Deep Blue Eyes-- a warriors fanfic (completed story!)

Chapter 39

The sky was blue and cloudless, the air was fresh and clear, and a thin layer of snow covered the ground. Silverstripe pushed through brittle frost-bitten reeds, nearing the river that was just near the camp. The river was flowing around huge chunks of ice, sometimes breaking off little pieces and carrying them away.

Silverstripe was thinking about Hazelflower. The silver tom had not seen his mate since they had met at the Gathering. Silverstripe didn’t know if Hazelflower had her kits yet or not.

Silverstripe was filled with suspicion about this Patchfur that was covering for him. He didn’t know Patchfur, how could he trust that he would keep his promise and not tell the clan about Hazelflower’s kits? Silverstripe shook the thought away. Of course he could trust Patchfur. Hazelflower trusted him, and that was what really mattered.

Silverstripe slowly slid onto a patch of ice, watching the gently churning waters for a fish, paw raised. Something glimmered in the water below him, and as he leaned forward to grab it he slid off of the ice and into the freezing river.

Spitting up icy water, mouth numb with cold, Silverstripe managed to grasp hold of a rock. He pulled himself up, unable to feel himself. Shivering like a hurricane, Silverstripe grasped the ground on the riverbank and hauled himself up. He shuddered, recalling how close he had come to drowning, and gathered some crumbling fallen brown leaves for a nest. He was thoroughly soaked.

A faint cry of pain made Silverstripe’s head shoot up. He swiveled his head around, searching for the cry again.

The wail came again, louder this time, and Silverstripe stood up. He padded in the direction of the voice until it turned into a yowl. Silverstripe began to run through the snowy landscape, something inside of him urging him to get to that voice.

He skidded to a halt on the ShadowClan border. Just on the other side was a dark brown shape, wailing.

“Hazelflower!” Silverstripe yowled.

Hazelflower looked up. “Silverstripe!” She breathed. “Help me!”

Silverstripe hesitated. Hazelflower was on ShadowClan territory. They could start up a war again very easily. After all, their clans are teetering on the edge of plummeting into destruction. Silverstripe returning Hazelflower and rescuing Snowclaw brought the two clans back to a shaky, fragile peace. But if Silverstripe crossed the border, it would give ShadowClan an excuse to attack.

A thought came into Silverstripe’s mind. “Hazelflower! I’ll help you, just get into those bushes!”

His mate looked confused, but she shakily hauled herself into the bushes.

As she did so, Silverstripe put one paw on an unsteady willow. He used all of his strength to leap and try to catch onto another hold, and lifted himself up, claws digging deep into the bark.

A chilling wind swept through the landscape, rocking the tree back and forth. Silverstripe saw Hazelflower’s amber eyes widening in terror. But he couldn’t give up now.

Silverstripe scrambled for a hold with his back paws before reaching one paw up again, following by his right paw, and then lifted himself up. Hazelflower’s eyes turned from terror into awe, and Silverstripe felt stronger than any cat in the clans.

Silverstripe repeated the process until the tree was equal to a different tree in ShadowClan territory. It was still a little bit of a leap to get there. He stared down at Hazelflower, who let out a small whimper and cringed. Silverstripe suddenly knew what was happening. His mate was having kits, with no medicine cat or any other cats around. To get to her safely, he had to risk his life.