Chapter 15

Icepaw turned around and quickly grasped her mentor's scruff, hauling him on to his feet.

"Can you walk?" she asked, concern clouding her eyes.

"Yes," he said, gritting his teeth.

"Try to get to shelter," commanded Icepaw.

Coldsnow looked like he was about to argue but Icepaw shook her head and pushed him towards the cover of the trees.

Then she faced forward, looking around for Rainwhisker. She spotted him battling the tallest Twoleg, who was still on the ground.

Wingfeet and Pinetail were on top of the Twoleg, raking their claws along its back and legs. It was screaming with agony. Finally, it threw the cats off its back and ran off, back towards the direction of its den. Wingfeet and Rainwhisker chased after it. Icepaw knew they would make sure the Twoleg left Riverclan's territory.

Icepaw swung her head around. Silverstar was slashing away at another Twoleg's stomach, balancing precariously on her back paws. Fernfoot and Miststorm were using Icepaw's battle technique and were taking turns knocking the knives out of the Twoleg's paws. Icepaw noticed Tinypaw and Rockpaw struggling to disarm a particularly fat Twoleg. Icepaw rushed over to help, evading the slice of a Twoleg's knife.

Rockpaw was nipping at the Twoleg's ankles, making it stumble around. Tinypaw was leaping up periodically and clawing at its stomach. The Twoleg was swinging its knife around carelessly. Icepaw bounded over to a huge boulder near to where the two apprentices were fighting. Scrambling on to the rock, Icepaw gathered her breath, ignored the tormenting pain of her injured shoulder, and bounded off the rock on to the Twoleg's outstretched arm.

Icepaw bit down hard on her enemy's paw. The Twoleg made an angry noise and dropped its knife.

"Throw it in the lake," Icepaw called down to Tinypaw. The white and grey cat nodded and kicked the knife with her paws, making it shoot through the air and into the water. Icepaw jumped to the ground and the three apprentices fought together, ripping at the Twoleg's fur and skin until it turned and ran.

Icepaw glanced around the bank. Only one Twoleg remained. Its knife was gone and as Icepaw watched, Silverstar vaulted through the air and stretched her claws out to the Twoleg's eyes.

But the Twoleg was quick. It ducked Silverstar and when she crumpled into a heap on the ground the Twoleg thrust its knife deep into her side.

Icepaw wailed in horror. Before she knew it she was at her leader's side, watching her thrash about on the sand. Icepaw turned viciously. Miststorm, Fernfoot and Rockpaw all jumped the Twoleg at once. With a cry of misery, the Twoleg, bleeding from its neck, turned and ran like the wind.

The cats gathered around their leader who was still jerking, throwing up pawfuls of sand.

"Silverstar? Silverstar?" Icepaw cried, her paws pressed over the deep wound.

Silverstar gave one final heave and then stopped moving.

"She's lost a life," murmured Miststorm.

Silverstar lay still for a moment. Then, slowly, she opened her glassy eyes and peered around. Her side was still bleeding; Icepaw's fur was getting soaking in blood.

"We've got to get her back to camp," Rainwhisker said, returning with Wingfeet.

Icepaw made room for Pinetail and Rainwhisker as they both helped their leader up and supported her broken body.

Icepaw gathered herself up. She suddenly felt very very tired. Her shoulder was aching with unbearable pain. She looked around. Rockpaw's ear was torn and Tinypaw had a shallow cut on her back. Pinetail and Wingfeet were both missing large chunks of their fur.

But they had done it. The Twolegs were gone.

Riverclan was safe. For now.

xxx

Icepaw was laying in Owlear's den. It was sunhigh and it was drizzling lightly. The water felt cool on Icepaw's tore flesh. Owlear had applied burdock root and comfrey to her wounded shoulder. Opposite from Icepaw sat Coldsnow, watching her with a worried look in his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Icepaw blinked raindrops from her eyes, turned to her mentor and smiled.

"Better," she admitted, twisting her head around to look at her shoulder. "How about you?"

"Oh I'm fine. A few scratches that's all," Coldsnow said.

Icepaw shook her head experimentally and then remembered something.

"Silverstar! Is she okay?" Icepaw gasped, scrambling to her feet.

"Calm down, Silverstar is fine. She's a little weak from blood loss but Owlear is with her now. He thinks she's going to recover within a few days," Coldsnow explained.

Icepaw gave a sigh of relief.

"I was worried...she lost a life..."

"Yes, but she is still strong," Coldsnow said kindly. "Silverstar is young. She has many more moons to live."

Icepaw glanced around the den. Piles of herbs and plants were heaped in one corner. Icepaw was surprised to see Willowkit crouched in a corner, sorting through the medicine.

"Willowkit? What are you doing here?" Icepaw questioned.

Willowkit looked up at the apprentice and shyly smiled.

"Owlear asked me to organize the medicine," she replied, nosing a brownish green plant. "Guess what Icepaw? I said I wouldn't tell but tonight Silverstar is going to make me an apprentice!" Willowkit whispered excitedly. "And guess who's gonna mentor me? Owlear! I'm gonna be a medicine cat!" she finished, her tail waving in happiness.

Icepaw grinned at the kit.

"Congratulations Willowkit! You deserve it. You'll make a great medicine cat," Icepaw predicted.

Willowkit beamed at the apprentice.

"Thanks Icepaw, I know I can do it," she said. Then the kit turned back to the herbs and began to arrange them with more gusto than before.

Icepaw turned back to Coldsnow, who was smiling gently.

"Silverstar is pleased that Riverclan is safe. Willowkit and Pondkit will become apprentices tonight," he said softly. Icepaw nodded.

"Is the rest of the clan okay," she asked.

Coldsnow nodded. "No one suffered serious damages. Even Birdsong has recovered."

Icepaw dipped her head in acknowledgment and then tentatively began to walk, experimenting. Her shoulder wasn't hurting too much and as long as she didn't put too much pressure on it, Icepaw was able to walk fine.

"Good, you can walk," Coldsnow said, his eyes glinting, "Silverstar wanted to see you as soon as you were better."

"Okay," Icepaw said, following her mentor to the exit of the medicine cat's den.

"See you later Icepaw," Willowkit called from the back of the den. Icepaw could just make out the sly grin on the kit's face and wondered briefly what she knew that Icepaw didn't.