A/N: My next quarter of college has finally started once again for me, a week in and I'm very excited about it. I have an online writing class though, so for any reason if I don't upload on the exact same days, it's because of that. Please bare with me XD. Anyways, aside from me freaking out over RWBY (as usual), my week has been pretty great! Feels good getting back into the swing of things. Speaking of, let's get into this chapter lol.
Thanks to Nightstorm2018 and Goldey9058 for following and adding this story as a favorite!
Reviews
Sharpbreeze- Heya Sharp! To answer your question, parts of the Warrior Code from the original story is valid in this story. For example; defend your clan, prey is killed only to be eaten, the Gathering happens, etc. There are a few noticeable exceptions; the Grand Royal of Forestclan (and only Forestclan) can go into the other lands whenever they want, so long as they are alone. The age at which High Rank apprentices start training is ten instead of twelve, a silent vigil isn't necessarily required for the new apprentices/warriors to hold- but it is a sign of respect, so most do it anyways. All High Ranks need to eat before a Low Rank can. Prisoners can be killed for sport, though this practice is greatly discouraged and almost forgotten now. But, yeah. Great question! And also great fighting style, I enjoyed coming up with the way Forestclan fights. I always envisioned that each one fights differently; Stormclan takes advantage of the water, but are weak on land (even in their own home). Forestclan utilizes their terrain in a similar way, but it is not as hindering as Stormclan's. And Blazeclan, mostly, is meant to be the aggressive ones, taking hits but still moving regardless. This is why Willowflame's and Flarepaw's way of fighting is seen as cowardly, since it goes against the universal fighting style that Blazeclan was based off of (they're also really great at, like, wrestling opponents down. So if you're fighting a Blazeclan cat, you do not want to get pinned down- cause then you're in for a world of hurt). Theoretically, yes, Rowanpaw could've been a jerk and get out of the ring on purpose to make her lose, but he would never do that. Despite everything, he still respects Flarepaw's rank, and will never tarnish it intentionally (revealing her relationship with Soot to her father was an accident, he was never going to go around spreading rumors about them).
the Key of Endless Winters- That's a good point lol, common sense isn't so common to Berry (sorry Berry lol). She is still awesome though, Berry will always hold a special place in mine and Flarepaw's hearts.
Mad Hat Dragon- Thank you! It's great that somebody noticed his depressed state, it was my intention. Sootpaw has a lot to learn before he could even attempt to go back to his happy-go-lucky state (but that also shows that perhaps, his "happy" state was his own mask he was wearing?). I would totally give him a hug, him and Flarepaw both. I definitely miss happy Sootpaw though. I love Leafstar, I just love writing her character lol (hint hint, she's in this chapter too). When I was thinking about Whiteshadow's backstory, I knew I wanted the Grand Royal of Forestclan to play an essential role in it, considering Cloudstar has a semi-important role, as does Redstar. It was the perfect opportunity, and making them a couple just seemed natural. Hmm… I don't think that would turn out good for any of them. Rain and Wind, Wind especially, still holds a vendetta against Flare… and Soot is just there as emotional support for Flare lol. But, who knows, maybe they will all fight together someday. Muahaha. I'm a slow runner, always have been, always will be lol.
Warriors27- Ah, then you could be a healer. There's a place in this world for everybody lol.
WolfFang-Of-Windclan: Hiya! I don't recommend procrastinating on either of those things, but I am flattered that you said I was your favorite author lol. Just get your homework done as quickly as possible so you can read this story. *Berrypaw, lol. But yes, Berry is great, I enjoyed writing another Medicine Cat, and I am very sorry for Thornpaw. But then again, him being blind was better than the other option of killing him off so… yeah. Sootpaw is going to have to just accept the fact that he has a protection squad lol. But yes, Wildfire is scheming and I don't like it. I always get so excited when planning for Leaf-White interactions lol. Any interaction involving Whiteshadow is fun to do. Don't worry, she's gonna talk to him soon. I'm proud and happy for you, but please be careful if you plan on coming out to them. I know my mom was okay with me coming out, but I know other people's parents aren't as understanding. Just make sure to stay safe is all. As for the Wind/Rain interactions, don't worry, there will be more to come later when the next Stormclan mini-arc begins. As of now, they are the only LGBT characters I have here, but I'm thinking about adding more. Don't know, we'll 's a unique skill that others haven't said, very smart. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Goldey9058- That's a wonderful skill to have that so many people seem to lack. Thank you! And wow, 8 hours? I think that's a new record that I've seen lol. Either you read too fast, or I write too little XD. Thank you for joining the adventure though, and I hope you stick around!
Thanks to everybody who reviewed, followed, and/or added this story as a favorite!
Let's get started!
…
Forestclan
…
The amount of prideful nostalgia she felt while sitting in Redstar's den was overwhelming. There was a small part of her that still pictured being in this cave-like area, this was supposed to be her den.
Leafstar blew out a steadying sigh as she glanced around the open space, her light green eyes settling on the leader of Blazeclan sitting across from her. The two sat almost casually, facing each other; had she been a lower rank than he, she would be forced to bow the entire time. But no, they were equals. The same.
And they both had a love for this home.
"What a pleasant surprise," Redstar spoke, his baritone voice bouncing off the walls of the cave and surrounding her, "I apologize for any troubles my warriors may have caused you."
"Each time he opens his mouth, I get closer and closer to wailing on him, Redstar," Whiteshadow spoke off from her side, an annoyed expression on his usually passive face, "one of these days, I swear I-"
"Threatening to beat up one of your own clanmates for my honor," a cheeky smirk spread across her lips, it was almost too easy to fall back into their normal banter. "Aren't you chivalrous?"
The white furred warrior blinked at her before the annoyance melted away, replaced instead with a small smile reserved only for her. Leafstar couldn't help but feel a pang in her chest at the sight of it. The sneaky glances and passing conversations during the Gatherings weren't nearly enough for her. She wanted to tell him just how much she missed having him around, missed talking with him, missed simply being with him. She remembered multiple times where all they would do is sit next to each other, one leaning against the other, breathing in sync with their hearts beating as one. They would stare at the stars if it were night, or stare at each other and get lost in the presence of the other.
Leafstar wondered if she was willing to throw everything away just for one more moment with him.
"As pleasant as that would be to watch, I can't condone it, Whiteshadow." Redstar's voice brought her out of her thoughts.
"I won't do anything serious! I'll just knock his pride down a bit, no harm done."
"While you make a plan of attack, why don't you go be useful and stand guard so nobody will eavesdrop on us?" Leafstar almost forgot that Redstar could have a mischievous side to him if he tried hard enough. As she turned back to face the other leader, a frown threatened to pull at her lips at the sight of how dim his eyes were. They were nowhere near as bright as she remember them being so long ago, and everytime she looked at them, they only appeared to regress more and more. It hurt more knowing the reason why.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." With a final glance shared between the two, Leafstar watched quietly as Whiteshadow left the den with a parting bow of his head. Her body urged her to turn around and follow him, just to remain at her side, but her mind knew there were more important matters that needed to be attended to.
He looked healthy, no major scars or wounds. Skinnier than before, but that's most likely from the Leaf-bare season. He seemed… happy. And if not happy, then content.
Does he miss me just as much as I miss him?
Leafstar was almost willing to abandon this spontaneous meeting just for another moment with Whiteshadow, pride be damned.
Redstar's pointed clearing of his throat caught her attention, her light green eyes finding their way back to the front where he was watching her quietly. Apparently, she had been staring after the lead Royal for a minute too long. The Grand Royal of Forestclan took in a deep breath to compose herself. Whatever progress she had made with this, the leader of Blazeclan ruined it with his next words.
"I would be careful if I were you, Leafstar." There was no threat in his words, only a hidden sadness. A type of sadness he seemed to understand all too well.
"Pardon?"
His lips formed a thin line as he shook his head gently, his presence ever mollifying even as his words weren't.
"You still love him."
Her fur bristled at that, ears flattening against her head, but she couldn't deny those words. Of course, she still loved him. How couldn't she? But if others were to find out, if anybody was able to discover this by simply looking at her, then everything would be ruined and Whiteshadow would bare all the guilt. She was willing to give up her rank, her clan, anything if need be… but he didn't want her to. He knew she was happy where she was, she was right where she belonged. He could never ask her to choose him over her clan.
You still love him.
Of course she did, not even her pride as a leader could deny it. But it was this pride that made her eyes narrow, made it all too easy to throw these words back at Redstar.
"You still love Cinderfrost."
Even before she finished speaking, she was quick to regret those words. Her rising pride-filled anger was quickly washed away watching the tom in front of her noticeably flinch at her words, at that name. The frown that pulled at his lips seemingly pulled at his eyes as well as the corners of them appeared to droop in sadness. The Blazeclan leader looked away from her then, but she caught only a glimpse of the sorrow in his golden eyes.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled in shame, a sigh escaping her lips and the stiffness in her shoulders disappearing, "I shouldn't have said that."
"You're not normally quick to get so defensive," Redstar spoke up moments later, but he still refused to meet her gaze. Even from where she sat, she could see the fur along his shoulders slowly rising, his paws shuffling against the ground and tail tip twitching. "Why are you so on edge?"
She wanted to apologize again, but Leafstar knew this was Redstar's way of trying to push that entire conversation away and out of reach. Her light green eyes found their way to her paws, deciding it would be best to comply with his wishes to forget the exchange ever happened in the first place. Right… important matters. This only brought along a fresh wave of emotions and anxiety. A tired and weary breath escaped her lips before she spoke.
"It's happening again, Redstar."
This peaked his interest, his ears perking up and head raising. As she glanced back up at him, she could see a curious spark lighting up the dimness just a bit. It wasn't enough to bring it back to its former glory, it would never be enough. But this was better than nothing.
"What is?"
She stood up to pace, her body itching to do something other than sit there. "The rogues, they're back. I… I thought we were done with this."
"Relax for a second, Leafstar," the tom stood up, taking a step closer and meeting her gaze sternly. "How can you be so sure? What happened?"
"They attacked two of my apprentices, a small group of perhaps seven? One of them is blind in both eyes, and the other is just as crippled with the amount of guilt she carried when I talked to her."
"Are you sure they weren't… someone else?"
"They left them a message and… how-how much do you know about Whiteshadow's past?"
"I know enough; his home, his training, his adventures."
"Did he mention a King?"
Redstar blinked at her then, a serious expression crossing his features and a burning in his eyes that replaced his previous sorrow. What he learned about the cruel leader of the rogues was more than what he wanted to find out, he admired Whiteshadow's strength for finding a way out of those toxic situations. 'King' was just one way he referred to the leader… the most common was 'Father.' Either way, both names were said with clear disdain, and even the slightest hint of fear.
"The rogues mentioned him?"
"Yes… though, I don't think it's the same one. King is most likely a title given to the leader, I'm assuming."
"A name passed down to the next leader," Redstar murmured, "sounds just like the honorary title of Grand Royal."
"Precisely," Leafstar stopped in her pacing momentarily, tail flicking just behind her. "It couldn't be the same one as before, he would've died of old age."
"No matter how strong you are, everyone is susceptible to time."
Leafstar nodded along to his words, a frown pulling at her lips. Time had no favorites; no matter who you were, hero or villain, time would always be your worst enemy. Time was patient, and at moments, time could be quick. When you needed minutes, you were given seconds. When you needed seasons, it gave you moons. Time didn't care about pride, or shame or sorrow or anger. Everything, in the end, gave in to time.
"And these new rogues," Redstar spoke up after a few moments of pondering, "are they gone now?"
"From my territory," a bitter tone entered her voice as she shook her head, "either they're great at hiding their trail… or my warriors are simply incompetent."
"...Have faith in your clan, Leafstar."
"I do," the she-cat's light green eyes narrowed, teeth gritting together as she looked back up at him, "though, I can't say that they have faith in me."
For this, the leader of Blazeclan had no words, but he only nodded in regretful agreement. It was clear to both of them that a majority of their own clan members didn't see them as a leader, only when drastic measures were taken did the Grand Royals prove their worth. While the leaders had pride for their clan, the clan did not have pride for their leaders. One would think we would have to stop striving to be at the top once we reached it… yet, here we are.
"What do you suppose we do? With the rogues gone, we can't necessarily do anything besides increase the intensity of our training. It is difficult, however, since we have no idea what we are even preparing for. It'd be too drastic to call this a war."
"What better word for it?"
"There is none, but we haven't reached that point yet. We will keep this knowledge to ourselves, and to our most trusted warriors. At the next Gathering, we will also need to discuss this with Cloudstar."
"How thoughtful. That's surprising, coming from you." Leafstar couldn't hide her smirk. "Is this the beginning of a friendship between the two opposing clans?"
"It all depends on what Cloudstar says. He is… difficult, sure, but he isn't a fool. If these rogues pose a bigger threat in the future, he will come to his senses."
Leafstar snorted but didn't say anything else. She always dreamed of the day Stormclan and Blazeclan united in peace. If they were to come together at times of war, it was nothing more but a reluctant alliance. It was amusing as it was amazing, how one common enemy could bring two unlikely partners together.
"I will keep an eye on my own borders, and if they are to attack again, hopefully we will be able to take one as prisoner. All we could do for now is prepare and not panic."
The leader of Forestclan nodded in agreement; they had no idea to know for sure just exactly who they were facing. Was this new King more of a monster than the last? Were they as strong, or more strategic? Who were they? If only they could find the true identity of this leader, maybe then could they have some sort of advantage.
"Well," a familiar voice bounced off the walls of the den, "there is… one thing we can do."
Despite the situation, a playful smile pulled at her lips as she turned her head to the side. Whiteshadow was standing near the entrance way. A thoughtful expression on his face, ears flat against his head. Even after so long, it wasn't difficult to tell that he was nervous. The tom was almost always too good at hiding it, but Leafstar was adept at digging underneath his well-placed masks.
"I thought I told you to stand guard? How did I know you would be eavesdropping?" Redstar chuckled gently, a small shake to his head. Only Whiteshadow seemed to have such a calming effect on others. The lead Royal allowed a smirk on his own lips, nerves momentarily forgotten.
"Eh, eavesdropping, listening… same difference. I was curious, you can't fault me for that." A pause. "Besides, you two aren't exactly very quiet. Anybody standing guard could hear the echoes."
Leafstar rolled her eyes, but allowed herself to sit close to him when he meandered his way to the front of Redstar. "So, I'm assuming you heard everything."
Only then did he meet her gaze, near-pale eyes glimmering with the same nervous expression as before. A sheepish smile followed with a shrug was his response, and for a second, it appeared as though he was going to scoot closer to her. But he didn't, and her pride was drowned with disappointment.
"What do you propose we do?" Redstar tilted his head to the side, the same curious glimmer lighting up his eyes. Leafstar missed how bright and calming they used to be, like the last few rays of the sunset clinging to the sky.
She definitely needed his calming presence when Whiteshadow spoke up again, hesitant voice and all.
"Well…" the white furred tom stretched out the word, refusing to even so much as glance in her direction. His paws shuffled anxiously against the ground, his tail curling against them in an attempt to make himself smaller. "It would be best if we knew exactly who we are dealing with… and what better way to do that than… send me to find out for myself."
For a few heartbeats, nobody in the den made a sound. Redstar blinked in surprise, Leafstar could only stare at the tom beside her, even while he did everything to avoid her gaze. Her light green eyes narrowed almost dangerously, mentally urging the tom to look at her.
"What do you mean by that?" She knew exactly what he meant, she just wished he would prove her wrong.
To her greatest sorrow, he didn't.
"Send me to the City." Whiteshadow lifted his head again, glancing at her out of the corner of his pale eyes before looking back at his leader. "I should still know my way around, and even if I don't make it to this new King himself… I could still get a sense of their numbers and more."
"No," Leafstar found her voice, her head shaking without her knowing, "no! Whiteshadow, you can't just… waltz back in their and expect everything to be fine. There could still be others alive looking for you, waiting for you to return just so they could kill you. This… this is suicide."
"Don't be so dramatic," Whiteshadow grumbled, shuffling his weight on his paws again and turning his head in her direction. "I'm more than capable of defending myself against them."
"Don't be so prideful!" she snapped back, ears flat against her head and fur bristling. This was a terrible, terrible idea. "You have no way of knowing just how different they could be."
"And they could be exactly the same, all the more reason that I'll be okay."
"This is stupid," a hiss escaped her lips, "you can't just go with the hopes that they haven't improved since you've last been there. It's been seasons, Whiteshadow. You have gotten stronger, who is to say they haven't?"
"You said it yourself that there is no way Father could be alive," she flinched at that title, and so did he, but he continued nonetheless. Neither of them were spared of the memories. Redstar was unnervingly silent, more so than usual. "All the others who were training with me as a kit could be just as dead as he is, or gone. I was a nobody there, Leafstar; the only reason someone bothered to train me was because Father said so. Nobody is going to recognize me."
"What about Phantom?" Leafstar's voice was dangerously low, an unforgiving glare emitting from her light green eyes. Hearing that name alone caused Whiteshadow to grimace, almost as if he was in pain, and a shadow passed over his face before he looked away from her. Her biggest regret of that day so long ago was letting that one rogue escape. She could only wish that he was no longer a threat.
"Phantom was too prideful to hold onto a petty grudge for so long, I'm sure he's forgotten about me now." Even as he said, it was clear to her that even Whiteshadow didn't believe his own words. One thing the once-rogue had told her so long ago was that Phantom always kept his vows. This time would be no different.
And if Phantom were alive, and if he were to find Whiteshadow all alone…
"I'll go with you."
The words left her mouth before she even registered what she was saying. The Grand Royal of Forestclan frowned immediately, already knowing that this was simply impossible. She couldn't leave her clan for so long, especially not with the possibility of something going horribly wrong. Whiteshadow was quick to point this out.
"And what is your clan going to do when their Grand Royal is suddenly nowhere to be found?"
She wasn't about to give up so easily.
"What will your clan say when their lead Royal is missing?"
"I'm easily replaceable, Leafstar," the tom chuckled at his own expense, "a Grand Royal isn't."
"Don't say that," her voice was a mere whisper, all her anger seemingly draining all at once. Pride be damned, she cared too much about him. "Nobody could replace you."
The expression on his face softened at her words as he let out a heavy sigh. His ears were flat against his head, standing his ground against her no matter what. He was as stubborn as she was. Another moment of silence settled into the den, and this time, it was only interrupted by the tom that was quiet this entire time.
"If I may," Redstar spoke up, slowly and sternly, "it is not my intention to be rude, Leafstar… but the truth is, this isn't your decision to make."
The she-cat let out a low growl, her pacing continuing once more, and a scowl on her face. Because, she knew he was right. This wasn't her decision to make, this wasn't her place to speak. Whiteshadow belonged to Blazeclan now, he would take orders from Redstar and no one else. As the leader of Forestclan, she had no right to try and stop him.
"Then what are your orders, Redstar?" The light grey and light brown Grand Royal stopped her pacing in front of the opposing leader, body poised as if prepared to run away or attack him. She would do neither, but the desire was evident. Her pride wouldn't allow her to do either.
"I don't like this as much as you do, Leafstar. I agree that this plan isn't exactly your smartest, Whiteshadow. But, I also know that it's better than just sitting and waiting for them to make the first move. If we really are preparing for the worst, a war against them, then it would be invaluable to know exactly who we are up against."
"So… is that a yes?" The lead Royal stood up tall, a frown on his face. He never liked arguing with Leafstar, no matter the situation. This time was no different.
"It is a yes," Redstar spoke once more, his own ears falling flat, "though you will leave at the next Gathering in a few days time. I wish to discuss this with Cloudstar before making a final decision. Perhaps, he could think of something we haven't yet."
The two toms looked towards the Forestclan leader, sharing a frown before Redstar found his voice.
"Is this alright with you, Leafstar?"
Her light green eyes found Whiteshadow's near-pale blue ones. The tom wanted nothing more than to ease her concerns with a gentle touch.
"What does it matter?" Her gaze never left his, "he'll go anyways. I will have to be okay with it."
"I'm sorry," Redstar spoke with a tone that was truly apologetic.
At least in Blazeclan, Leafstar knew exactly where Whiteshadow was at all times. She knew he would be safe, she knew he would be protected. If not by his own skills, then by the clan's. But out there, in the middle of nowhere as far as she was concerned, she had no way of knowing he was fine. That he was safe. That he was alive.
He could die out there, and she wouldn't find out until it was too late.
"The Gathering is in a quarter-moon, you have until then to prepare, Whiteshadow."
"Very well," the lead Royal bowed his head again, "and if I don't return within a moon, maybe two, then-"
"We'll come to that when we get there," Redstar cut him off, "do no assume the worst."
It was damn near impossible not to assume the worst in this situation. She was so close to losing him so many times in the past, and now, here she was again. The only difference was that she couldn't- no matter how much she dreamed, begged, and prayed to her ancestors- stand by his side this time.
"Are we finished here, Leafstar?" The Blazeclan leader spoke up hesitantly, trying to convey just how sorry he was for allowing the once-rogue to leave. The leader of Forestclan blew out a heavy sigh before shaking out her pelt, meeting Redstar's gaze with a single nod.
"We're finished here," she spoke in a stern tone, "if anything else comes up, I'll be sure to let you know."
"I'll escort her back to her border." Whiteshadow immediately volunteered, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye and trying desperately to meet her gaze.
"Will that be necessary, Leafstar?" Normally, Redstar would do anything to keep the two away from each other. Not because he was cruel, but because he knew how much it would make the distance between them worse when they were forced to separate again. But now, it was clear that both of them needed comfort. And they would only find it in each other.
She turned her head to Whiteshadow once more with a frown. Her pride and pettiness were telling her to deny the offer, but a larger part of her knew times like these were few and far between. It was better to take advantage of them whenever they came.
"It would be appreciated," she settled on saying, bowing her head in parting to the Blazeclan leader before turning around, leaving the den without another word.
Whiteshadow followed her swiftly, almost forgetting to bow his head before chasing after her. Nobody in the clearing bothered them, and within moments, they were entering the forest she had once called home.
If only things were simpler, then she could do whatever she wanted with the tom walking at her side. She could protect him from the world, from whatever dangers presented to them, and he would do the same to her. They could love each other freely and without the eyes of their clans hovering over them expectantly.
If only…
…
"I am sorry, you know?"
"..."
"Leafstar, please talk to me."
"..."
"Do you want me to beg? Cause I could beg if you want."
A sigh escaped her lips before she slowed her all-too-fast pace to a leisurely stroll, her ears flicking to the sound of the wind whistling across the bare branches. At first, she had given him the cold shoulder as a way to voice her anger, but then after a while, she became distracted with the scenery. She missed this place almost as much as she missed Whiteshadow. Both of them, whether it be the oak forest or at his side, were home to her.
As they slowed to a stop, the white furred tom was doing anything to meet her light green gaze, crouching down when she turned her gaze to her paws. He almost fell over with how imbalanced he was, a smile spreading across his face. It was too difficult ignoring him for long.
A playful smile pulled at her lips as a single brow rose. "Well? I'm waiting for you to beg."
"Oh, wow, you're serious? Okay, well, here goes-" as he took in a deep breath, she quickly cut him off by brushing her muzzle against his.
"I'm kidding," Leafstar purred gently, choosing to close her eyes and revel in the moment of simply being close to him again. It had been far, far too long. The lead Royal's own purr joined hers to create a symphony of content. He only moved away to press his forehead gently against hers, remaining there with his own eyes closed and a wistful smile on his face.
As the cold winds blew by, neither of them felt it as they shared their own warmth with the other. They remained there with their eyes closed, tails curling forward to twine together near the tips. If she wasn't currently hearing his heartbeat, she would've thought she was dreaming. But no, he was here. This was happening.
"I missed this," he spoke up first, voice quiet in refusal to break the peaceful silence. As she opened her eyes, light green met light blue that bordered pale in the dim rays of the sun. It took her breath away. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," she said, pulling away just a bit to eye him almost playfully, "I see Blazeclan has been treating you well."
"Eh," the lead Royal shrugged nonchalantly. "It could be worse, it could be better. Redstar's not so bad I guess. Granted, I only have, like, two friends… but hey, better than nothing, right?"
"Right," she murmured in agreement, leaning forward and nuzzling into his shoulder, taking in his familiar scent. It was as addicting as it was distracting. She almost missed him speaking again.
"How has your clan been?"
"You go to Gatherings," she couldn't help but chuckle, "that's all you should know."
"Aww…" he whined, "I don't get any special treatment?"
"Aren't I enough?"
"You're more than I ever dreamed of," The way he looked at her made her heart skip a beat, the easy smile on her face remaining. "Sometimes I don't think that I deserve you."
A gentle hum sounded from her chest as she pressed closer to him, another purr sounding when gently nuzzled the top of her head with a sigh of content. Leafstar wished she could just fall asleep in his embrace, surrounded by his warmth and his scent. Perhaps, in a different life, this would've been possible. In a different life, they could've even had a family together.
In a different life, they could love each other without needing to hide it.
But in this life, they couldn't do that.
"You really don't want me going, do you?"
"What gave it away?"
Whiteshadow pulled away then, a frown pulling at his lips, but the fond glimmer still shining in his eyes. Leafstar avoided his gaze for a few moments before succumbing to her desire to meet his gaze. The paleness of his light blue eyes was always a pleasure to look at, they never failed to dispel her greatest worries.
"Nothing's going to happen to me."
"You don't know that."
"Where's the hope?"
"Gone with my pride." Leafstar blew out a heavy breath before burying her muzzle back against his shoulder, hiding herself from the world, if only for a moment. Whiteshadow sighed as well, the movement of his exhale disturbing her and causing her to pull away again. Her voice was hesitant as she spoke, small, and entirely not her. "I can't lose you, Whiteshadow."
"And you won't," the tom pressed their foreheads together again. "I promise you won't. I'll be back in a moon, and everything is going to be fine."
"You know if you die, I will kill you."
"Knowing you, you'd find a way to make that possible."
He chuckled soothingly, relishing the moment for a beat longer before reluctantly pulling away. The longing in his eyes was almost as bright as hers, it made her heart ache and she leaned forward to lick his cheek to alleviate it. It didn't help, but it brought a smile to his face nonetheless.
"We should get you to your clan, Grand Royal~"
"Lead the way, Whiteshadow."
…
Blazeclan
…
"You're mad at me… aren't you?"
The two had been silent for a while, both standing in the clearing with Blazeclan's frozen lake expanding in front of them. The grey furred tom was looking at everything but her, the glimpses she managed to achieve of his eyes left an unnerving beating to her heart. She hated imagining what the sunset would look like if it were ever dulled… and now, standing here, she realized it was something she never wanted to see again. To her greatest dismay, his back was turned to her as he absentmindedly swiped at the ice on the surface of the water.
The scars spreading down his back forced a frown onto her face, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull her gaze away from it. Flarepaw could only imagine just how painful it would've been. It had taken quite a bit of effort to mimic those wounds onto the Artisans, the amount of force she exerted had been straining. It was a branding, if one looked at it that way. This was a warning, she realized, a direct warning to her more so than Sootpaw. She could almost imagine Wildfire's taunting words and prideful smirk: "This is only the beginning, Flarepaw. I'm giving you one last chance to stop this silly affair. The choice is yours."
It was no wonder as to why Wildfire hadn't done anything recently. He was giving her an out, an opportunity to abandon the fight before it even began. This would be the start of Sootpaw's suffering, this would be the start of his pain.
And it would all be because of her…
This is my fault… This is my fault… This is my fault-
"Stop that."
She flinched at his voice when he spoke unexpectedly, though she didn't exactly know why. It was alarming how… different Sootpaw sounded. Gone was the boisterous tom wearing what little pride a Commoner could hold on his mischievous grin and glimmering eyes. Gone was the playful apprentice who did just about anything to get others to laugh, and did everything to protect them from the hardships of the world. The one standing in front of her was not the Sootpaw she first interacted with.
She had chipped away his mask unintentionally, and he was too busy trying to take hers off to notice before it was too late.
As he turned to face her, her eyes searched desperately for the smile that was too far gone. In its place was a deep-seated frown, the sunset of his eyes dim without the glimmer of joviality it normally had. He was tired, tired of everything it seemed.
"Stop… what?" Flarepaw managed to mumble out, though how she did it, she didn't know. His eyes flashed in annoyance for a brief second before he blew out a sigh, an apathetic gleam dulled the sunset.
"Stop… feeling guilty, or whatever." A conflicted expression crossed his face, sculpting his features into something close to a scowl. "And don't say you aren't, I can see it on your face, Flarepaw. You do it everytime you look at my scars now."
"How can I not?" She could feel her temper threatening to rise as her own lips formed a scowl. "Those scars-"
"Were not caused by your claws!" The tom turned fully to face her then with a shout, teeth gritting together and eyes now burning like… like the flames that always appeared in Wildfire's eyes whenever he was angry. It was all too easy to imagine the gentle golden-yellow she had grown to love as the terrifying amber instead. The scream of surprise and fright lodged itself in her throat, but she did stumble backwards, even if he made no move forward.
A gasp sounded from his lips, the anger from his eyes vanishing in an instant the moment he saw the sudden fear in her eyes. Silence ruled over them once more, Flarepaw trying in vain to stop the rapid beating of her heart and Sootpaw staring at her with a mixed expression of shock and sadness. He had seen her like this before, if only once… the time she had awaken from her nightmare with the same fear directed at him now. Of course, back then, it was only the byproduct of her dream. She hadn't truly feared him at that point.
But now…
"Flarepaw?"
"I…" She didn't know how to respond. What went through her head? Was she truly afraid of Sootpaw? No… that's crazy. It was uncommon hearing the tom raise his voice in any situation, especially against her. Her body had just reacted on instinct. The fire in his eyes… it was nothing like the sunset she was used to seeing. She would even take the dullness of nothing in them rather than anger.
"I'm sorry." She found herself saying, ears falling flat as she looked away.
"It… it wasn't your fault." Sootpaw mumbled, hesitating slightly before stepping closer to her. He was wary, watching for any sign that she would flinch away. This… this was not what she had intended to happen. She wanted to apologize to him, if she somehow made it seem that she pitied him. She wanted to apologize for fighting his battles for him. Nothing more was said as he sat at her side, their pelts brushing against each other and the tom hesitating before curling his tail around her.
Flarepaw refused to meet his gaze, lost in her own thoughts.
As his comforting scent surrounded her, and the cold breeze of Leaf-bare winds tore through the forest around them, she could not shake away the image of Sootpaw's angry glare that appeared so similar to her father's. Yes… she had been scared in those moments, the lingering traces of fear still sent her heart racing in her chest. Flarepaw felt like running away the more she leaned against him, every instinct in her body begging her to leave the proximity of the tom. Her pride was conflicted, not knowing whether to be ashamed at herself for being scared of a Low-Rank… or to be pleased that she was forcing herself to stay there no matter how much she wanted to run away.
"It wasn't your fault."
Oh, Sootpaw…
If only this was true…
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A/N: A bit on the shorter side for our lovely duo of Soot-Flare, but hey, I wanted this focus to be on White and Leaf a bit. Don't you worry, next chapters will go back to the main characters lol, cause I realize I've been putting more focus on the side characters a bit more. Let me know if this is a problem, okay? I enjoyed the interactions between the two Grand Royals, I hope you did too!
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Question of the Day
(Question from my little cousin, don't ask XD)
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
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Thank you and peace out!
~Wolfcreations18
