Blackclaw hesitated for a moment before plunging his paw into the icy cold water and scouping out a beautiful, sleek silver fish. He smiled in satisfaction as he killed it with a blow of his paw. He spotted the RiverClan deputy Hawkfrost stalking overto him, and dipped his head in a greeting.
"You are hunting well today." he murmured, sweeping his eyes over the fish, "You brought back enought kills for the elders and the queens, i will talk to Mistystar about you coming to the Gathering."
Blackclaw nodded, he had not been to the Gathering for a long time, and had gron jelous of Heavystep and Swallowtail, who always seemed to be going without him, and when coming home, describing the other cats.
Blackclaw picked up his fish and padded down stream. He had been thinking, most of the cats were falling in love or having kits, all except Mistystar. Swallowtail was already in love with Hawkfrost, or better said, admired him from distance, Hawkfrost didn't even know she existed. And Dawnflower was already in the nursery with Heavysteps kits, who had just opened their eyes. Blackclaw paused as he wadded into the water to the reed camp on the island, was that what he was missing, love? He tought of the time he was living in, Newleaf, the floods were deminishing slowly, but the waters were still dangerous.
He had never fallen in love with anybody, he was to busy proving himself to be a deputy or even a leader some day, but never had he fallen in love with someone. He knew he was prickly about other Clan warriors, but it was because he wanted the best for the clan, and when Firestar and Graystripe had chosen to feed RiverClan when they were warriors, he didn't want to fall into debt, and was instantly suspicious of them when they were caught on RiverClan land with Mistystars kits.
Her other two kits died, leaing only Heavystep and Shadepelt,who had retired much earlier then her brother due to her failing eyesight and a broken leg. Blackclaw winced at the momery. She had been found on a patrol, barely alive, her leg caught in a Twoleg hunting device mainly used for fox or rabbits. It had taken many hours to free her, and when she was freed, Mudfur had said she would neer hunt or patrol again. Then her eye sght began going, and she finally admited that she was going to retire.
Blackclaw placed his catch down in the center of the RiverClan camp and padded out again, for some reason, he wanted to patrol the ThunderClan border. It was not far from here, he could see it now. There was a flash of white on Sunningrocks as he passed, and Blackclaw instinctively crouched down.
There was a she-cat he had never met before, she was as white as snow, with flashing green eyes, reminding him of some cat in a distant memory. Darn Mistystar, always keeping him from the Gatherings, he alwas forgot when he was kept...
It hit him like a Thunderbolt, it was Whitecloud, Cloudtail of ThunderClans daughter. Cloudtail with the nephew of Firestar, who had the same brillient green eyes in his snobbish and talkative daughter Squirreltail. He wanted to creep forward and talk to Whitecloud, but he hed his ground.
Remember what clan you're in, he thought, going to the border would be dangerous, she could attack you!
Whitecloud paused and padded down to the edge of Sunningrocks for a drink. Blackclaw remained motionless as he saw the playful warrior Sorreltail sneak up behind Whitecloud and playfully tackle her. Whitecloud let out a yowl of surprise and stumbled forward, into the water. Sorreltail let out a wail of dread as Whitecloud surfaced in the center of the river and was rapidly being swept down the current right to the Stepping-Stones.