Okay, for some of you, I think it's best if you read the first TTW story so that some things will be cleared up a bit. Just a suggestion.

Chapter Six

I was terrified. The cat, that horrible cat Flamestorm, was coming back.

I paced back and forth near the Great Sycamore, wincing as the cold snow touched my pads. How? I kept wondering. How could this have happened? I had no idea how Flamestorm could come back – she was dead, Dragonheart had killed her, it was impossible. What if she wasn't dead?

No, I thought finally. Dragonheart would have made sure she had killed her. I forced my heart to stop pounding. If Flamestorm did come back, I would be able to handle her, no problem. I was not the foolish young she-cat I had been all those seasons ago. I was Glacierstar, after all. Leader. I had nine lives. I could take apart Flamestorm with no problem.

"Glacierstar?"

I hissed in alarm and spun around, my fur bristled out. But I recognized the long-haired, white pelt of Creampaw.

"Creampaw, what are you doing?" I demanded. "You scared me to death."

The small tom dipped his head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Glacierstar," he mewed. "I just wanted to know where you were and if we could go hunting."

I relaxed slightly and let a purr sound from my throat. "Sure, Creampaw," I replied. "Let's go."

He looked a little happier. The two of us walked through the shrubbery at the ground, scenting for prey. I picked up the scent of a water vole near the river and waited for my apprentice to pick it up. I was relieved to see that Creampaw hunted as well as when I was watching him privately yesterday. He darted into the slightly snow-covered bushes and came back a moment later with not just the water vole, but with two thrushes. Creampaw had no problem finding other prey in the forest. I was very glad; my first apprentice as a leader would be a success.

We hunted for a while, and when the sun started to go down, the two of us headed back to camp. I watched Creampaw drop his catch in the fresh-kill pile. Mistypaw and Glitterpaw walked over to congratulate him.

Creampaw's sister, Glitterpaw, looked very impressed. "That's a great catch, Creampaw," she mewed. Then a mischievous glint in her eyes appeared. "I'll fight you for that big fat mouse right there."

He crouched. "Sure!" And in a second, they were play fighting, rolling on the thin sheet of snow on the ground.

Mistypaw watched them for a while, then shook her head, probably in dismay. She looked at me. "Glacierstar, Sprucecloud is moving into the nursery. Who will be my new mentor?"

This took me completely at a surprise. "She is?" I asked stupidly.

Ebonypaw's sister sighed. "Yes, she is. I believe her mate is Branchtail. She'll be giving birth in about a moon."

"Great," I meowed. "Well, I'll make the decision and announce it to the Clan."

I leapt upon the Highrock, made a quick choice, and yowled out the familiar call for summoning the Clan for a meeting. Almost instantly, ThunderClan rushed towards me, sitting down at the base of the Highrock.

"Sprucecloud is now in the nursery," I mewed, "and her apprentice, Mistypaw, is left without a mentor." Privately, I thought that Sprucecloud's timing had been pretty good – she was not the best mentor in the world. "I have already decided who the next mentor should be." I paused and looked down at the ground. "Skyfoot," I mewed to the young gray warrior with white patches, "will you pass on everything Sandstorm taught you?"

"I will," replied the older warrior, and touched noses to Mistypaw, who swished her tail proudly. I think they were both happy with the choice I had made.

I leapt down from the Highrock. Dragonheart padded up to me.

"Glacierstar," she mewed, "I wanted Nightcloud on a dawn patrol this morning, but he wasn't here. Do you know where he was?"

"Erm…I'll have a talk with him," I replied nervously. Dragonheart nodded and walked away to her apprentice, Creekpaw.

I spotted Nightcloud close to the fresh-kill pile. "Nightcloud," I mewed, and my son looked up. I dropped my voice. "Dragonheart noticed your disappearance this morning. You should be more careful."

Nightcloud hissed. "Mind your own business," he snapped.

I flinched and unsheathed my claws, scraping them against the ground. "I'm trying to help, all right?" I whispered. "I don't want you to get caught."

Nightcloud stood up. I wondered if he would actually slash me. "I won't get caught," he snarled, and whipped around, and went into the forest.

I overslept the next morning and made up for it by hunting a few things. I returned, still early in the morning, and saw Dragonheart handing out orders to the warriors. She spotted me, gave a final demand, and padded over.

"Nightcloud's missing again," she grumbled. "Do you have any idea where he's going?"

Her tone of voice made me wince. "No," I lied.

"Well, I hope you find out about that son of yours. He's driving me mad." And she stalked away.

I sighed. Now Dragonheart was mad at me for no particular reason. I was just about to go find Nightcloud when Skyfoot came padding up to me.

"Glacierstar, I can't find Mistypaw," he mewed, looking very frantic. "Ebonypaw says she left before everyone was up."

I felt a prickle of unease run through me and hoped that the thought that crossed my mind wasn't true. "I'm sure she'll turn up," I replied. Skyfoot nodded and padded away.

Great. Now I had to find both Mistypaw and Nightcloud. This was not a good day for me. Just as I was about to leave the camp, a familiar dark shape came streaking through the tunnel. It was Nightcloud, and his fur was all fluffed out.He spotted me and rushed over.

"I found Mistypaw," he gasped. "She's badly hurt – a WindClan patrol attacked her."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"I dragged her as far as the owl tree."

I hissed threateningly. "She was probably tracking you, you piece of foxdung!" I sneered. "All right, go –"

"Glacierstar!" Now it was Burrowfoot. "We have RiverClan invaders at Sunningrocks!"

I was torn apart. Two tragedies were happening at once. "Okay," I mewed, thinking fast, "Powderstripe, Barktail, and Nightcloud, go get Mistypaw. Show them where she is," I told my son, who gave me a dirty look. The three cats left. "Dragonheart, organize a patrol that will take care of RiverClan. I'm coming with you."

Dragonheart nodded and began to hand out orders. Ebonypaw came up to me.

"Glacierstar, I want to go help get Mistypaw," he mewed.

I scowled. "No, Ebonypaw," I snapped. "You will attack the RiverClan patrol."

"She's my sister!" Now the dark gray apprentice's voice was rising. "She's the only family I have left, and she might be bleeding to death at the owl tree. I'm going!"

"You will not disobey orders!" I yowled. Ebonypaw flinched and gave me a look of pure hatred.

"We're ready, Glacierstar." It was Dragonheart, with a band of ThunderClan cats behind her. "Let's go."

I nodded. "Come on, ThunderClan!" I screeched, and the patrol ran through the forest to Sunningrocks.

Dragonheart had chosen well. Ashenwind, Hollytail, Flowerstripe, Squirreltail, Graytail, Amberfoot, Branchtail, Barkstorm, Creampaw, and Ebonypaw were all tailing behind me. I was full of adrenaline and very ready to see how my first battle as a leader would turn out.

The RiverClan patrol was of shocking size – even Iciclestar was there, and her deputy Borealfur. I recognized an incredible, beautiful warrior, Blazeleaf, among them, as well as Lightwind and Elmheart, both admired warriors. But I wouldn't let the number of my enemies slow me down.

"Glacierstar!" It was Iciclestar, from the highest rock in Sunningrocks. "Either you give us this territory, or we will be forced to attack. Which do you choose?"

I unsheathed my claws. "I will not give up my territory without a fight, Iciclestar," I yowled, and my Clan hissed and screeched in agreement behind me.

Iciclestar narrowed her eyes. I knew, when it came to a fight between her, and me, I would win. She might have had the nine lives of a leader, but she was quite young. I could take care of her, no problem! "Fine," she hissed, and yowled over her shoulder, "RiverClan, attack!"

In answer, RiverClan launched into battle. I rushed forward, and ThunderClan followed me. I knocked over a broad-shouldered blue-gray she-cat who looked vaguely familiar. She hissed with rage and bit my shoulder, making me yowl out. I realized who it was – Streamtail, Feathertail's daughter. So there was a descendant of Graystripe alive. I would not let the granddaughter of my old leader stop me from letting this cat know that trespassing on ThunderClan territory was not exceptional. I gave her a painful bite in the ear and sent her yowling into the bushes.

Shadedclaw rammed into me, sending me scrambling close to the river. I leapt as he ran to attack me again, and we both rolled down the hill, hissing and spitting. Shadedclaw managed to hold me down and hiss in my ear, "RiverClan will have this territory!"

I growled and knocked him off me. "Never!" I yowled, and my claws raked his side. Shadedclaw yowled in agony and tried to run, but I had leapt onto his back and gave him a firm bite to the neck. Shadedclaw hissed angrily and gave me a furious look before heading back to his own territory.

I climbed the hill again quickly, eager to rejoin the fight. Dragonheart was tussling fiercely with a ginger she-cat, Goldentail. Ashenwind was just sending off a tabby tom Rapidfoot. Together, Ebonypaw and Creampaw attacked a large warrior.

I rushed to help Dragonheart, but another cat rammed into me. I was shocked to see that it was Iciclestar, and I realized that she had only been trying to get to me this entire battle. She held me down with firm, wide paws.

"You'll have to kill me nine times, Iciclestar!" I cried.

"So will you me," she retorted, and bent down to bite me. My back claws raked her belly and Iciclestar hissed, drawing back. She hadn't had much experience in a battle yet. I rushed forward and dodged a lightning-quick blow of her paw, and slashed forward. Iciclestar yowled with rage as blood poured into her eyes from a cut above her forehead.

She was blinded now. I watched her call to her deputy, Borealfur – but I knocked her over, scratching her with my claws as hard as I could. Iciclestar slashed suddenly – I felt a small pain in my cheek, but it wouldn't stop me. But my opponent was up and ready. I was exhausted from battling, but Iciclestar was not – she just wanted me to die.

"For Flamestorm," whispered Iciclestar, and slashed, with long, long silver claws, and everything turned dark.

I was back. The field, the flames, everything was back. I felt the familiar wave of sick fear wash over me. I wanted to disappear, to go back and help my Clan. I realized with a jolt what had happened – I had lost a life.

I had died a second time.

"Aww, Glacierstar, did you lose a life?" The voice. It was so, so familiar. And there she came. Out of the fire, came Flamestorm. I recognized her piercing green eyes and ginger pelt.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded. "I should be seeing StarClan, not you."

Flamestorm shrugged. "I just thought we could talk," she replied in a mocking voice.

"Shut up. What are you planning? How will you return?"

"I have two plans," answered Flamestorm, "but I'm not exactly just going to tell you, am I?"

"You're dead!" I exclaimed. "Dragonheart killed you! How could you come back?"

"There are many things you don't understand, Glacierstar."

It hit me. "It's Iciclestar, isn't it? You must have sent her to kill me."

Flamestorm purred. "Oh, very good, Glacierstar!" she mewed mockingly. "She's figured it out."

"And if that fails? What will you do?"

An evil glint appeared in Flamestorm's eyes. "I'll figure it out," she answered with a purr of laughter. "But there's more to Iciclestar that you don't know."

And I was in Sunningrocks again, on the ground. The battle was still going on. I scrambled to my feet, dizzy but alive. I looked around. ThunderClan was just winning – RiverClan's numbers were thinning out quickly. I leapt upon a cat that was slashing Hollytail and gave him a bite on the tail. I guess that RiverClan decided that ThunderClan was not the Clan to pick on at the moment, and they all left.

I sighed in relief. We had won our first battle as me leader. I glanced around the clearing filled with fur and blood. "Is everyone all right?" I asked.

"Creampaw has a bad slash on his leg," replied Dragonheart, studying my apprentice. "And that cut on your cheek doesn't look so good, either."

I had barely noticed it. Iciclestar must have given it to me. I was still shaking from what Flamestorm had said to me. I shook my head to get that out of my mind; I had to tend to my Clan now.

"I've got to see Mistypaw." It was Ebonypaw, glaring at me with defiant amber eyes.

"All right," I replied, too tired to argue. "ThunderClan, let's go back to camp."

My exhausted warriors hauled themselves to their feet and padded back to camp. I thought we'd never make it at the speed we were going – even Ebonypaw, with his eagerness to see Mistypaw, was trailing just behind me. But when he reached the camp, he rushed forward to see his sister.

"Mistypaw!" he cried.

The gray she-cat with darker patches was in terrible shape. A long, gruesome scratch ran right down her side, and her ear had been bitten off at the tip. Mistypaw's right front foot was a bloody heap of fur and her mouth was open, like she'd been crying out the whole time.

Creampaw ran to Ebonypaw and pressed his side against his.

"Is she going to be okay?" Ebonypaw demanded of Leafstorm.

"Time will tell," she answered. "I can assure you that she will be training, but the shock might be too much for her. There were at least five cats." She yowled over her shoulder, "Blizzardkit! Bring me some cobwebs, please!"

A few seconds later, the young gray kit came stumbling out of the medicine cat's den with several cobwebs stuck to a twig. I had been so busy with tending to the Clan that I had had no idea that Blizzardkit had been spending so much time with Leafstorm. Maybe it was his destiny to be a medicine cat. Leafstorm gingerly placed the cobwebs on Mistypaw's injuries as Ebonypaw watched, his eyes glazed with an unreadable expression.

Leafstorm looked up at me. "I had no idea WindClan cats were this vicious."

I knew why. WindClan had scented a ThunderClan intruder on their territory for a few days, which was obviously Nightcloud. And when Mistypaw followed him this morning to see where he was going, WindClan brutally attacked her to get her off the territory. I glared at Nightcloud. It was his fault that this had happened.

All right, their first battle! I thought that was cool. And don't tell me that Sharptooth killed Feathertail, all right? See top note from chapter five to find out why, otherwise I will be relatively pissed. Point made.

Now, anyway, please review! XD Oh, yeah, I just read an excerpt from Starlight - I know what Squirrelpaw's warrior name is! And it's not Squirreltail! If you want to know, I'll tell you via email, but I don't want to give spoilers...