Icepaw bounded out the gorse tunnel, his heart pounding with excitement and apprehension.
Weaving their way trough thick grass and heather clumps, the Riverclan cats emerged onto a flat area covered with Shadowclan cats.
Icepaw recognised Darkheart and Ivytail near the front of the mass of cats, hissing and spitting fiercely. But Icepaw also saw the surprise in their eyes. The deputy had obviously expected to ambush the Riverclan camp, not be met with a strong and organised attack. He also saw that the Shadowclan leader, Owlstar, was not there. Even the medicine cat, who should be waiting a distance away for injured cats, was not there either.
Icepaw felt a sharp pain behind his ear. Had the Shadowclan cats attacked? No, it was just Sunclaw trying to get his apprentice to listen to Wavestar's orders.
'Apprentices and five warriors spread out on either side of Shadowclan and surround them. When either I or Skypelt give the order, come out of your cover and attack. Do not come before the order, unless you see more than three of our cats dead. The rest of you, attack in pairs. One cat attacks, the other watches the attackers back.'
Icepaw listened absently. He had seen a small rustle in the bushes around the battle ground. Icepaw was dying to see what it was, but had decided he could wait until he was stationed over there. It wasn't worth Sunclaw's anger, not again. Suddenly, a wave of Riverclan cats surged forward. Although it looked like rabble, the cats were organised into pairs, and were going to specific spots in Shadowclan's ranks. Icepaw bounded eagerly into the bushes, to come face to face with a ragged cat, a shimmery grey coat glimmering under dust and dried blood.
'What are you doing here?'
Silverpaw's haunted eyes darted from Icepaw to Sunclaw. He looked like he was about to attack, but suddenly he crumpled. Flopping weakly on the grass, he looked into Icepaw's eyes.
'My clan- possessed. A mist….. Tigerstar….'
Silverpaw trailed off, unable to go on. Icepaw was about to call Rainpool, but Silverpaw stopped him.
'No. You must go now… To Moonpool. Quickly. But you can't go in Windclan territory- you'll get bound to Tigerstar too... Shadowclan is creating another ancestor clan- Darkclan… They are going to destroy Starclan- You must go… You must go and stop The Darkness'
Sunclaw's eyes widened. Windclan was possessed! It all fitted in with what he had seen in the ball of fog on the gathering island.
'I'll go to Moonpool. I can go through Shadowclan territory.'
'No. Tigerstar is watching their land- There is no way…..'
Silverpaw's weak mew could only just be heard over the loud yowls and hisses coming from the battle.
Icepaw, who had had his head down against the grass with his eyes closed, looked up.
'There is a way.'
Icepaw stood at the bank of the lake, looking at the huge distance between him and the Thunderclan territory. Sunclaw, standing next to him, was having similar thoughts.
'Are you sure this is the only way to Thunderclan territory?'
'Very sure.' said Icepaw weakly.
Sunclaw took a deep breath and plunged into the lake. The freezing water seeped into his pelt like tentacles of ice. Striking out from the bank, he pushed his way through the first few metres, Icepaw a tail-length behind. Sunclaw had soon worked out a pattern. Push with his back paw, pull with his front paws. Push, push, pull, pull. Over and over again. Sunclaw was a strong swimmer, but he could feel the strength draining out of his legs. Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he concentrated on his pattern. If Sunclaw was weakening, he couldn't imagine how Icepaw was.
Icepaw was already tired. The two cats were just past halfway. Icepaw could see the dark green forest of Thunderclan territory, but he could barely keep his head out of the water. Icepaw couldn't remember ever swimming this far in his life. He didn't think anyone had ever swum this far before. But he had to keep going. He had to…..