~Note: Sooner than ever before since she put her stories on a rotation, Iceshadow updates the next chapter of Shadow on Ice! PLEASE READ MY AUTHORS NOTE AT THE END! ~Iceshadow
Chapter 16, Come Back
"Are you sure about this?" Forestpaw whispered to Snowpaw, amber eyes curious and concerned.
"I'm sure," she whispered back, blue gaze fixed in front of her in determination.
"Then I'm with you." he gently pressed his shorter fur against her long, fluffy pelt.
After what seemed an eternity, she looked back at him. "Thanks." she didn't know what else to say.
He nodded and looked back ahead. The two apprentices were cramped in a thorny bush, gazing out across the border out of ThunderClan territory. The earliest birds began to wake under the gray sky, but all was quiet. It was time for the sun to rise, but neither Snowpaw or Forestpaw could see it through the thick canopy of clouds. There was a maple tree of to the side, all it's leaves turning golden and beginning to fall. The gray sky was speckled with tiny round red leaves to the two apprentices, for there were strange twoleg bushes that had grown from seeds here, which has odd red leaves. It looked... pretty, Snowpaw supposed. Finally she heaved herself up, wincing at the prickling in her back, and said, "Let's go. Nightrose will be waiting."
They made their way to the right, under a lowhanging branch draped with dark green ivy, to a darker part of the forest where tall nettles and ancient trees blocked out the small amount of light that radiated from the gray sky. "Nightrose?" Snowpaw whispered tentatively, feeling as much unease as Forestpaw in this seemingly deserted place. Her whisper sounded harsh in the crisp air, not sounding to her ears at all like a word, but a hiss. The fur on her back began to prickle. Something didn't feel right, but she tried to brush it away from her mind like a cobweb. But like a spider's web, it stuck there, the remnants seeming even worse than the whole silver web.
A rustling came from the other side of the tree, and Nightrose's black form began to emerge from the nettles. Her paws brushed the dark ivy, and her green eyes scanned around until she saw Snowpaw and Forestpaw. "You came," she purred, relaxing.
"Of course we came!" Snowpaw raced to her mother, her paw whacking a hidden branch as she went. She ignored the pain and touched noses with Nightrose. She tried to pay no attention to the worried thought in her mind; What if you hadn't come? Finally she pushed away from her mother's comforting touch. "So, what are we going to do?"
Nightrose's eyes grew cold. "We're going to get my daughter back, no matter what it takes."
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Icepaw was sitting with Snakepaw by her favorite spot, the willow tree by the stream. She loved the secluded feel, like nothing bad could get her here. It wasn't quite so sunny as the last time she had been here, but she still loved it; even when the skies were gray, seeming to prophesy rain. Neither of them felt like talking at the moment - something about this spot just made one stop and admire the beauty of life.
A rustling made Icepaw look behind her from the tranquillity of her favorite spot. The stream, now looking gray from the sky above, trickled sweetly behind her while she scanned the trees behind her. Snakepaw's amber eyes followed her as she turned around. "What is it?" he asked softly.
"I don't know." For some reason, Icepaw felt like she was in danger. Her hackles began to raise, as did her alarm. "Look, maybe we should come back another time." she said to Snakepaw.
"Do you think we're in danger?" he asked, his voice suddenly dropping in volume as he realized they might be being watched.
"Yes, I do." she began to get up, but it was too late.
Three cats had arrived at the river bank. Forestpaw's eyes regarded her from the back of the group. Nightrose sat down slowly, wrapping her tail around her paws. "Icepaw," she whispered softly, green eyes begging her to say something as she stood frozen on the bank.
Snowpaw saw her sister and immediately ran forward without thinking. "Icepaw, please come home!" she said, blue eyes leaking a little. "I miss you!" her frantic pleading did nothing to ease Icepaw's shock.
Forestpaw stayed where he was while Nightrose stepped forward. "Please," she whispered. "Come home." Although her plea came first, her last words were a command. There was a silent threat Icepaw couldn't understand in her mother's eyes.
"Come back," she whispered again.
~Note: PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS! Do you think that using the 'in response to reviews' is too impersonal? Would you like it if I responded to each of you individually? I'm just kind of curious what you think. Also, I have edited the PROLOGUE and the PROPHECY somewhat, so that might be good to just reread if you feel like it. ~
In response to reviews:
Miryam Lea: Thanks! *Asks innocently* Who said anything about couple? *Laughs*
Drakan722: Was that a response to my question? If so, thanks! Thanks again, and count my response to the second bit of your sentiment as 'hm...' in an ominous way.