Chapter 21

Icepaw flipped her attacker on to his back and raked her long claws along his unprotected belly. The cat howled in pain and tore off out of the camp. Icepaw turned around, glaring, looking for her next opponent. A light orange tabby she-cat, who Icepaw knew to be called Peachpelt, leapt at her.

Icepaw was ready for the other cat. She ducked and Peachpelt sailed over her, landing in a heap. Icepaw bit the warrior's tail hard and hung on tight as Peachpelt, roaring in anger, whipped her head around, trying to get to the apprentice dangling from her tail.

Without warning, another Windclan cat crashed into Icepaw, knocking her from Peachpelt and pinning her to the ground. Icepaw drew her legs up to protect her stomach and then gasped in recognition. The cat was Cloudpaw, the white tom who had warned her about Strongstar.

"Cloudpaw?" Icepaw said, lying still beneath his weight.

The white cat stopped snarling and looked confused.

"Icepaw!" he exclaimed. "My name is Cloudspot now."

"Sorry," Icepaw said, still not moving.

Hesitantly, Cloudspot clambered off of Icepaw, embarrassment making his ears flatten.

"I told you," he whispered, his mouth close to Icepaw's ear. "I have to go. I can't fight you," Cloudspot continued. "Scratch me and I'll run out of your camp."

Icepaw felt an odd emotion rising inside of her as she looked at Cloudspot with gratitude. Icepaw mouthed a thank you and then, unwillingly, brought her claws down upon the Windclan warrior's flank.

Cloudspot gave a convincing cry and then galloped out of the clearing. Icepaw spared him one last look and then turned back to the fight.

Silverstar was now fighting Strongstar and Volefur at once, her sharpened claws gleaming in the sun as she expertly dodged her rival's attacks. Willowpaw and Owlear had left the medicine cat's den and were now fighting alongside against Tallwhiskers, a long-legged tom and his apprentice Deerpaw.

Icepaw glanced around. They were hopelessly outnumbered and they couldn't spare anyone to go and get the rest of the clan. Icepaw noticed the elders, Petalcoat, Dewfur and Oldwhisker, resolutely standing in front of the nursery, swiping at any cat foolish enough to approach them.

"Icepaw!" a voice called from the throng of fighting cats.

It was Seakit, her hackles raised and her tail bushy. She was facing Darkears, a tom much bigger and stronger than she. But the little cat was bravely nipping his legs, too fast for the warrior to catch.

Icepaw momentarily wondered where Seakit learned to fight like that and then she realized it was she, Icepaw, who had taught the kit how to defend herself.

With a yowl of rage and pride, Icepaw hurled herself at Darkears and bit down on his shoulder, tearing at the fur and flesh. Seakit took this opportunity to dash forward and gouge at Darkears face, scraping her tiny claws along his cheeks and nose. Darkears twisted out from the cat's grasps and tore out of the camp, whimpering.

Seakit shouted in jubilation before pouncing upon a huge black apprentice.

Icepaw saw the apprentice's teeth before Seakit did. The black tom had massively long teeth, his front fangs glittering dangerously.

"No! Seakit, watch out!" Icepaw called, leaping at the other cat.

The black tom's fangs flashed as he snapped at Seakit.

Icepaw's secret training with the kit had paid off; she dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way just in time. Icepaw landed on the apprentice's back and dug her claws in, leaning close to his head.

"Don't you ever go near that cat again," she growled menacingly. The Windclan apprentice hissed and then screeched as Icepaw sank her teeth into his back.

Icepaw sprang away from the tom as he darted away.

"Seakit, get someplace safe," Icepaw ordered, smacking away another apprentice who approached the kit.

Seakit shook her head and glanced up at Icepaw.

"I'm going to fight with you," she said simply and then charged at a dark brown warrior.

Icepaw, exasperated and frightened, hurried after the black cat, scratching and shoving any Windclan cat who got in her way.

The fighting cats were snarling and yelping. Silverstar was now locked in battle with Strongstar and the elders were still all standing, protecting Dawncloud and the kits. The Riverclan cats were still helplessly outnumbered.

"Seakit, you need to go and find Coldsnow, Rainwhisker, anybody! Bring them back and quick," Icepaw said, fighting off the dark brown tom cat.

Seakit looked like she was about to disagree but then nodded and flew out of the camp, exiting from behind the nursery.

Starclan keep her safe, thought Icepaw as she turned away from where Seakit had left.

"Well look who it is," a deep voice taunted from behind her, "it's little Icepaw, the cat who dared ventured on to our territory."

Volefur, the new Windclan deputy was standing before Icepaw, malice glinting in his amber eyes.

Icepaw didn't bother answering, she just darted forward, aiming low, planning to trip up the other cat.

Volefur grinned meanly and bounded into the air. Horrified at her mistake, Icepaw landing with a thump where Volefur had been standing. A split second later, the deputy landed on her back, squashing the air out of her lungs. Icepaw screamed in pain as the other cat scraped his claws along her shoulders.

"No Beechfoot here to save you now," Volefur whispered in her ear gleefully.

Icepaw couldn't respond, she was speechless from the pain. Suddenly, remembering an old trick Coldsnow once taught her, Icepaw relaxed her body, closed her eyes, and ceased struggling. Volefur loosened his grip on Icepaw's still body and chuckled.

"Weakling," he said.

Icepaw exploded upwards, taking the other cat by surprise. Volefur was thrown off her, on to the ground. Her back bleeding and pounding with agony, Icepaw slashed at Volefur, catching him on the ear, nicking it cleanly in two. Clumsily maneuvering away from Volefur's frantic swipes, Icepaw took a deep breath and flung her body at the deputy.

She collapsed on top of the warrior, pushing him down. Then, quickly and swiftly, she needled her claws into his chest, forcing him to howl.

"Get off of me furball," he cried, staggering to his paws.

"Next time I won't be so nice," Icepaw called after him as he ran, injured, out of Riverclan.

Icepaw was breathing heavily now, her fur matted with her own blood. The pain from her wounds was growing now, her heart was racing. Icepaw stumbled towards Owlear's den, hoping she could find some cobwebs to stop the bleeding. She entered the medicine cat's den, pushing past the tall reeds and then cried out at the sight that befell her.

Strongstar's black form was standing over Miststorm's body, her neck clamped in his jaws. She was dead.

Icepaw heard a rushing sound. It was like the river after a huge rainfall. Pain, rage, fear, hatred, all swirling around in the waters of her mind.

"Coward," Icepaw hissed, "coward. Attacking an innocent, hurt cat. You coward."

Strongstar looked up. His silver muzzle was covered in crimson blood. When he saw Icepaw, he smiled, slowly and cruelly.

"Shut up, you stupid little scrap of fur. This cat was useless," he said.

Icepaw started forward, walking determinedly towards the Windclan leader.

Strongstar laughed. "You can't be thinking of fighting me? You're just an apprentice who is badly injured. But if you want to join your clan mate..."

"She just had kits," Icepaw whispered furiously, still stalking towards Strongstar. "Who are you to decide when a cat should die?"

Strongstar stepped away from Miststorm's body and approached Icepaw, who stopped advancing on the other cat instantly.

"I am the future," Strongstar said quietly. "I am the future leader of the mightiest clan of the lake: Windclan. All shall fear me."

"I don't fear you. I hate you," proclaimed Icepaw.

She leapt at the leader and dug her teeth into his fur. Strongstar batted at her with his paws and the two were quickly immersed in a fierce tumble of fur and claws.

Icepaw could barely see; blood was trickling into her eyes and it took all of her strength to hold on to Strongstar, nipping and scratching at his body.

Suddenly, Icepaw was yanked off of Strongstar and gently put to the side. Silverstar and Coldsnow, yowling in anger replaced Icepaw in her battle with the Windclan leader. Icepaw, blinking through her foggy vision, watched with wonder as Coldsnow and Silverstar fought off Strongstar, sending him screeching from the den. Seakit must have found help, Icepaw reasoned. Maybe they could fight off Windclan now. Icepaw leaned against the smooth and comforting stalks of the reeds, trying to steady her breathing.

Coldsnow was walking over to her, he was talking, but she couldn't hear him. Icepaw's world was tipping, her vision sliding to the ground. She tried to blink but her eyes weren't moving. Icepaw looked unsteadily at her mentor, trying to speak to him.

Then everything went black and the world seemed to stop.