Disclaimer: I only own the characters and plot. The Idea of warriors belongs to Erin Hunter.
"N-no prophecy?" My voice seemed to shake with the weight of the information that had just been placed on me, and I froze, eyes wide, staring up at Gold's leopard-masked face, her mouth open lightly, breath huffing out in small clouds and spiralling up gracefully into the air. Dipping her head, the she-cat stared down at me, and spoke in rumbling tones that soothed my mind and caused the tension to drop free from my limbs.
"Yes, there is no prophecy. Your father, Ashstar, made it up." Shaking my head in disbelief, I took a step towards Gold, a look of pleading in my eyes.
"Why would he do that? Tell me!" a small sigh escaped the Leader of the Cave-cats' mouth, and she glanced to the side, her pelt ruffled along her spine from the breeze. Letting her golden-webbed gaze wander over to the flat, glassy surface of Ice-Water, she spoke, her words seeming to cause the wind to spiral faster, sending a sweep of snow lifting from the ground and whirling around her paws.
"That is something you will learn in time. Now is not the place for me to tell you. For now, I advise that you enjoy life as it is. The cats here are different to the cats you know of in the forest. If you ask, they will give you their trust. We can make up for the love you lost as a young cat." The she-cat glanced out across the ice, to where Ripple's grey pelt was clearly visible as he threw himself in a sort of reckless grace, hurtling along the frozen water, his blue gaze flashing in the sunlight. The sight of the tom, Gold turned back to me and smiled knowingly. "Some cats in particular are more willing to give you their hearts than others." At the leopard-spotted leader's words, I ducked my head, heat rising to my ears, eyes squeezing shut in embarrassment.
"W-we're just friends..." I mumbled, blinking fast as the she-cat purred, then jumping back in surprise, exclaiming in indignation as she mused quietly.
"For now." Shaking my head, I began to back away awkwardly, much to Gold's amusement, the leader laughing a crystalline laugh, the light seeming to coil closer to her as the noise rippled from her throat and hung like dew in the frozen air. "Go and play on the Ice-water." She advised, before adding teasingly; "Ripple is there." Huffing in embarrassment, I scampered away from the leader, feeling suddenly free as I skidded back onto the ice and let out a whoop of joy, my eyes wide, the beauty of the world wrapping around me and giving me wings, letting my soul soar high above the clouds, snow tangling in my fur, each touch letting life spark through me.
The Prophecy is fake! It's all fake! Grinning and whirling around on the ice, the realization enlightened me, letting my paws glide over the frozen water, careless and practically flying, until I let out a squeak of surprise as I collided with someone, crashing out onto the ice on top of the other cat, looking down guiltily into the laughing face of Dew, who tried to slither out from underneath me, pawing at the Ice half-heartedly.
"Watch out! Great Starclan, you have no coordination!" She smirked at me, and I laughed slightly, trying to scramble back to my paws, failing to do so and sliding back down on top of Dew, unable to move. Suddenly, a flash of blue caught my attention, and Ripple skidded to a halt beside where me and the other she-cat lay in a heap on the ice, the tom grinning mockingly, blue eyes flooding my vision with the colour of the sky.
"Need some help?" He teased, before leaning down and nudging me away from the smaller cat then hauling me to my paws and turning to watch where Gold stood in the sunlight, watching us with amusement in her kaleidoscope gaze. "What was that about before? Are you okay?" The concern in his voice sent my heart fluttering wildly in my chest, and I almost slid back to the ground, my belly-fur already wet from lying on the Ice-Water, but I forced myself to stay upright, the knowledge of the prophecy being fake sending excitement racing through me once more. Nodding breathlessly, a strange impulse took over me, and I launched myself into Ripple, a surprised squeak rising from his perfectly sculpted jaws as we crashed to the ice, before I flipped out from beneath him and placed my paw on his chest.
"Got you!" I called, and the tom chuckled, before grabbing my paw and tugging hard, my paws sliding out from underneath me; the look of mischief in his blue eyes turning towards me as I collided with the ice next to him, sprawling out on the frozen water. He turned over to me, and reached out, patting my nose with his paw teasingly.
"Got you too." Laughing and rolling around onto the ice, I turned so that I was lying on my back, the cold breeze ruffling my fur as snowflakes spiralled around my head, the mountains framing my vision, tapering up into the sky- a canvas of monotone that somehow conveyed more life than the rustling of the trees ever could, a bird darting through my line of sight, crossing the beautiful emptiness, its wings falling in perfect time to my heartbeat, a sigh rising from my jaws.
I'm free... I'm completely free... This... This is where I belong...
"You cold?" I turned to see Ripple staring up at me, and, at the moment he reminded me that I was lying flat out on a stretch of ice, a sudden shiver of cold struck through me, and I curled up, gasping suddenly, scrambling to my paws and shaking my soaked pelt free of water.
"Y-Yes!" Teeth chattering, I began to drag myself over to the edge of the Ice-Water, skidding and unbalanced, until I sprawled out onto the snow-scattered earth, shivering softly. Glancing over, I saw Gold step over to the edge of the ice, raising her head and calling out, voice ringing out through the mountains, every cat falling silent instantaneously, her voice enough to command their attention.
"Cave Cats! We head back! Gather the kits, make sure that they're warm!" Moving to obey their leader's command, the Cave-cats began to move around, gathering up the kits and herding them towards the shore, stepping onto the earth and scooping up the kits, ignoring their protests, lapping at their ruffled fur, trying to keep them warm.
"Ripple?" The tom standing beside me jerked his head around to see Gold standing by him, leopard-spotted pelt seeming to glow, a tiny kit crouching at her paws, its russet pelt slicked to its body with water, bright green eyes staring widely up at the Leader. "Would you take Apple?" Nodding, the grey cat grinned at me, his eyes smiling with his face, bright and alive as he flicked me with his tail and padded over, rasping his tongue over the kit- Apple's- head and scooping them up, the tiny russet form hanging from his jaws, gently swaying. Moving over to me, I felt the cold seep away from my limbs as Gold approached, her presence seeming to leech the discomfort from my pelt as she beckoned for me to walk beside her, her feathered tail flicking slightly. Walking in silence, we approached the trees, and, as we stooped under their boughs, she leant over and whispered into my ear softly;
"Open your heart, Whitescar."
A/N: Yep, Gold ships Whitescar and Ripple together. I couldn't help myself XD This chapter was really fun to write, I'm glad to finally be able to make Whitescar happy! For the Question of the Day: Do you join Gold in shipping Whitescar X Ripple? Also, please excuse me whilst I fall on the ground and scream about how many freaking reviews this story has had. How did this happen? How can my writing deserve this?!
Storm Out!