CHAPTER 15

"It's tomorrow, Soulflame. Are you sure she's fit to fight? It has only been a quarter moon… I'm worried about her, I don't know if she can handle fighting against the cats that tortured her," Mothflower mewed with concern, trying to peek behind my shoulder, but I was much bigger than her.

I set my tail on her shoulder comfortingly. "If Iceheart doesn't fight with us she'll feel even worse. She needs her revenge on these cats. Let her fight, Mothflower, please." I knew what was best for her.

She gazed at me for a heartbeat and then nodded. "Okay, Soulflame. I'll tell Russetstar she can fight, but she's your responsibility. Don't let her die." Then she quickly padded out of the den.

I turned around and looked at Iceheart who was sleeping soundlessly in her designated nest in the medicine den. Her pelt had healed well, leaving only a few of the deep wounds as scars. Her beautiful white fur had grown back in pretty well too and with how much I had been grooming her, the blood didn't stain in her fur. She slept most days and let me walk her around the clearing when she was feeling up to it, it was a good system.

"Thank you, Soulflame," she muttered, one of her green eyes flicking open to look at me. "I really do need to fight tomorrow. It'll help." She lifted her head and parted her jaws in a yawn. "Let's walk to the fresh-kill pile, shall we?" Iceheart rose to her paws, stepping out of her nest. She seemed a lot better. When she'd come back from The Dark Forest cats her body trembled all the time and she could barely stand. Now she had rippling muscle under her pelt and seemed a lot braver. But she still jumped at loud sounds now and again.

We padded out of the medicine cats den and into the clearing. The other cats had stopped staring not that long ago. Everyone was concerned about her but they also thought her pelt would never heal. They were wrong, they were always wrong.

We made it to the pile where she picked out a rabbit and hungrily ate half of it. I ate the other half.

"Iceheart!" the gray-and-brown medicine cat raced up to us excitedly, a smile on her face. They had been best friends ever since the accident. Mothflower said it had something to do with going through a trauma together. "I heard you're fighting tomorrow, are you sure you're up for it?"

She nodded and smiled at her friend. "Of course I am, Fernsplash." She looked over at me. "This is my destiny."

Fernsplash smiled warmly back. "You're right, sorry. I'm just a little nervous to be there. It's clear they don't care about titles, they could attack a medicine cat."

Iceheart set her tail on Fernsplash's shoulder. "If Stonetail dies, I am confident you will be a great medicine cat. Now go check on Fawnpelt, I hear she moved to the nursery with Lionfur's kits," she squealed excitedly.

The medicine cat squealed too and then hurried off to find Fawnpelt.

I looked down at Iceheart in amusement. "You want kits someday too?"

She met my gaze and smiled. "Well, yes, as long as it's with someone I love and someone who loves me." Iceheart looked down at the ground and shuffled her paws. "Soulflame-"

Russetstar's yowl interrupted her and we faced the Tallrock where he sat with Larkstar. "Tomorrow is the attack on The Dark Forest cats. ThunderClan and RiverClan will be coming here tonight to stay with us, leaving those who will not be fighting in their camps. Tomorrow at dawn we will march into ShadowClan's camp and take it back, killing any Dark Forest cats who try and stop us!"

Cheers erupted around us and Iceheart jumped, scooting closer to me as she looked around wildly. I wrapped my tail around her comfortingly and then looked back up at the two leaders.

"WindClan cats, tonight we will sleep in the clearing to make room for the other cats. ShadowClan, it has been an honor to have you in our camp. May StarClan light your path!" Russetstar finished and yowls and cheers sounded all around us.

I looked down at Iceheart who was looking around at all the cheering cats with wide eyes.

"Iceheart!" I called over the noise and she looked up at me with wide eyes. "I love you!"

Her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. She pressed her nose against my ear. "I love you too."

My heart skipped a beat and I gazed at her warmly. Finally.

Suddenly, ThunderClan and RiverClan scent flooded into the clearing and I looked at the entrance to see the two Clans entering the clearing hesitantly. Thrushstar and Crookedstar looked at Russetstar and Larkstar who rushed over to them.

Wildpaw and Windflight were among the crowd, both of them staring at Iceheart and I. I nudged Iceheart who nodded at me.

They padded over to us once the leader's moved away, a gray-and-white she-cat trailed after them.

"Icepaw," Wildpaw greeted, nodding at me. Windflight stared at Iceheart with wide eyes, as if he was shocked he could see her.

"Actually, it's Iceheart now," she responded, her voice more unkind than I've ever heard it. "Hi, Windflight."

Windflight blinked and nodded, avoiding her gaze. "Wildstorm earned his warrior name too. I know you heard about Poppydawn, Iceheart. I am so sorry but I assure you Wildstorm met her and he adores her…"

I flicked my tail at the she-cat watching silently behind them. "Who is that? Poppydawn?"

"No!" Wildstorm mewed quickly and looked back at her. "That's Spottedheart, my mate." His eyes shone with warmth. "Spottedheart, I'd like you to meet my sister, Iceheart."

Iceheart looked at Spottedheart evenly. "Soulflame is my mate," she mewed, it was clear she was trying to get back at him. "And I don't know if you care or not but The Dark Forest cats took me a while ago and tortured me. Soulflame was there to save me. Where were you?" Then she whipped around and stalked off, fury coming off her pelt.

I shuffled my paws, looking at the three ThunderClan cats. "I've been taking care of her, she's much better now. She'll be fighting with us tomorrow," I told them and looked back at her. She sat outside the warrior's den with Fernsplash at her side. "Fernpaw, now Fernsplash, has been with her the entire time. She's better…" I trailed, not knowing what to say.

"Thank you for taking care of my kit. I'm sure you'll continue to do a great job in the future," Windflight mewed, looking at Wildstorm. "He's been a great addition to ThunderClan, everyone loves him."

I looked over at my former denmate and nodded. "Congratulations. I should really get back to Iceheart, she doesn't like being alone." Then I hurried away to the white she-cat.

"What did they say?" Iceheart asked with worried eyes.

"Just how proud they are of you," I purred and touched my nose to hers. "We can do this, Iceheart. I know we can."

She nodded at me as everyone went to the den, except the WindClan cats who were in the clearing settling down to sleep.

"You want to sleep in the medicine den?" Fernsplash asked Iceheart as she inched towards the den.

Iceheart shook her head, smiling at me. "No, I'm going to sleep next to my mate tonight."


The four Clans were running around the clearing as we prepared for battle. Iceheart was by my side and we watched Spottedheart and Wildstorm with their heads together talking. Windflight was talking to Flowerwhisker by the entrance. It didn't seem like a friendly conversation.

"Are you both ready?" Mothflower asked, suddenly by our side. "Eat these, it'll keep up your strength." She nodded down to some herbs at her paws. "Iceheart, if you feel too much pain get Soulflame and come find me, okay? It's not shameful to need a break." Then she turned around and padded away.

We ate the herbs, which tasted like fox-dung, and I touched my nose to Iceheart's cheek. "You can do this, we can do this."

"Cats of LeopardClan, as you know we're about to go fight The Dark Forest cats. I wish you all well and may StarClan guide us through this battle!" Russetstar yowled and the three other leaders let out yowls of agreement, the rest of the Clans joined in.

Iceheart pressed her pelt against mine while looking around wildly.

"Let's go!" Thrushstar yowled and the four leaders raced out of camp and everyone elder began to pour out of the clearing.

I led Iceheart to the back of the group, watching the LeopardClan cats pour out of WindClan's camp. Finally, we were able to go.

We raced toward ShadowClan territory, Russetstar in the led to show the other where to go. Larkstar would take over once we were on ShadowClan territory.

Iceheart was next to me and we were surrounded by a bunch of cats from different Clans, I couldn't remember any of their names, my mind was racing so fast.

We flooded across the Thunderpath and Larkstar took over, leading us to ShadowClan camp. There were so many of us, how many were there of them?

We managed to wiggle our way into the clearing where the four leaders were talking to a massive dark brown tabby tom. There were a lot of other Dark Forest cats in the clearing too. Iceheart was trembling next to me as we gazed at The Dark Forest cats.

"Tigerstar, you are outnumbered, surrender and you'll live," Crookedstar yowled to the tom.

He flicked his tail and from our ranks, Archeye, Hollyflower, Robinwing, Fuzzypelt, Voleclaw, Hailpelt, Blackfoot, and Scratchtail all went to Tigerstar's side. My heart sunk in my chest. They were the traitors.

"How about now, Crookedstar?" Tigerstar yowled back, his eyes shining. "How about you surrender and I'll let all full-Clan cats live."

Larkstar bared her teeth. "Never! LeopardClan, attack!"

Suddenly, cats began to attack each other and all I could see was teeth and claws everywhere in the clearing.

Iceheart leaned against me and I turned my head to see the tears in her eyes.

A skinny black tom stopped in front of us, his eyes narrow and a smile on his face. "You must be Soulflame, I'm Houndleap." His smile grew wider. "I tortured your mate."

I snarled at him and darted forward, raking my claws down his pelt. Iceheart jumped into action, the tears still rushing down her face as she brought Houndleap to the ground.

She leaned closer to his ear and whispered with excitement in her voice, "I'm going to enjoy killing you." Then she slit her claws across his throat and he went limp.

I stared at Iceheart for a heartbeat, concerned about my mate but I couldn't focus long as a cat tackled her. I rushed over to assist, seeing the most disgusting tom I'd ever laid my eyes on. He had a mangy, tattered pelt and only one eye. How could he even want to live like that?

"I'm going to finish what I started!" he snarled and I darted forward, grabbed a hold of his tail and yanking backwards. He let out a screech of pain and turned around to face me.

Iceheart took a moment to sink her teeth into his chest and he let out a wail, stumbling backwards into Windflight. Apparently he'd never been fought by multiple cats before.

Wildstorm was facing off against Blackfoot. Wildstorm was definitely winning. Iceheart ran to my side, looking with wide eyes.

"That's why he didn't like me…" she whispered as Wildstorm took him down and dug his claws into Blackfoot's throat, then he lunged off to help Windflight against the one-eyed tom. Iceheart ran up to Blackfoot, leaning over him. "Blackfoot," she whispered with concern.

The former WindClan warrior looked at her for a moment. "Iceheart…" A small smile crept across his face as he looked up at her. "I think if I hadn't been on the side of The Dark Forest cats, we would've been great friends…" He looked over at me. "Take care of her, she's a keeper."

Iceheart leaned down to Blackfoot, a smile on her face too. For a heartbeat, I thought she was going to forgive him. I wish I had been right. "I hope The Dark Forest suits you, Blackfoot. You deserve it." Then she walked over to me. "Who next?"

My eyes widened at her in surprise. "Let's go see if Wildstorm needs some help, okay?" I glanced over at the limp body of Blackfoot, a frown on his face. Has it really come to this?