Warrior Cats: Icetail's Enemy (COMPLETED ✔️)

Chapter Nine

Edited ✔️

Wow! Another long chapter! The book is going on so fine ^__^ thanks for all the support, once agin. And please let me know of any typos, name mix-ups, and grammar mistakes. I tend to do those a lot. Comment, vote, share!

The moon shone brilliantly over the trees as Icepaw followed Shadowheart, Rainwhisker, Featherbreeze and Ashtail through the cold forest. The red and orange leaves crunched underpaw in the softest way as they walked. Icepaw was on the extra border patrol to DarkClan's territory just to scout and remark their side of the territory.

Everyone was silent. Icepaw's muscles could show under his dark gray pelt, aching to take action. They were close to the border now—Icepaw could smell it. He began to run ahead, eager to see what he would find, but Ashtail stopped him before he could even get there. Icepaw skidded to a halt.

"Shh," his mentor scolded. "Careful, cause there could be DarkClan cats lurking anywhere."

Icepaw nodded. "Sorry, Ashtail," he apologized. He looked over his mentor's broad shoulders, and could see the usual scent-line where they would mark.

Shadowheart turned to face his patrol. "Now, be very careful," he said. "I will go with Rainwhisker and Featherbreeze to mark on that side. Ashtail, Icepaw, you'll be together to scout the area. Just don't stray to far from us." He turned to Featherbreeze and Rainwhisker.

"You be careful," whispered Featherbreeze to her son.

Icepaw nodded to his mother. "You too," he meowed. She turned to Shadowheart and Rainwhisker, nodding. It must be a sign that she was ready. The three cats quietly walked to the trees where they were suppose to start the markers, and disappeared behind bushes near the borders.

Ashtail looked down to Icepaw. "Tell me what you smell," he said as soon as they were gone. His voice was low. No cat except the patrol knew they were there, if there were any DarkClan cats around.

Icepaw opened his jaws. He tasted the cold, leaf fall air, slowly turning his head from one tree to another. He could smell scent-markers. But every cat could smell that. He concentrated deeper. "I can smell . . . mouse." His Boyce was low.

Ashtail shook his head. "We're not here hunting for prey. Look deeper, find any stale or fresh cat scents," he said.

Icepaw nodded. He began to smell the air again. Just as Ashtail said, he did smell cats! "I smell stale"—he looked deep into the scent, and realized that it was Icepaw's and Flamepaw's old scent when they met together that night! He looked to his mentor —"border patrol scents."

Ashtail sighed. "Let's look deeper," he murmured, crouching down low on the ground. Icepaw imitated him, and some of his belly fur touched the cool dirt of the forest. He slowly crept after the MoonClan warrior, eager to see if they find anything or any useful information. He was also relieved that Ashtail wasn't suspicious about those 'border patrol scents.'

He followed Ashtail to a nearby oak tree. It was really big, and seemed to be made out of thick layers of wood. Ashtail's mouth opened and he tasted the air carefully, closing his eyes. Icepaw did the same, but kept his eyes opened since he wasn't use to what Ashtail was doing. He searched around.

Ashtail grunted of frustration. "We have to go closer to the borders," he said. "I can't smell anything, and if we leave without scouting the whole area it won't be considered a full border patrol."

Icepaw nodded. "Lead on," he said with his voice still low.

Ashtail slowly walked into the undergrowth. He didn't make a pawstep sound—Icepaw was impressed! He lightly let his paws touch the ground when he walked, just as Ashtail did. He wanted to be as stealthy as his mentor.