Icepaw's Heart

Four

Icepaw's tail flicked from side to side, her body pressed to the ground. She knew she was dreaming as the forest was deprived of snow.
"Nightpaw?" she called.
A tall, lean black warrior stood further on in the forest. The warrior flicked his tail, beckoning Icepaw to follow him.
Almost instinctively, Icepaw trailed after him. The warrior's white chest splash glowed in the night sky, as he walked along.
Icepaw looked up at him. "Nightpaw?" she asked.
The warrior didn't respond.
"Nightpaw, whatever trick you're playing on me, stop it," she demanded.

***

Icepaw felt something prodding her flank.
"Icepaw?" Nightpaw asked wearily. "Icepaw, you were meowing in your sleep; are you alright?"
Icepaw raised her head. "I'm fine," she insisted. "Just a dream," she added.
Nightpaw flicked his tail. "Okay." He turned around and padded outside, his tail bristling when Palestripe passed.
Icepaw stood up and followed Nightpaw, greeted by Envyclaw and Aidanheart sharing tongues.
Aidanheart nodded his great head in a respectable greeting. Icepaw did the same.
As Icepaw padded across the clearing, she caught sight of Mottledstripe.
"Icepaw," Mottledstripe began. "Echostar would like to see you."
"Oh, okay." She turned direction and padded to the den under Highrock. "Echostar?" she called.
Echostar's head flicked up. "Come on," she insisted, her voice soft.
Icepaw padded through the lichen that hid the leader and sat down not far away from the entrance.
"Icepaw, yesterday, at the Moonstone, StarClan told me something that I didn't understand at first, but now I do," she began. Her eyes began to cloud with worry. "ThunderClan is in danger."
"Why are you telling me?" Icepaw asked. "Surely you'd tell Palestripe?"
Echostar shook her head. "I fear loyalty will make it worse." She answered solemnly.
"What's the threat?" Icepaw asked cautiously.
"I saw a river and a black warrior, tall and lean with sleek fur." Echostar answered. "I remember, before you were born, Nightpaw's mother, Flowerclaw left to join RiverClan." she went on. "I fear Nightpaw may follow her."
But Nightpaw hates RiverClan, Icepaw thought. And I saw a warrior like Nightpaw in the forest! "Nightpaw loves it in ThundetClan!" She insisted.
Echostar nodded. "But what if Nightpaw wants to be with whatever family he has left?" she asked.
He has all he wants here! Icepaw told herself desperately. "Nightpaw wouldn't leave the ThunderClan forest for somewhere he doesn't know; he's too shy." She persisted.
Echostar nodded. "Please, Icepaw, make sure he stays loyal to ThunderClan," she half begged half ordered.
How dare you question Nightpaw's loyalty, she thought agitatedly. Icepaw nodded respectfully, backing out of Echostar's den.

Icepaw padded to where Goldpaw and Shadowpaw were tumbling and tussling under the watch of Nani, and elder that used to live at the barn with Aidanheart and Keithpaw.
Icepaw nodded her head in greeting to the wise cat. Nani returned the greeting.
"Goldpaw, did you see where Nightpaw went?" She asked.
Goldpaw stopped play fighting with Shadowpaw and looked up at Icepaw. "He said he was going to Sunning-rocks," the gold tom answered.
Fear filtered through Icepaw. She raced out of the gorse tunnel and sprang up to a ledge on the ravine-side, heaving herself up and up until she was in the forest.
Icepaw raced down the forest until she finally reached Sunning rocks. "Nightpaw!" she called, her sides heaving from running. Nightpaw turned around, his eyes struck with fear. "He-he's gone," he said in shock.
"W-what?" Icepaw asked, her heart beating fast from the edging fear.
"I-I saw Palestripe and Enzoclaw, then s-she dragged Enzoclaw into the river," he answered.
"Where is Palestripe?" Icepaw demanded.
"She ran back to the camp."
"Nightpaw?" Echostar's voice echoed around them. "What have you done to Enzoclaw?" she demanded.
Nightpaw's tail bristled. Palestripe told Echostar he dragged Enzoclaw into the river!
Icepaw whipped around to face Echostar, Aidanheart, Palestripe, Envyclaw and Mottledstripe. "Nightpaw saw Palestripe drag Enzoclaw into the river!" she hissed.
"That's not what Palestripe told us!" Mottledstripe's voice was covered in grief, he had been close to Enzoclaw after all.