Icefog's Origins

Chapter 8

Slatepaw followed Wetface's trail through the forest until the border to HollyClan was in front of them. He crouched behind a bramble bush surrounded by ferns and watched as Wetface sat down in front of the border, ears pricked as he looked up and down the borderline. Is he just clearing his head? Half-wondering if he should just return to the camp, he stopped as rustling from the other side of the border caught his attention.

"Wetface? Is that you?" A sleek tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat emerged from behind an elm tree, five little kits tottering after her, their tails sticking straight up in the air.

"It is," the medicine cat apprentice breathed. He launched himself forward, purring as he pressed his cheek against the she-cat's and rubbed his cheek against hers. "I've missed you so much. Are these the kits Rainsweptstar was talking about at the Gathering?"

The she-cat nodded, seemingly star-struck as she looked down at the kits at her paws. "This is Beekit, Sharpkit, Hawkkit, Chestnutkit, and Harekit." She mewed, her voice full of love and warmth. "Where have you been? I've missed you so much, it feels like forever since I last saw you."

Wetface intertwined his tail with the she-cat's. "Leopardwave's been keeping her eyes on me like a hungry fox." He explained. "She's been keeping me in the camp at all times, so I can't come and see you as often. I've been missing you more and more everyday, my love."

Slatepaw suppressed a gasp of horror. Wetface was meeting with the HollyClan medicine cat in secret! Are those kits his as well? His claws unsheathed as he struggled to keep his tail from lashing, watching intensely as Wetface purred. What would Tigerflame and Leopardwave think?

Sniphaze pulled away from Wetface, her eyes filled with emotion. "I can't be here for very long," she mewed, tipping her head at her mate. "What happened that Leopardwave kept you from seeing me?"

Wetface lowered his head. "Applehail died when I couldn't come back with any horsetail in time," he meowed, his voice dripping with guilt and sorrow. Sniphaze's pretty amber eyes widened with horror and she let out a small gasp. "The Clan is antsy with me in the camp. I-I don't feel safe in the Clan anymore." He pushed his cheek against Sniphaze's, and Slatepaw couldn't gauge his facial expression. "B-but I feel much safer now that I've seen you and the kits."

Sniphaze was silent for a moment before she let out a shaky breath. "Y-your Clanmate died, b-because you were with me...?" Her voice was quiet, almost incoherent over the tremble in her mew.

Wetface drew back quickly, his tail bushing out. "Of course not!" He protested. "I just didn't run quick enough when Wethare came to find me." His voice grew steady. "Nothing that happened to Applehail was your fault."

Sniphaze was about to say something else, but she caught Slatepaw's eye and let out a startled yelp and scrambled away from Wetface. The tom looked confused until he followed her gaze and narrowed his eyes at Slatepaw.

"Come out of the bushes, Slatepaw." The medicine cat apprentice snarled, and Slatepaw was surprised and shocked at the anger and hostility in his tone. "I can see your eyes and smell you from here."

Slatepaw jumped over the brambles he was hiding behind and stared at the couple and their kits, awestruck. "H-hello." He mewed sheepishly to Sniphaze, who looked too stunned to speak.

Wetface turned to the apprentice, his pelt rippling as he arched his back, standing in-between Slatepaw and his family. "How long have you been spying on us?" He demanded, his lip curled back into a ferocious snarl.

Slatepaw returned his glare steadily. "Not that long," he replied coolly, trying to keep his voice from shaking under the scorching heat of Wetface's glare. "How long have you been seeing her?" His eyes flicked to Sniphaze, but Wetface took a threatening step toward him.