Thanks for all your reviews! Chapter 17, it's Seabreeze's POV

SEABREEZE

The sun was dipping below the horizon, sending an explosion of pinks, grays, and blues across the sky as night began to ascend. A few lone stars glittered bravely in the indigo sky that rose high above a slender silver tabby, who was softly making her way through her territory. The acacia trees cast long shadows upon the forest floor, shadows that would easily disguise her from any predators, or enemies. The small tabby she-cat skulked amongst the bracken with a hunted look in her eyes, every hair on her pelt alert for danger. Ever since Dovefeather, Typhoonstorm, and Mudstrike had been taken captive near the Fishingpond by CoralClan, every MeadowClan protector was prepared in case they tried it again. As the silver protector padded nearer and nearer the Fishingpond, and closer to the CoralClan border, she felt unease settling in her heart.

Suddenly, her whole body tensed, and she strained her ears to hear a faint muffled cry of pain. The silver tabby wondered, again, if she might be hearing things. But the cry grew louder, and the she-cat felt her whole heart break. The cry was a soft, solemn lament that spoke clearly of grief and loss, and she couldn't help but be drawn towards it. Softly, she trotted towards the sound, and as she grew closer, she broke into a sprint. She was afraid, afraid that this might be a trap, but she knew that she couldn't live with leaving any cat in pain. She burst forth past the line of trees that marked the MeadowClan and CoralClan border and saw a small, dark shape sitting with its head bowed onto its chest. The silver tabby squinted her ocean-blue eyes, which were not yet accustomed to the settling dusk. Her heart hammered as she recognized the cat who sat before her.

"Goldenhawk?" Her voice was a single quavering note, high and shrill with disbelief. The sleek silver she-cat wondered why the great golden CoralClan tom would on her territory, especially since tensions between their Clans had never been so high. Although he was a healing cat, she wasn't so sure that her Clan would hesitate to attack him. Goldenhawk lifted his golden-striped head, and instantly, the silver tabby wished she hadn't spoken his name, for his deep amber eyes were filled with such sadness and grief that it ripped her heart like talons.

"Seapaw," He murmured, slowly rising to his paws. The golden tabby tom shakily padded over to her, and the silver tabby hesitated, not sure if it was a safe idea to have CoralClan scent near her. But she gazed into his eyes, the eyes that were breaking her heart, and realized that he needed her now. The silver protector, desperately trying to comfort him from whatever had terrified him this much, pressed her silver tabby flank to his. Her astonishment deepened as she felt his whole body trembling against hers.

"Seabreeze, I'm a protector now," She couldn't help but correct him, allowing a slight look of pride to settle on her face. Goldenhawk, to her surprise, did not respond to her correction, only swayed slightly on his paws. Seabreeze gently sat down, and Goldenhawk sank to his paws, his tawny eyes staring off at nothing. "Goldenhawk, what happened?"

His hollow eyes snapped back to her face, and she felt as if she were drowning in the intensity of his amber gaze. She found she could not look away, as though she was drawn to him by some mysterious force. Seabreeze felt her paws prickling, and suddenly, her fur seemed much too hot, her tongue felt too big for her mouth. Why was this perfect cat looking at her, why was he speaking with her? Why did he want anything to do with her, an ordinary cat from a Clan of forest fools?

"Cliffstorm..." Goldenhawk began, but his voice trailed away, and he looked as if he was choking on a piece of fresh-kill. Seabreeze, unable to help herself, pressed her pelt closer to his for comfort. He gazed at her with beautiful gold eyes full of gratitude, and she felt as if she would melt away right there. Wait...what? What are you thinking, Seabreeze? He's so arrogant..so full of himself... But that voice died away as soon as Goldenhawk began to speak again, "Cliffstorm called a Clan meeting. He said that Tornadostorm is picking off our Clan one by one..."

"What?!? That's ridiculous! Every cat knows that Tornadostorm is only trying to defend our Clan from YOUR bloodthirsty delegate! And anyways, MMPH!" Seabreeze's hot protests were cut off as Goldenhawk swept his white tail-tip to cover her mouth. He rolled his eyes in exasperation, his face plastered again with that smug look that made Seabreeze want to claw his face right off.

"Great IslandClan, I know, Seabreeze. I'm just telling you what he said," Goldenhawk snapped, his patience clearly wearing thin. Seabreeze felt her pelt prickle with indignation, hardly able to believe she had thought this cat sitting next to her was so perfect just moments ago. See? I told you he had fleas for brains. The voice she had so easily silenced returned, louder and perhaps a bit more smug than ever. "Anyways..he told us we had to show Tornadostorm we were serious about defending our Clan. He ordered Twilightstar to bring out Dovefeather."

"Wait," Seabreeze couldn't help but interrupt Goldenhawk, for his words had deeply unnerved her. She couldn't keep the disbelief out of her voice as she asked, "Cliffstorm...ordered Twilightstar?" Goldenhawk nodded, his eyes again filling with that terrible sadness. Seabreeze, despite her annoyance with the golden tabby tom, couldn't help but feel sorry for him, and she swept her tail along his flanks, feeling her pelt bristle with static as she did so. Goldenhawk flinched under her touch, but did not move away.

"I don't know why she obeys him," Goldenhawk confided in her, his voice sounding puzzled. Shadows began to descend down upon the clearing, bathing his golden fur in silver moonlight. He continued, "He accused Dovefeather of 'fraternizing with the enemy', and told her that the punishment was death. The Clan is so brainwashed, they're happy to do whatever Cliffstorm tells them. I tried to stand up to Cliffstorm, and he told me that IslandClan said we had to do whatever it took to defeat your Clan. Obviously, that's a load of thistledown, but Twilightstar stopped me right before I attacked Cliffstorm. She said...she told Dovefeather she'd be executed on the spot...and..and she pinned her down...and Cliffstorm jumped on her...and I couldn't watch..and I came here...for you.." Goldenhawk's voice broke, and he buried his head in his paws, unable to continue.

"Oh, Goldenhawk...I'm so sorry..." Seabreeze felt grief and anger burning in her paws, and her throat, too closed, her brain unable to find words that would comfort the healing cat, for she couldn't even comfort herself. Dovefeather had been ruthlessly slaughtered, for something so petty as having Tornadostorm's kits and being his mate. How would she tell Duskwind, her brother, and Dovefeather's former learner? How would she tell Tornadostorm? Seabreeze closed her ocean-blue eyes, but the image of Cliffstorm scoring his claws across helpless Dovefeather's throat kept swimming to her mind. But then, she remembered something else that Goldenhawk had said, something that made her pelt tingle with a strange feeling.

"Why would you come here? It's so dangerous for you," The small tabby meowed innocently, keeping her blue eyes etched upon Goldenhawk. He lifted his great tabby head, and for a moment, their eyes locked, amber on blue. Seabreeze found she couldn't meet his eyes, and stood up quickly. She took a few paces back, feeling strangely light-headed. Goldenhawk stared up at the now star-filled sky, as though the answer might be written in the stars. Then he answered, so softly that Seabreeze was sure she must have imagined it.

"You're here, aren't you?" Seabreeze felt her heart race faster than the wings of any bird at those four words, and she was sure Goldenhawk could feel it thudding, could hear it pounding and leaping against her ribcage, trying to break free and fly to the one it wanted more than any other. What? Seabreeze could hardly believe her own thoughts. She hated this cat! Everything he said or did irritated her, rubbed her fur the wrong way, made her feel small and insignificant. The essence of who he was made her feel like yowling her frustration the the skies. She hated him, oh IslandClan, how she hated him!

"But I hate you," Seabreeze felt the words escape her mouth before she even realized what she was saying. As her mind registered what she had just said, she felt horror creeping over her heart. To her relief, Goldenhawk opened his mouth in a loud mrrowr of amusemnt, and his body shook with laughter. He rose to his ivory paws, taking a few steps towards her. Moonlight sparkled in his fur, and his amber eyes shone brightly and clearly as he moved so close to her that their whiskers would have brushed had one of them turned to the side. Seabreeze stared deep into his eyes, unable to bear looking yet unable to bear looking away.

"I hate you, too," Goldenhawk purred sikily, his amber eyes sparkling with laughter. The CoralClan healing cat brushed his muzzle against hers gently, and Seabreeze felt overwhelmed by his scent, by his nearness. He mewed softly, "No other cat can make me feel worse, or annoy me more. You make me feel like I'm always wrong, and you drive me absolutely crazy."

"Me too," Seabreeze whispered, feeling as if her voice was too loud, too high, too imperfect. The only sound she could hear was the constant thumping of her heart, growing louder and louder. Shut up! She yowled inwardly, but, almost as if in reply, her heart beat even faster. She was sure that underneath her silver fur, glowing soflty in the moonlight, her skin was flushed red.

"I should go," Goldenhawk finally meowed, suddenly pulling his muzzle away from her. Seabreeze blinked once, snapping back to reality. High above them, the moon continued to ascend into the sky. The silver tabby watched as he took a few steps away from her, his golden pelt shining silver in the soft glow of the moonlight. "The prisoners will need herbs to deal with the shock...and I don't fancy being found by a patrol, MeadowClan or CoralClan." Seabreeze registered dimly in her mind that with both Clans patrolling the Fishingpond, neither of them were safe here anymore. Goldenhawk blinked once, then turned to pad away, his powerful muscles rippling smoothly under his shining ginger pelt.

"I don't want you to go," Seabreeze didn't think about the words before she mewed them, but she realized it was true. Goldenhawk turned to glance over his shoulder, fixing her with an amber gaze full of emotions. The silver tabby held his gaze, feeling her skin burn hot underneath her sleek tabby fur.

"If you wait for me, I'll wait for you," The healing cat mewed softly, blinking at her with gentle golden eyes. Seabreeze opened her mouth to respond but found that she could not speak, so she just stared at him with wide eyes the colors of the oceans, her heart hammering wildly against her chest. Goldenhawk turned away from her and retreated across the border, not looking back at her once. And Seabreeze knew in that moment that, no matter how wrong it was and no matter how much it broke the code of tooth, claw, and compassion, she was falling in love with Goldenhawk.

A/N: Okay, you can all burn your eyes out now, I know it was terrible. Did you recognize a phrase of Scourge's in there? R&R please!