Chapter 8, Glacier

"She found me in a cave and took me!" Glacier shouted, "And you aren't her boss!"

Volepaw looked startled. He must have expected Glacier to cower beneath him.

Smokepaw pushed past Volepaw to reach Ravenpaw and Glacier.

"What is this kit's name?" he asked.

"Glacier," Ravenpaw meowed.

Snow beat onto Smokepaw's eyelashes. "Well, I guess we can't dump her. Let's just keep her. She can be your responsibility, Ravenpaw."

Ravenpaw hid a growl. "Alright," she mumbled, then turned back to Smokepaw. "When are we leaving?" She asked.

"A little later. I'm going to send some cats out hunting, and after we eat we can leave. Spiderpaw and I haven't been fed yet."

Ravenpaw nodded, then turned back to Glacier. "Come here," she meowed, and dropped the kit in the shallow dip she had slept in earlier. She packed some snow over her, then walked away.

A few minutes later there was a squeak behind her. Ravenpaw turned. It was Glacier.

"Go back to bed!" she cried.

"No," Glacier whined, "It's boring."

Spiderpaw saw Glacier and walked over. "Hey," he meowed, "My name's Spiderpaw. I'll play with you."

Glacier bounced to her feet, her eyes shining. "Okay. Can we play 'Pounce the Mouse?'"

She bounced up and down. "Somebody's tail is the mouse, and the other cat pounces on it. You be the mouse, and I'll be the cat."

"Fine," Spiderpaw crouched down and swished his tail back and forth. With a squeal of excitement, Glacier pounced on it.

"Thanks," Ravenpaw muttered as she padded past. She turned around and looked at the tom. He looked so happy.

OoOoO

"We're leaving!" Smokepaw called. Ravenpaw stood up, with Spiderpaw behind her. Glacier squeaked and batted at his tail. He purred and gave her a light swat on the head.

Smokepaw led the way up. Ravenpaw followed him around the bend until they reached the unattached path. All the cats lowered themselves onto there bellies.

It was very slippery. Ravenpaw's paws were shaking so hard that she was afraid that she would slip off the edge. She couldn't see anything but the faint pelt of Smokepaw in front of her. Ice froze her eyelashes, and her pads were stiff from the ice.

"There's a gap!" Smokepaw yowled. There was a sound of slipping and he jumped. "I made it!" he yowled, "Come on, It's not hard!"

Ravenpaw was next. She squinted through the blizzard and jumped as hard as she could. Her claws skittered over the stone, making ruts in the ice. She yowled with fear and flailed her claws out, trying to grab onto something. Teeth met in her scruff and she was pulled onto the narrow ledge.

Owlpaw was next. He didn't hesitate, leaping the gap easily.

Spiderpaw fastened his teeth in Glacier's scruff and jumped over with her.

Volepaw and Squirrelpaw came at the same time.

Splashpaw crouched at the edge, yowling and yowling with terror. Ravenpaw sighed. It would take forever to coax her to come over.

"I've had enough of this!" Volepaw hissed. He leapt over the gap again, grabbed her scruff, and jumped. Splashpaw flailed and he fell short, but Owlpaw managed to grab him before they both fell into the darkness.

They carried on until the ledge stopped and came out into a valley. It was covered in snow, but Owlpaw found a den on one side, and they crawled into that.

Ravenpaw curled up next to Spiderpaw, who was cradling Glacier.

OoOoO

Ravenpaw lifted her head. The heap of apprentices was warm and there was a bird chirping outside of the cave.

She crawled out. The valley was covered in a blanket of snow, and the sky was clear. She could hear a stream gurgling over a rise.

The other apprentices came out, followed by Glacier.

"I want you to take a hunting patrol with Owlpaw, Spiderpaw and Glacier to the rise," Smokepaw said. He smiled and nodded at them.

"Come on!" Glacier yowled, running ahead and yowling with excitement. Spiderpaw purred and the kit bounced back. "I love this cat!" she told Ravenpaw, licking Spiderpaw. She bounced on ahead.

The other cats caught up with Glacier, who was sitting on the rise. "Beat you!" she yowled, and then began to chatter.

"Shut up!" Owlpaw yowled suddenly.

Spiderpaw gave him a look and galloped down the slope near the stream.

Glacier looked up at Owlpaw with wide eyes.

"Shut up, you piece of crowfood! We don't need your chatter!"

Owlpaw laughed a crazy laugh and raced to the bottom of the rise, on the opposite side of Spiderpaw.

Glacier gave one scared look and raced down after Spiderpaw.

Ravenpaw exploded after the kit. Glacier was in the freezing stream.

"It's cold," Glacier said her nose running.

"Get out!" Ravenpaw shreiked. Glacier would die soon. She jerked the kit, but Glacier didn't move.

"You idiot! You Moron!" Ravenpaw shouted. The water that had been up to her paws was now at her belly. It was up to Glacier's back.

She turned around. A great gush of water was coming down on them. There was a crackle of thunder and rain poured down on them. "Quick!" Ravenpaw shouted. She had to get somewhere high, and fast.

The nearest place was a jutting rock that stuck up at the sky. It was several foxlengths away.

Water gushed up to her neck. Glacier was underwater. Ravenpaw grabbed her scruff and tried to rush, but the wall of water crashed down on her. She swirled downstream and grasped onto the rock. She climbed onto the bottom, trying to ignore Glaciers wails.

She looked down. Stuff was crashing down the river. Twigs, flowers, snow and…a cat.

"Spiderpaw!" Glacier yowled. She thrashed out of Ravenpaw's grip and jumped down on Spiderpaw.

"No!" Ravenpaw shouted she plunged in after the kit who had latched onto Spiderpaw.

"Help!" The black tom gurgled, his paws thrashing. Another rock came into view, this one more far away.

Ravenpaw was face to face with Spiderpaw, with Glacier between them. They hit into the side of a gnarled old oak and stayed there for a moment. They were safe, but if they moved, they would all wash away in the current.

They broke apart just as a wave smashed over them. "We're moving!" Glacier screamed.

The kit grabbed Spiderpaw by the scruff. Ravenpaw lunged forward and grabbed the kit with one paw. With the other she grabbed the root of the oak, and her claws deg in.

She looked at Glacier. Her teeth where latched onto Spiderpaw's scruff. Glacier was drowning. Spiderpaw was drowning her. He was to heavy. They were all going to drown.

Water went over Glacier's nose. She screwed up her eyes, and gripped tighter to Spiderpaw.

"Let him go!" Ravenpaw yowled. Water covered Glacier's eyes. She didn't let Spiderpaw go.

Ravenpaw lunged foreword and unclamped Glaciers jaws. Spiderpaw's scruff slipped out of her mouth.

Then he whirled downstream. Ravenpaw had let him go.

Now that's a cliffy! Will Spiderpaw be okay?