Once again, I feel obliged to post what I have, even though you're all so cruel… :'( This is gonna be a short chapter though since I got kinda got off my outline and there's just one thing I have to resolve before I go on to the next awesome plot thread.
To Nightclaw: Thanks for asking about that – I kind of realized just now that I forget to really go in depth about Icepaw's change of heart. I feel like I know Icepaw so well since she's from my own imagination, I sometimes forget that my readers aren't party to the inner workings of her mind. :D Hope this chapter clarifies some of that.
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It was almost sunrise before the Gathering party returned. The clamor that they made coming into camp was enough to force both Icepaw and Robinpaw awake.
"I thought Seedfur was going to claw his fur off!" someone cried, and laughter ensued. Hissing, Icepaw staggered out of her den, blinking in the golden light of the sun.
It seemed that many other cats were angered by the disruption, and one reprimand from Palenose was enough to quiet the group down. Icepaw noticed out of the corner of her eye as Oakshadow broke away from the crowd, heading for the apprentice's den.
"Ah, Icepaw. You don't happen to know-" he stopped, peering over her shoulder.
Robinpaw had crawled out of the den behind her, her pelt ruffled.
"There you are, Robinpaw," meowed Oakshadow. He prodded his apprentice into a sitting position and then turned to Icepaw again. "Would you two join us for dawn patrol?"
"But…" Robinpaw protested, her tail drooping.
"Of course, Oakshadow," Icepaw replied, jabbing Robinpaw's ribs with her elbow. The she-cat hissed and flicked her ears.
"Thanks. I'll see you at the tunnel in a few minutes." The pale warrior trotted away.
"But I'm so tired," Robinpaw complained, flopping down where she sat and closing her eyes.
Icepaw was about to snap at her friend for being lazy when Cinderstar's voice rang out over the clearing, calling the Clan to a meeting.
"Looks like you're saved, at least for now," Icepaw grunted. Robinpaw rose grudgingly to her paws and the pair trudged towards the Highrock. As Icepaw had guessed, Eaglekit and Yellowkit were sitting near the base of the boulder, their pelts newly washed and shining in the early sunlight.
"I have called you here today to welcome two new apprentices," Cinderstar explained. His words were warm and heartfelt, and from the expressions on every cat's faces, this ceremony meant more for the Clan than usual. Though four apprentices was still an abnormally small number, it showed that ThunderClan was growing after the horrific leafbare that had taken so many cats. Icepaw thanked her lucky stars that she had been safe in her Twoleg nest during that awful time.
"Eaglekit and Yellowkit, please step forward," Cinderstar meowed. The two she-cats padded closer to where the gray tom was seated. He gazed down at them with wide, sparkling eyes, which after a moment flickered up to lock on the upturned faces of the warriors.
"Yellowkit, from this moment on you will be known as Yellowpaw. Whitefoot! I entrust you with the training of young Yellowpaw. Palenose taught you well, and I expect you to pass on your skills to this apprentice, until she is ready to receive her warrior name."
Yellowpaw grinned and turned to touch noses with the black warrior, who blinked calmly and led her new apprentice back into the crowd.
"Eaglekit, from this moment on you will be known as Eaglepaw. Tanglethorn – you were my first apprentice, and I expect you to pass on your skills to this young she-cat until she is ready to receive her warrior name."
Eaglepaw's face lit up as Cinderstar announced her mentor. Tanglethron padded forward and touched noses with the tabby she-cat.
"I'll make sure he doesn't go too hard on her, the lucky furball!" Robinpaw hissed in Icepaw's ear.
"We won't have the den to ourselves anymore," Icepaw grumbled, but as she watched Eaglepaw bounce along at Tanglethorn's side, her disappointment was quickly erased with excitement. The she-cat's shrewd personality was exactly Icepaw's type, and she anticipated a long and genuine friendship.
"Yellowpaw! Eaglepaw!" cheered the gathered cats, their voices especially loud and joyful.
Oakshadow was nowhere to be seen after the ceremony, which Icepaw took to mean that she and Robinpaw were exempt from dawn patrol duty. Energized and itching to do something worthwhile, Icepaw peeled away from her friend and slipped out of camp, keeping her belly low to the ground.
Today was as hot and dry as ever, and the ground under Icepaw's feet was dusty and cracked. Within a few seconds of swift walking her pelt was almost entirely obscured by a layer of pale brown earth.
Glad for the solitude and relaxing silence of the forest, Icepaw turned her mind inward on the thoughts that had been crowding there since yesterday's episode with the prophecy.
It had been almost two moons since the white she-cat had slipped through the door of the Twoleg nest and entered her new life in the forest. The constant excitement of living in the wild still hadn't faded, and Icepaw never had a thought of regret for the leaving her comfortable kittypet life. On the contrary, she would have given almost anything to have been born in the forest, just to be rid of the scathing comments about her heritage that seemed would plague her entire life.
Icepaw picked her way carefully down to the opposite ridge of the ravine, placing her small paws cautiously among the loose stones. She was determined to become the best warrior she could be, which included eliminating the competition: Robinpaw, for example. Though the she-cat was as much Icepaw's friend as was possible, Icepaw would not hesitate to harm her chances of becoming a warrior if it meant she herself could pull ahead. At some point in time there might not be enough room for the both of them at the top of the tree.
But Icepaw was not planning on stopping there – not at all. Being better than Robinpaw was one thing, and even the best warrior in the Clan, but the only way to finally erase every last vestige of her degrading past would be to rise to the very top – leader of ThunderClan. The thought sent shivers down Icepaw's spine as the stood at the crest of the hill, gazing around at the sunlit forest. The daydream of leading ThunderClan warriors into the Gathering hollow seemed more attainable than ever, and Icepaw resolved to do anything to make it reality. Anything.
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I loved that ending too much to continue, even though there are still a few things I could have said. Therefore, I will say them now. The reason Icepaw's is all about getting other cats ' on her side' (*cough* blind faith cough) is so that when she is leader she will have an entire Clan of cats loyal to her alone. Robinpaw, Sparrowpaw, Stonepelt, Ashfoot, Eaglepaw…the list will continue to grow as the story moves on. Basically, she's purely evil and ruthlessly ambitious, willing to *cough* kill to get what she wants. And I luvv her for it… :D Basically, I have this fascination with literary villains…I do sometimes wonder what it says about my personality. :P
-ASTER