Icestar's Rise

Chapter 6

Icepaw watched as Darkpaw tried hopelessly to swing from a branch onto the ground where an enemy would be. He kept losing his balnce and making a lot of noise. "Come on Darkpaw!" Toadstep sighed shaking his head. "Dig your front claws into the branch and then as your back legs are swinging down let go," Darkpaw nodded and tried again, but he landed on his side.

Oakstripe got up from where he sat next to Icepaw and walked over to Darkpaw. Oakstripe gave him a scrutinizing look and he walked over to Toadstep. "Why don't we have Icepaw try a few times? Rainpaw too," Rainpaw was sitting with Whitewing and he gave Icepaw a wierd look. Icepaw shrugged and walked over to the tree. "Icepaw, I want you to try the move a couple of times."

Icepaw nodded and placed her front paws on the tree. She pushed herself up with her hind legs and climbed as to the first branch. "She's not gonna do it," she heard Rainpaw sneer from below. Icepaw walked out on the branch placing each paw in front of the other. Icepaw dug her front claws in and when she dropped her claws slipped and she landed awkwardly. Rainpaw snickered and Whitewing looked at her with concern. Darkpaw gave her a pity look and Oakstripe looked annoyed and slightly disappointed in her. Icepaw ran back over to the tree and climbed up. She was going to get this right even if it took her all morning. 

Toadstep was trying not to look smug. "Why don't you wait until your older and bigger. This is a more advanced move after all," Icepaw growled and dug her long claws in as deep as she could without getting them stuck. Icepaw jumped down and swung. Icepaw let go at the last second and landed directly on Rainpaw. She stood over him with one paw on his throat. 

"You owe me three squirrels!" Oakstripe said to Toadstep. "I told you my apprentice could get the move before yours!" he bragged.

Toadstep mumbled something and everyone went back to camp except Icepaw and Darkpaw.  "How in Starclan's name were youo able to get that move done so fast?" Darkpaw growled as he stood over Icepaw. Icepaw shrank back in fear and surprise. "Stay here!" he ordered. Darkpaw climbed up the tree and Icepaw sat there dumbfounded. Darkpaw performed the move perfectly and knocked over Icepaw roughly with unsheathed claws. Icepaw felt blood on her flank and roll down one cheek. Darkpaw realized what he had just done and backed away from Icepaw.

"Why did you do that?" Icepaw whimpered. "I just watched you do it and then I tried it myself. I was sick of the doubt coming from Toadstep and Rainpaw. I also don't like disappointing my mentor."

Darkpaw still looked upset. "Doesn't mean you have to be a showoff!" he snapped. Darkpaw visibly relaxed and sat next to Icepaw. He licked the blood off of her and wrapped his tail around hers. "I didn't mean it. I was just frustrated that I couldn't get that move," Icepaw relaxed and put her head on Darkpaw's shoulder. "Come on. They'll be wanting us back at camp."

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Icepaw was stuck cleaning out the elder's den all afternoon. She was clawing the dirty moss together when she heard Sandstorm talking to Bramblekit and Hawkkit. "She looked like a cat sent by the Dark Forest to destroy us. Her claws were stretched out as long as Tigerstar's and when I looked at her eyes I thought I was looking at his eyes. She looked as fierce and deadly as Brokenstar. Scars that she doesn't even have appeared on her pelt. The strangest part is she was threatening to kill a Shadowclan apprentice if she ever came near and harmed any kits," Sandstorm was describing what happened at the gathering a few nights ago. Icepaw felt the fur along her spine prickle as she told the kits how every cat seemed to want to run in terror. Icepaw gathered the bad moss and rushed out of the elders den into the forest. She lay down crying at the base of a tree.

"What's wrong?" a voice asked. Icepaw looked up to see Ponypaw and Honeypaw. Honeypaw was the one that had asked.

Icepaw sniffed and looked at the ground. "Was I really that bad at the gathering?" she asked afraid of the answer. Honeypaw and Ponypaw shared a look.

Ponypaw sat down and gave Icepaw a sad look. "We thought that you were going to kill our sister right then and there. We figured that because the moon was shining that it was what Starclan wanted. After Thunderclan left every cat that fought in the Dark Forest battle looked terrified. Blackstar looked like he had seen Tigerstar or Brokenstar. I'm sorry Icepaw," Honeypaw walked up to Icepaw and gave her ear a comforting lick.

Icepaw gave the two a half smile and got up. "I have to go back to my clan now. Thanks for making me feel better!"

Honeypaw waved her tail and Ponypaw nodded to her. Icepaw collected some fresh moss on the way back to camp and headed for the elder's den. As she was laying out the new moss she noticed her clan mates whispering and staring at her. Icepaw flattened her ears self-consciously. She then walked over to Purdy who was laying very still. His fur felt cold and he smelt like death. Icepaw let out a shriek and Cloudtail came running over. When he saw Purdy dead he stopped and looked shocked. "Get Bramblestar!" he ordered. "Tell him, Squirrelflight, and Crowfeather what happened."

Icepaw ran over to the nursery and looked in. Squirrelfight was there with Bramblestar and Scorchkit. "What is it Icepaw?" Squirrleflight asked noticing the shock and sadness on Icepaw's face.

Icepaw was fighting back tears as she pointed her tail at the elder's den. "Purdy died," she chocked out. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar ran out of the nursery and Icepaw ran out to find Crowfeather. She found Crowfeather with Thornclaw, Hazeltail, and Stormpaw. "Crowfeather! Purdy's dead!" Icepaw sobbed as she ran over to him. Crowfeather's eyes went wide and he ran as fast as any Windclan cat through the trees back to camp. Thornclaw and the others looked worried for Crowfeather. Icepaw ran back to camp and saw that Purdy's body had been laid in the clearing. Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, Crowfeather, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather were sitting next to Purdy's body with their noses pressed into his fur. Icepaw felt her heart ache as she looked at the one cat that never tried to pressure her because she was Dovewing's daughter.

"He can join Mousefur and Longtail in Starclan now," she heard Bramblestar whisper. Squirrelfight and the others nodded. 

Icepaw ran to out into the forest and ran into Oakstripe. "Sorry Oakstripe. I couldn't stand looking at Purdy actually dead."

Oakstripe nodded his head and Icepaw walked away. "Icepaw!" Oakstripe called. Icepaw turned to look at her mentor. "Don't get too attached. Anyone could betray you, kill you or die at any time."