{NEW STORYLINE SOON} Frostflower's Return

Chapter Nine 🐾

Thunderclan was ready to give Frostpaw and her mother away. Oakstar, the cloudiness in his eyes gone, murmured to Snowdrop, "Come back to me. Find a way back to me, please." Oakstar signaled to the small group of cats and plunged down to Fourtrees.

When they arrived, Frostpaw saw Darkspirit sitting on the Great Rock, a malevolent glint in his eyes. Darkspirit's tail flicked, and hundreds of rouges stalked out behind bushes, on trees, and behind the Great Rock and surrounded the group of Thunderclan cats. A black and white figure leaped onto the Great Rock and settled beside Darkspirit. Frostpaw curled her lips in a silent snarl. Shadowclaw. Another figure leaped onto the Great Rock and settled himself on the other side of Darkspirit. Frostpaw didn't know him, but many cats did. Oakstar's eyes glistened with grief and tears. Frostpaw heard her father murmur something, "Sharpspark. Brother, why Darkspirit? We thought you were dead, but you joined that bloodthirsty tyrant?!" Brother. Sharpspark. Hmm. Uncle? Frostpaw wondered.

"Give me my requested cats, and I'll let you go unharmed." Darkspirit mewed. Oakstar dipped his head and signaled to Snowdrop and Frostpaw to step forward. Shadowclaw and Sharpspark leaped down to make sure they didn't make a run for it. Darkspirit mrowed in laughter and flicked his tail, heading into unknown territory.

"Where are we going?" Frostpaw asked Snowdrop. Snowdrop shrugged and ran to catch up with Sharpspark. Frostpaw followed, and heard Snowdrop talking to Sharpspark.

"I did not want to die. The only way to not die under a traitor's claws is to join him." Sharpspark mumbled, "I like working for him."

"Well, get us out of here!" Snowdrop snapped.

"No." Sharpspark said and added quickly as Snowdrop glared at him, "I need to make sure Darkspirit is confident he got you locked up first. Then I will help you escape."

They walked for what Frostpaw felt like seasons. They passed mountains, forest, and moor. Darkspirit yowled when they arrived in a swampy forest, "We're here! Lock up the prisoners!" Shadowclaw grabbed Frostpaw's scruff, hauling her into a steep hole. Frostpaw screeched as she plummeted down. Frostpaw landed with a jolt, collapsing under the sudden pain in her legs. Frostpaw stiffly got up and looked at the sky. It looked far away, the sunlight just two fox-lengths long. Frostpaw heard a shriek far above her and she scrambled to get out of the way, but she was not fast enough. Snowdrop landed on top of Frostpaw and Frostpaw yelped in surprise. Snowdrop moaned in pain and dragged herself off her daughter. Frostpaw leaped to her feet and studied Snowdrop who was huddled in a corner, facing the wall. Frostpaw winced as she noticed a long, bleeding gash on Snowdrop's flank.

"Mother?" Frostpaw asked softly, again as Snowdrop didn't respond, "Snowdrop?" Snowdrop flicked her ear, telling Frostpaw that she needed rest. Frostpaw dipped her head and curled into a tight ball beside her mother, falling asleep.

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Frostpaw jolted awake as a fleshy thing hit her head. The warmth beside her was gone, Snowdrop was awake and studying the walls. Frostpaw scrambled to her feet, shaking the thing off. The thing turned out to be a half eaten and spoiled rabbit. Frostpaw curled her lip in a snarl. Why would they feed them half eaten and spoiled fresh-kill? Frostpaw answered her own question, Because they want to control us. We do what they want, we get better fresh-kill. I think.

"You're awake. Finally!" Frostpaw was shaken out her thoughts as Snowdrop came trotting over to her, showering her in licks. Frostpaw escaped Snowdrop's show of affection and hissed disgustedly, "Look what they gave us! Why not better fresh-kill?!"

Snowdrop sighed and said, "Whatever that thing used to be, I'm definitely not eating that." Frostpaw nodded, wrinkling her nose in disgust. A pebble hit Snowdrop on the head and she flinched. Frostpaw glanced up and saw Sharpspark sitting by the hole, facing away from them, his tail twitching impatiently.

"Sharpspark!" Snowdrop yowled. Sharpspark whirled around, glanced quickly at them, and went back into position.

"SHARPSPARK!" Snowdrop yowled again, tail lashing. Sharpspark turned his head and hissed at them. Snowdrop caterwauled, making Frostpaw flinch and Sharpspark outraged.

"Leave me alone! We'll talk about the escape plan later!" Sharpspark hissed, loud enough for the prisoners to hear, but not the rogues milling about. Snowdrop subsided, mumbling grumpily. Frostpaw went to a side of the wall, and scrabbled at a spot where the soil seemed out of place. Sure enough, the soil fell onto the floor, revealing some claw holds set in the stone.

"Mother!" Frostpaw whispered urgently. Snowdrop glanced up and saw the claw holds and brightened, tail flicking excitedly.

"We'll escape at moonhigh." Snowdrop mewed, "Let's battle train to pass time."

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It was finally moonhigh. Frostpaw stretched her muscles, still sore after battle training. Snowdrop tested the claw holds to check if they were sturdy enough. Frostpaw saw Snowdrop unsheathe her claws, leap up into the air, and grasp a claw hold, dangling in the air with one paw. Frostpaw let out a cry of dismay and scrabbled to help Snowdrop, but Snowdrop flicked Frostpaw away as easily as a kit. Snowdrop steadied herself and gripped on with her other paws.

"You don't need to help me. I am fine." Snowdrop said, "Come on!" Snowdrop climbed higher to let Frostpaw get up. Frostpaw noticed that Snowdrop's wound on her flank was still oozing blood, but Snowdrop ignored it like a piece of leaf on her fur. Frostpaw started to climb, feeling terror in every step she takes.

Soon, they lay panting at the edge of the steep hole they were once imprisoned in. Snowdrop gestured with her tail to creep out of the rogue's camp. As they sneaked toward the entrance of the camp, a shrill screech echoed across the camp that didn't sound like a cat. Frostpaw glanced toward the sound. Perched on a nearby tree was a eagle.