Chapter 10:

Thornfrost looked around, the rain pushing against his thin pelt. It felt like it came down on them every pawstep the cats saw a small TwoLeg nest next to a Thunderpath that was deserted. "Come guys," Thornfrost mewed. "Let's rest over there." Slowly, Thornfrost padded over to the overhanging roof and sat as he watched Flamewing support one side of Tinypaw and Brightstorm the other.

Darkblaze was following behind them, looking out for Lily. When they reached the roof Thornfrost suddenly heard a wailing sound from behind them. Darkblaze turned around to only be bowled over by Lily. Thornfrost was surprised that Lily could knock over Darkblaze, strong and sturdy.

"Lily!" Darkblaze cried. "We thought you ran away."

"Well, I didn't." Lily mewed. The rain had soaked through her thin pelt. She shivered and Thornfrost noticed.

"Come sit down," He told her. Lily shivered again then slowly padded over next to Thornfrost. Flamewing did the same and then started to wash her pelt. Lily thanked her with a nod then relaxed. Tinypaw still sat in the rain, washing his wound. When the blood stopped welling out, he tried to stand. He stumbled and Brightstorm caught him. She helped Tinypaw walk over where the rain wasn't so hard. After a long silence, Flamewing stood up and meowed, " We should get moving before the rain stops, so the TwoLegs don't come out." The six all nodded and stood up, one by one. With Brightstorm and Tinypaw in the front and Darkblaze and Lily in the back, they filed off in single file. They padded towards the forest and found a cluster of trees close to the Clans' borders.

The forest cats, and Lily, decided to go around the territories so we wouldn't get caught by anyone. They slipped into an opening in the bushes and continued.

The rain stopped a little after moonrise and Tinypaw soon grew tired. He couldn't keep going because of his wounded leg. Darkblaze offered to find some cobwebs. "They are always easy to find... Even in unknown territories," he mewed proudly. Flamewing asked why he hadn't become a medicine cat. "I wasn't really a medicine cat, I learned a little from my littermate." Tinypaw nodded and Darkblaze sped off into the trees. Thornfrost sat and washed himself slowly. The rain drizzled down and Thornfrost heard a growl of thunder. " We need to find shelter soon." Flamewing meowed thoughtfully.

" But we need to wait for Darkblaze though," Brightstorm objected.

" The rain would wash away our paw marks and scent." Tinypaw nodded. "I can't walk anyway," Tinypaw meowed quickly. " And Lily must be tired- from walking all that way, I mean." He added as Thornfrost and Brightstorm looked at him. Lily let out a mmmrrrreeeoooowwww of laughter. "Tired?" She meowed "I'm not tired. Tinypaw you must be tired if you're saying I'm tired,"

At that very moment, Flamewing saw Darkblaze padding over to the five with a rabbit and cobwebs dangling from his mouth.

Thornfrost licked his lips but told himself that Tinypaw, Brightstorm and Flamewing would eat first. Darkblaze dropped the rabbit and dipped his head towards Tinypaw. "Thanks," Tinypaw mumbled as he wrapped the cobwebs around his leg wound. Flamewing advanced towards the rabbit and pulled off one of its hind leg. Then, she padded over to Thornfrost and sat. She pushed half of the rabbit to him with her muzzle. The tabby nodded his thanks and bent down to eat the rabbit.

As Thornfrost's stomach slowly filled, Flamewing bent down and ate with him. Slowly, he tilted his head to look at her. She did the same. Her ginger and golden tail sparkled in the moonlight as it brushed against Thornfrost's face. She blinked. Thornfrost licked his lips, sat up and looked up at Silverpelt and thanked StarClan for the meal.

Darkblaze, Tinypaw and Brightstorm were asleep. I snuggled deep into Flamewing's fur and breathed in her scent. Flamewing purred softly as I took a slow deep breath.

"Do you want any berries?" I asked her. She nodded. I stood up and padded over to the bush with the soft red berries on it. They were sweet and they seemed to calm down my nerves. I picked a few berries and rolled them towards Flamewing. She scooped them up, one at a time. I picked a few for myself, but my stomach could barely hold them down because of what I was about to do.

I came back and sat down again. We sat in silence as I washed myself slowly and carefully. I cleared my throat. Suddenly, a loud yowl came from the sleeping clump of cats.

"Flamewing?" I meowed as I looked at her.

"Yes, Thornfrost?" She purred. I gulped, suddenly lost for words.

"Isn't it a beautiful night?" I stuttered to her. She looked up at Silverpelt and the moonlight reflected her eyes making her more beautiful. I looked at her, my eyes glued onto her.

I couldn't stop; and I didn't want to stop.

I looked at the sky again then back to Flamewing. She had shifted her gaze onto me and she purred a little bit. I took a slow breath. This was the night I was waiting for. I shifted on my haunches.

A cool night.

A beautiful night.

A silent night.

When she looked into my eyes I spoke to her.

"I love a beautiful she-cat," I meowed dreamily to her. "And I chose her to be my mate. But this cat must also choose me."

"She has already chosen," Flamewing meowed. I stood and Flamewing did the same. Flamewing was so close to me that I could smell her breath. "Will you be my mate?" I meowed slowly.

"Oh, Thornfrost," She meowed. "I don't know... how will it work? We'd still be in different Clans after this quest..." She trailed off and looked away.

"We could run away together once the quest is finished." I mewed calmly, adding a touch of love in my tone.

"I will be your mate," Flamewing meowed quietly. She looked at me. I purred with relief.

Suddenly, she pounced on me and we both tumbled down a small hill. I landed on top of her and pinned her down. She let her body go limp, but she lifted her head to look at me. Her eyes still had the same twinkle in them when we met at the border.

Flamewing's breath still smelled of the berries I gave her. I loved her and I knew that she loved me too. Then, shyly, I leaned towards her and licked her. She pressed her muzzle against mine as a symbol of love. I closed my eyes and let myself purr. I heard Flamewing purr too. Suddenly, I heard Tinypaw meow in his sleep. My eyes shot open and I leaped off Flamewing. She stood up quickly. I glanced at the sleeping cats and whispered, "No one can know. " Flamewing nodded as we climbed up the hill again. I stood guard that night with Flamewing curled up next to me.

Before I went to sleep that night, I heard three words from Flamewing.

"I love you."