Edited ✔️

Icepaw touched his nose to his mother's dead body. Featherbreeze's features stood out perfectly under the moonlight. Her brilliant light gray fur was as radiant as the stars. She was still as soft as he first felt it when he was kitted. I will miss you, Featherbreeze.

If only Shadowheart said we could retreat before the attack, you'd still be alive. He casted a look of hatred to Shadowheart. He was waiting to pay his respects to Featherbreeze, and so were other cats. Ripplefur was the second cat, because she had to come in and out of her den quickly to not spread the sickness. Spottedkit lay quiet and peaceful, deep in sleep in the nursery.

He looked over to her.

Ripplefur caught his eyes, and gave him a warm glance of sympathy. Icepaw sighed, ignoring it, and walked in another direction, away from every cat. A few were staring at him. Dewpaw and Sparrowheart were paying their respects to his mother now, and he knew they were not as sad as he. They never saw it happen.

Icepaw looked up to the sky, at Silverpelt. There were so many stars. . . he wondered which one could be Featherbreeze? He kept his gaze to where StarClan resided, until he felt a presence coming from behind him. Icepaw turned, to see Brightstar behind him.

"Icepaw," she greeted. "I must talk with you, if you may . . ."

Icepaw sighed, not wanting to talk to anyone. But she was MoonClan's leader. "Okay," replied Icepaw. At the same time, he wondered what she wanted to talk about.

"Follow me," ordered the leader softly, beginning to pad to her den. Icepaw realized that the white she-cat with gray stripes was watching what she was saying, not to sound too harsh or mean to upset him. He appreciated that Brightstar was trying to be kind.

Icepaw reluctantly followed her into her den, wishing he were all alone in MoonClan territory right now. She sat onto her nest, and Icepaw sat near her. There was a short silence, until Icepaw broke the peace. "What is it, Brightstar?"

Brightstar sighed, and looked down to Icepaw. "According to Vinetail," she began, "Ashtail's wounds are severe. There's a chance he might never be mobile again, not for a long time."

Icepaw almost coughed and choked on his breath. "What?!" First, his mother, and now his mentor?

Brightstar licked Icepaw's ear. "I am sorry . . . you two are close, I know that," she said. "He's been there for you every day since you were an apprentice, and I tresure him too. He's a wonderful warrior of MoonClan. But Ashtail is in no shape to mentor you anymore."

Icepaw looked to the ground of her den and whimpered a little. "Not him too . . ." murmured Icepaw. "What about his kin?"

"He doesn't have close kin . . . so I figured the first cat to tell would be you," she said. "When he was an apprentice both his parents died. And he was born a single kit. The next cats to tell are his friends. I'm just hoping for the best for him."

Icepaw felt bitter. "Thank you for telling me." It was sad news indeed. "Who will be my new mentor?"

Brightstar sighed. "I don't know yet. Sparrowheart is in no condition to discuss about it yet, so your training will be shared by Adderclaw, Fireshade and Mousetail." She looked outside the den. "I've told them already."

"M-may I be excused?" he asked.

Brightstar nodded, and led Icepaw out of the den. As soon as he was out, he burst into a run, pushing past those in the way. He wanted to be alone. Icepaw dashed out of the entrance of the camp, and ran through MoonClan's forest, as fast as his paws could take him.

Icepaw wanted to yowl with grief. He wanted to grieve for his mother and mentor and even his friend, Ripplefur. Her and her kit being sick did not help his emotions. Behind him, he could see someone chasing him.

"Icepaw!" the voice yowled. It sounded like Volepaw. "Hey, Icepaw, come back!"

Icepaw turned, and noticed the pawsteps getting louder. He had to get out of here. He didn't want to be followed by anyone, especially his Clanmates right now. All he wanted to be is alone! Icepaw leapt onto a tree, and began to swiftly climb up. He hauled himself up a branch, using all the might of his forepaws. When he could reach, he used his backpaws to get up the rest of the way.

Volepaw stopped right below the tree root, confused. "What? Where did he go?" the apprentice wondered out loud. Icepaw didn't dare move.

Behind him, some other cat walked up. It was Shadowheart. This was more of a reason why Icepaw didn't go down. Shadowheart cast a quick glance up the tree, but then turned to Volepaw, sighing. "He's gone."

Volepaw sighed too. "C'mon, let's go tell Brightstar. It's not safe for Icepaw to be out at this time of day, especially alone!"

Shadowheart nodded of agreement, and they both began to trot back. Icepaw watched them. Good riddance, he thought. He sighed and looked up to the moon, a single crescent in the sky, which was at it's highest position.

Icepaw looked down from his thick branch, and decided not to travel by the forest floor. He leaped to the next branch on the tree he was on, and took a daring jump to the next oak. Icepaw held on to the branches hard with his sharp claws, hoping to StarClan that he doesn't fall.

Then, Icepaw traveled to the next branch, getting away from MoonClan faster and faster. Each leap he took, the thought of getting revenge grew more and more in his mind. He realized he was going towards DarkClan's border. He must be at a good distance from his Clan now.

Slowly and cautiously, Icepaw climbed down from his tree, his paws aching a bit from all the leaping. But he wasn't done traveling yet. DarkClan was just ahead. Icepaw darted into the bushes, feeling like he heard something. He was right, two DarkClan cats walked by, most likely patrolling the area where his mother had died.

He wanted to leap out of the bush and tear those two cat's heads off, but he knew he stood no chance against them. Icepaw growled to himself a tiny bit, and preceded on, right over the DarkClan border. The moment he crossed the scent-line, his heart was pounding in his head.

A small voice spoke to him. Don't do it, Icepaw! it said. That voice sounded so familiar.

Oh, but I have to! I will avenge my mother, Featherbreeze. You did not deserve to die! These stupid fox-hearted DarkClan cats should all die miserable and painful deaths! the MoonClan apprentice thought.

Icepaw, this is not like you! that same voice said again. He realized it was the voice of a she-cat.

Icepaw shook his head from the thought, wanting to yell out loud to the voice: But Featherbreeze is dead! She never deserved to die! Everything DarkClan did to MoonClan is against the warrior code!

He stopped crouching from his spot in the undergrowth. He was running out of spaces to hide—he didn't know that DarkClan territory was so open. Icepaw made a run for it, not knowing for sure where he was really going. He wished that he knew his way around DarkClan territory like he did with MoonClan's.

DarkClan seemed endless.

Icepaw wanderer around for who knows long now. The moon was drowning down into the trees, and Icepaw really badly wanted to shut his eyes and sleep cozy in his nest again. MoonClan must be worried about him. Some part of him regretted charging out of his Clan like that but most parts of him still wanted revenge.

It seemed strange to him though that he couldn't find the camp, or at least one cat at the very least.

This territory is huge! thought Icepaw. What did they even attack us for? They've stolen some of our territory, some of our prey, but it looks like they don't need to. The more Icepaw found out about DarkClan, the more confused he became.

He was thinking as he padded along, keeping completely to himself.

Flamepaw told him that DarkClan cats didn't know parts of the warrior code. DarkClan territory is like the size of two territories put into one, and just yesterday he fought an apprentice four moons old. Nothing was adding up.

Icepaw stopped for a moment to take a quick rest in the nearest bush he found. For the moment he was there, he decided that killing an experienced DarkClan warrior for revenge was too much to take for his small apprentice paws. Right now, the best he could do was find out more of DarkClan's secrets.

Icepaw took a deep breath before padding tiredly out of the bush again. His eyes longed for sleep and his paws longed for rest. As Icepaw walked on, a scent began to rise in his nose. A cat came close before he could react, and this cat definitely spotted him. Icepaw's claws unsheathed and he hissed.

"Who are you?" he demanded. The cat slowly padded over.

"Icepaw!" a familiar voice said. It was Flamepaw. "Why are you here? This is DarkClan territory!"

Icepaw snarled. "What? Are you going to kill me for trespassing, just like you killed my mother, for trespassing into MoonClan?"

Flamepaw flinched. "Wait . . . what?" he asked. "I don't know what you are talking about!"

Icepaw growled lower. "I overheard DarkClan cats saying that they were gonna fight to kill cats on the MoonClan patrol. And just when we thought we won from being attacked on our own territory, more DarkClan cats came. My mentor was hurt, my mother was killed! You were there!"

Flamepaw shook his head. "I didn't touch any of your Clanmates," he said. "I was there, but I hid. I did not want to fight a pointless battle. And . . . sorry about your mentor. . . . especially your mother." He dipped his head in respect to the MoonClan apprentice.

Icepaw opened his mouth to respond, but then stopped himself there. How could he respond?

"Come on," said Flamepaw. "Some cat could come. I know a place where we could hide."

Icepaw nodded as Flamepaw turned and began to walk away. Somehow, he knew he could trust Flamepaw. He'd been so good to him so far, and he wasn't like his Clanmates. Maybe this is the only DarkClan cat Icepaw could trust. It was also a chance to get into the secrets of his Clan.

He took a deep breath and continued to follow Flamepaw. Soon, they ended right to a large tree that towered over the other trees. "C'mon, follow me up. It's another one of my secret places," Flamepaw said.

"Oh . . . okay," said Icepaw, leaping onto a tree branch. He hesitated before leaping on the branch after the DarkClan apprentice. He was lucky that there were no DarkClan warrior cats around, or he'd be in huge trouble. Perhaps there'd be a life-threatening situation, or he would escape to MoonClan with a whole bunch of killers following him to attack the heart of the Clan.

Flamepaw disappeared inside the leaves of the tree, making a slight rattle noise before coming out of sight. Icepaw followed him, safely in the shelter of the leaves now. But Flamepaw was nowhere in sight. "Flamepaw?" asked Icepaw in a low voice.

He looked around for a second, until the DarkClan apprentice popped out of a small hole in the tree. "Come on, in here," he whispered, "before a patrol comes!"

Icepaw nodded and followed Flamepaw closely, his nose touching the apprentice's tail so he wouldn't loose him again. He crouched down into the small hole in the large tree, and walked through, making Icepaw wonder what was inside. Just as he entered, he realized it was only a tree hollow.

Flamepaw sighed and sat down. "If we keep our voices down, we won't be caught," he said.

"Fine," Icepaw muttered. There was a silence for a second, until Icepaw growled again. "What is DarkClan living off of?"

Flamepaw flinched. "What?"

"I fought a four moon old apprentice yesterday," he said, "and you admitted yourself that DarkClan doesn't follow part of the warrior code. And they kill. I need answers." A list of these thoughts traveled through his head again.

He could barely see Flamepaw's face against the dark tree. "There is nothing to be said if you want to meddle into my Clan's business," he growled in response.

Icepaw wanted to force answers out of Flamepaw, but he knew he had to just push him. "But real warriors don't kill, and we let the warrior code rule our heats," answered Icepaw. "I need to know—to set things right. Featherbreeze is dead." His head looked down to his paws. "I won't let more of my Clanmates die."

Flamepaw sighed. "DarkClan won't listen to you, so nothing is to be set right either," responded the apprentice.

That vision I had that day when Flamepaw saved me from drowning . . . did it have to do with DarkClan? Icepaw looked up. "But maybe if you try, as Sandstar's apprentice, you can change their ways." His eyes looked pleading, and he leaned forward a bit. "Flamepaw . . . the darkness was never meant to be."

"And two cats high and proud will lead and destroy," sided Flamepaw. "Do you think I don't know about the prophecy?"

Icepaw gasped. "The what?"

"The darkness was never meant to be and two cats high and proud will lead and destroy," answered Flamepaw. "The prophecy about leadership and destruction."

Icepaw's eyes widened. That means the darkness is rising, isn't it? he thought. I have to protect MoonClan! I have to tell somebody . . . but who?

Flamepaw's tail twitched. "Something terrible is going to happen," he continued. "That's all I really do know about it, but that is all the information I am willing to give. Facts about DarkClan are off-limits." The apprentice's amber eyes blazed.

"But what if I tell you the warrior code?" asked Icepaw. "Maybe . . . you will accept it, and will share it with your Clan? Things could be set right, you know."

Flamepaw sighed. "It's just that . . . there are things that shouldn't be known. Goodbye Icepaw." And with that, Flamepaw climbed out of the tree hollow, and into the open back into DarkClan. "Run upwind from this tree and you'll meet your borders soon." Flamepaw leaped down from his tree, leaving Icepaw completely alone.

I . . . I can't believe this! I thought Flamepaw was my friend! thought Icepaw. Why is StarClan taking everything away from me now? Life use to be simple and happy, but now I know things are changing. And there is no way to stop it.

* * *

Icepaw's paws ached by the time he reached MoonClan's borders again. But he knew he couldn't stop walking just yet. He had to get somewhere safe before he returned back to camp, and he knew he'd be in serious trouble.

His stomach rumbled deeply. Icepaw felt that it hurt! He hadn't eaten much yesterday, and nothing today as well. The faster he would get to MoonClan, the better. But suddenly, a twig cracked behind him. He turned quickly, and saw a DarkClan she-cat behind him.

"What were you doing on my territory?" she demanded with a growl.

Icepaw didn't stop walking. "And what are you doing on MoonClan's territory, huh?"

"Well, getting to you of course," she said, padding a bit closer. "Oh, wait, aren't you that cat's son that I killed? Wasn't her name . . . Featherbreeze?"

Icepaw stopped in his tracks. This was the she-cat that killed Featherbreeze! He turned to her. "How dare you!" he growled, leaping at her without a warning and pinning her down.

No, Icepaw! Don't do it! You had enough battles for a day, didn't you? the same she-cat voiced in his mind. Please, don't get yourself hurt!

Icepaw ignored the voice and kept the she-cat pinned down to the ground. "You killed Featherbreeze! I will make you pay!" he growled, unsheathing his claws onto her neck. He buried them deep into her flesh. "You took away someone dear to me!"

"Featherbreeze killed a Clanmate of mine, too!" she spat back. "I simply got my revenge!"

"But you would've killed her anyways!" hissed Icepaw. "I hate you!" His claws went deeper, and just by the sound of it, more cats were coming.

The she-cat kicked Icepaw over and bit down hard onto his tail, making him cry with utter pain. He yanked it free, turned to her, and leaped again, raking his claws down her back brutally. Her claws raked him as well, and it stung so much!

Icepaw staggered back, growling with so much might. Just then, a MoonClan patrol ran out from the undergrowth and into the clearing. Before him stood Shadowheart, Sparrowheart, Dewpaw and Dawnpaw. They must be a search patrol, by the looks of it. He shot them a glance before turning right back to the she-cat.

"Oh, your little friends came to help you finish me off, I see! Well, go ahead! I'm not stopping any cat from killing me!" she said with a rough voice.

"This is our battle, you and me!" returned Icepaw. "Give me your best."

The she-cat's eyes widened with craze. "With pleasure!" she hissed, charging forward and bashing her head into Icepaw's chest. He coughed, some blood running down his mouth. He ignored it and growled harder, going at her himself. The she-cat was about to claw him, but he leaped, twisting in midair and landed on her back, clawing down hard so that she wouldn't throw him off.

She yowled with anger, and Sparrowheart darted forward. "Icepaw!" he cried, "I'm coming!"

Shadowheart stepped in front of Sparrowheart. "Stop, you can't change what's about to happen, Sparrowheart. This is Fallentail and Icepaw's fight."

So her name is Fallentail, thought Icepaw.

Fallentail leaped into the air, half of a back flip, and landed right on her back on top of Icepaw. The wind was knocked out of him, and a warm fuzzy feeling came into his chest and lungs as he struggled for air. But as soon as she got off of him, Icepaw forced himself to recover. He must win this battle!

Dewpaw, in the background, was fidgeting like crazy. His tail lashed, his head swung from side to side, and he was shaking. His eyes looked like they craved something. He craves to fight, too. He craves to know her battle moves, thought Icepaw.

He took a deep breath and looked at her in the eye. "I'm going to kill you," he said to her in a low voice.

"Come on," she spat. "Don't say things that are not true."

Icepaw snarled. "I don't lie."

Once more, he went after her. He raked down her face, like he did yesterday with another DarkClan warrior, and she hissed with pain, just as her claws hooked his ear. Icepaw gasped as he felt it being torn. He yowled with pain and collapsed on the ground, gasping. It was the same ear that Beetlepaw bit on in their last battle.

I've had it! thought Icepaw with rage. He went after her once more, and knocked her to the ground with all the strength he could muster. She struggled under his grip as he pinned her down hard again. He can't take his time now. Icepaw dived down, biting hard onto Fallentail's neck like he would do to a piece of prey.

She kept struggling, but Icepaw did not let go only until he felt her limp in his jaws. Weak, with now many wounds, Icepaw let go. Blood began to pour around her. Icepaw's legs trembled. He felt weak—weak and satisfied.

Finally at peace, Icepaw collapsed onto the ground, everything around him turning black.