Chapter 10
"Owlpaw! You lizard-brain! You let that frog just pass right by you!"
"Geez, Sorrelpaw, no need to be rude," hissed Hawkpaw.
"It's Sorrelstorm, thank you very much."
"Whatever, Sorrelpaw."
Owlpaw sighed. He knew that the only reason that Sorrelstorm and Hawkpaw were feeling angry and resentful was because of leaf-bare. There had been no prey for two sunrises, as the prey had all frozen or hid in their burrows. Even the queens and elders hadn't eaten for days. The cold didn't help. Even Riverclan, the lazy fish-faces, were having trouble with food ever since the lake had frozen.
"Ah! Help!"
Owlpaw turned. Brackenclaw was ahead of the hunting patrol, and he seemed to be licking at the frozen surface of the lake, but he was also tugging at it. His tongue was stuck on the ice.
"I swear, this clan is made of lizard-brains," muttered Sorrelstorm. She leapt forward and grabbed Brackenclaw by the scruff. She tugged backwards, and with a sucking sound, Brackenclaw was free.
"Er, thanks," he said, embarrassed.
Sorrelstorm glared at him. "Don't ever do something so idiotic like that ever again!"
"How was I supposed to know that my tongue would stick to the ice?"
Owlpaw walked over to the frozen lake. He gently put a paw on it, just to see if that would stick too. He lifted it, and it came off easily.
I guess paws don't stick on ice.
Feeling braver, Owlpaw stepped onto the ice. He started slipping around and nearly fell.
"Owlpaw! Just what in Starclan do you think that you're-watch out!"
"HELP!"
Owlpaw's weight was too much for the thin layer of ice. It shattered, and Owlpaw came crashing down into the lake. The water was dark and cold. Mostly cold.
"I don't know how to swim!"
Owlpaw could hear Brackenclaw screech, "Somecat, get him outta there!" Owlpaw then felt teeth sink into his scruff. Someone was dragging him up, toward the light.
Owlpaw was beginning to get dizzy. His lungs burned. He wanted to cry out, but when his mouth opened, all he could do was cough as he accidentally swallowed some water.
Then his head broke through the surface. Blinking, he saw the bright ginger pelt of Sorrelstorm.
"You are...the biggest birdbrain ever," she hissed into Owlpaw's ear. Owlpaw tried to reply, but all he could let out was a hacking cough from swallowing so much water. Sorrelstorm glared at him. "Next time, think before doing anything!"
Sorrelstorm paddled to shore, spluttering as she unintentionally gulped down some water.
"Sorry," apologized Owlpaw.
Sorrelstorm growled.
"Owlpaw! Are you okay?" Hawkpaw yowled. He ran over to his friend. "I thought that you''d be in Starclan by now!"
"Are you feeling alright?" asked Brackenclaw.
Sorrelstorm sighed. "And yet I swam all the way to the middle of the lake to get him and nobody asks me how I'm feeling."
"How are you, Sorrelpaw?"
"It's Sorrelstorm!"
Owlpaw purred. "C'mon, let's get back to camp!"
It was harder than he thought. It had snowed, so everything seemed white, and the stuff covered up the scents that led to the Shadowclan camp. Even Brackenclaw, a senior warrior, seemed lost.
"Does anybody know where we are?" asked Hawkpaw.
"Er," mumbled Brackenclaw. "I think that maybe, sorta, possibly...uh...we might be lost..."
"Lizard-brains, every single one of them," hissed Sorrelstorm.
"Then you tell us where to go, Sorrelpaw," growled Hawkpaw.
Sorrelstorm lifted her head up. "Fine," she sniffed. "The camp is...that way." She pointed with her tail at the left side of the snowy forest.
"Whatever you say, Sorrelpaw," replied Hawkpaw.
"Lay off her, Hawkpaw," said Brackenclaw protectively.
Hawkpaw harrumphed. "Whatever."
They followed Sorrelstorm through the forest. Finally, they saw the camp.
"See, Hawkpaw?" smirked Sorrelstorm.
"Yeah, yeah."
"What took you guys so long?" Owlpaw turned to look at Hollypaw.
Hollypaw.
"We...we got lost," muttered Hawkpaw.
Grayfeather sighed. "Thank Starclan that you had a senior warrior to guide you back!"
"Actually," mumbled Brackenclaw, "Sorrelstorm led us back."
"Oh?"
"Owlpaw! Sorrelstorm! What happened to you two? You're all wet!" Amberpaw exclaimed. Owlpaw gave his chest a few embarrassed licks. "I fell in the lake."
"What about Sorrelstorm?"
"She rescued me."
Owlpaw saw Hollypaw throw Sorrelstorm a strange look, filled with anger and relief.
"Are you sure you two are okay?" asked Grayfeather. Owlpaw nodded, as did Sorrelstorm.
"Good."
"Hollypaw? I need to talk to you," said Owlpaw. Hollypaw hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
They walked into the forest, side by side. "Look, Hollypaw," blurted Owlpaw. "I really like you and all, and I'm sorry about our talk earlier and how I acted in the rat attack, but...but I-I'm not sure that I'm..." His voice trailed off.
Hollypaw looked disappointed. "Oh." She paused before continuing. "It might work, though? You might want to be a warrior, and then...and then we...we could be together! It could work! Please try, Owlpaw. Please?"
Owlpaw looked away. "I am destined to be a medicine cat."
Hollypaw looked at Owlpaw. "I really love you, Owlpaw," she said, her voice quiet. "Ever since you became an apprentice, I've liked you. And then...and then I had to watch as you mooned over Rosepaw, chasing after her, when she already had a mate."
Owlpaw was getting dizzy. Maybe Hollypaw liked him, but he liked Rosepaw! But it also might be, just might be, true. He remembered now, about all the things she'd ever done.
Are you okay? That had been during the heavy rain, when Stormlight was about to kit.
Hollypaw protecting him during the badger attack, even though it meant getting hurt.
The amount of hurt in her eyes when he'd told her that he didn't want a mate.
And suddenly, it all fit together. Why hadn't he seen it before?
Because I was too busy with Rosepaw.
Owlpaw looked up. Hollypaw was watching him, hope in her eyes.
"Maybe," he began slowly, "I do want a mate."
So, ending that hints that Owlpaw would like to be Hollypaw's mate! What do you guys think? And also, thanks to Stuffed Watermelon for Sorrelstorm's warrior name and everyone that reviewed!
-HalfSun