"Your vigil's over."

"Congratulations!"

"Great job!"

Icegaze and Lionear both trudged into the warrior's den, ignoring the compliments and congratulations being made (Lionear didn't have to-he couldn't even hear them). Icegaze still couldn't shake the feeling that Fireclaw was still watching her. She had forgotten about her injury earlier, and now she felt the pain slowly coming back. This was not helping with her current situation. But she didn't want anyone to know.

Instead, she clenched her jaw and did her best to ignore the awful throbbing pain coming from her belly and throat. At least she'd stopped bleeding.

Icegaze was afraid, though. She wasn't sure if she would be able to fall asleep, even if she had been up all night and had gotten hardly any rest.

"Congratulations, Icegaze and Lionear!" Icegaze's ears pricked, and she felt Lionear begin to steer her in a different direction.

"Thank you, Goldenfeather!" Icegaze purred. It was an empty purr, though. She wasn't really happy. She was disgusted.

Icegaze stopped, and then realized that Lionear and Ashstep were conversing with their tails. She sighed.

"So, Goldenfeather, how do you feel now that you're apprentice has been made a warrior?" Icegaze asked casually.

"Very proud." Goldenfeather purred. "I'm sure your mother would be proud too." Grief tainted her mew. And something else...that was it! Goldenfeather was speaking in code. It made sense. But what was she saying?

Mother could possibly mean father. She could be saying that Fireclaw was proud. Probably not...that was the code! Opposites! Fireclaw knew, and he was planning something.

"Oh," She murmured. "yes."

"You're probably tired. Get some rest, for today's going to be a big day." Now the code was different.

Icegaze tried to figure out the hidden message. Her mentor wanted to meet somewhere? "We will."

OoO

'Lionear, Goldenfeather wants to meet in one of the Old Tunnels.' Icegaze flicked her tail.

He brother made a noise. "Eh!"

'I know it's dangerous. That's why she wants to meet there.'

'I don't like it...' He tapped her.

'I know. But we need to leave now. Fireclaw is still out on a patrol.'

'How?'

'We'll say we're collecting herbs for the medicine cat.'

The two both nodded at the same time before leaving the den. Icegaze felt Lionear press against her and guide her toward the camp entrance.

Icegaze managed to convince the two sentries that they were collecting herbs (even with her injury), and they were soon on their way to the abandoned Tunnels.

She had heard stories about them, but she still wasn't too sure about why they were there and what the old Clans had used them for.

From what the stories said, the legendary Lionblaze had carved the tunnels out himself, for his paws were as strong as stone. He had made the tunnels so that his Clan could destroy the others, and so that he could rule over the territories. Lionblaze wasn't exactly a 'good' warrior. Icegaze didn't respect him at all.

Wanting to rule over all of the Clans was a ridiculous thought. It was selfish and evil. She didn't want to look up to a cat like that. She hoped her brother didn't either.

Lionear stopped, and Icegaze could sense that they were at the tunnels. She scented the stale air, and a chill ran through her. Nothing was down there. Nothing had been down there for seasons. What if the tunnels collapsed?

"Don't be weak." Icegaze scolded herself. She pressed against Lionear as they stepped inside. She then realized that she couldn't be right next to her brother. She would have to follow him, probably by holding onto his tail.

Lionear seemed to realize that, and he stuck his tail out. Icegaze gently grasped it in her jaws. "Ead uh wah," Icegaze mumbled, mostly to herself.

'Lead the way,' Was what she had said.

But she knew Lionear couldn't hear her. When she thought about that fact, a bitter taste flooded her mouth.

Lionear! How cruel could Stonestar get? Icegaze could understand if he was ticked off, but to give them names like that? She couldn't understand. Her leader was so, so cruel.

She bumped into Lionear's haunches when he abruptly stopped. She was confused. Why did he stop?

Then she heard the low growling. The putrid scent flooded her nostrils, and her blind eyes stung, though she could not see anything.

"Badger!" She spat. Icegaze stopped when she heard shuffling. The badger had probably heard her, and was turning to look at her and her brother.

"Fox-dung," Icegaze muttered. 'We should run!' Her tail flicked back in forth. Then a thought came to her mind:

Could Lionear even see in the dark? It would make sense that it was dark and they were underground. He could probably make out some shapes, but he couldn't completely turn around and see her tail. She cursed again. This battle would most definitely be a challenge. There was little space, and she could hardly move, let alone fight an enemy.

Until light flooded her vision. Icegaze had to blink a few times before she could see clearly. She saw her and Lionear running away from the badger and toward two tunnels. Future-Icegaze turned to the right, and future-Lionear followed. They ended up in a large cave, where they could easily fight a badger.

Her vision ended, and Icegaze was blind again. She tapped Lionear. 'Follow me!' She then spun around and tried to remember where to go. In her vision she needed to turn...left! She veered to the left, entering the tunnel. Something in her gut told her that something else was not right.

"I went through the wrong tunnel." The realization hit her like a boulder. "Fox-dung!" She cursed loudly. "At least this tunnel won't lead to a cliff," She muttered to herself.

What it did lead to was so much worse.

She knew what it was from the scent: More badgers. It must have been some sort of badger colony. She could hear them shuffling around in the cave they were about to run into, and she could smell them too.

"Fox-dung!"