Crossroads

ooc; takes place in between the days of the gathering and the secret meeting ;0

ic;
Coming to the river when he needed to escape camp was a common thing the apprentice did on a regular basis, despite it being forbidden. He didn't care for anything that mangy, impure blooded scum leading Riverclan had to say. Lichenpaw had opened up his eyes to the madness that had taken place, and he greatly appreciated it, but now the thoughts of what was to come had begun to burden the tom. He surely didn't have it as bad as the savior himself, but he was still fearful for of the future. The black and creme tom found his mind whirring until he could no longer think clearly. Coming here, listening to the sluggish current eased his aching head, and allowed him to properly sort through his thoughts: discarding the unnecessary and processing the important.

He slipped a paw into the watery depths, closing his eyes in bliss as wetness coated his skin, numbing his mind and senses. For a while, it was just him, swimming through the blackness of his mind and thoughts, putting the ones he needed in their proper places and pushing aside others. This euphoric peace was suddenly disturbed by the rustling of bushes nearby. Birchpaw flinched and turned over his shoulder, teeth bared. Whoever caused this would surely pay. Standing up with his back arched, he barked, "Whatever you are, show yourself or face my wrath! I don't like fighting, but I won't hesitate to rake my claws down your face!"

The silvery furred she cat padded through riverclan territory,her home. She had missed it and was glad she was welcomed back by her family but now she wanted to get familiar with it again and go for a swim. Oh how she missed the waters and how it flowed around her. She moved through the Bush flicking her ear as she reached the river only to fall quiet as she heard a threat.  She blinked her light blue eyes"who am I? I'm Littlepaw hopefully from the same clan as you were just in riverclan waters "She mewed stepping out.

Birchpaw's fur fell flat when he saw she posed no threat; in fact, he had to suppress a chuckle that threatened to leave his maw. He recognized her; yes, the daughter of Jaystar, who managed to get herself caught by twolegs. It was a miracle she escaped with her life. The creme and black tom turned his back on her and sat back down, closing his eyes and attemoting to return to the peaceful mindscape he had just been in. "If you're going to be here, be quiet. I'm thinking, and don't need a kit to disturb me," He retorted, the tip of his tail twitching in slight agitation of her presence.

Littlepaw blinked her fur bristled slightly. Innocent or not she didn't like being insulted whether it was a clanmate or not."look here I'm not kit in fact just because I act as I am doesn't give you the right to insult me!"Littlepaw snapped her ears flattened slightly. Her tail tip flicking agitated before she huffed and turned padding into the water until it flowed around her relaxing her.

"Whatever you say, impure blooded scum," Birchpaw muttered this under his breath as he opened an eye to gaze at her intensely. Malice shown brightly in his blue eyes as he watched her slip into the water. One, and perhaps the only thing that they had in common: the water seemed to chill their veins and numb their senses. He thought it was something only true-blooded Riverclanners could do, feel such a close connection to the river. It was like the water itself was running through his veins, fueling him with the grace and strength all cats possessed. His mind briefly flickered to Fallowpaw; he wondered how she was doing. He hadn't tried to take to her since the journey, but it had been there, lingering at the back of his mind. A part of him found himself longing to see her again, to at least thank her 


Birchpaw narrowed his eyes at Littlepaw, and looked back at his own submerged legs. The current seemed stronger now, much to his dismay. He looked back at the apprentice wading in the water, and wondered if he should say something. If she was swept away, it was one less impure blood wrecking havoc in Riverclan. But he would also be counted as responsible. Besides, Jaystar, impure or not, was still the leader and would have his head if anything happened to his daughter and he did nothing to interfere.


"I'd get out of there if I were you," He meowed, his whiskers twitching.

Littlepaw blinked hearing his words and bristled slightly. She didn't know what it was but this tom mad her mad and no one really made the innocent she cat mad. Just as he called out to her to get out of the water she blinked and felt the water tug fiercely at her fur for a moment so she moved to more shallower waters. With flattened ears she glared back at the tom"I am not impure blooded!What's your problem both my parents are of Riverclan blood!What's your problem with me you barely even know me!"She said.

He watched her closely as she moved to shallower waters, but he silently feared it wasn't enough. Just because she was in shallower waters, didn't mean she still couldn't get swept away. "You really should get out of there," Birchpaw said, urgency in his voice. He was standing on the bank now, gazing worriedly as the current picked up even more. "Just because it's shallower doesn't mean you can't suddenly get swept away. Please, just listen to me and get out of the water." He completely disregarded her outburst; getting her onto dry land was the most important thing right now. Even if it would be one less impure cat, he didn't think he couldn't bear to watch a clanmate die without some guilt clawing at his chest. For today, he would try and save her.

Littlepaw watched him for a moment before she moved to the bank within seconds. She flicked her tail watching him before she sat down.

Birchpaw cleared his throat and squirmed away when she moved to sit next to him. Silence fell between the two cats, one that he wasn't willing to break. Instead, he let the sound of the river aggressively lap at the bank fill the quiet. He inhaled deeply, letting himself relax as he gazed upon the serene place. After a while of just sitting there, he turned to Littlepaw, blue eyes shining with curious, "Why are you here?"

Littlepaw flicked her tail slightly her gaze moving to him"I'm here because I can but also because I just wanted to go for a small swim"She mewed.

Littlepaw looked at him slightly bristling a bit"so what do I care if you expected a better reason I'm not here to please you. If we are asking questions I must ask you what's your problem with me,I haven't done anything to you and you definitely don't know me and I don't know you"She mewed tail lashing slightly."Yeah you say that but before I was taken I used to come here a lot probably before you knew about it I'm sure"She mewed flicking her ear turn her ice blue gaze to him."I always came her to relax and swim and sometimes just to think"She mewed.