CHAPTER 3
Hey, guys, it's Kitty Ninja! Just letting you know, the story comes off a little slow. But please keep with it! I know no one looks at this anyways, but, I enjoy typing it up, so I'll continue. :)
R&R!
Icepaw lay beside his sister, who was sound asleep. He kept thinking about his water experience today. When he had fallen in, it wasn't water he saw, but blood! He wouldn't tell his sister that, though. It was just a trick of the light.
Wide awake, he crept out of the den. It was raining lightly, so he kept to the side of camp. Suddenly, he heard the low murmur of voices. Narrowing his eyes, he crept a little closer, ignoring the prickle of guilt he felt for eavesdropping.
"What is it, Blackfoot?" Hailstar.
"A prophecy."
"Of what? We haven't had one in moons!" Hailstar paused to shake the water off his pelt.
"When the ice breaks, the water will turn red, and the leopard will drown. Truth is your last hope."
Hailstar hissed. "Fox dung! Can't we ever just get a prophecy of good weather or something?"
"Hailstar, be serious! What do you think this means?"
Just then, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, making Icepaw flinch. "I'm not sure, but I don't think StarClan is ready for us to know!"
o.o.o
Icepaw was back in his den. He knew the prophecy had nothing to do with him or his sister. It would probably mean a bad leaf-bare, or something.
"Will you stop squirming?" Spottedpaw hissed groggily.
"Yeah, sorry." Icepaw mewed, settling down. He closed his eyes, and finally drifted off to sleep.
o.o.o
"Wake up! Icepaw!" Spottedpaw bounced on his tail. "Fighting practice, come on!"
Icepaw blinked blearily. He stood and stretched, then padded outside with his sister. The rain had ended, bringing a chilly breeze.
"Come on, you two." Dewpelt mewed, standing at the bramble entrance. Cloudspot joined them, and Dewpelt led the way to a nearby cave.
"We have another training area, but it will be wet right now, so we brought you here." Cloudspot explained.
"First, you two, show me your crouch." Dewpelt ordered.
Spottedpaw crouched, her rump in the air. Cloudspot snorted and pushed it down with a white paw. She leaned in to Spottedpaw's ear. "Pounce on Dewpelt while he's busy." she murmured, barely audible.
Spottedpaw's eyes glittered, and she wiggled, then leaped. Dewpelt yelped, rolling on top of Spottedpaw, and she let out an mmph.
Icepaw had heard the whole thing. He burst out in laughter, then tackled his mentor.
"Enough, you three." Cloudspot ordered. Dewpelt, let's show them a battle imitation. You be the invader."
Dewpelt walked into the shadows, eyes gleaming. He rounded the corner, and leaped on the black-splattered she-cat. But instead of fighting, she lay limp, letting Dewpelt pummel her weakly with sheathed claws. Then, Cloudspot leaped up, whirled around, and pinned Dewpelt down. She released the tom and looked at Icepaw, eyes bright with triumph. "Your turn."
Icepaw shoved Spottedpaw down before she could attack, then jumped for her. But her hind legs were tucked, and she pushed him off with a mighty kick. He scrabbled up and ran for her, but she rolled, knocking him down. He lay there for a moment, then jumped on her back, and she collapsed, breathless.
"For your first try, you two did great!" Dewpelt purred, helping the she-cat up.
"Thanks." Spottedpaw gasped.
"Let's get some fresh-kill." Cloudspot said, and the cats headed back to camp with no questions asked. Soon, hiding under the fallen tree, the cats watched as the thunderstorm started again.
Icepaw finished his thrush, and stood up. "I'm off to bed."
"Oh, no you don't. Grayfoot and Ivytail need their ticks checked."
Icepaw groaned. According to Sprucepaw, cleaning bedding and checking for ticks were the worst jobs an apprentice could get. Dewpelt led them to the medicine den, where Blackfoot showed them how to pull the ticks off without harming the old cats. He sent them off with mouse bile, warning them to rinse their paws off afterwards in a puddle. Luckily, Grayfoot was asleep, and Spottedpaw found Ivytail's only ticks. Ivytail promised to check up on Grayfoot and call them back tomorrow.
Icepaw wished the cats good night and bolted for his warm, and dry, den.
