Shadowpaw

Winterfrost came back to camp the next day with the news that Silverstar was dead.

I felt so bad for Briskpaw. But I did not understand. Silverstar had nine lives!

But Winterfrost- Winterstar- said that StarClan had not granted him the nine lives. Perhaps it was only because Winterstar was stressed that she made us still test. Poor Briskpaw.

But we never actually got to test.

Because FireClan invaded camp.

It was night when it happened. Briskpaw and I were about to meet Winterstar for the test when I heard screams of terror. By the border. Briskpaw and I raced over there and saw FireClan warriors slashing through warriors like nothing.

Briskpaw and I raced over there and saw FireClan warriors slashing through warriors like nothing.

"What happened?" I gasped.

"It's Thistlefur again. That day...that you saw me talking to him, I told him I wasn't a warrior because my mentor was sick. I told him that a lot of the clan was sick...and I told Robinpaw not to go see him. I told Robinpaw what I had told Thistlefur but I told Robinpaw not to go talk to him and - oh what a mess I've made!" Briskpaw screamed, frustrated. I was pretty frustrated myself.

"Now FireClan thinks we're weak! You fool! Young cats do exactly what you tell them not to do," I snarled.

"That's how you work, not everyone," he shot back.

"Shut up and start fighting! Get more warriors and tell Winterstar!"

Briskpaw hesitated, but took off into the darkness. I snuck along back. I was good at stealth because of my dark fur, but my blue eyes stood out light bright ice, even in the darkness. But what was I supposed to do? Close my eyes while fighting?

A familiar yowl came from the camp. IceClan was matching FireClan up well. But not well enough.

"Fight like there's no tomorrow!" yowled Winterstar as she furiously battled the FireClan deputy.

"There won't be. For some of us, if this continues. Young fools, they'll do anything for friends, even if it means betraying the ones they already have. I have to act now."

The words feel so steady in my mind, but launching into a full-fledged battle? This will be my first. But I must save the ones I care about.

I ran through the night fast, looking for the cause of this hell. Thistlefur. No, he wasn't the cause. It was stupid Briskpaw and his foolishness. I paused to look back, but he and Robinpaw were still leaning against the side of the building. Robinpaw was telling Briskpaw something, he looked impatient, but over and over Briskpaw was shaking his head no. Then Briskpaw sprang off into the darkness. Robinpaw had no choice but to follow.

"Focus," I told myself. I continued looking for Thistlefur. He would be big, I knew that much. And he was at home in water. Briskpaw told me that he loved swimming. He was more likely to fight near water, wasn't he?

So I sprinted down to the stream that separated a section of our territories. A fiery red tom tried to bite me but I lashed at him and sent him squealing back to his side. I felt pretty proud of myself, so I bent to get a drink from the river. Suddenly, a speck of gravel fell into the pool next to me, rippling the water. Something was not right.

I was hit from behind with a force so intense that I toppled head-first into the pool. I cried out in pain as my head grazed a rock underwater. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. I somehow made my way up to the surface again, and found Thistlefur staring maliciously at me.