Jaws parting in an enormous yawn, Icestar blinked, trying to clear the sleep out of his eyes. Whiskers twitching he sighed quietly, toes flexing in the darkness of the leaders den. Like claws, dawn shadows stretched across the floor, the ferns and brambles making up the wall swaying slightly at the touch of the morning breeze. Feeling the life ebb into him, the skinny tom cat rose to his paws, back arching in a long stretch. "Mmm..." He mumbled, taking a a moment to knead the sandy earth. It seemed so early, and he would have much preferred to sleep the day away. But with being a leader, came the responsibility, whether he liked them or not. Giving his pelt one last shake, Icestar padded silently out of the lonely den, squinting when the peeked suns rays met his eyes.
Outside it was colder, the crisp smell of leaf-fall wafting around him. "We should enjoy the sun while we have it," He thought instantly, almost wincing when he thought of the bitter Leaf-bare to come. It would be his first season as leader, and who knew what hard times Riverclan would have to face. Tail tip flickering, Icestar tried to push the thought out of his mind, head turning when he heard Frostflower bidding cats for the Dawn patrol. Seeing her made him feel a bit more secure, there was no doubt he had chosen a good cat for deputy.
Watching, he let out a small grunt of disappointment when Ragepaw asked, no demanded, to join, his tail held high. Icy orbs narrowing, the gray leader shook his head. Ragepaw was going to have to shape up if he ever expected to be a warrior, "he has fighters spirit, but no respect." Soon after Stormpaw had joined, and in a split second Icestar had made up his mind.
Bounding forward, he slowed to a stop as he approached the three cats, thin tail waving proudly. "I will join you Frostflower," He announced, eyes flickering over the group, "the clan will be fine without me for a bit."
Truthfully, he had the strong urge to get out of camp for a while, but he also wanted to keep an eye on Ragepaw, who knew what kind of trouble he would cause the white she-cat.

Icy pools narrowing as the conceded young tom pushed his way forward, Icestar let out a shallow snort. For an apprentice, he sure acted like he had the whole of Starclan treading in his dirt. Ears sweeping back in one quick motion, he pretended to watch uninterested as Ragepaw showed off his skills on the wood. No matter how much he disliked the tom's behavior, he had to admit the move wasn't something you could learn in a day. But Ragepaw must have realized that as well for he automatically assumed that the other three where impressed. Not wasting a moments time, Icestar trotted to catch up with the young tom, the bones beneath his stone gray pelt working with his strides. Before they had gotten much farther, the Riverclan leader had caught up with him and twisting around slightly, he barred Ragepaw from going any further with his long snaky tail. "Maybe," he replied, glaring down at the younger cat, "but you would never be taken seriously if you stayed an apprentice for the rest of your life." Now his voice rang true with the threat which he quickly followed by, "I think you would be much better suited back there," he growled, motioning with his paw toward the back of the group. Removing his tail, Icestar waited for Ragepaw to follow up the rear and Frostflower to take her place back at the front.