"Never!" Iceclaw yowled as Windclan and the Thunderclan cats stood side by side. Their eyes gleamed in determination as the Dark Forest cats rushed to them. "Hold your ground!" He yowled as Spottedstar grabbed a Shadowed tom by the scruff and threw him. Dead cats raced everywhere. Blood littered the moor as Lionblaze gave chase to two toms, attacking and slashing with brutal strength. Jayfeather helped Honeyfrost and Troutpaw with healing weaker warriors. Starclan cat's came into view as well, Sunstrike gouging at a Dark Forest warrior with Beetletooth.
Where is Mapleshade? Thought Iceclaw as he scanned the crowd, before being plowed into by a huge muscular tom.
"Iceclaw!" He spat. "You traitor!" He swiped Iceclaw in the face, who flinched as blood trickled down his nose. Remembering Ivypool's training techniques; he flipped into the air and ran his claws down the toms back. Blood spilled out as the Tom screamed; Iceclaw continued to shift side to side, aiming his claws at the tom's back. Finaly falling, the tom's eyes rolled to the back of his head and disappeared, leaving only blood on the grass. Looking up, he saw Echoleaf, Blacktail and Beetletooth chase off invading warriors as Echoleaf yowled.
"Iceclaw!" Rushfur raced over to him, blood on his fur. "Spottedstar! Attacked by Mapleshade, hurry!"
Iceclaw ran to the nursery where he last saw his sister. Suddenly Rusfur raced up and pushed him over. Starclan help me! He thought as He was swiped on the cheek. "Rushfur! What are you doing?" He yelled as he managed to dodge her claws. Her eyes blazed.
"I was supposed to be Crowstar's next deputy until you came back!" She snarled, aiming another swiped that Iceclaw dodged quickly and gouged her eyes. "You ruined the entire clan!" She screeched as blood flowed from her eyes as she fell.
He stood over her, his paws dripping in blood. "So you decided to train in the Dark Forest, even after everything you learned?" A dark rumble stopped him from finishing.
"She held much promise…." Mapleshade snickered as she stepped out from behind the nursery. "Not as much as you, but she had the incentive to kill you. So we saw her as strength. However," She replied as she pressed down on Rushfur's neck, "She was never good enough to help us." Rushfur screamed until Iceclaw heard her neck crack, and stare sightlessly into the sky. "Now." She licked the blood off her paws, and stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Die!" She launched herself at him, throwing him to the ground. Knowing his exposed belly was dangerous; he flipped her off quickly and took her off her paws. "Kit moves!" She snarled as she jabbed at his tendon, he fell.
"What about this move then?" Sunstrike threw herself at Mapleshade. "Leave my kit alone!" She snarled, tossing Mapleshade who landed awkwardly. She looked at Iceclaw. "Remember your prophecy!" She shouted as she raced to help Beetletooth, who was ducking from two large toms.
The prophecy…. Iceclaw thought as Mapleshade moved toward him again. He gasped. "When light is blotted out and the heat is gone, look to the ice to help you." Frostwhisker whispered. The lake! He thought. It snowed last night….leaf bare is coming…. Get her to the ice!
"Mapleshade!" He snarled as she shifted closer, "You'll never win this!" He raced off. Please Starclan! Let her follow! He thought as she followed him. Weak and tired, he turned on her just as he reached the lake. He clawed her hind leg and bit her tail.
"You clan cats are all the same!" She yelled as she picked him up by the scruff and threw him onto the ice. "You're all soft! Weak! Worthless!" She moved slowly onto the ice. Iceclaw heard the small pricks of ice. Pushing himself up, he tackled her as she dug her claws into his back.
"I will never let you train anymore clan cats again!" He screeched as her threw her off him. Using his claws, he found the small sliver in the ice that was weakest and hit it. Like a chain reaction, the ice separated and moand as it broke, causing Mapleshade's eyes to glow in fear and hatred.
"Fool! I should have finished you off a long time ago!" She yowled as she pushed herself off a chunk of ice and threw him down. Holding his throat, she pushed his head toward one the ice chunks that made its way over. "Goodbye Iceclaw!" She yowled.
"Goodbye to you as well!" Using his lower legs, he kicked her onto the icy platform. The force caused the ice to begin tipping over, her claws unable to grip the ice as it shifted horizontally. Iceclaw began to slide as well; the cold icy water a claw length away. The ice flipped over and Iceclaw and Mapleshade plunged into the icy depths.
Feeling lightheaded Iceclaw attempted to swim to the top but Mapleshade grabbed his paw. As she drifted farther down into the lake, Iceclaw unsheathed his back claws and kicked her in the face. Blood welled out of her mouth and nose as she lost conscious, letting go and drifting into the abyss.
It's finally over, Iceclaw thought as he drifted into darkness. He didn't notice Lionblaze and Jayfeather grabbing him by the scruff, pulling him upward.
"Iceclaw!" Jayfeather shouted as Honeyfrost began to work on him; he spat up a mouthful of water. We made it, he thought. "Good job Iceclaw….Ice froze over the darkness." He began licking Iceclaw's pelt to warm him up.
Iceclaw flicked his ears. "What happened to the other Dark Forest cats?"
"Most of them were killed in the attack; once they figured out Mapleshade died with help from Dovewing, they just stood there. Others ran off but I am pretty sure they won't be back." Troutpaw answered as he applied cobweb to Iceclaw, as Dovewing laughed.
Iceclaw froze in terror. "What about Featherpelt?" He demanded. "And Spottedstar? Are they okay?"
Troutaw purred. "Spottedstar mauled a bunch of Dark Forest cats caterwauling your name; you should have seen her. Featherpelt is fine; she fended off any cat that dared cross the nursery. You ready to go home? She's worried sick."
"Yes, I am ready." He dipped his head and looked at the broken ice on the lake. Ice really did this, he thought. He turned to the Three. "I thank you for your help. I think it is time to return to our clans."
"If you ever need help," Dovewing began
"You know where to find us." Lionblaze finished as Jayfeather dipped his head and started off. Honeyfrost shouldered Iceclaw lightly.
"Let's go home."
