IT WAS THE FIRST ICE ON the river. My best friend, Fireheart, myself, and our apprentices, Brakenpaw and Cinderpaw, have noticed this when we doing a border patrol.
"Can we take a look?" Cinderpaw asked Fireheart.
Cautiously, we moved closer to the ice. I then scented prey.
Water vole?
The water vole was padding across the ice. Instinctively, I did the hunters' crouch. Then, I pounced on the vole. It didn't see me coming. A quick toss in the air with my claws killed it off. Clenching the prey in my jaws, I headed to the ThunderClan side of the river. But then, Crack! went the ice.
"Graystripe!" Fireheart warned.
Looking from where the crack was coming from, I dropped the water vole. Suddenly, the ice broke through, and I fell into the freezing water. It felt like a thousand teeth went across my pelt, as I sank in the depths. I tried kicking my paws for my life, but it seemed no use. I was losing strength, and I sank deeper into the water. My lungs screamed for air, as I felt the stones of the riverbed on my back. I thought I heard a splash in the water, thinking it was Fireheart. But it wasn't Fireheart. In front of me, I saw a silver-gray RiverClan she-cat.
I thought I was dreaming when I saw her. She was the most beautiful she-cat I've ever seen. She had jade green eyes, and they stared straight at me. Her expression, I couldn't describe. It was if she forgot how to breathe.
She went right to work, and grabbed me by the scruff as she tried to get me to the surface. I felt the chilly wind at my face, and I quickly took a breate before I went under once again. After time struggling to get me up, we made it to the ThunderClan shore. I gasped for air, violently. When I came to my senses, I stood up, ignoring to dry myself. The she-cat glared at me with her beautiful eyes.
"Thanks," I gasped.
"You idiot!" she yowled. "What were your doing on my territory?"
I kept a straight face. "Drowning?"
The silver she-cat still glared. But, her eyes softened with amusement. "Can you drown on your own territory?"
"Ah," I mewed, hoarsely, "but who will rescue me there?"
The she-cat's eyes lost their hard stare, and she just looked absentmindedly at me.
"Where's Brakenpaw?" Fireheart asked Cinderpaw.
"Just coming," she replied.
The she-cat looked around. "You should go. If my father found out that I was rescuing a ThunderClan cat, he'd use my fur for kit bedding!"
"Then why did you rescue me?" I retorted.
She hesitated before mewing again. "Instinct. I can't just watch any cat drown."
"Let's go, Graystripe," Fireheart led the apprentices back to camp. I followed shyly behind, but I didn't want to leave without knowing the she-cat's name. I padded up to her, again.
"What's your name?" I asked. "I'm Graystripe."
"Silverstream," she replied, almost immediately.
*Silverstream,* I thought, *What a lovely name.* I ran back to Fireheart's side.
"She's beautiful, Fireheart," I sighed.
Fireheart sighed heavily, as we walked.
"It's just a slight chill," Yellowfang, the medicine cat, replied when she checked up on me. "What were you thinking," she added, sarcastically, "teaching the apprentices how to fish?"
"I was probably wreckless," I sniffled.
Yellowfang sighed. "You're still young, though. You need to rest in the warriors' den. Here, some herbs to help you get better."
Yellowfang handed me the herbs. She then gave me a couple of poppy to help me rest. I then went off to the warrior's den.
Once I closed my eyes, I dreamt of the beautiful she-cat I saw. We promised to meet at Sunningrocks tomorrow, I need to rest for the trip. Silverstream, I mouthed her name one last time before I fell asleep.
"Can we take a look?" Cinderpaw asked Fireheart.
Cautiously, we moved closer to the ice. I then scented prey.
Water vole?
The water vole was padding across the ice. Instinctively, I did the hunters' crouch. Then, I pounced on the vole. It didn't see me coming. A quick toss in the air with my claws killed it off. Clenching the prey in my jaws, I headed to the ThunderClan side of the river. But then, Crack! went the ice.
"Graystripe!" Fireheart warned.
Looking from where the crack was coming from, I dropped the water vole. Suddenly, the ice broke through, and I fell into the freezing water. It felt like a thousand teeth went across my pelt, as I sank in the depths. I tried kicking my paws for my life, but it seemed no use. I was losing strength, and I sank deeper into the water. My lungs screamed for air, as I felt the stones of the riverbed on my back. I thought I heard a splash in the water, thinking it was Fireheart. But it wasn't Fireheart. In front of me, I saw a silver-gray RiverClan she-cat.
I thought I was dreaming when I saw her. She was the most beautiful she-cat I've ever seen. She had jade green eyes, and they stared straight at me. Her expression, I couldn't describe. It was if she forgot how to breathe.
She went right to work, and grabbed me by the scruff as she tried to get me to the surface. I felt the chilly wind at my face, and I quickly took a breate before I went under once again. After time struggling to get me up, we made it to the ThunderClan shore. I gasped for air, violently. When I came to my senses, I stood up, ignoring to dry myself. The she-cat glared at me with her beautiful eyes.
"Thanks," I gasped.
"You idiot!" she yowled. "What were your doing on my territory?"
I kept a straight face. "Drowning?"
The silver she-cat still glared. But, her eyes softened with amusement. "Can you drown on your own territory?"
"Ah," I mewed, hoarsely, "but who will rescue me there?"
The she-cat's eyes lost their hard stare, and she just looked absentmindedly at me.
"Where's Brakenpaw?" Fireheart asked Cinderpaw.
"Just coming," she replied.
The she-cat looked around. "You should go. If my father found out that I was rescuing a ThunderClan cat, he'd use my fur for kit bedding!"
"Then why did you rescue me?" I retorted.
She hesitated before mewing again. "Instinct. I can't just watch any cat drown."
"Let's go, Graystripe," Fireheart led the apprentices back to camp. I followed shyly behind, but I didn't want to leave without knowing the she-cat's name. I padded up to her, again.
"What's your name?" I asked. "I'm Graystripe."
"Silverstream," she replied, almost immediately.
*Silverstream,* I thought, *What a lovely name.* I ran back to Fireheart's side.
"She's beautiful, Fireheart," I sighed.
Fireheart sighed heavily, as we walked.
"It's just a slight chill," Yellowfang, the medicine cat, replied when she checked up on me. "What were you thinking," she added, sarcastically, "teaching the apprentices how to fish?"
"I was probably wreckless," I sniffled.
Yellowfang sighed. "You're still young, though. You need to rest in the warriors' den. Here, some herbs to help you get better."
Yellowfang handed me the herbs. She then gave me a couple of poppy to help me rest. I then went off to the warrior's den.
Once I closed my eyes, I dreamt of the beautiful she-cat I saw. We promised to meet at Sunningrocks tomorrow, I need to rest for the trip. Silverstream, I mouthed her name one last time before I fell asleep.
This is also a pretty good song for Graystripe and Silverstream. Hello, by Evanescence:
Hello
(Musical Intro)
Playground school bell rings,
Again.
Rain clouds come to play,
Again.
Has no one told you she's not breathing?
Hello,
I am your mind,
Giving you someone to talk to,
Hello.
(Musical Break)
If I smile and don't,
Believe,
Soon I know I'll wake,
From this dream.
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken.
Hello,
I am the light,
Living for you so you can't hide.
Don't cry...
(Musical break)
Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping!
Hello!
I'm still here!
All that's left of yesterday!...
(Musical outro)
Hello
(Musical Intro)
Playground school bell rings,
Again.
Rain clouds come to play,
Again.
Has no one told you she's not breathing?
Hello,
I am your mind,
Giving you someone to talk to,
Hello.
(Musical Break)
If I smile and don't,
Believe,
Soon I know I'll wake,
From this dream.
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken.
Hello,
I am the light,
Living for you so you can't hide.
Don't cry...
(Musical break)
Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping!
Hello!
I'm still here!
All that's left of yesterday!...
(Musical outro)