Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 2)

Chapter One

"Fox-dung!" Swore Icepaw as he angrily watched a trout swim away quickly. "I almost had it!"

"It's okay, Icepaw." Comforted his sister, Softpaw. "You'll get it next time, I know it." She meowed, prodding him with a wet paw.

The tom said nothing, only gazing at the two fish his sister had caught before he had ever caught one. His one small carp lay motionless beside him and he groaned.

"I hear more chatting than fishing!" Hollered Blizzardgaze, Softpaw's mentor. The large pale golden tabby was watching them closely, making sure they were catching prey instead of goofing off.

Softpaw ducked her head to her mentor in embarrassment. "Sorry, Blizzardgaze!" She called back and returned to her spot by the stream, sending her unsuccessful brother a sympathetic glance over her shoulder.

Turning his frustrated gaze back to the now still water, Icepaw concentrated and when a bass came by, flung out a paw. With his weight thrown out, Icepaw flew into the water, screeching with fear.

"Help! Help!" He cried, flailing his paws for his sister or her mentor to see him. "I can't swim yet!" Icepaw wailed, seeing Blizzardgaze plunge into the water just as his head went underwater and everything went black.

**********

"Icepaw?" A familiar voice roused Icepaw from his fitful sleep. "Icepaw!"

"L-Liondapple?" Croaked the half-drowned apprentice as his eyes opened. His mother was laying beside him, curled around her son as if he were still a kit.

"You're lucky you didn't drown, Icepaw." Meowed the medicine cat, Wildthorn. "Blizzardgaze caught you before you could be swept downstream."

"Yes," Liondapple mewed, nodding in agreement as she licked Icepaw's head. "You'll need to thank your sister's mentor next time you see him."

"How is my son?" Asked Wolffur, his father as he poked his tabby head into the den.

"He'll live all the same, Wolffur." Replied Wildthorn, nodding to the senior warrior before turning away to sort through some strange smelling herbs.

Wolffur shifted his warm gaze onto his son and mate, sitting down and drawing a paw to his muzzle, licking it, and wiping his ear. "Amberapple, Browntail, Bluegaze, and I need another cat on a patrol to FireClan's border." He meowed casually, tail flicking. "But if you're too tired to go, I'll take Softpaw."

Icepaw leaped to his paws, startling his mother at his sudden burst of energy. "No!" He meowed, standing up straight. The apprentice wasn't very short nor tall, but he did reach Wolffur's shoulder when at his full height.

His father chuckled and rubbed Icepaw's head with a massive paw, messing up the fur. "That's my boy!" He purred and flicked his tail, rising to his paws. "Come on, now!"

Icepaw laughed as his father charged out of the den, racing after him. When he caught up with him, Icepaw leaped onto his father's back and pinned him to the ground.

Wolffur cackled in laughter and scooped up a pawful of snow, rubbing it in Icepaw's face.

"Wolffur! Icepaw!" Called the amused voice of Amberapple, watching them with an amused look in her eyes. "Time to go, not play!"

"Sorry, Amberapple!" Meowed Icepaw, getting off his father and shaking the snow from his face. When Wolffur got up, the two toms padded over to the rest of the amused-looking patrol.

Padding out of the confines of the camp, the patrol headed for FireClan's border. The two Clans had a somewhat peaceful time since Larchstar was killed and Sweetstar rose to be the leader.

By the time they got to the border, Icepaw's father was sniffing the air. He let out a warning growl and Icepaw watched as his claws unsheathed. "FireClan's scent is all over our side of the border," he growled.

Browntail, who had been padding by the river, came back with an outraged look on her face. "It's fresh, I think they're still here." She reported, tail lashing.

"FireClan!" Yowled an unfamiliar voice, startling Icepaw. "Attack!" At the call, an explosion of bristling cats burst out of the line of trees surrounding the IceClan patrol.

Wolffur snarled at a tortoiseshell she-cat running at him. "Cloverwing!" He spat, the pair clashing with each other. "What is the meaning of this?"

Cloverwing scratched his shoulder and sprang away to avoid a blow to the cheek. "IceClan's scent was all over a rabbit found two days ago," she snapped back.

"Icepaw!" Yowled Bluegaze, who was intertwined in battle with a black tabby tom. "Go to the camp and fetch help!" She ordered before concentrating on fighting off the tom.

With all the screeching battle cats, Icepaw took the opportunity to sprint away towards the direction of the camp.