Icepaw growled as the brown furred creature she was stalking ran away. Fustration boiled inside of her. Why couldn't she just get one, just one, single mouse, or any other prey for that matter?
A hefty sigh came from behind her, and Icepaw froze, chilled. Oh no! Her mentor had been watching. What would Havensong say?
"Nice try, Icepaw, I think that's enough for today." That was certainly unexpected. Icepaw shrank from inside. Was Havensong so disappointed in her that she had nothing to say? Was she giving up on her? Icepaw gulped. Hopefully not.
Havensong flicked her long tail at her and nodded to the direction of camp. Icepaw sighed and followed, resigned. Hazelpaw and Slatepaw were going to tease her, she just knew it. Apparently, Havensong read her mind.
"If either Hazelpaw or Slatepaw try to harrass you, just brush it off. They could never do as much as how high you can leap," Havensong said, a slight smile on her lips. Icepaw breamed. Havensong had complimented her. Filled with a new sense of self-confidence. Icepaw nodded to her and sped off. Now that she thought about it, Hazelpaw couldn't outrun a turtle, and Slatepaw couldn't leap as much as high as a shrub.
Soon enough, Icepaw reached the camp, and she skidded to a stop. And SURE enough, too, Slatepaw and Hazelpaw were making their way to her. Hazelpaw had an endless smirk on her face, while Slatepaw just followed. He was like her second tail or something, Icepaw grimaced from her mind.
"Hey Icepaw," Hazelpaw mewed, twirling with a leaf in the air. Icepaw watched enviously as she flicked it gracefully, her beaufiful brown pelt shining in the light. Icepaw's would never do that. "I heard that you just failed to catch anything. Again."
"Yeah, that's true. How'd you find out, though? I just came back. Havensong's still out. Did you stalk us or something? Go get your own life," Icepaw retorted. Hazelpaw's eyes widened with fury, and she spat back, "Who said it was this time? I was talking about LAST time. You didn't catch anything then, either."
Slatepaw wasn't very helpful to Hazelpaw. "But you said "again..." but he trailed off with the mega-glare that Hazelpaw's icy green eyes gave him. He stopped at once. Icepaw frowned. She didn't want to waste time talking nonsense like this. She turned and stalked off, hearing Hazelpaw yell behind here, "Yeah, go away, cause that's just so polite."
And then Slatepaw's small mew, "But who said that you were ever in then polite lane..."
"Who's side are you on?" Hazelpaw hissed. Icepaw's ears flicked. Who's side WAS he one? Just last moon he was all, oh, mooning over Hazelpaw, but now he was uncertain. Icepaw smiled then. Perhaps he realized that Hazelpaw was just a jerk.
"Hey Icepaw," yawned a tired voice from below the canopy. Acornpaw's brown eyes blinked up at her, and Icepaw felt the first happy feeling she'd felt since this morning. Acornpaw, her best friend, was sure to be on her side. "what's up?"
Icepaw stretched. "You know, failing at hunting, cat-fighting with Hazelpaw, all that stuff."
Acornpaw's eyes glimmered. "Did you win?"
"Well, she kinda spazzed out at the end. I'd say yes," Icepaw purred. Acornpaw's gaze brightened. He then leaped out from under the bushes, and his darker brown pelt, the same shade as his eyes, was all fluffy and puffed out.
"Looks like someone slept in,"Icepaw remarked. Acornpaw blinked embarrasedly.
"I guarded camp last night," he mewed. He began to clean his fur, but ultimately failed to reach his back. "A little help?" he asked a bit sheepishly. Icepaw purred again. "Of course, you draft furball, you think that I'll just let you walk around like that?" She began to help him.
"Omigod, isn't THAT cute."
Icepaw's head snapped up to see Hazelpaw glaring at Icepaw. Her green eyes were flames. Icepaw's blue ones matched in intensity- of hate.
"Didn't I tell you that Acornpaw was MINE?" she snarled, right in front of Slatepaw and Acornpaw's identical shocked faces. Then she leaped at Icepaw, pinning her to the ground with her weight. Icepaw struggled futilely. Then she laid limp and wrapped her forepaw on Hazelpaw's leg and twisted. Hazelpaw, with a shocked yell, was spun around. She hit the ground with a dull thump. Icepaw, recovering, then leapt, aiming for Hazelpaw's belly.
"Icepaw!" came a very angry voice. Icepaw stretched her legs out in midair and landed on the floor. Hazelpaw was shaking and crying.
"How dare you, Icepaw," Songheart growled. "You NEVER attack any of your clanmates! That's just disgraceful. What's wrong with you?" she snapped. Icepaw quivered in anger but held her pose.
"Well?" Songheart yapped. Hazelpaw stirred.
"S-s-s-she always attacks me," she whimpered. Icepaw was so angry, she saw red. What was wrong with HAZELPAW? But she didn't say anything, she was too smart for that. Icepaw's claws slid in and out repetively. Acornpaw and Slatepaw were still gaping. Icepaw fumed. Why didn't Acornpaw stick up for her? He saw everything.
"Icepaw a-a-a-always gets mad at me," Hazelpaw sobbed, "she's jealous of me, because I like Acornpaw, too... she always pulls me away and gives me death threats!" Icepaw twitched. This was out of line.
"No I don't!" Icepaw yowled to the gathering crowd. Songheart growled, her lips pulled back to a snarl.
"Stop!" ordered a loud voice. The only sound of the clearing was Hazelpaw's fake cries.
