Ice lifted her head and gazed around the forest. A few weeks had passed since the last battle. The rogues hadn't shown since then. Ice was leading a patrol to check the ThunderClan border. She tasted the air and padded forward. Misty padded at her side, Fang close behind her. Bramble and Ash brought up the rear. Ice had finally made her foster kits apprentices. Feather's mentor was Lily and Moss's mentor was Fang. As Ice padded through a shallow stream, a familiar scent touched her nose. Her pelt bristled instantly and she slid her claws out. She stepped forward cautiously. Suddenly, an ear-splitting yowl echoed through the trees. Ice glanced around, her paws pricking warily. Then, she bounded forward. Water soaked into her belly fur as she splashed through the stream. She leapt up onto the bank and turned to help Misty up. Fang and Bramble jumped up the muddy bank and Ash was hauled up by Bramble. Ice turned and darted away into the forest, pushing her way through clumps of overhanging ferns that crowded the path. Shrieks ripped through the air, getting closer and closer. Ice leapt over a fallen tree trunk and hurtled into a clearing surrounded by rocks and pine trees. The scent of pine sap stung her nose and she recoiled. She gasped as the smell of blood reached her nose. She cast an icy glance around the clearing. She spotted Cinder lashing out at a ShadowClan she cat. Ice recognized Tawnypelt. Beside Tawnypelt, a mottled brown and ginger tom fought Fox. It was Redwillow. Ice saw that Blossom was cornered by Pinenose, Dawnpelt, and Rowanstar, the ShadowClan leader. Ice could just make out the malignant gazes of two more ShadowClan warriors in the bushes that surrounded the clearing. Ice let out a screech and all eyes turned to her. Rowanstar let out a purr and padded forward to face Ice. "Hello, Ice." He growled, his bright green gaze raking her patrol. Ice bared her teeth in a snarl. "What are you doing on our territory?" She snarled. Rowanstar glared at her, his claws pricking the grass. He didn't answer her question. Suddenly, he lashed out with a paw and caught Ice on the jaw. She leapt back as his claws stabbed her cheek. Ice could feel the blood welling on the scratch. Anger surged through her, giving her strength. She bunched her muscles and leapt at the ShadowClan leader. "BloodClan, attack!" She called to her cat's. They rushed forward and met the ShadowClan warriors with outstretched claws. Ice crashed into Rowanstar, sending him tumbling into the undergrowth that edged the clearing. She darted after him, hooking her claws into his pelt and dragging him out. Ice lunged forward and sank her teeth into his foreleg, wincing as the tang of blood washed over her tongue. Rowanstar screeched in pain and jerked his leg away, causing Ice to rip out a mouthful of ginger fur. He stood up, his ginger fur fluffed out and his green glare full of pain and rage. Ice sneered and sprang for his throat. The ShadowClan leader stepped to one side and slashed his claws down Ice's face. She shrieked in pain as his claws tore her ear open. Blood dripped down her face from the wound. She skidded to a halt and whirled to face her opponent. Rowanstar's eyes were gleaming with triumph. "You think you've won? Not until I'm dead!" Ice yowled angrily, springing forward yet again. She aimed for his legs and lashed out with a paw. She gasped in pain as Rowanstar grabbed her paw in his jaws. Unbalanced, Ice stumbled and fell. He bit down on her paw before she could pull it away. Ice let out a screech as agony sliced through her paw and up her leg. She yanked her paw from his teeth and struggled to stand. The pain was unbearable and she slithered to the ground helplessly. Rowanstar loomed over her, his eyes glittering with victory. I won't let him win! Ice thought with a flash of determination. She let her body go limp as Rowanstar sank his claws into her shoulders, holding her down. As he leaned forward to deliver the killing bite, Ice lashed out with her hind paws, slicing her claws through the ginger tom's belly fur and flesh. Rowanstar yowled in pain as blood poured from the deep gash in his belly. Ice pushed him off of her with her uninjured front paw. She glanced down and saw Rowanstar's blood soaking her hind paws and haunches. Satisfaction made her pelt itch. She glared at the tom, who was lying on the ground a few pawsteps away, trembling. His belly fur was drenched in blood, making his ginger fur even darker. Blood pooled around him, seeping into the grass. Rowanstar's cat's had stopped fighting, staring at their leader with fear in their eyes. She could hear them whispering urgently to one another. The BloodClan cat's crowded around Ice, glaring at the ShadowClan warriors with triumph in their eyes. Ice stepped forward and nosed Rowanstar. He didn't respond. She could tell he was still alive by the faint rise and fall of his chest. His green eyes were filled with pain and worry. Blood still seeped from the gash in his belly. Ice glared at the ShadowClan leader's helpless body, then raised her head to fix the glare on the ShadowClan cat's. Fear glinted in their gazes still. "Let this be a sign to you. Never attack BloodClan. We always win." She announced, lashing her tail proudly. Her cat's raised their voices together in a victorious yowl. When the noise died down, she stepped closer to Rowanstar's body. His green eyes gleamed with defiance and his fur was bristled. "Any last words?" She hissed to him. He bared his teeth in response. Ice shrugged and rose her uninjured forepaw into the air. Her claws shimmered in the sunlight. Then, she brought it down with all her strength and sliced her claws through the ShadowClan leader's neck. Ice watched as blood splashed into the air and spilled into the tom's fur. A deep wound had opened in his throat where Ice had struck. "No!" One of the ShadowClan cat's yowled. Another voice replied, "He has nine lives, remember?" Ice snorted. She was pretty sure the wound had killed Rowanstar for sure. She fixed her gaze on the ginger tom's body as he convulsed and twitched. Then, a shudder passed through his flank and his bright green gaze turned dull. A cloudy look settled over his eyes. Triumph surged through Ice's paws, causing her to yowl happily. The BloodClan cat's joined, casting challenging glances at the ShadowClan warriors. Ice flicked her tail and the noise died away. She glared at the ShadowClan cat's menacingly. "Any more of you want to challenge me?" She growled. They all exchanged fearful glances before shaking their heads. Ice purred and nodded. She waved her tail towards the pine forest. "Then go. And don't bother ever showing around here again." She snapped. Without hesitation, the ShadowClan cat's turned tail and fled until the darkness of the pine forest engulfed them. Ice turned to face her warriors. "Let's head back to camp and check our wounds. Good job today, everyone." She purred. With that said, Ice bounded into the forest back the way they had come.