Chapter Seven
"You're a freak." Roseshine was slowly backing away, swinging her head between Shadowpaw and Ice. "You knew that she was a freak, and you didn't tell Flamestar!"
Ice was enraged. This…this filthy excuse of a cat was meeting another warrior from ThunderClan, yet she was now proclaiming Shadowpaw and her as freaks? Granted, she was only insulting Ice and she did have a reason…but Ice was too enraged to actually care for anything now.
"Possessing ice powers doesn't necessary mean a freak." Shadowpaw stated calmly. Ice was shaken from her furious whirlwind of thoughts to look at him. Despite everything, Shadowpaw was still her friend. Ice had no idea how he could be so calm when he learned that Ice was a cat with ice powers, but somehow he'd figured that out.
"Oh yeah?" Roseshine drew herself up, her eyes shining triumphantly. "What will Flamestar say when she discovers this, hm? Will she think that you're not a freak? You only got here because Silverstrike was feeling pitiful that day and vouched for you." Roseshine hissed, intending to sting. And it did.
Shadowpaw, however, had no such limitations. "But what will Flamestar say she discovers your secret meetings?"
Roseshine flattened her ears, but no longer looked too scared. "And where is you evidence? The word of an apprentice and a rogue against a warrior?"
Shadowpaw tilted his head. "And how about the spying mission?"
Roseshine's eyes grew frantic again. She obviously hadn't planned so far ahead yet.
In a sudden movement, she leapt at Ice, claws unsheathed. Ice, taken by surprise, staggered backwards, too startled to to anything as Roseshine's claws bore down.
In a flash, Shadowpaw was in front of her, rearing his forepaws and slamming down hard on Roseshine, causing the she-cat to twist and attack him instead. Ice shook herself out of her dazed state and leapt toward Roseshine, working together. As Shadowpaw slashed and Roseshine ducked, leaving her side exposed, Ice took the chance and clawed at her. Roseshine screeched in pain, curling into a ball like position. "Stay away from me!"
Shadowpaw sighed, and leaned down, close until his whiskers brushed Roseshine's shoulder. Ice was puzzled. What was he trying to do?
Roseshine was positively trembling by the time Shadowpaw lowered his muzzle to her forehead.
Then something strange happened. As soon as Shadowpaw closed his eyes, a bright glow seemed to fill the entire hollow. Ice closed her eyes, but it was no use. The light seeped in behind her eyelids, filling her with a warmth she hadn't felt for a long time.
Then she promptly collapsed.
—
Ice struggled to remain in the sea of sleep, unwilling to face the bright, harsh world of reality. But her eyes snapped open anyway.
She had a pounding headache. Sitting up, she noticed she was in the apprentices' den. Near her were Shimmerpaw and Thrushpaw, still dozing.
She frowned. What was she doing here? She only remembered brief flashes of the Gathering, and Roseshine's failed spy mission on…Oakfire, was it?
Strange thing was, after that, her mind was a big blank, though it was highly unlikely she did anything after the Gathering…did she? Roseshine, Oakfire, she was missing something. Oh yes, Shadowpaw! Where was Shadowpaw anyway?
She padded outside, just in time to see Silverstrike issuing the dawn patrol. Doefeather
was not amongst them, and Ice breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to catch up some sleep, but first she had to find Shadowpaw.
She looked around the camp. Only a few warriors were around, hanging by the fresh kill pile. No sign of Shadowpaw's dark pelt. She frowned. Had she missed him in the apprentices' den?
She ducked her head back in. Yup, he was there all right, curled in the corner. As Ice peeked in, he opened one brown eye and looked at her. "Good morning." he slurred, eyes unfocused and blurry. Ice was alarmed. He wasn't usually like this.
She crossed the den in quick steps, careful not to step on some stray tail or sleeping body. She gasped when she touched his fur. He was burning high with fever.
"Come on, Shadowpaw, we've got to get you to the medicine cat den," Ice whisper-shouted, half dragging half shaking him awake.
"Who is going to the medicine cat's den?" Thrushpaw rolled over, sleepily opening his eyes.
"Shadowpaw. He's burning with fever. Help me get him up!"
In a flash, Thrushpaw was awake and alert. "Okay. You get his head, I'll get his legs." With that, they heaved the burning tom out into the cool frosty air, in the process awakening Shimmerpaw, who looked grumpy at being aroused from her sleep but immediately brushed her attitude off when she saw the serious condition Shadowpaw was in.
"I'll alert the warriors," was all she said before Ice could stop her.
Together, they got Shadowpaw to the medicine cat's den, where Reedpaw immediately ran him over. "Feverfew, feverfew…" He murmured to himself. Dawnstripe was still asleep, and Ice volunteered to call the she-cat awake, but Reedpaw stopped her. "She's too tired," he whispered. "Let me handle this. Trust me."
And strangely, even though she had never really acquainted herself with the medicine cat apprentice, she did.
What did Shadowpaw do?