Snowlily's Untitled Fan-fic: Chapter Three Now Posted

Leader:
Maplestar- A very large tom with a beautiful solid brown pelt. He's a short-haired with a very glossy coat which in the light appears to have darker brown stripes going down his pelt. His legs and tail are exceptionally long and skinny but despite his slim body he is still a very powerful fighter with large muscles that hide under his sleek pelt. His eyes are round and are a bright golden-yellow. His whiskers are long and a solid brown color to match his pelt and nose and his ears are large compared to the rest of his body.
Deputy: 
Lightningstorm- A dark grey she-cat with a tuft of white fur on her chest. She is average size with a lean body build. She has a dark grey-black nose with long, grey whiskers. Her paws are small but have very long, sharp claws. Her legs and tail are both slightly longer than average. Her right eye is sky blue and her left eye is a bright, golden yellow.
Medicine Cat: 
Rosepetal- A short-haired tortoiseshell she-cat with small white paws and a soft pink nose. She is of an average size with dark ginger patches along her back and over her face. Her eyes are a bright green color with deep green rings around them. Her tail is long with black and orange patches along it and she has short, white whiskers. She has a soft figure with strong muscles though she chooses not to fight.
Medicine Cat Apprentice:
Thistlepaw- A small short-haired tom with a solid light brown-ginger pelt. The tip of his muzzle is a lighter ginger-brown color. He has light ginger-white whiskers with a dark pink nose. His paws and claws are white. His tale is shorter than average and his legs are long. His eyes are round with a light blue-gray color circling them.
Warriors: 
Ferncloud- A beautiful short-haired, she-cat with a dark brown pelt that contains very soft tabby face markings and soft stripes along the top of her back that turn a dark black color as they spread down her legs. Her legs grow a lights brown color the closer you get to her paws until they become a beautiful soft brown color with scattered ginger patches of fur. She has a white tuft of fur that runs from her muzzle down to the base of her neck. Her nose is a brownish-pink color with long brown and white whiskers and her eyes are a bright, reflective green color.
Thunderstrike- A ginger and white, short-haired tom with a bright pink nose. His back is a light ginger color that also creates a masked look over his face and runs all the way down the length of his tail. There are dark ginger stripes that cover the light ginger colorings. His muzzle, neck fur, chest fur, belly and legs are all a pure white color and he has defiant yellow eyes with brown specks in them.
Aspenpelt- A short-haired tabby tom that has a dark brown pelt with dark black stripes a large, round green eyes with brown markings in them. His muzzles is a white that fades into a light brown that fades into the color of the rest of his pelt. He has very large, lean muscles that ripple under his pelt. He has long white whiskers and has a long, black striped tail. His claws a very sharp and he's know to be a skilled hunter though he prefers to fight to protect his clan.
Dawnflight- A long-haired, tabby she-cat with white paws, legs, underbelly, neck fur and a white muzzle. She has dark brown and light brown patches of fur that run from the top of her head covering her eyes down the length of her back and sides. She has black stripes over the brown fur patches and a black fluffy tail. Her eyes are a bright, amber color and she has black whiskers that span the width of her body.
Stormheart-  A light brown tabby she-cat, with dark brown and black stripes that stretch down the length of her body. She has short white whiskers with a soft pink nose. She is smaller than average but a skilled hunter and fighter. She has beautiful amber eyes and long tail with small paws that have short but sharp claws.
Ashstorm- A large, short-haired tom with a solid grey coat. He has a white muzzle and has white tufts of fur that outline his eyes, nose and ears. His nose is a dark grey-black color. His paws are also white tipped that fades into a grey to match the rest of his coat. He has natural soft blue eyes and a very warm personality.
Mosswing- A small, long-haired, she-cats with a sandy colored pelt and soft light brown tabby markings on her face. Her muzzle, ears, legs, paws and tail tip are are a brown color that fades into the rest of her pelt. She it average size with small muscles. She is more skilled at hunting than she is at fighting. She has small paws with average length claws in them. Her eyes are round and a light amber color.
Cedarheart-  A long-haired chocolate brown tom. When in the light he appears to have darker brown stripes running down the length or his back. His pads and nise are both also a soft chocolate brown color He has shorter light brown whiskers that get longer as he gets older. His claws are long and abnormally sharp and a long tail. As a kit, he has soft, deep golden brown eyes that catch everyones attention quickly, but as he got older they settled on a soft yellow-green color.
Cherryfall- A she cat with a generally white pelt that contains ginger patches on her left ear, right eye and cheek, and a couple large ginger spots on her back with a fluffy ginger tail. She has short white whiskers which can only be easily seen on one side of her face. She has small paws that have short claws that she uses to climb. She has a bright pink nose and her eyes are a light aqua blue color.
Oakdapple- A large, long-haired, tom cat with a pelt that appears black in the shade, however, when he is in the sunlight his fur glows a brown-red color. He has a large bush like tail that is extra long. He has long black whiskers and a black nose. His large paws contain very sharp claws. His eyes are a brilliantly reflective green color which is often found to be quite captivating by his clan mates.
Lilycloud-  A large brindle and white, tabby, she-cat with long white whiskers. Her pelt is mostly dark brown with patches of orange and light brown. Her muzzle is white with a ginger outline. Her paws, underbelly, check and the front of her neck are a solid white. She has dark, distinctive tabby markings on her face and tabby stripes over her back and tail and a dark pink nose defined with a black outline around it. She has long black whiskers and a muscular build with grey-green eyes.
Apprentices: 
Leafpaw- A small, short-haired, tabby she cat. Her muzzle is white while the rest of her coat is a cream color. She is very agile with long legs and a long tail. Her tabby markings are a light to medium brown color on her face and darken as they move down her back, legs and tail producing a ringed like appearance. Her eyes are a beautiful deep green color and her nose is a red with a brown outline around it. Her whiskers are short and a soft gray but start out a light brown at the base of them.
Gingerpaw- An average sized, tabby, she-cat with a ginger colored coat. She has deep red-orange stripes down her legs, tail and back that resemble rings that seem to wrap around her. The tabby markings on her face are darker than the ginger base color of her coat but are still lighter than the ringed stripes that cover the rest of her. Her muzzle is white white an orange spot to the left of her dark pink nose. She has long white whiskers and her back paws are a white that stretches about halfway up the length of her legs. Her eyes are a beautiful deep blue.
Redpaw- 
Tawnypaw-
Queens: 
Fawnstep- A beautiful, brown, tabby she-cat with a glossy pelt. She has dark brown tabby markings over her slightly lighter brown pelt and small white spots on her sides. Her eyes are a smoky-green and her nose is a red-brown color with short white whiskers that fade into a brown at the base. Her front paws are white while her back are a brown. Her tail has dark brown stripes down it. She is average sized. This includes her legs and tail.
Kits: 
Russetkit- 
Sootkit- An average-sized, long-haired tom with a silky pelt. His pelt is a lightly, dusted gray color and he has a dark gray mask, ears, tail and paws. His nose is a dark gray-black and his whiskers are a light grey color. He has large paws and sharp claws. His muscles are well developed for an apprentice and he has a long tail with average sized legs, while his eyes are a light green green-yellow color.
Heatherkit- 

Leader:
Shuriken- A very large, titanium colored tom. He has distinctive tabby marking along his face and the top of his head while his pelt has black stripes running down the length of it. He has a broad face with a pinkish-brown colored nose, long whiskers and light green eyes. He has a muscular build with large paws and long claws said to be razor sharp.
Deputy: 
None
Medicine Cat: 
None
Medicine Cat Apprentice: 
None
Warriors:
Pain- A short-haired, silver, tabby tom. His tabby markings are a dark grey-black that stretch over the top of his head and turn to stripes that stretch down his back and legs. His tail is a dark grey with black rings around it that is average length. His nose is grey and he has long black whiskers. His eyes are a round and a bright, reflective green.
Icewing- A large, pure white, short-haired tom with icy blue eyes. He has long white whiskers and a pink nose. His paws are large with razor sharp claws and his head  and eyes are round. His tail is slightly longer than average and he has a lean muscular build.
Desertclaw- A silver-grey, long-haired, tabby tom that is only slightly larger than average. He has a light grey pelt that is covered in darker grey stripes. He has dark grey tabby markings that cover his face and the top of his head. He has large paws that contain razor sharp claws. His whiskers and tail, which has rings of dark and light grey around it, are both shorter than average for his size and his back left paws is white.
Iceclaw- Very pretty, blue-gray she-cat with soft stripes along her back with white-tipped ears and azure blue eyes. She has a long tail, pale underbelly and a lean figure. She has a vicious scar across her right cheek from a kithood accident and always hides it behind a long tuft of white fur. Her claws are three inches long with incredibly sharp edges.
Snowlily- Pure white, short haired she-cat with deep blue eyes and a soft pink nose. She is smaller than average size and very agile. She has long white whiskers and a long tail. Her small size is compensated by her agility and ability to think on the run. Her small paws contain very sharp claws able to cut through most things quite easily. 
Fang- A large, solid black tom with a very strong muscular build. Even his nose and the insides of his ears are solid black. The only spot that is not black is the tuft of white fur on his chest to the base of his neck. He has long black whiskers with a long tail and large paws with very powerful sharp claws. His eyes are round and a bright green that almost appears fluorescent.
Apprentices: 
Stonepaw- 
Featherpaw- 
Queens:
None
Kits:

The sun fell behind the mountains once again and the hills became silent as the snow started to fall from the sky, freezing  over the dead leaves that previously covered the ground. The moon reflected gently off of the icicles that clung to the branches of the bare trees. The slight breeze was the only thing that disturbed the stillness of the scenery. It sent the snow blowing every which way until the snow found it's resting spot clinging to the base of the trees that lined the foot hills.

Her heart beat wildly as she flew over the underbrush and her claws tore at the earth, spraying up clumps of dirt behind her as she raced onward. Her muscles sent ripples across her pelt as it glistened and all of her features were softly outlined in the moonlight. She slowed her pace until she found herself in front of a small pond surrounded by thick beds of reeds. The water was dotted with old, dry, lily pads and seemed to glow in the moonlight as it lapped at it's surrounding sides under the pull of the moon.

She padded up to the edge, white pelt still glowing in the moonlight, and stared down into the water to notice some small fish swimming around in the depths as the snow had begun to cling to the water's surface. She sat at the edge and tucked her tail neatly over her paws as she tore her gaze from the pond and glanced into the underbrush off to her right. She picked up the stale scent of Windclan that the wind blew up the mountain's side and her stomach dropped in disappointment as the memories flooded back to her, prepared to overwhelm her senses.

.........................................................<@>

Everything was silent as she patiently waited for her chance, determined to escape without being caught by Shuriken. Or worse still, Iceclaw. She would never be able to explain all these late nights to them and she didn't think she could bare the look in her sister's eyes if she knew the truth about what she was doing sneaking out so late.

Once she heard the rise and fall of her clanmates breathing coming slower, her eyes flew open and she rose to her paws. Her heartbeat began to race in excitement as it always did. The adrenaline was pumping frantically through her veins. She fought to control her breathing as it came more rapidly. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness as she glanced around the large stone den, cautiously. Her gaze swept over her clanmates as she was careful to remeasure all of their breathing while still monitoring her own, refusing to make any sound to stir them from their dreams.

She observed  all of them for several more heartbeats as they slept, unable to tell how deeply asleep each was. As soon as she was confident that they were all dreaming and oblivious to the reality of her situation, she silently padded towards the entrance to their den and proceeded down the long tunnels as she poked her head around each corner to make sure that she wouldn't be caught and for extra measure she tested the scents surrounding her to see if perhaps any of them had been recent. That was the one thing that reassured her. On many occasions her superior tracking skills had been commended. She fought the instincts that told her to go back to her nest, that getting caught was too risky and she could lose her clans trust, or worse. Though she couldn't allow herself to be talked back into her senses. The longer she waited the more desperate she was to see him.

.........................................................<@>

A series of leaves crunched behind her and she froze momentarily, startled out of her thoughts, as her eyes became alert and refocused. Her fur bristled slightly along her neck and down the length of her tail. She held her breath as she rose to her paws and stared straight across the pond, avoiding the gaze of her company. She parted her jaws for a moment in an attempt to take in their scent but it did her little good. They were standing upwind. It didn't matter. She knew who it was even without testing their scent and knew she had been discovered.

"So you've followed me all the way down from the fortress?" she mused, trying to hide her surprise and annoyance as she dug her claws deep into the ground beneath her paws and she fought to keep her tail still which stood erect now.

.........................................................<@>

Her stomach was in knots and her pelt bristled anxiously as she bolted down the side of the mountain toward the border Iceclan shared with Windclan. She was many tail lengths past the entrance to Iceclan's fortress now and no longer worried about waking her clanmates. Now her only thoughts were centered around him and wondering if he was already there waiting for her. She was gasping for air now as her limbs slowed with the lack of oxygen but she didn't allow that for long. Forcing herself down the mountainside even faster, she sprung off of her hind legs and soared over several large boulders and tackled her way though the shrubs that kept them apart. She slowed to a stop. Gasping for air, she fought the impulse to choke as her throat became dry and she worked to regain control her breathing, before glancing through the gaps in the branches of the underbrush at the little pond she had become so familiar with. Once her ragged breathing stopped and she was able to control her instincts, she unsheathed her claws and dug them into the ground before shaking a cloud of dust from her pelt. Her pelt was reflecting the light of the moon again, showing off her sleek pelt and lean muscles. She looked up at Silverpelt and gave her silent thanks. Thanks for allowing her to sneak out of the fortress without trouble, thanks for blessing them for such a beautiful night and she was especially thankful that he came, though she was sure Starclan provided no assistance for that one. It was strictly prohibited for clan cats to have mates in other clans.

Returning her attention to what she had actually gone there for, she found that her nerves had her locked into place as her claws strained their way deeper into the earth that was crumbling at her paws. Her gaze was locked on his shadowy form. His pelt also seemed to glisten in the moonlight and there was a light feeling about the air that surrounded him. It was almost like the feeling she had when she sat in the treetops staring down at the world like she was no longer a part of it. She was suddenly another observer set to enjoy whatever story played out without a care in the world.

Prying her claws loose from the dirt, then took a deep breath as a breeze blew over her pelt, cleaning off the remaining dust that clung to it and smoothing over patches that were setting about uncomfortably. She licked over her pelt again quickly to make sure all of her fur was in its proper place. Finally comfortable and slightly pleased with her work, she rose to her paws and took the extra effort to pad around all of the shrubs that still insisted on dividing them. Her gaze fell on him evenly as he stared into the depths of the pond. She moved towards him quietly, unsure whether or not she should interrupt whatever thoughts he seemed to be puzzling over, though she decided against it and instead crouched down next to him, resting her tail over her paws. She watched the ripples cause the moon to dance over the water and the new budding lily pads to sway as the crickets sang their usual tunes so sweetly. A gentle purr formed from deep in her chest as she closed her eyes.

.........................................................<@>

She got no response but she could hear their steady breath. She waited several more heartbeats before she was reassured of her company's presence. She heard the slight shuffling of the dead leaves that lined the underbrush once again before she knew that they had now decided to show themselves. Her heart was beating uncontrollably and she struggled to hide her erratic breathing by tensing the muscles in her chest. It did little good. Her mind raced frantically, jumping from one excuse to the next but nothing she could come up with could justify what the warrior had now witnessed.

"You know, if you are going to follow me unannounced, isn't it the least you could do to answer my questions?" she mewed quietly enough to reassure herself that no one else could overhear. Her agitation was beginning to show and she was no longer able to suppress her movements. Her tail swished aggressively from side to side and the fur that ran down her spine began to rise. She looked over her shoulder slightly, though enough to show her eyes narrowed to slits with her ears tucked back in the direction of the warrior.

"You have me worried. Sneaking out after dark...and without telling anyone?!" she whispered nervously. "Snowlily, what are you thinking?" she hesitated for a moment waiting for a snappy comeback but pushed on with the conversation when she got no response. "What are the consequences if you're caught sneaking out here only hoping to see-"

"How much do you know?" Snowlily bluntly interrupted. She dropped her tail down to hang just above the ground as her fur settled itself back into place now taking a much less aggressive stance before slowly turning toward the warrior and proceeding her direction tentatively. Once she faced her gaze straight on, she looked over her steadily. A sleek white pelt with soft grey stripes. She studied her for another moment while waiting for her response, the touched the warrior's shoulder with her nose apologetically. "I'm sorry, Iceclaw, but I can't just stop waiting. You've never been in a position where you've needed to make a decision like this. How can I be expected to choose between my clan and him. You know it isn't fair to me." she mewed uncomfortably as she sat nearly a tail length away from the other warrior now, shifting about uneasily.

Iceclaw stared back at her sister for a moment clearly trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. "You know that all you have to do is come home. Why do you make this harder than it needs to be? You make it sound as though you are considering choosing him over your own clan..." she questioned with a clearly concerned look on her face. The tip of her tail swayed calmly from side to side and Snowlily couldn't tell if her sister wanted to comfort her or claw her eyes out. "Look, you haven't been in that position either, Snowlily. There's no choice to make anymore. Why cant you see that?" she said half pleadingly. Snowlily was fighting her thoughts, trying to stay focused on what was currently happening but she was unable to keep herself focused as the memories flooded back once more.

.........................................................<@>

She didn't need to look at him to feel his gaze raking over her pelt. She purred even louder and opened her eyes to see him staring back at her. Her eyes lightened and her fur bristled along her spine in embarrassment. She shifted her body to the side and inched her way closer before rubbing the top of her head along his chest and under his chin. A loud purr rumbled deep in his chest as he licked her ear affectionately. His icy blue gaze was fixated on her as his long brown tail coiled it's way around hers.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to show up tonight." he meowed only half teasing to hide what she suspected was fear for what he thought might have happened.

She let out a soft purr escape her, "It's beautiful out tonight. You know I wouldn't have missed this for anything." She rubbed her muzzle on his cheek definitively before licking the top of his head right between his ears to reassure him. "I would never miss a chance to see you if I could help it Honeystar. Why do you insist on worrying about it so much?" she mewed gently. He let out a loud purr as she leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes to take in the night...

.........................................................<@>

"What would you know about what I am going through. We may be kin but you are not me. You don't have to deal with the things that I do on a daily basis. The worst you would have to do is watch it." she choked on her words but forced them out. "But you will be happy to hear that my thoughts on this don't matter anymore. Him and I are finished and he isn't coming back!" she mewed through gritted teeth. She dropped her head, facing the earth beneath her as she squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to drown out all the images and memories that were flooding into her mind, crashing over her like waves. She was making one last desperate attempt to fight the anger and sadness that was tightening its grip on her, now threatening to suffocate her.

The sunlight poured into the stone den in Iceclan's Fortress, illuminating the room. It sent light dancing off of the moisture that hung in the air which was occasionally disturbed by a slight breeze. A thick layer of snow lay evident on the base of the large opening in the stone wall, showing that leaf-bare had finally taken hold of their mountain home and wasn't soon prepared to release it's grip. The icicles still clung to the bare tree branches, glistening in the sunlight.

Snowlily could hear the slight shuffling of paws. The light thud that, though normally would be inaudible, echoed though the den sending an uneasy, empty feeling throughout her body that seemed to settle in her stomach. She struggled to open her eyes but at first was unable to overcome the strain as they quickly closed again. Instead she stayed in her nest, wrapped up tightly with her tail over her face to keep her warm. A dark void clouded her mind whipping out all of her thoughts and imaginings. The shuffling of paws as the other cats woke seemed to blur together in her mind as everything became hazy and she could no longer distinguish between individual sounds or scents. Slowly she began to slip away into her dreams as her breathing slowed and her body became still...

.........................................................<@>

The rolling hills that led down the mountain were lined with trees, bursting with life as they leaves hung from the branches. The flowers were in full bloom. The air was light with the scent of fresh dew drops on the grass as the sun came rising over the mountaintops, lighting up the scenery in a beautiful glow. The water trickled as it slid down the slopes over the trenches and rock beds, marking where it had flowed in previous seasons. A breeze caused the trees to dance in the sky as the mountain side came to life.

Snowlily gazed around her home in awe. It had been many moons since she had seen everything growing so beautifully. For quite some time, Iceclan's territory had been covered in a thick layer of snow until you approached it's base and the border. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting out a satisfied sigh. She heard a shuffling coming from nearby. She shifted her weight around on her front paw to see what it was, but at first saw nothing. She looked in the undergrowth again, though more thoroughly this time and still saw nothing. A chill surged through her spine and her fur stood on end. She could feel a pair of eyes boring into her. Snowlily shifted uneasily for a moment before she finally searched the branches of the trees for the source of her discomfort.

A ferocious hiss escaped from behind a shelter of leaves, making it impossible to get a clear view of what was making the sound. She lowered her belly to the ground as all of her fur stood on end once again. Her ears were tucked down and her lips were drawn back in a snarl, exposing her long, sharp fangs. A growl bubbled up from somewhere deep in her chest.

There was a loud thud. A large tom now stood in the open several tail lengths from the trees. He had a sandy colored pelt with a dark brown mask that stretched over his ears and his eyes were a pale blue. An icy blue. 

She stared at him for a moment in dismay. She wanted to be furious that he was trespassing. Furious that he had the nerve to confront her in the open, but she was unable to tear her gaze from his eyes, just happy to see him. Her heart sank deeper in her chest. It felt like it was being torn out of her now as he stared back with a narrowed gaze. His tail lashed back and forth as he sank to a crouch.

Her eyes widened in horror. Her claws dug into the ground, rooting her in place but also keeping her from attacking him. The one thing that she refused to do. Panic spread throughout her as the adrenaline pumped through her blood. The way thinking much more quickly now but she found herself still just as confused and unable to comprehend what was happening. "Honeystar?" she pleaded, hoping to hear his voice for just a moment. Just one moment or normality. "What are you doing?.... What's wrong with you?" she mewed.

A low bellowing laugh came at the parting of his lips. But not his laugh. Not the one that always had a light ring to it. This laugh wasn't his, but still so shockingly familiar. Her muscled tensed beneath her pelt as her eyes clouded over in pain. She didn't want to attack him but if his eyes gave any of his intentions away, she wasn't going to get out of this unscathed. Besides, it wasn't him. It may have looked like him, but any traces of the cat she once cared for so deeply were chased out long ago by whatever this was that now had control his body. His belly hung low to the ground now as he slowly began pacing around her, looking for an opportunity to strike. His gaze grew colder as his lips parted in a loud hiss quickly followed by a growl.

"Honeystar...." she whispered to herself choking on the words now as they forced their way past her lips. "I'm so sorry." She clinched her teeth and bore her lips back in another defiant snarl. She gave once last warning growl before ripping her claws from the earth and slashing at the air. 

He payed no attention to her threats and he crouched down and began to stalk her. His eyes stared straight into hers. She looked pleadingly at him. Her one last chance to get to him. Don't do it....she thought helplessly to herself. He gave a final scoff before he lunged off of his hind legs with his teeth bared and claws fully extended. She didn't need to watch to know that he was aiming for her neck and it was too late. 

Her gaze was hallow as all of the emotion left her expression. He called her bluff and she now realized what He knew the whole time. They were mere threats that she had no intention of carrying out. She let out one last sigh. Her face may not have given away the waves of pain and heartache her insides were feeling but her eyes that were now closes told a whole world of conflict as a war waged inside of her. If she didn't do something she was going to die but if she did she might kill him. Finally realizing that she wasn't willing to hurt him, she willed her muscles to relax and prepared for the sting of his teeth and claws.

A sharp pain stuck her sides as she toppled over and began to fall. All of her insides flew upwards making it difficult to breathe through the sensation. She waited to crash into the ground but after several frantic heartbeats she still felt nothing but the breeze that blew her pelt up uncomfortable from beneath her. She opened her eyes but saw nothing but darkness everywhere she looked as she searched for a way out. She held her breath as she strained her ears and at first heard nothing until a bit of muffled noise fought it's way through the darkness. The first few times were hard to understand but suddenly she head them.

"Snowlily.....Snowlily...."

.........................................................<@>

"Snowlily.... Snowlily? Wake up!... Shuriken...dawn patrol...UGH!" Snowlily could feel a fierce prod in her side that landed directly between two ribs sending a short wave of pain through her bones and up her spine that partially winded her though not enough to keep a small warning growl from escaping from deep within her chest that came out so quiet it was almost impossible to hear. It was far less threatening than she intended and she heard the warrior choke back a laugh.

Her pelt bristled along her neck in frustration and annoyance as she opened her eyes a crack. They started burning intensely as she fought to keep them open, attempting to blink away the pain. The memories of what came the night before slowly played back for her to watch and rematch as the hurt struck her like claws that tore at her insides each time she was forced to experience it.

Iceclaw watched her sister with a concerned look filling her gaze as Snowlily's eyes became clouded in hurt and it became clear that she hadn't heard anything that Iceclaw had told her. "Lily, please listen to me." Iceclaw coaxed then followed by licking the top of her head in hopes of getting her attention. "Shuriken assigned you to the dawn patrol. You have to wake up. They're about to leave." she tried insisting. Snowlily still wasn't hearing a word of what her sister said, appearing to be trapped in a world specifically designed to bring her pain. Iceclaw was growing impatient and worried now as her ears folded back and her eyes narrowed on her. "Get up! Staying in your nest isn't going to help anything!" she hissed.

"Where are they patrolling?" Snowlily asked slightly dazed and making it clear that she really wasn't interested in where they were going, let alone being part of the patrol. Her eyes were still dry and burning as they began to water. She tried blinking again which did little to sooth her.

"Down the south side of the mountains towards Windclan." she responded with a mild grim expression filling her face.

Snowlily matched it with a puzzled look before it struck her. The reason Iceclaw was so panicked. Her eyes grew wide as the horror reflected in them became more and more evident. She shot herself up onto her paws, nearly toppling over again in the process but instead managed to catch herself and correct her footing. "If they find out about those meetings, even if we aren't meeting anymore...." Snowlily whispered, terrorized by the mere thought of what could happen if they found out. Her claws were now unsheathed as she tried to burry them in the stone ground but only succeeded in sending waves of pain up her legs by straining. Her claws like that. She quickly retracted them, her gaze now much more determined. "If they fine his scent in Iceclan territory, even without figuring out we were meeting, Iceclan and Windclan could end up fighting with each other." she mewed in a hushed voice. Her worry was evident in the energy that rolled off her pelt in waves.

Iceclaw shifted about uneasily. "I don't want a fight between Iceclan and Windclan. Someone will get hurt....and with our specific training it probably won't be our clanmates." she mewed grimly. "If you don't do something to cover up what has been going on Lily, you better be prepared to lose Honeystar in battle."

Snowlily's heart dropped and her stomach was in knots. She wanted desperately to be free to forget everything that had happened between her and Honeystar but not so badly that she was willing to let him die for her mouse-brained mistakes. Her ears folded over backward as she stared down and the stone beneath her paws. Her eyes were clouded in thought. Everything Iceclaw had said, though she didn't want to believe or admit it, was true. Carefully weighting her options, she considered leading the patrol away from the old pond. If that didn't work she could always decide they were all going to the Windclan border and settle it there without Shuriken knowing. She couldn't think of a way to justify not telling Shuriken about Windclan crossing the border. Her heart began to ache as she imagined Shuriken confronting Honeystar at a gathering or along the border.

Her fur bristled along her neck and down her spine. "Alright. Who's on patrol with me and who is leading it today?" Snowlily asked, still trying to come up with a way to avoid anything that could lead to conflict. She stared at her sister evenly.

She padded down a series of tunnels as she tried to keep her composure on the way out of the fortress. Not knowing how else to contain her anxiety, she chose to concentrate strictly on what was going on presently. She had been so focused on her troubles that had not occurred yet, that she didn't realize her paw pads had been burning and aching as waves of pain surged up her legs. Almost afraid to look at the damage, she removed the weight from one of her front paws as the pain in the others became much harder to bare. It didn't help that the stone floor was freezing due to the temperature drop and some small pools of water had frozen over inside of her home. She lifted her paw off of the ground, being especially careful not to rub it against anything, then froze, listening carefully to be sure there was no one stirring around her. If anyone but her or Iceclaw saw that something was wrong with her pads, they would be suspicious and she probably wouldn't be let out of sight alone again.

Once she was convinced that no one would discover her, she turned her pad upward and saw how painfully worn her paw had become. The layers of skin were exposed and blood was filling in all of the cracks in it faster than she could lick it clean. "This is just great..." she said in a muffled growl to herself.

"What was that?" a warm, familiar voice purred. 

Her fur stood on end as a chill ran up her spine. She quickly dismissed the pain that had been flooding through her, as she placed her paw back on the ground as casually as she could. She closed her eyes for a moment before letting out a sigh, both in disgust that she hadn't noticed him there and in preparation to hide her injuries for as long as possible. She wasn't about to show him any of her weaknesses. Slowly, she turned her head, gaze searching for the warrior as her body twisted around to realign itself. Her fur began to settle back into place as her eyes lightened and her mood lifted slowly. "Well now... It's been a while since we've been alone to speak now hasn't it?" she mewed in response. She was half hurt by her words, though she made her best attempt to hide the discomfort that the thought of their complicated past had held, but still she let out a long belated purr and looked him over, curiosity about what has happened to him getting the better of her.

The white warrior shot her an amused look before letting out a mocking purr and sitting down on the cold stones and tucking his tail around his paws, puffing out his chest, exaggerating an only minor change in his muscle build since their last encounter. His icy blue eyes locked on hers for a moment, before his gaze was clouded over. She struggled to read his expression. 

"Is everything okay?" she mewed quietly. Her eyes staring at him in concern. She flexed her claws softly to keep them from becoming stiff. The pain was still difficult to ignore but she was determined to keep her injuries a secret from her clan mates. 

The warrior let out a defiant scoff as his mouth stood agape for a short heartbeat before he closed it, cocked his head slightly to one side and shot her a questioningly sarcastic glance. "Have you forgotten who I am, Lily?" he questioned and offered a brief pause for her to respond but the only reaction she got was a pained look in her eye. 

She already felt guilty about what had happened in the past and that look was one that she knew all to well. Snowlily was well aware that he wasn't alright, but he always did everything he could to pretend he was for her sake. Her stomach clenched itself up tight as she threatened to make herself sick with remorse. She shifted her weight uneasily from one paw to the other, ignoring all of her pain now as she tried to forget the way she had betrayed and hurt him. "No. I didn't forget. I could never forget..." she answered solemnly as she shifted her gaze to the stone ground off to her side somewhere, making it clear to him that she was ready for their conversation to end. The tip of her tail flicked back and forth as she held it behind her in an attempt to hide her frustrations. "Look, I am going on the dawn patrol and at this rate I won't leave until dusk." shooting him a glance as she hinted for him to leave.

"Alright. There's no need to bite my head off. I'll go..." he looked her over one more time as he waited for a response that urged him to continue. He got no reaction. "but you have to meet me for a training session later. You can't avoid me forever, Lily." he said with an antagonizing purr.

Snowlily rolled her eyes as her annoyance was becoming more obvious than before and she now made little effort to restrain it. Her tail began to lash about behind her as she fought back a warning growl. "What would make you think that you could ever tell me what to do? Why would you think that I would follow your orders. You aren't the clan leader." she responded in a partial growl. She may have been annoyed that he was giving her orders but she couldn't ignore that echoing voice inside her head that was encouraging her to go with him. Her curiosity always seemed to get the better of her and she may have fooled him into thinking she didn't care but she knew she still did. That's why she fought so hard to stay away from him for several moons but she didn't want to fight to keep him away from her anymore. After all of the time that had past, she found herself drawn in more by his sweet scent and the lure of his gaze. She secretly wanted to get to know him again. 

I guess now may be the best time to do it. I don't know when i will have another chance. She leveled her gaze to match his and sat up much straighter, with her eyes narrowed slightly at the challenge. "Fine. I could use the practice and a fur ball to swat at."

A small purr poured out from somewhere deep in the warriors chest. He appeared to be pretty pleased as his eyes lightened and fell upon hers and he gave a short nod in acknowledgement, his gaze never leaving hers. 

"You know, you should go now. I'm sure there's work for you to do somewhere." she responded indifferently as she rose to her paws and  turned to leave. The large warrior still said nothing as she began to pad away. After a moment she looked over her shoulder. He was still staring at her. Snowlily's pelt rose uncomfortably as she padded away more quickly now, weaving through a series of large tunnels and making her best attempt to hide her embarrassment.

A stunning veil of light crept into the entrance of the fortress. A slight breeze crept throughout the tunnels. Not enough to ruffle her fur, but still enough to keep her comfortably cool. The ice pools that were randomly placed in the crevices of the tunnels had slowly begun to melt. The air was light and smelled of the fresh fallen snow. The moisture clung to anything the breeze would carry it to.

After turning past the last of the corners leading outside, she had to blink away the painfully bright light that caused her eyes to fog up and dry out for several seconds. The wind picked up more now as she took her final steps out of the fortress entrance before coming to an abrupt halt. Her heart sank deep into her chest and she stared at the tops of her paws with her head and tail held low to the ground. This could be the last time I'm welcome here. Where do I go if I can't come back? She stood there silent for several more heartbeats, paying no attention to her surroundings. Her glossy snow white pelt seemed to glow from all angles as the sun beat down on the snow that then lit up her fur brilliantly. The cooling chill of the snow beneath her paws worked well to relieve the aching that seemed, otherwise, relentless. She unsheathed her claws and worked to stretch them before starting on the dawn patrol before turning her gaze up towards the top of the Iceclan fortress. 

"Iceclan's fortress...not mine." she mewed in a small sigh making her words muffled and indistinguishable. Her eyes were the only thing that didn't hide the pain she was feeling. My paws will heal but if I can't come back will the rest of me-?! A large black tom plowed straight into her side knocking her several tail lengths away from where she had stood a moment earlier. She let out a furious hiss as the wind was knocked out of her and she struggled to regain her balance. Her chest and belly hung low to the ground as all of her fur stood on end. Her legs were sprawled out awkwardly beneath her with her eyes wide in surprise. 

Her breathing was ragged as she struggled to regain her breath, muscles still sense and shaking from the shock of the attack. She fought to let out a growl but it came out sounding more like a pathetic purr as the large black tom seemed panicked at first. The fur on his neck had risen up and he ducked back on his haunches as he tried to duck away from her.

"I am so sorry, Snowlily. I really didn't see you there!" Fang quickly mewed, trying to justify what just happened.

Snowlily shot him an annoyed glance as she shifted her body weight around and moved her paws back beneath her. "What were you doing?! You're going to scared all of the prey away from the hunting patrol, trampling around like that. What were you thinking?" she said taking no effort to show how clearly agitated she was with the warrior.

"Well maybe that's where you should be now." Fang retorted. "It's not as though the prey would see YOU coming. No body would be able to see you out here in these conditions."

She launched herself his direction, easily closing the gap between them in a few small paw steps. Snowlily batted his ear and head in a warning. "There's no time for you to be trampling around like a kit. If that's how you're going to be, I'll just drop you with the kitty pets while we're on patrol." she responded with an edge in her voice that she allowed to sink in for a moment as she shook off her pelts and licked over her shoulder to move her fur back into place, though the wind continued to void her efforts. Finally, with a sigh, she gave up and turned to leave for the dawn patrol, flicking her tail, signaling for Fang to follow.