As promised, the second part of that last chapter. Also, I might not update for a little bit after this because I did give you two chapters one right after the other, so I deserve a teensy tiny break. Besides, my winter formal is this Saturday, so I'm a tad busy.

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Another cry of pain escaped Icepaw's lips as she tripped over a tree root that reared out of the ground. By now her cut had reopened and blood was smeared all over the pad of her paw, making it slippery. She'd already slid twice, which only made things worse. So far Icepaw hadn't even caught the scent of a single mouse, and she was on the verge of giving up.

She made it as far as the RiverClan border before she was able to convince herself to turn around. She'd go back, find Stonepelt and talk to him alone – explain the whole thing. At the very worst, she would be punished for not hunting for Mossfur and Cinderstar would make her do something horrible. He wouldn't throw her out of the Clan, she'd at least told herself that. He was fair; he would know that such a small thing couldn't mean enough to strip away her future.

But as she was stumbling back through the darkening forest a deliciously warm scent wafted to Icepaw's nose, making her heart beat faster. Mouse! She recalled every piece of advice that Stonepelt had given her about stalking mice and dropped down into a somewhat lopsided hunter's crouch. She pinpointed the scent and located the small creature, washing its face at the base of an oak tree not three fox-lengths away. It seemed as yet unaware of her presence.

As silent as a warrior of StarClan, Icepaw inched towards her prey, her eyes wide with concentration. She was a tail-length away from the mouse when a twig snapped beneath her paw. Icepaw let out a hiss of frustration and darted forward, heedless of the pulsing pain in her paw. She sprinted headlong for the oak tree, keeping the mouse in her sights all the while.

The tiny creature saw her coming and turned to dart away, but Icepaw was too fast for it. She reached out and tossed the creature into the air, catching it as the mouse fell and biting through the tiny bones in its neck – a swift kill.

Elated, the apprentice picked up her catch and pranced back to camp, full to bursting with pride. She'd caught her first prey! A few footsteps from the bramble tunnel she put her paw down on an inconveniently placed pebble. Within a matter of seconds the she-cat was flat on her face, the mouse flying through the air, her paw numb with intense pain.

Icepaw bit back a yowl as she rose weakly to her feet again, ashamed of her clumsiness. Blood streaked her whole foreleg and soaked her entire paw, the sickly scent wreathing her muzzle. The mouse lay at the mouth of the tunnel, looking suddenly very small.

With an anguished sigh, Icepaw limped forward, holding her injured paw close to her chest, and bent to pick up the mouse. For a moment its scent mixed with that of her own blood and the felt nauseous, but luckily the sensation passed quickly and she was able to hop forward into the tunnel. What she found waiting for her was not what she'd expected.

Stonepelt, Robinpaw and Sparrowpaw were crouched by the tunnel, their eyes downcast. By the base of the Highrock, Cinderstar was speaking furiously to Mossfur, who looked thoroughly defeated and ashamed. The expression on his face seemed too good to be true, until Stonepelt noticed her standing by the tunnel, her expression bewildered.

"Icepaw," he acknowledged, getting slowly to his feet. Robinpaw and Sparrowpaw both scrambled up after him. Robinpaw looked horrified and Sparrowpaw looked a little crestfallen.

The gray tabby tom padded to stand before Icepaw and dipped his head. His eyes were still downcast.

"What's going on?" Icepaw mewed around the mouse in her jaws. She glanced over Stonepelt's shoulder at Robinpaw, who merely blinked and waved her tail in greeting.

"Icepaw, I'm so sorry. I should have guessed what Mossfur was up to," Stonepelt meowed, his voice thick. He shook his head. "I failed as your mentor." Then he glanced up and seemed to see the mouse for the first time. "But look at this! You actually caught something!" he chuckled and twitching his tail. "It seemed you did learn something from me after all."

Icepaw dropped the mouse at Stonepelt's feet in order to speak more clearly. "What happened? Why is Cinderstar talking to Mossfur?"

Stonepelt shrugged and beckoned Robinpaw and Sparrowpaw forward.

"When Robinpaw came back from patrol she asked me where you were. I told her you were out hunting for the elders, and she got all worried. I was starting to realize that I'd made some sort of dreadful mistake, and then Robinpaw told me that you'd hurt your paw. We verified the story with Sparrowpaw, who'd dressed your wound, and then told Cindestar. Like I said, I'm sorry. I should have known something was up."

"Here," Sparrowpaw mewed. She padded forward and pressed her shoulder against Icepaw's. "Now I'll have to look at your foot again."

Stonepelt and Robinpaw moved aside as they passed, Icepaw still hopping on three feet. As they passed the Highrock, Mossfur glanced sideways at Icepaw. His eyes widened for a moment as he took her blood-lathered foreleg and pained expression, and then narrowed. His ears flicked against his head and his lip twitched exposing an ivory fang.

A weary sigh escaped Icepaw's lips, and the pain didn't bring it on. She might have been saved this time, but Mossfur wasn't finished with her yet. A sudden resolve made her heart turn a little cold. If the elder weren't done with her, then she sure as StarClan wasn't done with him either, and she would never give up. Mossfur would pay for what he'd done to her.

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Ooooohhhh…Icepaw starts to get evil! Finally! Muahahahaha :D

-ASTER