Book 2: City of Ice and Fire (a warriors cats and shadowhunters crossover)

Chapter 44: Celebration (Malec, Clace, Sizzy)

****Sparkpaw's POV****

"Hold still Sparkpaw. I'm not done yet." Nightrose reprimanded.

She wriggled in her spot, claws digging into the dirt. Something about sitting still for so long really irked her, whiskers twitching and ears lying flat. Alderpaw watched her from his nest with mild amusement, amber eyes gleaming. The wound in his throat had patched up nicely in the moon since the fighting. Leaf-bare was in full swing now. She itched to go outside of the den to do something, but Nightrose insisted on this grooming session before she went out. The dark furred she-cat was extremely aloof as to why this was necessary.

"But I don't want to wait. Arrowheart's gonna be mad if I make him wait." She could picture the scowl on her mentor's face, the way blue eyes would blink at her in annoyance.

"Trust me, I think he's too distracted to care right now." A new voice joined them. She tilted her head in greeting to Goldenclaw as the golden tabby padded forward to touch noses with her. They may be siblings now, but the touch sparked the same reaction it always did. Her heartbeat sped up as she blinked at him, drinking in his entire handsome image.

"Goldenclaw! You're here!"

"Of course I'm here. I have to see you off," Goldenclaw said. His tail ran up her spine, smoothing the fur there. He didn't know how jittery the gesture made her feel, such a pleasant warmth blooming in her paws.

"Hey! Don't distract my apprentice."

Arrowheart came padding in. Just as Goldenclaw had inferred, Patchfur was right beside him. The ginger and black tom seemed to be pressed against the younger tom's side, absorbing his warmth. She could relate. With the cold season upon them, any extra body heat was appreciated. And while Arrowheart wasn't as fluffy as Goldenclaw, his dark fur absorbed the warmth of the weak sunlight much better.

"Arrowheart, what are we doing today? No ones telling me a thing." Sparkpaw asked.

Her mentor shared a bemused glance with his parabatai, and then a soft smile with Patchfur alone. "Well, it seems the others want you to be left in surprise."

"Aww! But I wanna know!" She complained.

"Go on Arrowheart. Sparkpaw can at least have a hint," Patchfur said, amused. "It's not like she won't figure most of it out once we start anyways."

"Well looks like you're about to find out then Sparkpaw. Arrowheart always listens to his boyfriend after all," Alderpaw said, oblivious to the reactions his words might induce.

"Alderpaw!" Nightrose hissed, cuffing him over the ears.

"Ow! What was that for?" The apprentice winced. Sparkpaw felt bad for her friend, but this feeling was heavily down played by the reaction Goldenclaw gave. The tabby tom seemed in shock and it made sense all too well. He didn't know they were dating.

Arrowheart was staring at Goldenclaw worriedly, ears pressed to his skull. "Parabatai . . ." He tried speaking to him, voice trailing off with concern. Patchfur pressed closer to his boyfriend, a challenge in his gaze as if he was daring Goldenclaw to say something horrible. She wouldn't blame the black and ginger tom for a heartbeat if he mauled Goldenclaw for upsetting Arrowheart. Love is love and that's all there is to it. Even if you don't agree with it it's not your place to judge.

Goldenclaw's eyes, which had went to the ground briefly, lifted back up to meet blue ones. The two parabatai seemed to be searching each other for something through vision alone. Eventually, words followed. "I never realized you were gay. Does . . . does he make you happy?" The tabby gestured to Patchfur with a flick of his tail.