Darkness In The Clans 1- Frost (warrior cats)

Chapter Two

Berrypaw trailed behind Iciclepaw and Snakepaw, his fear-scent growing stronger with each pawstep they took. Were they going to risk doing something to him?

"Here, Berrypaw, want to see our secret training-place?" Snakepaw offered, eyes shining. Iciclepaw let out an excited squeal.

"No, I don't think so." He mewed shakily.

"Oh, come on. You know you'll love it." Snakepaw scampered away before Berrypaw could respond. Starclan, have mercy on me! He followed, keeping low to the ground.

"Snowkit!"

Snowkit's wide eyes and Iciclepaw's unsheathed claws were enough to make Berrypaw jump. Before he could do anything, Snakepaw pinned him to the ground. "Not so fast, kittypet!"

Berrypaw's eyes widened in horror as Iciclepaw placed her paw on Snowkit's head, grasping it. "No! Don't!"

"Look. I'm going to do this to you if you show your face around our clan again." Iciclepaw looked at him with triumph, piercing her claws into Snowkit's head. He let out a squeal.

"Stop! Don't hurt him!" Berrypaw gasped. Surely it was against the code to hurt a kit? He attempted to wriggle free from Snakepaw's grasp. "You can't do that! I'll tell Hollystar what you've done, and then-"

"Then what? I always knew you were a tattletale, Berrypaw." Snakepaw sneered in his ear. Berrypaw looked at him with horror.

"Please, you can't do this!"

Snowkit let out another wail as Iciclepaw raked her claws against his back. He's too young to die!

Berrypaw kicked Snakepaw with his hind legs, leaving him dazed, and rushed over to Snowkit's side. "Leave him alone!" He spat, headbutting her and making her stumble. "Hold on, Snowkit. Be strong. You can be strong for Sugarglow, right?"

Snowkit nodded. "Yes, I will be strong for mama." Berrypaw was impressed by how brave he was- he was quivering with fear and his eyes sparked with pain, yet he held his head up and looked at Berrypaw with determination.

"You will make a fine warrior in the future." Berrypaw promised. "Snakepaw, go fetch me some cobwebs. Or would you like to explain how a kit came back to camp with small clawmarks that look like they were made by an apprentice?" He added harshly as Snakepaw opened his jaws to argue.

"Where do I find them?"

"Should be around the corners of trees. Get as many as you can carry. Iciclepaw, I need marigold."

"Oh, I know what that looks like!" Iciclepaw's eyes brightened, as if she forgot she was the one who endangered Snowkit's life. She ran away, following Snakepaw, and Berrypaw sighed. He hooked a leaf with his claws.

"Here." He pressed the leaf onto the worst wound, a large gash on his side. "It won't do much, but a little bit of help is better than no help at all."

Snowkit's eyes flashed with pain. "Ow!"

"You're so brave." Berrypaw murmured softly, rage building up inside of him. How dare Iciclepaw and Snakepaw risk the life of such a young cat just for a personal issue! His claws itched to rake the two of them with his tiny claws when they got back. They would kill me if I tried, He thought darkly, It's not that I'm afraid of them, of course. But I'm so small, and they're so big...

He licked his wounds, trying to keep them clean, as the two apprentices bounded towards him. "Here!" Snakepaw mewed through a mouthful of cobwebs. "I altho got thome other herbs I thaw!"

"You sound silly!" Iciclepaw dropped her herbs and let out a small mrrow of amusement. For a moment, Berrypaw felt comfortable around them, before remembering the reason why he needed herbs in the first place.

"Yes, thank you. Is that comfrey?" He added, looking through the herbs both cats brought. "I can use this. Good job." Berrypaw began to tend to Snowkit's wounds, being careful not to make them worse. He's so small! "I need horsetail and goldenrod." He quickly sketched out a drawing of the herbs, "If you can't find any, go back to camp and get Redtuft."

Iciclepaw looked terrified at the thought while Snakepaw mewed determinedly, "We'll find some in no time!"

Berrypaw chewed up some marigold and licked them onto Snowkit's wounds, who winced. "That didn't hurt!" Snowkit piped up as if to reassure Berrypaw.

Berrypaw nodded, pressing the webs against the last wound. He still had some cobwebs left to wrap around them.

"We're back! Again!" Snakepaw brought the herbs while Iciclepaw had a large fluffy ball in her jaws. Moss?

"Theep wool. Found it while we were finding herbth." Iciclepaw mewed, placing it near Snowkit. "To keep Thnowkit warm!"

"Good idea. He's going to have to stay here the night." Berrypaw curled around Snowkit, glaring at the two. "What were you thinking? Risking the life of a young, innocent cat for a personal affair! You two should be ashamed of yourselves! I am a medicine cat, I would never do something so foul! Even Foxtuft wouldn't do something so bad! I'll have to stay with him overnight to make sure he's okay."

The two apprentices looked at each other, shame making their fur spike up. "We're sorry." Iciclepaw shuffled her paws.

"Yeah. We're sorry." Snakepaw nodded.

"Go fetch us some prey. Snowkit needs to keep his strength up after you two shred him." Berrypaw spat. Why can't I speak up for myself so strongly?

Snakepaw dipped his head, slipping out with Iciclepaw. Berrypaw watched them go, before making a poultice with the horsetail, marigold, and goldenrod. He licked Snowkit's wounds, rubbing the juices onto his fur. "You're gonna be okay." He assured him, wrapping cobwebs onto his wounds.

"Thank you..."

Snowkit's let out a small yawn, and Berrypaw purred. They tucked into the mouse Snakepaw and Iciclepaw brought them, then closed their eyes, falling asleep.