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Sharpfrost waited impatiently at the ThunderClan border for a patrol to find him. The border wasn't fresh so there should be someone soon, hopefully. He shivered at the cold breeze of leaf-bare. He hated being cold..
After a few more moment of waiting, four ThunderClan cats walked out of the undergrowth, and Sharpfrost quickly checked if Leopardstep was on the patrol. She wasn't. Fox-dung, He thought. There was one cat that he thought he recognized but he couldn't quite place her, and so he shoved the thought into the back of his head.
"Sharpfrost," A russet colored tom dipped his head to him in respect. "Why would the new SkyClan deputy be here?" Sharpfrost recalled that this Warrior's name was Eagleflight.
He shifted his paws, trying to match the other cat's respectful tone. "SkyClan requires help from ThunderClan. A few of our cats have Whitecough, and while it's not bad at the moment, our Medicine cat wants to be prepared and we don't have any Catmint." Trying not to make his Clan sound too weak, he lifted his gaze in a show of power. "We only need a small amount to replant."
Eagleflight nodded, "I'm sure Briarlight will help you." He glanced behind himself. "Snowdrop, bring him to camp. The rest of us will continue the patrol." He turned back to Sharpfrost and smiled good-naturedly. "It's nice to finally meet one of the cats my daughter will rule with."
The breath flew out of Sharpfrost's body. "Y-You're Leopardstep's Father?!"
He laughed. "Yes."
The SkyClan tom immediately straightened his back. "Nice to meet you, sir." He dipped his head respectfully, before quickly followed the bright white she-cat, Snowdrop, who was walking away.
So that was Leopardstep's father. If... If I ever want to have a chance with her then I'll need him to like me, Sharpfrost thought, worried. Had I made a good first impression? "So," Snowdrop began, and he turned his attention towards her. "You're in love with Leopardstep?"
The question completely took him off guard and he looked at her, bewildered. "W-What?" Sharpfrost froze. What in StarClan's name is going on?! How does she know?! "O-of course not! Why would you think that?"
She shrugged. "Honestly, it's not that hard to figure out. If someone actually paid attention to you around her they would see it, too." Snowdrop stared at him. And even though Sharpfrost could tell she was a few moons younger than him, her eyes held the wisdom and experience of an elder.
Sharpfrost frowned at her, slightly unnerved. "But. . why do you care?" He had started walking again, hoping to get to the camp as soon as possible.
Snowdrop sighed and pure grief flashed across her face so fast Sharpfrost nearly missed it. "Because. . I want you to have a chance," She fixed him with her stare again, and his metallic blue gaze met piercing yellow. "I lost my chance with. . with Foxfoot, and I don't want the same thing to happen to you. Treasure your time with her."
Sharpfrost opened his mouth to respond, perhaps say something like 'I already do', but they had arrived at the ThunderClan camp. Snowdrop pushed her way inside, and he followed her, his head still spinning with this information. She and Foxfoot? But he's helping take over the clans. How do you fall in love with a monster like that?
Sharpfrost suddenly remembered where he recalled her from. When we all came to the ThunderClan camp as apprentices. We saw Larchpaw and Foxpaw fighting and she was there. . wasn't Foxpaw defending her? Clearly this Clan had more secrets than he had originally thought.
Sharpfrost pushed the thoughts away as he walked into the camp. It was no time to be worrying about this.
"Sharpfrost!" A voice sounded behind him and the tom's mood was immediately cheerful. Snowdrop purred and then padded away, most likely to inform the Medicine cat of what he needed.
"Leopardstep," He purred, turning to her. "It's good to see you."
She smiled at him, looking as beautiful as ever. "What are you doing here?" There was no accusation in her tone, merely curiosity.
Sharpfrost couldn't help but smile back. "We need Catmint, there's some sickness in SkyClan."
"Leopardstep, Who's this?" A white tom padded up next to her. He was probably Snowdrop's littermate, they looked almost exactly the same and around the same age, only he had amber eyes. Icefur, Sharpfrost recalled from the gathering.
Leopardstep glanced at Icefur, "This is my be- really good friend, Sharpfrost. You probably have seen him before, he's SkyClan's chosen." He felt his heart skip a beat. Was she about to say best friend?! Had he actually achieved that much of an honor?
"Ah. Um, Leopardstep, Can I talk to you for a second?" Icefur asked and Sharpfrost fought the urge to frown. He didn't like the other tom's silky smooth attitude. Leopardstep nodded, looking rather confused.
"I'll be back in a minute Sharpfrost," Before he could say anything they had walked over to a corner of camp. Sharpfrost watched impatiently as they began conserving. He'd wanted to tell her of his promotion to deputy...
He sat there, waiting for her to finish talking or the medicine cat to come back with the Catmint. "Well, well, well," Two toms walked up to him and Sharpfrost easily recognized them as Leopardstep's brothers. The ones helping someone take over the clans.
Sharpfrost frowned as she remembered what Snowdrop had said about Foxfoot. Perhaps he had been better, earlier on. "Look who showed up, here to kill us for your friend?" Larchclaw sneered. Foxfoot glared at him as well.
He stood up, a growl rising in his throat. Sharpfrost opened his jaws to insult the other tom, but a black and white pelt jumped in front of him. "Back off!" Leopardstep hissed. "Stay away from my friends, or I'll flay you both!"
The dark red tom shook his head in shock. "Leopardstep, it's oka-"
"Sharpfrost, I have your Catmint, Stormstar wants me to escort you home." Snowdrop interrupted him. Sharpfrost glanced at Leopardstep one last time before sighing and following the white she-cat. She led him out of camp, holding a bundle of catmint.
"Here, I can take that," He said. Snowdrop nodded and he took the bundle of delicious leaves from her. They walked in silence for a few minutes until reaching the border.
Sharpfrost dropped the catmint and turned to her, questions rising in his mind. The biggest one was probably the least helpful for what he actually needed to know, but he didn't care at the moment. "How? How could you love someone like Foxfoot? Both he and Larchclaw are monsters!" They're trying to destroy the Clans was what he didn't say aloud.
Snowdrop simply chuckled sadly. "I've wondered that many times before as well. But love works in strange ways." She stepped closer and her eyes hardened a little bit. "But trust me when I tell you this. I've seen a side to him no one else has seen." With those ominous words she padded away back to the ThunderClan camp.
And with that Sharpfrost picked up the herbs and started on his way back to SkyClan, his mind swirling in confusion. What does she mean by that? How much does she know?
He shook his head- I can't be thinking about this, there are more important things right now. I cannot be worrying about Leopardstep, no matter how much I want to.
Like attempting to save that five Clans. Yeah, big stuff like that. Perfect.