"Iceslide... Psst."

He awoke to a paw prodding his side. He blinked open his eyes and looked up to see Sunripple standing over him. It was still night. The warrior's yellow eyes shone in the darkness. Iceslide yawned and looked at him. "Wha-"

"Shhh!" Sunripple whispered and turned, gesturing with his tail for him to follow. "Come with me." He looked around the crowded den cautiously, afraid to wake anyone up.

What's going on? Iceslide blinked and slowly stood in his nest, looking around. Dipfoot and Shallowpool were curled up against each other, sound asleep. Creekleap lay on his back, snoring. Beyond him, Winterlight and Ravenfeather were laying asleep together. Ravenfeather's head was rested on her neck. He scanned the other warriors. No cat seemed to be awake.

Sunripple stood at the entrance of the den, looking over his shoulder at Iceslide urgently. Iceslide carefully weaved through the sleeping cats and exited the den.

"What's up?" Iceslide whispered, sensing there was a good reason they were being so careful not to wake anyone. Does it have something to do with Dreamwhisper?

"You'll see when we're out of camp," Sunripple breathed back, twitching his tail. "Follow me." He headed behind the apprentices den and slipped through a gap in the bed of reeds that lined the camp. Iceslide followed him. He knew this route very well. He'd often used it to sneak out of camp when he was an apprentice.

Iceslide was confused as they headed through the territory. "Where are we going?" He asked. Sunripple didn't respond, and they continued walking in silence. They were nearly at the border when Iceslide saw two cats up ahead, ones that he knew very well. His heart skipped a beat in shock. Is that-

"Iceslide!" Truffle charged and crashed into him, pinning him on his back into the leaves. "You're okay!" His yellow eyes lit with joy. "Where have you been? What happened?"

"Truffle?" Iceslide gasped in shock. 

Sulfur let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness!" He padded over to them. "It's good to see you, Iceslide."

Iceslide gently pushed the kittypet off of him and stumbled to his paws, blinking at his friends. "What are you doing on RiverClan territory? What's going on?" He looked at Sunripple.

His clanmate looked amused. "I met with Dreamwhisper earlier tonight. I was on my way back when I found these two," He gestured to Truffle and Sulfur. "Wandering on the outskirts of RiverClan territory yowling your name. I figured you knew them and told them I'd get you before they woke up the entire forest."

Sulfur glanced at Truffle. "I told him to shut up, but would he listen?"

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" The cream kittypet shrugged.

"You're lucky I heard you and not someone else," Sunripple commented.

Iceslide nodded, staring at his friends. "It was a dangerous to do." He let out a purr and stepped forward to touch noses with Truffle, then Sulfur. "But it's great to see you! I've missed you so much."

"We've missed you too!" Truffle stared at him. "Where have you been? It's been over a moon!"

"We thought something had happened to you," Sulfur added. "We thought you might be dead."

His heart ached with guilt. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I'm okay, I just..." He hesitated. "I got caught with some other kittypets and got in trouble. I couldn't leave the territory."

The cats exchanged a worried look. "Can we still be friends?" Truffle asked quietly.

Iceslide's stomach twisted. "I'll find a way to keep meeting you," He promised. "I can't just abandon my friends."

Truffle looked relieved, and Sulfur nodded. "Just be careful. Don't get yourself in trouble for us."

"I'll be careful." Iceslide looked over his shoulder to make sure that no one was watching them. "You two should go home. I'll come to Truffle's place to meet you when I can."

"Okay." Sulfur yawned and shook out his yellow fur. "I'd like to get to my den and sleep."

Truffle nodded agreement. "See you around, Iceslide." 

"Goodbye." Iceslide watched as the two cats padded away and disappeared into the darkness. After a moment, he turned to Sunripple. "Thanks," He meowed quietly. "You won't tell anyone, will you..?"

The golden tabby shook his head. "Of course not," He meowed. "You're keeping my secret, so I'll keep yours." He paused and turned away, flicking his tail for Iceslide to follow. "I'd like to talk to you about yesterday."

"Sure." Iceslide padded alongside his clanmate, and they walked together quietly in the night. It was peaceful. Crickets chirped in the dark grass, and a frog croaked softly somewhere by the river.

"Me and Dreamwhisper have been meeting for moons," Sunripple meowed quietly. "We're in love."

Iceslide nodded. "There's nothing wrong with that." He commented.

Sunripple sighed. "Not according to the warrior code. It can keep us safe, but it can also hold us back from happiness, and our freedom to love." He looked at Iceslide. "You understand that, don't you? Ever since you were a kit, you've been curious about the world outside the clan boundaries. You've made friends, good ones, but the clan despises you for it."

"Yes," He meowed, his tail lashing. "The code isn't fair."

His companion nodded agreement. "The warrior code tells us to find a mate within our clan. But sometimes that doesn't happen. Sometimes there is no cat in the clan meant for us," He paused. "Does that mean we should be destined to be alone?"

"Exactly!" Iceslide exclaimed, suddenly realizing how much he had in common with this warrior. "I don't get along with many RiverClan warriors. But I've made a lot of friends outside of the clan. There are a lot of amazing cats out there. Why should we be limited to one pawful?"

Sunripple nodded. "Right! There's no cat in RiverClan like Dreamwhisper." He paused and let out an amused purr. "And there certainly isn't one like Truffle."

Or Violet. Iceslide thought, his heart throbbing as he thought of her. I miss her so much! "I've met a she-cat too," He admitted. "I haven't seen her in over a moon though."

He looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry. You'll find a way. No cat is better at sneaking away than you. I don't think you ever spent a whole day in camp when you were an apprentice!"

"Who would want to?" Iceslide chuckled, and his clanmate joined in. After a moment, he looked at him with a pang of gratitude. "You're the first RiverClan cat to understand."

Sunripple dipped his head. "I never expected you to keep me and Dreamwhisper a secret. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome." Iceslide looked up at the dark sky. "We should get back to camp before dawn." He meowed. "Before some cat notices we're gone."

The gold and yellow warrior nodded. "Good idea." He nudged him. "You're lucky those kittypets didn't wake up everyone!"

Iceslide let out a purr. Perhaps this was the start of a friendship. At last, one of his clanmates understood how he felt about cats outside of the clan. They could help each other keep their companions hidden, and discuss the troubles they faced.

***

Though he was tired, Iceslide found himself unable to fall back asleep. He lay in his nest as time passed, his mind awake and swimming with thoughts. He thought of Violet and wondered what she was doing right now. Did she miss him? Was she worried? Was she okay? Would he see her again? What if someone found out about he and Sunripple's secrets? Did the other kittypets miss him?

Eventually, he gave up on sleeping and sighed, rolling over and stretching in his nest. He could see pale morning light shining through the reeds in the roof of the den. He got up and padded past his sleeping clanmates out into the clearing, blinking his tired, dry eyes.

The clearing was empty, all but Otterpelt. The medicine cat apprentice was sitting outside of her den, staring up at the sky.

Iceslide shrugged. Must be weird medicine cat stuff. He began padding across the clearing toward the fresh kill pile. She spotted him and nearly leaped out of her fur, bristling.

He stopped and blinked at her, startled. "Are you okay?"

Otterpelt didn't respond. She stared at him and slowly relaxed. "What? Yes... I'm fine."

Iceslide wasn't sure he believed that. But he wasn't going to bother her about it. He sniffed at a fish in the fresh kill pile. He was about to take it for himself when Otterpelt appeared beside him and crouched.

"Iceslide," She meowed quietly. "Have you left RiverClan territory since you got caught?"

He narrowed his eyes. Did Frostedcloud put her up to this? He must have. "No." He muttered.

The reddish brown she-cat stared at him, her eyes wide and uneasy. "You can't leave..."

Iceslide blinked at her. "I know."

"No... You don't." The medicine cat whispered, her eyes filled with distress. "You have to stay in RiverClan territory. You have to! If you-"

"Otterpelt!" Maplesky called from the medicine den, looking alarmed. "Come here, I need your help, uh, sorting herbs."

She didn't respond, her wide eyes fixed on Iceslide. He stared back, alarmed and confused. Has she gone mad?

"Otterpelt!"

The medicine cat stared at Iceslide. "Please, stay," She whispered desperately before hurrying over to the medicine den.

Iceslide stared after her for a moment. That was weird... He shook his head. It's probably just something Frostedcloud or Shimmerstar said. Or even just the wild imagination of a medicine cat.

***

Iceslide crouched in the grass, stalking a mouse. When he was close enough, he pounced, relieved that he'd been too quick for it. He swiftly delivered the killing bite and picked it up, turning to return to the others.

He'd been sent on a hunting patrol with Mudslip, Mintpaw, Petalfin, Ravenfeather, and Winterlight. There were many things he'd rather be doing.

When he reached them, he saw that Ravenfeather was missing. He set down his mouse and looked at Winterlight. "Where's Raven-"

Just then, the black warrior stepped out of the bushes, holding a large trout in his jaws. He lowered his head and dropped it at his paws. "I caught it in the river."

"Wow," Winterlight gazed at him proudly. "Isn't Ravenfeather an amazing hunter?"

Ravenfeather purred and padded up to her, touching his nose to hers. "Not as amazing as you." He sat beside her. "We can share the trout when we get back to camp."

"Look!" A muffled voice mewed, and Mintpaw padded up to them, holding a dead vole in his jaws.

"Good catch!" Mudslip praised his apprentice. Mintpaw held his vole proudly, his tail waving.

Petalfin let out a purr. "Yes, well done, Mintpaw!" She stepped forward and licked her son on the ear.

Mintpaw shrank back in protest, dropping the vole. "Ew!"

Winterlight chuckled, and Ravenfeather purred, leaning against her. "It must be great to have kits to be proud of and watch grow up." He meowed happily. "I can't wait for ours."

"What?" She blinked and shifted apart from him, staring at him. "Kits?"

Ravenfeather tilted his head. "Yes? We'll have kits someday."

Winterlight hesitated, looking uncomfortable. She shuffled her paws on the ground. "Ravenfeather, I... I don't want kits..."

He stared at her, looking confused. "What?"

"I don't want to be a mother. I'm a warrior. I don't want to be stuck in the nursery with mewling kits." Winterlight's fluffy tail twitched nervously.

"You... You can't be serious?" Ravenfeather's expression was filled with disbelief. "Why wouldn't you want kits? Our kits?"

"Ravenfeather... I love hunting and patrolling for my clan, and I want to devote my life to that." Winterlight meowed quietly.

Ravenfeather stared at her for a moment and didn't speak. His eyes were lit with hurt and disbelief. After a moment, it faded into anger. "Then I guess there's no room in your life for me."

"What?" Winterlight's yellow eyes lit with alarm. "No!" Ravenfeather turned away, and she started toward him. "Ravenfeather, I'm sorry-"

The black warrior spun to face her, his amber eyes flaring with anger. "Forget it!" He snarled. "Enjoy being nothing but a warrior with no descendants. I just wish you'd told me this before I wasted any time with you." With that, he raced away.

They were left in silence. Mudslip, Petalfin, and Mintpaw were speechless.  Iceslide stared after Ravenfeather, anger pulsing through him. How dare he?!

Winterlight stared after her former mate, her eyes lit with shock and pain. "I..." 

He shot to his sister's side and pressed his side against hers. "Winterlight... I'm so sorry." She rested against him, and he licked her ear. "You deserve better than that piece of fox dung anyway."

"We should get back to camp," Mudslip meowed quietly, casting her a sympathetic look. "Let's go."

Every cat was silent as they headed back the way they came. Iceslide padded close to his sister. "I thought he'd understand..." Winterlight whispered, staring at the ground. "I loved him..."

Iceslide's heart ached. He wrapped his tail around her back. "I'm sorry," He murmured. "You'll find someone better. It'll be okay." Ravenfeather seemed like such a good cat. He thought, shocked at what he'd said to Winterlight. How could he do this to her?