Reedsplash walked alongside his son.

"Dad, how long should I wait? It's killing me to do this." said Rustheart.

He nodded. "I know it's getting hard. But it makes it easier to tell if she'll truely wait for you. If she loves you, she won't have found another tom in the time you've been gone."

Rust flicked an ear. "And what if she does?"

"Then she was never the one for you."

Rustheart awakened the next morning. A thic gray mist layered over the tall grass and the blades of yellow and green were guilded in frost. He stood up and stretched, letting the slumber run out through his toes to be replaced by energy. His mind was on Irispaw. How was she doing? Where was she now? Had she even stayed in the clan? Worse yet, did she still love him? Or did she find someone else. "StarClan," he prayed. "Don't let her love somebody else; I want to be her whole world, like she is mine. Please, don't let her heart be hardened to me when I come back.... or even if I come back." THe rusty tom sighed and loooked down at an old almost-gone stream. In it, he saw a stone, polished to reveal hreads of sediment in it's golden golor. He picked it up and studied it further. It was quite beautiful.

Reedsplash woke up. "Son? What are you doing?"

"Oh, I uh...." He dropped the stone. "Nothing, just getting a drink."

"Good, you'll need all your strength; we're gonna be going farther today."

Rustheart sighed, lapped some water and followe his dad.

Whitestorm walked in, raising his broad head to the sky. He sighed, and closed his eyes, trying to push back the fear that turned his blood cold. He didn't want to live in this cruel world anymore, and if he accepted it he would die peacefully. He opened his eyes and walked further, down towards a small stream that cut through the ground. Despite how small it was, he noticed that was deep, about as tall as him, he figured, and got closer. He peered down the shore, then found a heavy rock and picked it up in his paws. Closing his eyes, he fixed his grip on the rock and jumped in the stream, not even attempting to swim.

Water began to fill his nose and lungs, and he sputtered, but continued to stay still, waiting for the water to swallow him. Darkness began to wash over him, filling his head and running through his veins. His eyelids began to close as he watched a shadow cross over the water, and a splash lulled him closer to the darkness.

The black cat swam towards him, hissing in annoyance as it plunged under the water after him. Gripping the fur onthe back of Whitestorm's neck, the cat hurtled its self towards the surface, swimming powerfully towards the bank and pulling Whitestorm up onto it.

Leopardclimb ran to him, screaming. "WHITESTORM!" she shrieked. Her wounds still stung, but had healed enough that they wouldn't tear. Her heavy shoulder muscles forced her to a halt at the bank. "Whitestorm?!" she meowed, knowing all too well that she may have lost him.

The black cat dropped Whitestorm gently onto the bank, and rolled him onto his back. Placing his paws on the tom's chest, he pushed a few times, trying to pump the water out of his lungs. "He'll be fine. He should be breathing normally again." The cat mewed, watching as water bubbled from Whitestorm's lips.

Leopardclimb watched anxiously.

Rustheart walked out to the plain. He stopped at his father's grave, tears in his eyes. "If only I had been there for you, dad." he whispered. Anguish weighed heavily on his shoulders as he remembered his last time with Reedsplash.

After a minute or so, Whitestorm's eyes snapped open. He opened his jaws to say something, but a moment later he rolled over and vomited up a mouthful of water.

The black tom stepped back, watching with red eyes.

Leopardclimb jumped on him and held him fast, scared to let him go. THen she looked up at the black cat. "Who are you?"

(gtg)

"I'm Shark," the tom replied, staring down at them.

Whitestorm coughed, looking up at Leopardclimb. "..whaa?"

(Kk, bye)

She licked his cheek then gave Shark a greatful purr.

Shark turned, dissapearing in the bushes with a soft rustle.

Whitestorm blinked, shaking water from his ears.

Leopardclimb continued to hold on to Whitestorm, not  wanting to lose him. Her throat had started to bleed a little, but she didn't care.

He noticed her bleeding wounds, and gently rasped his tongue over the wound.

She choked out a purr. Leopard burried her tan face in his pale fur, hiding the tears that threatened to come forward.

He wrapped his forepaws around her, hugging her tightly. "I want to leave, Leopardclimb. The clan." he whispered, pressing his muzzle against her neck.

Palefur nodded, looking over the grass.  Nothing looked or smelled suspicious, yet.

Palefur searched with the others and they went deeper into the loner plains.