Several days passed in the snowy pine forest without any sign of vengeful Breezeclan warriors. Blizzardstar almost felt some sort of gratitude towards that strange calico, Spottedrose. He wished he had been able to find the light. Instead, he had been plagued by unnatural thoughts for that pretty BreezeClan warrior.

Early this morning, his medicine cat had come to visit him in his den.  Tinypool seemed to be acting oddly. She muttered something about strange dreams but quickly changed the subject to ask him for a warrior escort to go harvest herbs near the BreezeClan border.

After she had left with her escourt, Blizzardstar exited his den and took a deep breath. He knew he had a very important task today. It was finally time to give Webpaw his warrior name!

Quickwater had come to Blizzardstar, claiming that her apprentice had learned the ways of a warrior and was fit for his new name. It was clear to see that Webpaw had worked hard to earn his warrior name. He had fought hard and effortlessly in the battle with Breezeclan. Blizzardstar's pelt tingled with happiness; Webpaw would find his way as a warrior and finally stop tormenting the younger apprentices.

He quickly clawed his way up the trunk of his den and sat on the High Branch. Blizzardstar yowled loudly, calling his clan to gather before him, "Let all those old enough to feel the snow sting their paws, gather for a Clan meeting!"

Slowly, the warriors and apprentices gathered in a crowd beneath his branch. Reedfur and Timberstrike, the elders, sat outside their den to watch the ceremony. Blizzardstar knew that Quietstorm would stay in the nursery with her kits. They were still too small and vulnerable to be left alone. He looked down at his warriors again, noticing Quickwater and Webpaw sitting tall at the front of the group. Both of their eyes were shining with excitement.

His tail flicked joyously as he called out to his clan, "IceClan! Today we are here to bless one of our apprentices and welcome him as a full warrior!"  He looked down in the sea of pelts and rested his gaze on a smaller white and silver striped tom. Webpaw's pelt was shivering with excitement.

"Webpaw, step forward." his call echoed through the trees surrounding the camp. The silver striped apprentice padded forward quickly, his tail spiked in all directions. "Quickwater has trained you to be a skilled, knowledgeable young cat. She believes you are ready to become a warrior at last," he meowed, "Is it your wish to become a warrior and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" his question hung in the air for only moments.

"I do!" he answered eagerly.

"Then from this day forward your name shall be Webstripe! We commend you for your persistence and your skill in hunting. May Starclan always light your path." he mewed warmly. The whole clan erupted into joyful yowls, crowding around the new warrior. "Webstripe! Webstripe!"

Blizzardstar watched happily from his perch on the High Branch. Naming a new warrior was always a great way to start a new day.  "Tonight you shall sit in silent vigil, as is tradition for all new warriors." he reminded him. Webstripe was still being crowded and congratulated by all of his clan mates, Blizzardstar wasn't sure if he had heard.

He leapt down from his branch, clearing the snow banks and landing on firm ground. "Wildflight!" he called to the brown she-cat.  She was sitting a few paces away from Webstripe, organizing the daily patrols as the other warriors slowly dispersed. He quickly trotted to her side and mewed hastily, "if you're sending any border patrols out near that big hill next to Breezeclan territory, I would like to join."

Wildflight looked at her leader suspiciously but nodded, "yes, Hawkslash just went to go get Meadowshine and Stormpaw. They should be ready shortly." Blizzardstar nodded approvingly, turning away to go find the small patrol.

Hawkslash, the brown tabby warrior, was sitting next to the camp entrance. He may be the eldest warrior but he was still as lively and stubborn as an apprentice. His tail was tapping impatiently on the ground next to him, his claws working in and out of the dirt. Blizzardstar trotted over to him, his tail lifted in a warm greeting. "I'm here to join your border patrol." he explained quickly as he sat at Hawkslash's side.

The tom dipped his head and looked across the clearing, looking for Meadowshine and Stormpaw. "Let's hope there's no problems near the border." Hawkslash mewed warily, his gaze flashing to Blizzardstar.

"I'm sure there won't be any issues." he responded hastily, trying to calm Hawkslash's ruffling fur.  Surely Breezeclan would want peace after they had lost Lilybloom, and countless other warriors. Both the clans had lost so many great warriors, over all the countless battles that came with time. Thinking about it now made Blizzardstar's pelt crawl. He didn't know why he had felt such pride in his recent victory over BreezeClan.

Hawkslash didn't seem convinced, he just shrugged his shoulders and twitched his whiskers. In that moment, Meadowshine appeared with her apprentice, Stormpaw.

"Finally!" Hawkslash growled, his disapproving stare boring into Stormpaw. Meadowshine glared at Hawkslash, her tortoiseshell fur spiking. "He was just checking on the elders before we left!" she snapped.

Blizzardstar sighed as the two warriors started to bicker, his attention flitting to Stormpaw. The apprentice was looking out the entrance, slightly sniffing the air. "Are you ready to leave then?" Blizzardstar meowed, turning his attention back to the two warriors.

"I suppose so." Hawkslash mewed sarcastically before turning and leading the way out of camp. Meadowshine and Stormpaw hurried after him but Blizzardstar caught himself hanging back.

It felt like the looming threat of an attack from Iceclan was taking its toll on most of the warriors. Everyone assumed that the vengeful Oakstar would certainly launch an attack in the coming moons. Blizzardstar's fur itched with worry, something he had not felt in his whole life as a warrior. What if Mudstar's omen was true, and his Clan would truly be lost in darkness? He jumped up quickly and sped out of camp, hoping the patrol had not realized his slight absence.

His uncomfortable feelings continued to ebb as he followed Meadowshine's scent through the undergrowth. He felt foolish to have been so willing to bring his clanmates into battle in the past. He didn't want to lose any more of his clan mates to this pointless fighting. He truly hoped Oakstar felt the same.
~~

As the small patrol neared the border, it was becoming less and less possible for Stormpaw to keep quiet. He was bouncing with energy, hoping to meet a patrol of Breezeclan warriors.

"You know, we actually don't want to be spotted." Blizzardstar mewed to the young apprentice. Meadowshine purred in agreement, resting her tail over Stormpaw's back. "Show your leader how sensible you can be." she meowed quietly.

Stormpaw huffed but he settled down considerably, his tail tip twitching. Blizzardstar wasn't sure if they would end up seeing a Breezeclan patrol, but he would rather they didn't.

Suddenly, a ray of sunlight could be seen at the edge of the trees. Blizzardstar ran forward, looking out on to Breezeclan's territory. The massive snowy hillside was dotted with a few lone trees and plenty of clumps of bushes and weeds. It seemed like the blood and fur he had seen there yesterday had disappeared.

"Wow..." Stormpaw mumbled next to him. Blizzardstar looked down and saw the apprentice gazing out at the wide expanse of white snow that blanketed the ground.

"Our territory would look like that too, if we didn't have so many trees." Meadowshine meowed from behind them. Hawkslash had padded away a few fox lengths to mark the border.

Blizzardstar lifted his tail for Stormpaw and Meadowshine to be silent, a Breezeclan patrol had appeared and was approaching from the brow of the hill. In the lead was Rockclaw, with Foxstreak and Spottedrose close behind him. They must have spotted Blizzardstar's small patrol. They were charging straight towards the tree line.

Blizzardstar knew that Rockclaw was a very prickly warrior. He must be eager to confront the IceClan cats, hoping to start a fight or maybe worse.

"Hawkslash!" Blizzardstar called the warrior back over, hoping he had the sense to not provoke a fight. Hawkslash quickly padded over, his hackles raised. "Calm yourself." Blizzardstar warned as the Breezeclan patrol grew closer.

"What are you doing so near to our border?" Rockclaw called threateningly. He had stopped a couple rabbit hops away, Foxstreak and Spottedrose flanking him. Blizzardstar tried to catch the calico's eye but she was staring down at her paws.

"Just marking the border." Blizzardstar answered casually, letting his tail curl around his paws as he sat down. Rockclaw took an aggressive pose, his claws sliding out into the snow covered ground. "Well we don't want you so close! Go retreat back to your trees and leave us alone!" he snarled.

Blizzardstar's paws prickled. He was trying to prevent a fight! "We were just marking the border." he insisted, trying to keep his voice calm.

But now Rockclaw was stalking forward, his hackles raised and his teeth bared in a snarl. Foxstreak was frozen right behind him, her orange tabby fur fluffed up to twice her size. Spottedrose looked on in dismay, shuffling her paws. Blizzardstar felt slightly relieved that the she-cat didn't agree with threatening his patrol.

Blizzardstar began to back away, hoping his warriors would retreat as well. Meadowshine quickly pushed Stormpaw back into the safety of the trees while Hawkslash padded closer to Rockclaw. His brown tabby fur was spiked in all directions, his muscles bulging in his legs.

"Take one step onto our land and I'll shred your ears." Hawkslash hissed, his tail flicking violently back and fourth. Rockclaw snickered, crouching low against the ground.

"Why, are you afraid that I'll kill you just like you killed Lilybloom? No, I'll just teach you that Breezeclan aren't so easily pushed around!" Rockclaw yowled, louder than a crack of thunder on the darkest night. In an instant, Rockclaw flung himself at Hawkslash, his claws flying like a whirlwind.

"No!" Blizzardstar rushed forward, trying hard to throw himself on top of Rockclaw. The senior warrior was sturdy and strong, his dusty brown pelt hard with tensed muscles. Blizzardstar's fear grew to panic as Hawkslash's agonized yowling sounded from below Rockclaw's belly.

Suddenly, Spottedrose appeared from behind Rockclaw; she was trying to wrap her paws around the tom. She couldn't get ahold of him, and Blizzardstar could not pull Hawkslash out from underneath Rockclaw. With a small sigh, Spottedrose unsheathed her claws and sank them into her clanmate's shoulders, pulling backward with all her strength.

"Get off of him!" she hissed. She could feel her claws tearing the skin near his neck, dangerously close to his jugular. She was relieved to feel him releasing his grip on Hawkslash, but she felt her claws suddenly snag in Rockclaw's fur. She quickly ripped her claws from his pelt, his neck squirting with blood. Spottedrose leaped backward as Rockclaw rolled onto the snow dusted ground in front of her. His blood was already starting to speckle the dirt a crimson hue.

Foxstreak gasped in shock. She hadn't moved a muscle the whole time. Blizzardstar wasn't sure if she didn't want to fight or if she was scared to. "Is Rockclaw dead?" she mewed, her voice hardly more than a whisper.

But Blizzardstar did not hear her. He was crouching next to Hawkslash, deep gouge marks etched across his closed eyes. "I can't see," he wailed, his voice shrill and frightened like a tiny kit.

Rockclaw was laying in a motionless heap, his claws still dripping with Hawkslash's blood. "You killed him," Foxstreak yowled at Blizzardstar, "you've killed Lilybloom and now you've killed Rockclaw!"

Spottedrose just stared at the scene, too shocked to speak. Blizzardstar wished he could tell her it would be alright. Rockclaw would get up in a few moments and they could all return to their separate camps.

But Rockclaw's fur was already growing cold in the frigid air, his eyes closed as if peacefully sleeping. Spottedrose shook herself, seeming to collect her emotions for a second. "Lets carry him back to camp." she insisted, hoping to get Foxstreak to leave Blizzardstar and his warriors alone.

By now, Blizzardstar, Meadowshine, and Stormpaw had helped Hawkslash to stand and were already slowly heading away through the trees. The snowy white leader took one last glance back at Spottedrose. Her azure eyes were watching him, piercing into his fur like ice.  I'm so sorry, this wasn't meant to happen, he thought as he led his broken clan mate back to camp.