Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 2)

Chapter Three

"Help! DawnClan ambushed us at the border!" Yowled Icepaw as he burst into the clearing, surprising the cats in the clearing at the moment. "We need help!"

Vixenflame, the deputy, leaped up from her spot beside Bravetimber, her claws unsheathed. "Emberpelt, Birdfall, Shellpetal, and Bramblestorm, let's go!"

"F-follow me! Hurry!" Icepaw meowed and raced out of the camp, the others on his tail. The six cats hurried to the screeches of battle and leaped at the attackers.

Skidding to a halt and looking around, Icepaw began to panic. Browntail was bleeding heavily from a slash on her shoulder and above her eye. Bluegaze was on the ground, breathing hard as Wolffur was grappling with the same black tabby that the she-cat below him was fighting with.

Emberpelt screeched in rage and flew at Cloverwing, claws striking her cheek as she pounced at the moment her opponent was stunned.

Shellpetal and Birdfall were shoving the black tabby away from an exhausted Wolffur, who got Bluegaze onto his bleeding shoulders and fled into the forest.

Icepaw flicked his ear at the sound of a yowl of pain and saw Amberapple watching a white she-cat racing away with a nasty wound on her hind leg.

"FireClan!" Called the black tom, tail lashing. "Retreat!" He grasped a ginger tabby she-cat by the scruff and dragging her away.

Cloverwing snarled and slashed Emberpelt's cheek. She looked over her shoulder and hissed. "Driftshade! What are you doing?"

The tabby, Driftshade, set the injured ginger she-cat down and replied. "This battle is over, cats do not need to die." He nosed under his hurt Clanmate and raced away with Cloverwing on his tail.

Browntail staggered to her paws, eyes burning with pain and exhaustion. "That could've gone worse," panted the she-cat, turning her green gaze to Icepaw. "We wouldn't have won had you not gotten help, Icepaw. Thank you, Wolffur and Liondapple will be thrilled."

The tom ducked his head, ears burning at the thought of his parents cheering about his frantic and sloppy attempt to save his patrol. "T-thanks, Browntail." He mewed, tail flicking.

Bramblestorm lifted Amberapple on his back, eyes gleaming with worry and anger. "Come on," he ordered, angling his ears to the trees as he headed in that direction. "Froststar will need to hear about this as much as the others."

**********

"What happened, Browntail?" Demanded Froststar, her eyes ablaze as she, Vixenflame, Browntail, Wolffur, and Icepaw sat in her den.

The dilute calico she-cat, who was patched with herbs and cobwebs, winced as she looked at her leader. "FireClan patrol led by Cloverwing caught us in an ambush by the river just on the border." She meowed, tail lashing. "Their scent was all over our side and fresh, we fell right into their paws."

Vixenflame twitched an ear, though Icepaw could tell the fair-minded deputy was furious. "Sweetstar wouldn't just let her deputy attack another patrol with an apprentice on their own land." She meowed carefully, giving Icepaw a glance.

"But they did!" Snarled Wolffur, who was sitting with his son, pelt bristled into spikes. The senior warrior refused Wildthorn's care and insisted he tends to the other injured cats in the unprovoked attack.

Froststar looked at Vixenflame and sighed, shifting her gaze to her paws, deep in thought. After a few heartbeats, she spoke. "I know that Sweetstar is a fine leader," she began, choosing each word carefully. "The Gathering is coming up, I will bring it up then."

"But, Froststar!" Protested Wolffur, who had jumped to his paws. "Bluegaze and Amberapple are nearly dead and Browntail was lucky not to be trapped in the medicine den! We must defend our honor!"

The black and white leader fixed him with a stern look, quieting him down. "My decision is final, Wolffur. I know Sweetstar would never purposely send an attack on any cat with the intention to kill."

"Yes, Froststar." Muttered Icepaw's father, leaving the den with a growl.

Icepaw pondered the thought of the FireClan leader. He shot to his paws, startling the cats around him. "The patrol did look thin," he meowed suddenly. "Think about this: A FireClan patrol attack us, a Clan with the most prey in Leafbare. The forest runs out of prey in this season, they must be starving and that they badly need prey."

Vixenflame stared at him in astonishment, while Froststar looked thoughtful. "He's right," meowed the deputy, turning to her leader. "All our prey comes from the rivers, streams, ponds, and lake. FireClan relies on their forest for prey, it would make sense for them to attack us to try and get more food."

"You're right, Vixenflame." Froststar meowed, looking at Icepaw with pride, to which he relished. "Great job, Icepaw." She meowed and flicked her tail to dismiss him. 

Rising to his paws, Icepaw left the den feeling proud of himself. He had figured out that FireClan badly needed prey, but they will pull through. Icepaw knew that much.