Lakeheart merrily bounced ahead towards camp, taking the lead as the three headed back with their jaws full of catmint. Dawnsky and Firefur followed behind her, and the strong scent of the herb was the only thing she could smell. She flicked her tail, feeling a little worried about what she had just scented. Had Bear headed towards or away from their camp? Were they just passing though the territory, or were they planning something against her?

She continuously checked behind her back, worried that Bear would try to ambush them from behind. As she stopped to look behind her once more, Firefur looked at her with amusement and curiosity, "Did you leave something back there, Dawnsky? Or are you afraid that a badger will come and steal your catmint?"

Dawnsky forced a smile and laughed lightly, but she didn't drop the catmint from her jaws to reply. She just kept going. What if Bear is planning to attack the camp? She shuddered, keeping her eyes foward for any movement ahead. She was quickly padding up to Lakeheart, and Firefur rushed to catch up with them.

Dawnsky had never seen Lakeheart this happy in a long time, and she hoped that she would stay this way since they finally found the herb to cure the last of the deadly epidemic. Firefur looked almost as excited as he proudly carried the herb back to camp. Dawnsky was the only one who was worrying, but questions kept milling about in her head, haunting her with every step. Is Bear going to kill me? How many cats did he bring with him? Will I see my kits? She shook the last question away, knowing that Bear wouldn't bring one-moon old kits with him to battle, or anywhere for that matter.

As they reached camp, they could see Featherpool waiting expectantly at the entrance, her eyes shining with excitement. She immediately walked up to them, "Oh, I'm so glad you found it! And so much!" Firefur dropped his bundle so that Featherpool could take it to her awaiting patients. Lakeheart padded after her, beckoning for Dawnsky to follow.

She stepped into the medicine cat den, dropping the catmint neatly by Featherpool's stack. Longfang, Whitestar, Smallface, and Lilysong were all sound asleep, their chests rising and falling slowly. As Featherpool hastily began to gather the herbs, Lakeheart stepped up to her, "Featherpool, Dawnsky and I can take it from here," she mewed softly, "why don't yoh go and rest? You really need the sleep."

Featherpool shook her head, "No, no I'm fine, really!" She yawned, "I just need to-"

"No, Featherpool. You must lie down. We can't have you getting sick as well."Lakeheart tried convincing her.

Featherpool only shook her head again, "No," she mewed stubbornly, "and besides, we need more marigold. I will go get it."

"And then will you rest?" Lakeheart begged.

Featherpool sighed, "Fine. Then I'll rest." She quickly turned away and walked out of her den and into the woods.

Lakeheart shook her head, worry showing in her eyes for the old medicine cat. She looked over at Dawnsky, "Okay, so you just need to give these stalks over to Lilysong and Smallface. I will take care of Whitestar and Longfang." She mewed, "Try and get them to eat it, but if they won't, then we'll have to force-feed them."

Dawnsky nodded, grabbing a few of the stalks and headed over to Lilysong first. She almost didn't want to wake her, since she looked so peaceful, "Umm, Lilysong?" She mewed quietly, but loud enough to rouse her.

She lifted her head, narrowing her eyes to clear her vision, "Dawnsky?" She rasped.

"Yes, it's me," she said in a soft voice, "and I just need you to eat these herbs. It will make you better."

For a second Dawnsky was afraid that Lilysong didn't even understand her, but then she slowly nodded and chewed the catmint. She exhaled in relief when she swallowed, glad that she didn't have to try and force feed her. Now for Smallface, she thought, grabbing the rest of the stems.

Smallface was huddled in the corner, looking worse than the rest. His breaths seemed slower and more shaky. She cautiously peered over to see if he was still breathing, "Smallface? You awake?" She mewed, feeling relieved that she could see the small movements in his chest as he struggled to breathe.

The old cat didn't respond. She tried again, a little bit louder, "Smallface?" She poked at him with her paw, desperately hoping it would wake him. He didn't even stir.

She started to feel panicky, "Smallface!" She called loudly into his ear. His breaths seemed to be smaller and slower, "Lakeheart!" She cried.

Lakeheart rushed over to Dawnsky, dropping the catmint she was using because of the urgency in Dawnsky's voice, "What is it? Is everything okay?"

She shook her head, "Smallface, he's not responding to anything I say..." she explained, her voice shaking.

Lakeheart bent down to listen to his heartbeat and then looked up, her eyes grave with sorrow, "I think he's dying..." she choked on her words.

Dawnsky dipped her head in grief for her old friend, "Can we not do anything to help him?"

Lakeheart shook her head, "I'm afraid we can't. I'm sorry, Dawnsky, but he is in the paws of Star Clan now..."

She closed her eyes, feeling terrible that she couldn't have done anything more. She knew this wasn't a result of one of her decisions, but it was his time. He had served IceClan for many seasons, and she wished that he could stay longer. She watched sadly as his breaths became slower and slower, until they came to a complete stop. Smallface was dead.

"He was a great warrior," Lakeheart sighed.

Dawnsky could only nod in reply, knowing that she couldn't say anything more. If only we had found the catmint sooner... she thought.

"We should go announce it to the clan." Lakeheart decided, her eyes almost emotionless, as if she had felt this grief too much and was already used to it, "are you ready?"

"Yep." She managed to choke out, getting to her paws.

As they left the medicine cat den, she could see that the clan was eerily quiet. Something was wrong and everyone seemed to sense it. Dawnsky felt danger in the air and let out a small shudder. She looked at Lakeheart, wondering if she was feeling the same thing. If she was, Dawnsky couldn't see it in her expressionless eyes.

"Everyone!" Lakeheart called, "I have some-"

She was suddenly interrupted by a blood-curdling shriek that was just out of camp, followed by a loud yowl of rage. Everyone around them stiffened, and the fur on Dawnsky's neck began to rise. She rushed outside of camp, Lakeheart not far behind.

"You little piece of fox dung!" Came Firefur's angry yowl as he ran after a large, brown cat. There were multiple cats surrounding him, but they were all retreating into the undergrowth, leaving behind a fluffy tabby she cat. She laid motionless, blood gushing out of a large gash on her side. It was Featherpool!

"No!" Whispered Lakeheart, her eyes widening,"Featherpool, no!" She cried louder.

Dawnsky stood there, stunned. She could see that the gash mark was obviously made by another cat's claws. But who would ever want to murder Featherpool? Unless- "Bear!" She gasped.

Lakeheart had already rushed over to the medicine cat, "She's still breathing. Come on, help me bring her into camp." She carefully lifted her by the scruff, "And no, a bear wouldn't have done this. This was obviously another cat."

Dawnsky shook her head, but didn't say anything as she helped bring Featherpool into camp. Featherpool was constantly mumbling incoherently, as if she was desperately trying to tell them something.

"She's delerious," Lakeheart explained when she set her down in the middle of the camp. She rushed into the medicine cat den for cobwebs and comfrey leaves. There were gasps and wails from all of the cats who just saw Featherpool.

"My Star Clan!" Cried Willowfur, "What happened?"

Nightpelt pushed through the crowd who was surrounding the dying medicine cat, "What.... happened?!" He gasped.

Cats parted to let Lakeheart through, her jaws were full of cobwebs, "Everyone, stay back!" She demanded, her voice muffled by the cobwebs.

As she was quickly but expertly applying cobwebs, Featherpool started to mumble again, "Don't....don't...." she coughed, her breathing shallow.

"Shhh, just rest..." Lakeheart soothed, "you'll be okay."

"No... don't... apply the cobwebs" she mewed with great effort.

"But Featherpool-"

"No matter... what you do... I won't heal," her breaths were even quicker, "but... before I die... I must speak... with Dawnsky."

Dawnstar looked up with surprise. Why would Featherpool need to speak with her? She quickly shuffled fowards, "I'm right here, Featherpool." She mewed softly.

She nodded, fighting to keep her eyes open, "Dawnsky....a prophecy.... Star Clan gave me... about you."

Her eyes widened in surprise, "A prophecy? But I thought Star Clan-"

"Hush," she silenced her, "I don't have much time.... but anyways, a Star Clan cat... came to me and told me to tell you, 'Through great difficulty you shall rise like the break of dawn, but beware for the ice is thin...'"

"What?" She looked at her in confusion, "What is that supposed to mean? Well, never mind about that. Featherpool, please tell me: who was the cat who attacked you?"

Featherpool's eyes began to close, "There were so many.... he was big... and brown..."

Lakeheart ran up to Featherpool, desperation in her blue eyes, "Please, Featherpool! Let me try and heal you! I'm not ready to be a medicine cat yet... please don't leave me!"

Featherpool only shook her head, "No, Lakeheart. You are more than ready. I trained you after all!" Some of the old humor returned to her eyes, but quickly faded away, "Dawnsky, remember what I told you..."

She slowly closed her eyes, and her shallow breaths slowed to a stop. Dawnsky looked down at the ground, not able to believe that Featherpool was dead. Lakeheart stared straight ahead, and Dawnsky didn't know what to say or do to comfort her. She looked so lost without Featherpool.

Nightpelt was the first of the staring crowd to come foward, "How did this happen?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed in anger.

Dawnsky looked to Lakeheart, but she knew that she would have to do the talking, "Featherpool was... murdered." Dawnsky mewed.

"What?!" Nightpelt gasped, "By who?"

"A rogue, or group of rogues..." the words caught in her throat.

"This is an outrage!" He growled, "Why? What would be the point of killing our medicine cat?" He whined.

To get revenge on me.... or to warn me. "I don't know, Nightpelt," she lied, not wanting to tell him what she was thinking.

Lakeheart finally came out of her trance, "Smallface is dead, too." She said in a stony voice.

A wail of grief came from Tawnyfoot, "No!" She cried.

Dawnsky stared at Featherpool, her mind somewhere else. She felt like grief had piled itself on top of her, making it almost impossible to stand. All of the other cats looked the same way. Why didn't I warn Featherpool?

***

That night, Dawnsky sat vigil by Lakeheart and Willowfur. Her mind was racing at what Featherpool had told her. She tried to remember the prophecy, With great difficulty I will rise like the break of dawn? And something about thin ice.... What was that even supposed to mean?

But I thought Star Clan didn't know exactly what will happen to me... she thought to herself, so how can they give me a prophecy? She narrowed her eyes angrily at the thought of Star Clan. How could they let Featherpool die just like that? And it was such a violent death...

How could Bear have done this? She let her mind wonder to that subject, why didn't he just kill me instead? It didn't make any sense to her, unless he was just giving her a warning. Her tail lashed, and she looked at Featherpool and Smallface with grief.

I'm sorry, Featherpool... it's my fault you're dead...