Chapter 10, Good Luck

Icepaw hung back as Sleetflash padded through the row of pine trees that was the entrance to ShadowClan territory. Just as she was about to enter ShadowClan territory, Sleetflash looked back through the tunnel of trees. "Icepaw, are you coming?" she called through the sunlit woods.

Icepaw gulped, and nodded. She padded through the pine trees, marveling at how they could be so light yet so dark at the same time. Below her paws red pine needles bent as she padded lightly over them. The whole forest floor was so much neater than all the undergrowth in ThunderClan. There was very little underbrush because the pine trees shaded it all out. There were no thorn bushes to snag on her fur or bury thorns in her paws. The sun felt warmer here than in ThunderClan. In every direction she could see pine trees growing in straight rows. That was the only part that didn't feel right "Sleetflash," she began hesitantly. "Why are all the trees in straight rows?"

The gray tortoiseshell shook her head. "I think it has something to do with twolegs," she tried to explain.

"Will they come back?" Icepaw asked with her head tipped to one side.

Sleetflash shook her head. "These very trees have been here since the Clans were created, little one. I think the twolegs would have come back by now."

Icepaw nodded and continued through the sunlit forest beside Sleetflash. She was startled by the croaking of a frog nearby. "Why are there frogs here? It seems so dry."

Sleetflash gestured with her tail. "There is a swamp over there. Now come on, I know where we are and we can be back by sundown if we hurry."

Icepaw peered through the trees to look for the swamp. She didn't see it, and Sleetflash was getting ahead of her again. She hurried past the tree, but looked back to see if the frog was anywhere near. She jumped as she saw it perched on the tree trunk of a pine tree. She raced to catch up with Sleetflash. "Alright," Sleetflash mewed. "The next time you see a frog, catch it. We can't get there on empty bellies."

Icepaw hung her head in embarrassment, but then asked, "You eat frogs?"

...

It was a slow day in ShadowClan camp, with the current three apprentices lolling around in the sun outside their den, the only elder sunning herself in a similair fashion, a slow stream of warriors bringing freshkill in and others eating it near their den. The sun flickered off of the ground in the pine clearing. Snakepaw scuffed his paw in the pine needles and glanced up at the glaring sun. "I didn't know it could get this hot, even in Greenleaf," he said to no one in particular. Unfortunately, Moonpaw and Silverpaw heard him.

"Well of course it can," Silverpaw said blinking her green eyes scornfully at him.

Moonpaw just grunted, then finally thought of something to say. "Think of it as a learning experience."

Silverpaw laughed. Snakepaw turned his face away. Why did they always have to be so rude? Just because their father didn't love their mother and had betrayed the Clan terribly and had been sent away didn't give them the right to be rude. But they hadn't always been like this. There had been times when they had been nice, and when the three of them had played games together. But even then there was something cold about the two of them, especially Moonpaw. She was very aggressive and Silverpaw had struck him as the gentler of the two... but now all that had changed. Moonpaw barely said anything to him and Silverpaw seemed to be subtly insulting him all of the time. "I think I'll go hunt," he mewed.

Moonpaw shrugged, but Silverpaw called out, "Ask your mentor first! Don't get in trouble, Snakepaw."

Snakepaw whirled around, ready to return a sharp rebuke, but Silverpaw had turned her silver head away and was grooming herself. Snakepaw shook himself and sat at a different end of camp. Silverpaw did have a point, even if she had just said it as an insult.

...

Moonpaw sprang up as a new scent hit her nostrils. "ThunderClan," she snarled. Silverpaw's eyes widened as she too recognized the scent. "What are they doing here?" she gasped, her pink mouth open wide.

Moonpaw shook her head after being silent for a while. "There's only one of them."

Petalstar rushed down from her den where she had been sunning herself. "Who approaches?" she called out warily. "I have warriors ready to fight here with me, if you are foe. If you are a friend, come out into the open where we can see you."

Sleetflash padded out into the pine clearing, below the bright blue sky. "I believe I am a friend, Petalstar. Unless you have changed your verdict once again," she added vehemently.

Petalstar closed her eyes. "Oh, Sleetflash. I'm so sorry. Did... Maskface find you?"

Sleetflash frowned. "Maskface?"

Petalstar looked at her. "I think we should talk."

Just then Icepaw came out from behind Sleetflash, blue eyes flickering around nervously. Sleetflash nodded to her. "This is Icepaw of ThunderClan. She is Maskface's daughter, and as she is half ShadowClan I thought she had a right to be here if she wished. It will await your verdict, of course, Petalstar."

Petalstar's eyes narrowed. Accepting Sleetflash back into the Clan was going to be difficult enough without trying to bring in a ThunderClan apprentice as well. But she was half ShadowClan. "I shall discuss it with my senior warriors after we talk, Sleetflash. Come." Petalstar leapt into the crevice in the sand colored rock where her den was.

Sleetflash stepped inside, grateful of the cool shade.

Icepaw stood alone and stranded in the middle of ShadowClan camp. Moonpaw snarled at her while Silverpaw tossed her head and walked away. Eventually everyone else looked away and Icepaw was left in the middle of the clearing standing there like an idiot. She sighed. This was not going well. She scanned the clearing and found one pair of eyes still on her. A green eyes brown tabby tom was watching her from a shaded part of the clearing. She hesitantly began to pad over to him. He stood up as she approached.

"Hi. I'm Icepaw," she started lamely. "So who're you?" she winced as she realized how stupid and kitlike that sounded.

Luckily, he didn't seem to think it was, because he responded. "I'm Snakepaw."

"Um..." she struggled to think of something to say. "So, do you like living in ShadowClan?" she asked.

Snakepaw shifted his gaze away, realizing he couldn't tell the white she-cat the truth. "Yes. It's... great." He finished insincerely.

Icepaw nodded. "What do you think Petalstar will decide?" she asked nervously.

The brown tabby tom with gray splotched looked relieved. "She's fair, don't worry. If she doesn't want you to stay it's either for your own good or for ShadowClan's, maybe both. Whatever her verdict is, I'm sure you'll be happy with it."

Icepaw muttered, "You might be surprised."

Snakepaw had heard what she had said, however. "You don't want to go back to ThunderClan, then?"

She opened her mouth, about to say something. "It's just... complicated.

He nodded, not questioning her further. "Well, if you do decide to stay, good luck." He padded away towards the fresh kill pile.

Icepaw smiled. He had wished her good luck. "Good luck," she whispered after the brown tabby tom.

*smiles profusely while the line 'Good Luck' repeats in her head* That said... well, what else is there to say? I think I did good on that chapter, but I'm not the judge of that, you are. In case you were wondering, when I have this: ... in the story it means scene change, or it is later in the story. I like using the little * signs, but they don't show up... how odd. If anyone can think of a better way to do it that shows up, please let me know, I'm all ears. And a weird little hint... If you have an instrument nearby... It helps if you play the string of notes FGC for this chapter, I think. I know, it's really weird and random.
In response to reviews:
Koraki: Sleetflash; I'm glad that someone likes her! I suppose if one reads her personality from the allegiances she just looks evil, but anyways. One thing I'm sorry to say is that we may not be seeing much of her in the next couple of chapters! But, I suppose with my wonky style of writing on this story anything could happen. Icepaw; hahahahaha yay! Ahem, excuse that. Icepaw is me so I am rather sensitive about that, but I could totally see your point of view, she is way to young to be reacting the way she did. Wolfsong; I think we'll definitely see more of her, but possibly later. I am planning this story to have many many chapters before it finally ends, which I have no idea how it will, by the way. Maskface; hm, I really can't say yet about his ending, you see. He may either have a happy ending or die terribly and painfully! Hm, that tempts me... but I'll wait until some truly brilliant twist occurs to me... Wait... one just did... okay... storing that away somewhere. Anyways. Snakepaw; I think you can see from this chapter that he will be important! As for love interest... well, I could tell you, but that would spoil it! In a couple of chapters all should become evident. I'm running out of time, so that's it for today, and thanks as always for reviewing. :)
Drakan722: yayz! Wow, that was a really lame reply, but I'm really glad you enjoy it! :]
Priceless Cat Lady: Did I tell you that I love your pen name? I read that chapter, by the way. I'll fix the wolfsong/owlsong mistake later, and thanks!