Beyond the Mountains | A Warrior Cats Fanfiction

꧁ ✧ Chapter 17 ✧ ꧂

Don't forget to vote please! It really helps <33

Willow was waiting by the entrance to the cave. She needed to see her father. Her heart pounded as she watched the scattered sunlight through the waterfall flicker. He had to be back from his hunt soon. A couple of kits had come to check her out, and told her that she didn't smell like the tribe, and she had to explain that she once lived there, and had seen their mothers expecting them.

''Really? So you had seen us before we were born?'' One squeaked.

''Mhm.'' She nodded.

''Whoahhh'' Another one gasped, standing on its rear legs and falling backwards onto his sister, whom squealed angrily and pushed him off. She couldn't hold back a mrrow of laughter as they squabbled.

She twisted her neck back to groom her fur, her paw pads getting chilly on the cold stone floor. She was surprised the river below hadn't fully iced over, but then, she remembered, it was a fast moving river, so it would take a long time if at all. She had just finished grooming her plumy tail, when a patter of pawsteps sounded from outside the cave. She pricked her ears, trying to make out Feather's voice, and licked her chops nervously. What if he wasn't happy to see her?

He has to be. im his daughter. She thought dismissively. But I'm also exiled, and I shouldn't be here. But Dandelions sister, Leaf, was happy to see me. She didn't have time to second guess her choice, because at that moment his dark, faintly striped face appeared from around the corner, shaking the water from his pelt. He looked happy. She felt a twinge of sadness, that he was doing so well without her. But its also been a long time, and you should be happy for him! She inwardly scolded herself, and puffed out her chest, trying to look big and happy and proud. But the moment their eyes met, her chest deflated and he stopped dead, dropping the eagle he must have caught. His orange eyes fluttered, and he blinked as if he thought he were seeing things. He stepped over the eagle, and walked forward hesitantly, unbelieving, tail-tip twitching. He forgot about his eagle, and his face was expressionless. Willow stared at him miserably and happily all at once. She realised how much she had missed him. They stood, face to face as his gaze flitted from one eye to the other.

''Dad?'' Willow mewed hopefully. A smile spread across his face, and his eyes watered.

''Willow-'' He croaked, cut off as Willow leaped into him, tumbling him over, laughing and crying, suddenly forgetting everything. Dandelion was here, they had never been exiled. She pulled back to let him speak, but spoke again before he could.

''I've missed you so much...'' She burst, and Feather looked at her lovingly.

''I missed you too, but, what are you doing here?''

''Well...'' Willow began, looking at her paws. ''I've been looking for Dandelion.''

''Dandelion?'' He asked, his expression perplexed. ''Shouldn't he be with you?'' He joked, then his laugh faded away at her grave expression.

''I haven't seen him in six moons, dad.''

Her father's expression turned sorrowful, and turned his attention to the scars which adorned her pelt. He nodded at them.

''Sharptooth...?'' She nodded without a word, and he pulled her close.

''Oh my brave, brave girl....'' His throat sounded sticky, and she realised he was crying.

''My poor girl... i should've done more to make you stay...''

''There was no stopping me.'' She replied softly. ''I would have never left Dandelion.''