Look! Two chapters so quickly!
Actually, chapter 19 was the real chore. I somehow wrote it in a very short time, and yet it was probably the absolute hardest one to write just because I wanted to get things done in the story and it was not getting anything done. However, because it is complete, I give you this: a seriously important chapter of the story. It also marks the halfway point if the story goes as planned.
To everyone: thanks for leaving a review! I hope that I made up for my long absence with two chapters in three days... if not, I have already begun the 21st chapter as well so there is that.
To Cindy: The reason that Mapleshade became evil is actually stated in Crookedstar's Promise, and I intend for it to be the same way in this story. Don't worry... it'll be quite clear in... oh, I don't know, four to five chapters or so (could be shorter or longer, but that is my plan).
All right, go ahead and read this chapter... I'll get to work on 21 if I can (because I also have homework and a collection of comics to draw). Enjoy!
He sat across the river, gazing at the inky black sky that was scattered with the twinkling lights of Silverpelt. The moon stared back down at him like a great silver eye, casting its pale white light onto the dark grey and white pelt so that it shone brightly as the river, which rushed past at his paws and gurgled musically.
She wouldn't deny that her heart quickened at the sight of him. The warrior code stated so clearly that such a thing was not allowed in the event that there would be disloyalty on either side. And it made sense, really it did.
But when Pebblestep dropped his deep azure gaze from the stars above to look at her, Mapleshade suddenly felt like throwing caution to the wind and taking the time to be nonsensical.
She slid out from under the cover of the trees, setting her paws down softly on the hard-packed ground around Sunningrocks, and padded up to the riverbank. Pebblestep's eyes sparked with pleasure at the sight of her, and he nodded with a purr.
"Hello, Mapleshade," he called softly, raising his voice only a slight amount to be heard over the sound of the river.
She lowered her head and blinked at him, trying to ignore the frigidly cold earth beneath her paws. "I can't believe that the river isn't frozen yet," she meowed, looking down at the expanse of water.
His blue eyes grew warm. "It's flowing too quickly to freeze. Why? Are you planning on telling ThunderClan to cross the river and invade us fish-brains?" His tone was filled with amusement, reassuring Mapleshade that it was just a jest.
Ducking her head in embarrassment, Mapleshade evaded his gaze. "We wouldn't do that. I was thinking…" she paused, took a deep breath, and plunged on to speak more boldly than usual, "… that if it was frozen, I could get across to be next to you."
Pebblestep stood abruptly, and Mapleshade sat down in alarm. Oh, fox dung! Have I scared him off? The two warriors had hinted at feelings for each other, but never had they spoken so openly. Mousebrain! she swore silently at herself.
And then he was in the river – a white blotch that seemed no more than a reflection of the moon. Mapleshade bristled as she watched, terrified that he would be swept away by the fierce current. When the RiverClan tom emerged on the ThunderClan bank, wet fur spiked, she let out a sigh of relief and approached him.
The tom responded to her approach by shaking vigorously, scattering silver droplets of water everywhere – including her. Mapleshade let out a yelp of shock as the icy water sank into her fur, making her feel as if she was soaked to the bone despite how little water there actually was. When he moved closer, Mapleshade flattened her ears and glared at him.
"Was it necessary to drench me?" she growled, lashing her tail.
Pebblestep, in his usual easygoing manner, simply strode up and wound around her, pressing his dripping pelt against hers and spreading the water from him to her. "Calm down. Water never hurt a cat all by itself like this."
"But it's cold!" she complained, pulling away crossly.
"Oh, what's the matter?" the tom asked, voice suddenly teasing. He stretched out so that he was nose-to-nose with Mapleshade, blue eyes gleaming. "Are you afraid of the water? Is that why you wouldn't swim across to me?" When she broke eye contact, Pebblestep purred loudly. "Aw, you're giving me the cold shoulder even though I braved the dangerous river that you fear so greatly just to be at your side?"
A devilish idea crept into her mind then. Mapleshade padded past Pebblestep coyly, letting her tail brush against the length of his pelt, until she was at the riverside. He followed, just as she had hoped, right up to the bank. He looked at her then, a question in his gaze.
"You think that was the cold shoulder?" she asked, casting him a sideways glance. "Well, this is a true cold shoulder!" With those words, the ThunderClan she-cat charged into Pebblestep and used her strength to strike his shoulder with hers, shoving him right back into the river. She caught sight of his alarmed face as he disappeared under a stray wave and enjoyed the satisfaction of winning.
Until he didn't surface again.
Suddenly concerned, Mapleshade moved a little closer to the river and peered into the water from her distance. She could see no sign of the RiverClan tom.
Oh, StarClan! Where is he?! "Pebblestep?" she called, pacing down the bank nervously. He still made no appearance, not even further down the river. Now nearly panicking, Mapleshade raced back to the place where she had pushed him in – near the stepping stones – and rushed up to the water so close that it lapped at her paws. She stretched out over the water, eyes wide with horror, searching for some trace of his white pelt. The reflection of the moon on the water made it impossible to tell if any of the white blotches were a cat's pelt or simply light reflecting from the water.
Then a form exploded out of the rushing river, sending up a great splash of water straight into Mapleshade's face. A paw hooked around her leg and dragged it out from under her, yanking the ThunderClan warrior down into the water. She let out a strangled yowl of terror as her head was plunged underwater, and with it the rest of her began to slide across the muddy banks into icy water.
Her eyes stung and her vision was clouded by rushing waves and silt stirred into the water by her frantic struggles. As she scrambled for the riverbed, desperate to get back onto solid ground, something brushed against her flank. A fresh jolt of fright raced through her and Mapleshade lashed out fiercely, kicking with all of her strength against whatever it was that had touched her. She connected with something soft, too soft to push off of, and the force of the blow made the air rush from her lungs. There was a silent scream for air running through her mind, and Mapleshade was dimly aware that her jaws were gaping wide.
Her muzzle broke through the surface of the water and she gasped in a breath that was more water than air. Her legs thrashed wildly in the water, flailing in all different directions as she tried to swim for the bank even though she hardly knew which way was up, and the current of the river dragged her steadily on.
And then there were teeth gripping her scruff, sinking in deeply enough to split the skin as Mapleshade was heaved upwards. The sting barely registered in her fear-hazed mind until all at once she was jerked out of the deep river and into an area where her paws scraped mud. She pushed off of the mud with all of her might, unsheathing her claws and digging them into the first dry ground she touched. Gasping for air, Mapleshade dragged herself out of the river and vomited up great mouthfuls of water onto the banks – a sodden, heartsick scrap of tortoiseshell fur crouched on the riverside with a lacerated scruff.
Pebblestep pulled himself smoothly from the water and knelt at her side, touching his nose to her eartip. "Mapleshade?" he meowed gently, staring at her through round blue eyes. He was breathing heavily but was in a far better state than she. "A-are you okay?"
"No, I am not okay!" she seethed, getting to her paws shakily. "Did you really think that scaring me half to death and then trying to drown me would be a good idea? I didn't have you pegged as a half-wit!" When the tom tried to move closer, Mapleshade jerked back, spitting with rage. "Don't ever do anything like that again!" She lapped furiously at her soaked pelt until she had calmed somewhat.
When she looked up, she saw guilt gleaming in Pebblestep's eyes. He looked miserably at her. "I'm so sorry, Mapleshade," he mewed, sounding just as upset as she felt. "I – I meant to pull you into the water when I saw how nervous you were about it, and then get you right back out again. It was me that brushed against you, but then you, er, kicked me in the face." He looked away bashfully. "I was dazed enough that you were carried further down the river before I could get to you again."
Her heart was still pounding with adrenaline and terror. "Why did you think pulling a ThunderClan cat into the river was a good idea? We don't swim!" And I'll never get near the river again as long as I live, Mapleshade swore.
"That was… a lapse in judgment on my part," Pebblestep admitted, studying his paws. "But you have to believe me – I didn't mean to scare you so much! I really was just going to pull you in and back out."
"That was too much all by itself," Mapleshade growled, but her heart was no longer in being angry. Instead she was just relieved that she was alive, that she hadn't been left to drown. And she was realizing how cold she was – the river would be frozen if it weren't moving so quickly, and the water was dangerously frigid. Though Mapleshade tried to fluff out her fur, the thick pelt was still too wet to do more than twitch.
And then, all at once, she was warm. Pebblestep had pressed against her, his glossy pelt warm even though it was also wet. At first Mapleshade stiffened uncomfortably, acutely aware that they shouldn't have such close contact. Then the RiverClan tom leaned over so that his muzzle was near her ear and meowed, "Don't be ashamed of closeness, Mapleshade. You need to get warm. Calm down." She let her rigid muscles relax, though her mind was still racing.
"Lie down," Pebblestep instructed her. "I'll help you get dry." When Mapleshade acquiesced, he began to groom her pelt rapidly and efficiently. His tongue rasped over her wet fur, pressing the water out not unlike the way she had squeezed moisture out of bedding moss. From the top of her head to the nape of her neck to her lower back to the base of her tail, the tom licked until Mapleshade was nearly dry.
When she turned to thank him, Mapleshade was surprised to see that Pebblestep was mostly dry himself, though she knew he had no time to lick himself dry. Seeing her astonished expression, he purred. "Eating fish makes the fur glossy. More water rolls off of me than it gets soaked up, unlike you and your thick pelt." He nudged her almost affectionately.
Mapleshade looked down awkwardly. "Th-thank you, Pebblestep – even if it was your fault that I was in the river."
He purred, blinking at her kindly. "And whose fault is it that I was in the river, hmm? Don't worry, Mapleshade. I won't hold any hostility towards you – and I hope that you'll do the same."
Suddenly she was struggling to meet his gaze. "I could never hate you," she breathed.
A purr rumbled in Pebblestep's throat, and he bent to press his muzzle against her forehead. "Thank you."
"Pebblestep, I –" she began, then stopped, uncertain of what she meant to say – or how the tom would react. But he pulled back and gazed down at her with affection glowing in his blue gaze, and she pressed on. "I wasn't certain about it before, but now… well… I mean to say…" she trailed off, still unable to say the words.
"I love you," he finished. Mapleshade's thoughts halted, completely frozen at his words. It was precisely what she had intended to say – but for him to speak them first was beyond anything she might have expected.
But now he was looking at her with a mixture of expectance, tenderness, and hope in his eyes, and Mapleshade found that she could speak again. "I love you, too," she mewed gently.
Pebblestep closed his eyes then. At first she feared that she had somehow done something wrong, but then he pressed against her once more and she felt the thrum of his purr before she heard it – a sound so powerful and deep that it seemed to shake the very ground they sat on. Mapleshade sat up from her place on the ground and leaned into him, relishing the feeling of his sleek fur on hers.
That night they were not Pebblestep of RiverClan or Mapleshade of ThunderClan. They were simply two cats, two cats deeply in love.