Icefeather's Journey (Warrior Cat FanFic)

Chapter Nineteen - Drowning Practice

We came to the Main River, the dark, scary water churning as it sped downstream. I swallowed, scared for my life. "We'll learn basic battle moves and how to avoid the water." Mudclaw explained. I nodded as he spoke.

"I'll come at you, you'll be here-" He pointed with a claw at where I would stand, which was at the rivers' edge. I fought the urge to let my eyes widen. "-and you're going to push me into the water. If you fall in, try to swim to shore. If you don't I'll get you out." I gave him a small nod and took my place. I tried to hide the fact that my legs were trembling.

I took a deep breath and prepared for him to come at me. I still wasn't sure how I was to do what he had instructed me to do, but I wasn't about to ask questions, in fear he'd get angry.

As if he had read my mind, Mudclaw sighed, "When I come at you - since you're small - you'll dive under my belly and trip me, then you push me into the water. If it doesn't work, scratch out the tripping part." I blinked, kind of confused, but reluctantly I nodded.

Without warning, Mudclaw tore at me, dirt and grass flying up behind him. He didn't stop and I didn't move, suddenly not able to remember what I was to do.

Mudclaw halted - dirt splattering onto my paws and chest - as I backed up in shock, expecting him to fly into me. He wouldn't have, but it was too late as I slipped into the river.

I didn't even have time to take air as I plunge into the Main River. I flailed my paws but I didn't go anywhere other than sideways. My vision was blurred as I rolled down the river, searching for the surface. A rock hit me in the stomach, knocking all air out of my lungs. I fought the desperate urge to suck in, feeling as if something was wrapped tightly around my throat.

I felt a sharp pain in my scruff as the murky water began to fade to black. A brown shape lifted me up so my head was out of the water. I gasped for air before I could even register what was happening. I coughed and gasped, coughed and gasped until he pushed me toward shore. Splashing my way to it, I was relieved to feel the ground again. I crawled onto shore and took huge gasps, happy to not be underwater any longer. Shaking out my fur, water spraying everywhere, I let out a growl as I saw Mudclaw's whiskers twitch with amusement.

"Don't tense up because in battle no one hesitates to kill a frozen apprentice." Mudclaw stated. Every step he took he shook his paws to get rid of the water. I was glad he didn't look agitated about the accident. He then stood in his original spot and fluffed out his brown fur. I bet that's the best - and probably first - bath he's had in moons, I thought with a snort.

I noticed his ear twitch and I prepared for him to come at me, thankful for Scourge to have taught me to look for certain signs. Just as I had assumed, he raced at me, eyes narrowed in concentration.

Once close enough, I dove under his belly and slid in behind him. Mudclaw didn't have time to turn. I used my front paws - standing on my hind legs - to shove him forward. He staggered a bit, but didn't go anywhere.

"Try to push me into it as hard as you can," Mudclaw gestured to me as I sat down in frustration and embarrassment. "We'll wait to finish that move until you've mastered shoving heavier things than you."
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By the time we entered camp after our training, I felt like I was going to collapse under my own weight. Water logged and exhausted, I dropped my vole into the fresh-kill pile. On our way back, we had stopped to hunt since we knew not much hunting was going to occur, even though it was instructed.

Just as I padded away, letting Mudclaw drop his thrush, I was suddenly shot into a vision, a similar one to the other I had had a long, long time ago.

A small grey kit with brilliant, huge blue eyes scampered in with a fluffy, black she-kit with glowing green eyes and a shining golden tom followed him on either side, as if to guide him. A light brown tabby she-cat with one white paw padded in soon after, gasping, "Brambleclaw, you're a father!"

Brambleclaw? Who's that?

I watched from the side as a dark tabby tom rushed over. Soon, a slightly smaller and less muscular she-cat stalked into the camp, her mouth holding herbs and her eyes covering sorrow with delight.

The vision then blurred out to a time where a white cat was fighting a brown tabby. From then the same cat was at Twolegplace, with many battle scars scattered all over her body. Is that... me? Or is it that Icecloud cat?

A familiar voice echoed in my ears out of no where, whispering, "Ice will grow around the territories with the Feather at it's feet. Blood will be no more, they will suffer their defeat."

I jolted awake, legs flailing to sit up and heart racing. I soon came to realize Mudclaw, Cinderpelt, and Littlecloud were surrounding me. All eyes were on me, eyes wide with shock. Cinderpelt dipped her head to my mentor and he stalked out of the medicine den.

"Why am I in the medicine den? What's going on?" I mewed, stifling a yawn.

"Mudclaw dragged you in here saying you tensed up suddenly and fell onto your side, out cold." Littlecloud answered. Cinderpelt finished for him, "Ever since you were brought in here you've been twitching and flailing around. It's known to be a seizure, but no cat has one unless they are receiving a prophecy..." She trailed off, exchanging a glance with the smaller medicine cat tom.

I noticed Mudfur and Barkface weren't in the den. "Do you know why you fainted?" Cinderpelt asked with her head tilted to the side. I hesitated. Do I trust them?

I finally decided to tell them, explaining the visions as a kit and the one I had recently gotten, finishing with the announcement of the prophecy. "What does it mean...?" Littlecloud breathed, speaking to himself. "If only we could speak to StarClan; we might be able to get more answers."

"Where's Mudfur and Barkface?" I mewed. Cinderpelt turned around as I began to question and shrugged it off. "They went out with Tabby and Lostface to find more herbs. Poison said while you were training that he found signs of rogues," I nodded at the response.

"Am I okay to go?" I murmured after a few awkward heartbeats of silence, anxious to get out of the warm den. Littlecloud nodded and turned to Cinderpelt, helping her fix the stocks for probably the hundredth time that day.