This is my and Tangle's first collab together... So let us begin.
Prologue ~Loudclaw~
It was a few moons after The Great Battle with the Dark Forest. ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan were only just recovering from their wounds and their dead; this included ThunderClan having new leadership. However, leaf-bare came harder than ever before to the warrior Clans. This leafbare was even worse than the one Bluestar had given up her kits; whereas the RIVER froze over in the forest, the entire lake froze up, save the very center of it.
This particular leafbare was harsh on ShadowClan especially. Jayfeather, Kestrelwing, and Mothwing were doing fine on supplies; their greencough bouts were surprisingly minor. But Littlecloud's supplies were running extremely low. No catmint meant no way to cure Greencough, especially as he hadn't gotten a chance to find chickweed. Greencough was running ravage through the ShadowClan camp, claiming two of Blackstar's lives; with two lives left for him, he knew he'd have to send out one cat... just one, to look for catmint.
Smokefoot's apprentice, Icepaw, was the most experienced apprentice, almost ready to become a warrior. She was the oldest cat that wasn't trapped in her nest, sick with a sickness that was killing ShadowClan within. And this sickness could easily spread to the other Clans. Unable to spare the Clan medicine cat, this was their only opportunity.
"Icepaw-" Blackstar broke off with a cough. "Icepaw, you are the fittest one in the Clan... you must go out and find us catmint. Somewhere out there, there must be catmint..." Breaking off coughing, Blackstar backed off into his own nest again. The leader had told Icepaw what she had to do.
And she would do it.
"Yes, Blackstar..."
Chapter 1 ~Tangle~
Blackstar's order was weighing heavily on Icepaw's young mind. Where am I supposed to go to find catmint? She wondered. There's only one place we can get it here, but there's none left!
With no other options, she slid in to the Medicine Den to talk to Littlecloud.
For the first time, she began to notice how old and tired Littlecloud was looking. His eyes were half-closed from exhaustion and his pelt looked more grey than normal. Poor Littlecloud. He's getting old and has no apprentice; can he really cope with this sickness?
"Littlecloud?" She called. "May I have a word?"
At first, she wasn't sure if Littlecloud had heard her, but then his ears flicked, and he turned to face her. "Oh, Icepaw, don't tell me you're sick too! Oh, StarClan, what have we done to deserve such a sickness?" He meowed hoplessly.
"No, Littlecloud, it's not that at all!" Icepaw gasped. "It's something completely different.
"Oh, well, what is it?"
"Um..." Icepaw shifted from paw to paw awkwardly, not knowing how to tell Littlecloud. "Can we not do it here? Too many cats will hear us. This is something for you and only you, Littlecloud."
A dark expression formed on Littlecloud's face and his eyes clouded with worry. For a moment, he was slient, and Icepaw wondered if she'd just pushed the old tom over the edge, but after a moment longer, he said "Fine, Icepaw. Come in to my Herb Store, and don't go near any of the others."
Icepaw followed Littlecloud in to his herb store, cautious not to make any physical contact with any of the sick cats in the Den. If Blackstar had sent her on a mission to save the Clan, the last thing she needed was to get sick.
When they had reached the Herb Store, and were away from earshot of the others, Littlecloud sat down and invited Icepaw to do the same. "Okay," he meowed, his voice hoarse, "you wanted privacy, you've got it. Now, what was so important that you couldn't tell me in front of any cat?"
"Well," Icepaw sighed. "Littlecloud, Blackstar has ordered me on a mission to find catmint to cure the sickness."
"I see," Littlecloud mewed. "Go on, little one."
"But I'm worried about the Clan, you see. Firstly, I have no idea where to go, and secondly, I'm worried about ShadowClan. I'm one of the strongest cats left. Without me, who's going to hunt? Who's going to protect the border? Elders? Kits?"
"I see where you're going. Icepaw. But you must decide: Do you go and try to find a cure for the Clan's sickness and risk getting yourself killed, and risk the Clan's death, or do you stay, and watch your Clanmates die around you, knowing that you could have done something to prevent it?"
"But I don't know!" Icepaw wailed. "That's why I came to you!"
"I cannot give you an answer. This is for you to decide, Icepaw."
"It's too hard!" Tears formed in Icepaw's eyes and she let one roll down her cheek. "Littlecloud, I can't decide by myself!"
"Well, then there is only one option. You must seek the guidence of StarClan."
Icepaw sighed. "Okay, I'll do it."
"Good. Now, close your eyes, Icepaw, and let your spirit be guided to the wise cats in StarClan..."
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Soon enough, Icepaw and Littlecloud were in StarClan. Icepaw padded forward, until she heard Littlecloud sit down. She turned around. "Are you tired? Should I wait for you?" She asked.
Littlecloud shook his head and purred. "No, Icepaw, I'm not coming with you. I'll wait here."
Icepaw gasped. "Not coming with me? Why?"
"Because this is your mission, Icepaw. I've nothing to do with it."
"But, what if I get lost?"
"There's no getting lost in StarClan. Some cat will find you sooner or later," Littlecloud reassured her, giving her ear a comforting lick.
Icepaw smiled. "Okay, bye, Littlecloud."
And so, Icepaw set off in to the unknown grounds of StarClan, trying to brace herself for what she might be given.
Chapter 2 ~Loudclaw~
Icepaw padded forward slowly and nervously, the unfamiliar territory around her. The starry forest seemed to be open, yet it was closing in on her. It was similarly laid out to the ShadowClan territory, this part at least. Icepaw almost ran right into a tree when she was looking to the right. Veering right, she grew even more lost. However, as Littlecloud had predicted, a cat did find her. This cat was a small gray-and-white tom. What's more, this tom had a constantly running nose.
"Welcome, Icepaw. We know why you are here."
"Wh... Who are you?" Icepaw stammered. The cat had a similar scent to Littlecloud, yet different.
"I am Runningnose, former medicine cat of ShadowClan. You are here because of the quest that has been set for you?" the starry tom asked.
Icepaw gulped. "Yes, I... I am." she mewed with a small voice.
"ShadowClan is plagued by a sickness worse than ever before... if you stay, you risk them dying. The best thing you can do to help them is to go find some catmint... outside the Clan territories. However... you risk them dying of hunger and disease if you leave..."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" Icepaw asked Runningnose.
"You will find the answer within..." Runningnose replied.
But... Icepaw thought, and was about to say it, then she realized... The answer had been within her all along. She would go to try to save the Clan if possible. No matter what it took.
Runningnose looked at her and gave a tiny nod, as if to acknowledge her thoughts, as the starry forest faded.
Icepaw jerked awake, with Littlecloud watching her.
"Well?"
"I... I'm going to do it." Icepaw told Littlecloud. "I'm going to go find the catmint."
"Then you'll need traveling herbs." Littlecloud replied, dipping into his den to collect the necessary herbs. He reappeared a moment later with various herbs such as sorrel, daisy, and burnet.