Oh my god, I'msorry-I'msorry-I'msorry-I'msorry-I'msorry-I'msorry!! Please don't hate me because it's been forever since the last update but school just started and it's been really hectic, I've only been getting like four hours of sleep a night and I really shouldn't have been ignoing my fanfiction duties but I've just been so busy! Thank you-thank you-thank you for your patience, support and loyalty! It means a lot to an ametuar writer with a low self-esteem! I promise to update again in like, the next week. If I don't, you have the right to through rotten fruit at me. Or vegetables, whatever makes the reviewers happy. -♥ katklaws

Chapter Fourteen: The Battle at the Border

For the next few weeks, Honeypaw found herself having very pleasant dreams with no running, no fear or even seeing Roscoe vanish before her eyes. In fact, everything seemed to be going great. Ashfur seemed harmless as ever and Honeypaw was exceeding wonderfully in all her training, especially fighting. Plus, every now and then, Honeypaw could catch a glimpse of silver and amber from over the ShadowClan border, as if to just say hi.

It was during one of these patrols along the edge of the territory though, that Spiderleg's fur bristled aggressively. Honeypaw glanced around, expecting enemy warriors to emerge from the undergrowth's shadows at any given moment, when she realized what had ticked off the ThunderClan tom.

All around them was the heavy, pungent scent of ShadowClan even though they were walking a well-known ThunderClan path. Foxpaw, who was a few moons younger than Honeypaw, put a tentative paw forward then drew back fearfully. He glanced at Honeypaw for support.

Her green eyes raked the shadows, tail lashing in search of the intruders but their scent was already fading. "They're already moving on," she mewed quietly, "If their group is small enough, we could ... " She glanced at Spiderleg for approval and he nodded, the same plan already forming in his head.

The golden she-cat crept forward at a reasonable pace, staying on the main path for several reasons. They weren't in danger of ShadowClan cats attacking from behind since they'd just scent-marked the area. Plus, they'd probably be trying to get out of there as soon as possible and wouldn't be stupid enough to retrace the path they'd already taken. Honeypaw's ears pricked at a rustling and the sound of voices filtering back on the breeze.

Spiderleg gave them a nod and the trio of cats crept forward to see unfamiliar cats on the narrowing path. Honeypaw instinctively curled her lips in a snarl and Foxpaw's auburn tail lashed. Spiderleg became solemn though his eyes showed obvious fury that smoldered like embers at the heart of a fire.

Without speaking, all the cats in the standoff unsheathed their claws. With her voice taken by the force of anger, Honeypaw allowed satisfaction to flood her by staring at the scars she'd left on the ginger tom's shoulders. He seemed to recall that battle too, for his gaze faltered and he seemed to realize the danger he was truly in now.

The two other ShadowClan cats were the black-furred apprentice who had attacked her when she first entered the forest and a young-looking tom with brown tabby fur and green eyes. They seemed prickly enough to put up a good fight while Oakfur seemed just as willing to get revenge on Honeypaw for defeating him at the battle of Roscoe's death.

Honeypaw smiled wryly and took a brave step towards them. "Darkpaw, Oakfur. What a lovely surprise." Spiderleg looked at the younger she-cat with surprise, at both the pure venom in her voice and the fact that she had suddenly taken charge. Brambleclaw had put him in command of the patrol, after all.

The black-furred tom snarled before his patrol leader could stop him. "It's not Darkpaw anymore. I'm Darkfrost now, stupid she-cat, and I could beat you any day!"

Honeypaw had never heard such an outright challenge before but she didn't mind. A challenge was a challenge. With furious screech, she leapt from her standing point and skidded to a stop before Darkfrost but he was prepared. Green eyes blazing once more, he smacked her across the muzzle, thorn-sharp claws tearing across her fur. Honeypaw noticed how much he'd grown in the shoulders and in over all strength with that one motion and immediately changed tactics.

The ThunderClan she-cat danced back and sideways then sprinted forward again, only instead of landing a blow in mind, Honeypaw twisted down and swept out her foreleg. Darkfrost had been confused by her darting movements and was knocked off his paws by her attack. Honeypaw dove without mercy, first tearing her canine teeth through his shoulder then, as he overcame his shock and began thrashing, raked her back claws down his underbelly.

Darkfrost howled in pain and wriggled out of her grasp but hesitated from pouncing again. Honeypaw, however, continued savagely with a voiceless snarl. All other sounds vanished as she bowled him off his feet once more and got a better grip, tearing up his side till he found the strength to claw her over the chest and run off into the undergrowth, towards ShadowClan territory.

That was when Honeypaw became aware of other cats around her and she whipped about to face another, her mind ablaze with the desire to fight. Spiderleg, a slighter cat than Oakfur, was having trouble, while Foxpaw took the other ShadowClan tom with silent intensity that soon sent the young intruder yowling into ShadowClan territory. Honeypaw leapt at Oakfur, who had pinned Spiderleg and was started clawing his underbelly.

As Honeypaw clamped onto Oakfur's back leg, Spiderleg struck a sudden blow across the tom's eyes. Oakfur reared back in agony and kicked Honeypaw across her throat. She released him, struggling for breath, and Spiderleg chased the ginger cat off with a yowl.

Foxpaw leapt to her side as she swayed on her paws. Blood dripped from her neck and her vision swam at the stench, her mind seeing Roscoe with his throat torn but instead of a tuxedo-furred tom, a golden tabby she-cat was lying his place.

"Honeypaw! Are you alright? Can you breathe?" Spiderleg asked, trying to regain his breath as he asked. Honeypaw blinked then shivered, as if sending away dark memories. Despite the fact her wounds had barely stopped bleeding, she laid her bristling fur flat and flashed a faltering grin.

"Yeah, sorry, just spaced out a bit," she said, forcing the tremor out of her voice. Spiderleg narrowed his eyes skeptically but gave her the benefit of the doubt.

He looked around and said grimly, "C'mon, we have to report this to Firestar, and we should all see Leafpool."

:-;-:

Honeypaw lay in her nest, tossing and turning restlessly in her dreams. There was darkness all around and her paws seem to walk an endless expanse of black ice. There was no way to discern the land from the sky at the horizon, if there was even a horizon at all.

Images flashed before her eyes, everywhere in the cold darkness. Roscoe's disappointed eyes vanishing into nothingness, a handsome silver tom purring beside her, herself thrashing beneath the claws of the enemy... Honeypaw began to tremble and her mind started slipping from the dark ice, into the images of past and present till she was lost in a horrible dream where she couldn't see where one terror began and another ended.

:-;-:

Leafpool shook her head as Jaylion scented Honeypaw's wounds. One of them had turned bad and was now poisoning her blood. She lay, curled and feverish, on a mossy nest in the Medicine Cats' den, muttering in her dreams.

"She insisted she could lick her own wounds clean, that none of them were bad enough for even a little poultice," the white-pawed tabby mewed, "And now she's sick with a bad cut. Cinderpaw, could you get me borage leaves and oh, some marigold? Thank you."

Meanwhile, Honeypaw fell deeper into nightmares, unaware that within the next few hours, she'd be fighting the hardest battle of her life.