Here is chappie nine…voila! Oh, btw, I forget if the nettle patch was where the warriors or apprentice ate – I recall a nettle patch and a stump as being the two places, but I don't remember which was which. Because I like the sound of the nettle patch better, I'll just have that be for the warriors. If it's wrong, please do correct me, but that's what I have for now.
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Icepaw gaped at Tanglethorn, her whiskers twitching convulsively. Stonepelt shuffled his paws uncomfortably, his blue eyes downcast.
The deputy's smirk widened, and he shrugged as he loped away, meowing over his shoulder, "He's such a modest mouse."
As soon as the tom had disappeared into the undergrowth, Icepaw let out a whoosh of breath. "Really?" she mewed in astonishment. She'd never though of Cinderstar's having kits, none-the-less Stonepelt!
"He doesn't like to spread it around," Stonepelt mumbled, pushing past Icepaw to slink into the tunnel. "Trying to avoid favoritism, and all that."
"Sure!" Icepaw breathed eagerly. "Of course!" She followed the gray tabby as he padded to the fresh kill pile to deposit his catch.
Before Icepaw could ask any more questions, the warrior turned to her and furrowed his brow as if thinking. Then he meowed in a low, commanding voice, "Icepaw, how would you like to eat with the warriors today?"
Icepaw stopped in her tracks as if someone had kicked her in the gut. What an honor! Tansypaw never ate with the warriors, even though she was much older. Robinpaw had explained how the warriors occasionally invited apprentices to eat with them, but she never expected to be asked herself.
"Of course!" she managed to meow. "Thanks!" Nervously selecting a scrawny finch from the pile, the white she-cat trailed behind Stonepelt as the tabby sauntered over to the nettle patch where Oakshadow and Whitefoot were sharing a rabbit.
"Icepaw!" greeted the pale brown warrior as the pair approached. He dipped his head to the she-cat as she sat down tentatively beside Stonepelt. "What brings you here?" he questioned.
"Icepaw performed particularly well in training today, and faced down a patrol of RiverClan warriors. I thought she deserved to eat with us this afternoon," mewed Stonepelt.
"Of course! Congratulations! I wish I could call Robinpaw over as well, but she's out gathering herbs with Sparrowpaw. Tell us about the RiverClan cats," Oakshadow meowed good-naturedly. "Were they as slimy as everyone tells you?"
Feeling thoroughly welcomed, Icepaw launched into a detailed description of the three RiverClan cats, maybe even exaggerating a little bit. Whitefoot, who stayed fairly distant from the apprentices in general, listened with interest, and even chuckled to herself a couple of times.
The sun was beginning to set by the time they had finished their meal, staining the sky purple and scorching the tops of the trees. Icepaw took one last bite of her sparrow, a feeling of contentment spreading through her tired limbs.
"Thanks for letting me eat with you," Icepaw mewed politely as she rose to her feet and buried the remains of the prey. Oakshadow and Whitefoot both nodded cordially.
"Any time," the pale senior warrior replied with an easygoing smile.
"It was nice talking to you," Whitefoot purred.
Stonepelt laid his tail gently on Icepaw's shoulder and led her away.
"Nicely handled," he meowed in a warm tone as they padded in the direction of the dens. "You see, once they get to know you, most of the cats don't even bother with history."
Cheerfully, Icepaw mewed, "I thought Whitefoot was another one of those cats who resented me just because I wasn't Clan-born, but she's nice! I just wish Mossfur would shut up for long enough to get to know me."
With a chuckle, the gray tabby nodded. "Mossfur's just a grumpy old bag of fleas. He'll either come around one day or he won't, but either way, you don't have to prove yourself to him. Or to anyone, for that matter. Just be you." Then he bent and gave Icepaw's ear a swift lick.
Before Icepaw could even glance up to see the expression on his face, Stonepelt was gone. Shaking her head slowly, Icepaw turned and wandered into the apprentice's den. I wonder what's gotten into him lately, she thought to herself. Well, whatever it was, she wouldn't let it bother her. She was as happy as she'd ever been, and nothing could dampen her mood.
"Ugh! I just caught a whiff of – oh, it's you, Icepaw. That explains the smell," Tansypaw sneered as Icepaw entered the den, shifting in her nest. "Couldn't you at least bathe yourself before you barge in here? The nerve…" Her ears flickered with annoyance.
With a sigh, Icepaw trudged to the back of the den and curled up sleepily in her own nest, forcing Tansypaw's comments to wash away like drops of rain rolling off her pelt. Her paws ached from padding around the forest all day, especially her foreleg where the thorn had ripped open the pad. The wound was almost completely healed, but it throbbed just the tiniest bit as she snuggled into the bed of feathers. Thinking fondly of Tansypaw's defeat in battle training and her first meeting with warriors of another Clan, Icepaw's breathing slowed and deepened until she had faded into the comforting darkness of a dreamless sleep.
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Awww…I like this chapter! Short but sweet! Just wait till this story reaches its climax, and then you'll wish I had more nice, happy chapters like this! :)