Lillyheart's Secret

Chapter Thirteen

The tom ushered Lillyheart through the forest, and fear gripped her tightly. The trees towered over her, and she gasped for breath. I need to see the sky! I- I can't breathe! She crashed into the ground, eyes wide. The tom sighed, and settled down next to her. "Hey," his breath was warm against her flank. "Look at me." Lillyheart raised her eyes to his, and she shuddered. "I need you to focus. C'mon, breathe with me. In..." He took a deep breath. "And out." Her breath came out in one great sigh, and a smile shone on the tom's face. "See? You're alright." He licked her ear, and her breathing hitched.

No, you can't. You can't! His eyes met hers, and she found herself enthralled by their emerald shade. Her heart sped up, and she looked away, trying to hide the heat that had rushed to her cheeks. "Th-thank you." She gulped. "I'm just not used to being so... Confined."

The tom looked at her strangely. "It's fine. We need to hurry though, Lightningstar will be expecting us." He stood up, and strode through the forest, walking fast.

Lillyheart trotted along beside him. "So... What's your name?"

His ears flicked. "Iceshatter." He continued to walk in silence.

The silence creeped up on Lillyheart, and her ears flicked. A crow cawed above her, and she flinched. She huddled closer to Iceshatter, and he rested his tail over her back. "Thank you."

They continued to pad through the forest, until three new scents reached Lillyheart's nose. "Hold." Iceshatter froze, and she looked at him quizzically. He narrowed his eyes a a bush, then purred with relief as three cats hopped out. "Hawktuft! I finally found you!"

The brown tom lost his suspicious glare, and rushed to meet Iceshatter. "We thought you were dead!" He gave his ear a lick. Then he scented Lillyheart, and growled. "Who's this?"

Iceshatter shielded Lillyheart protectively. "Calm down Hawktuft. She's my..." He frowned. "It's complicated."

Lillyheart peeked out from behind him, and stiffened when a russet she-cat sniffed at her. "Help." Her strangled new caught the attention of a grey tom, who gently pushed the she-cat away.

He laid his tail on her. "Mapleleaf, give her some space." His blue eyes bored into Lillyheart, and she shifted uncomfortably. "Welcome to Thunderclan. Why are you here?"

She was about to answer, but Iceshatter cut her off. "She opted to come with me, Streamtail." He sent a withering look at Lillyheart, and she shrank back.

The Streamtail gave Iceshatter an odd look, then shrugged. "Alright. Why don't you come back with us? Lightningstar will be glad you're alive."

Iceshatter nodded. "Fine. But I need to stop by Sparkchaser first. I never got my wounds from earlier treated." He gave a Lillyheart a quick look. "And she'll need her wounds treated as well."

Lillyheart scented the air for a moment, then shook her head. "I'll be fine." She padded up to a small clump of chervil and picked a few stems off. She chewed them lightly, then applied it to a large scratch on her side.

Iceshatter glared at her. "I thought you were a warrior," he hissed.

She gave him a cold look. "I am." She got up, and sauntered through the bushes where the patrol had appeared from.

Hawktuft bumped against his brother. "Don't be so obvious that you like her. Let's go." He flicked his tail into the air, and the patrol padded after him.

This is a short chapter because I haven't really felt inspired... And I wanted a good cliffhanger. Bye!