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Description
"How long are we staying?" asked Whitepaw with a yawn, and Frozenfire smiled in sympathy. They were still at the Gathering Place, though the actual gathering had ended awhile ago.
"Not too much longer," she meowed. "I would like to share some words with my friends from other clans. You can go, though. Mudsprout is leaving now, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind company."
Whitepaw shook her head, making Frozenfire smile again. She was so happy to have an apprentice of her very own, and desperate to prove herself as well.
"Hi, Frozenfire!" purred Lightpool, the Dewclan medicine cat. "How are..." Her voice trailed off as a black tomcat with silver eyes approached. Frozenfire suspected Lightpool had been about to say "my kits," for she knew a secret that the whole clan had tried to keep hidden- that Beepaw and Lionpaw were the daughters of Lightpool, not Fawnheart.
"The queens in my clan are fine, Lightpool," Frozenfire meowed, speaking in a code. "Thank you for asking." She turned to the black tom. "Hi, Liquidpaw," she purred, remembering the Beachclan apprentice from the battle that had taken place not too long ago. He had saved her life.
"Liquidpaw??" asked the cat. "I'm a warrior now. My name is Liquidgaze."
"Liquidgaze is a great name," purred Frozenfire, staring into the depths of his silver eyes. She shook her head quickly to clear the haze that had settled there. His name suits him.
"This is my apprentice, Whitepaw," she meowed, turning to nudge the longhaired white she-cat into the group. Her jaws gaped in a silent protest, but her blue eyes were curious.
"Welcome, Whitepaw," purred Lightpool as Liquidgaze gave the apprentice a respectful nod.
"I'm clan deputy now," Frozenfire informed her friends, suddenly itching to tell about her new status. The eyes of her friends grew wide.
"You're so young!" exclaimed Lightpool. "But I think you will make a great leader one day. Dreamstar should have announced this!"
Frozenfire felt her fur grow hot, but had no time to reply. Dreamstar, Snowstorm, and Honeyflower raced back into the gathering area, their fur bristling.
"Icedrop's kits are missing!" wailed Honeyflower, Frozenfire's mother. "One of the clans must have taken them while the camp was left unguarded. Frozenfire's heart pounded. Who would be evil enough to snatch one kit, let alone three?
"How many are missing?" asked Liquidgaze, sitting bolt upright, just as Mossstar hissed, "Thank Starclan!"
Dreamstar turned on Mossstar just as the she-cat purred, "Now you won't have nearly so many young cats, and cannot be accused of stealing kits anymore. Problem solved." Frozenfire growled under her breath, and Liquidgaze pressed his nose to her ear. Be careful, he seemed to say.
Rainclan had been accused before of stealing kits because of the huge amount of apprentices they had in training. Frozenfire did some reasearch, and had found that they were partly right. She herself had been born in Darkclan, but her mother had escaped with her. Even further studying showed that she was not Rainclan, but fifth-clan.
Snowstorm leapt on Mossstar, and a reluctant Dreamstar sounded the battle cry. What was left of Rainclan started fighting aggresively with Darkclan. Frozenfire gripped a calico's shoulder in her jaws. Forestclan took Darkclan's side, and surprisingly, so did Dewclan. Beachclan alone fought with Rainclan, and Frozenfire had little help besides Liquidgaze and an untrained Whitepaw.
At last Dreamstar cried out, "Retreat!!" Frozenfire let go of the tortioshell and collapsed. Whitepaw terrifiedly yowled at her to get up, and she did, though limping on a torn claw.
She didn't sleep that night, or the next. She was too busy helping hunt and treat all the injured cats. Dreamstar had lost two lives from a horrible gash in his flank, and both Snowstorm and Blossomfur had died during battle. Frozenfire would never forget the bold, brave white tomcat, or the sunset-colored she-cat that had helped her mother raise her.
Everything the forest has ever known will be destroyed like a tree in a fire...The forest was dividing on itself, fire against water, tree against its neighbor tree. And everything was indeed falling apart. At last, the clan deputy was able to curl up and go to sleep, though nightmares haunted her.
That was the night she dreamt of fighting a horrible danger with Liquidgaze, her Beachclan friend, at her side.
-
"Like this, Fogstorm?" asked Beepaw, enthusiastically marking the border near Forestclan territory by scoring her claws down a tree trunk.
"That's exactly right," meowed her mentor. He padded up to inspect her work and nodded approvingly.
Beepaw narrowed her eyes. She knew Fogstorm was fond of her, just as every mentor should be, but he was so quiet. She knew from experience that her mentor wasn't shy in the least, was very popular among the clan, and was extremely happy with his life, but he needed to lighten up and have some fun. His brother, Skydance, had the right idea. He and Lionpaw were racing among the trees, seeing who could mark them the fastest.
Beepaw turned on her mentor suddenly, jumping up on his shoulders and covering his eyes with her paws. He reared up and knocked her off. Laying on the ground, Beepaw realized she was in huge trouble, but when Fogstorm looked down at her, his amber eye was playful, not angry.
They ran ahead of the rest of the patrol, practicing fighting while running. Beepaw looked back at the rest of the patrol. Skydance was smiling, Lionpaw flicking her tail in annoyance. Frozenfire rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too.
It had been a good, productive day, thought Beepaw as the whole patrol, worn out from running and play-fighting, was now resting in the cool shallow area of the river. Out of the corner of her eye, Beepaw spotted a shadowy figure walking along the length of the river. She turned her head to warn her mentor, but Fogstorm was already on his paws, fur bristing.
Lionpaw and Beepaw hid in the river as the older cats had instructed them to do while Frozenfire, Fogstorm, and Skydance padded forward to challenge the cat.
"Liquidgaze," growled Frozenfire, her voice unafraid. "What are you doing here? You belong in Beachclan territory."
"Our territory is fine, Frozenfire," meowed Liquidgaze, looking up at the deputy with innocent, stunning silver eyes. "But food is running short. I've given up my daily share to the hungry apprentices of my clan."
He's lying, thought Beepaw, balancing on a stone in the river so that her nose was barely above the water.
The cats were silent for awhile, then Fogstorm spoke at last. "I'm sorry for the trouble in your clan," he meowed, raising a paw full of unsheathed claws, "But you have to get out. Your being here is against the warrior code."
I have a very brave mentor, thought Beepaw, preparing herself to fight if she had to.
Liquidgaze stepped forward, and Fogstorm swiped at his shoulder. Skydance hissed, but a hiss even more dreadful came from the clan deputy.
"Leave him alone, Fogstorm!" Frozenfire ran in between the two toms and glared at them both. "He is outnumbered and starving! He cannot fight us!!" Her tail lashed angrily. "You," she hissed at Liquidgaze, "You do not belong here. Go home!"
Beepaw shivered as she watched the Beachclan warrior sulk away, but it was not this mysterious cat that frightened her, it was her own deputy.
Frozenfire seemed to be doing what was right and good, but guilt was coming off her fur in waves. Was Frozenfire in love with a Beachclan cat?

Description
"How long are we staying?" asked Whitepaw with a yawn, and Frozenfire smiled in sympathy. They were still at the Gathering Place, though the actual gathering had ended awhile ago.
"Not too much longer," she meowed. "I would like to share some words with my friends from other clans. You can go, though. Mudsprout is leaving now, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind company."
Whitepaw shook her head, making Frozenfire smile again. She was so happy to have an apprentice of her very own, and desperate to prove herself as well.
"Hi, Frozenfire!" purred Lightpool, the Dewclan medicine cat. "How are..." Her voice trailed off as a black tomcat with silver eyes approached. Frozenfire suspected Lightpool had been about to say "my kits," for she knew a secret that the whole clan had tried to keep hidden- that Beepaw and Lionpaw were the daughters of Lightpool, not Fawnheart.
"The queens in my clan are fine, Lightpool," Frozenfire meowed, speaking in a code. "Thank you for asking." She turned to the black tom. "Hi, Liquidpaw," she purred, remembering the Beachclan apprentice from the battle that had taken place not too long ago. He had saved her life.
"Liquidpaw??" asked the cat. "I'm a warrior now. My name is Liquidgaze."
"Liquidgaze is a great name," purred Frozenfire, staring into the depths of his silver eyes. She shook her head quickly to clear the haze that had settled there. His name suits him.
"This is my apprentice, Whitepaw," she meowed, turning to nudge the longhaired white she-cat into the group. Her jaws gaped in a silent protest, but her blue eyes were curious.
"Welcome, Whitepaw," purred Lightpool as Liquidgaze gave the apprentice a respectful nod.
"I'm clan deputy now," Frozenfire informed her friends, suddenly itching to tell about her new status. The eyes of her friends grew wide.
"You're so young!" exclaimed Lightpool. "But I think you will make a great leader one day. Dreamstar should have announced this!"
Frozenfire felt her fur grow hot, but had no time to reply. Dreamstar, Snowstorm, and Honeyflower raced back into the gathering area, their fur bristling.
"Icedrop's kits are missing!" wailed Honeyflower, Frozenfire's mother. "One of the clans must have taken them while the camp was left unguarded. Frozenfire's heart pounded. Who would be evil enough to snatch one kit, let alone three?
"How many are missing?" asked Liquidgaze, sitting bolt upright, just as Mossstar hissed, "Thank Starclan!"
Dreamstar turned on Mossstar just as the she-cat purred, "Now you won't have nearly so many young cats, and cannot be accused of stealing kits anymore. Problem solved." Frozenfire growled under her breath, and Liquidgaze pressed his nose to her ear. Be careful, he seemed to say.
Rainclan had been accused before of stealing kits because of the huge amount of apprentices they had in training. Frozenfire did some reasearch, and had found that they were partly right. She herself had been born in Darkclan, but her mother had escaped with her. Even further studying showed that she was not Rainclan, but fifth-clan.
Snowstorm leapt on Mossstar, and a reluctant Dreamstar sounded the battle cry. What was left of Rainclan started fighting aggresively with Darkclan. Frozenfire gripped a calico's shoulder in her jaws. Forestclan took Darkclan's side, and surprisingly, so did Dewclan. Beachclan alone fought with Rainclan, and Frozenfire had little help besides Liquidgaze and an untrained Whitepaw.
At last Dreamstar cried out, "Retreat!!" Frozenfire let go of the tortioshell and collapsed. Whitepaw terrifiedly yowled at her to get up, and she did, though limping on a torn claw.
She didn't sleep that night, or the next. She was too busy helping hunt and treat all the injured cats. Dreamstar had lost two lives from a horrible gash in his flank, and both Snowstorm and Blossomfur had died during battle. Frozenfire would never forget the bold, brave white tomcat, or the sunset-colored she-cat that had helped her mother raise her.
Everything the forest has ever known will be destroyed like a tree in a fire...The forest was dividing on itself, fire against water, tree against its neighbor tree. And everything was indeed falling apart. At last, the clan deputy was able to curl up and go to sleep, though nightmares haunted her.
That was the night she dreamt of fighting a horrible danger with Liquidgaze, her Beachclan friend, at her side.
-
"Like this, Fogstorm?" asked Beepaw, enthusiastically marking the border near Forestclan territory by scoring her claws down a tree trunk.
"That's exactly right," meowed her mentor. He padded up to inspect her work and nodded approvingly.
Beepaw narrowed her eyes. She knew Fogstorm was fond of her, just as every mentor should be, but he was so quiet. She knew from experience that her mentor wasn't shy in the least, was very popular among the clan, and was extremely happy with his life, but he needed to lighten up and have some fun. His brother, Skydance, had the right idea. He and Lionpaw were racing among the trees, seeing who could mark them the fastest.
Beepaw turned on her mentor suddenly, jumping up on his shoulders and covering his eyes with her paws. He reared up and knocked her off. Laying on the ground, Beepaw realized she was in huge trouble, but when Fogstorm looked down at her, his amber eye was playful, not angry.
They ran ahead of the rest of the patrol, practicing fighting while running. Beepaw looked back at the rest of the patrol. Skydance was smiling, Lionpaw flicking her tail in annoyance. Frozenfire rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too.
It had been a good, productive day, thought Beepaw as the whole patrol, worn out from running and play-fighting, was now resting in the cool shallow area of the river. Out of the corner of her eye, Beepaw spotted a shadowy figure walking along the length of the river. She turned her head to warn her mentor, but Fogstorm was already on his paws, fur bristing.
Lionpaw and Beepaw hid in the river as the older cats had instructed them to do while Frozenfire, Fogstorm, and Skydance padded forward to challenge the cat.
"Liquidgaze," growled Frozenfire, her voice unafraid. "What are you doing here? You belong in Beachclan territory."
"Our territory is fine, Frozenfire," meowed Liquidgaze, looking up at the deputy with innocent, stunning silver eyes. "But food is running short. I've given up my daily share to the hungry apprentices of my clan."
He's lying, thought Beepaw, balancing on a stone in the river so that her nose was barely above the water.
The cats were silent for awhile, then Fogstorm spoke at last. "I'm sorry for the trouble in your clan," he meowed, raising a paw full of unsheathed claws, "But you have to get out. Your being here is against the warrior code."
I have a very brave mentor, thought Beepaw, preparing herself to fight if she had to.
Liquidgaze stepped forward, and Fogstorm swiped at his shoulder. Skydance hissed, but a hiss even more dreadful came from the clan deputy.
"Leave him alone, Fogstorm!" Frozenfire ran in between the two toms and glared at them both. "He is outnumbered and starving! He cannot fight us!!" Her tail lashed angrily. "You," she hissed at Liquidgaze, "You do not belong here. Go home!"
Beepaw shivered as she watched the Beachclan warrior sulk away, but it was not this mysterious cat that frightened her, it was her own deputy.
Frozenfire seemed to be doing what was right and good, but guilt was coming off her fur in waves. Was Frozenfire in love with a Beachclan cat?