Warriors: Fire and Ice

Chapter 4

It had been three moons since Icepaw had been apprenticed, and in those three moons she hadn't gone to the Gathering once. Hopefully she was chosen today.

The she-cat glanced up. The sun would be setting in no time, but perhaps she had enough time to catch a mouse or two, maybe even a squirrel enjoying the sun's warmth.

It was now greenleaf, and prey was flourishing. However, her brother seemed more boisterous and stronger than ever - yesterday in training, he's almost knocked her over with a single paw. Icepaw felt weaker too; maybe that was why she thought he had suddenly turned so strong?

The she-cat wondered if she wasn't eating enough prey, but that couldn't be a reason. She ate more than she had in newleaf.

Icepaw heard pawsteps coming towards her and spotted Smokepaw. His eyes were bright with excitement. "Our warrior assessments are in half a moon!" he squealed like a kit and Icepaw rolled her eyes. "Good for you."

Smokepaw continued like she hadn't spoken. "We'll get our warrior names if we succeed. What do you think mine will be?"

"Smokemousebrain," muttered Icepaw, but Smokepaw didn't hear her. "Maybe I'll get a cool name like Smokeheart, or Smokefoot," he said excitedly. "Lightningfoot's my mentor because Oakstar thought I was fast, so Smokefoot would suit. Or Smokebreeze."

At that moment, Featherclaw's voice rang out. "The cats going to the gathering will be..."

Icepaw held her breath.

"...Lightningfoot, Birchfrost, Snowtail, Spiderfoot..."

Please pick me!

"...Cloudspot, Lilyfur, Dewnose, Willowfur, Skyflame, Smokepaw-"

"Yes!" came a hiss from beside Icepaw.

"-Larkpaw, Icepaw and Flamepaw."

Icepaw felt jubilant. She raced over to her brother, nearly knocking him off his paws despite his 'extra strength'. "We're going to the Gathering!"

His eyes were sparkling with delight. "I can't believe it. Finally, after all this time..."

Spiderfoot padded over to then, his eyes warm. "You might want to rest," he advised. "We leave at sundown."

*****

Icepaw blinked blearily as a paw rested on her flank and shook gently. "Time to go to the Gathering," whispered Larkpaw, amber eyes filled with excitement. "Everyone else is already up."

Icepaw slowly sat up. She gulped as she spotted her ruffled, unkept pelt. "I have to clean myself up first."

"Then hurry!" urged Larkpaw, anxiously glancing towards the entrance. "Oakstar's ready to leave."

Icepaw swiftly groomed her pelt, trying to flatten the tufty patches of fur. She tugged at a scrap of moss clinging to her shoulder.

"I think I'm set," Icepaw glanced around the den; it was empty. "Has Flamepaw already gone out?"

"He's acting like the deputy," Larkpaw purred. "He'd make a great leader."

Icepaw snorted in laughter. "I doubt it."

As they padded out of the den, moonlight struck Icepaw's pelt, and she puffed her chest out, proud of the way it glowed silver. Flamepaw strutted up to her, his own usually-fox-red pelt shining grey in the light of the full moon.