Lillyheart's Secret

Chapter Seventeen

Pine was dead. And Lillyheart might be dead too. She couldn't remember what happened after she attacked, other than the memory of blood. So. Much. Blood. She could feel it sticking to her pelt and clotting between her paws. It covered her mouth and was flooding down her throat. It was killing her.

But in an instant, the feeling went away. She felt as if she was wiped clean of everything. So Lillyheart opened her eyes. She wasn't prepared for what she saw.

She was most definitely dead.
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Lillyheart stared at the cat in front of her. His amber coat twinkled with the light of a million galaxies, his eyes were beautiful, while still holding the coldness of a killer. And perhaps her was.

She shook her head, snapping herself out of the trance. "Who... Who are you? Am I dead?" She looked at her paws, but they didn't hold the starlight that the mysterious tom had.

He shook his head, his thick fur rolling at his shoulders, reminding her of a story once told to her when she was a kit. The warriors of Lionclan had thick fur at their neck, that could be described as a mane. "I am Aspenstar. And you are not dead." he ducked his head. "Yet."

Lillyheart sat down, tucking her tail around her paws. "Then why am I here? This is Starclan, correct?"

Aspenstar nodded. "Very astute. However, there is a reason for you being here." He paused a moment, before continuing, his voice bland. "There is a prophecy."

Lillyheart scoffed slightly. "Terrific. Another cryptic message from the cats with stars in their furs, one that probably won't even happen in my generation, one that won't even be revealed until the moment it happens. Please, do go on." Sarcasm dripped from her voice, catching her by surprise.

The Starclan warrior seemed equally shocked. "Excuse me?"

Lillyheart shrugged. "I've heard it said that Starclan members don't even understand the prophecies. If you don't know them, then where do the prophecies really come from? What grants Starclan their powers?"

Aspenstar took a step back, fury blazing in his eyes. "Believe what you want, but your words cannot delay what is coming. When the stars fall like silver dew, when the skies choose the broken few, only then may the fire renew." He glared at her for a moment more, then an evil grin crept onto his face. "It would be a pity though, if you never got to share that message. Run along, little warrior, the stars won't wait for you."

Already, Lillyheart could see everything around her start to flicker. "Wait!" She cried, growing dizzy. "Why are you telling me?"

Aspenstar looked up, gaze slightly softer. "Raise up your kits well, Lillyheart. One of them will save the stars."
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Lillyheart was choking on blood again. She could hear cats murmuring around her, confusion and panic clear in their voices. Lillyheart only knew one thing. She wasn't dead. And she wanted to keep it that way.

One voice cut through it all, making her eyes snap open. Iceshatter! she could see his enthralling green eyes in front of her, concern and panic glinting in their emerald shade. "Lillyheart! If Starclan, what did they do to you!"

Her breathing seemed to stop when he pressed his muzzle against hers, gently licking her. "Are you ok? Oh Lillyheart, please tell me you're ok."

She managed a small croak. "F-fine." Her throat hurt, and her whole pelt stung. "How-"

He interrupted her with a sharp gasp. "Oh no. Lillyheart..." He shifted from where he was crouched. "What happened?" She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Iceshatter sat up, fury blazing in his gaze. "Great Starclan! I need to get you to Breezetail! I can't leave you down here like this." He ducked down, brown pelt rippling, as he pushed himself under her, until she was draped across his back. "Just hold on, ok?" He turned his head, and licked the back of her neck. "I'll get this taken care of, I promise."

Iceshatter started back up the tunnel, out of the dismal cave that Lillyheart had been stuck in for the past two moons.One paws slipped, and the tom stumbled, causing a moan to come from Lillyheart. Iceshatter grunted, but kept walking. "It's ok. It'll be ok. I promise Lillyheart, I'll make sure you're ok."

The Riverclan she-cat summoned enough energy to lift her head, and lick his shoulder. "Shh," she whispered. "I trust you."

He pushed past the boulder that used to block the entrance to the prisoner's cave, and Lillyheart briefly realized that the two guards were gone. Iceshatter continued to walk, shadows dappling his thick brown fur.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, they made their way into the camp. There was an uneasy silence crowding the air, and Lillyheart could feel the tension rippling off of Iceshatter. "It'll be ok," he murmured. "Don't pay attention to them."

His pawsteps slowed, and he was then ducking down, into a den. Leaves and branches scraped at Lillyheart's fur, and then, she was being settled onto a soft bed of moss. It felt so good. She gave Iceshatter a soft smile. "Thank you."

His green eyes seemed deeper than normal, full of sorrow and something else. Something she had seen on countless other cats. He nodded, not taking his eyes off of her. "Of course. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I couldn't!"

Lillyheart blushed, and ducked her head, wincing slightly. "Iceshatter I-"

The tom placed his tail against her mouth, quieting her. "Shh. Don't say anything. Just listen." Lillyheart nodded, and he continued. "Lillyheart, it was a chance of fate that we met. We should have never even crossed paths, but since that day I..." He smiled gently at her. "I couldn't get you off my mind. Just the thought of being with you, Lillyheart, was what got me through my punishment. I would trade all the stars just to be with you. Lillyheart, I... I love you."

Lillyheart froze, staring up at him, trying to understand his words, to understand the warmth inside of her. "Iceshatter, I lo-"

But she was cut off once again, as a tom bust into the den, eyes wide. "Riverclan is attacking!"

Ok. I have only one question. Are you guys happy now? Hmm??? Now that I made this ship come true? (Ngl, I couldn't wait to finish this chapter) aLso! Any other thoughts???? I hope you like it! Bye!!!!