Edited ✔️

Brightstar growled to Icepaw. "No, you're doing it all wrong!" his mentor scolded, padding up with her tail lashing.

The two were having their third training session—and from all those other private sessions, Icepaw learned that Brightstar was a tough mentor. He wished more than ever now that he still had Ashtail, even though Brightstar was the leader of MoonClan. Why did she push him this hard? Is this how her other apprentices were treated before him?

Icepaw nodded to his mentor and dipped his head. "I'm sorry, Brightstar." He looked back up to her, hoping she wasn't that mad. She always seemed to be angry at Icepaw.

"This is a very hard move, I know," meowed Brightstar with her powerful voice, "but if you don't know this move you will have a disadvantage in battle. No cat will get up and let you try it again, Icepaw." She looked impaitent with him. "Do it again."

"But I did it countless times!" Icepaw groaned, walking up slowly to the middle of the clearing. "Why do you push me so hard even though it takes days to learn something like this? I'm just an apprentice."

Brightstar's eyes blazed. "Don't talk back to me," she growled, glaring at him. "And I don't care whether you are an apprentice or not. I don't care how many moons you are or how small you can be, but I will push you as far as I need you to go to see when you will break."

Icepaw's jaws opened to respond, but he shut them again. Why was Ashtail the only normal mentor I've ever had? he wondered with annoyance.

"Now do it again," she ordered, stepping out of the way.

Icepaw sighed, and stood in the middle of the clearing. Brightstar nodded, a signal to begin, and he positioned himself. He hoped he did it right, or else Brightstar would stop him again and make him do it all over again. He crouched down, and then leaped high, flicking his hind legs into the air, and spun so he would land onto his forepaws. He reared up to Brightstar, pretending to rake her on the back, and then sprung to face her, but stumbled back on his paws.

Brightstar darted from her position, pinning down Icepaw with her forepaws onto his shoulders. He hissed at her, and grabbed her around her neck with both of his paws, pulling her close so he could nip on her nose, but already, she nipped his ear that was torn, making him yowl out in pain. She let him go, and he stumbled up, panting and shocked at her surprise attack.

Brightstar nodded to Icepaw and sat down, wrapping her tail neatly around her paws. "If you had done it right I would of not hurt you." Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Perhaps you'll do better next time?"

"I'm trying!" growled Icepaw, getting up. He winced when his ear started to sting. He decided to ignore it. "Are you gonna make me do it again?"

Brightstar's ears twitched. "Yes. This time I will defend myself."

"But I didn't even get the move right," insisted Icepaw, looking into her blue eyes. Icepaw immediately realized that she was growing in gray fur. He wondered how old she was, or how many lives she had left.

"Well, the harder it gets, the more you practice, the easier you get it." Brightstar stood up, stretching her muscles. "Come on, go ahead."

He shook the sudden thought from his head. "Alright, Brightstar," Icepaw said with a groan.

She will push me to my limits, thought Icepaw, until I break. I need a counter attack. He looked around the surrounding, and saw the branches that hung over them from the lower trees. Nobody had ever used these branches before . . . but an idea came to his mind.

"Ready?" she asked, getting into position. Icepaw nodded and got into position as well, making sure his tail was close to his body. "Go!"

Icepaw leaped as soon as the word spit out, and sprung off his forepaws, flicking his hind legs in the sky again. He came back down, raking her back with sheathed claws, and she spun, hitting him in the face with a front paw blow. It hurt! He collapsed on the ground, and she charged at him, spitting with rage. Icepaw's eyes widened, as he quickly scrambled up.

The MoonClan leader leaped, paws outstretched to tackle down her apprentice again, but Icepaw sprang into the air, gripping hard onto the branches. He hauled himself up, which troubled him. The apprentices did not really get tree climbing lessons in the training hollow, for the tree branches were dangerous to use.

He looked down, heaving with all his effort. Brightstar looked up, and narrowed her eyes. As soon as she did, Icepaw leaped down onto her again, getting her down by squashing her onto her belly.

"Oof!" Brightstar said, coughing out air.

Icepaw sprung off of her. "Are you okay?" he asked, worried that he had hurt his mentor. He didn't want what happened to Ashtail to happen to Brightstar . . .

Brightstar rose to her paws, panting. "I'm fine," she said, and looked up the branches. "We've never done something like this before." She studied the area above. "But you only got up since the branches were low. What if you were in a real battle with higher branches? MoonClan warrior usually climb the tree, not hang on the branches. Also, you messed up with the move."

Icepaw growled to himself. Was nothing ever good enough for her? "Well sorry I did, but at least I got you!" He puffed out his chest in pride. "The branches were the only resources I had so I used them."

Brightstar's tail lashed. "Good thinking."

"Thanks," Icepaw mewed, looking up to his leader with hope. Maybe she actually did see him with approval.

Brightstar looked back down, and she seemed to have noticed Icepaw's mood. "Well, I am not letting you off," she continued. "You still messed up on the new battle move."

"Fine," growled Icepaw.

Brightstar nodded. "I suppose we can take a break," she said with a shrug. "We've been working since dawn." They both looked up at the sun, which was mid-high. They had to return to camp soon, anyways.

He mumbled an agreement.

They walked out to the shade of the trees. Thin snow crunched underpaw—snow barely came into the training hollow at least. They've been having a leaf-bare full of snow. He sat under the tree, relaxed and at ease. Brightstar padded up beside him, her ears alert. Why was she always so tense?

Icepaw decided not to ask, and felt the warmth of his leader's breath on his ear tips. Brightstar was silent for a few moments, until a thrush flew from one tree to another, making her leap to her paws.

"Brightstar?" Icepaw asked, now getting nervous himself. "Are you okay?"

Brightstar watched the thrush fly high from one tree to another, quickly disappearing in a hole. She looked down to Icepaw. "I'm fine." She didn't sit down again.

Icepaw remained silent for a few seconds before looked back up to her. "Something bothering you?" he finally asked, wondering if were the wrong decision.

Brightstar's gaze shot down to him. "I said I am fine, Icepaw," she snapped. "Today's training is over. Let's get back to camp."

"Okay," he said awkwardly. "Let's get back then."

"Good." Brightstar began to lead him out of camp, her tail lashing and her ears pricked. "Tomorrow we can hunt. Today you can rest unless Vinetail has things for you to do."

Icepaw nodded, continuing to follow her. He was lost in thought. Why was she always this tense? Why were her eyes always on him? Why was she so tough with him? All these thoughts would always come when he was with her. Now to think of it, every cat in MoonClan would treat him as such. Were they still thinking about the Featherbreeze incident?

He looked down to his paws as they trudged through the pale forest. He looked back, leaving the training hollow behind him as they crouched down into the safety of the snow-covered dead bushes and trees. They were well hidden, with their light pelts blending in.

For some reason, he felt like he was being watched. Apparently, so did Brightstar.

She picked up her pace, forcing Icepaw to stay on her heels. Was this why she was so tense? Was there someone hunting down her? What about Icepaw? Brightstar always kept her eyes on him. Sudden fear rose in his chest. Camp wasn't far from the training hollow but they were nowhere near camp.

Suddenly, more pawsteps sounded, and Brightstar suddenly stopped. She looked over her shoulder and sniffed the air through open jaws. Suddenly, two more cats emerged from the bushes. They watched as they ran by. Icepaw suddenly realized it was Rainwhisker and Shadowheart!

Icepaw froze as Shadowheart looked at him in the eye. The two had never talked once since the day Featherbreeze died—he'd avoid going to patrols with Shadowheart, or even crossing paths. He averted his eyes and turned to Rainwhisker.

The dark gray tom was panting, his head low over his paws. Brightstar ran over to them. "What hppened?" she demanded, her tone lighter than usual.

Rainwhisker caught his breath "Grayfur's hurt. . . ." he panted, his voice trailing off.

Shadowheart padded up, seeming less tired. "We were attacked by something," he meowed, clawing the ground. "We didn't see it but it left before we got a glimpse."

Brightstar's eyes narrowed. "Take me to her. Now."

Shadowheart nodded, and began to run into the direction where the scene was. Rainwhisker and Icepaw trailed behind, with the other two in the front. As selfish as it seemed, Icepaw didn't really want to get near Shadowheart.

He followed in the rear, right by Rainwhisker. It seemed that they were by CloudClan's borders by the look of their direction. Icepaw wondered if he really wanted to go see Grayfur, too. He was tired of seeing hurt cats.

A huge fallen tree cut their path, and the patrol skidded to a hault. It towered over Icepaw, and he growled to himself.

"We're going over," Shadowheart explained, leaping on the bark and clawing deeply in. Icepaw wanted to reply, but he kept shut, and turned to Rainwhisker.

The tom nodded. "Go ahead, I'm coming with you."

"Thanks," Icepaw said. Rainwhisker nosed him up gently, giving the apprentice a boost up the tree. He climbed up, hauling himself to the top, and looked down to where Rainwhisker watched. "Coming?" he called down.

"Yes!" The gray warrior leaped up the bark, easily taking himself over. Shadowheart and Brightstar were already on the other side, running in the direction of where Grayfur might be. The CloudClan border scent rose, as well as blood.

Icepaw gasped, leaping down with Rainwhisker right beside him. The two ran, catching up to their leader. In the distance, a pale body lay on the ground, with blood pooling around.

No! he thought.

Icepaw crashed down to the warrior's side, and looked her in the eye. Mousewhisker and Dewpaw stood right beside the hurt she-cat, their eyes worried. Not a scratch lay on their pelts. Well, Dewpaw had a few. Grayfur was cringing in pain, with her mouth wide open. Blood bubbled out, and she coughed it out, revealing bite marks that no fox could of done on her neck.

"These marks were from a cat!" Brightstar hissed, clawing down in the ground. She looked all around the area, as if expecting a patrol of an enemy Clan to leap out of the bushes. Not a thing stirred.

Grayfur looked up, her eyes squinting with pain.

"Who did this to you?" Icepaw's leader demanded, her voice tougher than usual.

Graystripe's mouth opened, but she shut them again, coughing. Mousetail's paw rested on his throat. "It seems like she cannot talk," the senior warrior stated. "We have to get her to Vinetail as fast as we can. She's loosing too much blood."

"Blood is all we ever loose!" Brightstar growled, helping Grayfur up. She leaned right onto Mousewhisker for support, and her legs wobbled as if she was too tired to stand. Brightstar stood on the other side. "Let's go."

Shadowheart nodded, leading the patrol forward. Rainwhisker acted as a rear, while Dewpaw sighed, disappearing to the sides. Icepaw ran up to his brother, his eyes questioning. "What happened?" he whispered.

Dewpaw's head shot up, and his eyes widened. "N-nothing," the apprentice stammered. "I mean, a fox attacked. But the rest of us weren't there to see it."

"Oh," said Icepaw. It turns out Dewpaw hadn't really fought. "Hey, why is your pelt covered in mud?"

"I fell in a pile," he explained.

"But there is no mud," Icepaw conceded. He looked around. "All that you can fall into is a plain pile of snow." The leaf-bare forest looked as frozen as ever. "Are you sure you fell in mud?"

Dewpaw's head snapped up. "You don't know what we did!"

Icepaw's head hung down. "Sorry," he said, his tone sharp. What was Dewpaw's problem? He continued on, his paws aching for some reason.

Dewpaw padded ahead to Shadowheart and Brightstar. Dewpaw guiltily looked at Grayfur—probably cause he wasn't swift enough to save the warrior. Icepaw would of felt bad as well. I was never swift enough to save Featherbreeze.

It's one of the worst feelings a warrior could ever have.

* * *

"I don't know who, or what, attacked me," Grayfur rasped in the leaders den. Now, they were back in camp, and Grayfur got the treatment she needed.

"What do you mean?" demanded Brightstar. Icepaw crouched down near the entrance of his mentor's den, evesdropping on the four cats inside. Grayfur, Brightstar, Sparrowheart and Vinetail talked within the thick rock, the small entrance being the only way for him to hear.

He heard Grayfur sigh. "I-it was all a blur," growled the senior warrior. "I was following some prey tracks. But as soon as I reached the scent, I saw a dead squirrel. Then suddenly, a small creature struck me, as fast as lightning!"

"So you don't know the pelt color?" Vinetail asked.

Grayfur was frustrated. "All I saw was darkness! Remembering it clearly is a blur—I hit my head too hard."

For a moment, the den was silent. "It was a trap," snarled Sparrowheart, breaking the quietness. "Dead prey would not be left there for no reason. It's leaf-bare and everyone's hungry . . . what a disadvantage."

Brightstar grunted of agreement. "Sparrowheart, I order you to send a patrol to investigate."

"Yes Brightstar." Paw steps were becoming loud, and he emerged from the entrance. He immediately looked down to Icepaw. "What are you doing here?" His eyes looked challenging.

Icepaw froze, and stared up at the deputy. What do I say? Icepaw panicked. Suddenly Silverkit ran up, panting. She batted Icepaw. "There, I caught you! Now you're it!" she squeaked, eagerly running away.

Icepaw was surprised. "Oh, err, I was hiding." He got up form his crouched spot. "This was a good place to take cover since I was upwind from her. So I . . . hid up here."

Sparrowheart sighed. "Hide-and-seek I suppose," meowed his father, looking up to the Clan. "Go on, I have some things to do."

Icepaw nodded, and scurried off to the direction Silverkit ran off to. He felt his father's gaze on his back as he chased after the kit, scenting her very easily inside the apprentice den. He crawled inside, to see her amazed. She looked all around the den.

"Wow!" she said. "It's so big! I wanna sleep here!"

Icepaw smiled. "When you are an apprentice," he pounted out, settling in his nest. "Oh, and thanks for what you did back there—"

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join in the clearing!" Sparrowheart called, his voice loud and clear. Icepaw bolted upright, leaving his spot. Even though this was a meeting not meant for Silverkit, she followed, her pelt close to his. The whole Clan, confused, padded to the clearing, the shade of the large mountain shielding them from the winds.

Sparrowheart sat in the middle of the large group, his tail lashing. He looked around, seeing that every cat was here. He nodded of approval. "Alright, so I've called everyone here to announce something." Everyone listened to Sparrowheart closely.

"I wonder what he has to say," whispered Rainwhisker, who was right beside him.

Icepaw looked up to his father. It was probably about the creature that attacked.

He scanned the crowd. "There was an attack by CloudClan border," said the deputy. Shocked murmurs rose in the Clan, but some cats didn't seem to surprised. "I need a patrol to go over there and investigate, to possibly find something suspicious."

Rainwhisker stood taller. "I'll go," he offered immediately. Sparrowheart nodded of approval.

"I'll go too," said Mousewhisker. "Is it okay if I take Dewpaw?"

"Sure," meowed Sparrowheart, looking proudly down to his son.

Icepaw straightened up as well. "May I go, Sparrowheart?" he asked. "I'll be of good use."

Sparrowheart's eyes gleamed. "Yes, of course you may go." He motioned to the entrance. "All cats volenteering to come with me, go to the entrance of the camp."

After saying goodbye to Silverkit, he padded over to where the patrol gathered. Icepaw followed his father to the entrance, pressing close to him and Dewpaw. From the crowd of cats, murmurs rose once more. Finally, three more cats emerged; Sharpfang, Crowflight and Softpelt.

"Great," said Sparrowheart. "Let's go." He climbed through the entrance, and the patrol followed. Icepaw emerged last, his paws immediately sinking into the snow.

Oh StarClan, why are my Clanmates slowly getting hurt? he thought as he followed the patrol.