Icegaze formed a strategy in her mind, knowing that she had to defeat Fate. He wouldn't let her go unless she fought and—probably—won. She bunched her muscles and and low growl rumbled in her throat. She leapt, claws extended, toward the white tom's throat. She was surprised at how easily her claws tore through his throat.

Fate didn't even flinch. Blood trickled out, and his throat gurgled. Icegaze waited, expecting Fate to collapse soon. The cat did no such thing, and instead took a step forward.

Icegaze's eyes widened as she watched his throat regenerate. The bloody and torn flesh was quickly replaced, and within moments it was as though the she-cat hadn't even dealt a scratch to him. She stared at the now nonexistent wound. "What in the name of-"

Suddenly, Fate's eyes turned a bright blue, making her squint. Icegaze gasped as she felt claws tear through her own flesh, and she yowled in agony. She had sworn that Fate was at least a few fox-lengths away! How had he managed to get so close, and so quickly? And his claws were terribly strong. She tried to move away, not able to bear the extreme pain. It was freezing and scalding at the same time, and she continued to screech.

She hissed insults, spots dotting her vision. Strange...could she die in a dream?

For the first time in a long one, she felt real fear begin to pump through her, mixed in with the adrenalin. She saw Fate's shining eyes, and for a moment she looked right into the bright pools of blue.

That was a mistake.

Countless memories racked her body, filling her with lives she had never lived, and dreams she had never dreamt. Eyes she had never seen through and pain she had never felt. All in a moment. She yowled, her body feeling as though it were being constantly hit with stones and sharp thorns.

Icegaze collapsed, exhausted. Their battle had just begun, yet here she lay, bleeding heavily and already out of strength. She gasped for breath, but found it extremely difficult to.

Was this Fate's true strength? She groaned, trying to stand. "You are no Gemini," Fate growled. Wait, was he mocking her? This was new. He was usually logical and emotionless, containing nothing. Those usually empty eyes were quite bright, too. It was frightening.

"Yeah," She stood, her legs shaking. She swallowed her rising panic and fear, ignoring the fact that she was at the white tom's mercy. She was in no condition to continue fighting, and if she were to be struck one more time, she'd probably collapse. "I didn't think so either. Why would I be one if my mother was a Gemini and my father an Ember?" She bared her teeth, ready to fight to the death. "Why don't you give me the answers, you emotionless coward?" Icegaze winced as she took a step forward. "You use every cat you meet, don't you? Pushing and pulling, lying and luring them into your grasp. Now you're finally showing your true colors, aren't you?"

"You are very strong." Fate commented.

Icegaze panted for breath, blood slowly oozing out of deep claw wounds. She hoped they wouldn't get infected.

"But you don't know it yet. You don't know anything yet." Icegaze rolled her eyes, and she almost fell over.

"Which is why I'm saying you should tell me what I want to know!" She groaned, and slumped to the ground. "I was hoping I could at least figure out all of these complicated things in my life before I died," She grunted.

"Then fight me!" Fate roared angrily. If she had the strength she would have jumped. "Use your real strength! Don't rely on your normal instincts. You are more than just a Gemini! You don't need anything but your true strength. So fight me, and prove to me what you really are!"

Well then! This was new. Icegaze was special, huh? Of course she was! That made so much sense!

"Proof?" Icegaze rasped. "Proof of what? That I can become a warrior in half the time a cat usually does? That I'm a Gemini who everyone wants to kill?" She shook her head, and then laid it on the ground. She was too tired. Her eyelids slid shut, and she was grateful for the rest. She was so, so tired...

"Wake up!" Something screamed.

Her eyes opened up, her heart pounding. What was that? Who had said that? She raised her head, and realized that energy was flowing through her paws. If she was dying a moment ago, she felt nothing of it now.

The feeling she had earlier when fighting the Elementals, the 'third eye' was back again. Her wounds were still there, but the pain had dulled. She saw a knowing, almost amused look in Fate's eyes, and she unsheathed her claws. "You almost killed me." Her voice was much stronger than it had been only seconds before.

"Will you fight now?" The tom asked, his blue eyes gleaming. She was sure not to look straight into them though.

"Of course," She pounced, bowling him over. They began to fight once more, this time her speed and strength matching his. She felt her claws rip through Fate's body like water, hardly giving him time to regenerate his body. She tore out fur and flesh, staining the grass with his blood. She bit down on an ear, ripping it off. Icegaze raked her claws across the tom's face, and she felt something watery touch her paws and then fly onto the ground.

Probably an eye.

She heard a scream of shock and agony but didn't stop. She used her teeth to tear out Fate's throat, spitting out the chunk of flesh she'd taken.

Icegaze shoved the maimed body away, spitting in disgust. "That felt great!" She growled with satisfaction. "I made sure not to kill you though. So now I want answers. I won, right?" A cockiness crept into her tone.

Fate hissed in pain, his flank heaving. She watched as he regenerated his eyes, throat, and all of the fur and flesh she had ripped out. "Yes." He gasped. "You have shown that you are truly what I think you are."

Icegaze narrowed her eyes. "What do you think I am?"

"But your brother did not pass the test. He will be left to die." Icegaze blinked.

"Wake me up." She growled, watching as Fate healed himself. "Wake me up right now!" She screeched angrily. "Or I will tear out your throat over and over, until you really die!"

"Don't you want-" Fate began.

"How dare you?" She growled. "Leave my brother alone, you stinking piece of fox-dung!" Icegaze lunged at Fate once more. But she was forced to wake up before her claws could reach the tom.