Chapter 11

"I love you."

Stormsong stared at Hawkfrost as if he'd grown wings. He might as well have, because she didn't know what to say at that.

Her mouth hung open before she closed it. A few heartbeats passed with silence hanging in the air. Somewhere nearby a crow squawked.

Finally she purred and rubbed her muzzle against his.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

For the first time in moons she felt at peace. Her tail twined with his, and they padded away from prying eyes. Stormsong knew that she could never forget this evening. She had found love in a cat from another Clan, and StarClan wasn't about to let her forget it.

OoOoOo

Morning had arrived far too early for Stormsong. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself sleeping beside Hawkfrost under a bush. When she stirred Hawkfrost sprang to his paws.

"We should leave before the Clans miss us," he whispered. Alarm flared within Stormsong when she realized that he was right. By now the Clan was likely looking for her. She met his gaze and thought about going with him. "Your place is in ThunderClan," he meowed as if he'd read her thoughts. "And mine is in RiverClan. We will be together in our dreams, where there are no boundaries."

She gave a nod before bounding away. One last look over her shoulder told her all she needed to know.

He loves me, she thought happily.

She had found true love at last. When she reached the gorse tunnel she thought about what she had forgotten that night. Hawkfrost had stood her up on the night they met at Fourtrees. But now he had confessed his love to her.

Could life really be so simple? She knew that StarClan wasn't going to let them forget about their forbidden love. They would complicate things for them. Make it impossible for love to last. She shook her head and tried not to think about it as she padded through the gorse tunnel.

"Stormsong, I want you and Ashfur to go hunting." Stormsong groaned inwardly when Graystripe limped over to her. Ashfur's eyes glowed with interest and he dipped his head to Graystripe. "The fresh-kill pile needs to be restocked after the feast we had last night. Take Larchpaw with you."

Stormsong nodded and found Larchpaw waiting for her beside the apprentice's den. The tortoiseshell sprang to her paws and beamed at her. Larchpaw really was improving in her hunting skills and she wanted to prove it.

"We're hunting near Snakerocks," Ashfur meowed when she reached him.

Why would we hunt in such a dangerous place? Stormsong wondered when he took the lead.

"So I was wondering if you'd like to... share tongues or something later on," he murmured when Larchpaw bounded ahead. "I mean, if you're not busy."

She forced back the urge to roll her eyes when she caught him stammering. There was no way she could ever love such a wayward tom. Hawkfrost had been skiddish around her at first, but he eventually warmed up and admitted that he loved her. She doubted Ashfur could find the courage to do that.

Their hunting patrol had been less than successful in the end. Stormsong had found a vole scurrying across the boulders, but it had escaped before she could catch it. Her claws dug into the ground in frustration when she came up empty-pawed. Ashfur managed to catch a shrew, while Larchpaw had caught a mouse.

"It's not much but it's better than nothing," Ashfur muttered.

She was about to say something in response when movement in the distance caught her attention. Larchpaw was close beside them, and it couldn't be a ThunderClan patrol.

"Do you see that?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yeah I do," Ashfur hissed. He dropped his shrew and glared at the lean figure standing a few fox-lengths away from them. "Come out and show yourself, coward!"

StarClan, there's only three of us and who knows how many cats are out there! Stormsong wanted to claw his ears off for giving them away. The figure had stopped moving and was staring at them through the trees. Stormsong's heartbeat quickened when she realized the eyes were an icy blue color.

Her fur stood on end with horror when a creamy brown cat emerged from the bushes. She recognized that cat anywhere.

"Frostwind," she gasped.

"She's dead!" Ashfur snarled.

"No, she has more than one life," she told him. "I heard rumors that she was given two lives."

"What idiot mousebrain would do that?" Larchpaw spat. Her hackles were standing on end, though she didn't remember Frostwind. She had heard stories of the vicious rogue that had gathered cats from different Clans to fight against each other.

Stormsong wasn't sure who would have given Frostwind another life. Maybe someone had felt sorry for her and decided to take pity on her. Either way Frostwind was still alive, and she was coming towards them. Stormsong stood protectively beside Larchpaw when the creamy brown she-cat stared at them.

"Hello my friends," Frostwind meowed formally.

"Since when were we ever friends?" Stormsong demanded. Her claws unsheathed and she thought of the fire she could use against Frostwind.

"I have come here to speak with Snowpaw. I am sure that she remembers me as a friend." Frostwind's voice was smooth as ice as she kept her gaze locked with Ashfur's.

The speckled gray tom looked more confused than ever, and for a moment Stormsong thought he might turn down her offer. Dread washed over Stormsong when Ashfur dipped his head respectfully.

"She has a right to see her friend, doesn't she?" he asked.

Stormsong was about to complain when Frostwind's eyes met hers. She stared at Frostwind before she ducked her head. There was something about Frostwind that gave her the chills. She knew that Frostwind was up to no good again.

Only time would tell if her instincts were right.