Edited ✔️

Icepaw could not help but tremble in the freezing cold of the snow. DarkClan had many trees, so he could not see at all if the sun had risen or not. Maybe this is why DarkClan had been called . . . DarkClan? Maybe it was because they lived in the dark shade of endless trees? It reminded him of the Twilight Forest.

He shivered again, shrinking in his own fur. Dewpaw trotted ahead, not giving a care in the world as he sniffed the freezing air. "I can't scent them," he meowed. "Maybe we should go back to MoonClan. Cats will wake up soon."

Icepaw shook his head. "Let's just find their camp. They probably took Squirrelkit and Silverkit there. Where else could they establish a perfect place to keep them hostage?"

Dewpaw's head dropped. "Icepaw," he wined.

Icepaw shot him a look. "I am telling you: if you want to go back I will not stop you. But you will not stop me from going forward." His eyes narrowed. "You don't look up to it, Dewpaw."

"Because I'm not. I just have to make sure you're safe—I mean—um . . ." Dewpaw trailed off, searching for words. "I wanted to make sure you wouldn't get hurt?"

"Is that a question or a statement?" Icepaw asked awkwardly.

"Never mind, we need a plan," Dewpaw went on. "Let's think something up so when we get to the camp we can be ready." His paws shuffled. Fresh paw prints were made out in the snow. Icepaw realized that their tracks led all the way up here.

Oh please, let out tracks be covered! I don't want Brightstar to follow me or send a patrol here! Icepaw silently begged in his mind. I don't want to deal with MoonClan now. I have enough problems in my head already.

They continued on.

As time passed by he realized that his tracks were being covered by the snow that descended to the ground. He felt a bit glad about it, but also nervous. Firstly, how would they find their way back? Secondly, the DarkClan tracks were disappearing! His eyes widened as he turned to Dewpaw.

"We have to hurry!"

"Why?" asked Dewpaw, startled.

Icepaw shook his head. "No time to explain! Let's go!" He began to run through the forests of DarkClan, his paws thudding softly on the snow that made him sink. The breeze became colder as he ran, causing his face to freeze. His chest burned and pounded the more he sprinted.

Dewpaw followed close behind, striding through the white DarkClan forests. Light shone through the trees. He wondered how close it was to dawn.

Suddenly, he caught a faint voice. He froze in his tracks, and Dewpaw stopped at his haunches, almost crashing into his rear. "Hey! What's the hold up, I thought we had to hurry?" Dewpaw asked, padding up to Icepaw's face.

"Shh," Icepaw scolded.

His hearing strained as far as they can go, and he heard the voices more clearer now. " . . . Are you sure you scented something?" came a voice of a she-cat.

"Well, duh! We stole MoonClan's kits, they're sure to come after us!" a tom responded.

"I hope they fall into the trap," another cat said.

"Shut up, they can be anywhere, Treepaw," the tom scolded. The voices grew more silent at the tom's statement. Icepaw's eyes squinted through the dark forest, and he spotted the outline of a cat's ears through the tiny light filtering through the forest. They were close!

Dewpaw must of realized it, too. He was already heading off into another direction, going into the little undergrowth that DarkClan had. Icepaw followed his brother, shielding himself from the view of the DarkClan cats. As he padded on, a thought came to mind. A trap?

Did they plan on luring MoonClan over for a battle or something? Icepaw's heart raced, and he met Dewpaw's eyes. His brother nodded—Icepaw didn't understand why, though. His brother's tail flicked, beckoning him forward.

Slowly, Icepaw padded forward, more farther away from the patrol of DarkClan cats until they were out of each other's earshot. Dewpaw turned to Icepaw once more. "They mentioned something about a trap." His voice was low.

"I know," murmured Icepaw. "Why else would they take the kits?"

"To kill them for revenge?" Dewpaw suggested.

Icepaw shot him a glare, and Dewpaw shrugged. "Well, think this out logically," Icepaw set out. "They take two MoonClan kits. There are many things they may do with them, but we don't know what is going to happen. Perhaps they want battle in their own territory? I mean, they are stronger here. And plus, there's lots of them."

Dewpaw nodded. "I know."

"And," Icepaw went on, "It's leaf-bare. There is barely any prey, and you know they are stealing food from CloudClan even though they are denying it. They'd pick a fight with any cat, you know. Maybe they want food in return for Silverkit and Squirrelkit?"

"I understand, don't worry," Dewpaw said. "What I don't get is why they'd take kits."

"Kits are important and precious Clan members," Icepaw suggested. "Well, anyways, we have to get them back. By all means. We also need to watch our paws for that trap."

That is what a strong-minded warrior would think, Shard praised him. You're still weak at mind, Icepaw, but this is a start. Maybe you are not as stupid as I thought.

Although Icepaw was certain it was his own subconscious, that statement in his mind said by Shard, the Twilight Warrior, made him recall their few encounters. When Shard tried to kill him when he was a kit; when he challenged Icepaw's true strength . . .

Maybe Shard was only a part of himself that wanted to grow stronger. But that remained a mystery to himself, as did the surreal dreams.

Dewpaw stepped up and snapped Icepaw out of thought. "We must devise a plan. And fast. Dawn is coming soon."

* * *

Icepaw and Dewpaw knew they were close to the camp now.

It had to be at least sunhigh, for the amount of time they were walking dumbfounded around the territory, hidden among the undergrowth and the cover of the trees. No cat had discovered their presence in their territory yet, thankfully, but Icepaw knew it was not long now that some mysteries of DarkClan will be vanquished and Silverkit and Squirrelkit would be saved.

Ripplefur, you'd better be watching us now. This is for you, Spottedkit and Skypelt.

Skypelt had been sick for a few days, still out of fresh grief, and also because of the cold weather even though very soon it was suppose to end. Now that his only two kits were gone, he was dreaded. It pained Icepaw very much. He wondered if the cats in his camp were searching for Icepaw and Dewpaw right now, if they were even awake? The search patrols must have returned. Brightstar must have realized by now that Icepaw had slipped out.

More importantly, when or if they saved the kits, would Flamepaw be in camp, willing to talk to Icepaw even though the two fought during the first battle of MoonClan's, CloudClan's and DarkClan's war?

He sighed at the thought of it.

Dewpaw nudged him, pointing forward with his nose. His voice came out in a whisper. "Look." The apprentice's white coat blended in perfectly with the snow. That'd give him an advantage. Icepaw's coat was only a bit darker, more noticeable. If anyone should sneak around, it should be Dewpaw.

Icepaw looked forward and saw deep gray caverns covered in thick bramble thickets in the distance, doused over in snow that helped it blend in. It was there camp! And it was too well-built.

Four cats stood outside on guard, two at the entrance, and two others walking around the area. DarkClan must be very protective of their camp. He wondered what they were protecting, other than the hostages. Maybe the just doubled the guards in case they thought MoonClan would make it to their camp.

"How in StarClan's sake are we going to get through that?" Icepaw muttered, his voice extremely low for precautions.

Dewpaw studied the area for a moment. Then, he must have noticed something as his ears flicked up.

"What is it?" asked Icepaw.

Dewpaw pointed with his tail. "Look, if you see by an angle, the camp is on a hill. If given the perfect chance, that's one way to sneak in . . . oh, and look, too! Branches and trees hang just above the camp. That's the biggest flaw yet!"

"And how do you suppose we get in? The camp looks huge!" Icepaw said with awe, staring at the wide walls and the steep caves.

"Well, first, let's study this place and see where they never mended holes in the walls of the camp. If that doesn't work out, we find their dirtplace and we have to go through there," Dewpaw said, beginning to climb up the branches. "But only when we have the right moment."

"Okay. But when do you think that will be?" Icepaw wondered out loud.

"At night," came a familiar voice. Icepaw instantly knew that it was Flamepaw—the nicest cat he had ever known in DarkClan—the cat he saved long ago from a falling branch, and likewise, the very cat who saved him from his own dark visions. The one who always seemed to be there for him in some way or another.

He turned and instantly met Flamepaw's amber eyes. "Greetings, Icepaw and Dewpaw."

Dewpaw bristled. "You!" he spat. "Don't come any closer!" His fur was spiked, teeth barred and his claws were unsheathed.

Icepaw was calm. He dipped his head. "I'm sorry, Flamepaw." The orange tom turned to Icepaw, surprised. "Listen," he went on. "I know that you weren't really my enemy the day I attacked you on the battle with CloudClan, but I was angry. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"Don't worry." He gave a warm smile. "I accept your apology. And as for Silverkit and Squirrelkit, steaming them was Sandstar's grand scheme to lure MoonClan out into a battle. I don't agree with it . . . I was just about to go find you. I thought that if I knew you well enough, you'd be coming right after them!"

"Wait," Dewpaw murmured. "You two know each other?"

Icepaw nodded. "Remember the first time DarkClan and MoonClan almost fought? Well, we were there. I saved Flamepaw and we became friends ever since."

"Oh," Dewpaw said. He still was bristling up, as if he did not trust the DarkClan apprentice. "Well, Flamepaw, how do we know you are our ally?"

"He is!" Icepaw pleaded. "He's one of my friends I trust the most."

Dewpaw snarled. "Yeah right."

Flamepaw looked uneasy around Dewpaw as well, as if meeting a new MoonClan warrior was like being face-to-face with a badger. If these two keep this up, then we are never going to save the kits, he realized. I have to make them both know they can trust each other!

"Flamepaw," Icepaw meowed, breaking the tension from his brother and the DarkClan apprentice. "You mentioned something about your Clan only leaving at night or something like that. Well . . . we need your help. MoonClan is sure to come sooner or later and we don't have until nightfall to stop this fight from happening."

Flamepaw nodded. "I am here to help."

"Then we need a plan," Dewpaw said. He leaned close to Icepaw and whispered, "I don't want to share any of our plans with this stranger. He could be betraying us right under our whiskers!"

Icepaw gave Dewpaw a long reassuring look and turned back to Flamepaw. "Well," he went on, "Are there any entrances you can sneak us in?"

Flamepaw shook his head. "The camp is tightly branched. But the two kits are in the prison den."

"Prison?" asked Dewpaw.

What does prison even mean? Icepaw asked, startled. He had never heard such a word in his lifetime.

"You don't have a prison den in your camp?" asked Flamepaw, surprised.

Both Dewpaw and Icepaw shook their heads. "We don't even know what that means," admit Icepaw. He turned to Dewpaw, who looked almost startled as if it were another word for murder.

"Strange . . ." murmured Flamepaw. "A prison den is where they keep intruders, or prisoners—as they call them."

"Oh," said Dewpaw. "Well, go on."

"Okay," Flamepaw meowed. "The prison den is under dirt, so I suppose we could easily dig a hole down. It has to be narrow, though, because I don't want my Clanmates to notice. From there, we pull them out and take a swift way back to MoonClan because I am sure you had a hard time finding our camp."

"Definitely," agreed Icepaw. "I've never been more confused trying to find a camp in my life."

Flamepaw nodded. "I know. I will only have to show you because Sandstar thinks I went hunting."

Dewpaw snickered. Icepaw felt calmer now. At least his brother was starting to get more used to Flamepaw. Perhaps he was starting to even trust him?

"Anyways, start digging from here," Flamepaw ordered, pawing the ground at a certain spot.

"Why are you helping us anyway?" asked Dewpaw just as Icepaw began to dig.

"Cause I don't feel that DarkClan is doing something right. Stealing kits is cruel, and so is trying to break the warrior code, and kill other cats, and start unnecessary battles," he admitted with a small shrug of his shoulders. His words became quieter as he spoke.

"Quit chirping like birds and help me dig!" Icepaw growled. "I don't like getting my paws dirty like this." He was not looking forward to cleaning in between his paw pads later. But at least Brightstar would be pleased to have Silverkit and Squirrelkit back.

Soon, the three apprentices made out a small opening at the bottom. It was dark, but a shrill yet silent gasp came from inside. It was Silverkit! He dug deeper into it and poked his paw through, then opened up a big enough hole to fit his head inside.

"Silverkit?" he whispered. "Squirrelkit?"

"Right here!" a tiny voice whispered back. "Icepaw! You came!" Excitedly, she ran over and touched noses with him. "We were so scared that none of our Clanmates were gonna save us! Squirrelkit and I were planning to escape by ourselves."

Icepaw shook his head. "We're here now. Dewpaw came and a DarkClan apprentice helped."

"Flamepaw?" Silverkit asked.

"You know Flamepaw?" Icepaw asked with surprise.

"When Silverkit and I were hungry, Sandstar was being mean and she said her own Clan is hungry enough. She said she didn't care about us, so she'd rather let us starve," the kit said. "But then Flamepaw gave us a portion of his starling!"

Icepaw purred. "How nice of him. But anyway, where is Squirrelkit?" He was starting to get worried for a second, but then he saw Squirrelkit closer to the front of the den on his side, his chest rising and falling in a rhythmic sleep.

"Squirrelkit was forced to sleep," murmured Silverkit. "Some cat bashed him on the head." Her eyes looked pained. "They really meant to bash me but Squirrelkit jumped in front of me. There was a huge argument so I didn't end up getting hurt. Thank StarClan you're here, I don't know what they planned to do with me."

"Silverkit, we can't waste much more time talking. Bring him over here. We'll just have to carry him," Icepaw decided. "But hurry!"

Obediently, she dragged her brother to the back of the den. Icepaw was surprised to see Squirrelkit not even budge. He gripped the almost apprentice-sized kit by the scruff and pulled him out. Silverkit crawled after, her silver pelt dotted with dirt. It seemed that crawling through was easy for her, since she was so small.

Her eyes widened. "I'm outside camp again," she meowed breathlessly. "I can't wait to get back to Skypelt!"

Icepaw understood how she felt, with leaving camp for the first time and all. She also must want to see her father. He was as worried as he was on the day his kits were born. Times these days were dark and no cat was usually easy, including Skypelt and the rest of the Clan. I wonder if times are dark because of the prophecy . . .

"Dewpaw," said Icepaw, "Take Silverkit and start filling up the hole again. Have her try to wake her brother up."

"Fine," muttered Dewpaw, pawing at the dirt.

"I'll help—" Flamepaw said, but Icepaw cut him off.

"Flamepaw, we need to talk," Icepaw murmured. "About the darkness."

"The prophecy," whispered Flamepaw. "What do you have to say about it?"

Icepaw shook his head. "Brightstar thinks I am part of it, because I am the one who recieved it in a dream," he meowed.

"You did?" asked Flamepaw. "But didn't I tell you about the prophecy?"

Icepaw shrugged. "I guess. But when I was under water, I got the first half. Then you told me the rest. Besides, I've always had strange dreams . . . I don't get it at all."

Flamepaw looked down to his paws. "I don't get it either," he admit. "But maybe Brightstar is right."

"Then maybe you are the other cat in the prophecy? There are two cats, one who is going to lead, and one who is going to destroy," Icepaw went on. It pained him to say it. The cat who is going to destroy must be the enemy.

"I am not part of the prophecy," Flamepaw meowed. "I don't feel as if I have a part to it. I am not even supposed to know it. In a dream, there was a cat named Shard talking to some StarClan cats about sending a MoonClan apprentice a prophecy. I wasn't suppose to overhear it, but I did."

"I know Shard," murmured Icepaw, unsheathing his claws.

"They said something about two MoonClan apprentices," admit Flamepaw.

Icepaw's heart skipped a beat. Two MoonClan apprentices? There are five of us! Me, Dewpaw, Dawnpaw, Volepaw and Sweetpaw! he recalled. Dawnpaw and Volepaw were close to getting their warrior names—Sweetpaw was going to get her medicine name sooner or later. In a moon or two it would be Icepaw and Dewpaw's turn. But in reality, there seemed to be nothing wrong with Sweetpaw and Volepaw. Or Dawnpaw, even. Then it had to be either Dewpaw or someone else . . . Well, there seemed to be nothing wrong with any of them. It's so hard trying to figure out who the second cat is!

"Are you sure?" asked Icepaw.

"I'm positive," Flamepaw confirmed.

But just then, Silverkit raced aback to Icepaw's side. "Icepaw!" she shrieked with a wail of horror. "DarkClan—it's DarkClan! They realized we escaped!"