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

Chapter 13

Snow drifted onto the cold ground, sprinkling the earth with white. Leaf-bare had arrived. Iceslide sat near the reed bed, watching the flurries fall to the ground. It had been a quarter moon since Lilynose's death. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her, or shake the feeling of guilt weighing him down like a stone. It's my fault she died...

Shimmerstar and Salmonstripe were still recovering from the loss of their daughter. As leader, Shimmerstar had to remain strong in front of the clan, and she often did a good job of hiding her grief. But sometimes Iceslide saw her laying by her den, staring at the cats in the clearing with a numb look on her face. And he understood why. A cat was missing. One of the most important cats in her life. Her own kit. When it became too much to bear, Salmonstripe would gently guide her into her den, and they would talk for a while. They also spent more time with their remaining kit, Creekleap. Iceslide could see the desperation in Shimmerstar's eyes whenever she looked at her son, afraid of losing him too.

The golden tabby tom was sitting at the side of the clearing now, looking at his paws. Heartsong sat beside him, murmuring to him. The loss of his sister had effected Creekleap deeply. The usually funny and playful warrior was very sad and quiet these days. He joined hunting patrols often, but around camp, he would sit around trapped in his grief. The only cat able to cheer him up sometimes was Heartsong. The silver and white she-cat spent as much time as she could with Creekleap, trying to take his mind off of Lilynose.

Heartsong pressed her head against his shoulder, and Creekleap looked at her, letting out a small purr.

Swanpool's kits were peering out of the nursery, their eyes wide as they watched the snow.

"Wow!" Dovekit gasped, staring out into the clearing. "What is that stuff?"

Their mother and leaned over her, licking her head. "That's called snow," She purred. "It comes every leaf-bare."

Arctickit tilted his head as he studied the snow on the ground. "Snow?" He cautiously stepped out of the den, hesitantly stretching out a tiny white paw and dabbing the frosty earth. A snowflake fell onto his nose, and he let out a startled squeak, scrambling back into the den. "It's attacking me!"

His sisters looked at him in alarm. "Is it dangerous?" Risingkit gasped as Arctickit rubbed his nose with his paw.

Swanpool chuckled. "Not at all, dears," She assured, gently nuzzling Arctickit. "There's nothing to be afraid of. It's a bit like rain."

"Ooh!" Risingkit stepped out and dabbed at a falling snowflake, and the other kits slowly joined her, fascinated by the flurries.

Lilynose loved kits. Iceslide thought as she watched them. She wanted to have kits... Probably with me. But I never would have let that happen. He felt a pang of guilt. I didn't know I was hurting her so badly.

"Iceslide."

He flicked his ear and turned to see Blizzardfur padding up to him, his thick fur covered in snowflakes that could hardly be seen against his mottled white and pale silver pelt. He sat beside Iceslide and looked at him as he wrapped his fluffy tail around himself. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

Iceslide sighed. "I don't know."

"Lilynose?" Blizzardfur guessed. He nodded, and his brother looked at him sympathetically. "It wasn't your fault, Iceslide," He meowed quietly.

"Yes it is." Iceslide closed his eyes. "I never should have taken her to twolegplace." Blizzardfur and Sunripple were the only cats who knew the details about Lilynose's death and where they'd been. Any other cat would have been furious if they knew Iceslide's twolegplace adventures had gotten Lilynose killed. He expected that Shimmerstar would have driven him out of the clan immediately.