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Chapter 4: Blackened Skies
Iceclaw padded around the clearing, tail lashing to and fro. She was confused. Ice alone will save our Clan… The words chilled her to the bone. Thunder rumbled in the distance—or was it the Thunderpath? She paid it no mind. Instead, questions buzzed through her head. Would she really become leader? Would she really save the Clan? What would she save them from?
"Iceclaw, Iceclaw, may I speak to you?" Silverwind called.
Iceclaw nodded. "Sure, I'll be right over!"
The she-cat loped over to the medicine cat, who was waiting by her den.
"Iceclaw, did someone speak to you?"
"Speak to me about what?"
"Your destiny, Iceclaw. I have gotten a dream from StarClan saying that you will rise with great power, do you know what that means?"
"Yes. Tigerstar told me."
Silverwind froze in mid-meow. "What?"
"Me and Moonpaw went to Moon Creek to hunt, and saw him there."
"So…he told you?"
"Yes."
Silverwind stared at her. She shook her head. "All right. I have a job for you. Can you go and get some herbs for me?" she meowed, changing the subject.
"Sure, what kind?" Iceclaw purred.
"Peacebloom, yarrow, juniper berries, comfrey roots, cobwebs, silverleaf, earthroot, goldthorn, fadeleaf, firebloom, purple lotus, wintersbite, and sungrass."
"Okay, got it. I'm going to take Moonpaw with me, okay?"
"That's fine."
Moonpaw and Iceclaw set out into the forest, looking for the herbs Silverwind had said. The silverleaf herbs were hard to find since Twisted Glade had been taken. By the time they reached Redrocks, their mouths were full of herbs. Moonpaw sat in the shade, while Iceclaw sorted the herbs.
"How do you know which one is which?" Moonpaw asked inquisitively.
"They all are different in some way, Moonpaw. Like peacebloom and firebloom. Firebloom is red while peacebloom is a greenish-yellow," Iceclaw explained.
"Oh."
Iceclaw accidentally stepped on one of the juniper berries that was full and ripe, and it pretty much exploded on her. Her nice and faithful apprentice began to laugh.
"Think that's funny, huh?" growled Iceclaw. She wiped some of the juice on the apprentice's coat.
"HEY! THAT'S NOT NICE!" Moonpaw yowled.
"Laughing at your mentor isn't nice!"
"So? That was so funny!"
They scuffled around the rocks. Iceclaw cuffed Moonpaw around her ear, and Moonpaw bit into Iceclaw's foreleg. The two she-cats screeched at each other.
"OW! That hurt!"
"So what! YOU BIT MY LEG!"
They kept rolling, until a massive paw stopped them. It was Tigerstar. The tabby's coat was pale, of course, but his golden eyes were still bright.
"Iceclaw, one more day, and fight Fernstar. After that, Rippedstar, then Sandstar. You will win, just as your father," he murmured.
"But I'm not ready for this! How come you didn't tell me I had to fight Fernstar TOMORROW!" Iceclaw yowled.
Tigerstar shrugged, then disappeared.
"Uh, Iceclaw?" Moonpaw asked softly.
"WHAT!"
"We should get back to camp, and you need to get some rest."
"FINE! YOU CARRY THE HERBS!"
Iceclaw stalked away, tail fluffed up and fur bristling.
Silverwind was waiting for them. She sat outside the leader's den. Her ears pricked up as she saw Iceclaw and Moonpaw enter the camp. Iceclaw went straight for the leader's den, going right past Silverwind. Moonpaw dropped the herbs at the medicine cat's paws.
"We saw Tigerstar again."
"Oh, no. What was it this time?"
Moonpaw glanced at Iceclaw. "She has to fight Fernstar tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? That's not enough time!"
"I know, and she got real mad."
"How so?"
"She yowled and screeched at me. I think she might have scared all the prey off."
Silverwind got up, walking toward Iceclaw. "Iceclaw, I need to speak to you."
"Why? I'm gonna die anyway!" snarled Iceclaw.
"No you're not, with rest you will win."
Iceclaw stared at the older she-cat.Her ears pricked forward. "But I can't sleep! Now I know how I have to become a leader."
"Take the warriors with you, take a threat. And also take your father and Tigerstar," Silverwind whispered.
Tigertooth padded over to her. "Siuil a Run. Walk my Love. I will walk with you."
"Siuil a Run. Thank you, Tigertooth," purred Iceclaw.
The dipped their heads, and parted. Iceclaw slept in the leader's den, Tigertooth in the warrior's, but Silverwind stayed awake, staring up at her warrior ancestors. She spoke softly, speaking to Tigerstar and even their enemy Firestar.
"Why do you put her through this? Firestar, it wasn't like this in your time! Nor Tigerstar!"
Nothing.
"Speak to me, you disgraces of cats!"
A star shone in the distance, it burned of their anger.
"Well? Is that all? A star means nothing! A death does!"
The star went out. She had made a point. A death did mean a lot.
"Watch over her."
Another cliffy! Next chapter will not have a cliffy! Next chapter preview:
Chapter 5: Fernstar
Iceclaw and Fernstar fight! By the way, Siuil a Run is pronounced "shule uh roon" and means Walk my Love.
