Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

    Within that moon quite a lot of things happened. Hawkwing, Lightwing and Spottedclaw retired to the elders' den, Stonefur and Scartail died of old age, and a few cats joined Thunderclan. One is called Badgergaze, he is a light beige color with flecks of regular beige. He has jade eyes. He came from Windclan. The second one is called Sagenut, who has dark gray fur covering a portion of the top part of his body while the rest of him is white. He has chestnut eyes. Third, there was Smokecreek, who is completely dark gray with gray flecks around his muzzle. He has odd gray eyes. He and Sagenut joined as rogues that were originally born into Deathclan, but left because they didn't agree with their savage ways. They had all settled into the clan very well.

    Willowbounce had been having nightmares at the beginning of the moon, but they were very solemn now. The she-cat was still on guard though. She had been making sure to take precautions to ensure that she spent as much time with Icefoot as she could, when she could. Right now it was a rather slow day, and her and Icefoot were sunbathing on the sunning rocks. A purr was emitting from the tom's throat, the mixture of the warm sunlight and being with Willowbounce must've been putting him at ease. Willowbounce was glad to see him finally relaxed. He had been quite worried about how she was feeling lately, but Willowbounce wouldn't crack. So far, she had done well in keeping her secret. She shifted her gaze down into the camp as she watched Rainpaw and Darkrose play with each other. A smile resided on her muzzle as she watched her daughters play. I wish I could be here longer with you...but I won't be for much longer. She thought, casting a resentful glare up at the sky. Willowbounce loved the stars, she adored the beauty of the night sky. But her ancestors had rubbed Willowbounces fur the wrong way with their prophecy for her. It just seems so unfair..they never helped me out to begin with. But fine, if this is how they want it to happen, I guess that's how it's going to happen. She thought with despair. Strongstar was sunbathing on the high ledge, and most of the camp was filled with cats sharing tongues or sunbathing. Shadedstorm was just a ledge below Willowbounce and Icefoot, sharing tongues with Grasspelt. For once, Willowbounce felt like everything was ok and she had nothing to worry about. But she felt like her blood froze when a cat she hadn't seen in a very long time padded casually into camp along with two of his warriors.

Willowbounce flicked Icefoot with her tail, waking him abruptly. She saw Shadedstorm and Grasspelt freeze as well as most cats in camp.
    "Greeting Thunderclan, enjoying this fine day?" He said, his voice booming around the camp. A wave of terror settled over all the cats in camp, including Willowbounce. Strongstar leaped to her paws.
    "What are you doing in our camp, Bloodstar?" She asked with scorn in her voice. Any cats who were in the center of camp had retreated to the walls of the camp, the apprentices being shoved into their den. The huge cat simply grinned and said, "Well I've come for my son." Willowbounce felt her lips curl back into a snarl. She saw Icefoots hackles rise and his pupils shrink.
    "Who says I want to go?" Shadedstorm said, getting to his paws. Willowbounce never realized it, but Shadedstorm was practically as big as Bloodstar. He was just a bit shorter than his father.
    "It's not exactly your choice to make. Come on, Shadedstorm. Why would you want to live among these mouse-hearts anyway? I mean really, if you joined me you would be living in luxury. We would rule the lake together, as father and son!" He said, trying to persuade his son. Shadedstorm was giving him a cold glare.
    "I wouldn't live with you or your clan of fox-hearts for all the prey in the forest! And my clanmates are not mouse-hearts! Who were the cats who won in the battles against your clan again? Now get out of Thunderclan and go back to your own crow-food eating warriors!" Shadedstorm snarled viciously at his father. Bloodstar looked taken aback from his son's retaliation, but it only lasted a heartbeat. His gaze became stone cold and angry.
"Fine. But you'll regret this, Shadedstorm. You and everyone in your clan will be the pelts that line my warriors nests!" He said with a hiss. He then turned tail and padded out of camp, his warriors following. Willowbounce was surprised he didn't leap at Shadedstorm. He must not want to hurt his son, but that might have been the last time he made that exception...She thought, her muscles relaxing. Slowly, movement came back to the camp as every cat returned to what they were doing. As Shadedstorm padded back over to his spot, she heard Grasspelt praising him for what he did. She smiled to herself. He's got a good one...He better not lose her..She thought.

Willowbounce rolled over on her back, letting her stomach feel some of the warm sunlight. In doing so she had also bumped into Icefoot, who didn't seem to mind, but rather gave a mrrow of amusement. Willowbounce held her paws up so she could see them. Their white fur looked clean, free of debris of any kind. She then flexed her paws, making her claws slide out. Their huge figures were tainted with very old stains of blood. Willowbounce sighed. No matter how clean I keep my fur, there's always something to remind me of it. There's always something to remind me of who I am...She thought sadly. Sheathing her claws again, Willowbounce retracted her paws and let them rest against her forearms. Sometimes I wish I didn't have my large fangs, or my huge claws...Maybe I would be different without them? She thought. Icefoot gazed down at her.
"What's on your mind?" He asked. Willowbounce sighed.
"Do you think I would've been different without my big claws, and fangs?" She asked. Icefoot shook his head.
"Willowbounce, a simple detail about how you look can't change the way cats act...no matter how bad you wish it did. Let me ask you this, if you would've known about Direpaw early on, would you have bitten off your claws and broken off your fangs?" He said. Willowbounce thought about that for a moment.
"No, I wouldn't have." She said. Icefoot nodded.
"Because he deserved it, no matter if your claws or fangs were any different, it wouldn't change the way he treated you. So don't worry about yourself Willowbounce. You're a great she-cat, and nothing can change my mind about that." He said, ending with a smile. Willowbounce smiled, grateful for his reassurance.
"Thank you..." She mewed. He bent his head down and gave her muzzle a lick.

Willowbounce and Icefoot laid there for the rest of the day, which seemed to go on forever. Willowbounce wished she knew how much time she had left so she could prepare herself. She wished she could prepare Icefoot for what was to become of her, but there was no way for her to tell him. As she gazed up into the sky, the first warriors of Starclan were beginning to appear in silverpelt. It can't be long now...She thought. Icefoot had rolled over as well so he and her were side by side with their bellies up.
"We'll get there one day, Willowbounce. And we won't have to worry about anything ever again..." He said, turning to her with a smile. Willowbounce smiled too, but it was a shallow smile. I will be going much sooner than you think Icefoot...but I'll be waiting. I swear I will.
"I just hope when our time comes we'll be able to go together." He said. Willowbounce felt a twinge of pain in her heart as she knew this would never really happen. Well, it might've...but it won't now. She thought sadly.
"Yeah...me too..." She murmured, moving her head so it rested against Icefoots.
"I love you Icefoot, never forget that..'' She whispered to him. Icefoot rolled on his side so he could embrace her in his paws.
"I love you too Willowbounce. Just the same as I always have." He said back to her. Willowbounce couldn't help but smile, and blush danced across her face. She rolled over on her side as well, embracing him with her paws too.