Icebelly circled the apprentice, their shoulder bleeding slightly. They had stayed with their sister for so long and only moved when Thymeroot pushed them out. Snowfeather was nearly killed and only survived because Mousefur had lead the rouges away. They had sent search parties to search for Mousefur, dead or alive but hadn't been able to find her for five days until she dragged herself back to camp. It was clear she had been beaten and raped, it's shocking that she still dragged herself all the way back to camp. Spottedleaf had covered her mate in licks and immediately began treating her.

Most of that patrol was dealing with injures to some degree. Runningwind was dealing with a bad belly wound, Chivestalk, Brackenfang, and Lynxfoot were dealing with some bad cuts and bruises, Ebonyfoot was dealing with a broken paw, Magpiethroat was the only who didn't have such serious injures aside from a few light wounds.

Chocolate had recovered after a good rest and meal. He would've left if not for the disaster that happened when Tiger-roar realized they were siblings. Nightshade looked ready to kill Chocolate while Miststrike didn't look pleased but not too hostile like her littermates. Chocolate was a little scared to leave by himself since Nightshade looked like she would kill him and he couldn't really blame him, she offered him a place in the clan and Chocolate said he'll think about it.

Raveneye had approached Bluestar about the rogues and about Tiger-roar and Nightshade. They'd been distinct from the clan lately, Icebelly had joined in on the concerns but Bluestar shut them down. Icebelly still thinks scared of him after what he did to Lionheart. It wasn't like he did it out of malice, he did it out of care.

Willowpelt recently gave birth to three kits: Rainkit, Sootkit, and Sorrelkit. Willowpelt seemed overjoyed at her new litter, he knew because he helped Thymeroot deliver them. Though he wasn't expecting what happened yesterday:

-Flashback-

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the high rock for a clan meeting"

Icebelly lifted their head from Graystripe's chest, they just started to doze off. They slowly stood to their paws and head over to the crowd.

"Maplekit step forward" Oh right it's about time Maplepaw was apprenticed, they wondered who would be her mentor.

Maplekit stood tall and proud just like her mother. She was freshly groomed by the looks of it cutesy of Goldenflower. Despite her stone mask, to them Bluestar looks like a cat who'd want some level of companionship, Goldenflower seemed to fit that. They had teased both mollies about it, Swiftpaw, Cypressflower, and Lynxfoot helped them. Goldenflower seemed to be the one beside Whitestorm consoling Bluestar, the golden molly made a flower crown with lavender and Bluestar seemed so calm and relaxed it was frighting.

"From this moment until you earn your warrior name you shall be known as Maplepaw" Bluestar drifted her gaze onto Icebelly "Icebelly you will mentor Maplepaw, Tiger-roar taught you well and you were a fine mentor for Cinderfrost I know you'll pass on all your skills to Maplepaw"

To say Icebelly was shocked was an understatement. They snapped out of their shock and quickly padded over to touch noses with their new apprentice.

-Flashback ends-

They've been training Maplepaw the same way they did Cinderfrost. Maplepaw was just like Cinderfrost, eager to learn and took to battle training easily. It also be said when Tiger-roar trained them, he would often say "Aren't you tired of being nice kitty, don't you want to go crazy" Go crazy they did

They saw Maplepaw limp slightly, panting but her blue gaze looked determined as well as a flash of stubbornness.

A wicked smirk appeared on their face. "Try again Maplepaw"

Whitethroat shook the last of the pine needles from his tail. He drew a paw to get the pine needles out of his ears but he felt Wetfoot's tongue lick his white-tipped ears.

"There we go" he mewed

"Thanks"

Wetfoot has been a true blessing for him during this time. His kits were doing much better with Wetfoot helping raise them. His mental health was extremely better along with some talks with Runningnose and the newly named Hazeblossom to ease his mind. Runningnose helped him with the trauma part with was most of his problems. Some cats would find Hazeblossom's red eyes chilling but not Shadowclan plus if you've met Icebelly or just been around him, the eyes are harmless and even calming.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the high branch for a clan meeting" Silverstar called, her voice sounded proud and confident. It's better than what's its been for a the past three days. She started a fight with Thunderclan at the gathering and started a border fight. He asked his mother what was wrong but she either ignored the question or change the subject.

He would've let it go if not for the conversation he heard her and Runningnose had yesterday:

-Flashback-

Whitethroat had been carrying last two of the frogs when he heard Silverstar snap "Watch your tongue"

He dropped his frogs and silently padded over. He saw Runningnose was sitting, head hanging in his usual manner. Silverstar was standing tall, her tail was lashing, the flower necklace she wore around her neck was slightly rocking back and forth.

Whitethroat remembered wanting to get flowers but Runningnose told him not to, he would give the flowers. Runningnose got a flower that summed up Silverstar's leadership for Shadowclan, he got a Protea, king. KIng meant transformation and change as well as daring and resourcefulness while Protea meaning courage and diversity.

"I'm just saying Silverstar, just because we smelled them doesn't mean Thunderclan is sheltering them" the white and gray tom looked tired "Bluestar wouldn't want those foxhearts in her territory let alone her camp"

"Bluestar can be unpredictable, I don't know what she wouldn't and would want" Silverstar retorted

"Hissing and attacking isn't the solution Silverstar" Runningnose mewed with a sniff "we have just stopped being at war with Thunderclan when Brokenstar died we don't need to start anything with no good reason"

Silverstar hissed and looked away

"You're paranoid Silverstar and you know it"

Silverstar didn't respond

"It's because you only got five lives instead of nine"

Silverstar snapped her head to look at Runningnose "Shut up, Starclan can go fuck themselves for denying me, "it was Battle for the Star' they said that's a load of fox-dung if I ever heard it"

"I know Sliverstar, I was there"

-Flashback ends-

Whitethroat was pushed out of his thoughts when Badgerfang nudged him. The large black and white tom pointed with his tail to Midnightpaw, Vulturepaw, Yarrowpaw, and Mirepaw.

"Fernshade, Wolfstep, Flintfang and Lichenfang, do you four believe these apprentices are ready for warriorhood?"

"I do" Fernshade

"As do I" Wolfstep

"Midnightpaw from moment forward you shall be known as Midnightstalk, Vulturepaw from moment forward you shall be known as Vulturewing , Yarrowpaw from moment forward you shall be known as Yarrowshade , Mirepaw from moment forward you shall be known as Mirepelt"

The crowd of cats hissed the new warriors names, a tradition of Shadowclan to hiss instead of cheering. "Midnightstalk, Vulturewing, Yarrowshade, Mirepelt"

"Dipperkit, Wildkit, Burdock-kit, Hollylock-kit, and Privetkit step forward" Oh right his kits ceremony was today as while as Tangleburr and Lichenfang's new litter in Wildkit and Dipperkit.

"More kits for our growing clan" Littlecloud mewed, Whitethroat felt his fur rise slightly but it fell back down when he recognized his friend's blue eyes. Littlecloud's sire was Deerfoot not Boulder, it was obvious from his coat and tabby markings but had his mother's very small height. Newtspeck did confess that Wetfoot and Shadewhisper was Boulder's Littlecloud was Deerfoot's while Brownspeck was Brokenstar's. They all saw Boulder as their father though.

"I hope I can mentor one" Batwhisker mewed, her blue eyes bright "I've been wanting to be a mentor" Batwhisker had become a warrior a half-moon ago along with Snaketail, and his former apprentice, Lavenderthorn. The most of the kits Brokenstar sired shared a trait that would mark their heritage: the kinked tail. Snaketail, Vulturewing, Rottingbranch, Oakfur, Brownspeck, only Badgerfang didn't get this trait.

"I'm sure Silverstar knows what she's doing" Mottlepelt mewed standing beside Whitethroat.

"Dipperpaw your mentor shall be Wetfoot, Wildpaw your mentor will be Whitethroat, Burdockpaw your mentor will be Rottingbranch, Hollylockpaw your mentor shall be Batwhisker, and Privetpaw your mentor shall be Houndtooth"

Icebelly yawned, watching the sun climbing the trees. Him and Sandstorm had spent the night with Morningflower as well as bonding with Gorsepaw and Quailpaw, they often call him dad and Sandstorm ma at times. He loved those two like his bio kits.

The day before he had been looking over the Riverclan border looking for Silverstream but Willowheart caught him instead. Silverstream had "gotten too big to leave camp and would be fine" she said, he tried to leave but a patrol was near and Willowheart had hid him.

Though after the patrol had left, things got steamy. Shellpaw had caught them after the fact, she was Willowheart's apprentice "What just-"

"Nothing Shellpaw, let's go" Willowheart had said.

Icebelly shook himself from his thoughts "Tiger-roar wants me to send Cloudpaw and Maplepaw on a solo hunting mission today" he mewed to Raveneye

The lean warrior looked up in surprise "That's early isn't it? They've barley been an apprentices, if anything Swiftpaw, Fernpaw, and Ashpaw should be getting that"

Icebelly shrugged "Tiger-roar thinks they're ready. Meadowpaw, Milkpaw, and Cottonpaw are having one too, He told me to follow them and see how they do, anyway. If your free would you like to come and help? I'll need help with watching two apprentices"

Tiger-roar had been busy that morning, sending out one patrol with Whitestorm leading to renew the scent markings along the Riverclan boundary and another with Sandstorm to hunt around Snakerocks, so he neglected to tell Icebelly where Maplepaw should go for her hunting mission. Icebelly didn't want to be bothered to remind the deputy.

"You both can make for Twolegplace" he mewed to Maplepaw, his tail laying on Cloudpaw's back "Then you won't get in the way of the patrols. You two won't see me or Raveneye but We'll be watching you. We'll meet you by the twoleg fence"

Cloudpaw nudged him "Tommy?"

"If he's there you may talk" Icebelly mewed knowing Cloudpaw understood that. He raised his paw in a stop/but motion 'don't look for him' he signed

"I won't uncle" Cloudpaw's eyes gleamed, his snowy fur fluffed up in excitement. Maplepaw looked just as excited, her fluffy white tail sticking up with her tail-tip flicking. Icebelly remembered doing this with Cinderfrost, it was a lot of fun and it felt good seeing how far his apprentice had come.

"Off you two go, then" Icebelly mewed

"Try to get there by sunhigh" Raveneye added

They watched the apprentices race off toward the tunnel "Pace yourself" he called after them "You've a long way to go!"

Neither apprentice slowed down.

"Apprentices" Raveneye mewed "Let's go, I have Magpiethroat training Tansypaw today and I don't know how long he'll last with her"

They were following the apprentices scents, they were strong and mingled with each other.

"How's your kits?" Raveneye asked

"Great" Icebelly mewed with pride "I've heard that Sunnypaw's tracking skills have improved, Flurrypaw's fighting skills have improved and Fuzzypaw has been helping out with the medicine cats and queens"

"That's great" Raveneye replied

A flurry of loose feathers told of a caught thrush, and specks of blood on the grass showed that a mouse had fallen to his claws. Not far from Tallpines, Icebelly found the spot where Cloudpaw had buried his fresh-kill so he could return for it later. He saw a similar spot where Maplepaw had buried her kill. Impressed that both apprentices were hunting well so early in their training, Raveneye and Icebelly put on speed, hoping to catch the two apprentices catching or stalking prey. But before they reached twolegplace he caught sight of Maplepaw racing back along her own scent rail, her fur bristling and a wild light in her eyes.

"Maplepaw!" Icebelly raced forward to meet her, his body tingling with fear.

"What happened?" Raveneyes asked

Maplepaw skidded to a halt, her claws scattering pine needles, barley managing avoid a collision with Icebelly "Sunnypaw's dead"

Icebelly felt his heart drop and the air grew cold "What?"

"Me and Cloudpaw saw Tiger-roar and Nightshade, and there were some strange cats with him"

"What strange cats? The rouges" Raveneye said in horror

"I think so" Maplepaw replied, her fur standing on end "They were huddled together, just on the edge of the trees. I tried to get closer to hear what they were saying, but I was afraid they would see my white tail. So I came to find you"

Icebelly wasn't listening he stopped when he heard about Sunnypaw's fate. "Take me to my kit" he suddenly snapped

Maplepaw was about to move when Cloudpaw came into view with Sunnypaw's corpse. He set his daughter's body down gently.

Icebelly dashed forward, burying his face in Sunnypaw's fur. She shouldn't have died so young, she should've lived. He caught the scent of a tom that made his blood boil. He looked at his kit's claws, black fur and reddish-brown fur were lodged in her claws.

Nightshade and Chestnutclaw

He was seething. "I'll kill them" he snarled

"Well you'll have to wait" Raveneye replied "I just saw a large group of them and they're heading for camp"

Icebelly didn't skip a beat "Run!" he ordered "All of you run like you've never before"

He ran with speed he didn't know he had, not checking to see if Cloudpaw and Maplepaw were keeping up. He saw Raveneye race ahead, fear racing off his white spotted pelt.

He sent out all those patrols this morning Icebelly thought, fighting back panic. and he told me to follow Cloudpaw and Maplepaw. He left the clan with barley a warrior to defend it. He's been planning this all along! why didn't he see it.

Icebelly hurtled through the trees, his muscles bunching and stretching as he drove himself on. But when Raveneye and him reached the ravine, he realized that they had not run fast enough. He saw the lats of the rouges disappear into the gorse tunnel.

Launching himself down the steep side of the ravine, with Cloudpaw and Maplepaw scrabbling down behind him, Icebelly let out a yowl "Thunderclan! Enemies! Attack!" He hurled himself into the tunnel and at the same moment he heard another yowl from the camp ahead.

"To me, Thunderclan!"

It was the familiar battle cry, but the voice was Tiger-roar's.

He burst into the clearing just as Tiger-roar whirled on the band of rogues, who scattered, yowling, from his attack. The deputy certainly looked as if he were trying to drive enemies from the camp, but Icebelly was close enough to see that his long claws were sheathed in his massive paws. Tiger-roar's brave defense was all a sham. He had brought these enemy cats here, but he was cunning enough to conceal his own treachery.

There was no time for any more thought. However they had come here, the rogue cats were now attacking the camp. Icebelly turned swiftly to Cloudpaw and Maplepaw.

"Go and find the patrols and tell them to come back" he ordered "Whitestorm is somewhere along the Riverclan boundary, and Sandstorm went to Snakerocks"

"Yes Icebelly, I got Snakerocks" Maplepaw replied

"Riverclan" Cloudpaw added as they both raced back into the tunnel.

Icebelly sprang at the nearest rogue, a dark mottled brown tabby , and he raked his claws down his side. The rogue snarled and twisted toward, paws splayed for attack. He tried to pin Icebelly down; Icebelly's hindpaws pummeled his belly, and rogue broke away howling.

Icebelly's scrambled to his paws and crouched with tail lashing and fur bristling as he looked around for another enemy. Outside the entrance to the nursery, Frostbite was wrestling a rogue with a pale gray coat, the two of the rolling over and over as they tried to get a hold with teeth and claws.

Brindleface and Speckletail were fighting against a black cat twice their size. Near the warrior's den, Mousefur dug her front claws into the shoulder of a huge tabby, while her back claws shredded his flank.

He saw Duststorm and Raveneye brawling with Chestnutclaw, Raveneye going for the ribes and Duststorm going for the eyes.

He tried to run to help but he was bowled over by a rogue cat. His flank stung as claws raked down it. Green eyes glared a mouse-length from his own red ones. Icebelly bared his fangs and tried to bite down into the enemy's shoulder, but the rogue cat batted him away. Claws ripped into his ear. His belly was exposed and he couldn't twist free. Suddenly his attacker let out a wail and released him. Icebelly caught a glimpse of the older apprentice Swiftpaw with his teeth fastened into the rogue's tail; the rogue dragged him through the dust until Swiftpaw released him and the enemy fled.

Panting, Icebelly scrambled to his paws "Thanks" he gasped "Well done"

"Done it a lot with Fogtail" Swiftpaw chuckled before racing off to where Frostbite still battled in front of the nursery along with Nettlesong.

The clearing heaved with struggling cats, but as Icebelly poised himself to rejoin the fray he realized something that sent an even colder pang of fear along his spine. Where was Bluestar?

In a heartbeat, Icebelly realized that he couldn't see Tiger-roar either or Nightshade either. Every instinct told him danger was looming, even the hissing from Goosefeather. He dodged around Willowpelt, who was clinging to the back of a much bigger rogue, her teeth hastened in his ear, and made for Bluestar's den, Whitestorm falling beside him. To his relief, as he approached the entrance he heard Bluestar mew from inside, "We can worry about that later, Tiger-roar Nightshade. The Clan needs us now"

For a few heartbeats there was no reply. Whitestorm looked ready to bolt but was waiting. Then Icebelly heard Bluestar's voice again, surprised "Nightshade? What are you doing?"

Tiger-roar's snarl answered "Remember us to Starclan, Mother"

"Tiger-roar Nightshade, what is this?" Bluestar's mew was sharper now, edged with rage, not fear. "I'm the leader of your clan, or have you two forgotten that?"

"Not for much longer" Nightshade growled

"I'm going to kill you, and kill you again, As many times as it takes for you to join Starclan forever. It's time for me to lead this Clan!" Tiger-roar declared

Bluestar's answering hiss was suddenly cut short by the sound of paws thudding against the hard floor of the den, followed by dreadful snarling.