Heartstar's rise : Book one

Ch. 43

            "You're not concentrated," Pinestar said. 

            "What, oh sorry," muttered Heartpaw, looking up. 

           "What did I just tell you?" Pinestar repeated with a sigh. 

            "That er..., I shouldn't put my weight on my hind legs?" guessed Heartpaw. 

           "You should put your weight on your hind legs," huffed Pinestar in frustration. "How many times do I need to repeat myself?" Heartpaw sighed. He was too preoccupied. He couldn't concentrate. He could only think of the warm feeling of seeing Ivypaw. 

           "I'm listening, I'm sorry," apologised Heartpaw. 

            "You keep saying that," Pinestar said. "Why are you so distracted?"

          "I'm sorry, I just, didn't sleep well," Heartpaw said. 

          "Right then let's start from the top." 

Heartpaw slunk into camp, exhausted. He wanted to crawl into his nest and sleep but he was going to meet Ivypaw that evening for the second time. Honeypaw trotted to his side, eyeing him worriedly. 

          "You alright?" she asked. 

         "Fine," replied Heartpaw. 

         "Are you sure?" 

        "Yeah, just tired." Honeypaw frowned as she watched Heartpaw look up at the sky. The sun was about to set. "I'll see ya." He then raced out of camp. Sighing, Honeypaw returned to the apprentice den, her thoughts flickering to Heartpaw. Heartpaw raced towards his meeting point with Ivypaw. He reached just in time. Everything was quiet. He watched the sun set, it cast beautiful colours across the sky. He waited till the sun had set and the moon slowly rose, shining a glowing light on the night world. Crickets chirped and an owl hooted. He waited, looking at the spot Ivypaw should be. There was some rustling and then her head appeared. He broke into a smile. 

           "Your turn to come over," he said. She grinned and nodded. Looking both sides, she raced across the Thunderpath and joined him, panting and laughing on the other side. They lay next to each other and she licked a bit of his fur sticking up on his forehead. 

          "There, that's better," she meowed. 

          "I was really tired today," laughed Heartpaw. Talking to Ivypaw was easy. There was nothing he was scared to tell her. 

           "Me too," she agreed. "But it was worth it, to see you." Heartpaw purred and rubbed his cheek against hers. She sighed sadly. 

            "But it'll never work, will it?" she whispered. 

           "What do you mean?" he frowned, looking at her with wide eyes. 

            "Don't look at me like that. You know what I mean," she said sadly. 

            "It'll work, we'll make it work," Heartpaw said desperately. 

            "Will it? We're going against the warrior code. I know you haven't told your Clanmates about this, why? Because we both know it's wrong," Ivypaw said. "I don't want to be the one who says this. But we're from different Clans." 

            "It doesn't matter," Heartpaw urged. "If the Clans won't let us stay together, if Starclan is against us, we'll leave. We won't ever come back. We could make our own world." 

            "Are you prepared to leave everything you've known, for me?" whispered Ivypaw. 

             "Of course," said Heartpaw firmly. 

             "The ones who love you? The ones you love?" she asked again. 

             "There is noone anymore," Heartpaw replied. Ivypaw understood. 

            "We'll make it work, I promise," whispered Heartpaw. Ivypaw leaned her head against his. 

           "I hope we will, because I've never felt what I feel with you," she whispered, her eyes twinkling. Heartpaw felt his heart flare and he understood what Brightheart meant to Stormpelt. He could never lose Ivypaw.