Warriors: Beyond the River (SOB prequel) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 12

Mottled silver clouds stretched across the pale sky, blotting out the sun. Iceslide sat near the edge of the camp, his tail swishing back and forth along the ground. I can't take it... He thought, looking toward twolegplace anxiously. I need to get there and see Violet again!

There were a lot of cats in the camp right now. It was midday, and many cats were eating together or deep in conversation. Vixenwhisper and Mudslip were grooming each other, while Shimmerstar and Salmonstripe spoke together and purred. 

Heartsong and Coralshine were speaking to each other and chuckling. A blur of golden fur flashed past him, and Iceslide watched as Creekleap padded up to them, purring loudly with his tail in the air. He was holding a fish in his mouth.

"Hey, Heartsong!" Creekleap purred and dropped the fish at her paws. "This is for you."

The silver and white she-cat looked amused. "Oh? What for?"

"For being such a great cat." The young warrior's eyes gleamed. "I'll catch all the fish in the river for you if you like."

Heartsong tilted her head. "Really?"

"Really." Creekleap began to back away. "But you'll have to catch me first!" He spun and raced out of camp, and Heartsong laughed and bounded after him. Coralshine watched them go and shook her head, looking amused.

All the couples around camp sure aren't helping. Iceslide began to feel lonely. I wish I were with Violet. He scanned the camp. He saw no sign of Frostedcloud. He guessed that the clan deputy was visiting Swanpool and his kits in the nursery. They had named them Arctickit, Dovekit, and Risingkit, and Frostedcloud seemed to spend every free moment he had with them. 

Maybe I can slip away now... No cat seemed as interested in him as the deputy. He might not even notice I'm gone. He looked around. No cat was paying any attention to him. But he decided that he needed some cat to cover for him if anyone noticed he was gone. And he knew just the cat he could trust. 

He padded around the camp, searching the cats for his new friend. At last, he spotted Sunripple's golden striped pelt. He was crouched by the fresh kill pile, eating a mouse. Iceslide quickly padded over to him and crouched beside him. "Sunripple," He whispered.

Sunripple swallowed what he'd been chewing and looked to him. "Yeah?"

He glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop. "I'm going to twolegplace for a bit," He meowed quietly. "Will you cover for me if any cat notices I'm gone?"

Sunripple hesitated, then nodded. "Sure. I'll say you went hunting on your own." He paused. "Just make sure you bring back some fresh kill so no one gets suspicious."

"I will." Iceslide nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Sunripple." He looked around and hurried behind the apprentices den where the secret way out was. He slipped through the reeds and ran forward a few fox-lengths from the camp. He paused and stared out into the distance. I'm coming, Violet!

"Iceslide?"

He nearly jumped out of his fur. He spun around, his fur bristling with alarm. Lilynose stood a little ways behind him, looking at him curiously. "Where are you going?"

"H-hi, Lilynose," Iceslide tried to sound calm, but he was terrified she would give him away. "I was going hunting."

Lilynose tilted her white head. "Then why didn't you go out the main entrance? It looks like you're sneaking out of camp," She meowed quietly.

Oh, StarClan! His mind searched desperately for an excuse. Think, think!

"What are you up to, Iceslide?" She asked, padding closer. She didn't sound like she was accusing him of anything. She only seemed curious and confused.