Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

About a moon later, the clan's territory had been deteriorated by twolegs. More and more and more. Prey was barely a daily thing anymore. Sickness was becoming alarmingly more common. Willowkit and Splashkit were huddled against their mother and father in the clearing.
"Cats of ThunderClan, me and the other leaders have been speculating on this topic for a long time now and I'm certain you've all been discussing it too. We need to leave the forest." Bravestar said. The clan broke out in agreeable murmurs.
"The clans are starving and are weakened without their territory's benefits." Nestleberry broke in and spoke from her den entrance.
"And without herbs growing steadily in our territory, Medicine cats such as myself cannot provide care for our clanmates!". More sounds of agreement rose from the cats.
"And so, me and the other leaders have decided that tomorrow, we will meet up and leave the forest in search of our new territory." Weak yowls of agreement rose from the crowd. Willowkit couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was only a kit and she would be going on the journey of a lifetime. All of the clans, traveling together as one. But then she thought,
I'm only a kit! How will I make it? And...and Icekit..Will he be ok? Willowkit shifted uncomfortably with the weight of these new thoughts.
"Clan dismissed." Bravestar concluded. Strongstripe, the deputy, bounded down the rocks and called cats over for the last patrols, since it was turning night.
"Bloodclaw, Blackwing, Leaffall and Spottedclaw. You will go out on hunting patrol. You may take your apprentices." Willowkit listened for the next patrol.
"And..Rainstripe,Stormcloud, Stripeback and Lightwing you will go on the last border patrol. You may take your apprentices." And with that the patrols set off out of camp, setting off to do their duties. The camp was practically empty except for Willowkit and her fellow kits, the elders and the remaining warriors. Night was falling over the camp, and though it was very cold, the stars of silverpelt still glittered in the sky. Willowkit was dazed by the stars and didn't notice Icekit next to her.
"Willowkit? Willowkit...Willowkit?!" Icekit prodded her. Willowkit flinched.
"Oh! S-Sorry Icekit I didn't...I wasn't.." She stuttered, unable to put her words into play.
"Don't worry about it! So....want to go on an adventure with me?" He asked.
An adventure? Does he mean outside of camp?! But it's nighttime and it's cold! Willowkit thought.
"Just trust me. We'll leave when Hawkwing falls asleep.." And with that, he nuzzled her cheek, his warm breath sending exhilarating chills through her, and bounded off towards the nursery. Willowkit felt adrenaline rush through her. She smiled an excited smile, then headed towards the nursery.

"Is she asleep yet?" Willowkit whispered to Icekit from outside the nursery.
"...Yes!" He whispered back. A heartbeat later he came trotting out of the den. He looked around the camp. Willowkit looked around too. The patrols had come back and were asleep. Brindleeye was on guard tonight. Icekit motioned with his tail for her to follow him. She kept close behind him as they padded along the wall of camp, sticking to the shadows like mud on fur. The air in the camp was cool and light. Though it was cold, being this close to Icekit made her feel warm. Once Icekit reached the tunnel he halted. They were going to have to jump from the shadows into the bramble wall. Icekit crouched, then leapt forward quickly into the brambles. Willowkit took a silent deep breath, then leapt in after him. The brambles grabbed at her fur and scratched her all over. Icekit was waiting just inside the brambles, but he moved over when Willowkit jumped in.
"Great job! Let's go!" He whispered to her. They made their way through the brambles and soon they reached the other side. The forest lay before them, and though the leaves were dead and the undergrowth was wilting, it was still a sight to behold.
"Woah.." Willowkit mewed.
"Isn't it amazing?" Icekit asked.
"Wait Icekit, have you been out here before?" Willowkit asked curiously.
"..I may have been out here once or twice.." He said slyly. Willowkit chuckled.
"Come on, we have a very long way to go.." He said, then took off running. Willowkit wasted no time running after him. They raced side by side through the forest, the cold night air brushing through their pelts and carrying them on their paws. Soon the forest opened up to churned up fields. They both slowed to a stop at the edge of the trees.
"This is WindClans territory. Or, it should be...The twolegs messed it up." Icekit said panting. They took a moment to rest and drink from the river nearby. They soon took off running in the direction of Windclan.
"Hey! Icekit, isn't this Windclan territory?" Willowkit said as she ran alongside him.
"Well yes but we won't be here for long, and it's worth it I promise!" He responded back to her. Soon they were across WindClan territory and came to the thunderpath. They stopped at the edge where the grass met the twoleg stone.
"D-do we have to cross?" Willowkit asked anxiously.
I'm terrified of monsters and thunderpaths! Willowkit thought. Her mother had told her stories about cats who had been seriously injured and killed crossing thunderpaths.
"Just trust me." Icekit said, looking her straight in the eye. His vivid blue eyes were shiny in the moonlight and his pelt seemed to glow like the moon. It was only then she had noticed her pelt was glowing in the moonlight too.
"Your eyes look so pretty in the moonlight.." Icekit murmured to her. She blushed and murmured a thank you. Icekit looked up and down the thunderpath. When he saw no monsters, him and Willowkit trotted quickly across the path.
"That wasn't so bad was it?" He said once they reached the other side.
"I suppose not." Willowkit said.
"Come on, we're nearly there!" He said to her, taking off at a graceful run. She took off after him at the same gait. They raced through an open grassy field bathed in moonlight. Their eyes ablaze in the moonlight and a chilly breeze rippling through their pelts. The two ran side by side through the field.
Being with Icekit right now, at this very moment is all that matters. Not the clans, not the twolegs, not even StarClan. Just me and him. Willowkit thought as she and him ran through the moonlit field, side by side and pelts brushing. It was nearing moonhigh by the time they reached the other side of the field. Icekit and Willowkit slowed their pace down to a slow trot.
"Now we have to go up this trail and we'll be there." Icekit assured her.
Icekit has to be weary, like me. We've traveled so far in the time it took for the moon to reach moonhigh. Willowkit thought as she and Icekit, still side by side, started their trek up the mountain. But Icekit showed almost no signs of wear. Apart from an occasional yawn, which both of them ended up sharing, he didn't show anything else. The two kits soon reached the very top of the mountain.
Highstones. Her mother's voice echoed in her ears as Willowkit and Icekit climbed to the very top of the mountain. Willowkit gasped when they reached the top. For as far as she could see, she saw all of the territories. She saw what was left of their beautiful territories bathed in a bluish moonlight. A tear came to her eye as she gazed at its magnificence. She sat down, feeling awestruck.
"I-Its..b-b-beautiful...." She spoke at last. Icekit, who had been a tail length behind her, had come to the edge and sat next to her.
"I know..it's hard to think that we'll be leaving in the morning.." Icekit said sadly. Willowkit leaned on him and a small gasp escaped his throat. She started to cry softly, pushing her muzzle into his shoulder. He entwined his tail with hers and rested his chin on top of her head.
"I-I don't want to l-leave!" Willowkit whimpered. Her sweet, soft voice was broken by crying and sniffling.
"I d-don't want to either.." Icekit said. Tears began to form in his eyes.
"But I-I'll tell you what, tonight we're going to have the best time ever." Icekit said, letting go of a few tears while holding the rest back. Willowkit looked up at him. Her eyes looking pearly in the moonlight mixed with her tears.
"Alright.." She said. Her voice was returning to it's normal softness by now. They got to their paws and started to trek back down the mountain path. Once they reached the field, they took off at the same graceful gait as before. Willowkit leaped up from the grass and tried to touch the stars. Icekit did the same. They ran and tried to catch the stars in the big field until the sky started to pale with early signs of sunrise.
"We better head back Icekit..it's almost dawn!" Willowkit said, exhaustion edging her voice. Icekit nodded and he took the lead again. They reached the thunderpath soon after but it wasn't like it was when they first crossed it. Monsters were coming up and down the thunderpath, roaring by and leaving a horrible stench. Icekit waited for a while, when finally the path cleared. Willowkit and him raced across the thunderpath with the little energy they could pull up to run. When they reached the side, they both collapsed. Willowkits stomach growled and she heard Icekits growl too. They looked at each other with worn faces. They picked themselves up and started to slowly trek back towards ThunderClan. The cold morning air was worse than the night. Willowkit didn't feel the same resilience to it as she did previously. She saw Icekit attempt to suppress a shiver. Willowkit became weary as they started to cross WindClan territory.
We would be in huge trouble if we get caught. Willowkit thought.