Mossdapple's Faith

Chapter 26

   Mossdapple woke to the familiar lush landscape of her second home. Filled with energy she was missing in her waking life, she stood and ran through the overgrowth.

She burst into the clearing by the river. It glittered with endless starlight. Dew covered the grass, sparkling and shining as it reflected pale moonlight.

She was alone. She was so aware of it her chest felt heavy and her head light as a feather. Where was Birchface? Had he changed his mind?

This was crazy. She was betraying her Clan, her calling as a medicine cat, StarClan, and herself.

She could be banished. They both could be.

But something kept her paws firmly in place. She stood, staring at the moon. Every heartbeat felt like a lifetime.

A heavy weight crashed on to her back, crashing her to the ground. Acting on instinct, she wriggled forward and spun on to her back to kick her attacker, but as she was about to she recognized the pair of warm amber eyes looking back at her.

"Birchface!" she gasped. "You scared me half to death!"

The tom's whiskers twitched as he pinned her to the ground.

"Do you surrender?"

"Never!" Mossdapple gently bit his throat and kicked him off, quickly turning and pinning him against the moss.

"You're strong for a medicine cat," he admit, going limp. As soon as Mossdapple released her grip, Birchface rolled over and pinned her down again, his paws clamped down on hers like boulders.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll let you win this time."

"Let me?" Birchface mewed in surprise. "It looks to me like I beat you."

As he began to lessen his grasp. Mossdapple slithered forward like a snake and escaped.

"We can call it even," she teased.

"I'll get you next time," he promised. His gaze burned with such intensity it made her stomach turn.

"You came," she breathed.

"Frecklewish almost caught me."

"Frecklewish?" Jealousy burned at her pelt.

His eyes twinkled. "My sister."

"Oh," she sighed in relief. "For a second I thought you meant..." she trailed off.

"Meant what?"

"Nothing," she corrected herself. "I'm just glad you made it."

"Me too," he stepped forward, his tail twisting around hers. "I've wanted this for so many moons."

Mossdapple hesitated her heart pounding in her chest, but gave into temptation, leaning on his shoulder. "Me too," she confessed.

They sat by the river, gazing at their reflection.

This feels so right, Mossdapple thought.

Birchface took a step back. "Tell me about yourself," he prompted.

Mossdapple blinked. "Like what?" Has he watched me from the pool?

"Tell me about your family." He laid down with his paws tucked under his chest. "Who are your parents?"

I guess not, she thought. "My mother is Bluestar and my father is Oakheart."

"Your mother is Clan leader?" He swished his tail back and forth. "My father was as well. His name was Oakstar."

"Really?" 

"Really. My mother's name was Dewflower. She died when I was born." 

Mossdapple's heart ached for him. "I can't imagine never knowing Bluestar."

"We were reunited when I joined StarClan. We've grown close since then. Her and Frecklewish are inseperable." He blinked fondly at the thought. "I have another half brother as well who I didn't meet until recently named Pinestar."

"Pinestar?" Mossdapple stared at him. "I know him. He was leader before Bluestar."

"See? I haven't been dead that long," Birchface purred. "Tell me about your littermates."

"My littermates are Mistyfoot and Stonefur. They're great. They both want to be leader someday."

"That would make for quite a family," Birchface joked. "Three leaders and a medicine cat!"

"My father's brother, Crookedstar, is leader of RiverClan too." Mossdapple couldn't help but boast about her kin.

"RiverClan?" Birchface tilted his head.

Mouse-dung! Mossdapple realized what she had said. Would he think of her differently if he knew her father was born in RiverClan?

If he does, he's not someone I want to spend time with anyways! 

"Oakheart was born in RiverClan," she explained, instinctively tilting her head up in pride. "He joined ThunderClan to be with Bluestar."

Birchface blinked. Mossdapple thought her heart would stop in the heartbeat of silence that passed between them.

"He must have really loved your mother," he finally meowed.

"He does. They're obsessed with each other. I thought it was weird when I was a kit, but now I think it's sweet," she purred, relief flooding through her. "Some cats don't like that he was in RiverClan first. But I don't care."

Birchface's gaze turned distant. Mossdapple stared at him for several heartbeats before waving her tail in front of his face.

"Sorry," he mewed. "After I died, there was this tragedy..." he hesitated.

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now," he decided. "Tonight is about us."

Mossdapple looked at him with curiosity.

"I'll tell you later," he promised. "Tell me more about you. What are your dreams?"

Mossdapple told him about her life, her goals, her dreams. Birchface listened intently, only interrupting to ask for more details. They talked until the sun began to rise, turning the river gold and pink.

"I don't want to go," Mossdapple whispered, pressing her pelt against his. His scent, warm and familiar, washed around her. 

"I don't want you to go," Birchface pressed his muzzle into her cheek.

All it took was one night, but she loved him more deeply than she ever thought she could.

"Will you come back tonight?"

"I can't," Mossdapple sighed. "Cloudberry will wonder where I am."

"Then the next night?" he asked hopefully.

Mossdapple stared. "Okay," she agreed.

"I'll miss you until then," he sighed.

"I will too," she whispered, pulling away.

They put together a small nest and fell asleep together. Mossdapple woke up in her den.

"Ready to find more tansy?" Spottedleaf asked, stretching.

Mossdapple nodded, though herbs were the last thing on her mind.