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Chapter 12: Shade and Whispers

Icepool and Rainwhisker raced through the forest, their bellies low to the ground, their paws flashing over swampy soil and rotten logs. The sounds and scents of ShadowClan enveloped them completely, making Icepool's fur prickle with unease. They were in an extremely dangerous situation. As Icepool leaped over a moss-covered rock, her thoughts drifted back to what Coldsnow had told the two warriors before they left him and his patrol in RiverClan territory.

"You must not be seen," the calico tom had hissed urgently, "get to the camp first. Cover your scent. Hide and watch silently. Do NOT put yourselves in unnecessary danger."

"What if WindClan or ShadowClan catches us?" Icepool had asked gravely.

"If it is ShadowClan, tell them to keep their mouths shut and that we're trying to help them. If it is WindClan..." Coldsnow had looked troubled. "Silverstar and Pinetail have worked out a plan. If WindClan catches you, you must pretend to have a message for Strongstar, from Silverstar."

"But then we'll be trapped in the ShadowClan camp too!" Rainwhisker had protested, "How is that going to help any cat?"

At this point, Coldsnow had sighed heavily and looked at Icepool with dread in his eyes. "Silverstar believes that if you can talk the WindClan warriors into rebelling against Strongstar, ShadowClan would have a chance at survival. Between you two, WindClan, and ShadowClan, you should be able to overthrow Strongstar and those warriors who are loyal to him."

"It sounds like you want us to get caught!" Rainwhisker had exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.

"I-I don't like this plan," Coldsnow had stammered, clearly upset with his leader's rash decision, "it's too risky. Both of you could die, or cause even more damage to the situation."

"Don't be so mouse-brained, both of you," Icepool had then snapped, realizing they were running out of time, "if we get caught, we'll do as Silverstar says. I know of at least one WindClan cat who disagrees with his leader's intentions. He'll be helpful in convincing the others. We're not kits anymore. We can do this. It's about time that some cat stands up to Strongstar."

Coldsnow had looked at Icepool suspiciously. "You sound like you're planning on doing more than spying," he had said with an accusatory tone.

A thick tree loomed ahead of Icepool, breaking off her thoughts as she swerved sharply to avoid it. She spotted Rainwhisker up ahead of her, slowing his pace a little so that she could catch up to him. She pricked her ears forward, listening for any signs of WindClan.

Coldsnow had been right. Icepool didn't want to just sit back and watch as ShadowClan's life was torn apart. She had met those cats and even liked some of them. Winterwind's face appeared in her mind, sending a pang of loss and sadness through her heart. Icepool had made up her mind as Coldsnow had explained the plan to them. She was going to do something about WindClan, even if she had to do it on her own. She didn't expect Coldsnow to understand or even approve of her decision. Her old mentor had been distant and unresponsive towards Icepool ever since he reluctantly allowed her to become a warrior, against his wishes.

"Icepool," Rainwhisker whispered, skidding to a halt before he reached a towering thicket of leaves and bramble, "I think we're getting close to the camp."

Icepool slowed down and crouched next to Rainwhisker, pressing her gray coat against his. She wrinkled her nose in disgust as a tangy smell hit her nose. Icepool had forgotten that Coldsnow had made the two cats roll in fox dirt before they entered ShadowClan.

"If anyone does pick up your scent, they'll just think you're a couple of rancid-smelling foxes," Coldsnow had said, a glimmer of amusement shining in his eyes for the first time that day.

Icepool hadn't realized how bad she and Rainwhisker smelled until now. The black and gray tom seemed to notice her discomfort and he couldn't help letting out a small laugh.

"Don't act so offended," he murmured lightly, "you don't smell like the freshest flower in the forest either."

Icepool threw him an annoyed look but her eyes betrayed her happiness and gratitude; it seemed that the two cats would be able to stay friends after all, despite their awkward conversation on WindClan soil.

"Do you remember when we journeyed to ShadowClan last quarter moon?" Icepool asked quietly, "After the Twolegs attacked?"

"And we taught them how to defend themselves from the Twolegs," Rainwhisker replied, his voice soft and calming, "somehow I don't think we'll find the camp in a better condition now."

Icepool silently agreed with the tom. She didn't want to think about the destruction and death that lingered in the ShadowClan camp now that Strongstar and his warriors had moved in.

"We better go check out the camp," Icepool conceded, beginning to creep forward through the thicket.

If they could crawl under the snarls of bramble, Rainwhisker and Icepool might be able to get a good look at ShadowClan's condition from the shelter and safety of the tangled leaves and bracken. Rainwhisker was obviously thinking the same thing as Icepool. He slid after her, his belly scraping against the muddy ground.

As the cold wet ground dampened Icepool's fur she wished for nothing more than to be back in her den, sharing tongues with her Clanmates. But it was too late. She'd committed to this and she'd see it through.

Any discomfort I'm feeling isn't nearly as bad as the pain the ShadowClan warriors must be experiencing, Icepool thought sadly.

The two cats tore through the thicket, ignoring the thorns and prickly leaves that snagged on to their pelts. Icepool's paws splashed in a murky puddle of water; the rain had stopped a little while ago but ShadowClan's soil seemed to retain the water, making the floor swampy and soggy.

Icepool glanced down at the puddle of water, noticing a reflection of a cat on the trembling surface. Thinking it was her own image, Icepool peered closer at the reflection. On closer inspection she realized that the reflection in the puddle wasn't of her at all. A different cat's face shone on the filmy layer of the pool. A face Icepool recognized.

It was Miststorm, her sad eyes staring out blankly at Icepool, who gazed, horrified, at the image. Miststorm's white pelt was shining dimly in the darkness and she seemed to be pleading with Icepool. Miststorm had been murdered by Strongstar when he attacked RiverClan only a few days ago.

Icepool bent her head closer to the puddle and whispered softly to the reflection, "I will avenge your death."

As if this was what Miststorm's image had been waiting for, her face faded away, leaving the puddle of water empty and desolate under the thicket. Icepool felt like thorns were tearing at her heart instead of her pelt.

"Icepool, what are you doing? Come on!" Rainwhisker hissed between his teeth, afraid of raising his voice any louder.

"Right, sorry. I'm coming," Icepool said, snapping out of the trace-like state she'd been in when she saw Miststorm's face.

With a backwards glance at the stagnant puddle of water, Icepool inched forward, following Rainwhisker's pungent stench of fox through the bushes and closer to ShadowClan's camp.