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

Chapter 18: Silverpaw it's been so long (Malec)

****Arrowheart's POV****

"Arrowpaw, is that you?" A familiar voice asks behind him.

Arrowheart turns tiredly, his blood stained paws crusted over with burgundy red as his chest kept heaving every so often. The fight against the dog had taken a lot out of him. He wouldn't want to admit it, but there was no way he'd be able to travel much farther today.

The Shadowhunter's paws feel as though they're being weighed down; there are a few black spots in his vision. He blinks rapidly to clear them out though some continue to remain. He almost thinks it's an illusion when he sees Silverpaw and some other stranger standing beside her.

The gray she-cat is thinner than Arrowheart remembers, and he can't figure out if that has to do with the ribs jutting out beneath her pelt or how the apprentice has clearly grown some in height. Despite her raggedness, Arrowheart still can see the gleaming green of his friend's eyes, the vibrancy of her spirit shining through.

The stranger beside her seems to be only a few moons older. The tom is a bulky figure of dark brown fur and amber eyes. A faded claw mark wound spirals down one of his forepaws, a silver line of flesh visible to only the most observant of eyes. Arrowheart wonders how the tom got it.

"It's actually Arrowheart now." Is his first reflexive response, the pride of receiving his warrior name hums inside his chest with a happy tune. He pads towards the two newcomers, only slightly limping from the pain. "Silverpaw it's been so long."

The thin she-cat lets out a laugh at that, her green eyes full of warmth as he sits down in front of her, pressing up his forehead against her own. The brown tom watches them curiously, a flash of what Arrowheart thinks to be jealousy in those amber depths. Arrowheart almost finds it laughable that any cat imagines him to be straight, but judging by the newcomer's expression it is no laughing matter to him.

"It's actually Silverthorn now." Silverthorn parrots back Arrowheart's own response from being referred to as still a 'paw'. The two pull away from each other laughing. From so close up, Arrowheart doesn't think it'll be much longer before his friend notes his disheveled appearance.

"So, who are you traveling with? I don't believe we've been introduced yet." Arrowheart says.

Patchfur, Sparkpaw and Simon pad over to join the group of three at their own pace. Patchfur stands close by Arrowheart, allowing the Shadowhunter to lean against his boyfriend's side. He takes up the offer gratefully, his tail still drooping behind him from exhaustion. Some of the dried up blood is flaking off him now, the burgundy specks metallic in smell as they litter the dirty, dank alleyway floor.

"I'm Strikeclaw. I think Silverthorn has mentioned you before." Strikeclaw flicks his tail behind him, one ear twitches nonchalantly.

"I see." Arrowheart mewed.

He finds himself shifting closer to Patchfur- not of fear, mind you- to show who he is intertwined with, to calm down Strikeclaw who clearly feels strongly about Silverthorn. If Strikeclaw relaxes marginally at his actions, and Patchfur preens at the public display of affection, no one chooses to mention it.

Silverthorn peers closely at Arrowheart, taking in every detail. Her green eyes widen suddenly, presumably when she spots the crusted over burgundy blood painting his paws, turning the dash of white on his black body a tinge of red.

"Arrowheart you're hurt!" She exclaims.

"No, I'm not. I just-"

"You should've seen him! He fought off that dog like it was nothing." Sparkpaw says cheerfully.