Foxgaze's Haunting

Chapter 19

(Cat above is Speckledpath but with less speckles).
Leafshade paused in front of a crooked, knotted oak tree. He turned to Foxgaze, his eyes glinted in the moonlight. "I'm glad you came" he mewed.

"It wasn't an easy choice"Foxgaze replied. She stared down at her one white forepaw before continuing "You told me that if I really loved you, which I do, I would have to meet you tonight. Why?"

"There is something I have to tell you and I want your loyalty to keep it a secret" Leafshade's ears went back and he looked a little to the side "I'm not completely an IceClan cat".

What is he saying? Foxgaze narrowed her eyes "What are you telling me Leafshade?".

His nicked ear twitched and he looked at his paws "I'm a half clan cat. My mother was an IceClan warrior but my father was MountainClan. Apparently my mother, Raggedpelt fell in love with a MountainClan cat and had me and Darkclaw, my sister".

"Who is this MountainClan cat?" Foxgaze asked. Leafshade looked to the shadows, as if something was hiding there before announcing

"Galaxystar".

He continued "Raggedpelt kept the secret safe and she protected us well. I didn't know what to think when she got killed by that rain storm a few moons ago".

Foxgaze pictured the brown tabby tom meeting Raggedpelt, who had seemed to be a loyal warrior in secret. She realized with a shudder that she was doing the exact same thing except Leafshade was from her Clan. She had no idea what she was getting into, just like me. Foxgaze remembered Raggedpelt's death from when she had just been made deputy. During a storm when her patrol was lost in the torrential rain, a branch had fallen and landed directly on the white warrior, killing her instantly. She hadn't even noticed how much it must have hurt Leafshade and Darkclaw.

Foxgaze was silent before she licked his ear reassuringly "I won't tell anyone". Leafshade put his head on top of her neck and mewed in her ear "That's why I fell for you".

Leafshade put his tail over her back and they continued onward. Foxgaze wished she still had a tail so she could do the same. The snow crunched below their paws as they walked in the woods near the lake. An owl hooted from somewhere above them and Foxgaze felt a shiver run down her spine. Leafshade's warmth made it go away quickly and she pressed closer to him. Snow began to fall lightly and Foxgaze shivered.

"We should stop if you are cold" Leafshade mewed worriedly. He looked around to see a hollow pine tree "Ah! That looks like a good spot".

He sauntered through the large split at the tree's base, his tail swaying outside back and forth. Foxgaze laughed in spite of herself. Something about him at that moment was funny. Maybe it's because I don't have a tail or any good luck in my life and I'm going crazy

Leafshade's tail disappeared and his head reappeared. "This is a nice spot to rest, there isn't any snow inside so I think we'll be fine". Foxgaze nodded. She looked around at the dark forest before stepping into the hollow tree. The ground was soft but it also was semi-dry and covered with dead leaves, giving some comfort. Foxgaze lay down and set her head on her paws. She felt Leafshade lie down beside her.

"What if they find us?" Foxgaze pointed out. Leafshade snorted "They're not looking anyway".

He yawned and his tail flicked "I wish this wasnt forbidden for medicine cat toms to have a mate. I mean, we don't have to nurse the kits like the she-cats do".

The thought of kits made Foxgaze suddenly feel dread rush to her paws. What am I doing? I'm the deputy and kits can't get in the way of my duty.

"I don't know why Leafshade" Foxgaze sighed "We shouldn't let the code get in the way of love".

Leafshade paused for a second, his muscles were tense before they relaxed and he licked her ear"You're right" he purred.

Like a wave of darkness Foxgaze began to feel tired. She touched her nose to Leafshade's before setting her head on her paws. His head rested on her back before she fell into the deep oblivion of sleep.

****

Almost immediately Foxgaze felt the world change around her. Leafshade's form disappeared and the ground turned grassy below her. Snapping awake she looked around.

"Adderpaw!" she exclaimed when she saw the brown tabby. Then she recognized someone standing next to him. The other cat was a she-cat, powerfully muscled, and covered ears to tail in brown and ginger specks. Adderpaw looked at Foxgaze coldly "Do you know what you have done?"

Her happiness faded and she looked at Adderpaw, slightly hurt "Y-yes. I know very well what I have done. In love with a medicine cat while part of me has already snapped and I'm trying to keep my sanity. Ha! Add that to you list of things to talk about".

"This isn't just an innocent mistake Foxgaze" Adderpaw hissed, "You have-".

"Let me speak to her Adderpaw, if you please" the other cat interrupted. She turned to Foxgaze, at that moment she realized that her eyes were the same icey blue shade as Dawnstar's.

The she-cat dipped her head to Foxgaze before speaking "You wouldn't know me Foxgaze but I have been watching you from StarClan since you were born. You probably know my sister Dawnstar. What you probably don't know is how she fell in love with a rougue named Bear".

"What?" Foxgaze gasped. It suddenly hit her like a wave of water Bear was that rougue that killed Nightstar!

The she-cat continued " Before Moonstar, the leader of our time, died my mate found out about Dawnsky and her affair and threatened to eat her out to Moonstar. In her shock she left her clan and ran off with Bear. For some reason, even StarClan doesn't know, she returned to IceClan and proved herself loyal again. Do you understand why I'm telling you this Foxgaze?"

"But...Leafshade isn't a rougue, he's a medicine cat from my own clan! What is as bad as that?" Foxgaze pointed out to the she-cat

Adderpaw narrowed his eyes at the she-cat "Speckledpath, she's made a point", he turned his striped head to his sister. She was much taller than him now but Foxgaze could tell that she still looked the same age as he was to Adderpaw " but she has broken Leafshade's medicine cat truce of never taking a mate and she must be punished".

"Adderpaw, please! I'm your own sister!" Foxgaze whimpered.

Adderpaw snarled at her "One of your kits will be a monster but you won't know which one until it's too late".

At that moment the world twisted and turned black. As cold and as desolate the world outside.