Deep Blue Eyes-- a warriors fanfic (completed story!)

Chapter 28

Streamfeather abruptly sat up in her nest. It was the middle of the night. Streamfeather closed her eyes in relief and let out a sigh- not a loud one, but one that could express her relief without waking up the clan.

That was some dream… She thought to herself. And it was.

Streamfeather had a dream about Snowclaw. He had pushed her off of the Gathering Island into the lake, and she couldn’t swim. Two she-cats were behind him, laughing and pointing at her.

Good thing it wasn’t a real dream, Streamfeather thought to herself.

She curled back up in her nest, but she still couldn’t sleep. Her mind was jumbled up with images from the dream. She closed her eyes, expecting the lull of sleep to pull her away, but it didn’t.

She recognized what was wrong. Snowclaw isn’t here. She had grown used to Snowclaw sleeping next to her, their pelts pressed against each other as though they were mates. Streamfeather felt her face grow hot with embarrassment with remembrance on the many times she had been questioned if Snowclaw was her mate yet. He will be. Someday.

Streamfeather stretched until her legs quivered and padded out of the den of sleeping warriors. The night air was cold and clear, and Streamfeather could feel leaf-bare coming on.

The feeling of the quickly approaching leaf-bare brought Streamfeather to a thought. What will happen to Poppyleaf? The calico she-cat had left the clan almost a moon ago, and hasn’t been seen since. Why did she leave? Will she be alright?

Sniffing the air, Streamfeather caught a trace of Snowclaw’s scent. What’s he doing out here so late?

Streamfeather followed his scent, realizing it was heading towards the WindClan border. She stiffened. WindClan? Does Snowclaw… no, he can’t… have a forbidden love? He has me! I thought he loved me!

Streamfeather ran faster, finally reaching the border. Two she-cats were facing each other, bristling and spitting insults at each other. And in between them was a very uncomfortable looking Snowclaw.

“Snowclaw!” Streamfeather yowled. The two she-cats stopped fighting and spun around. One was a golden tabby with blazing green eyes; another was a silvery-light-grey tabby with startling blue eyes.

“So, do you love her too, Snowclaw?” The golden tabby asked.

“Look, Sunflight…” Snowclaw began.

“Does that mean you have three mates, Snowclaw?” The light-grey tabby’s eyes were full of hurt. “Were you lying to us all?”

“Mates?” Streamfeather asked before Snowclaw could reply. “They’re your mates?”

Snowclaw looked flustered. “I couldn’t say no…”

“Well you should have.” Sunflight growled.

“Which one of us do you love more?” Streamfeather challenged.

Snowclaw dug his claws into the ground. Streamfeather saw that he couldn’t decide.

“Can’t you choose one of us? Do you love any of us?” The light grey tabby asked.

“I can’t decide, and you know that. I love all three of you.” Snowclaw gazed into the three angry she-cat’s eyes. “I can’t choose one.”

“I loved him first!” Sunflight growled. “When we were kits, I saw him! And I fell in love with him!”

“Oh really? He loves me the most!” The light grey tabby hissed.

“I’m in the same clan as him! Your love is forbidden,” Streamfeather glared at the tabby and Sunflight, “ours is true! And is accepted by the warrior code and StarClan!”

“How do you know it’s accepted by StarClan?” The tabby demanded. “It may just be the warrior code, and even the warrior code must break to save the clans!”

“Skyfeather, Streamfeather, Sunflight, please…” Snowclaw whimpered. “I can’t choose any of you. I love you all, and I want to be with you all.”

“If you loved me, you would choose me.” Streamfeather made sure her voice was laced with sorrow.

“Or you would choose me,” Sunflight added.

“Or me,” Skyfeather mewed.

Snowclaw sighed. “I choose all of you.”

“You can only have one mate, Snowclaw!” Streamfeather hissed. “Make that be me!”

Sunflight narrowed her eyes. “He loved me first!” She turned to Skyfeather. “You already have Featherpaw padding after you, you can choose him!” She turned to Streamfeather. “Surely there are other toms in the clan?”

“They’re not the same as Snowclaw!” Both she-cats blurted out at the same time.

Snowclaw closed his eyes. “Ladies, please…” the three she-cats looked up. “If you loved me, you’d come to accept that I choose all three of you.”

“I love you too much to let another she-cat have you,” Streamfeather mewed.

The other two she-cats nodded in agreement.

Snowclaw muttered something under his breath. “I’ve made my decision,” he began. “I will whisper it in your ears, but you must all act as though you’ve lost. That way no cat will know what decision I have made, so no cat’s feelings get hurt and no cat will hold a grudge against the others.” He stepped up to Sunflight and whispered in her ear. Sunflight’s face fell.

She couldn’t have been chosen… Streamfeather thought anxiously. She stared at Skyfeather, who met her gaze without flinching, although Streamfeather could see that she was worried about whom Snowclaw would choose as well.

Snowclaw stepped up to Skyfeather next and whispered in her ear. Skyfeather’s tail drooped, although her eyes were alight with joy.

Streamfeather felt anger churn in her belly. He wouldn’t have chosen that ugly excuse for a cat! She held still until Snowclaw whispered in her ear.

“Streamfeather, I love you.” Snowclaw whispered. “And I want you to live side by side with me as my mate. I choose you.” Streamfeather almost forgot to act devastated, but she remembered in the nick of time and sniffed dramatically, her tail dropping to the ground.

“I have made my decision,” Snowclaw made eye contact with the she-cats. “And I promise to love the she-cat I chose for the rest of my life.”

The three she-cats nodded.

“Now, we must all go back to our camps.” Snowclaw instructed.

The she-cats nodded, and Skyfeather and Sunflight walked back to camp, clearly depressed about how Snowclaw didn’t choose them.

“Come on Streamfeather,” Snowclaw mewed. Streamfeather stumbled after her mate in a daze, pressing her pelt against his.

“I knew you loved me,” she whispered.

Snowclaw nuzzled her. “I didn’t want to tell you. I loved you the most. They were just friends of mine, but they thought I loved them.” He gazed into her eyes. “But I didn’t. I only loved you.”

“And I love you,” Streamfeather purred. “No matter what happens, I will always love you.”