Ok, I promised a quick update, so here it is! I was sensing that this fic was getting a bit static so I've decieded to move it on a bit.
Shadefrost woke to find many thorns stuck in her pelt. They scratched against her skin like sharp claws. Hissing, she slowly began to get rid of them, wincing as each one slid out of her flesh. I will never sleep so close to the wall again, she promised herself.
The den was still full as it was only early morning. Shadefrost wandered why she had woken so early. She usually slept until sunhigh after a gathering. Shaking the sleep from her legs, she carefully climbed over Shadowheart and Sootwhisker before exiting the den.
The sky was still dark and a freezing wind ruffled Shadefrost's soft coat. She shivered. Why was leafbare so cold? She jumped as the leaves rustled behind her. Spinning around, she saw Foxwhisker stepping out of the warriors den. "Oh," she gasped. "Foxwhisker, you scared me."
"Huh." Foxwhisker nodded. "Sorry." He started to walk past her. Shadefrost felt pain well in her heart. She had to at least know why he didn't love her anymore.
"Foxwhisker," she meowed, catching him up. "What's wrong?"
Foxwhisker sighed. "Oh not this again."
"But..."
"Shadefrost, it doesn't matter."
"But..."
"No buts, just accept it."
"Foxwhisker..." She halted abruptly when he shoved his muzzle in her face.
"Just leave me alone," he snarled slowly. He kept his muzzle there for a while. Shadefrost was numb with shock. Where was her kind, gentle Foxwhisker? The one that she loved. A whimper escaped her lips and she turned and fled, just wanting to get as far away as possible from this nightmare.
She heard Foxwhisker shout, "Shadefrost wait." But she did not stop. Her paws acted of their own accord, sending her flying through the undergrowth with the speed of a fox. Her mind was dead. It throbbed with pain and shock. There was no doubting it now. Foxwhisker didn't want her, he hated her.
She carried on running for what seemed like moons. She only stopped when she reached the stonewall, the boundary between WoodClan and WaterClan. This was where Foxwhisker had first told her that he loved her. She remembered it so clearly; his soft tail twining with hers, her head resting on his muscular shoulder, his deep rumbling purr in her ears. Her legs trembled and collapsed beneath her. She did not attempt to get up, she just lay there and let the grief and pain overthrow her.
Something touched her flank. She did not respond. "Shadefrost," a voice whispered gently. It could not be him. It was just her memories coming back to haunt her. The voice sounded again, so amazing, so painful. She lifted her eyelid slightly and saw a flash of ginger. It was him!
She got to her paws. He was staring at her, his beautiful blue eyes filled with regret. He opened his mouth to speak but she got there first. "So what is it?" she murmured, her voice hoarse with pain. "Why don't you want me anymore?"
Shock replaced the regret. "Shadefrost! I do want you, it's just..."
"Just what Foxwhisker? Is there another she-cat? Lilacpaw's pretty, Shadowheart's beautiful..."
His tail slapped over her mouth. "You know that's not true. You're the most beautiful she-cat and you always will be. To me."
He was so handsome, so strong... Shadefrost pushed the thoughts away. "Then why have you been acting all weird. When I didn't want to be a warrior you promised me that you would make being one worthwhile. You said that we'd go hunting together, eat fresh-kill together and then sleep in the warriors den with our pelts brushing. Well so far you haven't done any of those things. You've ignored me and snapped at me." She shook her head and continued in a whisper. "You don't love me anymore."
Foxwhisker gasped and took a step towards her but she backed away. "Shadefrost," he mewed, his eyes filled with pain. "I still love you. I'll never stop loving you."
Shadefrost's paws itched for her to run and press herself into his warm pelt. Instead, she meowed, "Then what's wrong."
Foxwhisker shook his head. "I can't... I can't..."
Shadefrost looked him sternly in the eye. "Tell me Foxwhisker."
Foxwhisker sighed. "I've been having dreams," he said. "You'll probably think I'm mad but these dreams are really vivid, as if I'm really there. I dream that I'm in the mountains and it's really cold. I walk along a path between two peaks. A stream trickles under my paws. I walk along the path until I get to a single fir tree. Then I jump up onto this really narrow ledge right above my head. I make my way along the ledge and it disappears into a vertical drop. I look over the drop and I see a camp of cats. Three of the cats see me and they make their way up the cliff. They're impossibly agile. I try to run but my paws won't let me. I watch as the cats come towards me but just before they reach me it all goes black." Foxwhisker paused and blinked, his eyes clouded with fear and confusion. "It's so black that I can't even see myself," he continued, in a whisper. "A voice rumbles in my ears saying, "You must go to the mountains Foxwhisker and help the flying star reach his full potential. But beware a stripe of snow for it is hiding something unexpected and familiar." I try to call out to the voice but it only fades and leaves me in darkness." He turned to look at Shadefrost. He was visibly shaking now. "I-I know I shouldn't have taken it out on you but I was just so scared and... and... I..." He trailed off and let his head hang low over his chest.
Shadefrost was stunned. Foxwhisker's dream sounded like one she had received a moon ago, warning her about Rustpaw's death. She had not known then what it had meant and so had chosen to ignore it until it was too late. She peered up at Foxwhisker. The ginger tom had not moved. She felt a purr of happiness rise in her throat. He did want her!
She raced across the gap between them and pressed herself to his side. "I love you so much," she mewed.
Foxwhisker stared down at her, his blue eyes shining. "You're not still mad?"
"No."
Foxwhisker purred. "I'm so sorry Shadefrost. I'm the most mousebrained tom in the world for letting you think that I didn't want you."
Shadefrost nodded and looked up at him. "You are but I love you for it."
Foxwhisker rubbed his cheek against hers. "I love you too."
Shadefrost wound her tail with his and drew back a small way so that she could look him in the eye. "I don't think you're mad," she told him. "I think that we have to take this dream seriously."
Foxwhisker's eyes darkened. "You don't have to get involved with this if you don't want to Shadefrost. It's my dream."
"No," she meowed. "I don't mind. I had a dream so vivid I could smell it just before Rustpaw died. I didn't tell anyone and I felt so alone."
Foxwhisker gasped. "You could have told me."
Shadefrost smiled. "I guess I was a bit embarrassed about it. I didn't think any cat would take me seriously. I just ignored the dream and now my brother is dead because of it."
"Are you saying that I should take my dream seriously?"
Shadefrost nodded vigorously. "Exactly. Whether you like it or not, Foxwhisker this dream is going to come true."
Foxwhisker looked shocked and then he blinked and the alarm was replaced with tender love. He pulled her back to his side and rested his head lightly on top of hers. "We can worry about that later," he murmured. "Nothing can spoil this moment."
Shadefrost purred and snuggled into his warm chest fur. The sun was just rising over the forest and the lake in WaterClan territory sparkled in its light. Foxwhisker rasped his tongue over her soft ear. "Shadefrost..." he breathed.
Shadefrost licked his chin. "Don't ever leave me again," she murmured.
Foxwhisker wound his tail with hers. "I never ever will," he promised. He pulled back so he could look into her eyes. "I love you Shadefrost. Never forget that."
That should of pleased any ShadeXFox fans!
Thank you to Simplicity22, CRAZEDREADER96, JeLlYbEaN iS mE, Pebbleclaw, Blossomgleam, Hawkfur the Ninja and XxXxSkyheartxXxX for your reviews:)
I won't be updating for a fortnight cos I'm going on a two week camp! (Yeah, I go on loads of camps) But I'll update when I get back!
PLZ REVIEW! Your review is highly appreciated:)