Disclaimer: I only own the characters and plot. The Idea of warriors belongs to Erin Hunter.
The next morning, there was a buzz of excitement that swept through the Cave. Even older warriors seemed excited, their eyes flashing, low conversation rippling between them and their friends, kits darting amongst their feet, screeching in joy. Raising my head from my nest, I eased the stiffness out of my muscles and shook out my fur, a yawn trailing from my jaws before I padded out into the open, scanning the Cave for any sign of Ripple. I found the grey-furred tom conversing excitedly with another tom, the unfamiliar cats' ginger fur spiked up and wild, his paws shuffling excitedly on the ground, a grin spread across his features.
"Hey Ripple." I greeted, trying to catch his attention, springing back slightly as he whirled around with lighting reflexes, a wide, toothy smile brushed across his features.
"Hi, Whitescar!" He called, before sliding over and nudging the ginger cat to the side, his blue eyes glinting alike to a kits' as he crashed into his friend, almost sending the both of them crashing to the ground. "This is Spark, Spark, this is Whitescar! Say hi!" Lunging to the side again, Ripple hopped around on his paws as Spark flashed me a nervous grin then cast his own gaze over to Ripple.
"Sorry, he gets far to excited on the Day of Thick Ice." Tilting my head slightly at the foreign term that Spark was using, I noticed that the snow outside had halted overnight, leaving a clear view of the arching mountains, a sight that may have been peaceful if it wasn't for the fact that the Cave was thick of conversation that showed no signs of faltering any time soon, the noise on the verge of becoming irritating, veering away from chatter and into the zone of plain annoyance. Flattening my ears against my head, I turned back to Spark to find him and Ripple engaged in a writhing play-fight, twisting around on the rocky ground. Watching their fight, I couldn't help but admire the way that Ripple moved, twisting and curling, each movement carried along his entire body and ended with a graceful flick of his tail, his eyes flashing with so much life I almost believed that he could revive the dead just by looking towards them.
What are you doing, Whitescar! I scolded myself, tearing my gaze away and letting it settle heavily at my paws. The prophecy. You can't let him get to close to you... Suddenly, I let out a squeal of surprise as I was tackled to the ground, and I looked up to find Ripple siting on my chest, staring down at me, grinning.
"Got you." He purred, before meowing in surprise as I whipped out from underneath him and curved around, using the nearby wall to propel myself around and crash down onto the tom's back, burying my muzzle into the back of his neck, grinning in malice as he began to laugh hysterically, thrashing around with his paws, attempting to throw me off.
"That tickles! Stop it!" Happy that I'd achieved my goal, I sprung away and licked my paw casually, smirking lopsidedly at the grey tom, flicking my tail teasingly. I paused mid-lick as the scent of pine leaves and fresh air washed over me and Ripple's face forced close to mine, causing me to topple backwards and crash to the ground.
"I hate you for that." He grumbled, before laughing and springing away in excitement as Gold's voice rang through the cave loud and clear, all cats falling silent, leaving a void where there once was loud excited chatter.
"The ice is thick enough to visit now. We can all leave! Kits, stay close to older cats, and older cats, the kits are your responsibility! We move now!" Her pelt catching the sunlight as she whipped down from her perch, Gold ran towards the exit of the cave, the rest of the Cave Cats charging after, trailing from the Cave and into the open, the clear morning light crashing down from the sky, tall trees with sloping branches marking the way and filtering the stream of cats in a line towards a single destination.
Ice-Water. Running alongside Ripple, I forced down my confusion and let the thrill of the run consume me, the branches flickering above my head, fur ruffling in the wind, air so fresh that it scorched my lungs, following the trail of trampled snow through the trees, weaving nimbly amongst their snow-scattered trunks. Bursting out into the open, I skidded to a halt and was almost carried off my paws as the rest of the cats streaked past me and onto the ice, skidding out over its mirror-like surface, Ripple, who stood confidently on the ice, called out to me, tilting his head in a beckoning motion.
"Come on! It's perfectly safe! Gold checked using the Pool!" Stepping forwards tentatively, I placed one paw shakily on the ice and leant my weight onto it, but let out a squeal as I jolted forwards, my paw slipping out from underneath me and sending me tumbling out onto the glassy surface, sprawled out onto the ice, unable to move, paws slipping away from me with every attempt to regain my balance. Letting out a mrrow of laughter, Ripple slid over towards me, but was dragged off to the side as Spark propelled towards him, sending the both of them sprawling out onto the Ice, laughing madly.
"Do you want some help?" Looking up at the sound of a quiet, gentle voice, I found my self looking towards a small silver tom with a splash of white decorating his chest, a pair wide green eyes staring down into my own. Nodding, I tried to force upwards, and the tom butted my shoulder, gradually nudging me upright until I stood shakily to my paws, supported by the silver tom, who slowly peeled away from me to let me stand on my own.
"Thanks..." I breathed, before narrowing my eyes thoughtfully, wracking my brain for the name I was looking for. "It's Faolan, right?" I questioned uncertainty, and the tom nodded, blinking up at me calmly.
"Yes, that's right. Come on, let's go and find Ripple. Can you walk on the ice?" To answer the small tom, I took a shaky step forwards and wobbled across the ice, almost careering forwards again, but still managing to move, sliding my paws tentatively over the smooth mirror-like surface, gritting my teeth in concentration.
"Hey Whitescar!" I looked upwards and laughed to see Ripple skid to a halt beside me, gliding gracefully over the ice and attempting to stop calmly, but the tom overbalanced and crashed into me, knocking me over and toppling down with me, the both of us falling onto the ice, laughing. Trying to scramble away, I simply scrabbled around on the ice to no avail, my attempts causing Ripple to laugh hysterically, his laughter contagious, the both of us sprawled out on the ice, Ripple half sitting on top of me, laughing wildly.
"Okay, lovebirds! Get up!" Jolting upright, me and Ripple sprung away from each other as if struck by lightning at Faolan's teasing comment, heat rising to my ears as I scrambled to my paws, the blue-eyed tom beside me equally as flustered, glaring accusingly at the small silver cat that stood balanced on the ice, giggling at the reaction he had achieved. Searching for a comeback, Ripple leered at Faolan and retorted.
"Oh, and you and Ferret aren't?" the silver tom huffed in a flustered fashion, which Ripple smirked at, however the rest of their conversation was lost on me, as a sudden, unspeakable dread seized me, and I coiled away from the two cats and scrambled out over the ice, panic slicing into me, sending my mind into a skittering wheel of turmoil, voices striking through me, hitting with a pain that was almost physical.
You may have left Forestclan, but you haven't left the prophecy...
"Whitescar." A smooth, calm voice jolted my from my panic, and my gaze flickered upwards to meet the kaleidoscope eyes of Gold, her pelt shining in the weak sunlight. Whipping away, I attempted to dart past the she-cat but was halted as a feathery tail swept comfortingly over my shoulders. Reaching up, I sliced out at the Cave Cats' leader's tail, my claws sending a spray of blood splattering against the snow as I screeched in panic, feeling my heart racing through my body, limbs shaking, breath shuddering in my throat.
"Get off me! Keep away! I'll end up killing you!"
"Whitescar." Gold's voice remained calm and unwavering, her eyes displaying no emotion, perfectly guarded with a beautiful artistry, a web of colour and light. "How could you kill me?" Desperation flooding through me, I whirled on the she-cat, eyes wide with terror, fur standing on end, claws dug into the ground, heart fluttering in my chest, a caged bird that was slowly dying.
"The prophecy!" I screeched, trying desperately to get my point across. "The prophecy says that I'll kill you!" Gold shook her head, leopard spotted fur gleaming softly.
"Whitescar, there is no prophecy."
A/N: Here you go! Have a nice cliffhanger! I hope you enjoyed this chapter- I think it's kind of badly written, but oh well! For today's question: If one of your characters or OCs met Whitescar, what do you think would happen? Be creative!
Storm signing out!