Yay! Thanks for the reviews! I can see how a lot of you are basically shouting through technology for Frozenpaw to stop being stubborn and cowardly of Oakshade and tell everyone that he sucks. We will see what happens, I guess...*starts feeling awkward*

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.

Chapter Nineteen

ThunderClan was in a frenzy for the next few days. Many cats stood around, wondering when ShadowClan would attack, while others turned on Clanmate, accusing them of being the hunters that started it all. Flickerstar was in a state of silence and anger that Frozenpaw had never seen on him before, and she knew he must be wondering which cat in his Clan was mouse-brained enough to get them into the mess they were tangled up in.

Only Frozenpaw knew.

At least she thought so. With how close Oakshade and Lionpaw were getting, it wouldn't surprise her if they were each behind it. She was completely torn now, between telling anyone or just letting the battle happen. It stung to know that when she wanted so bad to be a warrior, she was acting like a coward, fearing her own Clanmate, but she had the right to be afraid right? After all, Oakshade would look at her every time the matter came up, silently telling her that if she did anything to blow his secret, she would pay a price. She knew that eventually the Clan would start to notice, which left her with nightmares each night.

And then there was Lionpaw. Frozenpaw wanted so badly to know if he was involved at all with the hunting, but when she studied him the night of the Gathering, he too seemed a little shaken along with the rest of the Clan. It was true, him and Oakshade were spending more time together in the mornings, training hard. It wouldn't surprise her if he was part of the whole scheme. And he was trying desperately hard not to be within ten fox-lengths of the medicine cats, so it wouldn't surprise her. But why?

Frozenpaw padded through camp. Her legs were getting cramped up from sitting and preparing healing herbs all day, so she needed to take a walk around. It bothered her how timorous her Clan was acting, but even more that she was that way too. She passed cat after cat, listening to what they had to say over the matter.

"Breezetstar is out of his mind. We have plenty of prey here. Why would we need to hunt in a territory as depressing and revolting as there's?" Whitefur asked as she shared tongues with Rabbitfoot.

She walked by Nightwhisker pacing. He fretted to Graydawn, who watched him. "What if there is some traitor in the Clan, who is determined on starting a war between the forest?"

But the one comment that stopped Frozenpaw in her tracks, was Snowshine's. "If I had any guess on the subject, it'd had to be on Hailblaze. You know how quiet and secretive he is."

She was speaking to Dusksky, who shrugged in response. Frozenpaw stood behind Snowshine, so she couldn't see her, but Dusksky did, and she widened her eyes.

"Oh no, Snowshine," she said, half-laughing. "Next time you should look around to see who's there before speaking. I should get back to my kits." And she was gone.

Snowshine whirled. When she saw Frozenpaw she grunted. "Oh, it's you. Guess you heard what I said about your mentor, huh?"

Frozenpaw gave her a sarcastic grin. "I did."

Her mother just gave her a look.

"You know what? I don't even know why I think about trying," Frozenpaw mumbled. "You'll always be blind to who you really are. Just like Oakshade. No one wonder you two are mates. I always wondered what you saw in each other that was strong enough to poison the other into falling in love with." She paused. "I guess you just saw your reflection."

"Wow," Snowshine said, a slight purr to her voice. "I'd never thought I'd live to see the day my daughter would give up fighting."

"I'm not sacrificing the whole war," Frozenpaw whispered. "Just the battle with you. You aren't worth it. Hailblaze is innocent." She began walking off, but she halted. "By the way...it would have been nice to call someone mother, and mean it."

There was only a dead silence that followed her back to the medicine den.

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Frozenpaw stopped mixing the herbs she was working with when Flickerstar's call rang out. His voice was heavy with rage, and echoes across the ravine.

"I bet we all know what this is about," Hailblaze muttered, wiping his paws on the grass.

They both made their way for the Highrock, where many of cats were already gathered. Flickerstar looked ragged and overwhelmed, but anger dominated his appearance, as he began speaking.

"I have known Breezestar since we were apprentices and we met at a Gathering, and from then to now, he has always been a noble and truthful cat. I trust that he wouldn't start an unnecessary battle just to feel blood run under his paws. I don't know who in this Clan was hunting in their territory, but it's too late to find the guilty cat."

"Are you saying that you don't trust us?" Poppyfall challenged. "You actually believe that one of us was mouse-brained enough to hunt in another Clan's territory."

Flickerstar glared at her. "I never said that. But whoever did this obviously wanted the battle to happen. So, congratulations to the one who did!"

"What if was just a rogue that had been hanging out in the territory? A rogue could carry our scent," Badgerfang suggested.

"If it were a rogue, at least we should have scented it by now," yowled Stormshade. "It was definitely someone in the Clan." He looked from side to side, eying everyone. "I say we go check out the scene, and try to determine who did this."

"And what good will that do? It won't stop the battle. Even if we told Breezestar who in our Clan it was, it would be admitting that we were hunting on his land!" Smallfeather argued. She looked up at Flickerstar. "Why did you bring us out here? So we could turn on each other?"

Before Flickerstar could reply, Branchtail spoke. "That's the last thing we need, especially with a battle coming."

That's when the Clan broke out in yowls and arguments. They questioned and challenged each other, while also whispering about the cats right beside them. Frozenpaw ducked her head at the noise.

"ENOUGH!" the screech rang, silencing each cat. Frozenpaw turned her head to see Oakshade, standing at the front of the crowd, he sat with his tail over his paws, and his shoulders hunched. "All of you quiet. Forget this pointless bickering. What we need is a battle plan to defend the camp. You heard what Breezestar said. His Clan isn't holding back."

"Thank you, Oakshade," breathed Flickerstar. "I was going to get to that. What do you have in mind?"

Frozenpaw felt puzzled. Why would he have a plan? He's the one who wanted the battle in the first place.

"We have to set up cats from all angles of the camp," Oakshade explained. "Since the highest ground is the ravine, where ShadowClan will be coming in from, that's where we'll set up our first band of cats. They will fend off some of the ShadowClan cats there to drive them off, so there will be a smaller wave of warriors down in camp."

"Brilliant!" Flickerstar exclaimed, leaping down from Highrock.

Many cats pushed forward, where Oakshade was drawing claw marks into the dirt to explain the plan better. Warriors pushed passed Frozenpaw, and she had to sink her claws into the grass to keep balanced. Now she could no longer see Oakshade.

"The rest of us will be positioned down in camp in lines. One at the entrance, a second at the middle, and the third at the back. A few back up will be waiting in the dens if they're needed. I suggest those cats as the newer warriors, so they have a lot of energy in case they need to fight for a long while or fend off ShadowClan warriors that try to break in to the dens." Oakshade paused. "Any questions?"

"How will we know when ShadowClan is coming?" asked Graydawn.

"Each day, a small patrol will be walking in the territory somewhere near the Thunderpath. When they scent ShadowClan, they run back and give us a signal. Those cats will be at the top of the ravine," Oakshade said. "Wolfleap will lead that patrol with...Badgerfang, Talonfoot and Leafpelt."

Flickerstar spoke, sounding pleased for the first time in several days. "That's a great plan Oakshade! Let's assign the positons."

As they got to work, Frozenpaw looked at her paws. What was Oakshade doing? It was an amazing plan, that ThunderClan was sure to win with. But didn't he want the fight? How does that work?

"You okay?" asked Hailblaze.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. She began heading for the medicine den. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."

That was a filler for you. I think the battle will be next chapter. I get the feeling I'm coming to the end of the story even though I'm just starting. :) Review please! And you'll get the next chapter!

~Destiny