Hi, here's the Disclaimer. Oh, and, I just wanna thank my reviewers Suntalon and ding! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.
"I hate her," Icecloud mumbled as Lionblaze and Cinderheart padded away. Icecloud's eyes gleamed as she continued to pick through the freshkill pile. "If only…" No. Icecloud shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking these things. But as she watched Lionblaze and Cinderheart share a laugh, her heart clenched again, and she had to look away. She noticed the other cats that saw the two smiled at them, like they didn't care what was going on. She recalled a conversation she had a couple of days ago with her mother, Ferncloud. Her mother had commented that Lionblaze and Cinderheart made a great pair-didn't her mother notice that she liked Lionblaze, too?
"Hey, sis," Icecloud jumped to see Foxleap padding toward her. His eyes were alight with amusement; Icecloud let out a low groan to the teasing that she knew would come. Taking a seat beside her, Icecloud watched as a grin spread across his face. Why was he always such a joker? Icecloud thought to herself, but felt resentment when she realized Foxleap seemed to be the only cat that agreed with her about Lionblaze Cinderheart.
"What's got your mind in a jumble?" Icecloud blinked, startled. Foxleap and jumped her out of her reverie, and now he was looking at her expectantly.
Icecloud bit back a retort. He was, after all, only trying to be funny.
"Just um, thinking," Icecloud answered quickly. She winced. She answered too quickly. Leave it to nosy Foxleap to pry further! But he's your brother. He's only trying to help.
"Really," Foxleap gave her a look to let her know he didn't believe her, but Icecloud stared back, fake happiness on her face. "Well, would you like to share a mouse? Maybe it will help you clear your mind." He's not all smiles anymore, Icecloud noted. Foxleap was serious.
"Sure-" Icecloud cut off as another cat's mew sounded, and both glanced up to see a dark creamy she-cat bounding over to them.
"Foxleap, Foxleap!" Both siblings pricked their ears as Rosepetal's call sounded, and she stopped in front of them. Her eyes shone, and her fur looked glossy, like she was trying to impress a certain tm. "Foxleap," She blinked, and Icecloud's whisker's quivered in amusement. Was talkative Rosepetal really tongue-tied?
"I was umm…wondering if-if- maybe you would like to share a vole?" She stuttered, nervous. Icecloud felt like laughing, and when she glanced over at Foxleap, she saw his face was alight with amusement, also.
"Sure," Foxleap mewed. "Water vole, or vole?" Foxleap was trying quite hard to make a joke, and to Icecloud's surprise, Rosepetal laughed.
"Whatever you like," She said between giggles. So Foxleap wasn't laughing at Rosepetal, Icecloud noted, he was laughing at himself.
As the two padded of, Icecloud couldn't help but feel lonelier than ever. Running it over through her mind, just about everyone she knew was in love, or had a crush, or even had a mate! She rung them off in her head; Bumblestripe seems to be close to Ivypaw, and they're always so nervous around each other…Dovepaw had many cats padding after her….Foxleap and Rosepetal…Poppyfrost and Berrynose…Spitfire seemed to be in love, but it was unaware of whom…Jayfeather acted strange sometimes, too…Dragonclaw was padding after Dovepaw…Icefire was padding after who knows….and with a sigh, she added Lionblaze and Cinderheart.
I'll never find anyone….but maybe I could change the Cinderheart part… A smile began to inch its way onto Icecloud's face, but she angrily shook it off. "Ugh! This is so complicated. I'm gonna go hunting to clear my head." There is no cat around, but I should be grateful, Icecloud thought, making her way to the tunnel, if they were, they'd think I was crazy!
After she escaped from the clearing and was out into the forest, she raised her head and open her mouth, quickly catching a whiff of prey.
Squirrel! Crouching low on the ground, Icecloud stalked in expertly. Why a squirrel was this close to camp, she didn't know, but she should be grateful for the prey. Thank you Starclan!
Stalking through the undergrowth, Icecloud let out a silent purr when she noticed it was ahead, a fox-length away from a tall tree. She was not yet close enough to pounce, and began to slink forward a little more. Suddenly, Icecloud froze. Her tail flicked, brushing against a leaf, and Icecloud cursed as the squirrel scurried away, out of sight as it went up the tree.
Fox dung! She sat up, her tail flicking from side to side. It got away! If only I could just clear my mind…Icecloud, determined, tried to catch three more creatures. A bird got away, another squirrel, and so did a rather fat mouse. Shaking her head, Icecloud thought back to the events. That had to be her worst hunt. Tripping over her paws and landing in a thorn bush? Icecloud winced, remembering the sting of thorns on her pelt. At least, when Hollyleaf was a 'paw and still a medicine cat apprentice, she had learned and taught something useful.
As she stood in the middle of the forest, Icecloud let out a grunt of frustration, unsheathing her claws and raking out the grass that grew. What if that was a plant? Something that Jayfeather could use? Her day was becoming worse in worse. I might as well go to the warriors' den, curl up, and die there, Icecloud thought somberly, picking her way through the forest, her tail dragging. Suddenly, her head perked up. Were those voices?
Standing there and listening some more, Icecloud decided there were. Straining her ears, Icecloud could only grasp small words of the conversation. But they were enough to make her find out who was making them.
"Lionblaze and Cinderheart…mates…Icecloud…kin…Firestar…"
Curious, she padded toward the sound of the voices. When she was several tail lengths away, Icecloud strained her ears again coming to recognize the voices of Dovepaw and Ivypaw. Suddenly angry at the apprentices, Icecloud stalked forward, pushing her way through the bushes. Icecloud heard one last snippet before she let out an angry growl. "It's-"
"What are you two doing?" Icecloud growled, flexing her claws. Icecloud watched as the apprentices' eyes grew large at her outburst. "Answer me!"
Icecloud saw no hesitation when Dovepaw replied evenly, "I could as you the same thing."
"Dovepaw," Icecloud's voice was stern and cold. Dovepaw stared into the eyes of the white she-cat, but Ivypaw swallowed nervously, nudging her sister away so she could face her.
"Well, we were hunting," This time Ivypaw stared into Icecloud's blue eyes. Icecloud stared back.
"Then why were you standing around gossiping? You must have scared of all the prey!" Icecloud saw Dovepaw open her jaws to retort, but then thought better of it and shut them again. There was a silence following which Icecloud filled by staring down and glaring at the two younger and smaller cats. Both stared back defiantly before Dovepaw broke the silence.
"Lionblaze?" Dovepaw suddenly gasped. Shooting Ivypaw a look, she turned back to Icecloud, an evenly placed apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, Icecloud. I think I hear Lionblaze calling me," giving her another apologetic look, Dovepaw turned around and streaked off through the bushes. Icecloud winced as she heard the crackle of the leaves and twigs. Prey won't be out for a while, Icecloud turned back to Ivypaw, who had a ready reply.
"Cinderheart's calling me, too," Ivypaw said. "If Lionblaze is calling Dovepaw, it would make sense for Cinderheart to call me, don't you think?"
Icecloud sighed. "Fine," she growled. "But don't you two do it again!"
Ivypaw dipped her head and ran after Dovepaw, who had stopped to wait for her. As the two ran off, Icecloud didn't know if it was the wind, but she could've sworn she heard one of them say, "Yeah right."
Well, there you go. I put Bumble/Ivy in there for my second reviewer, ding, and I made Icecloud come out (I wasn't sure yet who I would make come out!) for my first reviewer, Suntalon. Thanks for reviewing! (Oh, and, you should review too)
~Dragonclaw11
