Creekleap

**Creekleap** is a light golden brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

#### Allegiances

Creekpaw is listed under Allegiances as an apprentice of RiverClan, being mentored by Lakesong.

Creekleap is listed under Allegiance Update 1, Allegiance Update 2, Allegiance Update 3, Allegiance Update 4, Allegiance Update 5, Allegiance Update 6, and Allegiance Update 7 as a warrior of RiverClan.

#### Chapter 5

Creekleap is play fighting with his sister, Lilynose. She pins him and tickles his belly as he protests and struggles. Shimmerstar calls them and they break apart as she walks over, her eyes stern but warm as she asks if they're warriors or kits.

Creekleap claims that he's a warrior, but shoots Lilynose a look, adding that he doesn't know if she is. She sticks her tongue out at him. Salmonstripe pads over and purrs that their kits are the best warriors in the clan. Shimmerstar says that as leader, she can't favor any warriors, but admits that if she had to choose, it would be Lilynose, Creekleap, and Salmonstripe. Lilynose and Creekleap purr at her.

Frostedcloud assigns Iceslide to a hunting patrol led by Troutspots, with Creekleap, Lakesong, and Perchstripe. They look at Iceslide expectantly, and he reluctantly joins them. Frostedcloud suggests they take advantage of the river before it freezes over and wishes them good hunting.

While fishing by the river, Iceslide sees Creekleap and Perchstripe arguing over the sizes of their trout. Creekleap boasts that his is bigger, and Perchstripe vows to catch something bigger. He doesn't notice Iceslide sneak away.

#### Chapter 10

When Sunripple wakes up Iceslide during the night, Creekleap is asleep laying on his back, snoring.

#### Chapter 11

Iceslide returns to camp from hunting with Creekleap and Lakesong. They deposit their fish on the fresh kill pile. After Lakesong comments that Iceslide's hunting skills are improving, Creekleap purrs and says it's not bad, his tail in the air as he says they should have a hunting competition sometime.

Iceslide snorts in amusement, noting that he'd definitely lose, as Creekleap is a great hunter.

#### Chapter 12

There are a lot of cats in the camp. It's midday, and many are eating together or deep in conversation. Heartsong and Coralshine are speaking to each other and chuckling.

Creekleap rushes past Iceslide and pads up to them, purring loudly with his tail in the air and holding a fish in his mouth. He greets Heartsong and drops the fish at her paws, saying it's for her. She is amused and asks what for. Creekleap says for being such a great cat, his eyes gleaming as he adds that he'll catch all the fish in the river for her if she'd like.

Heartsong tilts her head and asks "Really?", and he says yes as he starts to back away, adding that she'll have to catch him first. He spins and races out of the camp, and she laughs and bounds after him. Coralshine watches them go and shakes her head, amused.

Iceslide notes that all the couples in the camp aren't helping, and he begins to feel lonely, wishing he were with Violet.

When Iceslide returns to camp with Lilynose's body and rests her in the center of the clearing, Creekleap slowly pads over, his eyes wide as he asks if she's dead. He slowly crouches beside his sister and hangs his head. After Shimmerstar asks Iceslide how this happened, Creekleap and Salmonstripe look at him anxiously.

Creekleap shifts closer to Shimmerstar, and she pulls him close. Maplesky and Otterpelt sit near the family, waiting to prepare Lilynose's body for the vigil.

#### Chapter 13

After the death of Lilynose, Shimmerstar and Salmonstripe are noted to spend more time with Creekleap, and Iceslide can see the desperation in her eyes whenever she looks at her son, afraid of losing him too.

Creekleap is sitting at the side of the clearing, looking at his paws. Heartsong sits beside him, murmuring to him.

Iceslide notes that the loss of Lilynose has effected Creekleap deeply. He is usually funny and playful, but these days he is very sad and quiet. He joins hunting patrols often, but around the camp, he sits around trapped in his grief. The only cat able to cheer him up sometimes is Heartsong. She spends as much time as she can with him to try to take his mind off of his sister.

She presses her head against his shoulder, and Creekleap lets out a small purr, looking at her.

When Shimmerstar calls a clan meeting, Creekleap is sitting with Heartsong. Salmonstripe dips his head to his son before sitting beside him.

#### Chapter 18

Not far from the nursery, Heartsong is sitting with her tail over her paws, her belly round. She has moved into the nursery, expecting Creekleap's kits.

Creekleap notices and races over to her, horrified as he asks her what she's doing outside, as it's cold. She purrs in amusement and says she's fine, and Maplesky and Otterpelt needed room in the nursery. She adds that a little snow isn't going to harm her.

He reaches out and rests his paw on her shoulder, telling her she's freezing. He gently nudges her to her paws, saying their kits will be icicles by the time they arrive. She starts to protest, but Creekleap insists that they're going to the warriors den to his nest where she'll be warm. He guides her toward the den. Heartsong lets out an amused purr as they go inside.

####  Chapter 21

Shorestep, Troutspots, and Creekleap are clearing snow from the clearing.

When Heartsong tries to comfort Cherryberry about Divetail's death, Cherryberry points out that her kits will have a father, Creekleap.

Later that day, Frostedcloud puts Iceslide on a hunting patrol. He notes that Shimmerstar hadn't been kidding about doubling the patrols inside, as Salmonstripe is leading the patrol, and they're joined by Sunripple, Shorestep, Frozenripple, Dipfoot, Risingpaw, Creekleap, and Heronleg.

Hunting is difficult with so many cats trampling about in the snow, so they spread out into smaller groups while staying relatively close to each other.

A quarter moon later, Iceslide is crouched by the side of the clearing eating a mouse when Creekleap shoots past him, and Iceslide jumps, exclaiming "Slow down!"

Creekleap calls over his shoulder and apologizes before disappearing into the nursery. It's noted that just a few days ago, Heartsong gave birth to their kits: Frostkit, Wetkit, and Tansykit. Creekleap has been running around like he's on catnip ever since, visiting his kits as often as possible and making sure that Heartsong has everything she needs.

#### Chapter 23

After the rogues leave, Creekleap says Iceslide's name, and he slowly turns, feeling dazed with shock as he looks at Creekleap, who stares at him with a wary look on his face. Beside him, Troutspots' is lashing his tail slowly.

Creekleap rasps as he asks what "he" meant, and Iceslide realizes with a rush of dread that he overheard some of his conversation with Bone Shred. Creekleap asks if he helped him. Iceslide starts to defend himself when Frostedcloud yowls for help with Shimmerstar.

As the medicine cats hurry over to examine her, Creekleap lets out a cry and runs to join Frostedcloud beside his mother. Creekleap stares at the medicine cats as they press cobwebs to her wounds, asking them to confirm that she has more lives. Maplesky hesitates, as this information usually isn't shared with the clan. He responds quietly that he thinks so, trying to stay calm, but his voice shakes. He says to give her a few moments, and StarClan will bring her back.

When Shimmerstar wakes up, Creekleap licks her head. As she rises, Frostedcloud and Creekleap stay on either side of her in case she falls. As Shimmerstar cries against Salmonstripe's body, Creekleap crouches beside her and presses against her.

When Troutspots claims that Iceslide is a traitor, he says that he heard it himself, and so did Creekleap.

After Iceslide reveals that he led the rogues to the forest, Creekleap calls him an idiot and screeches that he got his father killed.

#### Chapter 25

When Iceslide returns to the RiverClan camp after the attack, he sees Shimmerstar croak Creekleap's name and slump down beside her son's body, pressing her muzzle against his fur and saying "No... Not you too..."

Heartsong cries Creekleap's name and runs from the nursery. She crouches beside Shimmerstar and licks Creekleap's bloody shoulder, letting out a wail of grief.

At the entrance of the nursery, Cherryberry tries to block the kits from seeing their dead father. Frostkit squeaks as he asks what's going on and if Creekleap is hurt. Tansykit anxiously asks why they can't see him, trying to peer over Cherryberry at her father, adding that she wants to see him. Cherryberry doesn't seem to know that to say. She rasps sadly that they need to stay here for now.

The kits slip past her and near Creekleap's body, staring at him with wide wary eyes. They keep a distance as though afraid to get any closer. Wetkit whispers and asks what's wrong with him, looking up at Heartsong and asking why he won't get up. Tansykit cries to Otterpelt that Creekleap is hurt badly. The medicine cat looks over at them numbly, then drops her gaze. Tansykit asks why she won't come. Frostkit takes a wary step toward Creekleap and prods him, his eyes round.

Heartsong looks away, and Shimmerstar rests her tail over her back as she quietly tells the kits that their father hunts with StarClan now. Frostkit stares up at her with wide eyes as he understands what that means. He breaks into a wail and presses his head against Creekleap's flank, and the other kits rush over. As Frostkit, Wetkit, and Tansykit cry over Creekleap's body, it shatters Iceslide's heart. He silently tells them how sorry he is for taking their father away.

Wetkit whimpers as he asks if they can visit him. Heartsong tells him they can't, and he's gone. But he'll always watch over them from StarClan. The kits continue to cry, and Heartsong tells them that they must say goodbye to Creekleap now. Wetkit gives his father a last nuzzle before he slowly turns away and presses his face into Heartsong's fur. Frostkit whispers a goodbye before joining him.

Tansykit is more reluctant. She steps closer to Creekleap's face and whimpers as she rubs her head against his cheek and licks his nose, whimpering that she loves him. She then cries and turns away, her tail drooping.

#### Chapter 26

It's noted that Heartsong had told the clan how Coralshine and Creekleap had fought bravely to defend the nursery. They'd given their lives for the queens and kits.

When Iceslide dreams of standing on the frozen river, he finds himself standing in a thick pool of blood and surrounded by dead bodies. Creekleap is noted to be one of them.

#### Chapter 27

Winterlight hopefully asks Otterpelt if there's anything she can do for Shimmerstar, as she's not herself. Otterpelt hesitates and looks across the clearing at her leader. Shimmerstar has lowered her head and turned to her den, slowly padding inside. Frostedcloud watches her for a moment, then turns away. Otterpelt murmurs that Shimmerstar has lost Salmonstripe, Lilynose, and Creekleap all in a short amount of time, and she feels helpless against Bone Shred. She bears wounds that they cannot see, and no medicine cat can heal those.

#### Chapter 28

When Otterpelt reveals that she foresaw what Iceslide would do, Petalfin cries that Frozenripple and her kits are dead because of him. Tansypaw leaps to her paws and glares at Iceslide, adding "and my father!".

When talking about her decision to fight Bone Shred, Shimmerstar drops her gaze as she says that if she dies, she'll get to be with Salmonstripe and their kits again.

#### Chapter 29

Creekleap is one of the cats that Iceslide thinks about while waiting for Bone Shred to arrive. He silently notes that Creekleap was so fun and playful, and he loved Heartsong and their kits.

## Quotes

"*I'm* a warrior! I don't know about *her* though."

-Creekleap to Shimmerstar about Lilynose in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 5

*"Look at the size of it!"*

-Creekleap boasting to Perchstripe about a trout he caught in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 5

*"Not bad. We should have a hunting competition sometime."*

-Creekleap to Iceslide about his catch in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 11

*"I'll catch all the fish in the river for you if you like."*

-Creekleap to Heartsong in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 12

*"Heartsong! What are you doing outside? It's cold!"*

-Creekleap to Heartsong in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 18

*"See, you're freezing! Great StarClan, our kits will be icicles when they arrive!"*

 -Creekleap to Heartsong in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 18

*"Come on, we're going to the warriors den to my nest where you'll be warm."*

-Creekleap to Heartsong in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 18

*"You idiot! You got my father killed!"*

-Creekleap to Iceslide when he finds out he led the rogues to the forest in *"Beyond the River",* chapter 23