Icepaw was more tired that next morning, but she didn't mind since she had seen the Gathering. Of all of those strange cats, that ginger-furred ShadowClan apprentice had stood out to her. Much prettier than Swanpaw. She wondered when she would see her again. In the heat of battle? Would sharp amber eyes be the last thing she saw if that happened?

Of course it wouldn't happen, She reminded herself. She would never be in battle, stuck in camp her whole miserable life. Stuck with elders that didn't care for her and kits who'd probably get their warrior names first. If she got a warrior name at all.

"Hey, Icepaw!" Hawkpaw's dreamy voice cut through her thoughts as the tabby approached her.

"Hi, Hawkpaw. What's up?"

"I cleaned the dens out for you," his moss-colored eyes sparkled.

"You didn't have to do that," Her ears heated up.

"It's only fair," he placed a tail on her back. "You shouldn't have to be the only one to do it. How about I ask Dovestar if Clawnose can start taking you out with Wasptail and me?"

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course I would. It's not a problem and we'll be able to spend more time together."

"Thank you, Hawkpaw."

"No problem," he purred. "I have a question for you. Can you meet me just outside of camp in exactly a quarter-moon during moonhigh? There's someplace I'd love to show you."

"I can do that," Icepaw's curiosity was peaked. It would be perfect to see more of the moor. And she'd be alone with Hawkpaw.

"Thank you," his tone was excited. "It'll be a night that we will both remember forever."

A quarter-moon of boring days later, Icepaw snuck past Ivyheart on watch. Well, Ivyheart was asleep, so it was easy. A cresant moon hung in a starless night amongst the clouds. Icepaw felt a bit of a chill despite the Greenleaf warmth. She jumped a bit when a shadow appeared before her and relaxed when she saw it was just Hawkpaw.

"Did I keep you waiting long?" He asked, his dark pelt blending perfectly into the night.

"I just snuck out," she assured him. "I'm lucky that Ivyheart is such a lazy furball."

He chuckled, "You're right. Now I can see where Poppypaw gets her rabbit-brain from. Now follow me."

"Where are we going anyway?" she asked as he started padding away.

He turned back to her and said, "You'll see. It's a surprise."

And so she kept behind him until they made it to what appeared to be a rabbit burrow.

"You wanted to show me where to find rabbits?" Icepaw questioned.

"It's actually a tunnel," Hawkpaw confessed. "But I'm showing you what's inside the tunnel. Go on, you'll love it."

"Alright," She wasn't going to back out now that she followed him out here. She was curious. So she walked into the waiting darkness.

For a couple of pawsteps, she was unsure of the idea as earth pressed around her, dirtying her white pelt. She kept a steady pace and felt relieved as it opened into a tiny cavern. She stopped to wait for Hawkpaw.

A couple of minutes passed and he still didn't appear behind her.

"Hawkpaw, are you coming?" she yelled into the tunnel that lead her in there, feeling nervous as she waited for him to respond. But she was only left with silence. Something inside her felt wrong. Was he too cowardly to follow her inside and leave her to the darkness and whatever creature might be lurking in the other tunnels.

"Don't waste your time, Cursedpaw. He's not coming to help you."

Swanpaw's voice made Icepaw twirl around, her claws unsheathed at the other apprentice's tone.

"What are you doing in here?" Icepaw growled at the white she-cat.

"We've been waiting for you," Poppypaw emerged from a tunnel on Swanpaw's left side, her amber gaze excited.

"What are you talking about?" Icepaw hissed. "Only Hawkpaw and I are supposed to meet here."

"You foolishly believed in his words," Swanpaw taunted her. "Which lead you straight into his trap. Who do you think came up with the idea for us to get here before you do?"

"What?" Icepaw felt her world shatter as the older apprentices stepped closer to her.

"I don't think she gets it yet, Swanpaw," Poppypaw cooed. "Should I tell her or you?"

"Let's let Hawkpaw tell her. About time you showed up."

"Sorry, had to make sure I had a good entrance," the brown tabby's normally soft voice had hardened like ice as he met Icepaw's gaze. "You didn't actually think I liked you, did you? Foolish kit. Why would I choose a cursed, friendless, ugly outsider over Swanpaw?"

His cruel words hurt as he threw her own words back at her. She had been wrong about him the whole time.

"Why would you do this to me?" Icepaw screeched at him. "What did I do to you?"

"You're a curse among WindClan. You never should have been born," Hawkpaw glared at her intensely. "That father of yours killed mine in order to gain Silverfang's affection. How could I be friends with Smoketail's own blood. But you'll feel exactly how my father felt. Have your way with her."

He raced out of the tunnels as soon as he finished taunting her. Icepaw began to follow him, but felt teeth rip into her tail.

She swirled around with a swipe of her claws to throw Poppypaw off of it, but was thrown against a wall by Swanpaw. The white she-cat held her down and tore her claws into Icepaw's back, making her scream. Poppypaw clawed at her legs, the pain making her eyes water. She thrashed against the two, but they were bigger, stronger, and more experienced. They howled in glee as they tore clumps of fur off of her back. She felt like she was going to black out from the pain.

After what felt like forever, Poppypaw and Swanpaw released her and backed away from her. There was blood coating their claws and a satisfied gleam in their eyes.

"So long, Cursedpaw," Swanpaw taunted her one last time. "In a few heartbeats, this cavern is going to go down like prey."

"Come on, Swanpaw," Poppypaw giggled in glee. "Let's go back home. I could use a good mouse."

They turned their backs on her and used the entrance that had lead Icepaw through the tunnels.

Icepaw felt weak and tired from the assault and tried to get to her legs, but they felt like they had been torn off. Was this the end? Death by rocks? If she didn't die of blood loss first.

Who cared if she died? She truly did have no friends now. But Hawkpaw's betrayal hurt more than Swanpaw and Poppypaw's claws. She wanted to lay down and let the pain take her under.

"Icepaw!"

Nightfeather's soft voice brushed against her ears and she looked around for the black she-cat.

"Nightfeather, have you come to take me to StarClan?"

"Get up, Icepaw."

"I can't," She croaked. "The pain-"

"No," Nightfeather materialized beside her to help her get back on her paws. Icepaw's entire body stung and her head felt light. "I refuse to let you die in here. You have a great destiny ahead of you and I'm not about to let some idiotic WindClan apprentices take that away from you."

"But the blood," Icepaw was dirtying the cavern with her blood, coating the ground with the dark liquid.

"All the more reason to get you out of here." Nightfeather's voice was brisk. "It'll attract foxes and you can't fight a fox in your state. Now come on."

Icepaw tried to keep at a good pace, but she was so weak and every step hurt. She kept apologizing to Nightfeather, but the StarClan cat kept her going. She did give something to help distract Icepaw from the pain.

What did Nightfeather mean about a great destiny? She was trapped in camp full of cats who hated her. How was that some great destiny? Would she get some new position in the Clan where she just changes nests? Didn't sound that great to her.

She slid into the tunnel where Poppypaw had emerged from and wasn't too worried until she felt the earth above her begin to shake.

"Hurry," Nightfeather hissed, "The roof is about to-"

The ground above her crumbled and landed on Icepaw's back, crushing her. She could see the entrance of the tunnel. She thought she saw a small brown tabby she-cat just outside, but fainted before the cat could register in her mind.

"Icepaw!"