Snowsong's Secret



“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Birdpaw, from this moment you will be known as Birdsong. Eaglepaw, you will be known as Eagleclaw. StarClan honors your skill and intelligence, and we welcome you as full warriors of ThunderClan,” Hollystar yowled on top of Highrock. Birdsong purred her thanks and sat near the edge of the rock, heather-blue eyes gleaming, while Eaglepaw’s patched tail lashed. Snowpaw, sitting with Birdsong at the edge of the rock, slowly stood up and walked forward, trying not to slip on the thin film of frost covering the rock. Her heart was racing. Hollystar stared at her for a heartbeat before turning back to the silent crowd below her and announcing, “I, Hollystar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Snowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?” “ I do.” Snowpaw breathed.“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Snowpaw, from this moment you will be known as Snowsong. StarClan honors your beauty and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” Hollystar yowled. Snowsong could hardly contain her joy. Her! A warrior! She couldn’t believe it. But underneath her bliss, a sinking feeling wrenched the happiness from her heart. I’m suppose to meet Bearpaw tonight, she remembered. But the cat she loved could wait for a few an hour while she bathed in contentment. Cheers and caterwauls filled the chilly air. “Snowsong! Snowsong! Eagleclaw! Eagleclaw! Birdsong! Birdsong!” The Clan cheered. Snowsong dipped her head and leaped down from the rock, landing next to Ripplepaw. The dark tortoiseshell tom covered the white she-cat in licks while she fidgeted uncomfortably. She didn’t love Ripplepaw anymore. She was going to break his heart- not purposely, of course.. All Snowsong felt was guilt. She was sorry she had gotten involved with the tom in the first place.“Ripplepaw, can you come with me?” whispered Snowsong. Ripplepaw nodded and Snowsong wrapped her tail around his shoulders and led him to the edge of the camp, near the thick hawthorn. She sat down, curling her long tail neatly over her paws. “Ripplepaw, there is no easy way to say this.” Ripplepaw’s eyes widened. “We can’t be together. As mates, I mean. I just don’t love you enough. I’m sorry...” her voice trailed off and she stared sightlessly at the hawthorn behind Ripplepaw. “How could you, Snowsong? I thought we were more than friends... I thought you loved me!” Anguish and anger sharped the tom’s voice. “So all this time, you’ve been deceiving me Snowsong? Can’t we be mates? I love you...” His orange eyes pleaded with the beautiful she-cat. Snowsong shook her head. “I’m sorry.” she whispered hoarsely. Ripplepaw looked mournful, but he snarled. “You’re not the same she-cat I loved. I hate you.” And with those scalding words, he pelted out of the camp entrance. Snowsong swallowed a cry. Snowsong was going hunting. It was almost dark, and she had to keep vigil. But Ripplepaw was gone, and she had to find him. “I’m going hunting,” she called to Hollystar. Hollystar nodded, and flicked her tail at the fresh-kill pile. It was fair, but running out fast. Snowsong trotted out through the gorse entrance, and to her surprise, they ripped out her long, silky white fur. “Mouse-dung.” muttered Snowsong as she squeezed out. “I’m eating too much.” She padded through the forest, and picked up the pace when snowflakes nipped at her body. Some of the trees were bare. Snowsong caught scent of a chickadee. She pressed her body to the ground and located the plump bird roosting at the bottom branch in a large maple tree. She leaped up, yowling, and with outstretched claws, grabbled the bird. It hit the ground with a thud. Just as she was moving forward, a bloodcurdling shriek stopped her. The brown bird skittered over the leaves, but Snowsong was no longer paying attention to it. She raced towards the sound. It was leading to the lake. The problem was, she knew that shriek. The trees cleared to reveal the frozen lake. There was a small, darker pool of water in the middle. A shape was clinging on a chunk of white ice for dear life. The shape was desperately kicking and splashing. It was Ripplepaw. “Ripplepaw! Ripplepaw!” screeched Snowsong. She carefully put one paw on the ice, testing the thickness. It could hold her. She skidded along the lake, sharp wind cutting her face, until she was to Ripplepaw. The water hole had become wider, and Ripplepaw had lost his grip on the ice float. He was sinking into the icy, drowning depths of the same lake that had almost taken her life. She couldn’t afford to jump in after him- both of them would die. Snowsong leaped on the ice, tying to dislodge a piece. The frozen water cracked with her on top, and began to float towards Ripplepaw. She crouched low on the wedge of ice and dipped her front paws into the water. She gasped as the clear liquid soaked into her paws, but began to pad strongly with them. Ripplepaw was a fox-tail away now. She just needed- there! Snowsong sunk her teeth into the tom’s dark fur and pulled him onto the ice. “Ripplepaw? Please wake up! Please!” The tortoiseshell tom remained motionless, but turned his head to look at the she-cat. “I can’t live without you,” he rasped. “so, I ran. But I slipped. And now you’ve saved me, but I’ll die soon, anyway.” Ripplepaw’s orange eyes dulled. “No, no. Come on, get up. Look, I’m licking you. You’re warm,” cried Snowsong. “Don’t let it happen again. To anyone. I love you, Snowsong. I love you...” His voice stopped, and he closed his eyes forever.