Hello everybody! sorry about the delay, I've been having a bad week with, well, everything.
REVIEWS(my answers are going to be shorter then normal because I'm still having a bad week)
Shadowfur1017- thank you, and, of course, I agree.
Moonblaze-hehe, isn't it funny how life is ironic? and Happy Chinese New Year six days late! I have friends who are Chinese as well.
XxSilverslashxX- Yeah, someone did. I don't know how I got so many people to like my fan-fic, though I'm sure its because its been going on for so long and a lot of people have had a chance to read it.
Leafshine24- Thank you! and yay! and I know, a lot of people, especially now, are touchy about their beliefs, insulting people on it is like oil on fire.
The World Is Alive- Thank you! and she did, I only put up the two things I thought were most important.
Howlsong13- Very poetic, I liked it.
Sunken's Insanity- ah, sure, but not quite.
Skourby77-technically, blueshadow would be before Ferncloud, but yeah. And though it would be reasonable for Thornclaw to just die, that wouldn't be very exciting, and it should be DYNAMIC.
Bookworm45669- Thank you, I appreciate that. and yeah, a romanticist, it works for me!
Flameheart- Thank you! and I will use silvershadow, just not this instant, sorry, but I have to wait until I get through the rest if the cats submitted to me first.
warriorsreader- Thank you, I liked what you said.
Moonlightfur- I know! the entire theater audience burst out laughing at that part, it was so funny.
Song of Falling Feathers- Thank you, though it was a 'True and False test' and I read about 200 pages for it, blah!
Special Guest- yeah! though some people are so unreasonable, I mean, Science points toward there being a God! Science and God has never contradicted each other! and they never will because God made science! at least true Science. Thank you, and yes, it would be considered stupid for such a smart cat, but, I made this up, to make myself sleep.
Sunstrike- Thank you! and I might, or might not.
Creekfur- Thank you!
Eaglehaze- I know! best movie ever! and I think the sneaking around at night, is redundant, but its really the most logical thing to do when you're doing something you're not supposed to do. And I'm toying with their relationship right now.
Madison- you read my mind. '-'
Eaglefeather- yeah! I actually thought that exact thing! "go die in a hole"
Okay! after I did that, I feel much better!
Chapter 50
Blueshadow slipped along the shadows, staying silent and unseen, her dark pelt blending perfectly with the night colors. She breathed in deeply as a strong wind whipped across the forest. The sweet scent of flowers and blossoms spun around her as she found herself at the bramble thicket.
She stayed in the shadows, waiting for Thornclaw. It was the night after the gathering, and she could hardly wait to see him.
She had rushed through her duties that day, paying as little attention to her jobs as she possibly could, and had skipped sharing-tongues that evening. All her thoughts and senses were focused on tonight, though fear was mingled with her anticipation. What if it isn't what I thought?
Her ears pricked as she heard, rather then saw, movement across the border. She breathed in the scent and a purr vibrated her as she recognized Thornclaw. She stepped out of the shadows, into the moonlight, to greet him.
She purred and brushed along him, simply enjoying the sweet sensation of being close to him. Warmth filled her as he licked her ear and pressed into her thick fur. "I'm so happy to see you," Thornclaw whispered softly in her ear.
She purred and whispered back, "I wish it could always be like this, you next to me." Thornclaw pressed harder against her and pressed down on her until she fell onto the soft green grass.
She purred, feeling like she was floating on the clouds with the soft grass on her back and Thornclaw's soft, warm, fur pressing on her from above.
Eventually, she pushed the tom off of her gently. She sat up and looked into his soft yellow eyes. "Come on, I want to show you something," he mewed softly.
He got to his paws and padded to the hole that led to the clearing in the brambles. Confused, she got to her paws and slipped into the hole after him. When she emerged, she hardly believed her eyes.
She didn't see the barren, snowy clearing she remembered. In its place was a wide space full of lush green grass as tall as her shoulders, dotted with jasmines and violets that sweetened the air.
The brambles that encircled the clearing had grown so much that they reached to the tops of the small trees around it, while ivy-vines with soft pink flowers entwined with them.
The willow tree was a marvelous sight, its long green ferns brushed the ground and was so thick that it was a green curtain, hiding whatever was behind it. The vivid, purple violets surrounded the tree in an almost perfect circle.
The moon shed its silver light down on the clearing, giving the clearing a starry gleam as she moved through it silently. She looked at Thornclaw who stood next to her. His yellow eyes were full of a mystic hope.
She couldn't say anything, she felt herself get dizzy and she leaned against him and closed her eyes. She breathed in deeply the sweet perfume of the flowers and whispered, "its so beautiful."
Thornclaw nuzzled her face and whispered, "and its all ours, no cat will ever know of us in this secret place." She sighed and opened her eyes again, and moved away from Thornclaw into the grass that waved in the breeze around her ears.
She stopped next to the willow tree and took a deep breath. She pushed through the green fronds and looked into the small little den which it made. She saw the ground was covered with moss and a small trickle of water from an underground spring pooled in a little rock crevice.
She leaned down and lapped up a few mouthfuls, it was the clearest, sweetest, coldest water she had ever tasted. She leaned up and ran her claws through the soft willow bark, enjoying the scratching feeling.
She looked down and saw one large nest filled with white swan feathers and soft down. It must have taken Thornclaw forever to get all those feathers. She looked at the tom who had just appeared, she pressed her face into his fur.
"How can this place be so perfect?" she whispered.
"Maybe StarClan made it for us," Thornclaw suggested softly, resting his head on hers.
Blueshadow didn't think that was likely, the memory of StarClan trying to kill her would always effect her judgment on StarClan. "Maybe," she mewed softly.
Then she yawned and took a step back. "Lets sleep," Thornclaw mewed, "you look tired," Thornclaw mewed gently, pressing against her. She padded with him to the nest, curling in a tight ball against him.
She sighed in content and closed her eyes as she sank into Thornclaw's soft pelt inside the willow tree in the hidden clearing.
...
Blueshadow grumbled under her breath in annoyance, she was trailing at the back of a patrol and was paw-sore and dusty. Almost a moon after she had first met Thornclaw at the clearing. They had met each other faithfully every night since then.
But it was starting to wear on her. She was more irritable and impatient then usual and she was more tired on patrols. But clan life had gone on, Sweetspot had moved to the nursery along with Graycloud who was expecting Crowpelt's kits.
Brokenkit, now Brokenpaw, had been apprenticed to Quickfoot and she had heard rumors that Goldenmist was expecting Voleear's kits, but she couldn't yet decide if it was true or not.
She yawned as she padded into camp, but as a yowl sounded across the clearing she was alert. She saw it was from the nursery and she quickly padded over to Graycloud who was licking her slightly rounded belly.
"What's going on? Is Aspencry having her kits?" she asked, the queen was due to kit any day.
Graycloud nodded, "she started just after you left, and Darkflower says she almost done and going strong," Graycloud mewed.
Blueshadow nodded, then headed off to the fresh-kill pile, guessing it wouldn't be appreciated for her to go into the nursery just now. She picked out a plump mouse and padded over to Blackwillow and Leaftail, her ears angled toward the nursery.
She sat down and the deputy gave her a friendly nod, she shivered a little, it still felt weird for Leaftail to actually like her. And Blackwillow seemed to treat her with more respect, she wasn't sure why though.
She chewed the meat thoughtfully as Blackwillow chatted with Leaftail, "this clan is going to have more kits then any other clan, with Graycloud, Sweetspot, Aspencry, Goldenmist, and myself expecting," Blackwillow mewed.
Blueshadow jerked her head up, "you're expecting kits?" she asked, though as she glanced at Blackwillow's round belly, she knew it was true.
Blackwillow purred and looked at her, her blue eyes were softer then she had ever seen them. "They're due in just over a moon," Blackwillow purred with pride.
Blueshadow dipped her head, "congratulations, you must both be happy," she mewed.
Leaftail nodded, his eyes shined, but he also looked worried, "you should move to the nursery soon, so you can be plenty strong when the kits come. We don't want what happened to Lilypool to happen to you," he mewed worriedly.
Blackwillow lashed him with her tail, "I'm fine, and Darkflower says I can keep doing my warrior duties for another half moon," the black she-cat purred.
"Blueshadow?" Leaftail mewed.
She lifted her head up, "yes?"
"How long did you do your warrior duties when you were expecting kits?" Leaftail asked.
Blueshadow purred as Blackwillow groaned in annoyance. "Well, it was almost right up to the kitting, but that was because I wanted to finish up Graycloud, and Darkflower was very flustered with me," she answered.
Leaftail snorted while Blackwillow purred, "see? I'll be fine. And it'll be green-leaf by then, it will be warm and there will be plenty of prey. I'll be just fine," Blackwillow finished, giving Leaftail a comforting lick.
Blueshadow jerked her head up, tensing her muscles as Darkflower came out of the nursery, the medicine-cat looked tired, but her eyes shined with quiet affection. It went well, Blueshadow thought in relief.
She finished her mouse and watched the clan go one-by-one to see the new kits. She saw Mousetail sitting by the nursery, his eyes shining with pride, he had gone in to see Aspencry the moment Darkflower came out.
Finally, most of the clan had gone to see the new kits, and Blueshadow wanted to go see the newest clan-members before she left to see Thornclaw. She got to her paws and padded toward the nursery, she ducked through the narrow entrance and padded to where Mousetail was contently grooming Aspencry.
Blueshadow peered into the nest and saw in surprise there was only one kit. The kit, a she-kit, was a long-furred dark creamy brown color with gold and dark brown flecks. The kit also had dark brown half-way up her legs and dark brown ears and tail-tip.
"What's her name?" Blueshadow asked softly. Aspencry looked up at her, her ice blue eyes were weary, but happiness and sadness lingered in her gaze.
I bet she's wondering about her other kits, it must have been very hard.
"Her name is Eaglekit, so she will always soar," Aspencry murmured. Eaglekit twitched her small ears, moving blindly closer to Aspencry's belly.
Blueshadow purred, remembering having kits herself, though she hadn't kept a strong relationship with them, she knew they had a strong one with each other. "I'll leave you to rest then," she murmured, then backed out of the nursery.
In the clearing, the sun had just set, and the last traces of gold and orange were fading into a dark sky dotted with stars and a few clouds. A stiff breeze raced through the clearing, hot and dusty.
There's sure to be a storm, Blueshadow predicted. She noticed a large mass of dark clouds gathering toward the direction of ShadowClan territory. She frowned, wondering if she should still go meet Thornclaw. He'll be there, I should go, even if its just for a few moments, she decided.
She started padding toward the entrance, but Foxtail overtook her, shoving her roughly as he padded stiffly past her. She hissed in annoyance as she stumbled, glaring after the russet tom. She darted forward and slipped smoothly past him.
Once out of the clearing, she slowed, leaping smoothly up the ravine, jumping silently over the large boulders. She looked down as she heard heavy paw-steps, just below her was Foxtail, his amber eyes blazing.
She whipped around and started running down into the forest, following the quickest route to the ShadowClan border. She glanced over her shoulder as she saw Foxtail nearing her. She stopped, flicking her tail irritably.
"Blueshadow, I have to ask you something," he mewed.
She stared at him, "well what is it? I have to be somewhere right now if you don't mind!" she snapped as he scuffled his paws.
"D-do you hate me?" he asked nervously.
She stared at him, amusement bubbling up in her. "No! I don't hate you! What a question! Maybe I'm annoyed by you for your behavior, but no, I don't hate you," Blueshadow mewed.
Foxtail nodded, but looked confused, and slightly defensive, "you can't really say anything about my behavior though, since you do it to with Thornclaw," Foxtail grumbled.
Blueshadow flicked her ears, "that wasn't what I was talking about," she mewed.
Foxtail looked at her in confusion, "then, what is it?" he mewed.
"Its how you act like I'm always trying to accuse you, when really, I'm not. I wish that we could be friends though, I miss when we were friends," Blueshadow murmured the last part.
Foxtail looked at her, his eyes held an unreadable emotion. "I would like to be friends again as well," the red tom murmured.
"We can try again tomorrow, but I really have to get going!" Blueshadow mewed hurriedly. She turned and dashed off, racing through the soft green forest.
By the time she reached the bramble thicket the storm was close enough for her to hear the faint rumbles of thunder and she saw the flashes of lighting in the clouds. She ducked into the hole and emerged into the beautiful clearing.
But tonight, she didn't stop to take it in, she hustled right over to Thornclaw who was pacing anxiously. "Hey there Blue," he mewed softly, using her nickname as he nuzzled. She stopped to take in his warm scent and leaned against his muscular shoulder, appreciating his hidden strength.
"Do you think we should stay out in the storm?" she murmured, not really thinking about anything except him.
"I think if we stay under the willow, we'll be fine, that last time it rained and were under it, we didn't even get wet," Thornclaw mewed.
"Then we stay," Blueshadow mewed. She leaned up to touch noses with him, but at that moment the storm broke. Rain started pouring down and the wind whipped around her, pushing and pulling her fur. Thunder drowned out the noise of the wind for a second and the night went black as thick clouds covered the moon.
She shivered as her fur got wet, though it shed the rain with its unusual slickness. She couldn't see Thornclaw, though she knew he was right in front of her. She reached toward him and pressed against his side.
In a flash of lighting, she saw the willow tree, its thick fronds hardly moving in the wild wind. She moved toward it, Thornclaw moving along with her. She pushed through the fronds into the protection of the willow tree.
She felt her way to the moss nest and she sensed Thornclaw lay down next to her. She remembered the wild races with Greyear then sleeping with him many moons ago. She thought of her previous love with Greyear and now her love with Thornclaw.
This is a more mature love, my affair with Greyear was more hasty, a love of younger, inexperienced cats. But Thornclaw, this is true, and we both know it. But what would happen if we have kits? I don't want to have another litter of half-clan kits. Would Thornclaw be willing to join ThunderClan for me?
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, images popped in her head. She purred as she imagined Thornclaw win ThunderClan, she saw them patrolling and sharing tongues in front of her clan-mates, she saw them raising kits in the nursery, and being together forever…
...
Blueshadow yawned and stretched against Thornclaw, he rolled over toward her and she tipped her head back to look into his yellow gaze. "Good morning beautiful," he purred.
"Right back at you," she purred as he licked her ear.
"I wonder when the storm ended," Thornclaw commented as they sat up and groomed out their pelts. She looked up around her, thin sunlight lit up the den enough for her to tell that rain hadn't come through, though the little spring was overflowing.
She got to her paws and padded to it, letting her paws touch the cold water as she lapped up a few mouthfuls of the clear water.
She turned and stuck her head through the willow fronds, the clearing looked windblown, the grass was flattened and glistened with water in the early sunlight. Some of the ivy had been ripped away by the wind and twigs from the brambles were scattered around the clearing.
She looked back in at Thornclaw who was watching her. "The storm didn't end to long ago," she mewed softy. She didn't think to pad to him, but she did. She pressed her chest against his and looked up at his dark yellow eyes full of love.
Their noses touched and she would have been happy to just stay like that forever. He then started nuzzling her softly and she breathed in happiness as her chest tightened with a rush of wild love. She started nuzzling him back and they fell onto the ground and started rolling around with each other out of the willow tree into the wet grass.
She finally pushed him off, the sun was almost half-way up the sky, though she was sure she could give an easy excuse, she wasn't sure he would be able to. "Tonight?" Thornclaw asked.
"Always," she responded, pressing against his cheek for a moment, then she pulled away and started padding to the hole. But when she reached it, she had to whip around and race back to him. Nuzzling him she whispered, "I love you," then she turned and raced to the hole and into the forest.
...
She caught a so much prey on her way back that she couldn't carry it all at once and she had to go back and collect the rest of it. By the time she finished, it was past sun-high and the clan had plenty of fresh-kill.
She kept her promise and was sharing a squirrel with Foxtail while they chatted with Lightfoot.
"Have you thought of getting a mate yet?" Blueshadow asked her friend.
Lightfoot chuckled, "no, and I don't want a mate, besides, there's no cat in the clan that I really get along with except you," the pale red she-cat responded.
"Oh, come on, love is the best thing, and cats go way beyond the limit when it comes to love. Wouldn't you agree Foxtail?" Blueshadow purred as they shared a knowing glance.
"Well, I don't need love, but its nice to see you two together again," Lightfoot mewed.
Blueshadow almost choked on her mouthful of meat, almost every cat had said that to them. Though Berrypool had shot her a dirty glance when she went out hunting with Voleear and Gingerleaf at sun-high.
But she was glad she and Foxtail were friends again, she hadn't realized how much she had missed just talking casually with him. She looked across the clearing to where Patchpaw and Deerpaw were play fighting with each other by the apprentices den.
Then she swept her gaze across the rest of the clearing. The only elder, Waspwhisker, was sunning himself just outside of the elders den. Goldenmist and Graycloud were sharing tongues lazily by the nursery, there rounded bellies to the sun. She saw Pricklenose and Frostflower sharing prey by the nettle patch while Quickfoot was showing his apprentice, Brokenpaw, a few battle moves by the apprentices den.
Blueshadow stood and stretched before nodding to Foxtail and Lightfoot, then started padding toward the nursery. She poked her head in and saw Sweetspot curled in her nest, the queen looked tired after working hard to expand the nursery to make room for all the cats moving into it.
Aspencry was dozing in her nest, her body curled protectively around Eaglekit. Blueshadow turned, about to leave, but a squeaky mew stopped her. She looked over her shoulder to see Eaglekit peeking her head over Aspencry's tail.
Eaglekit's eyes were a dark shade of amber, and her dark, creamy brown fur was fluffed up and ruffled around her tiny head. "Hello there Eaglekit," she mewed softly.
Eaglekit blinked at her, "how do you know my name?" the tiny kit squeaked.
"Your mother told me," Blueshadow purred, padding closer to the kit and sitting down next to Aspencry's nest.
"Why is she sleeping?" Eaglekit asked, looking at Aspencry.
"She's probably tired," Blueshadow mewed, finding patience she didn't usually have.
"What's your name?" Eaglekit asked her, putting her tiny front paws on her mother's tail.
"I'm Blueshadow," she answered.
"Because you're blue?" Eaglekit mewed.
"Yes, because I'm blue, and I am quiet," Blueshadow mewed.
"So why am I Eaglekit? What does an eagle look like?" Eaglekit wondered out loud.
"Your name is Eaglekit because that's what your mother named you, not because you look like an eagle," Blueshadow answered quietly, flicking her tail around to cover her paws.
"What's my mother's name?" Eaglekit asked.
"Your mother's name is Aspencry," Blueshadow answered, getting to her paws to leave.
"Wait!" the kit called after her. Blueshadow turned her head in time to see Eaglekit try to pad after her. She purred as the kit fell on the ground and stared at her with wide scared eyes. Blueshadow padded back to the kit and put the kit on her paws.
She sat and watched as the kit tried to walk again, but Eaglekit had taken only a few shaky steps before her legs buckled. Blueshadow grabbed Eaglekit's scruff softly and placed her back in Aspencry's nest.
"But I want to go see what's outside!" the kit protested.
"In a few days, you need to be able to walk first," Blueshadow purred as Eaglekit yawned and snuggled up against the still sleeping Aspencry.
Blueshadow purred as Eaglekit closed her eyes and fell asleep. She turned and padded silently out of the nursery, feeling peaceful and content as she looked up at the sky and the sun that was half-way down the sky.
She started padding back to Foxtail and Lightfoot who were still chatting, but froze in her tracks at a yowl. She looked at the entrance with wide eyes as Gingerleaf came racing into the clearing, her fur was matted with blood and she had several long scratches that were still bleeding.
Gingerleaf's sides heaved from her run, and her eyes were glazed with terror. Confusion, dismay, and fear flowed through the clan as Darkflower raced toward Gingerleaf and started putting cobwebs on the wounds.
"Quiet down!" Blueshadow snapped loudly, shouldering her way toward the senior warrior. "Gingerleaf, what happened? Where's Berrypool and Voleear?" Blueshadow asked, her mew tightening as she noticed her son was missing.
"W-we were attacked by a fox, a huge dog fox, b-by t-the RiverClan border," Gingerleaf gasped out. Yowls of dismay echoed loudly through the clan.
Blueshadow stiffened with horror as Berrypool appeared at the entrance. The cream warrior was covered with only a few scratches, but between her teeth she held the limp body of a cat. The cat's fur color was beyond recognition from all the blood that covered him, but Blueshadow recognized him immediately.
Voleear!
oh! and I know I said I would never respond to you again, but it was just too much fun! and I decided to comment on your review so that everyone can read it as well. (if you hadn't realized it yet, this if for the guest who seems to get her 'sick kicks' on insulting people) Lets begin!
"To Eaglefeather" this is my story! weirdo.
"I'm not a guy, I'm 100% female" really? you looked at the reviews, and answered this one person who said something offhand about you, and thought it was important enough to address? you're stranger then my sister. And how would she know if you were a guy or a girl?! she only even knew you existed cause I put it in my story!
"And I am reviewing" seriously? you had to say you were reviewing even though you typed in the review box and it came up as a review. What an idiot.
"Sorry to say this," sure, everybody's sorry.
"but I think your great, great grandmother was kinda crazy," how did I know you were going to say that? well, idiots are often predictable.
"I am clever, more clever then you," if you were really clever, you would have common sense and human decency. And you wouldn't waste your time just to insult someone. Especially someone you don't even know the least bit about.
"My grammar and is correct," LOL! I just keep laughing at that. "My grammar and is correct?!" take the 'and' out, and you might have half a sentence BAHAHAHAH!
Oh! my! that was so much fun! do another one! I incredibly enjoyed doing that!
oh... I'm good now. Back to real business, the next chapter will be a '1/2' chapter, meaning, not from Blueshadow's POV and will probably be shorter.
Remember to review. (no! I told myself I wouldn't do that anymore!)
