what kind of jerk like Rowanstar would care about his borders? Maybe he's just wanting to look like he cares for his territory and his clanmates, but deep in the inside... "Don't worry," I purred, as I snuggled under his chin. It had something thick and sticky on it. "The rain will wash away our scents today, but..." I trail off. What would happen if it wasn't raining, and the night patrol finds us? It was all because of the warror code, and that wasn't fair. Why can't cats be mates if they're both from another clan?

"Dappletail?" mewed Darkclaw, concern lacing in his deep tone, "It's not that I don't want us to be mates anymore, but you do know what Rowanstar would do, that is, if he finds out. I mean, Lightstar is a pretty decent leader, and the worst he would do is to exile you, but Rowanstar..."

I didn't answer. I knew that everyday, Rowanstar thinks up another way to torture the cats that defy him. He doesn't even give a second chance! Rowanstar had just became leader, after Toadstar was assassinated by a mysterious murderer. I was convinced that it was Rowanstar, even though I had never seen him, I heard many rumors. Bad ones.

I couldn't speak, mostly because I was afraid that tears would come out of my shiny blue eyes. I buried my muzzle into his black, thick, muddy fur, with our tails twined, while he rested his chin between my gray ears. We blocked all the night sounds out; the tiny crickets chirping, owls hooting while hiding in the shadows. We did not notice anything until it was too late to escape.

"My, so what do we have here?" A shadow of a cat hissed. "Darkclaw, and, from what I can scent, ThunderClan filth? I do not tolerate traitors here, in my clan. So tell me, are you working with ThunderClan?" As he came closer, the scent of crow-food reached my nose. I coughed as quietly as I could to get the whiff away, and flinched as he came even more closer. I could see him clearly now, in the shadows. It was a muscular brown tabby tom, and I have just the slightest feeling that he was the devious leader, Rowanstar.

We didn't know what to do. Or I didn't. Should I run? No, I have to stay with my mate. I must. If he gets killed, I die with him. I will follow him to StarClan. No one can separate us, not by code, nor tooth and claws.

Then my vision became foggy. I didn't know what I was seeing, I was only aware of the brown tabby, Rowanstar, raking his thorn-sharp claws on Darkclaw's flank. My mate slashed back, and dodged when Rowanstar snapped his jaws that was aiming for his throat. Darkclaw leaped on his leader, and Rowanstar rolled back, forcing Darkclaw to leap off. While Rowanstar was trying to get back on his paws, Darkclaw plummented his belly, and dark crimson blood spurted out. Rowanstar gave a yowl of agony. Serves him right, I thought.

I felt useless, just standing there, watching my mate fighting his leader, trying to protect me. I wanted to flee back to ThunderClan territory, my legs stayed frozen on the forest floor, forcing me to watch the bloody war. Crimson blood now stained the pine tree, where we were hiding behind.

After a while, Darkclaw finally slashed his claws at Rowanstar's throat, and the metallic taste of blood filled my nose. But I was also glad in a way. The horrible reign of Rowanstar had ended.

"Dappletail, go back to your territory, and don't tell any cat about this! I know some followers of Rowanstar still around. I'll get some fox-dung, and make it looks like a fox killed him.

Although I have a bad feeling about it, I started to run back, but suddenly I realized; Rowanstar is a leader, so -

I didn't have time to complete the thought. The brown tom took Darkclaw by surprise, and clawed his neck. I figured that I could run away from the scene, but my legs were frozen again. Rowanstar scented the air, and turned toward me. Then I suddenly remembered the though, if Darkclaw dies, I die with him.

I didn't know what happened next. I was only aware of a horrible pain in my neck. I closed my eyes, for I knew that I must be dead. Then I open them. I see Darkclaw, and more cats.

Is this StarClan?

Darkclaw stepped forward, his eyes welcoming.

"Welcome Dappletail, to StarClan."

We pressed our pelts together, and smooth and groomed, and padded to join the other cats, with stars in our fur.

Nothing could ever separate us, our love lasts forever.

AN: Uh... not sure if this passes...