Chapter 9: Frosty Explanations
Once again, a late-coming chapter… It took a while to get the willpower to sit down and write another one haha. Hope you like it, and a big thanks to Silentbreeze20 and the guest for reviewing my previous chapter
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The red-furred tom stared at Frostpaw, his amber eyes flashing with anger, shock and recognition - even though she'd never seen him before. Nightpaw took a step back and swept his long black tail in front of the unfamiliar cat, separating him from her. "Redpaw, I can explain."
"Explain how she froze a fox to death, or explain why you two are so… close… with each other?" the tom accused angrily, his thin frame covered in raised hairs. Frostpaw sat down casually, keeping her distance from the two Windclan cats. She didn't want to do anything that might further cause trouble for Nightpaw.
"Frostpaw and I met at the Gathering," Nightpaw began carefully. Well, it wasn't a lie. But it certainly wasn't the first time they'd met, either. "We became friends, and then I learnt about her… talent."
"You call controlling Leaf-Bare a talent?" Redpaw laughed dryly, shaking his head at the both of them. "It's like making a kit a leader."
"Did you just call me a kit?" Frostpaw growled, unsheathing her claws. Nightpaw, seeing the threat in them, tried to quieten his Windclan friend. But Redpaw was unstoppable; caught up in the delirium of shock and pain, his mouth seemed to move of its own accord.
"A white kit, holding the strings of Leaf-Bare. What a sight, what a cruel sight."
"I'm warning you, cat. Call me a kit one more time…"
"You'll do what? Spear me with ice? Freeze me with it?" Redpaw smirked. "You seem to forget there are four seasons." A wind began to stir, its scent filled with the smell of dried leaves and crisp mornings. It barely moved the white she-cat's pelt.
"And you seem to have forgotten The Order." Frostpaw retorted, the ghost of a smile appearing on her snow white face. Redpaw's eyes grew wide at the realisation, and he glared at the she-cat in fury.
"You may be stronger than the rest of us, Frostpaw, but do not mislead yourself." He paused for a moment, and his eyes flickered with wisdom beyond his years. "Leaf-Bare will end."
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Frostpaw shook her head in a daze. Her daydream was not a dream but a memory from six days ago. Everything about it was so vivid, it felt like a fresh scar on her mind.
"You've been acting strangely lately." Commented Leafshine casually, but Frostpaw ignored her anxious green gaze. She scented the air for prey, pretending to be engrossed in the task. Catching the smell of a mouse den, she dropped to the hunter's crouch and padded forward. Leafshine frowned at her but stayed where she was, as not to disturb her hunt. Several fox-lengths into a patch of brambles, the white she-cat found the nest. Three mice warily collected nuts around the hole in the dirt, but the predator remained unseen. Flicking her ears back to listen and make sure she was well away from her mentor, Frostpaw slowly creeped up on the tiny creatures whilst freezing the earth in the other direction. With a change of the breeze, the mice caught her scent and raced for their hole, but found it glazed over in ice. Panicking, they slipped just as the white she-cat came crashing down on them. She ended their lives swiftly with bites to their necks and carried them back to Leafshine.
"One finch, two squirrels and three mice; can I go now?" Frostpaw meowed coolly. Leafshine reluctantly nodded but stopped her just before she left.
"Frostpaw - I know that you had a rough start to training, but I'd just like to say that you've come through well." The apprentice smiled slightly at that, her cold heart shining with praise. She dipped her head and turned to leave, but not before hearing what Leafshine whispered next. "Maybe you're not so different from Sunpaw, after all."
I am nothing like my 'sister'. Frostpaw's thoughts growled, as she padded away silently, her blue eyes seething with rage. Just wait, Leafshine, and you will see.
Back at camp, she was congratulated by her leader, Salmonstar, for her successful hunt. Apparently almost every other warrior had come back empty-pawed thanks to the oncoming of Leaf-Bare. Of course, this excluded her sister who had managed to scrounge up five squirrels. According to Sunpaw, they had 'run straight to her'.
"Well done, sister!" the golden she-cat laughed as she padded up to her. Her happiness was met by a wave of cold feelings. "I never knew you could hunt so well. What's your secret?" she joked, but Frostpaw answered it with silence. Awkwardness ensued.
"My girls," came a soft voice from behind them, and both turned to see Shallowpool, their mother, watching them with pretty blue eyes. "I have good news for you both."
"What is it, Mother?" Sunpaw asked, her bright gold eyes a warm reflection of her mother's. Despite their colour differences, Sunpaw's gaze beamed the happiness and love that was typical of Shallowpool. Frostpaw's held the resemblance of its antonym.
"Well, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but a little birdy told me," her eyes flicked towards the clan's deputy, Spottedtail, "that Salmonstar is going to make you both warriors soon." Sunpaw squealed with delight and Frostpaw swept her tail around her paws with acceptance. "He plans to have you both do your hunting assessment tomorrow." At last, Frostpaw smiled, I'm moving up the ladder. Shiver's frozen words whispered to her, Use them as steps. Use whoever you wish, as long as you reach the top. The she-cat smirked, Sunpaw in her sights. I plan to.
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"Apprentices," began Salmonstar cheerfully, his golden eyes scanning the four cats in front of him. Sunpaw sat between Sleetpaw and Falconpaw, whilst Frostpaw sat off to the side from them. She tried to ignore the fact that the golden tom and her sister's tails were intertwined, and concentrated on her clan leader instead. "As you all know, today your mentors will grade you on your assessment. If they deem your hunt successful, your warrior ceremony will be held tonight." The cream tom waved his tail and a calico she-cat stepped forward. "Leafshine, take Frostpaw to hunt where the Windclan border meets the Moonpool's. Rainsong, you take Sunpaw to hunt near the Old Thunderpath. Be wary of Monsters." He nodded to the other two apprentices and their mentors. "Bramblethorn, take Sleetpaw to hunt near the Riverclan border. Icewhisper, you take Falconpaw to the halfbridge."
"What time will we finish?" Falconpaw asked nervously. All the apprentices felt the pressure of the test, and none wanted to be the only one not to pass. Salmonstar answered him with a reassuring tone,
"When the sun rises to its highest point, you will all return here for your grading. Your mentors will discuss how you went with me, and then with Starclan's blessing I will perform the warrior ceremony tonight - hopefully for all of you." He looked at each of them slowly, golden eyes seemingly gazing at their very souls. "I have faith that you will all become great warriors." His watch rested on Frostpaw, and she felt a shiver pass over her. It definitely wasn't from the cold. "And that Thunderclan will prosper from your talents."
The wind that swept across the Windclan border smelt of grass and fresh air, of rabbits and of Nightpaw. The white apprentice wondered absent-mindedly if he too was doing his Assessment, or if he had already done it. His size made one think that he was at least a moon older than her, but they were actually close to the same age. She heard the faintest crackle of leaves behind her, and knew that Leafshine was watching. Lowering her already crouching body closer to the ground, she followed her prey's scent trail. A rabbit, she figured, probably one that had foolishly crossed the border into Thunderclan land.
Using her nose, she tracked the creature down to a small clearing beneath the canopy of the trees. Sure enough, the brown soon-to-be victim sat casually only two fox-lengths from her, unaware of its impending doom. Keeping her paws light and her muscles loose, she stalked forward before preparing her strength in her hind legs and leaping, unsheathing her claws in the process. The poor thing didn't know what had hit it. Nor did it get the chance to think about it. With a swift bite to the neck, it stilled. Three down, she thought contentedly, that should be just about enough to pass… but to beat Sunpaw? She shook her head. No, she'd need to at least double that to even stand a chance. But with her mentor not far behind, she couldn't risk using her powers.
Suddenly, a plan formed in her mind. If she could somehow distract Leafshine, get her away from her, then she could use her ice to bring down a legion of prey. Maybe even Sunpaw, if she was lucky. She was still burying her rabbit with the others when a new scent hit her; it was unfamiliar, but she'd heard stories about it before. A musty scent, one rarely found near the lake. Deer.
Patting down the earth over the rabbits as fast as she could without raising suspicion, she turned and raced towards the scent. If Leafshine even considered what she was about to do, she wouldn't be allowed to do it alone. Whenever the elegant creatures actually travelled into Thunderclan territory, they were usually seen as visitors; not predator nor prey, just a neutral being that would only be a threat if attacked. A single kick to the head or spine could kill or harm a cat, so they were never targeted. Not when easier prey like mice and squirrels were plentiful.
But if Frostpaw caught one today… that would make up for all of the lost prey she had from not being able to use her powers. After all, she wouldn't have to actually hunt the deer. Just get close enough to fight it. A few smacks to the head to confuse it, then a lethal one to the neck and it'd be over. She smiled. Perfect.
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Four mice, three squirrels, one rabbit and two starlings - at this time of the year too! Sunpaw was well more than content. She was beaming inside and out with happiness. It was almost as if the prey had just wanted to be around her. Well, she thought cheerfully, at least there's no chance of me not being a warrior now.
She had just resumed her hunting when a strange scent met her. Deer? She questioned her brain for any other prey that came to mind. Nope, it had to be deer… but… she sniffed again, her eyes widening when she realised. It was a deer alright, but not a doe. A stag.
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When Frostpaw caught up to the beast, the sun was well into the sky. They had begun the Assessment at dawn, and now it was almost time to head back. Although she was pretty sure she had managed to misguide Leafshine along the way. But now she faced a new problem, or rather, challenge. The deer was a stag; fully equipped with a set of antlers that looked sharp enough to skin an entire clan from whiskers to tail. Frostpaw guessed it was a younger buck due to its lack of scars, but she did not doubt its strength. She paused for a moment to consider her options. She realised now that there was no way she could kill the deer without her powers. But to use them would be to risk Leafshine seeing them, and how would she cover up the icy marks frozen spears would undoubtedly leave? But to leave now, to admit defeat… she'd already wasted half the given time on finding it! Frostpaw snarled to herself. She should have just left the scent alone and continued her original plan.
But Frostpaw was not a coward. She would not back off from a fight, and so when the stag finally scented her and puffed the glands beneath its dark eyes, she would not be the one to race back to camp. She would fight - to the death.
Scratching the earth up with its hooves, the stag tossed its head as a warning. You dare mess with me? Its stance seemed to shout. In response, the white apprentice growled deeply, the sound reverberating through the ice that whispered across the ground around her. Yes, she thought, although the deer would not hear her. It charged forward the first time, and she stumbled out of the way before it could trample her. In the time it took for the beast to turn for another charge, she had climbed up the nearest tree and watched from the lowest branch. The stag huffed and tried to locate her, but another scent had caught its interest. From out of the bushes a calico arrow shot, and landed on the deer's rough pelt. "Leafshine!" Frostpaw yowled when she recognised the bright green eyes which caught her in a gaze of fear.
"Frostpaw, run!" her mentor ordered, but Frostpaw was now more worried about her clanmate's life than her own. She'd had it under control before the calico warrior had arrived. The stag had been playing right into her paws. All she had to do was send ice through his heart, and he'd be as still as all the rabbits before him. But now her mentor was in the way.
"Get away from it, Leafshine!" the apprentice growled, but the mentor didn't hear her. The stag had raked her side with his antlers and although they barely reached the cat, had left deep gouges across her pelt. Scarlet blood splayed down both the predator and the prey's coats, although Frostpaw wasn't entirely sure who was who any more. She had to stop this. But if she left the temporary safety of the tree, she would just be a decoration for his antlers. A bloody mess. But if she speared him with ice… could she risk it? What if it hit Leafshine? Breathing in deeply, she aimed. No going back now, her thoughts whispered, watching the slender dart of ice speed towards both the stag and her mentor. No going back now.
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Another chapter done. Hope you liked it :) And please review!
~Jaffa Maze