Warriors: As Red as the Dawn

Chapter 1

Icepaw woke up to the sound of cats trotting triumphantly into the camp. He blinked wearily, looked around the medicine cat cave and adjusted his eyes to the gloom. Surprisingly, his mentor, Leafsong, left Icepaw to sleep. "He's probably collecting herbs..." Icepaw mewed to himself.

Icepaw padded to the entrance of the cave, careful not to bump into the stash of herbs that were lined up next to him. He walked outside, instantly exposed to the harsh sunlight beaming through, and thanked StarClan he wasn't in WindClan. Icepaw scented the air and caught a strong whiff of prey. Instantly, Icepaw bounded over to the hunting group to see all the prey they caught.

He squelched to a stop and realised he'd just messed up his white fur. He looked down at his now brown and white splotchy fur and glared at it crossly. Unfortunately, being in ShadowClan meant that he had to take extra caution to not get his white fur dirty, as flinging dirt at clanmates had earned him many affectionate glares as a kit, but exasperated sighs now.

The patrol, consisting of Mothpaw, Violetpaw, Sunstrike and Foxdawn looked at him, faint amusement visible on their faces as they dropped the prey on the prey pile. Icepaw felt red-hot embarrassment coarse through him. Especially now that Mothpaw was also looking even more amused. "I have to get out of this situation. Fast." Icepaw thought. "I'm... going to take this to the elders..." Icepaw quickly picked up a plump frog and hurried to the elder's den. He silently thanked StarClan for it being greenleaf and him being able to have a good excuse to get away.

As he neared the elder's den his mother, Goldenheart, stopped him. Icepaw had a horrible hunch as to what she was going to say to him. "Icepaw, what's the matter with you? You've been very distant lately and I'm worried" Goldenheart looked at him, eyes soft with concern. Icepaw dropped the shrew and sighed, he knew this would happen. "Well?" Goldenheart was clearly impatient.

"I need to work all the time, you know. Collecting herbs, healing Clanmates, I just don't have time to socialise right now. I have to show Leafsong that I'm worthy of being a medicine cat" Icepaw replied.

"Well then, alright, I guess. Take your frog to the elder's den and make sure you socialise soon, talk to Violetpaw!" Goldenheart winked at him knowingly and trotted off to speak with Tigerpelt.

Icepaw was always in awe of Tigerpelt, when he was a kit with Mothpaw and Violetpaw, they always debated who was the best warrior. Icepaw had always wanted to be like Tigerpelt, and besides, she's the deputy of ShadowClan! Who wouldn't want to be a deputy?!

"Hello, Icepaw. Have you come to remove our ticks? Or listen to a story, perhaps?" Honeyleaf greeted him.

"Mouse-brain! He's come with a frog, can't you see?!" Gorseburr hissed. Honeyleaf rolled her eyes and Icepaw contained a purr of amusement as he laid the plump frog on the floor of the den.

"That looks delicious, thanks Icepaw" Honeyleaf purred.

"I'd better go now, medicine cat duties" Icepaw replied quickly and ran out of the den. He was sure he had something he needed to do, but couldn't quite put his paw on it.

Icepaw didn't notice the thorn entrance swaying as his mentor crept up behind him and lashed Icepaw's back with sheathed claws. "Great StarClan!" Icepaw jumped in surprise. Leafsong didn't look happy, but when did he ever?

"What are you doing, just loitering around and not sorting the herbs like I told you to do LAST night?!" Icepaw looked at his mentor in shame. He now remembered the task Leafsong told him to do. "This is already a bad day, and it's only the morning!"

"Sorry, Leafsong, I'll do it now", Icepaw hung his head and walked to the medicine cat den. He sighed and his thoughts drifted to the apprentices. What were they doing? Were they training at the Burnt Sycamore? Were they practicing battle moves? Or on a border patrol while he was here sorting out herbs? Icepaw sighed. He'd wanted to be an apprentice desperately, and then a warrior, and then a deputy then a leader! But all he could ever be, was a medicine cat apprentice, then a medicine cat. He wasn't allowed to have a mate, either. Too bad few cats knew he liked Violetpaw.