This chapter presented by… RAiNEY'S BOREDOM!!
CrystalheartXxX -why yes, he does… now who will he choose? I don't know!! Oh wait, yes I do, cause I'm the author… muahahaha!! I'm on a sugar high!!
Qzil - thankee. An' yea, it's a love TRISQANGLE!! Ohmegee, that's a fun word. Trisquangle trisquangle trisquang…
Evershine of FrostClan - Thanks :)
Gladewing - -koff- haha. I was gonna kill Birch in this, but I changed the plot drastically tis good morning. LAWL.
Across the Borders, Chapter 8
by: rainfeather's hope
(one moon later)
"So, Snowstep, whose kits are they?" I ask her with a smile. Please be Smokestream's. She's really warmed up to me lately.
She steps closer to me in a friendly fashion, but worry hovers around her face. "Swear that you won't tell."
I hold up my white paw. "I swear to StarClan."
Snowstep whispers, "I'm not sure," in an agonized kind of way.
"What?!" My voice escapes me in an outraged squeak.
"Well," Snowstep begins, casting a nervous glance around. We're out in the forest, collecting herbs for Littlecloud. "When we were still apprentices, Toadpaw asked me to mate with him. I told him no, but he kept asking me until I said okay just to shut him up. He was thrilled until I was assigned to a hunting patrol that night. And the next day, I avoided him, and kept away from him. So one night I was out hunting, alone, and he jumped me. I wasn't expecting it, so I fought and clawed him. He took some kind of demented enjoyment out of that though. It was awful, Applenose…"
I can hardly believe it. My own brother! The borage falls from my open mouth. "Did Blackstar order that? You know, like he sometimes does…"
"No. No, Toadpaw just… wanted me to like him I guess. Anyway it was so horrible. I had to tell some cat, and Smokestream was the first cat I saw that I knew I could trust. So I told him, and he totally understood. We really warmed up to each other, and we're mates now, but Toadpaw doesn't know. And I'm afraid if he finds out he'll hurt my kits somehow!" Her last words were a whimper.
"Oh StarClan, Snowstep!" is all that I can manage.
"I know," she mews.
Smokestream materialized beside us. "Did you tell her?" he asks of Snowstep. She replies with a barely discernable nod. Smokestream winds around her and begins to gently lead her back to the nursery. I hope she's okay…
-x-
At sundown I'm supposed to meet Birchfeather. We agreed upon the fallen maple tree just beyond both of our territories. If I want to be there on time, I'd better head out soon.
Oakfur stops me as I head for the entrance. "Applenose, can I talk to you?" He asks.
"Yeah, sure," I reply, holding back a sigh.
"First is, Russetfur has assigned you to sunhigh patrol tomorrow. Second, Blackstar wants you in his den. He's going to tell you about… about something important." Oakfur's eyes travel over me slowly, waiting for my response.
Birchfeather, forgive me. I dip my head a trot over to Blackstar's den. As I enter I easily pick out his gleaming white pelt, obvious in the gloom. His blue eyes are harder to pick out, but they gleam at me in an interested sort of way. "Greetings, Applenose. I need to discuss something important with you."
What's so important?
"As you should know, your brothers Marshpaw and Toadpaw will be made warriors alongside Ivypaw tomorrow. Flamekit, Dawnkit, and Tigerkit are one moon old, and Snowstep is expecting." He pauses, waiting for me to say something, but I don't understand. He continues: "We are very short of young cats at the moment. Snowstep is expecting, as I said, but Littlecloud thinks she'll only have one or maybe two small kits. And four kits isn't enough young cats for the Clan."
Oh StarClan, please no.
"You are going to take Oakfur for your mate. He has agreed to this, and I want you to have a litter of kits for ShadowClan. Do you understand?" He fixes me with an icy stare.
My eyes fly open. What about Birchfeather? But I know there is no arguing with Blackstar when he's made up his mind. Dumbly I nod my head. "You are to meet at the Twoleg nest. Go now," he orders, rising to his black paws. I dip my head, still stunned from what I have to do, and tear out of camp.
Great StarClan, can things get any worse?
I know it's short, but it's important and short. Opinions pleazeeeee :)
--Rainey/