Chapter 19

"Rainwhisker and I demonstrated the throwing technique for them and we had them practice it in pairs. When we left they didn't look like cats anymore, they were like large rabbits hopping all over the place!" Icepaw laughed.

"I thought you said they were all injured," Rockpaw said, his eyes cutting into Icepaw's fur sternly.

"Most of them were. We were only really able to teach Tearstar, Lilyshine, Irisclaw, Yellowtip and the apprentices. But it worked. I think any of them can now knock a Twoleg's knife out of its paws," Icepaw said, looking exasperatedly at Rockpaw.

The black tom was growing up to be an annoyingly serious cat. Icepaw sighed. If he didn't lighten up, no she-cat would ever want to have him as her mate. Rockpaw had taken to acting like a full grown warrior, even bossing Icepaw around.

"Oh Rockpaw, don't be such a killjoy," Pondpaw said, swiping at his brother playfully.

Icepaw smiled at Pondpaw warmly.

"Where's Willowpaw?" she asked him.

"She's out with Owlear. They're going to the Moonpool," Pondpaw stated.

Icepaw nodded her head; she had forgotten that all medicine cat apprentices had to share tongues with Starclan before they could get to work.

Pondpaw shifted restlessly in his corner of the badger set.

Icepaw and the other two apprentices were alone in the den. It was raining once again and night had finally fallen. Rainwhisker had departed to the warriors den. Icepaw felt sorry for Crabclaw and Tinystripe: they had to sit vigil in the pouring rain all night. They would be stiff and sore in the morning.

Good, Icepaw thought meanly. I should have been made into a warrior, not them! She instantly felt ashamed of herself. It wasn't their fault that she wasn't a warrior. Icepaw heaved a deep sigh and flung herself to the dusty floor, tiredness creeping over her eyes. The den was warm and dry and the patter of the rain outside was like a queen's lullaby rocking a kit to sleep. Icepaw closed her eyes and curled into a little ball. She listened as Rockpaw and Pondpaw settled down next to her, huddled together to keep warm.

Icepaw placed her paws over her eyes and drifted slowly off into slumber.

xxx

Leopardstar was waiting for Icepaw. This time, the former clan leader was perched gracefully on the roots of the giant tree on the Island where the Gatherings were held.

"Greetings, young Icepaw," she said silkily.

Icepaw stood sullenly, glaring at Leopardstar.

"You could have given me a better warning about the Twolegs you know," Icepaw complained. "You could have saved a bunch of cats from a lot of pain."

Leopardstar looked confused for a moment.

"Icepaw, that warning I sent you wasn't referring to the Twoleg attack," she said slowly.

Icepaw stood stalk still, mirroring Leopardstar's confusion.

"But then that means..."

"That there is still danger out there," Leopardstar finished. "And it's coming for Riverclan."

Icepaw gasped. "No! Leopardstar please, give me more information then that! And don't you dare vanish again without answering!"

Leopardstar looked sadly at Icepaw.

"I'm sorry little one but that's all I know. Starclan knows a great deal, but we don't know everything," she explained.

Icepaw felt panic rising in her throat like bile. "Will Riverclan prevail? Will we survive?" she said, her voice rising unnaturally high.

Leopardstar's eyes glazed over, and she lifted her head up towards the sky. "Beware the strong-willed cat, he is prominent in your future," Leopardstar said, her voice echoing. Without warning, she disappeared into the mist that was forming over the ground.

"Leopardstar wait! Your hints aren't very helpful you know!" Icepaw cried as she felt herself waking up.

Icepaw thrashed her legs around, struggling to stay in her dream. It was useless. Icepaw opened her eyes to the dark, cat-scented den. Rockpaw and Pondpaw were still in deep sleep by her side.

"Fox-dung," she whispered, heaving herself to her feet.

She couldn't let this warning hang over her head all night. She would have to tell Silverstar.

Beware the strong-willed cat, he is prominent in your future...

Leopardstar's words rang in Icepaw's ears. What could she have meant? There were plenty strong-willed cats and Icepaw was one of them.

"She couldn't have been more specific right?" Icepaw muttered, shaking her fur and climbing up the sloping tunnel that led to the exit.

Icepaw crawled out of the den and was instantly buffeted by rain and wind. She grumbled as she began to make her way across the clearing, heading towards Silverstar's den. The rain was so hard that Icepaw couldn't even see the moon's comforting glare. Icepaw ignored the shower of water that cascaded down her body; her fur was slick and shiny from swimming so frequently that the raindrops rolled straight off her pelt.

Suddenly, a cat's howling shriek cut through the night. Icepaw jumped, her hackles rising on her wet coat. Her heart seemed to stop. The cry had come from the nursery.

"Seakit!" Icepaw blurted out.

She turned and darted over to the hollow tree, her paws pounding on the slippery ground, and poked her head inside, her fangs bared.

Miststorm was lying on the moss-covered ground, her body shaking. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were fluttering uncontrollably. Dawncloud had risen, woken by Miststorm's scream. Seakit, the only kitten left in the nursery, was whimpering in the corner.

"She's having her kits," Dawncloud whispered, horrified. "They're much too early! She wasn't supposed to give birth until leaf-bare!"

"I'll get Owlear," Icepaw offered. She was relieved that Seakit was safe.

"I'll come with you," Seakit stammered, toppling out of the den, her eyes wide with fear.

"Look, Seakit, why don't you fetch Willowpaw, she's in the apprentice's-"

Suddenly, Icepaw stopped short.

"Oh no," she whispered. A cold feeling was sweeping over the grey cat's body.

Dawncloud glanced over, worry misting her eyes. "What? Come on, Icepaw, she's going to give birth any minute now!" the queen wailed.

Icepaw looked devastated.

"They're gone. Owlear and Willowpaw are at Moonpool! We have no medicine cat in camp."

Dawncloud gasped with horror.

"The kits are coming so early," she said, trembling. "If Owlear isn't here, Miststorm might not make it."

Icepaw gulped, shaking her head. "No, no. I'll get Rosetail. You two will help Miststorm give birth, you've done it enough," Icepaw said.

Dawncloud nodded, not taking her eyes off of Miststorm's writhing body.

"Seakit, go wake up Silverstar, I'm going to get Rosetail," Icepaw commanded, heading back out into the rain. Icepaw glanced at Seakit as she raced over to Silverstar's den, mewing urgently.

Icepaw charged over to the warrior's den and pushed past the thick branches covering the mossy floor. Icepaw searched the sleeping forms, carelessly bumping into cats, looking for her mother.

Finally she spotted the small brown and white pelt of Rosetail.

"Rosetail! Rosetail! Mother! Get up!" Icepaw said, jabbing at the other cat's leg. Rosetail groggily opened her eyes.

"What is it? Icepaw? Why are you here?"

"Listen, Miststorm is having her kits right NOW and Owlear and Willowpaw are gone. You've got to help," Icepaw said quickly.

Rosetail sleepily rose to her feet, blinking her eyes rapidly.

"Okay, we have to hurry," Rosetail said, following Icepaw out of the den.

"Icepaw? What's going on?" came Rainwhisker's voice from near the entrance of the den. Icepaw ignored her friend and led her mother out into the stream of rain and wind.

"There's Silverstar and Seakit," Icepaw called over the voice of the wind, pointing with her tail at the bedraggled shapes of two cats running towards the nursery.

Icepaw and Rosetail galloped to the entrance of the nursery. Dawncloud was hovering over Miststorm's convulsing body, telling her to push and licking her head encouragingly. Rosetail pushed inside the den, thrusting Seakit and Icepaw back out into the rain. Silverstar and the two she-cats moved around Miststorm, murmuring worriedly.

"Push, Miststorm, push," came Dawncloud's voice from within the tree.

Seakit and Icepaw looked at each other, scared.

Please Starclan, don't let Miststorm die, Icepaw prayed, letting the water fall over her. Seakit began shivering. Icepaw moved closer to the kit, trying to shelter her with her body.

The two cats, apprentice and kit, sat there for what seemed like seven moons. Finally, a mewling came from the den and a harmony of voices started talking loudly all at once.

A weak, throaty voice began to speak softly. Icepaw assumed it was Miststorm, naming her kits, but the voice was too soft for Icepaw to hear. Suddenly there was one, loud, long wail that ripped apart the sky.

Then, everything was silent.