Chapter 21: Tall Pine

A blanket of darkness met Tall Pine's eyes as he stirred. Blinking a few times, he waited as his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the trainee's den. As soon as they had, he rolled onto his belly and pushed himself to his paws. There, he paused, ears pricking as he scanned the den. The repetitive harmony of breathing told him that he hadn't woken anyone, but he was alarmed that there were two fewer sets of breathing than there should have been. Glancing to either side, he saw that the nests beside him were empty. Tall Pine frowned. I remember that Blossom Dust mentioned she was on guard tonight. But where is Spotted Owl?

With a shrug, he turned away, heading across the cave. Not that it's any of my business. Spotted Owl made that quite clear. But even as he thought those things, he still felt a prickle of worry and a stab of guilt.

With a last look over his shoulder, Tall Pine slipped out of the den. The gorge was as dark and quiet as a graveyard, vacant of all Clan members. The waxing moon in the half-clouded sky cast strange shadows on the rough, craggy walls that made his pelt prickle even though by now he felt as though he had done this a thousand times. On silent paws, he crept around the outer edge of the camp, through the passageway and the bramble thicket, out the dirtplace tunnel, and by Rabbit Nose and Blossom Dust who were standing guard. The forest lay in deep darkness, interrupted here and there by dapples of moonlight arching between the overhanging branches. His black and white pelt seemed to blend with the light and the shadow as he flew down the mountainside.

Unlike usual, Tall Pine didn't slow as the mud of the marsh squished under his paws, getting between his toes or as the frigid water lapped hungrily at his belly. He splashed through it as fast as he could go without becoming entirely drenched and launching himself onto the island. His anticipation peaked, crackling and popping inside him red-hot embers. He found it hard not to grin as he shook out his pelt and then peered into the spiky forest of reeds. "Frosted Leaf?"

The young tom waited for a response, but the silence stretched on. Lifting his muzzle, he took a deep breath. The wind was coming toward him, carrying on it a plethora of scents. There was the bitter, sharp scent of evergreens, the frigid smell of frost, the heavy scent of water, the savory musk of a mouse scavenging amongst the leaves on the other side of the marsh, and there, wet blossoms. Frosted Leaf's coming. He smiled, but his fur prickled, all too aware of the dark forest around him, masking untold dangers. I hope she arrives soon.

Not much time had passed before the reeds quivered and Frosted Leaf burst out. Her claws tore up the muddy earth as she skidded to a halt.

Tall Pine's ears pricked up. "Frosted Leaf." He leaped to his paws and hurried over to greet her.

"Hey, Tall Pine," she panted. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"It's fine." He leaned forward and touched noses with her. "I'm just glad to see you."

Catching her breath, Frosted Leaf straightened up, giving him a soft smile. "I'm glad to see you too. How have you been?"

The black and white flicked an ear as his mind flashed back to his fight with Spotted Owl only a few sunrises before. He shook himself. Now is not the time to think about that. We have a more important task at paw. "I've been well. Are you ready to do this?"

Frosted Leaf frowned, conflicted emotions battling across her face for a heartbeat. But she squared her shoulders. "Yes. I'm ready. We're doing this to save our Clans."

"To save our Clans," Tall Pine echoed.

The blue-eyed she-cat beckoned with her tail. "Follow me. I'll show you the way."

Frosted Leaf led the way as they entered the forest of reeds, weaving between the stout clumps. Tall Pine shivered as he stepped across the border onto the Clan of the Flowing Waters's territory. We're really doing this.

On the other side of the reeds, they emerged onto a muddy bank, still shadow-black water stretching out before them. A few other smaller islands rose up here and there like giant turtles, though they were mostly half-drowned earth and clumps of grass and reeds. In the distance, the far shore was lumpy and matted with thick tangles of tree roots. Tall Pine halted, biting his lip in dismay. "Do we seriously have to cross this?"

Frosted Leaf looked back over her shoulder, her eyes glittering. "Ha. Now I know why the Clan of the Morning Sun was so willing to give up this territory our Clans should've split it." She plunged into the water, starting to paddle across. "Come on, it's not that deep."

Fiiiiine. Tall Pine followed with a groan, though he cursed every second that the frigid water splashed at his damp fur. At least it didn't get that deep as Frosted Leaf led him along a route of squishy sand that mostly kept to the shallows. It felt like moons had passed before Tall Pine finally reached the far bank. Frosted Leaf already stood on a thick, dry willow root and reached down to help him haul himself onto the bank beside her.

Tall Pine pushed himself to his paws, his teeth chattering as he shook out his pelt. Looking up, he met Frosted Leaf's amused gaze. "What?"

She giggled. "You sun cats really despise the water."

"I don't know how you water cats can like it," Tall Pine retorted. "It's wet, it's cold, and you never know what might be lurking below the surface-need I say more?"

Frosted Leaf laughed again and rolled her eyes before they continued on their way, heading up the bank and through a grove of ancient willow trees. The willows' bows arched gracefully downward, the smooth tendrils tinted brushing the ground, some caressing their backs. Eventually, the grove gave way to the dense but dryer woodland of maples, oaks, and birches that coated most of the lower slopes of the Valley like a well-fitted pelt. Although they crossed an abnormal amount of streams crisscrossing the land, Tall Pine was grateful for dry terrain.

As they traveled more in-depth into the Clan of the Flowing Water's territory, the pair fell into silence, the seriousness of their mission settling deep inside them. They traveled on soft paws and with pricked ears, alert in case they encountered any members of the Clan of the Flowing Waters, however unlikely that was at that time of night. An owl's eerie cry from somewhere in the distance made Tall Pine's neck fur rise, and he hurried to pad closer to Frosted Leaf. The forest is spooky at night. He glanced instinctively back over his shoulder. It feels wrong to be here, intruding on another Clan's territory, especially at night, like an enemy fighter. I feel like we shouldn't be here. He turned his attention back on the trail ahead of them. But that doesn't matter. However wrong this may feel, we're doing it for the right reasons.

The burble of a stream reached the black and white tom's ear. He frowned as they arrived at the banks of yet another shallow stream, the soft gushing of the water drowning almost everything else out. How can there be this many streams? Ugh, I don't want to get my fur wet again. As he was about to clamber down the stone-crusted bank, he realized that Frosted Leaf had turned instead, following the stream's' curve. Thank the stars. He hastened after her.

Tall Pine continued to ruminate on the abnormal number of streams in the Clan of the Flowing Waters's territory as they continued on their way. It felt as though mere heartbeats had passed, but it actually had been a while by the time they emerged on another shoreline. A body of swift-flowing water, moonlight dancing on its rippling surface, extending for countless tail-lengths in front of him until it vanished into the night. The Blue River.

Frosted Leaf halted beside him. "My Clan's camp is over there, on that island." She pointed with her nose to a lumpy black shape rising out of the waves.

Tall Pine's heart sank. "Do you mean to say that we have to cross it?"

"Yes, we do." Her eyes twinkled.

Oh, my stars. Tall Pine groaned. As he gazed out again across the river, fear shivered down his spine. I'm not a good swimmer. How will I make it across?

"Don't worry, I'll be right beside you the entire time," Frosted Leaf said, sensing his anxiety. The laughter in her eyes had vanished, replaced instead by a furrowed brow and empathetic expression. "Just remember what I've taught you about swimming, and you'll be fine."

Tall Pine pinned his ears back. "You should've needed to teach me. I'm a Clan of the Morning Sun cat. My paws belong on dry ground." But he followed the pale gray she-cat as she waded into the shallows.

The cold of the water came as a shock. Once the pair were deep enough that their paws could no longer brush the bottom, the water was all around him, the cold encircling him. It penetrated his flesh, leaching out his warmth, feeding off his heat like a parasite. It was hard to paddle as his entire body shivered.

"Keep moving your legs like I am." Frosted Leaf appeared beside him, as strong and sleek as a river otter. She was in her element, entirely in command of the water. She swam with strong strokes, her neck arched and chin lifted to stay clear of the little waves. Her pelt was much thicker than his, keeping her warm. Tall Pine forced himself to focus, watching as best as he could through the murky water, and copied her.

"You're doing great," Frosted Leaf purred. Though she could have reached the opposite shore by now, she kept pace with him as they slowly, painfully worked their way across the river. "We can do this."

Tall Pine lifted his gaze, his heart sinking as he saw the shore, which appeared no closer. Despite his resolve and her encouragement, he was growing tired. The cold made his limbs numb and heavy. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, slowing down. He was tired. So tired. I wish I was back in my nest. Maybe I can just take a little nap, rest my eyes for a heartbeat. I'll feel better if I just...

"Tall Pine!" Frosted Leaf's cry made the young tom jolt awake. His muzzle had dipped below the waves, and water had begun to pour into his mouth. He sputtered, trying to lift his head above the water, but a wave crashed over his shoulders, forcing him under. Frosted Leaf disappeared from his side. He flailed his legs, fighting to get back to the surface, but they were useless deadweights, limp and heavy, dragging him down like boulders. A short way below the surface, a current caught him, sending him rolling over and over like a fragile leaf. He threw out his legs, trying to stabilize himself, and frantically searched the death-black water, but he had lost all sense of which way was up. Panic rose inside him as he opened his mouth wide, gasping for air. It was as though he was drowning him from the inside out. Is this how it ends?

A dark form materialized beneath him, shooting directly toward him. Tall Pine gasped, flailing his legs, trying to get away, but the form slammed into him, buffeting him upward. With a huge splash, he broke the surface. He threw his head back, his chest heaving as he coughed out nearly all of the water in the river. Oh, thank the stars for air. He stared up at the glittering night sky patched with clouds as he drew in greedy gulps.

"Tall Pine." Frosted Leaf's voice came from beneath him. She had dived to find him, using her body to push him to the surface. He was now splayed out over her shoulders. She coughed. "Th-thank the ancestors I found you. Hang on. I'll get us to the shore."

Tall Pine continued to take deep breaths, his heartbeat stabilizing as Frosted Leaf swam with powerful strokes toward the riverbank. His entire body, including his mind, was numb from fear and the cold, so he barely realized what was happening until his fellow trainee began to shift beneath him, her legs moving almost as if she was walking. He slid off her back, paws hitting the muddy bottom of the riverbank, water lapping at his belly-fur. With a yelp at the coldness, he sprinted the two fox-lengths to the shore.

Once he was clear of the water, he turned to look at Frosted Leaf, who was still wading out of the shallows. "I am never, ever doing that again."

Frosted Leaf laughed. "I don't blame you. I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too." Tall Pine let out a long breath. "I was so scared."

Frosted Leaf opened her mouth to respond when she suddenly froze, her ears erect.

What's going on? He wondered. Then his heart nearly stopped in his chest as the scent hit his nose as well. Two Clan of the Flowing Waters cats were coming toward them, mere heartbeats away. We've come this far, crossing a marsh, hiking through almost the entire territory, and nearly drowning in the river, only to be discovered when we're finally here. We can't let them find us.

No sooner than the thought had coalesced in Tall Pine's mind than he sprang into action. He dashed over to Frosted Leaf and began to push her in the direction of the nearest tree. "Wha-" she started, but he slapped his tail over her mouth. At the foot of the trunk, he jerked his head upward, trying to communicate what he wanted her to do. She gazed back at him with a frown, eyes anxious. Tall Pine stared intently at her, willing her to read his thoughts. Come on. We don't have time.

A twig cracked nearby, giving the hunter trainee the jolt she needed. Digging her claws into the rough bark, she hauled herself up into the branches. The young tom followed. She grimaced as she wobbled on the first branch, entirely out of her element in the trees. He placed his tail on her shoulders to help steady her, then guided her up two more branches. They found a perch in the crook between a thick branch and the trunk, shrouded by the darkness and several twigs, just in time as a tom, his black pelt nothing more than a moving shadow in the night, padded into the open below them, his nose twitching. Frosted Leaf stiffened.

"Crow Tuft," a voice called. A silver she-cat hurried out after the tom. "What are you doing?"

Crow Tuft glanced back. "Oh, Misty Stream. I thought I heard something."

Misty Stream lifted her muzzle. "Huh. I don't smell anything. Do you?"

Crow Tuft turned in a circle as he scanned the trees around them. Tall Pine held his breath as his gaze passed over the tree they were hiding in. "No, I don't. I still find it suspicious, though."

"We should head back to camp, then." Misty Stream tossed her head in the presumed direction. "We shouldn't leave our posts for so long. But I agree, it is suspicious, so we'll keep our eyes and ears and noses open."

Tall Pine let out a breath as the guards' voices faded into the distance. Even after silence had fallen again, they still waited for a few more heartbeats before climbing down from the tree. The young tom landed lightly at the foot of the tree and padded a few paw-steps away, lifting his muzzle to the breeze. There was a twang of a branch and then a louder thud as Frosted Leaf landed clumsily behind him. Other than that, the forest was dark and silent. Their scents are beginning to fade. Thank the stars they didn't find us.

As he turned back to Frosted Leaf, he frowned as he took in her stiff posture and fidgeting tail tip. "Are you okay?"

The Clan of the Flowing Waters she-cat hesitated but met his gaze. "Those fighters who were on guard-" She bit her lip. "-one of them is my adoptive father. He's a loyal and honorable cat. I don't know what would happen if he had found us. Seeing him made me feel bad for sneaking around and spying on my Clanmates."

Tall Pine touched his paw to hers. "I understand that. It's hard to go against those we love. But just keep in mind the reason why we're doing this."

Frosted Leaf took a deep breath. "Yes. I will."

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, I am." She nodded, then swished her tail at him to follow her. The pale gray she-cat led the way as they wove through the thick undergrowth along the riverbank until they drew parallel with the bulky outline of the island against a backdrop of rippling water and clear, starlit sky. It was much closer to this shore as only a narrow channel, not more than a dozen tail-lengths across, separated it from the mainland. But that channel still offered plenty of protection for the Clan of the Flowing Waters's camp as it was deep and had a strong current.

Tall Pine furrowed his brow. How are we going to get across? I really hope that we don't have to swim again.

Frosted Leaf answered his question without even needing to be asked as she stepped out onto the open riverbank, beckoning him to follow her. Tall Pine's fur rose as he followed. We're out in the open. Anyone could see us. Frosted Leaf pointed with her muzzle at a rock protruding from the water. He followed her gaze to more rocks rising above the waterline, creating a path from the mainland to the island. Ah. So that's how they get across. That's very clever. Only brave cats or those who dare to risk getting their paws wet would attempt to cross.

Tall Pine shook himself out of his reverie as Frosted Leaf took a flying leap onto the first stone. Bunching her muscles, she jumped to the next one, moving with the experienced ease of someone who had done it a thousand times before. Oh. Right. We should probably get going, less anyone sees us. Backing up, the black and white tom ran a few paw-steps and then leaped. He soared over the frothing water, landing clumsily on the first rock. It was damp and slippery, and he nearly slid off but managed to steady himself. Thank the stars. He stared at the water, lapping at his paws as his stomach flipped nervously. I do not fancy getting wet again. This is harder than it looks.

It took him longer than he'd like, but Tall Pine managed to cross without falling in. He hurried over to join Frosted Leaf, who crouched in the shadow of a towering ash tree at the edge of the rocky shore. She glanced at him, her eyes twinkling as if to say, "took you long enough." He rolled his eyes, but neither of them dared to speak aloud. Jerking her head to their left, she straightened up and led him in that direction, moving more inland. They wove among ash and maple trees, which, paired with dense undergrowth, created a thick forest that covered the island like a Clan cat's Time of Frozen Earth coat.

They had to duck into the shadows as another guard on patrol passed them, but other than that, they reached the first destination they had discussed in their last meeting without further incident. Frosted Leaf paused as they arrived at a thick barrier of branches and ferns woven among the existing trees and undergrowth. The Clan of the Flowing Water's camp. Looking over her shoulder, she mouthed, "Gray Moon's den."

We're here. The weight of his thought settled like a stone in Tall Pine's belly. Dropping into a crouch, he crept up close to the barrier so he could press his ear against its bumpy surface. He heard nothing. Backing up, he looked around them and spotted a maple nearby with long branches that extended over the camp wall. He glanced pointedly at it, then at Frosted Leaf, and then back at it, hoping that she understood his meaning.

Frosted Leaf huffed, but she clawed her way up the trunk after him. Tall Pine climbed upward, testing each branch as he went. Once he found a study branch that was growing in the right direction, he tiptoed out along it to see over the wall into the camp. The branch reached a fox-length above the wall, so he also got a good view of the dense barrier woven so thickly it was two tail-lengths deep. It stood eight tail-lengths high, more fortified than any artificial barrier he had seen. On either side of him, the wall curved away to create a ring around the island's center. The openings to several small dens protruded at increments along the camp wall, the area around them woven with embellishments of feathers, smooth stones, and shells. One of the openings was directly below him, belonging to Gray Moon. The branch waved as the black and white tom crouched down to peer into the den, but it was empty.

That's odd. Straightening up, Tall Pine looked back at Frosted Leaf, who was balancing on the branch behind him, her expression twisted with a grimace. "Gray Moon's den is empty."

"Huh. That's strange."

"Do you have any idea where he could be?"

She shrugged. "No clue. I don't keep tabs on my chieftain."

"Then how are we supposed to spy on him if he's not here?"

Frosted Leaf half-smiled apologetically. "Maybe we should wait to see if he comes to his den?"

Tall Pine nodded in agreement and turned back around. His gaze floated over the dark camp below him. A hush hung over it as if a bird's feathers were muffling any noise, only disrupted by the soft gurgle of the river in the distance. Most cats were tucked away in their dens, only a paw or a stray tail sticking out here and there. The only ones out awake the fighters on guard and a gray tabby tom who was pacing back and forth across the camp center. Every once in a while, his gaze darted to the entrance, a tiny gap in the reinforced wall, as if he was expecting someone. Thankfully, he seemed too occupied to notice the two trainees perched in the tree like unusually large owls.

After a while, Tall Pine's legs began to ache from standing so long as they waited, hoping that Gray Moon would return. Worry constricted his chest further with each passing heartbeat as the moon inched across the sky. Where could he be at this time of night? It's getting late. We don't have too much more time if I want to make it back to camp before my Clan wakes up. With a sigh, he looked at Frosted Leaf. "I don't think Gray Moon's going to show up."

The blue-eyed she-cat bit her lip but nodded. "Unfortunately, I agree. Maybe we could try to see if he's in another part of the camp?"

"Sure. Good idea," Tall Pine said hopefully. "Let's climb down."

"Uh, Tall Pine?"

"What?"

Frosted Leaf smiled sheepishly. "I can't turn around."

After a while, some problem solving and encouragement from Tall Pine, the pale gray she-cat managed to walk backward along the length of the tree branch and clamber down. The young tom followed, landed beside her with a crunch on the leaf-strewn forest floor. Guided by Frosted Leaf, they then started to work their way around the outer edge of the camp, stopping every time they reached another den to listen and check for scents.

"Do you hear anything?" Frosted Leaf whispered as Tall Pine pressed his ear to the barrier.

He shook his head.

She twitched her nose. "Hmmm, I smell Splash Tail, Duck Flight, Flower Dew, Quiet Stream, and others, but no Gray Moon."

Tall Pine sighed as they continued. That's the third den we've checked with no luck. Where could Gray Moon be? He wondered as his worries unraveled, scattering like dandelion seeds. What are we going to do if we don't find him? We don't have much time-tensions are escalating fast between our Clans. A war could break out any sunrise. We have to- He turned to Frosted Leaf, his eyes round. "What are we going to do if he's not here?"

She placed her tail on his shoulder. "We haven't checked all the dens yet. Let's figure that out once-"

"Frosted Leaf?" A voice came out of the darkness. The pair froze in their tracks, their eyes darting around for a place to hide, but there was nothing nearby and not enough time to run. Mouse-dung, mouse-dung, mouse-dung, Tall Pine cursed. We should've been more careful. Now it's over, and we're both going to be in big trouble.

A longhaired black she-cat like a fluffy shadow hurried around the curve of the camp wall, her green eyes going straight to Frosted Leaf as her expression twisted into a massive frown.

Frosted Leaf's eyes stretched as wide as the sky. "H-Holly Blossom."

"What are you doing out here at this time of night?" Holly Blossom demanded. Her flint-hard gaze flickered to Tall Pine, looking him up and down. "And why are you with Tall Pine of the Clan of the Morning Sun?"

"I-I-" Frosted Leaf stuttered, her ears flattening against her head.

Tall Pine felt a surge of empathy for her. "Actually, we-"

"Nevermind, I don't want to know," Holly Blossom said briskly, interrupting them both. She turned to her adoptive sister. "Frosted Leaf, escort your friend back to his territory immediately. Then come right back to camp and go to sleep before anyone notices you're gone. This never happened." She looked from one of them to the other, her gaze softening just a fraction. "You both need to be more careful."

Frosted Leaf nodded mutely, unable to meet her sister's gaze. Holly Blossom pressed her nose to her head before jogging away, back the way she'd come, resuming her duties as a fighter on guard. Frosted Leaf turned as well, only in the opposite direction, toward the Clan of the Morning Sun's territory. "C'mon, Tall Pine."

Tall Pine looked over his shoulder at where Holly Blossom's pelt had already vanished into the shadows, then back at Frosted Leaf. But what about our mission? Part of him wanted to stay and continue their investigation, but the other part of him knew they had to leave. With another glance over his shoulder, he hurried after Frosted Leaf.

Chapter 21, posted and done. So, this chapter ended up taking me a while because there's a lot of fluff, but I hope it's good fluff. I had a lot of fun writing the dynamic between Frosted Leaf and Tall Pine. I hope you had fun reading it!

Reviews:

Theoneandonlylonelypotato - Aww, that's really sweet when you put it like that. Honestly, I can't believe it either because I love them and their relationship so much. It's so cute.

Fun Fact: Willow Leaf loves willows and marshy ground, but her Clanmates (especially Tall Pine) thinks she's crazy for liking to get wet as she is the only Clan of the Morning Sun cat who does. Sharp Wind sometimes calls her "Marsh Leaf" jokingly.

- A Warrior At Heart