Icepaw stalked the pigeon that was at the base of the tree. She crept lightly on her feet, and when she was close enough, pounced! The pigeon squawked and tried, unsuccessfully, to get away. Icepaw jumped on it and bit its neck. “Good catch!” Wildwing called. “Thanks,” Icepaw mumbled around her prey. It had been about a moon since Icepaw and Windpaw were apprenticed. Every day, they either hunted or went on a patrol, then checked on the elders, did battle training or hunting, and then told Echokit about their day. Sometimes after that, they went on the dusk patrol. Right now Icepaw was hunting, as she had gone on a patrol this morning. “You can give the pigeon to the elders,” the deputy said. Icepaw was Redclay’s first apprentice. She could tell he was enjoying it, and Icepaw was too. Icepaw trotted back to camp and went straight to the elders' den. Rosetuft, Brightfoot, Whitepelt, and Foxcurl turned to her. “I brought this pigeon for you,” Icepaw said. “Mmm, pigeon. My favorite.” Brightfoot leaned towards it and sniffed it. “Fresh too.” “It’s quite large. I’m impressed you managed to catch that,” Foxcurl complimented. “I’ll leave you to enjoy your peace and quiet,” Icepaw said, putting down the bird. Icepaw stepped outside and raised her head to the sky, where a few stars started to shine. Icepaw had always thought that the brightest one was Blazestar because she was a hero to all of the clans. She saved them all from extinction and suggested joining clans. “Help!” A cat rushed to Wildwing with a panicked look in her eyes. “What is it, Doetail?” Wildwing asked her. “A couple of foxes attacked the dusk patrol, we’re small in numbers, and I’m not sure how long the rest can survive!” Icepaw’s blood ran cold. Redclay was on that patrol. Windpaw’s mentor was too! “Can I come?” Icepaw urgently asked Wildwing. Wildwing debated that for a moment. Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes! Icepaw hadn’t been in a battle yet, and Icepaw wanted to. And if it was a fox, she didn’t have to attack other cats for her first battle. “Yes, let’s go! Get Aspenpaw too.” Icepaw ran to the apprentice's den and shook Aspenpaw. “Wake up! We need to save our clanmates from the foxes!” By the time they got back to the clearing, Wildwing had a small assembly of warriors. He had Doetail, the cat who told him, Lilytree, one of Icepaw’s mentor choices, Mintspring, a warrior who was really good at fighting, and Thornmask, who was Aspenpaw’s mentor. He also had himself, and the two apprentices. “Let’s go!” Wildwing said. All 7 cats bounded through the forest at top speed, Wildwing following Doetail’s instructions. Suddenly, two foxes and 3 cats popped into view. Redclay, Thistlestrike, and Stonefoot were fighting for their lives. The other seven cats quickly jumped into battle. Icepaw ran towards the female fox and swiped her claws in an arc, ripping the fox’s muzzle. Icepaw turned and saw Redclay out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t know what was happening. This female one was bigger than the male, one and therefore harder to beat. Aspenpaw, Icepaw, and Wildwing were battling the female. Aspenpaw swung their back legs and hit the fox in its front leg. Wildwing was on the fox’s back, struggling to hold on and biting into its shoulder blades. “Reeeooooowww!” A yowl echoed through the forest, momentarily distracting the fox and all the cats. Redclay was pinned under the male fox’s front paws, writhing in pain. His flank was torn from his shoulder to his hind leg. “Redclay!” Icepaw and Wildwing said at the same time, leaping back into action, towards the male this time. Redclay was Wildwing’s littermate, and their sister, Bristleflower, had died when giving birth to Shadepaw. Icepaw pounced on the male fox’s tail, biting at the top where the tail was attached to the torso. The fox yipped in pain, and Wildwing dove for the fox’s neck, leaving a bleeding gash. The fox would survive it, but it ran off. In no time at all, the female was surrounded. It blundered past the cats and ran for its mate, dashing past Redclay, who now lay still. Credits for continued chapter
“Oh no,” Icepaw mumbled, tears building up behind her eyes. Aspenpaw rushed to Redclay and put their paw on his chest. They shook their head sadly. “No!” Wildwing buried his nose in Redclay’s fur, trying to keep the warmth from leaving his body. “We’d best take him back to camp,” Stonefoot said. Thistlesrike nodded sadly. Icepaw wailed, not caring about the noise she was making. She had liked her mentor, and it was all those stupid foxes’ fault. Icepaw swore that if she ever saw a fox again, she would chase it to the endless lake. She didn’t know how far that was, but she had heard tales that it was quite far. Foxes would be so scared to enter BlazeClan’s territory, that they wouldn’t even touch StormClan or FernClan either. “Icepaw,” Wildwing said gently, placing his tail on her shoulder, “I know you’re grieving. I am too. Let’s go home and sit vigil for him.” Icepaw sniffed. “I suppose it’s the least we can do.” They carried Redclay’s body back to camp. This drew the attention and wails of many. Crystalstar walked up to Redclay’s body, pain in her eyes. “What happened?” she asked quietly. “He was mauled by the male fox. He was trapped under its grip and…” Icepaw trailed off. Echokit bounded over. She looked cheerful until she saw the body. “What…?” Her eyes misted over with a layer of grief. Icepaw remembered that Redclay would come and play with her, Echokit and Windpaw. He would toss their moss, bring them a mouse to share, and he would let them attack his bushy tail. He was a friend of Songcloud's. Icepaw was convinced that Songcloud had had a crush on Redclay, before meeting Blackfang. Windpaw dashed over. “Are the foxes gone? Did you claw one? Are you hurt? Is Thistlestrike okay? Is anyone dead?” “To answer the important questions, yes they are gone, I’m okay and so is Thistlestrike. But, we have bad news.” Icepaw stole a glance at her dead mentor. Windpaw followed her gaze and when he noticed, he collapsed onto the ground, too shocked to speak. “We need to sit vigil for Redclay,” Crystalstar announced, her voice cracking. “Will someone get a mouse tail to place in Redclay’s mouth? It’s good luck. We also need to give Icepaw her backup mentor.” Crystalstar leaped onto the Bigrock. “Let all cats old enough to fetch their prey gather beneath the Bigrock for a clan meeting.” Cats sat down right where they were, since this kind of stuff required immediate attention. “We have lost Redclay today. He died a warrior, fighting off an enemy.” She bowed her head, eyes clouding with grief. “We must sit vigil. But first, Icepaw, please come up.” Icepaw forced her legs to commit because she couldn’t just train without a mentor. At the top of the Bigrock, she waited as Crystalstar continued. “Larchpelt, you were chosen by Icepaw to be her backup mentor in case of an accident. Unfortunately, we have to use that. Larchpelt, by the power of Redclay’s spirit, you are now Icepaw’s mentor. Lilytree will be her new backup mentor,” Crystalstar finished, looking at Icepaw. Icepaw bowed her head and sat next to her new mentor. “I have the mouse tail,” squeaked a voice. Icepaw looked and saw Echokit with a mouse tail in her mouth, standing next to Redclay’s body. “Thank you, Echokit,” Crystalstar said. “Place it in his mouth, and we’ll have the proper ceremony.” They gathered Redclay’s body and the elders carried his body to the clearing. They dug up a hole, placed his body inside, and covered it up with the earth. “We have lost a valuable warrior today. Redclay. He was also my mate,” Crystalstar sobbed. “Before he died, I… we were planning to have kits. Now….” She trailed off. “He was a great mentor, and I’ll never forget him,” Icepaw announced. “He was excited to have an apprentice, and I was so happy that he asked to be my mentor.” She sat next to Crystalstar and sobbed quietly while other cats gave their announcements. She and Crystalstar stayed there until Windpaw and Wildwing gently coaxed the two of them into their respective beds. Depressionnnn Previous: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/777615647 First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/737784560/ Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/777619998
