Yes, I am back before the week is over. This is one of my favorite chapters. The nextone is my fave. I hope you enjoy this one. It's good!

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies Aristotle

Chapter 6

Snowpaw darted into camp, her pelt rippling. She got surprised and concerned glances, but ignored them as she raced toward Icestar's den. She didn't bother introducing herself. Only dashed in and pretty much collasped at her leader's paws. Icestar looked up from her nest, concern and surprise flickering in her eyes. Snowpaw layed on the ground, panting.

"Snowpaw? What's happened?" Icestar meowed calmly, stepping away from her nest. "And where is Gingersky?"

"Icestar!" Snowpaw gasped, scrambling back to her paws. Her body felt like lead, and her paws felt even heavier, but she struggled to remain standing. "Rouges! FangClan! They captured us!" Icestar's eyes flew open in anger and shock.

"Slow down, Snowpaw!" the leader growled, extending her claws. "Now, explain what happened."

"Gingersky and me were down at the river when Crescentshadow was pushed from the bushes. A white she-cat, calling herself Perish, and two others were about to kill her." Snowpaw couldn't help but see the flash of anger and worry in her leaders eyes at the she-cats name. "We yowled and they attacked. Perish grabbed me, and yowled, running off. The next thing I knew, I was waking up. Cinderfang, Gingersky, Wolfwind, Pantherblaze, and Shadownight were chasing after the rouges. Perish killed Shadownight and then more cats appeared. Icestar, BloodClan and the rouges joined together and made FangClan!" Snowpaw paused a moment before continuing. "They took us as prisoners! I managed to get away, and ran back here! You've got to come help, Icestar!"

Icestar nodded, racing out of her den, Snowpaw hard on her paws. She leaped to the top of High Rock and yowled for all cats to come. Once they were gathered, Icestar nodded at Snowpaw to repeat the story, and she did.

"And if we don't save them, FangClan will kill them!" Yowls of disbelief and anger sounded through the throng of cats. Icestar snarled for silence.

"It seems as if the alliance is too strong for us to just walk in and attack," Icestar yowled thoughtfully, but her eyes flashed in rage and impatience. "But we have to do something. All warriors come with me. The rest of you stay inside the dens. Make sure if any cat comes around that you remain hidden, just in case." Icestar, eyes flashing, leaped down and joined the warriors and apprentice gathered. Snowpaw, exhaustion pulling at every limb, followed, determined to save her clan mates.

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Cinderfang blinked in the darkness, feeling the presence of Pantherblaze nearby. He could feel the toms bristling fur. Cinderfang bristled as well. Where were the three she-cats? Cinderfang shuddered as he thought of what could be happening to them. He turned in the darkness toward Pantherblaze.

"We have to do something!" the rusty colored tom yowled before Cinderfang could even speak. In the darkness, Cinderfang nodded, realized that Pantherblaze couldn't see it, and meowed his agreement. "They lay one paw on Wolfwind, I'll rip the kittypet's livers out!"

Cinderfang growled as well, imagining what he would do if they layed a paw on any of the three she-cats. Especally Snowpaw. His nostrels flared.

Suddenly, light filtered in the badger set again, and Wolfwind and Gingersky dashed inside, their eyes gleaming yellow in the darkness that consumed them again. Cinderfang heard Pantherblaze move toward Wolfwind.

"What did they do?" Pantherblaze demanded, eyes flashing. Wolfwind purred, and Cinderfang cocked his head in confusion.

"Nothing," Gingersky meowed, blinking and shifting around in the darkness. Cinderfang moved toward her.

"Nothing?" And he looked around. "Where's Snowpaw?" he demanded, eyes flashing fearfully.

"That's why nothing happened," Wolfwind meowed, laughter in her voice, as well as triump. "Snowpaw took down the tom apprentice, and ran for it. They tried to get us, but once they realized Snowpaw was gone, they dragged us back here. She's well into IceClan territory by now, at the speed she was running."

Gingersky purred with pride. "That's my apprentice for you. Always ready to take off. You should have saw that move she used. And the toms' faces..." She purred again, and both Wolfwind and Gingersky meowed together, "Priceless."

Cinderfang purred. "Guess she's ready for her warrior ceremony," Cinderfang meowed, humor in his voice. But then the tensity in the air sparked again.

"What's Perish want with Snowpaw?" Wolfwind meowed lightly.

Cinderfang was silent, as well as Gingersky. "I...I don't know. She managed to get Whitekit and Cloudkit when she and the others attacked...but we saved Snowpaw. I...I guess she wants her in FangClan." Cinderfang's voice was soaked with rage and sadness. Perish was once Perishsong, his sister.

"Whatever happened to her?" Gingersky meowed, her eyes closing momentarily. "I was an apprentice when the battle took place. But I always remembered Perishsong as a caring she-cat. And here her and her clan killed Shadownight, Feathertail, Brackenfur, Seapaw..." She stopped there.

Not many moons eariler had Seapaw been murdered in the heat of battle. Snowpaw, being the passed apprentice's adoptive sister, was mortified, as was Crescentshadow. Cinderfang was then struck with horror.

Where was Crescentshadow?

The other cats must have thought the same thing at the same time, for they all straightened up quickly. Cinderfang kneeded the ground.

"Did anyone see where Crescentshadow got off too?" His tone was anxious, scared, and horrified. There was not a sound in the darkness. "Great StarClan!" Cinderfang cursed suddenly, collasping. "What else could happen?"

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Snowpaw, despite her tired limbs, led the way swiftly to FangClan 'camp'. The IceClan cats hid in the bushes, their scents masked by the strong scent of badger from the deserted set behind them.

"There," Snowpaw whispered, pointing with her tail toward the badger set guarded by a silver tabby tom. His silver pelt gleamed in the sun, and he was massive. Icestar nodded, and Snowpaw felt her heart skip with fear. Would they be able to save their captured warriors?

"Remember what I said," Icestar whispered, nudging Snowpaw. "Do exactly what I said." Snowpaw nodded, feeling her pelt bristle with fear. She flicked her leader on the shoulder with her tail and crawled into the bramble to her right.

She tried desperatly to remain silent, not touching a single leaf or branch. After a moment or two, she was behind the badger set that held her clanmates. Her ear twitched. Now was the time to act.

She glanced left and right before placing a single white paw in front of her, and then another. She emerged from the branch, her heart hammering all the more with each step. She was exposed. But she didn't stop. She continued to stalk forward, ears flat against her head. Closer...closer...She froze beside of the silver warrior, and his gaze flashed toward her. She flicked her tail, eyes narrowing.

At the signal, Icestar leapt from the bushes, followed by a streaming amount of warriors. The silver tabby's gaze instantly flashed to the attacking party, and Snowpaw leaped into the badger set, a moment before Hollyleaf, a pretty russian blue she-cat, pounced on him.

Snowpaw gazed into the darkness. Opening her mouth, she could scent the overwhelming scent of fear. Yellow and green eyes winked at her in the darkness and she whispered softly.

"Follow me." Immediatly, the five figures stood up and Snowpaw peaked from the badger set. FangClan and ThunderClan were tangled together in a mass of claws, teeth, and fur. No one was near the badger set. Snowpaw scrambled out, followed by Cinderfang, Gingersky, Wolfwind, and Pantherblaze? Snowpaw said nothing at the time and took one look at the battle behind her before reluncticly started toward the bushes. The 5 cats dived into the bushes, and each crowded around Snowpaw.

"Not now," she hissed, ears pricked as she listened for any sound. "They'll be looking for you. Run back to camp. I'll alert Icestar and we'll be -" Cinderfang suddenly snarled, surprising Snowpaw.

"We're not leaving!" he growled, as the other 3 lined behind him. "We will fight as well." Snowpaw was speechless. But before she could reply, the 4 cats leaped over her head and into battle. Snowpaw, after a seconds hesitation, darted after them.

The scent of blood overwhelmed her as she raced into the battlefield, dodging the wrestling toms and she-cats. She had to find Icestar. Her eyes darted too and fro. She saw Wolfwind leaping at a red tom. She watched Cinderfang tackle a ginger she-cat. She saw Pantherblaze slash a gray tom. Then, she saw Icestar circling a white she-cat.

Perish.

Snowpaw raced toward her, paws kicking up dust as she slinked through the battle. She was about a foxlength away from Icestar when she was suddenly bowled from the side. She was thrown on her side and rolled a few inches before she scrambled back to her paws to face the cat that had attacked her.

A calico she-cat stood in front of her, fur bristling and fangs barred. Snowpaw hissed, arching her back. She two she-cat's circled each other, and then Snowpaw leaped. She and the calico wrestled on the ground, biting, clawing, and spitting. Snowpaw yowled as her shoulder was torn, and after a few minutes, leaped off. They circled each other again, but before they could attack, a bloodcurdling yowl sounded from near the middle of the battlefield. It was Icestar, crying out in rage and surrender. At once, all cats were seperate, glaring at one another.

"ThunderClan, retreat!" she yowled, and leaped into the bushes, but she barely stepped one paw out of the camp before Perish yowled.

"No." she rasped, her gaze turning to Snowpaw. Snowpaw felt her blood run cold. "You will give me what I want, or else your entire clan is killed." She passed her tongue over her lips, eyes narrowing at Snowpaw.

Icestar leaped back at Perish. "Never. This Clan would rather die than give her up!" If Snowpaw wasn't fearing for her clans safety, she would've been confused. Why was she so important? The ThunderClan cats yowled in agreement. Perish's eyes narrowed.

"Very well," Perish meowed calmly, glaring at Icestar. "You've just sentenced your clan to death!" Perish suddenly leaped at Icestar, who was standing only a tail length away. Icestar had no time to move. Perish bowled her into the ground. The warriors of FangClan ripped to join their leader, swipping at every ThunderClan cat. Snowpaw's heart hammered. Perish only stared with rage into the ThunderClan leaders eyes. She raised a paw, and in that instant, Snowpaw darted forward, diving at the white she-cat.

"No!" she cried, attaching herself to the she-cat's back. Perish yowled in surpise, and her grip loosened on the leader. With one swift movement, Icestar kicked Perish off, and scrambled to her paws. Perish yowled in protest, and thrashed around, trying to get the apprentice off her back. But Snowpaw held on. She bit into the white she-cats neck, feeling the hot blood drip into her mouth. Perish leaped into the air one last time before suddenly twisting and landed on her back. Winded, Snowpaw was forced to let go, as she gasped for air. Perish leaned over her, eyes blood red with rage. She raised a paw and Snowpaw closed her eyes, bracing for the pain.

"Don't touch her!" came the yowl of Gingersky and Cinderfang together. Snowpaw opened her eyes to see the two warriors leap at Perish. The fight broke out again, clan against clan.

Gingersky swipped a paw at Perish and Cinderfang leaped on the she-cats back. Snowpaw scrambled from under the FangClan leaders claws. But then, a sudden horrorific thought filled her head.

Where was Dagger, the leader of BloodClan?

As if StarClan itself had warned her about what was to happen, A black tom leaped from the bushes, his eyes flashing red. Snowpaw watched in horror as Dagger launched himself at Gingersky. The two warriors fell to the ground, spitting and wrestling.

And it was suddenly like a movie playing in front of the apprentice's eyes. Gingersky rolled to one side, dodging the toms attempt to pin her. Dagger suddenly whipped around, and with a single movement slashed the warrior in the neck. Blood sprayed into the air, and Gingersky's body fell to the ground, her eyes left open and unseeing. Gingersky was dead.

Snowpaw felt grief as fresh as it was the day Seapaw died, only much stronger.

But there was also rage. A rage so strong that it wanted to lash out at anything. Kill...Kill... Her eyes suddenly flashed red, and she lundged at Dagger, claws unsheated.

She didn't know what was happening. All she knew was that she had to kill this tom...this tom that had killed her best friend, her mentor. Claws met fur, teeth met flesh. It was as if Snowpaw were being controlled by Tigerstar himself. She couldn't hear anything but the pounding of blood in her ears.

And, just as sudden as it had begun, it was over, and something snapped. Snowpaw blinked, eyes returning to their normal blue and her strength leaving her. She looked down, and gasped.

Dagger was dead.

His throat was torn and his face was almost unreconizable. His left paw was mangled and squirting blood. His whole left ear was missing.

She had done this. Snowpaw herself had killed this cat, this powerful cat. She suddenly felt tired, tired, grief-stricken, and amazed. She collasped in his blood, closing her eyes. Yet she could feel the battle still raging on beside her. She didn't care. She could die, but she could care less. She let the darkness comsume her.

---End of Chapter---

Ohhhh...Snowie did an oppsie! Wonder how this affects everyone? -snickers- I'll update soon!

SoL