And here we are, back again. Ready for anything. Or are we?

Pinefur of DragonClan: good thing you have a raincoat... --looks up at tattered umbrella-- I think I'm screwed...

Loup D'Amour: poor Wood indeed. --huggles--

Rockclaw: --hides behind rock to avoid giving stuff away--

Iceleaf: I want enchilada! xP And sorry about your confusion. Smoke is Wood's brother, he was captured by Ice Tribe when he was little, and now he's back and evil. That pretty much sums him up. And the author's note was just a weird metaphor... don't worry about it. :)

Shandril Wielder of Spellfire: yay, you're back! Cliffhangers are fuuuun... --ducks under volley of tomatoes--

Soren-silverwolf: Unfortunately the only ones who know about Smoke and Smokepaw are the two of them, and Tawny. But Tawny's not exactly up to talking... how is everyone gonna find out? x.x Run Smokepaw run!

Lakeshadow: Cliffies, as we mentioned before, are fuuuuuuuuuun. Great fun. ;)

Shadow of the Nights: I love Earthroot, I really do, and you're right... trying not to over do it, but hey, he wants the spotlight. --grabs flashlight from Earthroot--

Cinnamonpool: aww, thankies!

Chapter 36

Smokepaw noticed the large group of cats from a distance. As he got closer he was able to identify a few of the cats as Water Tribe, and groaned loudly. More enemies.

Actually, he wasn't sure who wasn't an enemy. Ice Tribe? No, Stoneice had probably figured him out. Water Tribe thought he was the Shaded Talons. Dark's patrol thought he'd tried to kill Tawny. Who was left?

A ginger she-cat danced on the edge of his vision. That's it - his original allies! Leaf, Willow, and Frost still might believe him. And Wood. His best and only friend, the one cat in the world with an open mind and generous heart, would believe him. Not only would Wood believe him, but he'd comfort him, tell him everything was alright, and help him catch Smoke. Because Wood was Wood like that.

And then his wildest dreams came true. Lagging at the back of the pack were Wood and Leaf, and two much smaller cats that Smokepaw took to be kits. He felt a strange emotion overtake him - Leaf and Wood had KITS?! Breathing hard, the logical part of his mind told him that wasn't rational, that Leaf hadn't been pregnant, and that even if she had been the kits wouldn't be able to walk yet at this stage in their lives. Calming down a bit, he continued his approach.

He knew he had to come at them from behind, taking great care to make sure no one else noticed him, or else he'd be torn to shreds. If he could fall in step and quiet them before one of them (most likely Leaf) screamed, then he'd be able to speak with them. Simple as that.

.

Leaf, for the first time in a while, felt uneasy walking beside Wood. The hyperactive tom had become her friend, and she'd thought that any awkwardness that existed between them had been dispelled. But apparently this was not so. Wood was dragging his paws along, a haunted look settling over his normally bright eyes, and with each moment he grew increasingly paranoid and protective of the two kits.

She attributed the melancholy to his sister's death and the death of one of her kits, but she couldn't place the deeply troubled aura that hung about him like a heavy rain cloud. She'd never seen anything like it within a ten mile radius of Wood; normally he was a glittering ball of energy, the polar opposite of depressed. But now he was the polar opposite of Wood.

They walked in silence. Leaf wanted to place a tail on his shoulder, to let him know she was there, but there seemed to be a bubble around her friend that forbid her from stepping across the line. So they continued to walk in the eerie silence.

"Leaf."

The voice was a mere whisper on the edge of her hearing. At first she thought she was just hearing things that didn't exist, but she heard the voice again.

"Leaf."

She whirled around, and saw a black tom trailing them a few foxlengths back. She was upwind of him, so she hadn't scented him. She narrowed her eyes, and realized with a jolt it was Smokepaw.

Smokepaw, the stubborn cat with a concealed heart of kindness? Or Smokepaw the murderer who'd killed Wood's family? Leaf wasn't sure. She glanced over at Wood, but he was lost in his own little world, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the ground and occasionally at the kits by his side.

Leaf was well aware that she could be making a fatal decision, but something inside her spurred her on. She slowed her pace and let Wood walk ahead obliviously, and allowed the dangerous smoky-gray tom to catch up and walk beside her.

"Leaf -"

"Was it you?" she asked quietly, unable to control her desire to know. Smokepaw tilted his head in question. "Who killed the kits. And Wood's sister. Was it you?"

Smokepaw's eyes hardened. "No. It wasn't," he growled. He could see Leaf exhale, becoming visibly less tense.

"I knew it wasn't," she whispered. "Not even when Reed said -"

"Reed spoke to you?" Smokepaw's yellow eyes widened in alarm, but only for a split second before he fought it away and replaced it with a stoic mask.

"Yeah," Leaf replied. "Wood didn't take it well -"

"He told Wood?" Smokepaw's heart sank. His best friend thought that he was the source of his misery. But no, Wood wouldn't believe it. Would he?

"Yeah," meowed Leaf. "And he's been in this depressed mood ever since he found the kits -"

"Look, that's one of the cats from the den with us!" Little Owl was pointing a claw at Smokepaw from up ahead. Not an accusing paw, as if the little kit was just stating a fact, but Wood whirled around with murder in his eyes.

"You," he snarled. His claws were unsheathed in a heartbeat, and before Smokepaw could blink, his best friend was on top of him.

"Wood, stop!" Smokepaw cried, wrestling violently in his friend's mad grip. "It wasn't -"

"How could you do that to innocent kits?" he demanded with tears in his eyes. "To their mother? To my sister?" He tore at Smokepaw's face, barely missing his eye as he left a gash mirroring Owl's. "To Tawny?"

Smokepaw rolled to the side and out from under Wood's paws. The area around his eye burned, and he blinked away the blood threatening to drip in. "Wood, listen to me!"

"No!" Wood yowled, again lunging at Smokepaw. Reluctant to fight, Smokepaw stepped to the side instead of meeting him head on. "Why?" he cried. "Was it an attack on me?"

Smokepaw paused. "It was an attack on you, but -"

"Why would you attack me?" Wood hollered as he swiped wildly at Smokepaw. Smokepaw stepped backwards, and took another step backwards, until he was walking backwards away from the flurry of claws. "What did I ever do to you?"

"It wasn't me!" Smokepaw cried desperately. It hurt to see his friend in this much pain, and in hurt even worse that he thought this pain was caused by him.

Wood may have listened to Smokepaw's words, he may not have, but their fight had drawn attention. Reed, Raccoon and Creek were suddenly at Wood's side, all glaring daggers at the ShadowClan apprentice.

"Liar," Reed spat. "I saw you. And now we'll kill you!"

Smokepaw knew he was hopelessly outnumbered, and also weighed down by Wood's accusations. He'd never known that a single cat could have such an effect on his heart; maybe it was better back in ShadowClan, when he hadn't had any friends. Except Tawnypaw. But then, she was the same as Wood, causing him nothing by sadness and heartache in the end.

And so, for the second time that day, Smokepaw chose to turn and run. Only this time he did it with no shame, because he couldn't possibly feel shame. All he felt was the choking guilt and sorrow.

He saw Leaf out of the corner of his eye, her bright green eyes blazing, and he could see the anguish written on her face. She was calling to him, then calling to Wood, then calling to Reed, but no one was listening, and eventually she sank to the ice in defeat. Smokepaw turned and disappeared into a snowdrift.

A true ShadowClan warrior does not wallow in his grief. He had to set it aside, and focus on the goal.

Kill Smoke.

-Ŧ Ŧ Ŧ-

"They won't believe me," growled Dark, his intense blue eyes fixed on the Tribe approaching in the distance. "I'll hide, and you two go to your Tribe. Tell them that Ice Tribe is probably coming after you, and that the best thing to do is to meet them right here, right now."

"But we don't know what state Water Tribe is in," Frost protested. "For all we know, Mud defeated Smokepaw and the patrol, and is in control of the Tribe."

"Leaf and Wood went back," Willow put in quietly.

Frost glared at him. "So? Just because they went back doesn't mean everything is alright. There's such thing as an unhappy ending, fishbrain. For all we know, they could be dead."

Willow's fur bristled. "How could you -"

"Enough." Dark stepped between the two trainees. "Frost is right, but so is Willow. I suggest you have faith in your companions." He turned away.

"Wait. Where will you be?" Frost demanded.

"Hiding," Dark replied shortly. The herb trainee blinked, and the Ice Tribe fighter was gone.

The cats of Water Tribe in the distance were beginning to take shape. Frost and Willow exchanged uncertain glances, and came to a silent mutual understanding. They could do this, together. The same way they united what seemed like moons ago, back when they were just ordinary trainees with ordinary lives, to save Smokepaw and Wood from Ice Tribe. It was simple; just go to Water Tribe, and bring on the battle of the ages. Simple as a mouse in the open.

Willow matched Frost's brisk pace step for step. A flicker of doubt occurred to him; what if they weren't the right cats for this? They were too young, too unknowledgeable, too inexperienced. Surely it would be better for Dark to talk to and advise Water Tribe? He looked to his companion for reassurance, and found it, a burning fire within the ice blue eyes. Frost gave him a nod, a short, curt nod, but a nod that was filled with determination and confidence. And the two of them turned as one to face the oncoming Tribe, with Pine and Mud at the helm.

Pine was the first to react. "Willow? Frost?" She trotted up to them, scrutinizing the two trainees under her piercing gaze. "What happened to you?" she demanded once she was sure it was truly them.

But before they could reply - the fabricated story was on the tip of Frost's tongue - Leaf came bounding out from the crowd of cats.

"Willow! Frost!" the ran up to them and nuzzled them both, earning a fond lick in reply from Willow and a step away from Frost, who scrunched his face into an expression of mock-disapproval.

"Don't nuzzle me, you're not my mother," Frost snipped.

"Leaf!" Willow chirped. "What happened? Is everything alright?"

"I thought you guys might be dead! I'm so happy -"

"Hate to break up this wonderful reunion," Mud interrupted, his voice laced with a seemingly permanent discontent. "But you all have some explaining to do."

Frost's eyes narrowed, visible only to Mud. The mottled brown tom knew very well where they'd been, and was hoping that the trainees would shy away at that knowledge. He didn't expect the herb trainee to figure out that he would never admit to knowing, because admitting to knowing their whereabouts would be admitting to have been in Ice Tribe. The circle of thought made Frost's head spin, but he figured it out all the same.

"We were all captured by Ice Tribe," he meowed firmly, leaving the listeners from Water Tribe without a doubt to their tale. "Me, Leaf, Willow, Wood... and Yellowroot." He heard murmured gasps from the Tribe.

"What do they want with our herb cats?"

"What did they do with Yellowroot?"

"Where is she?"

"Is she alright?"

Willow saw Frost's eyes cloud as he faltered - the scene played back in his mind, the bloody gray pelt disappearing into the frozen depths of the Freezepool - and the pale-furred trainee took charge. "They killed her," he meowed with all the sadness he could muster. Growls of outrage erupted within the Tribe as he continued, "They did it right in front of poor Frost; he hasn't gotten over it, the pain of seeing his beloved trainer and our wonderful herb cat killed..." He saw Frost shoot him a glare, but behind that glare was a hint of gratefulness, so Willow continued.

"We were captured but we escaped, with the help of some allies within Ice Tribe, whom you have met." He inclined his muzzle to Reed, Flake, Raccoon, Creek and Tawny, who had made their way to the front of the group. "However, me and Frost were captured in our escape. But thanks to Duskroot's trainee, another friend, we were able to escape again." He specifically let Adder take the credit for Frost's escape. If Dark still wished to remain hidden, then hidden he would remain.

"We must avenge Yellowroot!" someone yowled, and was met with a chorus of approval.

"Death to Ice Tribe!"

"The time is now!"

Amidst the yowls, Pine made her way towards the two trainees and laid her tail on each of their shoulders. "Welcome back," she meowed, and Willow couldn't tell whether it was with warmth or freezing cold. Mud looked on with a fire burning in his vengeful yellow eyes as Pine turned back to the Tribe.

"We've been united with two young trainees we thought were lost. And now, with their help, we must continue on to Ice Tribe, to destroy Ice Tribe and avenge Yellowroot. Water Tribe, come!"

Battle cries echoed throughout the Tribe, and they began to sprint in the direction of Ice Tribe camp. Leaf, Willow and Frost found themselves caught up in the tidal wave of cats, and they struggled with all their strength to keep up and avoid being trampled.

And suddenly Wood was beside them, sheltering the kits from the rush of cats. The three of them turned to him as cats ran around them. The four trainees, the cats of Water Tribe who had united to fight war in the Snowlands, stood together again, with two new arrivals and a young cat who wasn't himself.

"Wood..." Leaf whispered.

"We have to protect them," Wood meowed firmly, shielding the two kits with a forepaw.

"Amber's kits?" asked Frost. Wood nodded numbly. Frost looked to Willow, and their eyes met; they didn't want to know.

Willow walked over to his friend, a cat whom he'd thought he had so much in common; two pranksters, whose eyes always shone and who held their heads high. But Wood's eyes were dull and sad, his head and tail sinking between his legs.

"Wood." Wood looked up at him with tears in his eyes. "Wood, listen to me. You have to be strong now, for us, and for the kits. We have a battle to fight, a battle for peace - isn't peace what you've always wanted?"

"Leave the kits here," Leaf added. "Tawny will take care of them." The tawny-furred trainee was making her way towards them, limping badly, trying to shift her weight onto her good paw. "She can't fight anyway, so she'll look after the kits."

Tawny crawled up beside Leaf. "I'll take care of the kits," she offered.

Leaf smiled. "See, just as we suggested. Come on, Wood. We need you."

Wood paused. "It's just... what if Smokepaw... comes back for them..."

Leaf's eyes darkened. "It wasn't him!" she yowled, with anger and passion burned into her voice. "You think it was him, but it wasn't! He told me!"

"He lied!" Wood cried.

"No, he didn't." Tawny pushed her way through, into their circle, to stand beside Wood. "Smokepaw isn't the cat who hurt us." She saw Wood's eyes widen with such confusion, such hurt, such pain, and felt herself ache inside. "It was your brother, Wood. It was Smoke."

Wood was stunned. His paws weakened and failed him, and he slumped to the ground. His brother, alive? Alive, and after him. After him to kill him, to kill his family, and who knew who else? But he was alive...

"Wood..."

"It's my fault," he choked. "All my fault. I failed him... I didn't save him when I could have... and now he hates me, he hates us all, because no one ever came to rescue him. We never tried. Whitewater insisted that if he was truly the Falling Smoke, he could save himself. And so I thought he was dead... and now he hates me, and he killed them..." he sobbed into his paws. "And Smokepaw... Smokepaw hates me now too... why didn't I believe him? Now he probably hates himself, he's going to leave, and I'll never see him again... and Smoke..."

"Wood... I..." Leaf stepped forward and brushed him in an attempt to comfort him, but he was oblivious. Willow extended a paw, but he was ignored. Wood buried his anguished face in his paws.

"Wood!" Of call the cats he'd expected to offer comfort, Frost was the last, but here the ice-eyed trainee was, staring him down. "Get a hold of yourself! You're brave and strong!" Wood looked up at him with dilated amber eyes. "I used to hate you, you know that? You were so clumsy, so hyper, and you messed everything up. But you know what I learned about you, after all that time in the prison den? You're not just some stupid kit! You have a heart, the biggest heart anyone's ever seen, you have a conscience, and on top of that, you have strength. You know how to stand up for yourself and what you believe in, and the cats you love. I respected you. But now here you are, sulking on the ground like a dying queen." He gave Wood his fiercest, iciest glare. "I thought you were better than that."

Leaf gasped, Willow looked shocked, and Tawny looked hurt. But Wood, slowly and shakily, lifted himself to his paws, and lifted his burning amber eyes to match Frost's blazing ice.

"I am," he growled. "And you're right." He turned to face Leaf, Willow and Tawny, his eyes glowing with fierce determination. "Tawny, stay with the kits. Now come on; we have a war to win."

...

Stoneice stood at the head of his Ice Tribe army with Duskroot at his side. His stone gray fur swayed slightly in the breeze. He could see Water Tribe emerging from the snowdrifts in the distance. His glowing yellow eyes narrowed.

"Here they come." He turned around to his bloodthirsty Tribe, sharpening their claws and waiting in anticipation of the greatest battle of their lives. "Ice Tribe - attack!"

The cats poured forth into the snow, towards the oncoming rush of Water Tribe fighters. And at the center of the two Tribes, young and old, fat and slender, black and white, sky and earth, fire and rain, water and ice - collided.

- - - -

--huggles Wood plushie--

Next time: the battle! But are the sides as defined as everyone thinks?

Till then,

Moonstar