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Chapter Text

SKYCLAN

Leader: Leafstar — brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Deputy: Hawkwing — dark gray tom with yellow eyes

Medicine cats: Frecklewish — mottled light brown tabby she-cat with spotted legs

Fidgetflake — black-and-white tom

Mediator: Tree — yellow tom with amber eyes (father of Violetshine's kits)

Warriors: Blossomheart — ginger-and-white she-cat

(Apprentice: Turtlepaw — black tortoiseshell she-cat (9M))

Sandynose — stocky light-brown tom with ginger legs

Finleap — brown tom with ginger legs and only half of his tail

Plumwillow — dark gray she-cat

Sunnypelt — ginger she-cat

(Apprentice: Kitepaw — reddish-brown tom (9M))

Palesky — black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes

Reedclaw — pale brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Egg — light cream tom with long legs

Creekfeather — dark gray tabby tom

Petalnose — very pale, almost white, gray she-cat

Shrewtooth — skinny black tom with yellow eyes

Mintfur — gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Nettlesplash — pale brown tom

Tinycloud — small white she-cat

Pigeonfoot — gray-and-white she-cat

Quailfeather — white tom with crow-black ears and owl-like amber eyes

Nectarsong — brown she-cat

Firefern — long-legged ginger trans she-cat with green eyes (mother of Bellaleaf's kits)

Harrybrook — gray tom

Stormheart — gray-and-ginger she-cat with amber eyes who is mute

Gravelnose — tan tom

Queens: Violetshine — black-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes (mother to Rootkit — yellow tom with green eyes that look like the grass (6M, older sibling) , and Needlekit — black-and-white she-kit with bright yellow eyes (6M, younger sibling) )

Bellaleaf — pale orange she-cat (mother to Wrenkit — golden tabby she-kit (3M) )

Elders: Fallowfern — pale brown she-cat who has lost her hearing

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: Tigerstar — dark brown tabby tom

Deputy: Cloverfoot — gray tabby she-cat

Medicine cat: Puddleshine — brown tom with white splotches

( Apprentice: Shadowpaw — small, dark gray tabby tom (12M))

Warriors: Tawnypelt — elderly tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Dovewing — pale gray she-cat with green eyes

Hopwhisker — calico she-cat

Stonewing — gray tom

Scorchfur — dark tom with slashed ears

(Apprentice: Pouncepaw — gray tabby she-cat with dark amber eyes (12M))

Flaxfoot — brown tabby tom

Strikestone — dark brown tabby tom with cream splotches around his pelt

Yarrowleaf — ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Berryheart — black-and-white she-cat

Snowbird — pure white she-cat with green eyes

(Apprentice: Lightpaw — brown tabby she-cat (12M))

Sparrowtail — large, brown tabby tom

Grassheart — pale brown she-cat

Antfur — brown-and-black splotched tom

(Apprentice: Hollowpaw — black tom (12M))

Whorlpelt — gray-and-white trans tom

Blazefire — white-and-ginger tom

Cinnamontail — brown tabby she-cat with white paws, carrying Antfur's kits

Flowerstem — silver she-cat

( Apprentice: Spirepaw — black-and-white tom (12M))

Snaketooth — honey-colored tabby she-cat with snake-like eyes, and a revealing fang that is sharp enough to look like a snakes

Slatefur — sleek, muscular gray tom

Conefoot — white-and-gray enby cat

Frondwhisker — gray tabby she-cat

Gullswoop — white she-cat

( Apprentice: Sunpaw — brown-and-white tabby she-cat (12M))

Elders: Oakfur — small brown tom

Ratscar — dark brown tom with long scar running across his back

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Bramblestar — dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Squirrelflight — dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw

Medicine cats: Jayfeather — gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Alderheart — large, dark ginger tom

Warriors: Whitewing — white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose — cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail

Mousewhisker — gray-and-white tom

Poppyfrost — pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Lionblaze — golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Rosepetal — dark cream she-cat

(Apprentice: Bristlepaw — pale gray she-cat with icy blue eyes (12M))

Spotfur — massive, spotted tabby she-cat

Stemleaf — white-and-orange tom

Lilyheart — small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches, and blue eyes

Cherryfall — ginger she-cat

Molewhisker — brown-and-cream tom

Toadstep — black-and-white tom

Icecloud — white she-cat, carrying Hazeltail's kits

Hazeltail — small, gray-and-white trans she-cat

Ambermoon — small, pale ginger she-cat

Cinderheart — gray tabby she-cat

Blossomfall — tortoiseshell-and-white with petal-shaped white patches

Ivypool — silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Eaglewing — ginger she-cat

(Apprentice: Thriftpaw — dark gray she-cat (12M))

Stormcloud — gray tabby tom

Hollytuft — black trans she-cat with a darker stripe running from her forehead all the way to her tail, and green eyes

(Apprentice: Flippaw — brown tabby tom with golden eyes (12M))

Honeyfur — white she-cat with yellow patches

Twigbranch — tall, skinny gray she-cat with green eyes

Plumstone — black-and-ginger she-cat

Flywhisker — striped gray tabby she-cat

Snaptooth — golden tabby tom

Queens: Daisy — cream long-furred she-cat who used to live in the horseplace

Fernsong — yellow tabby tom

Sorrelstripe — dark brown she-cat (mother to Myrtlekit — pale brown she-kit (3M, older sibling) , and Baykit — golden tabby she-kit with white splotches (3M, younger sibling) )

Sparkpelt — flame-colored she-cat with emerald-green eyes (mother to Finchkit — tortoiseshell she-kit (4M, younger sibling) , and Flamekit — skinny black tom ( 4M, older sibling) )

Elders: Brackenfur — golden-brown tabby tom

Cloudtail — long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Brightheart — white she-cat and ginger patches, along with a missing eye from a dog attack

Graystripe — long-haired gray tom

Mille — striped silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Mistystar — elderly gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: Minnowtail — dark gray-and-white she-cat

Medicine cats: Mothwing — dappled golden she-cat

Willowshine — gray tabby she-cat

Warriors: Duskfur — brown tabby she-cat

Mallownose — light brown tabby tom

Podlight — gray-and-white tom

Shimmerpelt — silver she-cat

Lizardtail — light brown tom

Snaeezecloud — gray-and-white tom

Brackenpelt — tortoiseshell she-cat

Jayclaw — gray tom, father of Curlfeather's kits

Owlnose — brown tabby tom

Icewing — white she-cat with blue eyes

Softpelt — gray she-cat

Gorseclaw — white tom with gray ears

Nightsky — dark she-cat with blue eyes

Harelight — white tom with yellow eyes

Breezeheart — brown-and-white she-cat

Dappletuft — gray-and-white trans she-cat

Queens: Curlfeather — pale brown she-cat, carrying Jayclaw's kits

Havenpelt — black-and-white she-cat (mother to Fogkit — gray-and-white she-kit (4M, older sibling) , Splashkit — brown tabby tom (4M, younger sibling) )

Elders: Mosspelt — tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Reedwhisker — black tom who is losing his voice

WINDCLAN

Leader: Harestar — white tom with brown legs and ears

Deputy: Crowfeather — dark gray tom

Medicine cat: Kestrelflight — mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers

Warriors: Nightcloud — black she-cat

Brindlewing — mottled brown she-cat

Leaftail — dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Emberfoot — gray tom with two dark forepaws

Smokehaze — gray she-cat

Breezepelt — spiky black tom with amber eyes

Crouchfoot — ginger tom

Larkwing — pale brown tabby she-cat

Sedgewhisker — light brown tabby she-cat

Slightfoot — black tom with white flash on his chest

Oatclaw — pale brown tabby tom, father of Featherpelt's kits

Hootwhisker — dark gray tom

Fernstripe — gray tabby she-cat

Queens: Heathertail — light brown she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Woodkit — brown she-kit (6M, younger sibling) , and Applekit — yellow tabby she-kit (6M, younger sibling)

Featherpelt — gray tabby she-cat (mother to Whistlekit — gray tabby she-kit ( 0M, youngest sibling) , Flutterkit — brown-and-white tom (0M, older sibling) , Songkit — tortoiseshell she-kit (0M, oldest sibling)

Chapter Text

The vast, black pool of the soft indigo sky lit down onto the soft snow of the undergrowth. The leaves of the trees drifted weakly down onto the soft trickles of snow, with pawprints dragging across the soft snow.

Among the never-ending snowy-hills, were two small shapes slowly, and tediously, limping down the huge blizzard washing all over the zig-zagging hills. "Puddleshine!"

The small brown tom, with white splotches and a thick-coat, spun his head weakly at a smaller figure. He was a dark-gray tabby tom, with striking yellow eyes. "We have to go to the moonpool! It's too late to walk back to camp!"

The dark-gray tabby whimpered, snow swiftly hitting at his fluffy pelt. "We should at least look for an abandoned fox den! We can't go to the moonpool with a blizzard !"

Puddleshine blinked at the small tom, hesitating for a moment. He then gave a small, reluctant nod. "Alright, but we have to get to the moonpool as soon as the blizzard stops," Puddleshine managed to rasp out a mew. "We need answers from StarClan. Everything's been going so terrible for quite a while."

The small tabby gave a nod, opening his mouth to scent for the stale smell of fox. He snapped his jaws shut, feeling the cold hits of snow washing his mouth.

"All I can smell is snow!" The tabby rasped, his paws trembling uncontrollably, his whiskers twitching as small bits of frost splattered over it. "Puddleshine, what do we do?"

The dark brown tom slowly flattened his ears across the back of his head. "We keep going to the moonpool…" He murmured, the dark tabby almost couldn't hear him through the roaring of the swift snow splattering down onto the ground.

The dark gray tabby's eyes glittered as he stared at Puddleshine, whimpering as his paws slowly drifted across the harsh snow beneath his paws.

High up in the misty, black sky, up in the darkening trickles of stars washing all over the pool of the dark void, was a tall, shimmering tom, his eyes staring down at the harsh blizzard washing down at the two limping cats.

"Puddleshine," the bright cat suddenly spoke, his claws pretending as if he were slicing the dark brown tom's scruff. "And there's his apprentice… Shadowpaw." His eyes slowly drifted at the smaller dark gray tabby, limping behind Puddleshine down the harshly-shivering hills. "They must be heading over to the moonpool for their half-moon meetings."

He froze his intense gaze on the small medicine cat apprentice, his pace slowing even more as they kept wandering down the open hills that led to the moonpool. His mentor turned his head over at Shadowpaw with worry in his gaze, which the tabby responded with a determined nod at the medicine cat. Even though his eyes shone miserably, the mysterious warrior could see that, beneath that miserable gaze, was desperate anticipation to share dreams with StarClan.

"There is no cat like you in all the five clans, Shadowpaw," the warrior mewed through gritted teeth ominously, his claws flexing, and pretending as if he was strangling the small tom's mentor. "Now great events are coming, and the clans will experience far-reaching changes. And you… you'll be useful… yes…"

The StarClan warrior drew his teeth to a small grin as he watched the two cats limping down the snowy slope of the moorlands, his eyes shining with ambition.

"Shadowpaw, your name will be remembered for as long as the clans survive."

Chapter Text

The dull sky kept still as the misty clouds still kept washing harsh snow over the open hills, the edges of stalagmites covered with soft frost.

Shadowpaw stared over at the snow covering the open moors, his gaze filled with guilt, thinking about Kestrelflight, Mothwing, and Willowshine, his paws shifting across the stone floor.

The small cavern he sat around in was filled with moss around the corners of the stone walls, with vines dripping across the ceiling of the small den. Droplets of water dripped onto his soaking, snow-covered pelt. His paws still trembled from the blizzard outside of the small cavern.

It's supposed to be time. He thought, flattening his ears across the back of his head. Usually the moon would wash down on the hole in the ceiling, and shimmer the beautiful pool beneath it. But the misty cloud covered what was supposed to be a brightened, beautiful orb.

"Do you think Kestrelflight and the others stayed back at their camps?" A black tom with white splotches across his pelt suddenly blurted out. Fidgetflake. Shadowpaw remembered.

"At least they had common sense." Jayfeather grumbled softly under his breath, his paws trembling beneath him.

"That'd make sense," Puddleshine's voice echoed across the cavern beside Shadowpaw. "Their leaders are pretty protective of their medicine cats."

"Are you saying my leader doesn't care about me?" Jayfeather rasped, his brows furrowing at Puddleshine.

"Jayfeather's just cranky about the blizzard," a dark ginger tom mewed, his eyes filled with warmth and kindness as they rested on Shadowpaw. "I guess we should go on without them."

"But—" Shadowpaw murmured softly, but snapped his jaws shut in immense pain as he felt the crackles of snow in his mouth.

"I guess we should…" Frecklewish mewed, disappointment edging her tone. "But first let's hear news about our clans." She whipped her head over at Puddleshine.

"Oh, Lightpaw and Pouncepaw got their warrior names!" Puddleshine managed to rasp out a purr. "They are Lightleap and Pouncestep now."

"Is that it?" Jayfeather hissed, his voice twitching as he shivered uncontrollably. His claws sunk into the smooth, hard stone floor, looking as if he was sinking his claws deeper.

"Prey is running poorly in our clan," Frecklewish mewed, her ears flattening with her expression shifting to a more sorrowful manner. "And, sickness is spreading. It's almost as bad as last leaf-bare."

"Oh, no!" Alderheart stifled a gasp. His eyes struck with worry and sorrowness. "Well, you could borrow some of our catmint. We don't really need so much anymore, since everyone doesn't have greencough in our camp anymore."

Frecklewish dipped her head in appreciation. "Thank you Alderheart," her throat rumbled out a purr of gratitude.

"Can we start now? My whole fur is frozen!" Jayfeather hissed impatiently, his claws scraping across the stone. "Come on!"

"Remember, follow everyone's lead," Puddleshine muttered softly beside Shadowpaw. The dark gray tabby dipped his head a nod.

He gazed down at the moonpool, expecting to see beauty and bright stars shining across the blue pool. But the water wasn't even water anymore, it was frozen into ice; it was dull, and the stars darkened across the weak-looking pool. It almost looks as weak as every cat in this cavern.

"Wait!" Shadowpaw blurted out. Everyone pricked their heads away from the frozen pool, their eyes resting on the small apprentice. "Th—the um… The moonpool froze…!" I sound suspicious! Why…?!

Puddleshine widened his eyes at the smooth surface of the dull frozen pool, ice covering all of what used to be magnificent brightening liquid. "You're right!" Puddleshine yowled in surprise, flinching as he stared down at the frozen pool.

"What?!" Jayfeather's gaze rested down at Shadowpaw, his brows furrowing deeper. "That's all you had to tell us?! This is a waste of time, come on!"

Shadowpaw flattened his ears, embarrassment washing over his expression. I'm sorry. He wanted to murmur out, but he held his tongue and just had to touch noses with the pool. Even though this will freeze my nose off.

He gazed down at the pool, dull and weak, it was darkening instead of shimmering magnificently. He lowered his head down at the frozen pool, ice washing over the water. His nose suddenly felt the hard, cool surface of the pool, ice sticking to his nose. He shivered, his paws trembling even more.

Maybe speaking with StarClan will keep the pain away for a while at least. He felt his eyes grow weary, his ears twitching as the terrible sound of the roaring blizzard pelted down right behind the small tom, his paws shivering in fright.

Darkness grew around the resting body of the dark tabby, the shivering cold of frost washing down his pelt drifted away like the soft cool wind. Shadowpaw kind of liked this. No seizures, no visions, no pain from the freezing snow… Just peaceful sleeping.

Shadowpaw suddenly fluttered his eyes open, his paws suddenly trembling as he felt the immense cold of frost sticking to his pelt. He slowly scrambled to his paws, his eyes gazing numbly down at his small forepaws. He pricked his ears, hoping to ear the comforting noises of birds chirping through the lushes green undergrowth of StarClan territory.

But all he could hear was silence.

Where is StarClan ? His eyes searched across the darkness, fear rising from his chest as he thought of all the terrible things that might've happened. Did they realize I was never meant to be a medicine cat apprentice? Was I useless from the beginning?

Was that why my seizures were calming down?

" Stay safe! " He could hear Dovewing's comforting mew. Her tail wrapped closely around her small, little kit. But I'm not a kit anymore, is that all she sees me as? The pale-gray she-cat lapped her tongue across Shadowpaw's forehead, his fur smoothing down. He actually liked getting cleaned by his mother, unlike his siblings.

"Come on Shadowkit!" Lightkit mewed enthusiastically, bouncing up and down with such excitement. "Can you be any slower? Come on Shadowkit!*

"Yeah Shadowkit, it's our apprentice ceremony!" Pouncekit's throat rumbled out a purr. "Oh, it's starting! Come on slow-mouse," Pouncekit lightly nudged the smaller kit with her shoulder. "We gotta go!"

"I—I'm coming! Wait for me!" Shadowkit squeaked, wriggling through Dovewing's tail, and poking through her soft tail. He stumbled across the main-clearing of the camp, clumsily tumbling across the dirt—

"Wait, wait for me!" He squealed through the clearing, his paws racing further down the main-clearing of the camp, his paw-pads splattering against the dirt beneath his paws. Suddenly; everything was drifting away. Pouncekit, Lightkit, Tigerstar, Dovewing…

He wasn't even a kit anymore; he was back as a medicine cat apprentice, his eyes were darkening as the darkness swallowed up all the brightness of the shimmering sun lighting of the sky. What kind of dream is this?

Hello, hello? Can you hear me? A voice. A strange voice as well, ringing through Shadowpaw's ears. It was raspy, and he felt uncomfortable as it murmured through his twitching ears.

I know you're there, Shadowpaw. "How do you know my name?* The small apprentice squeaked, a frightened expression washing all over his face. "Who are you?" Do not act so disrespectful to your ancestors, young apprentice. The mysterious cat hissed through his ears, sounding as if it was gritting its teeth. "I'm sorry! But I'm so glad you've finally came, I have so much to ask you—"

Yes, I understand. But I have a vision for you, a message from StarClan. A vision? But they've never been so direct with me… Shadowpaw glanced up at the blackened sky, his eyes squinting as the voice kept speaking through his head. This is important, so don't forget what I'm about to say.

"I won't, I promise!" Shadowpaw mewed, enthusiasm lighting up in his voice. What was the message StarClan had to give him, would it mean that the clans would be fine, and everyone was just overreacting about the weather?

" There are codebreakers amongst your ranks, " the voice yowled in a chilly, rasping tone that burned through Shadowpaw's ears. " You must stop them! Codebreakers! "

Suddenly, cats flashing through Shadowpaw's yellow eyes, which slowly rounded in fright as the images flashing kept going and going. It frightened Shadowpaw so much, he wanted to curl back into his nest in the medicine den where he belonged.

Lionblaze, Jayfeather… Squirrelflight…? That's Crowfeather I think, and that's… Alderheart? Mothwing? Wait, why Tree? The flashes of cats just slowed to warriors he couldn't recognize, it confused Shadowpaw so much.

But, one very recognizable cat at the end that flashed through his eyes, that he never wanted to see…

Dovewing.

YOU NEED TO PUNISH ALL OF THESE CODEBREAKERS! The voice yowled louder into Shadowpaw's ears, making the small tom flinch in pain. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST, THIS IS AN ORDER FROM STARCLAN. AND WE MEAN IT.

Shadowpaw raced through the main-clearing of the camp, his heart pounding against his chest in a panicked manner. His claws skidded across the earth as he dashed through the main-clearing, blood roaring through his ears.

He pushed himself through a bramble-twisted entrance, letting out gasps of soft breaths. He pricked his ears, gentle snoring ringing through his ears. Dovewing is asleep!

A large, dark brown tabby tom, was curled around his mossy-nest, with a smaller pale-gray she-cat curling beside him, her eyes closed. She was obviously drifting into dreams.

Shadowpaw slipped through the entrance, loose twigs poking against his dark gray pelt. He dragged his paws over to his father, his eyes filled with guilt and desperation and love and confusion and everything! He prodded the dark brown tabby with his muzzle, nudging the larger tom.

Tigerstar fluttered his eyes open, and pricked his head, whipping his head around the den. His eyes halted as they spotted Shadowpaw, and they turned from cautious to absolute love shining through his eyes.

"You're back," Tigerstar purred, his tail wrapped around Dovewing. "And you're okay! You're not dead! I've had so many terrible dreams about how you weren't going to be okay put there, and how I should've just left you and Puddleshine to stay in camp." He nuzzled his head affectionately over Shadowpaw's cheek. The small apprentice purred back.

"Father, I need to talk to you about something…" Shadowpaw meowed, shifting his paws nervously. "I've had a vision."

Tigerstar widened his eyes, lowering his head away from the young tom's cheek. "Explain the vision to me." He mewed, pricking his ears with interest, though his eyes were filled with worry. I can't really blame him though, leaf-bare has been really tough lately.

"I was standing in darkness, until the void faded into a normal dream. But, then suddenly, the dream was swallowed away by the darkness, and I trying to call out for my sisters… I suddenly heard a voice in my head, and it told me about how codebreakers are in our ranks, and that they must be punished.

"The cats that appeared in front of me were Squirrelflight, Crowfeather, Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Mothwing, Alderheart, Tree, and some others I didn't regocnize…" He paused for a moment, his sticking yellow eyes staring straight at Tigerstar's dull, weak eyes. "And then I saw mom."

Tigerstar widened his eyes, his fur bristling and his tail curled closer around his mate in protection. "That can't be true!" Tigerstar murmured.

Shadowpaw flattened his ears. Did he say the wrong thing, or did he say the right thing and Tigerstar was really angry about it. His stomach twisting in fear as his father's stern gaze rested on the young tom.

"Shadowpaw, you must promise me to never, ever , tell your mother about this. Got it?"

Shadowpaw hesitated, staring at the peaceful she-cat curled around Tigerstar, and sleeping with amazing dreams, probably.

"I promise."

Chapter Text

The sunlit through the dirt of the camp, the soft gorse that shrouded the corners of the entrance to the apprentices' den swept against the clumps of fern that was clamped together with the gorse. A pale-gray she-cat, with blue eyes, pushed herself through the clumps of gorse and fern that shrouded the apprentices den entrance, brambles brushing against the back of her fur.

Thriftpaw rolled her eyes at Bristlepaw, her pelt shook out with droplets of water flying out of her fur. "Took you long enough," she hissed, cuffing her paw across the pale-gray cat's ear. "Rosepetal's gonna claw your ears off!"

Bristlepaw let out a soft sigh as she felt the cool breeze rush through her fur, which whistled against the air. ThunderClan is more beautiful then ever, even in leaf-bare! Last night, when everyone was asleep and it was time for the half-moon meetings for the medicine cats, there was a huge blizzard, so the entrances to any dens had to be blocked by thicket bushes and brambles.

But, even after that, I won't give up on completing my apprentice duties. And being the best warrior in ThunderClan!

As she padded down the main-clearing of ThunderClan camp, she spotted Squirrelflight in the middle of three cats; Honeyfur, Leafshade, and Stemleaf. Oh, Stemleaf! She felt her heart burst into small butterflies fluttering through her chest, her claws digging into the earth as she kept staring at the tall white-and-orange tom.

When I'm a warrior, I'll even ask Stemleaf to be my mate! She thought determinedly. Maybe no kits, since I might have my own apprentice, and might become Squirrelflight's new deputy!

"You're looking at him again," Thriftpaw mewed, sounding as if she was stifling a snort of laughter. "I'm pretty sure Stemleaf likes—"

"Thriftpaw, Bristlepaw!" Hollytuft's hiss rang through the clearing, making Bristlepaw flinch back, and whipping her head toward the black she-cat.

Hollytuft was a huge, black she-cat, with sharp green eyes that pierced through Bristlepaw's pelt. "Flippaw is waiting for you," she hissed, gritting her teeth back to a snarl. "Come on. Your assessment is beginning."

Bristlepaw widened her eyes in astonishment. "My warrior assessment? I forgot about that!" A real warrior doesn't forget assessments! I'm such a mouse-brain! Bristlepaw closed her jaws shut, and quickly dipped her head. "Yes, Hollytuft." She mewed a bit solemnly. A real warrior respects the older warriors. She shoved that to the back of her head.

Thriftpaw affectionately nudged her sister's shoulder, her throat rumbling out a purr. "Race you to Flippaw!" She mewed playfully, quickly dashing down the main-clearing of the ThunderClan camp.

"You're on!" Bristlepaw yowled out, racing down the main-clearing, her claws skidding through the dirt, and the hard cool breeze darting through her soft fur.

Suddenly, Bristlepaw skidded to a halt, her heart thumping hard against her chest as she had thoughts whirling through her head. A real warrior doesn't act like a kit! She thought furiously, her claws digging into the earth with fury and frustration shining through her blue-eyes.

She dragged her paws down the main-clearing, her chest puffing out with her expression shifting to a more solemn approach. As she padded down the main-clearing, she turned her head over to the edges of the camp. There she spotted Dewnose, Blossomfall, and Sparkpelt picking their meal from the fresh-kill pile. Bristlepaw's mouth watered, but she quickly shook her head. I can have prey later.

She halted right beside a brown tabby tom, who curled his tail around his paws with a nervous expression.

"What took you so long?" Thriftpaw hissed beside her. "You usually win these races, you're so fast!" The she-cat furrowed her brows at Bristlepaw, making the pale-gray she-cat flatten her ears.

"I'll talk about it once we finish our assessment," Bristlepaw promised, whipping her head over at Thriftpaw. What's up with her? Why can't she act more serious, like me? A warrior doesn't play around like kits.

A lithe, dark cream she-cat sat in front of Bristlepaw, her tail curled around her paws. Her fur whistled against the cool breeze swishing through the main-clearing, and drifting over to the she-cat's fur. Rosepetal! The greatest mentor I could ever ask for. She is calm, content, and always finishes her warrior duties.

A ginger tabby she-cat laid beside Rosepetal with her paws tucked underneath her chest, twitching her nose as she seemed like she had scented prey, even with all of these clumps of snow laying around the undergrowth.

Hollytuft shook her pelt out, droplets of water flying off of her glossy, black fur. "Alright, are we ready?" She asked, her bright green-eyes drifting over at the calmer, more soft-looking, amber eyes of Rosepetal. "We have all of the apprentices."

The dark-cream she-cat dipped her head a nod. "I wish you three good luck." Rosepetal purred, turning her head over at Bristlepaw and her siblings. She could feel Flippaw flinch, his startled expression widened across his face. He was right on her left.

Thriftpaw dipped her head. "We won't let you down!" Her eyes shone with delight as she gazed up at Eaglewing, who had such an excited expression strickening across her face. "Especially you, Eaglewing." She added, her eyes glimmering brightly as the sunlit through her black pelt. She scrambled to her paws, puffing out her chest with a determined expression.

Bristlepaw drew her lips to a soft smile, her eyes gazing straight into Rosepetal's soft, amber eyes. "I won't let you down, I promise." She dipped her head respectfully at the senior warrior. Did I do it right?

The lithe dark cream she-cat nodded appreciatively at the pale-gray she-cat. "I know you won't," Rosepetal's throat rumbled out a purr. "You are destined to become a great warrior."

Bristlepaw lifted her head, her gaze frozen at the calm eyes of Rosepetal. Her expression shifted to a more determined one, and she puffed out her chest. I will keep that promise, and I'll never forget it.

"Come on, let's go!" Eaglewing purred, her tail brushing comfortingly against Thriftpaw's side as she noticed her apprentice's worried expression.

Yes, the moment I've been waiting for… She thought, the rumbles of her purrs becoming louder. I'm going to become a warrior!

Bristlepaw pricked her ears, the scuffling of a small mouse rang through, and she twitched her nose as the scent of mouse washed all over it. She crept alongside the endless line of bushes, leaves brushing against the side of her pelt. Snow crackled beneath her paws, which made her paws tremble slightly.

That blizzard must've made most of the prey hide, Bristlepaw thought, her fur prickling in irritation. And the blizzard is a reason why snow is everywhere… She slipped through a small gap between the leaves of a small thicket bush, wriggling as best as she could through the gap.

Suddenly, as she twitched her nose, she heard the close sounds of a small mouse squeaking through the oak-trees of ThunderClan territory. Not much, but I can hunt more.

Her eyes were frozen on the small mouse, blinking curiously as it weakly slipped across the small clearing. She crouched lower beneath the thicket bush, her claws flexing against the soft, damp snow. 

Then suddenly, she leaped forward, her forepaws stretching wide, claws aimed at the small prey. But the small mouse quickly spun away in panic, and scurried down the small clearing, and through the disappearing trees of the undergrowth.

Her forepaws dropped against the snow, her claws skidding across the ground. She lifted her head, her eyes staring through the disappearing trees. No, no! I can still hunt more, don't worry!

But bushes right behind her clattered gently, leaves swishing against the other pointy-leaves. Bristlepaw whipped her head toward the clattering bushes, her eyes filled with defeat and guilt, yet also irritation.

Rosepetal stood in front of Bristlepaw, flattening her ears across the back of her head. "I'm sorry, Bristlepaw, but you…" No, no, no, no, no! "Have failed your assessment."

"Flipclaw! Thriftear! Flipclaw! Thriftear!" The gathering cats chanted, excited tones in their voices as they all cheered for the newest warriors of ThunderClan.

Bristlepaw sat beside the bramble-filled entrance of the apprentices den, her eyes filled with jealousy, hatred, and sorrow. I should be happy for my siblings. They've worked hard to hunt for the clan. Flipclaw and Thriftear had passed the assessment when they had hunted three mice, and two squirrels.

That should've been me! I could've been with them, hearing all of my clanmates cheer for our new warrior names. Why couldn't Flipclaw or Thriftear fail instead of me ? This is so unfair!

Wait… what am I thinking? I should be there, cheering for my siblings' new names. I'm so selfish… She scrambled to her paws, her tail dropping low to the snow covered ground.

Wow, that was just wrong. A soft voice mewed through her head, making Bristlepaw widen her eyes. She sounded like a she-cat, though she squeaked like a kit, yet she sounded like an apprentice. Who are you? Am I going insane? I might need to ask Alderheart or Jayfeather for some poppy seeds.

  Oh, no. She mewed, her voice silky and smooth sounding, yet it still squeaked. I was just here, watching your siblings' warrior ceremony, when I noticed you sulking outside of the apprentices' den.

I should stop sulking. I need to cheer for my siblings before the meeting is over. Bristlepaw hissed, gritting her teeth back to a snarl. And you stay out of my head!

But don't you want your warrior name sooner? Bristlepaw widened her eyes, her head lifting up to glance up at the dull, misty clouded sky. You could?

Of course. The apprentice squeaked. Just follow my instructions, and you'll be passing your assessment in no time.

Chapter Text

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the tallrock for a clan meeting!"

Rootkit scrambled through the thorn-barriered entrance of the nursery, his stomach fizzing with excitement as he scampered down the main-clearing of camp impatiently. "Come on, Needlekit!" Rootkit spun his head toward the entrance, and exclaimed. "The ceremony is starting!"

He stared up at the brown tabby she-cat that yowled out the meeting call. Leafstar! She was the leader of SkyClan. Leafstar sat on a large-boulder that sat in the middle of the clearing, only a few tail-lengths away from Rootkit. The yellow tom's eyes shone with excitement as he thought who his mentor could be. 

As Rootkit hurried toward the Tallrock, another cat landed on top of him, carrying him off his paws and rolling him over on the pebbly surface of the camp floor. "Got you!"

Not again! Rootkit thought in annoyance, his paws wriggling through the snow, sending flurries of them over the cat's face. Her paws were white-tipped, with the rest of her paws being black-coated.

"Needlekit, get off me!" He chirped, wriggling himself through the slippery snow that coated his underbelly. He sprang to his paws, his brows furrowing as he whipped his head toward the black-and-white she-cat.

"What?" Needlekit tipped her head. She shook out her tail, which bushed out flurries of snow, and sat down with her tail curled around her paws.

Needlekit is so annoying! Ugh! He thought, flattening his ears across the back of his head. His eyes drifted over at the top of the massive boulder, which glittered as the sun dropped down and washed all over his yellow-pelt.

"Today, two kits are ready to become apprentices." Leafstar announced, making Rootkit puff his chest out as she said that. "Needlekit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you'll be known as Needlepaw. Your mentor will be Reedclaw. I hope she passes all she knows on to you."

Needlepaw bounded across the small clearing of warriors, and approached a small pale-ginger she-cat. Her eyes shone with joy, and she lifted her head forward to touch noses with Reedclaw.

"Rootkit, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Rootpaw. Your mentor will be Egg, I hope he passes all of his knowledge onto you."

From across the clearing, a loud mew rang through Rootpaw's ears. "That's a great choice," a large yellow tom spoke aloud. "I'm sure Egg will be a great mentor to my son." Rootpaw whipped his head over through the crowd of cats, and embarrassment washed all over his expression as he spotted his father, Tree.

"Why does he always have to make the moment embarrassing for me?!" Rootpaw hissed quietly. "Every cat probably thinks I'm weird like him!"

Needlepaw blinked at Rootpaw, her eyes glimmering as the sun dropped over her pelt. "He's just happy for us, Rootpaw." She mewed. "And, you're not the only one getting called weird."

"But you don't care about it like I do!" Rootpaw meowed. "He probably likes embarrassing me in front of everyone I meet." His claws sunk deep into the earth, furrowing his brows at the large yellow-tom.

"Rootpaw?" A sleek-furred, cream tom with long legs meowed out, his eyes gazing down at the smaller yellow tom. "We have to touch noses, if I remember correctly?"

Rootpaw felt embarrassment wash all over his stomach, flattening his ears as his green eyes gazed up at Egg. He lifted his head forward at the taller tom, and touched noses with him.

"Rootpaw! Needlepaw! Rootpaw! Needlepaw!"

"Meeting dismissed." Leafstar leaped down from the massive boulder, snow coating her paw-pads as she then padded down the main-clearing of SkyClan camp.

"So what are we doing first?" Needlepaw mewed, gazing up at the small pale-ginger she-cat. "Are we going to explore the territory? Train? Take ticks off the elders?" Anything but that! Rootpaw silently protested.

Reedclaw mrrowed a small chuckle. "We can explore the territory… But first we have to eat some fresh-kill," her tail flicked over to the twisting brambles that edged the fresh-kill pile. "I'm starving !" She turned her head over to Egg.

Rootpaw dipped his head a nod, lhis throat rumbling out a purr. That's great! I can eat fresh-kill first! He spun around, and scurried through the clearing, his paws crunching the snow beneath them. He forced his paws to halt, his claws skidding through the snow. His eyes gazed around the pile for good options, but his ears pricked as he heard a mew calling out his name.

"Hey, congrats on getting your apprentice names!" A dark red tom mewed, bounding over to Rootpaw to give a friendly shove. "You're one of us now."

Rootpaw ducked his head, a look of embarrassment on his face. "Thanks."

"Your mother looks really proud," Turtlepaw, a black tortoiseshell she-cat, added. Her eyes gazed at a black-and-white she-cat with soft, amber eyes as she stared down at the yellow tom. "Not so much as your father, though."

Rootpaw's happiness faded as his eyes spotted the larger yellow tom laying down with his paws tucked underneath his chest. His expression was of a curious, almost amused, detachment.

Isn't he proud of me? Doesn't he care that I'm finally an apprentice after all this time?

Her tone was also teasing, but the comment pierced Rootpaw's heart like a thorn, all the sharper because he was thinking exactly the same thing. His fur bristled with indignation.

"Hey, Tree's proud of us!" Needlepaw hissed, her fur bristling in defence of the large tom. "He's just has a funny way of showing it!"

Turtlepaw raised an eyebrow. "Keep your fur on," she mewed. "I was just joking. You have to admit, your father is weird."

Rootpaw furrowed his brows at the taller apprentice, his claws digging into the snow, which pierced coldly across his sharp claws. Stop saying that! Stop it!

"Weird is good!" Needlepaw hissed, her fur prickling in fury. "Tree's the best cat in the forest, he's the mediator of SkyClan! That's a very important role here! He can settle clan disputes, and he can help Leafstar—"

"Okay, calm down!" Turtlepaw mewed, her tail bushing as she glared down at Needlepaw. "He hasn't done that though, has he?" Kitepaw added, his expression smug as he gazed down at the small yellow tom.

"That's because there hasn't been any quarrels!" Rootpaw retorted. "We're at peace with the other clans. And we have Tree to thank for that."

"If you say so," Turtlepaw hunched her shoulders a shrug, which made Needlepaw glare up at the tortoiseshell with her fur bristled. "Come on, let's go make your new nests so you can sleep in your new den!"

Rootpaw relaxed a little, his fur slightly smoothing across his back; but only slightly . He was frustrated with the two apprentices for teasing about his father. He dragged his paws down the main-clearing, his paw-pads feeling the crunchy texture of the snow beneath his paws.

He slipped through the main-clearing, widened his eyes as the songs of birds chirping through the undergrowth rang through his ears. Soon I'll get to climb trees to hunt birds! He thought, excitement buzzing through his stomach.

He skidded to a halt, Egg looking down at him right beside Rootpaw. "When you're done with that, meet me and Reedclaw right by the camp entrance," he instructed. "We're going to explore the territories later."

Rootpaw drew his lips to a soft smile, and ducked his head a nod. "I'll tell Needlepaw once we're done." He promised.

Rootpaw bounded across the camp, heading after the three apprentices approaching the den.

Rootpaw dropped himself beside the fresh-kill pile, munching on a piece of rabbit he took a bite from. Him and Needlepaw were done making nests for themselves, and they were now eating fresh-kill since they didn't get to back then. Rootpaw had told Needlepaw that their mentors needed them, and we're right by the camp entrance. Needlepaw dropped her head down at her mouse, and ripped out a piece, beginning to chew on it. "I can't wait! I need to finish this quickly!" She muffled through her food.

Rootpaw spotted Tree, who leaped to his paws, and dragged his paws down the main-clearing of the camp. There he had to pass the large entrance to the nursery, which was guarded by thorns edging around the entrance. Bellaleaf, a ginger she-cat, drowsily laid down on her nest, where Wrenkit was snuggled up right beside her. Rootpaw noticed when Tree passed by, Bellaleaf flinched, her paws trembling, with her tail pressing closer to the dark brown kit. She gave a hostile green glare at the large yellow tom, gritting her teeth to a snarl. Wrenkit dropped his body lower beneath Bellaleaf's tail.

I know what that's about! Rootpaw thought, stifling a groan.

Tree padded down the camp, his paws were soaked with trickles of snow, and his underbelly was coated with tons of snow poking out of it. He halted right in front of the fresh-kill pile… and right in front of Rootpaw and Needlepaw…

"Apprentice's already, huh," Tree remarked as he sat down in front of them, his tail curled around his paws. His eyes gazed around the fresh-kill pile, scanning for a juicy piece of  prey.

"Yeah, and it's great!" Needlepaw purred, lifting her tail up at the sky. "Reedclaw is so nice, and really fits me!" Does Egg fit me because he has a name like Tree?

"That's nice." He paused, gazing blankly for a moment as if he was hesitating. "And don't forget what I told you about fighting foxes."

"Yes!" Needlepaw gave a small mrrow of laughter. "Don't!"

Tree picked up a small vole from the fresh-kill pile, making Rootpaw flatten his ears with embarrassment as he thought of Kitepaw and Turtlepaw, teasing him about his father. He felt the twisting brambles tremble against the side of his pelt as Tree lifted his head away from the fresh-kill pile.

Tree spun his head at Rootpaw, who ducked his head down, his paws beneath his chin. "What's the matter?" He asked.

"Nothing," Rootpaw mewed, lifting his head up, and lowering it down to rip out a piece of the small rabbit beneath his paws. Except for the fact that Kitepaw and Turtlepaw might be watching right now…

Needlepaw nudged Rootpaw softly with her shoulder. "I know what's up," she murmured through his ear. "Go on, tell him." She wrapped her tail around the yellow tom, attempting to comfort the young apprentice.

Rootpaw let out a small sigh, his ears pinning down across the back of his head. "It's just… The way Wrenkit looks at you." He lifted his head, his eyes frozen at the larger yellow tom. "You shouldn't have told her about her dead littermates, she's still a kit, and what you said freaked her out."

Tree widened his eyes, pain edging his blue pupils. "I thought it helped," he mewed softly, half to himself. "I thought she'd like to know that her littermates are still here, watching her. Until they left to go to StarClan."

Rootpaw flattened his ears, furrowing his brows at his father. His ears pricked as he heard the faint mew of Reedclaw, yowling; "Rootpaw, Needlepaw, come on! We have to go!" He scrambled to his paws, whipping his head over at Needlepaw. 

"Come on, we gotta go." Rootpaw mewed impatiently, nudging the smaller she-cat's shoulder with his paw.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming!" Needlepaw protested, springing to her paws with excitement shining through her bright amber-eyes.

Rootpaw scrambled to his paws, shaking drops.of dew from his pelt. Strands of mist still shrouded through the trees, and the grass was filled with moisture. Not the best way for Egg to show me his fighting moves!

Two days had passed since Needlepaw and Rootpaw had been made apprentices, and he'd had been excited when they were told at dawn that they were going to train outside with his sister. But it hadn't been going as he'd hoped.

"Let's try that again!" Egg mewed, nervousness twitching in his mew. This is his first time training an apprentice! "And remember what I told you. If a cat has you pinned down, the best way to escape is to go limp, letting your opponent think you've given up… And then explode out of their grip! As fast as you can! Okay?"

"O—okay!" Rootpaw crouched low on the damp grass, his underbelly soaking against the moisture of dew. He leaped forward at Egg, who quickly sprang out of the way. Rootpaw skidded through the grass as his paws landed on the earth, forcing his claws tucked in.

Egg sprang his long hind-legs upward, and leaped forward at the small yellow tom. His paws quickly shoved against Rootpaw's flank, and Rootpaw's paws scrambled away from the grass as he landed onto the grass right on his side. His paws scrabbled across the grass, his fur bristling as he attempted to wriggle away from Egg's grasp.

"Rootpaw, remember what I taught you." Egg hissed, his tail lashing against the soft breeze with an annoyed expression stricken across his face. "Come on!"

Rootpaw let himself go limp, his paws were frozen on the grass. His eyes drifted over at Egg, drawing his lips to an excited smile. His mentor's grip loosened, so Rootpaw spun his body around, and leaped upward at Egg. Though his paws slipped clumsily across the tom. Though Egg's paws slipped, skidding through the moisture of the dew, and fell down on his flank. Rootpaw shoved his paw down against Egg's chest, his throat rumbling out a small purr.

"That was good… But you hesitated, and your opponent would have clawed your throat already." The sleek-furred cream tom mewed. Rootpaw shifted his paws, embarrassment washing all over his expression. "And you should remember to trap your opponents legs so they don't pin you back down. You were also clumsy, so make sure to get your leap right.

He felt even worse as he heard a triumphant yowl echoing across the undergrowth. He spun his head over to the leaf-scarced shrubs that shrouded the entrance of the clearing, and spotted Kitepaw and Turtlepaw training with their mentors; Sunnypelt for Kitepaw, and Blossomheart for Turtlepaw. Turtlepaw was leaping and twisting in the air, knocking Kitepaw down as his side skidded through the snow. She had raked her paws across his throat, and when she did, Kitepaw and the tortoiseshell let out mrrows of laughter.

I'll never be able to do that! Rootpaw thought miserably, shifting his paws across the open clearing where grass appeared.

"That's enough training, you did great Needlepaw!" Rootpaw spun his head over at Reedclaw, who brushed her tail across his sister's side. That's not fair! "You and Egg can try again tomorrow, I'm sure you'll be amazing at it." Reedclaw dipped her head at Rootpaw.

Rootpaw felt embarrassment tingle in his stomach. Needlepaw could do it while I was terrible at it? He thought, jealousy twisting through his stomach as he gazed over at the other clearing, where Sunnypelt and Blossomheart were praising their apprentices.

Needlepaw padded across the clearing, and nudged Rootpaw's shoulder affectionately with her muzzle. "It's okay," she murmured. "You'll get it someday."

Rootpaw flattened his ears, his claws sinking into the earth. He scrambled to his paws, and he dragged his paws down the clearing, and pushed himself through the shrubs, twigs brushing against the side of his fur. He pricked his ears, hearing Needlepaw scrambling after him. His paws crunched the snow beneath them, and halted, sitting down with his tail curled around his paws.

"We could practice!" Needlepaw purred. She sat beside Rootpaw, curling her tail around him in an attempt to comfort the young tom. "You can try to explode from my pin."

"No thanks," Rootpaw murmured. "Thanks for caring though."

"You didn't even remember to do that," Turtlepaw's voice broke into the conversation, bounding over to the two apprentices. Needlepaw's fur bristled, her tail bushed out. "You can't wriggle away from a cat's grasp, and you have to be sure you don't brace your muscles before you leap. You were pretty clumsy."

Rootpaw gave a nod of thanks, but suddenly Turtlepaw mewed another suggestion.

"Or StarClan set you down on another path in clan life," she added, a shimmer of malice in her green eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Needlepaw hissed, her neck-fur bristling even more. "What are you saying about my brother?" Rootpaw felt joy flutter through his stomach as his sister defended him.

"Maybe the reason you're having such a hard time is because you're not meant to be a warrior. You're meant to be a cat who talks to ghosts . You're probably only good at that," Turtlepaw gritted her teeth to a sharp grin, twitching her whiskers in amusement as Needlepaw flexed her short claws in fury.

Fury swelled inside Rootpaw's stomach, his paws trembling as he stifled his claws to unsheathe. "Don't talk to me like that!"

"Or else what?" Kitepaw taunted him.

"Or else I'll claw your ears off!" Rootpaw took a pace forward, making Needlepaw hop after him.

"Rootpaw, you should stop, I think this is what they want…" Needlepaw murmured through his ear. Didn't you want to claw Turtlepaw's ears off?! "Rootpaw, we should just tell Reedclaw or Egg about this—"

  "Hey!" Turtlepaw shouldered her way between the two toms, glaring down at Kitepaw. "You two will get in trouble for fighting. And it's not like you'll win," she added sneeringly to Rootpaw.

Needlepaw's claws unsheathed, her tail puffed out with fury shone in her eyes. "You take that back!" She growled, her fur bristling and her ears flattening across the back of her head.

Even with his sister's defence, that mockery stripped his heart like a piercing thorn. He couldn't control himself, so he leaped forward at the black tortoiseshell she-cat, his claws flexing with his fur bristling as he stretched his forepaws at the she-cat's face.

"Rootpaw!" Needlepaw's squeak was filled with worry as Turtlepaw side-stepped out of the young tom's way, which made his paws shoved against the snow, sending flurries of them across the air. "Rootpaw, stop! You're going to get hurt!"

"You should listen to the little she-cat," Turtlepaw hissed, sitting beside the smaller black-and-white apprentice. "She's just like you, too weak to defend herself." Leave my sister out of this! He thought protectively, yowling as he scrambled to his paws, and raced over to the taller she-cat.

"I will become a strong warrior!" He insisted. "I'll be important to the clan! I'm not weird!" I'm not like Tree! He added silently.

The two apprentices exchanged a knowing look.

"Okay, if you want to prove yourself, maybe you could help us." Turtlepaw mewed, curling her tail around her paws as she still sat beside Needlepaw.

"Rootpaw, no! Don't listen to these mouse-brains! They made fun of us!" She squeaked out, a twitch of worry edging her mew. "And don't you want to practice with me?"

Rootpaw felt guilt rising through his stomach, his paws shifting and flattening his ears as he thought of Needlepaw, and then practicing together. But that's the only way I can prove myself to them. He turned his head over to Turtlepaw. "What do I have to do?"

"There's an expedition down at the lake," Turtlepaw replied. "There are supposed to be herbs down there that Frecklewish and Fidgetflake need for their stores. If we can get some, we'll show our mentors that we're ready to be warriors—maybe even get our warrior names! Are you coming with us?"

"Sure I am!" Rootpaw responded.

"Rootpaw, please, listen to me!" Needlepaw pleaded. "You can't do this, what if they're leading you to danger? I'm worried for you, please don't do this…"

Rootpaw felt a pang of guilt swell inside his stomach, and also a worm of uncertainty crawling through his chest. But I want to prove myself so I can become the best warrior ever! "I don't care." Rootpaw mewed, gazing into the soft amber eyes of Needlepaw, which had a bright shine of sorrow. "This is our chance to prove ourselves, Needlepaw! Don't you want that?" Rootpaw quickly tried to assure the she-cat.

Needlepaw furrowed her mouth to a small scowl, shifting her paws nervously. "Alright, fine… But I'm only coming because I'm worried for you!"

Turtlepaw drew her lips to a smile as she glanced down at the small black-and-white she-cat. She scrambled to her paws, her pelt shook out with trickles of snow flying out of her soft tortoiseshell fur.

"Okay, let's go." Kitepaw ordered.

Rootpaw followed the reddish-brown tom down the snowy-undergrowth, snow filling the small leaves of the oak-trees. He slipped through the snow, pacing faster down the undergrowth as he spotted Kitepaw and Turtlepaw way ahead of them. Needlepaw paced faster beside Rootpaw, panting heavily as she approached the yellow tom. Rootpaw skidded to a halt, his green eyes shimmered as the sunlit down onto the snow ground, and absorbed over his pelt.

The lake was massive, and gray-filled wastes of water lay around the lakeshore. The sunlit down onto the lake, which ice had filled all across the lake, other than the edges of the icy-watered lake. He felt his paws shiver slightly as he felt the snow washing over his claws.

"Are you a scaredy-mouse?" Turtlepaw taunted the small tom, nudging him playfully with her shoulder.

"Am not!" Rootpaw hissed, his fur bristling. "It's just cold!"

Needlepaw halted right beside Rootpaw, gritting her teeth to a snarl at the black tortoiseshell. "Yeah, he's not scared!" She hissed, her short claws flexing threateningly.

Turtlepaw hunched her shoulders and shrugged. "Sure you are." She retorted, furrowing her brows.

Needlepaw scowled, her paws dragging backward, her claws scraping against the snow with her eyes sparked with threat. "Stop it!" She hissed, her fur puffed out as she paced forward toward Turtlepaw.

However, he was actually scared of the frozen-coated lake. Though he'd rather die than admit it to the other older apprentices. Rootpaw couldn't help but feel daunted when the four apprentices emerged from the trees and stood on top of the bank of the frozen lake, the ice sticking to his paw-pads, making him quiver as it felt so shivery. A gray waste of water lay in front of him, whipped into waves as the icy-wind swept on top of it. At the water's edge the gray shifted slowly to white as the lake froze.

"Alright, let's go find those herbs." Turtlepaw mewed, dragging her paws down the frozen-lake, the ice sticking softly to her paw-pads. "Needlepaw, come with me." She ordered, making Needlepaw flatten her ears.

"But—" Needlepaw stammered, her head whipping over to the young yellow tom. "I—I need to make sure you're safe…" She paused. "And I don't want to gather herbs with her ."

"I'll be fine," Rootpaw mewed, brushing the tip of his tail across Needlepaw's flank. "And maybe we'll get to become friends with them after a while." He nudged his smaller sister's shoulder with his muzzle. "Now go, stay safe."

Needlepaw's throat rumbled out a purr. "Alright, be careful, and make sure to stay safe…" She spun away from the taller yellow tom, and bounded after the black tortoiseshell she-cat.

He flattened himself to the ground when Needlepaw had padded off onto the frozen lake, along with Turtlepaw. He crept through a small, thorn-ridden shrub, smoothing his bristling fur as he twitched his nose to sniff for the herbs.

"What are you doing?" Kitepaw hissed, squinting his eyes down at the smaller yellow tom. "We haven't told you what the herb was, so how're you going to find it?"

Another hot wave of embarrassment flooded over his stomach, and he scrambled to his paws, and whipped himself over to Kitepaw. "All you ever do is mock!" Rootpaw hissed, his fur bristling in fury. "I was only trying to be helpful!"

The reddish-brown tom wrinkled his nose, scowling with his brows furrowing. "Hey, calm down," he mewed. "I was only teasing you. Can't you take a little joke? What sort of warrior will you be like if you get angry over a little tease?"

Rootpaw dug his paws deep into the snow, his neck fur bristling as he glared up at the reddish-brown tom. He wanted nothing more than to hurl himself at Kitepaw, and swipe his muzzle clean so he couldn't talk anymore.

He probably enjoyed seeing me getting beaten and made fun of by Turtlepaw! He probably loves seeing me getting embarrassed by my father always coming along to make the moment awkward, and to make kits scared!

Rootpaw felt his paws grow weaker and weaker as his mouth widened a frown. I give up, I'm probably going to be the worst warrior in the clan anyway. He turned around, and with a defeated expression, he dragged his paws over to the trees, hoping to disappear into the undergrowth and back to camp.

"That's right, run back to camp and sneak back into the nursery! Go cry to your mother about how horrid cats we are!" Turtlepaw taunted from the frozen-lake, making Rootpaw's heart burst with furious rage.

"You are horrid cats!" Needlepaw hissed, and when Rootpaw whipped his head back to the small she-cat that was on the icy-coated lake, she had bristled her fur with fury blazed in her amber eyes. "Leave Rootpaw alone! Stop bullying him!"

Rootpaw yowled in rage, racing toward Kitepaw, who was right in front of him. The older apprentice widened his blue eyes, and leaped out of the way, his claws skidding through the snow. Rootpaw was leaping forward on him, but because of that dodge, he landed down on his flank onto the icy-watered lake.

"Rootpaw!" Needlepaw yowled, worried and feared panic edging her tone.

"I'll show you I can be a warrior!" Rootpaw hissed, his claws scraping against the icy-cold water. Suddenly; he widened his green eyes, cracks below his paws rang through his ears. Suddenly; the ice below the young tom broke, and he plunged down into the ice-coated water.

The last thing he heard before he plunged into the lake-water, was Needlepaw yowling out his name in fear and panic as the tom fell into the water. Bubbles formed from his mouth as he opened his jaws, and then snapped them shut. Is this how I die?

He gazed up at the large, widened gap in the roof of the stone-cold, icy coated lake, and noticed the black-and-white form of Needlepaw turning toward Turtlepaw and Kitepaw to yowl at them, muffled angry yowls rang through Rootpaw's ears.

Suddenly, a wavering form of a pale-gray cat plunged into the widened gap, and paddled thier paws as swiftly as they could after Rootpaw. Who is that…? He thought, blood roaring through his ears as he felt pain filling his nostrils.

The pale-gray cat clamped their jaws between Rootpaw's scruff, and turned themselves upward as they quickly paddled up into the widened gap that was cracked in the middle of the ice coated lake that was in the middle of the territories.

Suddenly, he let in a gasp of breath as they burst out of the gap, and the pale-gray cat quickly scrabbled their claws on top of the ice. They managed to reach the surface of the lake, and they quickly padded down the frozen-lake, and toward the snowy undergrowth that shrouded the lake. They ducked their head down gently, and opened their jaws to let the small tom's scruff go.

"Who… are you…?" He managed to rasp out a mew, but before letting out a few coughs, where splutters of icy-water flew out of his mouth. "Am I in StarClan…?"

"No, you're still alive you rabbit-brained idiot!" The pale-gray she-cat hissed. "And like I'd tell my name to a SkyClan apprentice." She shook her pelt out, ripples of water flying out of her fluffy fur, and onto Rootpaw's face.

"Oh, Rootpaw! You're okay!" Needlepaw raced over to the taller yellow tom, and nuzzled her head against his fur. "I—I thought you were going to die! I thought I'd lose my only friend and the best brother I could have in the whole clan—"

"I—it's okay, I'm fine." He rasped, lapping his tongue across the back of her ear weakly.

"We need to get you to the medicine cat! I'll get Reedclaw or Fringewhisker! Just stay put!" Needlepaw whipped her head over to the pale-gray she-cat. "And thank you so much for saving him! You're probably the best warrior in your clan!" She then slipped impatiently through the undergrowth, sending flurries of snow across the ThunderClan warriors pelt.

So this mysterious cat is ThunderClan… He thought. He turned his head over to the right-edges of the frozen lake, and spotted Turtlepaw and Kitepaw, sitting beside each other with the look of terrified expressions on their faces.

"What happened here?!" The pale-gray she-cat growled, gritting her teeth at the two smaller apprentices compared to her size. "What did you two do?!"

"We were finding herbs down at the lake for Frecklewish and Fidgetflake, with Needlepaw and that apprentice you saved." Turtlepaw murmured softly, nervousness twitching in her mew. That's not the Turtlepaw I know. "We were teasing him… and he got angry, so he lunged after Kitepaw, but he dodged and Rootpaw landed on the lake. But suddenly, it broke, and he fell into the water."

"You know you shouldn't tease apprentices to the point of them attacking you!" The ThunderClan she-cat scolded, baring her teeth at the two apprentices. "And you ," She whipped her head over to Rootpaw. "Even a kit would know better than to never fight your own clanmate! Let alone fight them on ice !" Rootpaw felt guilt twisting around his stomach.

"I'm sorry," he muttered under his breath, flattening his ears in guilt.

"Sorry isn't going to cut this!" She hissed. "I'll just let your mentors decide what to do with you once you've recovered." The pale-gray she-cat approached a small patrol, whose scent was filled with ThunderClan. One was a white-and-orange tom, another a large, muscled, golden tom, and some other cats he couldn't recognize.

The trees clattered against the leaves as pawsteps rang through Rootpaw's ears, with the shrubs that shrouded the trees drifting against the bark of the tree trunks. Six cats pushed themselves through the shrubs, leaves sticking to their pelts, and twigs poking out from their tails.

The patrol had Needlepaw, Reedclaw, Frecklewish, Sunnypelt, Blossomheart, and… Egg…

The sleek-furred cream tom dipped his head down to glance down at the yellow tom, and furrowed his brows with disappointment sparking through his eyes. Rootpaw winced, wrapping his tail closer around himself.

But I'm not dead… thanks to that she-cat from ThunderClan…

Chapter Text

Grassheart's body trembled uncontrollably, her head jerking as she gagged out a few coughs out of her mouth. The pale-brown she-cat dropped her head onto the nest beneath her paws, whimpering softly. She blinked around the medicine den clearing, her tail flicking closer across the moss nest beneath her, and over to herself.

"It's not greencough yet ," Shadowpaw mewed, though he felt fright twisting around his heart. "I'll go get some feverfew for your cough, and poppy seeds to ease the pain." Shadowpaw forced his paws to halt as he spun away, his claws skidding through the dirt.

"Shadowpaw, is it true you've had a message from StarClan?" Puddleshine asked, standing in front of the small dark gray-tabby. "Why didn't you tell anyone about it?"

Shadowpaw flattened his ears, feeling guilt wash over his amber eyes. "Y—yes, but I was too impatient to tell anyone. I thought that I had to tell Tigerstar before you." He swallowed. "Did you discuss the message with Tigerstar? Is that how you know about it?"

Puddleshine dipped his head a nod. "This is remarkable, Shadowpaw!" He praised, his eyes shone with desperate joy. "We have to tell everyone at the gathering that StarClan is still here, with us!"

The gathering is only a half-moon away, Shadowpaw thought nervously, curling his tail around his paws. What if no one believes me? Of course they wouldn't; I'm just a medicine cat apprentice. He pricked his ears, the sounds of struggling coughs came out of Grassheart's mouth.

"The supply on catmint is low, by the way. We have to send at least a patrol to find some." Shadowpaw replied to Puddleshine, flattening his ears as he realized that must've ruined his mentor's good mood.

"Don't worry, I'll ask Tigerstar to send a patrol." Puddleshine mewed solemnly, his frown strickening widely across his face. "With this terrible leaf-bare, and possibly another blizzard coming, we should even be cautious about whitecough. Who knows what would happen?"

Shadowpaw nodded a thank, and scrambled to his paws. He watched as Puddleshine pushed himself through the gorse that shrouded the corners of the entrance, brambles brushing against the back of the brown tom's fur. The small tabby tom let out a small sigh, he spun around, and padded off to the herb storage. The herbs were sorted neatly in the storage, which made Shadowpaw's throat rumble out a small purr.

He sniffed around the mouths in the dirt-filled walls of the den, and then pricked his ears as he scented the tangy smell of feverfew. He picked a few clumps of feverfew, and turned toward the nests that filled half of the den.

I love my life as a medicine cat… But what if I'm the reason StarClan is hard to contact? He flattened his ears. What if Puddleshine suspects that, and I have to go train as a warrior and live in the apprentices den…? Or worse! I become a prisoner of this clan!

He shook his head, blinking rapidly, his amber eyes glittering as the sunlit through the gaps between the leaves that roofed the den. He skidded to a halt, the cool texture of the dirt soaking against his claws.

"Here, Grassheart." Shadowpaw mewed gently, his voice was filled with warmth and he felt worrisome rise through his stomach, and through his chest. He opened his jaws, which made the feverfew drop down onto the nest.

The brown she-cat opened her jaws around the feverfew, and clamped it between her jaws. She bit down onto the feverfew, her paws trembling weakly. She chewed extremely slowly, her teeth clenching onto the juices of the feverfew. I can't blame her, she's probably trying her best.

"Thank you, Shadowpaw…" She rasped out as she swallowed the stem-looking herb. "I feel only slightly better…" She wrapped her tail closely around herself, flattening her ears as she kept gazing up at the small dark-gray tabby. "How are my kits; Flowerstem, Snaketooth, and Whorlpelt…?"

"They're doing great, Grassheart," Shadowpaw assured the pale brown tabby she-cat. "They are great warriors of ShadowClan." He curled his tail closely around Grassheart's soft, round tabby tail, brushing his own tail against hers. He scrambled to his paws, gazing down at the pale-brown tabby. "I'll get you the poppy seeds now," He dipped his head at the she-cat. "Sorry for delaying it…"

"It's alright, Shadowpaw…." Grassheart rasped out, drawing her lips to a soft smile as she watched the younger tom bound across the main-clearing of the medicine den.

Shadowpaw wriggled through the clumps of gorse that shrouded the corners of the medicine den entrance. His fur was filled with a few leaves splattered along his flank, which made him shake out his pelt in annoyance. He purred, leaves scattering out of his dark-gray tabby fur.

He padded down the main-clearing of ShadowClan camp, his ears pricked as the birds chirruped through the undergrowth, the shrivelled up leaves of the pine-trees fluttered down onto the camp clearing. He halted, blinking straightforwardly in sudden interest.

Cloverfoot was in the middle of the main-clearing, with a few cats gathered around the gray tabby she-cat. "Berryheart, Yarrowtail, and Scorchfur; go on a hunting patrol by the SkyClan border." She whipped the tip of her tail. The three cats spun away toward the edge of the camp-clearing, and scampered off, down the clearing.

A brown-and-white tabby she-cat paced forward after Cloverfoot, and halted as she was right in front of her. "We've heard Puddleshine needs catmint, and wants to send out a patrol," Sunbeam mewed, her fluffy tail puffed out. "Could Lightleap, Blazefire, and I go?"

The gray tabby she-cat's ears pricked up, her eyes widened in surprise. "Fine then. You can go search around the greenleaf twolegplace. If you can't find any, search around the RiverClan border or the twoleg path."

Shadowpaw widened his eyes as he searched Sunbeam's brown gaze, which was filled with a glimmer of… Something as she stared at the orange-and-white tabby tom that was Blazefire. Weird, Shadowpaw thought, shifting his paws across the snowy ground beneath his paws.

Shadowpaw spun around, his paws were suddenly trembling below him. He suddenly felt a pang of pain rising through his stomach, his eyes widening as suddenly, saliva appeared from his mouth. He didn't have time to think, it was impossible to think. He slipped down onto his back, his paws twitching across the snow.

"Everyone, stay out of his way!" He could hear Puddleshine's worried murmur that rang through everyone's ears. The brown tom carefully padded down the main-clearing, the crunching of snow ringing through Shadowpaw's ears.

Shadowpaw could feel the older tom nudge him gently with his muzzle, his body rolling across the snow, and onto his side, his flank brushing against the trickles of snow. Puddleshine quickly paced backward, worry clouding his blue gaze.

He couldn't see anything anymore, mist shrouding around his amber gaze. But he could feel something soft sliding under the side of his head. A nest…? He finally could let out a thought. He could feel the warm fur of Puddleshine brushing against the side of his fur, rasping his tongue across his apprentice's side gently.

His paws trembled, darkness surrounded the small tom, misting around his dark-gray pelt. He fluttered his eyes open, his eyes drifting across the dark void. Pain quaked across his legs, making him wince in pain. The darkness was swarming around the young tom's eyes, making him narrow it down into slits.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" He yowled out, springing to his paws as he felt a massive pang of fright enter through his chest all over to his stomach. His gaze searched across the almost soothing darkness that grew around the small tom. The sudden darkness suddenly faded into a large cavern that widened across the clearing. A waterfall rippled across a small pool, which brightened as the half-moon lit the gap in the roof of the cavern.

The moonpool!

The moon was slashed in half, and was glimmering down onto the moonpool, which brightened against the moon lighting it up. Shadowpaw blinked down at the pool, his paws trembling as the moon drifted across the widened gap right above the moonpool. Suddenly, the pool brightened lighter, and kept shimmering extremely bright, until the clearing was filled with pale-blue light brightening across the cavern.

Shadowpaw suddenly fluttered his eyes open, pain aching across every one of his paws. The clearing was filled with cats, and they were murmuring quietly to each other's ears.

"Shadowpaw," the young dark tabby whipped his head up, and spotted the brown, with white splotches pelt of Puddleshine, whose blue gaze was misted with concern and fright. "Are you okay?"

"Wh—what happened?" Shadowpaw rasped, his head lifting up from the soft, comfortable moss jest beneath his chin, which was decorated with red feathers poking across the moss, and quail feathers. "Tigerstar? Dovewing?" He turned his head across the crowd, but all he could spot was the panicked expression of Dovewing pushing herself through the crowd of cats.

Dovewing slowed her pace as she reached the smaller tom, her ears twitching uncomfortably, and her expression shifting to a more panicked state. "Oh, you're okay!" Her throat rumbled out a purr, shoving her head affectionately against her son's flank.

"Dovewing, he's just had a seizure, I suggest staying away from him until he calms down." Puddleshine flicked the tip of his tail at Dovewing's muzzle, making her lift her head away from the small tom reluctantly.

Shadowpaw's mind was racing, thoughts whirling all over his head; but one stood out. What was that vision?

Chapter Text

Bristlepaw flexed her forepaws to bring feeling into them as she paused in the middle of the snow clearing, splatters of snowflakes washing over her pads. She surveyed the moonlit oak-trees, their leaves brightening a soft shade of blue-green. Wind direction… uneven ground… focus… this time I'll catch something for sure! She forced the instructions into her head, but thoughts whirled around her mind uncontrollably.

The pale-gray she-cat opened her mouth to taste the air, her ears pricked up for the slightest of clatters through the trees of the undergrowth, or the gorse bushes that lined evenly beside the tall trees. Suddenly, she picked up a small scent of a mouse, only to be washed away by the cool, nightly breeze whistling through the leaves of the oak-trees.

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong!" Bristlepaw's throat rumbled a low, annoyed growl. "I followed your instructions, and yet I can't smell any squirrel or vole!" Her head slumped down between her shoulders.

Rosepetal, who sat beside the pale-gray she-cat, rested her tail-tip briefly on Bristlepaw's shoulder, a pitiful look on her face. "It's okay. Prey has been getting scarce anyway, so it's not your fault." She explained irritably patiently. "And you'll get it perfectly soon; every cat learns at their own pace."

"But you don't understand!" Bristlepaw leaped up to her paws, which were coated with the white snow. "I was doing great at training so far! I've been hunting better than Spotfur as an apprentice! And suddenly, when my warrior assessment comes along, I can't even hunt a scrawny mouse ?! What is wrong with me?"

"But it's not your fault," Rosepetal reassured. "Sure, Thriftear and Flipclaw have hunted plenty of squirrels and mice, but hunting has been getting more and more terrible lately." She let out a small sigh. "Let's get back to camp, it's getting late."

"No! I can practice more, just give me a few more—" She suddenly closed her jaws, her eyes drifting across the snowy-undergrowth. Clumps of snow lay on the shrivelled leaves of the oak-trees, and the moon was lifting high above the clouds, lighting up the trees of the undergrowth.

"Okay." Bristlepaw reluctantly sighed, her tail drooping down onto the cool snow as she followed Rosepetal down to the stone hollow. Ugh! That apprentice promised me that she could help with my assessment! And guess what? Nothing has been happening for the past half-moon!

As the two cats emerged from the thorn bushes that guarded the gorse tunnel to the camp, she spotted Thriftear and Flipclaw bounding across the clearing and over to their sister.

It felt awkward being taller than her siblings, who had their warrior names earlier than her. And of course, I have to be reminded of the time I failed my assessment when I see them around. She furrowed her brows at the black she-cat who skidded to a halt in front of Bristlepaw, as well as the smallest of the siblings, Flipclaw.

"Bristlepaw, guess what! Thriftear caught two mice today!" Flipclaw's throat rumbled out a purr.

"It was just luck, you nearly caught a vole." Thriftear mewed, though her eyes shone as she tried and failed to hide how proud she was. Yeah, sure. Boast about how better you guys are.

"I was mousebrained," Flipclaw confessed, lowering his head down as his eyes drifted slowly over to the pale-gray she-cat. "I messed up my pounce. Sorrelshine didn't get angry though, she understood."

"That's… great…" Bristlepaw hissed through gritted teeth. She wanted to be proud of Thriftear for hunting that much prey for their clan in this harsh leaf-bare, but the misery that twisted around her stomach, and the jealousy that mingled around her, just made her feel furious.

"Bristlepaw? Are you okay?" Thriftear asked, tipping her head curiously. "You look angry. Is it because we got our warrior names before you?"

Fury blazed like bursting fire through Bristlepaw's eyes, her claws sinking into the earth, with snow filling on her white claws. "I'm not angry, I'm proud! Congratulations."

She headed farther down the camp, glaring down at the snow that crunched beneath her paws. I should be proud of them. I should be happy they got their warrior names. What is wrong with me? Flipclaw and Thriftear were close behind her, concerned expressions widening across their faces. Stop following me!

She turned over to the far right corner of the camp, and around the edge of the hollow, she spotted Squirrelflight, the clan deputy, with her head closed around the two only medicine cats of ThunderClan; Jayfeather and Alderheart. She pricked her ears, interest sparkling through her blue-green eyes.

"Every clan is having the same problem?" Squirrelflight asked, her green eyes darkening with worry. "No one is able to contact StarClan?"

"That's right," Jayfeather replied, his tail curling around his paws. "We haven't seen them for two half-moon meetings. And as far as I know, they haven't sent any dreams or visions to any cat so far."

That's strange… a StarClan cat promised to train me. But I don't see them helping right now… mousebrained apprentice. Did she forget or something? What is taking her so long?

"It'll be a disaster if we are cut from our ancestors for too long," Squirrelflight murmured under her breath, her tail drooping low onto the snowy ground. "How's Bramblestar? Is he doing well? He hasn't come out of the medicine den for a while now."

"Bramblestar hasn't been breathing well lately, and his sickness is only getting worse." Jayfeather hissed, though when Bristlepaw gazed intently into the dull, blind eyes of the medicine cat, she spotted a hint of worry clouding his blind gaze. "I'm afraid he's going to have to stay in the medicine den for a little longer."

The dark-ginger she-cat flattened her ears, her green eyes filled with sorrow and worry for the large brown tabby. Bramblestar was the leader of ThunderClan, and he hadn't been doing well this leaf-bare. He had to be confiscated in the medicine den so the medicine cats could find a herb to treat his sickness.

"Flamekit and Finchkit are going to be apprentices tomorrow," Squirrelflight let out a soft sigh. "I suppose I'll have to announce their ceremony instead." She scrambled to her paws, spinning away from the two medicine cats. She suddenly whipped her head back at Jayfeather and Alderheart, sorrow misting across her green eyes. "Help Bramblestar, please."

"We'll do our best," Jayfeather dipped his head at Squirrelflight, who was padding away, down the main-clearing of the camp.

Bristlepaw was glad to think about something other than Thriftear and Flipclaw's warrior rank. "Huh!" She muttered, turning to her littermates with a dismissive flick of her tail. "We ought to be more worried about the shortage of prey, not some dead cats in the sky."

Thriftear raised her eyebrow, concern filling her green gaze, while Flipclaw gave a small purr of amusement, his whiskers twitching slightly. They suddenly widened their eyes. Flipclaw dropped himself to a crouch in fear, while Thriftear puffed her chest out, narrowing her eyes to slits as she gazed up behind Bristlepaw.

"What?" Bristlepaw asked. She whipped her head to look right behind her, and she leaped in surprise, her paws shivering with fright as she gazed up at the cat behind her.

Jayfeather stood in front of them, towering over the three siblings. "What kind of stupid furball are you?!" He hissed, his voice icy as the leaf-bare wind. 

Squirrelflight, and Alderheart stood beside the gray tabby, glaring down at the pale-gray she-cat. She flinched, taking a pace back as she widened her eyes with fear. "I… I d—didn't mean—"

"You have no more sense than a kit with its eyes open," Jayfeather hissed, shaking his head with a disappointed gaze. "StarClan holds all the clans together. If they desert us, we're nothing more than rogues. Would you want that, hm?" Jayfeather gritted his teeth back to a snarl. "Clearly you're too stupid and young to understand, but an older, wiser cat would understand what it'd be like if StarClan had gone their separate ways."

"S—sorry…" Bristlepaw stammered, hanging her head low. She glanced around to see that more of her clanmates had gathered around the clearing to see what all the commotion was about, and her eyes widened with guilt and dismay as she spotted the white-and-orange pelt of Stemleaf, watching curiously with a tipped head. She wanted to shrink into the snow, and never come back out.

"'Sorry' doesn't fill any bellies," Jayfeather hissed, turning his eyes to stare down at Thriftear and Flipclaw.

"You two should know better than to slack off on warrior duties," Squirrelflight mewed, a bit more calmer than Jayfeather, taking a pace forward toward the black she-cat and the brown tabby tom. Flipclaw flinched back, flattening his ears.

Bristlepaw could feel the tension in the camp as her clanmates rested their gazes down at the six cats, pricking their ears with interest.

"And Jayfeather, calm down," Squirrelflight murmured, the tip of her tail briefly resting over the gray tabbies shoulder. "She's still young, and she still has a lot to learn. I'm sure she didn't mean it."

I'm not young! I'm old enough to become a warrior! I'm not an apprentice, I just failed my assessment! Bristlepaw flexed her claws, which scraped across the snow beneath her paws as she did.

Jayfeather grunted softly, lowering his head down with an expression of annoyance.

"We're sorry," Thriftear mewed, confidence washing all over her tone as she took a pace toward the three cats. "We accept whatever punishment you give us."

"Don't worry, no punishments will be given," Squirrelflight mewed, inclining her head as way of accepting their apologies. "But it's clear that you three don't know enough about StarClan. You'll be coming to the gathering tonight, that way you might learn more."

As the dark ginger she-cat spoke, Bristlepaw felt a weird churning in her belly, a weird mix of shame at being scolded by the clan deputy and excitement about going to the gathering. Suddenly, she felt even more shame twisting around her belly, as she thought about the cats at the gathering making fun of her for not being able to gain her warrior name.

As the three cats turned and padded away, Bristlepaw felt anger bursting through her chest, her claws digging through the snow, which coated her paw-pads.

I'm an apprentice, that's all I'll ever be. She thought. Of course everyone probably thinks that. That's all they'll ever think once they see me at the gathering. Even Stemleaf probably thinks that. Even the apprentice who said that I'm probably the best warrior in my clan will think that once they see me at the gathering. Even the apprentice I saved. Everyone will think that.

But you are the best warrior in the clan, a squeak suddenly rang through her ears. It's just that no one understands that yet.

Oh, so now you show up. Bristlepaw hissed, gritting her teeth back to a snarl. Right after I've just been humiliated by my own clanmates.

It's not my fault! The apprentice growled. You were the one who decided to yowl out about how unimportant StarClan is.

I didn't yowl about that! I spoke really quietly. She paused, thoughts whirling around her mind.

Stop that.

Stop what?

I hate hearing every thought ever from you, stop it. Act like you're having a conversation. Because you literally are having a conversation.

Wait— She felt fear rising to her stomach, her heart sinking. You've been hearing every thought I've had this whole time?

Obviously. The apprentice's throat rumbled out a small, amused-sounding purr. We are literally speaking through each other's thoughts.

How come I can't hear your thoughts? Bristlepaw asked, her blue-green eyes drifting up at the soft, orange sky, with the sun setting below the undergrowth with trees that lined across the territory almost endlessly.

I don't know.

The frozen lake shone silver under the full moon as Bristlepaw, Thriftear, and Flipclaw followed their clan deputy along the water's edge toward the gathering island. Bristlepaw felt her heart blaze up like flames of fury as Thriftear paced along with the pale-gray she-cat, her claws striking with snow trickled across her pure white claws. Stop following me!

"I can't believe we're going to the gathering! I'm so glad Squirrelflight didn't punish us." Thriftear began, her expression looking sort of awkward as she padded down the snowy clearing beside Bristlepaw.

"Yeah, amazing." Bristlepaw murmured softly, her claws flexing across the snow below her paws. "Cats making fun of me for not being able to pass my assessment."

"D—did you say something?" Thriftear asked, her mew twitching as her gaze drifted over at the pale-gray she-cat. "Please tell me you're not angry about failing your assessment." Her voice was edged with a soft tone of guilt, with sorrow as well.

Bristlepaw whipped her head over at the black she-cat, furrowing her brows with her eyes tainted with anger. "Shut up! I don't want to talk to you two anymore, you just make everything worse when you're around me!" She gritted her teeth back to a snarl, her fur standing on end. "I hate you!"

Flipclaw's eyes were filled with guilt, yet he looked as if anger blazed through his eyes. Thriftear furrowed her brows down at Bristlepaw, her fur bristling with anger. "Maybe we can't be friends anymore." She mewed blankly, slowing her pace slightly down.

No, no! I—I… But Bristlepaw couldn't bring her words out. She just lowered her head, and turned around, pacing down the snowy clearing with the trickles of snowflakes coating her paws. I'm so stupid. I don't deserve to become a warrior. Maybe I should just stay as an apprentice forever.

Her and the other clanmates crossed down the tree-bridge that led to the island, feeling wood brush against her bristling pads. She opened her mouth. WindClan's cats were already picking their way along the tree-trunk, and the mingled scents of the other clans washed over Bristlepaw's nose. Like I'd ever talk to them.

Bristlepaw just felt miserable, sorrowness twisting around her belly, with fear that the clan deputy might've heard the fighting between the pale-gray she-cat and her siblings. She turned her head over at the edge of the tree-bridge, and spotted the large lake that was in the middle of the lake territories. It was still frozen, ice coating all over the lake water, while the silver moon drifted its brightening light down on the ice.

Bristlepaw leaped down from the tree-trunk, and raced down the clearing that was at the end of the tree-bridge. She pushed herself through the bushes that guarded the entrance into the island. ThunderClan was the last to arrive, which made Bristlepaw's shoulders hackle slightly. That's not fair! She hissed.

Bristlepaw padded down the main-clearing of the island, gazing down on the ground where snow covered most of the grass. Tips of the grass that washed across the ground poked out from the clumps of snow, and as her paws dragged down the clearing, she could feel the grass bristling against her paw-pads from the snow. She forced her paws to halt, which skidded across the snow when she did.

Bristlepaw glanced up at the sky, only to realize that leaves drooped down onto the clumps of snowflakes right above her. Perfect. I can hide in here, where no one can find me. She laid down onto the soft snow ground beneath her, with her paws tucked underneath her chest. The great-oak brightened beautifully against the moonlit indigo sky, the moon washing all of its light down onto the clearing to the island. She spotted Harestar, the leader of WindClan, sitting around the edge of the highest tree-branch, trickles of snow pricked around his soft tail. Mistystar, the leader of RiverClan, laid down on the second-highest tree branch, her paws tucked underneath her chest. Leafstar, the leader of SkyClan, let out a soft yawn, but sat on her branch with her chest puffed out. The last one was Tigerstar, the leader of ShadowClan, who looked surprisingly excited, his gaze down at all of the cats gathered around the great oak.

There was a stone ledge below the great oak, with a small, dark gray tabby-tom, sitting beside a brown tom, with white splotches around his pelt. Whatever, why do they matter? None of this matters. This is stupid. A dappled golden she-cat sat down beside the brown tom with her tail curled around her forepaws, a gray tabby she-cat, who looked a bit younger than the other medicine cat, sat beside the larger she-cat. Bristlepaw turned her head away from the stone ledge, and her eyes drifted over to the top of the great oak, gazing at the third-highest branch.

Squirrelflight sat down with her paws shifting around the bark of the tree branch. The small dark-ginger she-cat stretched her forepaws, furrowing her brows down at the crowd of cats that were sitting around the front of the great oak.

"Let the gathering begin!" Tigerstar yowled out, a small purr rumbling through his throat, but Bristlepaw could feel it ringing through her ears. What's he so happy about? That our clan is starving, and that prey is scarce? Ugh, of course. They're ShadowClan. He puffed his chest out as he was confidently poised on his tree branch.

"ThunderClan has been suffering with the scarcity of prey, but we still remain strong." Squirrelflight announced, her voice yowling across the island clearing. "We have two new warriors, Thriftear, and Flipclaw!"

"Thriftear! Flipclaw! Thriftear! Flipclaw!" The cats crowed over the clearing. Flipclaw dropped his paws down onto the snow, crouching low to the earth, the fur of his underbelly coating with the pure white powder. Thriftear flattened her ears across the back of her head, her neck fur prickling furiously, with her eyes bursting in flames.

"Wait, Squirrelflight, why are you on here while Bramblestar isn't?" Tigerstar mewed, curiosity edging around his voice. "Is he…?"

"No!" The dark ginger she-cat gritted her teeth back to a snarl, her hackles bristling defensively. "How dare you even suggest that?! He's fine, he just has a mysterious sickness. Catmint isn't working for him, as well as other herbs. I hope StarClan somehow saves him."

Everyone should just stop asking for StarClan's help. The apprentice inside of her head hissed. They're gone. And they should learn to accept that.

Bristlepaw shook her head vigorously, her paws digging furiously through the cool white snow. Shut up. I don't feel like talking right now.

"We have two new apprentices," Leafstar announced. "Needlepaw," the tip of her tail twitched over at a small, black-and-white she-cat, with soft, and kind yellow eyes. "And Rootpaw." The tip of her tail flicked over at a taller yellow tom, though smaller than Bristlepaw and the other apprentices, with his eyes a ferocious green. It's the apprentice I saved.

And no one even praised you for it?

They did, Bristlepaw gritted her teeth. They let me have a lot of prey, and they didn't let me train for two days. She paused for a moment, flexing her claws slightly, which scraped across the soft snow. Even though I wanted to.

The black-and-white she-cat glanced around the massive clearing, her head crouching low in embarrassment. Her yellow eyes widened as she spotted… Me. The small apprentice drew her lips to a smile, and dipped her head at Bristlepaw. Does she respect me?

The yellow tom's eyes paused at Bristlepaw, which shone with a glimmer of joy. The smaller she-cat gave him a small nudge around his shoulder, grinning mischievously at the taller yellow tom.

The yellow tom ducked his head down, lapping his tongue around his soft chest fur. He then lifted his head, and bounded down the clearing and over to the small oak tree that Bristlepaw laid underneath on.

He skidded to a halt right in front of the she-cat, his eyes filled with soft embarrassment. "Hi…!" He purred, his mew twitched with nervousness in his voice. "Do you remember me, the apprentice you saved…?"

I don't want to talk to you, get lost! "Yes, I do." She murmured reluctantly, shifting her paws across the snow beneath her paws. "Are you Rootpaw?"

"Y—yeah! I'm Rootpaw," he mewed. "I've heard from some warriors that you're name is Bristlepaw?" His eyes shone with such joy, it just made Bristlepaw want to shrink further back into the darkness that the leaves formed above her. "I've heard you failed your assessment, I'm sorry about that."

Get that apprentice away! The mysterious she-cat hissed. He's from SkyClan, I don't like cats from outside of ThunderClan.

"Yes, I am." Bristlepaw hissed, her claws piercing sharply as she glared at the small tom. That comment about her failing her assessment just stung like a sharp thorn, she just wanted to claw Rootpaw away from her sight "And I don't want to talk to an annoying SkyClan kit!" Her fur prickled irritably, her claws digging deeper into the earth. "Now get out of here!"

Rootpaw flinched back, his eyes darkened with fear, and his eyes were filled with sadness. "O—okay…" He mewed, turning away from the taller she-cat. But suddenly, he spun his head back at her. "We can talk later, when you're in a… well… better mood! I have so much to tell you!"

Bristlepaw watched as Rootpaw, somehow, happily bounded away from the she-cat. Her thoughts whirled around her mind, and she flattened her ears across the back of her head. I'm a terrible foxheart. I don't deserve to be friends with my siblings, or other cats. I don't deserve to pass my warrior assessment."

But you do! The apprentice murmured softly through the pale-gray she-cat's ear. And I know how. Get outside of the camp after the gathering, I will help you pass your assessment now.

Chapter Text

The ground under the holly bush was almost free from the snow, but still felt cold and wet as he huddled underneath the branches beside Egg. His mentor was testing him by making Rootpaw recite the warrior code, but he was finding it hard to remember. It had been a quarter-moon ever since he fell into the frozen lake, and succumbed to the cold, icy water. But Bristlepaw had saved him, and he was thankful for the she-cat.

I can't stop thinking about how cold and hungry I am…

Even so, Rootpaw had to admit that SkyClan was lucky to have its camp in this sheltered valley. The small, daisy flowers beside his paws were stricken with damp, wet dew dripping onto petals. The grass was also damp with morning dew, bristling against his soft paw-pads.

"And what does the warrior code tell you to do when you catch your prey?" The long-legged cream tom asked, his head dipping down to glance down at the smaller yellow tom.

His words made Rootpaw imagine himself sinking his teeth into a nice, juicy mouse. His mouth watered, his mind filled with thoughts of prey. "Eat it…" He mewed, his eyes drifting dreamily up at the soft, blue sky that cleared above the whole undergrowth.

Egg gave out a small, soft sigh. "No… we give thanks to StarClan…?" His soft blue eyes were filled with concern as he gazed down at the yellow tom. "And we carry it to the fresh-kill pile, the clan must be fed first…? Rootpaw, are you okay?"

The small yellow tom shook his head, shattering out of his thoughts. He blinked up at the gentle blue eyes of Egg, which were filled with concern blazing through his eyes. "Y—yeah, I'm fine." He mewed, shifting his paws.

Egg let out a small sigh, disappointment struck through his eyes. "Rootpaw, even a kit would know the warrior code!" He hissed, the tip of his tail flicking back-and-forth irritably.

Rootpaw let out a small wince. "I do know the warrior code!" He mewed. "But it's hard to concentrate when my belly thinks my throat is torn out."

"I know." Egg's throat rumbled out a small purr, his voice was now more gentle like his usual self. "We'll hunt later. For now, tell me what a newly-made warrior's first duty is."

"Keep vigil for—" Rootpaw reminded himself, but he was distracted as he spotted Frecklewish emerging from the entrance of Leafstar's den in the gap at the base of the tallrock, followed by the brown tabby fur of Leafstar. Frecklewish's pelt was sticking with a few shrivelled-leaves around her matted-fur. She hasn't groomed for a while… But why? The two cats padded across the main-clearing of the camp, and halted a few tail-lengths away from the holly bush Rootpaw and Egg were training at.

". . . We still can't get in touch with StarClan, which worries me." Frecklewish's words were the first heard, sitting down beside the clan leader with her tail curled around her paws. "None of the other medicine cats have had any strange dreams so far…"

Rootpaw's jaws gaped with astonishment, his paws trembling softly. "Wha—" He murmured out, only to have Egg's tail shoved over the small tom's mouth.

"Nothing like this has ever happened in the gorge," Frecklewish went on. "Even when StarClan weren't sending any visions or signs, we still felt like they were with us. I keep wondering if leaving the gorge has weakened our connection with our ancestors, did we make the wrong choice?"

Leafstar sighed heavily. "Hawkwing and I, and the whole clan, made the choices we thought were necessary." She mewed. "I don't believe our warrior ancestors would abandon us forever."

"But what happens when a cat dies?" Frecklewish mewed, widening her eyes which shone with slight fear. "When a cat dies, they are supposed to be guided to StarClan. What happens when a leader dies? Where will they go? Will they even be able to come back?"

"I don't think a leader is likely to die right now," Leafstar pointed out. "Sickness isn't spreading across our clans… Bramblestar though…" She gazed up into the sky, which was glowing a tint of soft orange across the clear blue sky. Clouds drifted across the bright, glowing orb of the sun, but the light of the sun wasn't darkened as of now.

"If Bramblestar dies, how will Squirrelflight be able to gain her nine lives?" Frecklewish flattened her ears, her eyes filled with a darkened sadness. "I think it'll be hopeless for ThunderClan. Bramblestar cannot die."

Leafstar dipped her head, flattening her ears across the back of her head. "I wish ThunderClan good luck," she murmured softly. "Bramblestar has to be able to survive his mysterious sickness…" She shook her head, lifting it up to glance down at the pitiful pale-green eyes of Frecklewish. "That doesn't matter, it is ThunderClan's business as of now. The only danger for us however, is this dangerous leaf-bare. Another blizzard might be coming the next half-moon…"

"But this leaf-bare is bad enough," Frecklewish murmured, so softly that Rootpaw almost couldn't make out the words that came out of her mouth.

"So you and Fidgetflake are going to show me your herb stores," Leafstar continued, scrambling to her paws, and beckoning her tail to signal Frecklewish to follow her. "If you think there's any hope of finding more herbs, we'll send out more patrols…" Her voice trailed off as they both padded out of earshot.

Rootpaw's head sprang through the leaves of the holly bush, which trembled beside his yellow pelt as he did. "StarClan's gone?" He squeaked, his tail spiked out with fear glimmering through his green eyes.

"Calm down," the cream tom assured Rootpaw, his tail tip brushing against his apprentice's side almost comfortingly. "They might come back in the next half-moon meeting, we wouldn't know."

"But there's going to be a blizzard in the next half-moon!" Rootpaw whipped his head over to his mentor, his paws trembling slightly as he felt the morning dew of the grass below his paws soaking them.

"They said there might be a blizzard, we wouldn't know." Egg reassured the small tom. "Come on, let's go back to camp. That's enough reciting for today, let's go hunt for the fresh-kill pile." He pushed himself through the leaves that surrounded the small holly bush, clattering against his mentor's cream pelt.

Rootpaw opened his jaws to protest, but he lowered his head, giving a small reluctant nod.

Rootpaw sprang eagerly to his paws, but even though he was sort of excited to finally hunt for his clan, he couldn't help but still think about the conversation he and Egg had heard from Frecklewish and Leafstar.

Fresh snow had fallen onto the soft grass overnight, still almost unmarked except for the pawprints of the patrols. Here and there Rootpaw spotted the thin scratches of a bird's claws, but no tracks of mice, squirrels, voles, or rabbits around the undergrowth of SkyClan territory.

Rootpaw opened his mouth to taste the scent of any prey around the snow covered undergrowth, but all he could taste was the scent of the oak-trees lined across the endless looking undergrowth.

All the prey must've hidden in their holes, Rootpaw gave a soft, defeated sigh.

He slipped through the snowy clearing, his paws coated with the white trickles of snowflakes. Egg had followed right behind him, racing after the small tom, but slowing his pace due to his long legs.

Suddenly, Egg darted into a thicket patch of undergrowth right beside the cream tom, overhanging clumps of bracken guarded around the small patch of undergrowth, fronds brushing against his mentor's fur. He lifted his head up, his expression looking proud as a small mouse dangled from his jaws.

"Great catch!" Rootpaw praised his mentor, his throat rumbling out a small purr.

"Thank you, but it's a scrawny thing," Egg muffled through his fresh-kill, shifting his paws in embarrassment as if he'd failed as a mentor. "But it'll do for the fresh-kill pile. Thank you, StarClan, for this prey."

Rootpaw raised an eyebrow, wondering if StarClan could hear the tall cream tom even though they had disappeared for a while now. Even if they could, are they even grateful for a warrior thanking them? Rootpaw hunched his shoulders a small shrug. He scrambled after his mentor as he realized Egg was bounding down the undergrowth.

The trees were thinning as they approached the frozen lake, the wider stretches of open ground leaving even less space for prey to hide. As Rootpaw imagined the icy coated lake, he felt himself shiver as he thought of the time he was dragged into the shivering water.

My legs are getting tired… How much farther is this going to be…?

Then, as Rootpaw pushed himself through a clump of rounded hazel bushes, the lake came into view. His eyes shimmered as the sunlit down onto his pelt, his green eyes filled with fear as he remembered plunging down into the water of the lake. He shook his head, turning his head over to the top of the slope, and his eyes widened as he spotted a huge crow pecking down at the snow below its feet.

Rootpaw instantly dropped into a hunter's crouch, the fur of his underbelly bristling against the fresh snow. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Egg raising his tail as if to stop him, then took a step back, leaving the prey to his apprentice. Rootpaw's chest fluttered with joy as he thought of coming back to camp with the huge crow clamped in his jaws.

He crept up the tall slope, his tail straightened across the snowy ground beneath his paws. He slowed to a halt as he reached the rear of the huge crow, narrowing his eyes to slits as he kept gazing forward at the dark crow. Rootpaw suddenly swallowed, realizing how important this moment was for the small apprentice.

The crow swiftly pecked at the debris below it that was around the foot of a beech tree, the wind blowing from the crow to Rootpaw, his fur whistling through the soft cool air. He dropped his body lower to the ground, his tail quivering slightly above the snow below his paws.

His hindquarters waggled above the snow beneath his paws, and then pushed himself upward with a mighty leap, and then shoved his paws down onto the back of the huge crow with a thump. The crow frantically flapped its wings beneath his paws, making Rootpaw sink his claws deep into the crow's flesh, blood washing over the tip of his claws. He lowered his head, and sunk his teeth into the crow's neck, the juices of blood flowing into his mouth. He bit down further into the crow, until it lay limp, its wings drooping low onto the debris beneath its talons, the breeze from the lake ruffling through Rootpaw's fur. He widened his eyes with astonishment.

Rootpaw slowly turned his head over at Egg, whose blue eyes were widened with disbelief.

"I can't believe it…" Rootpaw muttered under his breath, whipping his head back down at the huge crow below his blood coated claws.

"That was amazing!" Egg spoke up, bounding over to Rootpaw with his eyes shining with a proud expression. "Well done, Rootpaw! You were brave to take on a bird as big as a hare!" Egg nudged his apprentice softly on the yellow tom's shoulder with his muzzle.

In spite of the cold wind, Rootpaw felt warm from ears to tail-tip. He dipped his head softly. "Thank you, StarClan, for this prey." He murmured softly, scrambling back from the huge crow beneath his paws. He lowered his head, and clenched his teeth between the bird's scruff. The bird dangled from his jaws as he lifted his head, and felt his paws slip, and almost lost balance as he held the huge crow.

"C'mon! Let's get back to camp." Egg's throat rumbled out a purr. "Let me get my mouse!" He then paused, turning his head over to the small yellow tom. "Do you want me to help you carry that?"

Yes! Please! "No thank you, I can manage." Rootpaw muffled through his prey instead, his eyes drifting across the trees that surrounded the clearing to the large frozen lake. He imagined Turtlepaw and Kitepaw's sneering faces once he came back to camp withthe huge crow dangling from his jaws. He also imagined sharing with his best friend, and his sister, Needlepaw, a kill from the pile.

I can't wait!

Egg led the way to SkyClan camp, bounding down the undergrowth with the trees enlarging as he and Rootpaw padded down to the bramble-tendriled entrance to the camp.

As they almost reached the camp, Rootpaw spotted the pale brown tabby fur of Reedclaw, sitting beside a smaller black-and-white she-cat. Needlepaw! He purred softly, bounding across the snowy clearing to approach the two cats. He suddenly forced his paws to halt, which skidded through the soft fresh snow beneath his paws. Though, his excitement faded as he spotted his father sitting in the snow at the edge of a thicket bush. Tree was so still that snow drifted over the yellow tom's back, covering almost the entirety of his pelt.

"What is your father doing?" Reedclaw asked, her head spinning over to the small she-cat.

Needlepaw hunched her shoulders a small shrug, her yellow eyes brightened with small joy glimmering through her kind eyes. "I don't know!" She mewed.

He felt the pride of his catch quickly shift into embarrassment as he lowered his head down onto the cool white snow. "He's just sitting there, I guess," he mewed softly.

Needlepaw whipped her head over to the taller tom, and her yellow eyes shimmered brightly with joy as she spotted him. "Rootpaw!" She squeaked, springing to her short paws. "You're back!"

Rootpaw drew his lips to a small smile, gazing over at his sister.

Though, his smile faded as he spotted Reedclaw glancing down at the larger yellow tom. "...Well, I suppose he wasn't born in a clan." She mewed, trying not to sound insulting, and scrambling to her paws. "He must have his own ways, but I wouldn't appreciate getting snowed on."

Needlepaw wasn't listening to her mentor, she was instead bounding after Rootpaw with excitement in her eyes. She skidded to a halt, widening her eyes down at the large crow dangling from his jaws. "Did you catch that?" She asked, bewilderment edging her mew.

"Yeah!" He purred, almost forgetting about his father, but he couldn't help but keep gazing down at the large yellow tom.

Suddenly, a vole scurried toward Tree, twitching its nose with curiosity. Suddenly, Tree lazily shoved his forepaw down onto the brown vole, digging his claws through its flesh. The vole fell limp below Tree's paws.

"Oh, he's hunting!" Egg mewed, drawing his lips to a soft smile as he padded over to the yellow tom. "Hey! That's a cool trick, can you teach me?" Rootpaw had to admit his mentor was right, but he still wished that Tree would catch prey like the other warriors.

"That's amazing! I bet it was so scared when it spotted you!" She purred, nudging Rootpaw's shoulder with her muzzle affectionately.

Rootpaw's throat rumbled out a soft purr, but his eyes still froze down at the yellow tom. Embarrassment flooded over his chest, churning weirdly as well on his stomach.

"Sure I can, I can teach both of you." Tree spun his head over at Reedclaw, who dipped her head a small nod. "It's not hard. All you have to do is think bush." His voice gave out a small, friendly purr.

"Think bush?" Reedclaw mewed, tipping her head in confusion. "How can I do that?"

Needlepaw's eyes shone with interest, bounding over to her father. Rootpaw lowered his head, lapping his tongue over his soft, chest fur. He flattened his ears, dragging his paws after the small she-cat, his crow skidding through the snow.

"Yeah. Imagine that your legs are branches, and your claws are twigs." Tree explained, flexing his claws as if he was attempting to demonstrate.

"And my ears are leaves, right?" Reedclaw asked, giving Tree a small, wry glance at Needlepaw, as if the large tom was acting a bit strange.

"You got it," Tree purred. "Then you have to lay really still, and the prey will come to you." He squeezed himself further into the thicket bush, his tail nudging the dead vole beneath himself into the leaves of the bush, disguising it from the prey that might come into his paws.

His happy pride returned as Tree turned his gaze over to the huge crow that dangled from Rootpaw's jaws. "Did you catch that?"

It was Needlepaw who replied, a purr rumbling through her throat. "Yeah, he did! All by himself! I bet he's going to be the best hunter in all of SkyClan!"

Egg dipped his head a nod. "Yes, Needlepaw is right! He caught it all by himself."

Rootpaw looked up to see the same approval gleaming through his father's eyes, making him let out a purr rumbling through his throat. "That's great," Tree purred, smiling down at the tom. "Good job, Rootpaw."

"We'd better be getting back to camp," Reedclaw mewed solemnly, lifting her head away from the large tom. "We don't want the prey getting cold, Needlepaw."

Needlepaw dipped her head an excited nod, clamping a small, scrawny squirrel between her jaws. She turned her head over to Rootpaw, who stood beside his sister. "Here, let me help you carry that!" She muffled through her squirrel.

Rootpaw drew his lips to a smile. "Thanks." He mewed as the small apprentice grabbed the back of the huge crow, clamping it between her teeth.

Reedclaw ducked her head down, and clamped Needlepaw's catch between her jaws, the small squirrel dangling from the brown tabbies jaws as she held it by its bushy tail.

"I'll come with you," Tree mewed, emerging from the shadows the leaves of the thicket bush had formed around the yellow tom.

"Here, let me carry the rest of the prey for you!" Egg purred, his tail lifting up as he dipped his head in respect to the large tom. The cream tom clenched his teeth around the vole, and lifted his head up with a small purr.

On the way to the camp, Rootpaw didn't feel embarrassed anymore in his father's presence. Tree had caught several pieces of prey, which made Rootpaw sort of proud to have a father who hunted in a clever way. But he realized he would have felt differently if his father had just been laying there, freezing to death as he pretended to be a bush.

The rest of the clan gathered around the five warriors as they pushed themselves through the clumps of fern that shrouded around the corners of the main entrance to the camp.

"Yeah, Rootpaw caught that!" Needlepaw mewed, her purr was filled with warmth as she gazed at Rootpaw. The taller tom gave a small purr back, drawing his lips to a soft smile.

His mother, Violetshine, padded down the main-clearing of the camp and over to them, her eyes filled with warmth as she glanced down at both of her kits. "Oh, I am so proud of both of you." She halted right in front of them as they reached the fresh-kill pile, giving both Rootpaw and Needlepaw a loving lick around their ears.

Leafstar padded down the camp, and skidded to a halt across the slippery snow as she reached Rootpaw and Needlepaw, giving a small purr of gratitude. "The clan will eat tonight."

Rootpaw ducked his head, he felt embarrassed again, but he enjoyed the feeling this time, feeling as if he'd finally earned the respect from his clan this time. Reedclaw dropped Needlepaw's catch onto the fresh-kill pile, a soft thump ringing through Rootpaw's ears. The large figure of a dark gray tom, with yellow eyes, padded after Rootpaw and Needlepaw, giving a small purr. He skidded to a halt as he reached the two, dipping his head slightly.

Hawkwing, our grandfather! Rootpaw puffed his chest out as the large tom drew his lips to a soft smile. "Congrats on your catch." He meowed. "It makes a great addition to the fresh-kill pile."

Rootpaw watched as Hawkwing spun away, and padded down the main-clearing of the camp. Needlepaw's whiskers twitched, with joy shimmering through her yellow eyes.

"Why don't you take some prey to Fallowfern," Reedclaw instructed Rootpaw solemnly, flicking the tip of her tail. "Then you come back and get something to eat with your sister."

"You should give her the vole!" Needlepaw squeaked as she suggested to her brother. "It's pretty plump considering it is leaf-bare!" She sprang to her paws, gazing up at Rootpaw with excitement shining through her eyes.

Rootpaw agreed willingly, dipping his head over to the fresh-kill pile, the brambles twisting around the edges of the pile brushing against his chest fur. He picked the vole from the pile, lifting his head away from the fresh-kill pile and bounding down the main-clearing. He spotted the pale-brown she-cat laying down with her paws tucked underneath her chest on a tree-stump rooted around the edge of the hollow. He padded over to the elder, and opened his jaws to drop the vole down onto the stump the she-cat laid around.

"Thank you, Rootpaw," the deaf elder purred, swiping her tongue around her lips. "It looks tasty!" Even though the she-cat was deaf, he had heard stories of how talented she was as a warrior, and was the best hunter in SkyClan.

On his way back to the fresh-kill pile, he skidded to a halt as the black tortoiseshell pelt of Turtlepaw stepped right in front of the small tom. "Awesome catch!" She mewed, grinning down at the tom with a friendly purr. What?

Needlepaw hopped right in front of Rootpaw, furrowing her brows up at the taller tortoiseshell. "We're not falling for your tricks!" She hissed, her fur bristling.

"Calm down!" Turtlepaw mewed, twitching her whiskers in amusement. "I was just trying to say that I'm sorry, Rootpaw."

"Yeah, like we'd ever believe you!" Needlepaw gritted her teeth, dropping down into a defensive crouch. "After you were so mean to Rootpaw, that he almost died because you wouldn't stop!"

Turtlepaw lowered her head down, as if she looked… guilty? Rootpaw couldn't understand why, it seemed weird to him that his bullies would feel bad after what they did to the small tom.

Kitepaw was standing a few paces beside Turtlepaw, flattening his ears with guilt lit through his blue eyes.

"We're sorry that we were so mean to you back then." Turtlepaw murmured, curling her soft tail around her forepaws. "We were just teasing, that's all. We didn't know we were taking it too far."

Needlepaw narrowed her eyes, suspicion blazing through her yellow gaze, and she was still dropping down into a defensive crouch in front of her brother.

"We forgive you." Rootpaw blurted out, raising his tail up with his chest fluttering in joy. He gave a small purr as he glanced down at Needlepaw, who reluctantly scrambled to her paws, and sat down beside her brother. She still had suspicion darkening through her yellow eyes, but she respected her brother's decision.

"You can choose some cats to share with your catch, if you'd like." Reedclaw added, flicking her tail closer around her paws as she glanced proudly at two of her kits.

Rootpaw nodded eagerly, his throat rumbling out a small purr. It's great to feed my clanmates! He beckoned his tail over at Needlepaw, whose suspicious gaze was now filled with joy as she gazed up at the yellow tom. Then, more hesitantly, he spun his head over at Turtlepaw and Kitepaw. "Do you want some?" He asked reluctantly.

Turtlepaw dipped her head a nod. "Yes, please!" She purred, crouching down above the large crow.

Kitepaw widened his eyes in surprise, but gave a nod of thanks, and then laid down beside the black tortoiseshell. Needlepaw narrowed her eyes at Turtlepaw as she laid down with her paws tucked underneath her belly. Rootpaw laid beside his sister, his tail resting on his sister's side in a way to assure her.

Turtlepaw sank her teeth into the crow, and ripped out a piece of the crow's belly. "Where did you find this?" She asked as she chewed on the piece of crow.

"Down near the lake," Rootpaw mewed, tearing off a chunk of prey. "Egg was pretty pleased!"

"That's a good place to hunt," Turtlepaw responded, twitching her whiskers in amusement.

Needlepaw gave a small, reluctant nod. "Yeah, that is…" She murmured, dipping her head down to bite down around the chest. She looked awkward that she was sharing prey with the apprentices she felt extremely furious with, and Rootpaw could understand that.

"I was beginning to think I had disappointed him," Rootpaw mewed softly.

"All mentors are like that," Turtlepaw meowed assuringly. "You should have seen Blossomheart when I first became an apprentice! She was so frustrated when she tried to teach me how to hunt, I couldn't even hunt a mouse!" She gave a small mrrow of laughter.

Rootpaw gave a small smile. Maybe these apprentices weren't as bad as he thought they were, though it'd take a long time for Needlepaw to forgive them, after what had just happened to Rootpaw back at the lake. He felt warmed by the other apprentices' friendliness, as if something had suddenly changed.

"You know," Turtlepaw began, "I was impressed by you when you fell into the lake." She gave a small purr of amusement as Needlepaw's fur bristled slightly. "It was a brave thing to do, when you stood up to us and tried to attack Kitepaw. Stupid," her whiskers twitched in amusement. "But brave."

Suddenly happy, Rootpaw let out a small mrrow of laughter. He had made a lucky catch to feed his clan, he might just be beginning to make friends with Kitepaw and Turtlepaw, though, Needlepaw might need a little more time to get used to them, and even Tree was getting slightly less embarrassing for the young tom. For the first time he began to believe that this terrible leaf-bare would soon pass, and every cat would be fine.

Chapter Text

Wind drove the clouds across the night sky, the waxing half-moon only shedding a fitful of light through the gaps of the clouds drifting across the darkened, black vast pool of the sky, snow storming through the clouds, and onto the two cats' pelts. Puddleshine and Shadowpaw huddled together, their fur brushing together as they searched for warmth through their cool pelts. But snow coated across both of their fur, and Shadowpaw shivered, with his paws trembling as they both struggled down the moorlands that led up to the moonpool.

Puddleshine was right… another blizzard has come… Shadowpaw thought, dragging his paws further down the hills that laid across the clearing. Snow was now extremely deep, and Shadowpaw could fit his short legs into the damp, white powders of snow.

Since the last half-moon meeting at the moonpool, life in ShadowClan had been getting more and more tougher. Prey was getting more scarce, to the point where Blazefire, Sunbeam, and Lightleap, have been sneaking out to taste kittypet food from the twoleg nests. My own sister… Shadowpaw let out a soft sigh, which shrouded into cold, windy mist. Cats were getting cold and sick as well, with the elder, Ratscar, catching a strong case of greencough. The small tom narrowed his yellow eyes against the harsh snow whipping into his face, opening his mouth to taste the scent of the moonpool—only to close his jaws down immediately as mounds of harsh snow dragged through the inside of his mouth. I can't talk to Puddleshine like this…

The other medicine cats were already huddling together for warmth by the moonpool with Puddleshine and Shadowpaw stumbled down the spiral path.

"G—greetings…" Mothwing's mew twitched as her paws shivered violently, dipping her head down at the brown tom with white splotches. "I—I'm sorry we didn't wait for you outside… It's j—just so c—cold with this b—b—blizzard… H—how's prey r—running in Sh—ShadowClan…?"

"I—it's not running a—at all." Puddleshine growled, a tone of bitterness edging his mew. "E—every mouse and v—vole in the t—t—territory is tucked up in its h—hole…"

"ThunderClan is j—just as bad," Alderheart mewed softly, while Jayfeather lashed his tail once and did not speak. The tip of Jayfeather's tail quivered, and he curled it around his forepaws immediately.

"A—and RiverClan can't fish when the l—lake is frozen!" Willowshine chimed in, her ogreen eyes bursting like flames of fury. "I—I've forgotten what f—fish tastes like!"

Frecklewish and Fidgetflake glanced down onto the stone beneath their paws, faint hints of embarrassment glimpsed around both of their eyes. "W—we know we have it easier," Frecklewish admitted, shifting her paws across the debris that splattered across the stone floor. "One of our apprentices caught a large crow, as well as Tree, who caught several pieces of prey for the clan." She sounds less cold, Shadowpaw thought, his paws trembling uncontrollably as he felt trickles of snow whipping onto his forepaws. She cleared her throat. "We would give you some if we were allowed to."

Puddleshine let out a snort. "S—SkyClan's has the m—most sheltered camp i—in all of the l—lake territories…" The brown tom forcefully pushed his paws down the stone clearing. "O—of course they'd get the m—most prey." He grumbled softly. "I—it used to b—be in o—our t—t—territory."

The dark gray tabby staggered to his paws, his whiskers shivering as he felt ice coated the tips of his slim whiskers. He scrambled down the clearing, feeling the debris beneath his paw-pads crunch as he raced after his mentor. Any more complaints from the medicine cats night have been silenced by Jayfeather, whose tail slapped over Willowshine's muzzle as she opened her mouth to argue.

"W—where i—is Kestrel—Kestrelflight…?" Mothwing asked, her paws were still trembling violently, the trickles of debris shifting against her paws.

"H—Harestar left him back at camp," The black tom, with white flecks across his pure-black pelt, mewed, his voice twitching as snow came through the entrance of the spiral path, and whipped into his muzzle. Fidgetflake… "H—his leader is very protective of h—his medicine cats."

"A—alright, let's make contact with StarClan," Frecklewish snapped. "I'm freezing to death!"

Exchanging anxious murmurs, every cat in the cavern began to pad over around the edges of the moonpool, the pool darkening dully as the moon that was around the gap in the stone roof, which dark gray clouds had covered as they were clumped together across the vast, black pool of the night sky.

Shadowpaw hadn't looked at the moonpool, but when his yellow eyes drifted over to the surface of the pool, he let out a small gasp of shock and awe. The stream that had fed the pool was frozen into cascades of icicles that looked dull and dark as gray clouds had covered the half-moon that was supposed to light up the moonpool beautifully.

"What happened?" Mothwing widened her eyes as she glanced down at the frozen surface of the moonpool. Oh, she wasn't in the last half-moon meeting. "Why is the moonpool frozen?"

Frecklewish shrugged, her expression filled with dismay as her gaze was frozen intensely at the large golden she-cat. "It was frozen around the last half-moon meeting," she murmured softly. "I think the blizzard must've caused it."

"This has never happened before," Willowshine added, squinting her eyes down at the surface of the pool, which was silence as ice. "Not even in that dreadful leaf-bare when Flametail died."

Shadowpaw, with the rest of the medicine cats, dipped his head down to touch noses with the hard surface of the pool. He felt his nose shove against the ice that coated the moonpool, feeling shivery beneath his nose. His paws trembled, lifting his head away from the hardened surface of the dark moonpool. He laid down with his paws tucked underneath his chest, and slowly drifted his eyes closed.

Shadowpaw felt darkness growing around the small tom, but he didn't really mind, as he sort of liked it. He didn't feel so shivery anymore, and ice wasn't coated around the tips of his whiskers as he twitched them. He fluttered his eyes open, which drifted across the black void that surrounded the small tom.

Shadowpaw scrambled to his paws, blinking uneasily around the black vast pool of darkness. "StarClan?" He meowed out, his fur standing on end as he thought of his ancestors, gone forever and never able to help anyone in the clans. "Please, you've spoken to me before! Please come back!"

You're a little desperate there, aren't you buddy? A voice rang through his ears, though it wasn't the same voice. She sounded like a she-cat instead, and she sometimes squeaked like a kit, yet her voice sounded like a newly made apprentice. Don't worry, he's coming back soon, Shadowpaw!

"Who?" The small dark gray tabby flinched as the apprentice squeaked out Shadowpaw's name, making him want to shrink back into the darkness and sucked into the black void.

Um, the apprentice paused for a moment. That cat who just talked to you. Her throat rumbled out a amused-sounding purr. He wants me to send you a message.

"Please tell me!" Shadowpaw chirped, his eyes gazing across the darkness that grew around the small, scrawny medicine cat apprentice. "I'll do anything, just tell me!"

He wants me to tell you that you shouldn't tell anyone about the codebreaker message yet at the next gathering. She mewed. Tigerstar has told you to keep the codebreaker message to yourself until one gathering, correct? Well, StarClan has forbid you. We're saving that message for something else…

Shadowpaw opened his jaws to protest, but quickly snapped them shut as he remembered these were his ancestors , not Puddleshine. "Okay, I will keep it to myself for now," He dipped his head a small, reluctant nod. "You'll tell me when to tell everyone, right?"

Of course. She gave a small chirp. Suddenly, the darkness that surrounded the small tom was fading into the small cavern of the moonpool clearing. Shadowpaw fluttered his eyes open, his eyes flitting over to the stream that usually cascaded more liquid for the moonpool, though was frozen into icicles.

"Oh, StarClan, where are you!" Frecklewish exclaimed, her voice filled with desperation for their ancestors. "Please come back—we need you!" Her mew twitched in desperation.

Mothwing shifted back from the frozen pool, letting out a small, soft sigh. "We can cope," she mewed softly, her tail brushing against Frecklewish's side. "But it won't bring back StarClan." Shadowpaw winced softly, his tail curling around his small forepaws.

Jayfeather scowled at her. "What a surprise that you aren't worried," he hissed, his tail shook out.

"What is that supposed to mean?" The dappled golden she-cat gritted her teeth to a snarl, her claws flexing with a threatening expression widened across her face. "Go on, tell me!"

"You don't believe in StarClan." Willowshine murmured softly through Mothwing's ears. "That's what he's talking about."

The gray tabby tom flicked the tip of his tail, his fur prickling with fury bursting through his pale, blind eyes. "So it's no loss to you!" He spat, flattening his ears across the back of his head.

Shadowpaw stared at the ThunderClan medicine cat with widened eyes, his eyes narrowed to slits in surprise. Ripples of surprised gasps echoed across the cavern, even the small dark gray tabby let out a small gasp. He'd been told by Puddleshine that Mothwing didn't believe in StarClan, which he still found surprising hearing it from Jayfeather.

"The rest of us know how important it is, when you just trample on StarClan like it doesn't matter!" Jayfeather's voice trembled with emotion, and his sightless eyes flashed with fury and sorrowness.

Shadowpaw felt his yellow eyes grow weary, his paws trembling as exhaustion rose around the tom. The dark gray apprentice's gaze drifted over to Puddleshine, who had desperation lit through his pale-blue eyes. He opened his mouth, and then closed it, mouthing something along the lines of; "Oh StarClan… where are you…?"

Frecklewish dropped her body low to a crouch with fear flashing through her eyes. "Stop it! Stop fighting!" She yowled, her head drooping low to the stone ground beneath her paws, which were quivering as she flattened her ears. Fidgetflake crouched down, and sidled closer to the older she-cat, huddling close beside her, with the tip of his tail resting around her flank.

"Frecklewish is stressed," Alderheart hissed uncharacteristically, whipping his head over to the dappled golden she-cat. "I suggest you two stop arguing like apprentices!"

Mothwing opened her jaws to protest, but quickly snapped them shut as her eyes were gazed intently at the crouching medicine cat. "Alright, let's go rest." She murmured, scrabbling to her paws. "Make sure to give Frecklewish juniper or poppy seeds to calm her down before you do," she added to Fidgetflake.

Fidgetflake dipped his head a small nod, springing impatiently to his paws, and beckoning his tail to signal Frecklewish to do the same. The mottled light-brown she-cat scrambled to her paws, her pale green eyes narrowed to slits as panic lit through her pupils. Shadowpaw widened his eyes, turning his head over to the entrance that led to the spiral path. Clumps of hazel bushes lined neatly around the corners, along with a few bracken clamped beside the hazel bush around the right corner.

He felt tempted to race through the entrance and run back to camp, but he sat still, resisting the urge to do so. His forepaw twitched, he needed to tell Tigerstar about the message he had received from the StarClan cat, but how could he do so if the blizzard was raging right outside of the moonpool cavern?

"Shadowpaw?" A murmur rang through the small apprentice's ears, making Shadowpaw flinch and turn his head toward the cat who spoke through his ear. It was Puddleshine. The brown tom sat beside the smaller tom, his tail curled around his paws as his pale-blue eyes gazed down at Shadowpaw. "Did you receive any visions?" He whispered.

"I—I did." The dark gray tabby stammered, swallowing down his words of complaining that he needed to go back to camp to tell Tigerstar. "StarClan told me not to tell everyone at the next gathering yet…" Tigerstar was going to exclude Dovewing from the next gathering due to the codebreaker message, and the small tom could understand why. He too wouldn't want to frame his own mother that she was a codebreaker, and must be punished for her crimes. He just couldn't, he loved his mother, and he didn't want anyone to punish her.

"Oh, okay." Puddleshine sighed, his tail drooping low to the small debris beneath his forepaws. "Alright, let's rest. We have to wait this blizzard out." The brown white-splotched tom curled his body around the stone floor, his tail wrapped loosely around his hind legs.

Shadowpaw laid down, tucking his paws under his chest. His eyes were growing more weary, he felt so exhausted and he just wanted to sleep. He lowered his head down onto the stone ground, a sharp pang of debris poked against his chin, so he quickly lifted his head up. His eyes were closing… and then he drifted into dreams.

Shadowpaw curled closer around his side, he couldn't feel the sharp pang of pain from the debris that was coated around his dark gray pelt. He fluttered his eyes open, which grew weary even though he was asleep. I'm in a dream. He thought, but how did he know? He eagerly sprang to his paws, excitement lit through his piercing yellow eyes. Was StarClan here again? Was this another vision for him?

You have to make contact with the moonpool again, a deep voice mewed. It's him again! But why do I have to make contact again ?

A sudden loud crash echoed through his ears, striking right across the stone floor, making him widen his eyes in fear.

Shadowpaw fluttered his eyes open, the loud roaring of the blizzard echoing through the entrance to the spiral path. He swiftly lifted his head, letting out pants of fright as the loud crash had startled him so much. He scrambled to his paws, his eyes drifting over to the stone roof, where the gap was shown. The clouds were now fully covering the vast, black pool of the night sky, and a sudden white flash appeared through the clouds. Within a moment, the same extremely loud crash echoed again through his ears. Shadowpaw leaped in fright, cowering down onto the stone ground, and he shivered as his yellow eyes gazed through the gap.

The medicine cats were all curled up around the cavern, sleeping peacefully for some reason. Thunder! This is thunder! Shadowpaw flinched back, the tip of his fluffy tail quivering as his gaze kept still at the gap through the stone ceiling.

When no lightning had appeared through the darkened gray clouds, Shadowpaw slowly staggered to his paws, which were still quivering from the sudden shock of the loud crash of thunder. He dragged his paws down the main-clearing of the cavern, a whipping hit of snow flew across his muzzle, but no other hits of snow appeared after that. His claws skidded through the debris below his paws as he halted, glancing down at the dull moonpool.

The frozen pool was darkened by the gray mists of clouds across the night sky, with shadows lurking across the icicles of the stream that cascaded down a small waterfall. Shadowpaw's eyes slowly drifted over to the frozen pool, his ears twitching as the snow whipped across the ground outside of the moonpool cavern. He dipped his head down over to the frozen pool… and his nose was lightly pushed against the ice that was coated against the moonpool.

A sudden loud crash appeared through the gap of the stone roof, and then a huge, sharp pang of pain appeared through the small tom. "AH!" He yowled out in pain. He couldn't describe this, it was so painful and everything hurt all over him.

There is a darkness in the clans that must be driven out… An ominous voice crept through his head, which were the last thoughts he could hear. There is a darkness in the clans that must be driven out… a darkness in the clans…

Shadowpaw suddenly could hear nothing, and he could feel nothing.

Chapter Text

Bristlepaw crouched low onto the grass beneath her paws, her eyes peering through the snowy undergrowth, with the leaves that stuck to the tips of the branches drifting down onto the snow. It had been a while since the gathering, and just as the mysterious apprentice had promised the ThunderClan she-cat, they were training outside of the camp in the middle of a clearing around the undergrowth.

The sun was now dipping down right behind the trees that lined across the undergrowth, the sky was now growing an orange tint, along with a red color merged with the orange. Bristlepaw twitched her nose, breathing in the scent of the trees. The scent of bark washed around her nose, as well as a stale, old scent of mouse that was blown away by the cool, crisp wind whipping through her face.

I can't smell anything ! Bristlepaw protested, her claws digging through the fresh snow that had appeared because of the harsh blizzard that roared dangerously outside of the apprentices' den. Wait… I can smell a fresh scent of squirrel!

Perfect! Now, remember what I taught you! The small she-cat's throat rumbled out a purr. Try to catch it.

Bristlepaw slipped through the snow of the undergrowth, her paws pacing faster in anticipation for her new catch. She raced down the clearing of the undergrowth, her paws were coated with snow, and her eyes were growing weary as she felt so much more tired. Her paws forced the she-cat to halt, her claws skidding through the snow.

Right in front of the she-cat, was a small patch around the undergrowth. The trees around her had thinned, as she had been racing across the undergrowth. She twitched her nose, taking a small whiff from the undergrowth patch, and widened her eyes as she caught the scent of a vole, with the leaves of the patch rustling as she did.

It's a shrew! She explained to the apprentice. She was actually sort of glad that she could speak to the apprentice through her thoughts, it made her feel more comfortable. She dropped her legs low to the snowy ground, the fur of her underbelly brushing against the snow coating her paws. She crept closer to the undergrowth patch, shrivelled leaves drifting down onto the snowy ground from the trees. She waggled her hindquarters, peering closer at the patch that lay around the corner of the undergrowth.

Her hindlegs suddenly sprang upward, and she leaped forward toward the patch. She disappeared through the patch, the brown, shrivelled leaves brushing against her flank. She opened her jaws around the squealed shrew, and clenched her teeth between the shrews back. She bit down hard around the shrew, closing her eyes vigorously as blood flowed through her tongue. The shrew fell limp, motionless around her jaws. She emerged from the undergrowth patch, her throat rumbling out a purr. I did it! I did it! She announced through her thoughts. Thank you, StarClan, for this prey!

Great! The apprentice squeaked, her voice filled with an emotion of joy as Bristlepaw bounced around the clearing in excitement. Now let's bury it and try to catch something else, we need you to pass your warrior assessment now .

Bristlepaw padded down the clearing, and pushed her way through some shrubs that had lined around the entrance to the clearing. She skidded to a halt, her eyes widened as she spotted Rosepetal emerged from the gorse bushes that was in front of the pale-gray she-cat.

"Did I fail already?" She widened her eyes, which shimmered a desperate sorrow lighting through her pupils as the rising moon shone through her pelt. "Please, just let me try again! I'll do anything!"

The lithe cream she-cat shook her head, her eyes shone proudly as she gazed down at her apprentice. "No, you have passed your assessment." She purred, her tail flicked as the cool wind blew through the she-cat's pelt.

Bristlepaw's eyes glinted as the moonlit through her blue-green eyes, which widened as she opened, and then closed her mouth because she didn't respond. She wanted to let out a triumphant yowl that after all these moons, she had finally passed her assessment, but she still felt so guilty that she could only give her clan this one, scrawny shrew.

"B—but, surely I can catch more than this one shrew?" Bristlepaw meowed. "Just give me a few more moments, and then I can get like, a lot of voles and mice and birds!" Irritation sparked through her eyes, her tail slightly fizzing as she furrowed her brows at her mentor.

Rosepetal patiently shook her head. "No, that is not needed," she assured the she-cat, the tip of her tail flicking over to Bristlepaw's shoulder. "There isn't much prey anyway, so you did a great job serving your clan."

Bristlepaw felt irritation churning through her stomach, swallowing back her words to spit at her mentor about how she wanted to hunt more for her clan. What is wrong with me? I shouldn't be angry that I finally passed my warrior assessment. The weird churning through her stomach calmed a little more, and suddenly happy joy lit through her eyes. She picked up her shrew, and followed her mentor down the dirt path across the undergrowth that led toward the camp. But, in the midst of her happiness and relief, she still had the niggling sense that the scrawny shrew she caught wasn't enough to gain her clanmates' approval, and that she could've done way more better.

I hope Rosepetal didn't pass me because she felt sorry for me.

As Bristlepaw pushed her way through the thorn tunnel into the ThunderClan camp, she was aware of every cat in the camp turning their heads to stare at her, their expression filled with curiosity as she emerged from the thorn tunnel with a shrew in her jaws. She could hear a joyful, faint yowl echo across the silence of the camp.

"Bristlepaw caught a shrew!" Finchpaw, a young, black tortoiseshell she-cat squealed happily.

Her clanmates raced after the pale-gray she-cat, their expressions full of joy as they surrounded the apprentice. "Congratulations!" Ivypool purred. Fernsong nuzzled his head against Bristlepaw's cheek, his throat rumbling out a small purr, and his eyes filled with warm pride. Fernsong had took care of Bristlepaw and her siblings ever since they were kits, since Ivypool was always busy with her warrior duties.

Bristlepaw felt almost embarrassed, she resisted the urge to shrink her head back into her soft fur. Her eyes were suddenly filled with despair as she spotted the black pelt of Thriftear, her piercing blue eyes glaring straight at the pale-gray she-cat. Flipclaw just gave Bristlepaw a guilty look, and turned away from the she-cat.

Stemleaf suddenly padded up to her, purring down at the she-cat. "Good job!" He meowed.

Bristlepaw flattened her ears. "It's not much of a catch," she protested, her thoughts picturing Thriftear, Flipclaw, and Bristlepaw all playing together when they were just young kits.

"But just remember how little prey there is out there," Stemleaf assured, his tail brushing against Bristlepaw's shoulder, making Bristlepaw pause as embarrassment flooded all over her stomach. "You've done a good job hunting for this clan."

Bristlepaw drew her lips to a soft smile, as she remembered that Rosepetal had told her the same exact thing. "Thank you." She murmured, giving a slight purr.

Meanwhile, she had spotted Rosepetal emerging from Bramblestar's den, with the dark ginger pelt of Squirrelflight following right behind her. Bristlepaw puffed her chest out as Squirrelflight stood a few tail-lengths from her as her clanmates formed a ragged circle around the she-cat.

Yes! The best moment I've been waiting for!

Squirrelflight murmured something under her breath that Bristlepaw couldn't figure out, and yowled out to the whole camp. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!"

The five elders of the clan had emerged from their den with purrs of enjoyment as they tediously dragged their paws down the main-clearing. Come on! They all sat down right beside each other, their tails curled around their paws. Alderheart pushed himself through the gorse that shrouded around the corners of the entrance to the medicine den, the bramble screen that edged around the entrance brushing against the back of his fur. He turned his head back to flick his tail for Jayfeather to follow. The gray tabby followed Alderheart, grunts of annoyance appeared from his mouth as they sat down beside each other to hear about the new announcement Squirrelflight was going to make. Sorrelstripe and Daisy appeared from the thorn bushes that guarded the nursery, along with Baykit and Myrtlekit. Though, they were nudged back by Sorrelstripe's tail, making the kits squeak in protest as they turned back to the nursery.

When all the cats were assembled, Squirrelflight sat down on the top of the highledge with a regal position, puffing her chest out. "Cats of ThunderClan, I am proud to announce that an apprentice of our clan is finally ready to become a warrior."

Bristlepaw puffed her chest out with a determined expression on her face as all cats spun their heads over at the she-cat.

Squirrelflight's dark green eyes drifted over to the pale-gray she-cat, blinking down at Bristlepaw with a proud look on her face. "Rosepetal, has your apprentice, Bristlepaw, learned the skills of a warrior, and does she understand the true meaning of the warrior code?"

"Yes, she has." Rosepetal dipped her head, purring as she gazed up at Squirrelflight.

"Then I, Squirrelflight, deputy of ThunderClan, call upon our warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," she glanced up with desperation in her eyes at the vast, black pool of the indigo sky, the stars darkening as the dark gray mists of clouds drifting across the night sky. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in return.

"Bristlepaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of the warrior code, and defend and protect your clan even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Bristlepaw mewed solemnly, dipping her head down at the dark ginger she-cat.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Bristlepaw, from now on, you'll be known as Bristlefrost. We will honor your skill and determination for this clan, and we welcome you as a warrior of ThunderClan."

Squirrelflight stooped to rest her muzzle on Bristlefrost's head, and Bristlefrost gave her clan deputy a respectful lick around her shoulder. She took a step backward, and, as if at signal, all her clanmates suddenly cheered for Bristlefrost's new name.

"Bristlefrost! Bristlefrost!"

Warmth spread from Bristlefrost to tail-tip, her eyes sparkling with pride as they kept cheering for her name. She had forgotten about her meager catch because her expression was filled with warmth and pride. She was purring too hard as her parents came up to congratulate her on her warrior ceremony. Her excitement faded as she spotted her littermates, reluctantly padding up to the she-cat.

"I'm sorry!" Bristlefrost blurted out, flattening her ears as her littermates stood still in front of the taller she-cat. "I—I don't know what came over me, I was in a really bad mood, and I thought you guys were the reason I failed my assessment… I now realized that was just selfish, and I should've apologized earlier instead of sulking about it."

She blinked at Thriftear, who widened her blue eyes in surprise. Thriftear suddenly drew her lips to a soft smile, and her throat rumbled out a purr. "We forgive you," she mewed softly, lapping her tongue around Bristlefrost's ear in assurance.

"Yeah, just don't do that again!" Flipclaw mrrowed a small chuckle, nudging Bristlefrost lightly with his shoulder. Bristlefrost turned her head over to Thriftear, and her throat rumbled out a small purr.

More cats pressed up to give her praise and congratulate her on passing her assessment. Bristlefrost impatiently thanked them, her blood fizzing with anticipation as she thought of the white-and-orange tom who was Stemleaf. She pushed herself through the crowd once they were done congratulating the she-cat, and her eyes shone with happiness as she spotted Stemleaf sitting with his tail curled.

"Bristlefrost is a great name for you," he told her as she padded up to him. "Congratulations, by the way!"

"Thank you!" Bristlefrost took a deep breath, her paws digging through the snow that coated around her pads. It's now or never! Her paws trembled as the thought appeared through her head. "Stemleaf!" She mewed. "I really—really—like you, for a long time. Ever since we were both apprentices. I love you, Stemleaf, and I want us to be together!"

Stemleaf stared at her, opening his jaws with his eyes widened. Bristlefrost suddenly saw, that to her horror, his eyes were filled with dismay. "Bristlefrost… I like you, I really do…" He swallowed. "But I don't like you in that way. You are a really good friend— almost like a littermate that was never distant unlike my other siblings. But I've never really… felt that way."

Bristlefrost's ears drooped low, along with her tail, dropping low onto the snow beneath her paws. "B—but… now that I've told you, do you think… that in time… you might feel the same way…?" What.

Stemleaf shook his head. His eyes were full of distress, but that didn't do much to comfort Bristlefrost. "I—I… I actually love someone else…" He murmured, shifting his paws as his gaze drifted across the main-clearing. No. And over to a gray-and-white spotted tabby she-cat, who scrambled to her paws, and spoke with Hazeltail, a gray-and-white she-cat. Spotfur.

Bristlefrost felt her heart drop against the ground of her chest as she watched Stemleaf turn away, and bound down the camp and over to Spotfur. The crunching of snow rang through Bristlefrost's ears, so she spun her head right behind her with blankness around her eyes. Thriftear gave Bristlefrost a pitiful look, and dragged her tongue around her older sister's ear in an attempt to comfort the pale-gray she-cat.

She felt Thriftear's tail-tip rest around Bristlefrost's shoulder. "I'm so sorry," Thriftear murmured softly.

Bristlefrost blankly stared down at the cool, fresh snow beneath her paws, her mouth staying closed as Thriftear kept trying to comfort the she-cat. WHAT. The apprentice hissed, sounding as if she was mewing through gritted teeth. That stupid foxheart! Ugh!

Bristlefrost gritted her teeth to a snarl, whipping herself away from the black she-cat, and she fled across the main-clearing of the camp. She raced past clumped together shrivelled leaves, which were shoved and they fled away, and drifted down onto the snowy ground as she kept on darting through the camp. She skidded to a furious halt, gazing up at the night, indigo sky, only to find drooping leaves that drifted onto the snow ground, dew filling across the small leaves. The oak-tree above her in the right corner of the camp was damp, and was wet with dew. She sat down, and curled her tail around her forepaws, letting out hyperventilated pants. Stupid Stemleaf, stupid assessments, stupid Spotfur, stupid everything!

Everything is stupid. The apprentice murmured under her breath. Stemleaf is really a mousebrained tom, how could he reject you like that?! Foxheart!

Bristlefrost didn't respond. She just stared down at the snow that was coated around her forepaws, flattening her ears across the back of her head. I'll never be happy.

Chapter Text

"Okay, today we are going to teach you a new battle move." Reedclaw announced. "Egg and I will show you first. Are you ready, Egg?" The brown tabby she-cat whipped her head over to the long-legged tom, whose eyes lit up with excitement as he gazed down at the two apprentices.

"When you are," the tall tom replied, his blue eyes drifting over to the tabby she-cat.

Two sunrises had passed since the gathering, and although a fierce, piercing cold still clamped down the forest, at least there had been no fresh snow so far. Rootpaw and Needlepaw were training with their mentors in a sheltered hollow where the the covering of dead leaves were visible under a light drifting of white.

"Watch carefully," Reedclaw mewed. "I'm going to attack Egg. I may be bigger and heavier than him, but he is going to beat me."

Rootpaw was crouching down beside his sister, eager to see what would happen. Energy rushed through the tom, as if he were a stream suddenly released from the grip of frost.

"Wait till it's our turn," Needlepaw whispered. "I'm going to squash you!"

Rootpaw let out a small mrrow of laughter. "I'd like to see you try!" He challenged, his gaze flashing a fierce look at Needlepaw.

Reedclaw reared up on her hind paws and bore down on Egg, who flattened himself to the ground, gazing up at her with wide eyes, as if he were terrified. But before Reedclaw could land on top of him, he launched himself forward, still keeping low, and scooped her hind paws out from under her.

Needlepaw let out a yowl of excitement as Reedclaw tumbled onto her side, hitting the ground with a thud. But Egg hadn't finished. As swift as a striking snake, he spun around and leaped on top of Reedclaw, pinning her down with one paw on her throat and another at the base of her tail.

"Awesome!" Needlepaw breathed out.

Rootpaw's claws fizzed with anticipation as Reedclaw sprang to her paws, his eyes glimmering with excitement as the giant or of the sunlit down onto the sheltered clearing. Vines were tangled around the tips of the branches from the oak trees, the morning dew dripping across the leaves of the trees.

"That's the move," Reedclaw mewed. "In a battle, you might not be able to do the second part, but it's a good way to deal with any creature who tries to attack you on their hind paws. Especially if they think you're scared."

Needlepaw leaped up, bouncing on her paws with excitement. "I want to try!" She squeaked. "Come on Rootpaw, attack me!" The smaller she-cat crouched low onto the ground. "Oh you're such a big, strong cat! Please don't hurt me!"

"You furball!" Rootpaw meowed good-humoredly.

He reared up on hind paws, just as Reedclaw did, and stretched his forepaws at the black-and-white she-cat, ready to fall on top of his sister. Needlepaw sprang forward, and even though he knew what she was trying to do, he was too clumsy and wasn't able to dodge on his own hind paws. The breath was driven out of his body as he fell onto his side, his whole body curled as he felt a pang of small pain. Needlepaw dropped her paws onto the bigger tom, yowling triumphantly as she pinned him down with all four paws.

This isn't over! Rootpaw thought, determination lit up through his green eyes. He pushed his hind legs back onto his stomach, furrowing his brows at the black-and-white she-cat. His green gaze was kept intently at the yellow eyes of Needlepaw, which glinted brightly as the sunlit from the misty, dull sky and washed all over her pelt.

Rootpaw's training session with Egg suddenly flashed through his mind, and he let himself go limp, his paws motionless on the ground beneath them. "Was that okay, Reedclaw?" Needlepaw asked, her eyes brightening with excitement as she stared at the brown-tabby she-cat. Rootpaw suddenly powered up from the ground, throwing Needlepaw off, and pinned her down.

"Mousedung!" Needlepaw squeaked, her hind paws scrabbling across the grass, with drops of morning dew filling on her forepaws. "Let me up, you mouse-brain!" She added teasingly.

Rootpaw stepped back to let the small she-cat stand. His eyes drifted across the massive undergrowth that surrounded the small clearing, shrivelled leaves blown away from the branches of the pine-trees. He gazed over at Egg, whose tail curled up with amusement, and Reedclaw, and who had laughter glimmering through her blue eyes.

"Well done, both of you." Reedclaw mewed, her voice was filled with patience, and her eyes looked calm. "Now, let's try again, and Needlepaw, you attack this time."

When the training session was over, all four cats headed back to the camp. Rootpaw padded down a few paces back from the three cats, and his thoughts kept latching on to the ThunderClan cat who was Bristlepaw. He felt his heart lift up as he thought of the pale-gray she-cat, and bounce around in glee. Ugh, stop thinking about her! He shook his head, forcing the thought out of his head. But, for some reason, he didn't want to. She was an amazing cat, and she was brave for saving him from the icy water that he was plunged into.

I wish she'd seen that fighting move I pulled off!

"What are you thinking about?" Needlepaw slowed her pace, and padded down the undergrowth that led to the camp right beside her brother. "Is it about the fighting move you pulled off?" She rolled her eyes. "Don't get too cocky about it, I beat you at the second try!" She nudged him affectionately with her muzzle, her throat rumbling out a small purr.

"No, it's not about that." Rootpaw told her. "It's just… Bristlepaw, the cat who saved me… I can't stop thinking about her." He lowered his voice to a soft murmur through Needlepaw's ears, hoping desperately that their mentors hadn't heard his reveal.

The black-and-white she-cat mrrowed small laughter in a reply, her whiskers twitching in amusement. "Yuck, gross! I don't understand how you can pad after someone." She muttered, sticking her tongue out.

Rootpaw gave a small purr of amusement. "I'm not padding after her!" He mewed, drawing his lips to a soft smile. "Stop making things up."

Needlepaw's eyes were filled with mischief as she stared right into her brother's eyes. Her pace was a little faster, and her paws turdged down the large undergrowth. "Race you to camp!" She yowled, slipping between their mentors, and racing down the dirt path that lined across the middle of the undergrowth.

Rootpaw rolled his eyes, but paced faster down the clearing. He slipped through the snow that coated the tips of his paws, and pushed himself through the cream tom and the brown tabby she-cat. As he pushed past them, he dashed across the undergrowth, his eyes glimmering with joy as the flashes of trees rushed past the tom. But suddenly, his claws skidded through the fresh snow, halting right on the edge of the clearing.

Needlepaw and Rootpaw had reached the camp entrance, the gorse bushes shifting slightly as the cool wind drifted through the entrance to the camp, and with brambles that were twisted around the edges of the entrance. Tree had pushed himself through the gorse bushes that were shrouded around the corners of the entrance, and skidded to a halt as he realized his two kits were right in front of him.

"Morning, Tree!" Egg mewed enthusiastically right behind the two apprentices, bounding across the clearing, and halted as he reached the front of the main entrance to the camp. He dipped his head respectfully, even though Tree was younger than the long-legged tom. 

"We've just had a good training session, Needlepaw and Rootpaw are doing well." Reedclaw meowed, dipping her head at the large yellow tom. "I feel like they'll be great warriors."

"Yes, they're working hard," Egg purred. "And they're always cheerful, even when we tell them to clear out the soiled bedding! That may be because they enjoy each other's company!"

Tree listened gravely, though Rootpaw couldn't tell whether he was pleased or disappointed with the praise their mentors' had been giving. "Thanks for telling me," he mewed, his throat rumbling out a purr.

"Yeah, we make a great team!" Needlepaw mewed, bouncing right beside Rootpaw. "Nothing can ever stop us when we're fighting in a battle together!"

The two mentors continued into the camp, but Tree held his two kits back with a beckon of his tail. "Don't be too obedient," he mewed. "It is important to also think for yourselves, too."

Needlepaw dipped her head a small nod. "Okay Tree, we won't!" She puffed her chest out, her eyes flashed a look of determination through her yellow gaze. "It won't be a problem, I promise!"

Rootpaw couldn't share the acceptance that his sister had responded with. The tip of his tail lashed back-and-forth, furrowing his brows at his father. Why can't Tree just act like our clanmates? Rootpaw thought. Doesn't he remember how important it is to be in a clan? Wrenkit is still scared of him, Turtlepaw seems to be alright now, but Kitepaw… I'm not sure, he might still think he's weird…

He dipped his head a farewell to his father, and pushed himself through the tendrils of brambles that edged around the entrance, and the gorse bushes. Needlepaw bounded along right behind him. His thoughts suddenly flew right back to Bristlepaw, with her stern gaze staring right on the yellow tom, as well as her calling out Kitepaw and Turtlepaw. His heart fluttered like butterflies flying across his chest, making him glare at the end of the tunnel in annoyance.

He padded through the ferns that were clamped around the corners of the other end of the entrance, his paws shivering as the cold frost that was rippled across the tips of the fronds brushed against the side of his yellow pelt. Rootpaw glanced at the SkyClan fresh-kill pile, and widened his eyes as he realized the pile wasn't full, yet it was enough to feed all of his clanmates. And there might be more if Tree comes back with prey in his mouth.

"Reedclaw says we can get the first pick from the fresh-kill pile if you're hungry!" Needlepaw's throat rumbled out a purr, blinking right at the yellow tom. "I'm really hoping for a shrew."

"That's too small! I'd rather go for a rabbit!" Rootpaw mewed, his stomach feeling empty, and growling as it begged for food. "Come on!"

Needlepaw let out a small mrrow of laughter as she followed Rootpaw down the main-clearing of the camp. Snow crunched beneath Rootpaw's paws, the trickles of snowflakes washing across his legs. He twitched his nose, the scent of birds washed all over it, and he felt his mouth dripping with water as he thought of biting into a plump crow.

Rootpaw and Needlepaw halted as they reached the front of the fresh-kill pile, the twisting brambles edging around the corners of the nest-like pile. Needlepaw crouched her head low through the pile, her gaze searched around for good options. She suddenly lifted her head, a plump, juicy shrew dangling through her jaws.

"We could share this!" She purred, her ears pricking as joy fluttered through her yellow eyes. "It's pretty plump."

"Thanks!" Rootpaw mewed, but suddenly, he could hear pawsteps coming from right beside the two apprentices. He turned his head over to the sound, and he spotted the black-tortoiseshell pelt of Turtlepaw bounding over to the two.

Turtlepaw halted between the two apprentices, her green gaze flitted over to Rootpaw. "Could I share it with Needlepaw?" She asked, tipping her head. "I want to talk to her."

Rootpaw widened his eyes, whipping his head back at Needlepaw. She stared back right at him with a ferocious glare, and then turned her head over to Turtlepaw. He hesitated, he wanted to speak with his sister and wanted to know how her training was going… But this could be a chance for her to finally become friends with Turtlepaw. He spun his head back at Turtlepaw, and reluctantly dipped his head a nod.

Needlepaw furrowed her brows at Turtlepaw. The black tortoiseshell padded down the main-clearing of the camp, away from the fresh-kill pile, and Needlepaw nodded at Rootpaw a farewell, then she followed right behind Turtlepaw.

Rootpaw let out a small sigh, flattening his ears across the back of his ears. Maybe I shouldn't have let Turtlepaw borrow Needlepaw… I wanted to talk to my best friend… He then glanced over at the tallrock. Leafstar was sitting right below the meeting rock, speaking with her deputy, Hawkwing, about something that Rootpaw couldn't quite catch.

Suddenly, an idea crept through his mind as he thought of the ThunderClan she-cat he'd been thinking about for a while, and padded over to them.

"H—hello, Leafstar," Rootpaw murmured awkwardly, dipping his head in a respectful nod at his clan leader.

"Greetings, Rootpaw," Leafstar mewed as Rootpaw halted right in front of the two cats. "How is your training going?"

"Okay, I think," Rootpaw replied. "Our mentors praise me and Needlepaw for our training, and we learned a new battle move today."

"That's great," Hawkwing drew his lips to a smile as he stared at his grandson.

"Actually, there's something I've been thinking about…" Rootpaw began. Now that he realized he was standing in front of the clan leader and deputy, he began to feel nervousness prickle around his stomach, and crawling over to the top where his chest lay.

"Well? Spit it out, then." Leafstar hissed as the awkward silence arose from the conversation.

Rootpaw took a deep breath. "So, do you remember when I fell into the ice from the lake?" Rootpaw asked, which the two cats had nodded in reply. "And how a ThunderClan cat by the name of Bristlepaw came to save me?"

"Yes, and we thank her for that. She was very kind," Leafstar mewed. "But what does that have to do with what you're about to say?" Her eyes narrowed a little as she stared at Rootpaw, her mouth widening across her jaws to a small frown.

"Well… I want to thank her for being able to save me! I could give Bristlepaw a piece of prey—just one piece—that I catch myself!"

Leafstar's whiskers twitched, to Rootpaw's dismay, disapprovingly, her eyes glaring at the small tom. "Rootpaw—" Leafstar began.

"I'd catch it on my own time, not at a hunting patrol!" Rootpaw interrupted the brown tabby she-cat, desperation lit through his green gaze as they flitted over to the tabbies eyes. "Bristlepaw was so brave… saving me from that frozen lake, even though she probably knew it would end her…" 

Rootpaw's heart was pounding hard against his chest as he waited for his leader's verdict, but for several moments Leafstar said nothing. Eventually she spun her head to Rootpaw's grandfather. "What do you think, Hawkwing?" She asked.

Hawkwing closed his eyes. His tail swept across the snow, sending flurries of snowflakes over the ground, and curled his tail around his paws. "It is unusual for a clan to share prey with another," he replied. "And as we are a fairly new clan around the lake, I think we should be cautious about overstepping over a clan's boundaries."

Leafstar's ears twitched slightly, turning her head over to Rootpaw. "Yes, that is true, but ThunderClan did save our own, and I don't want to be ungrateful." She let out a soft sigh.

Rootpaw's paws dug through the white snow, the ripples of snowflakes brushing against his long-haired fur. The SkyClan leader suddenly dipped her head a nod. "I'll allow this, Rootpaw," she mewed. "But—"

"Oh, yes! Thank you Leafstar!" Rootpaw squeaked, his paws hopping up and down off of the snow beneath them. He stopped bouncing excitedly as he had noticed he'd interrupted his leader, flattening his ears across the back of his head. "Sorry." He murmured under his breath.

" But ," Leafstar mewed, rolling her eyes. "As you have said, you have to catch your own prey—and you can't go on a hunting patrol, so you need to earn permission from your mentor." She instructed the small tom.

Rootpaw dipped his head a small nod. "Yes, I understand!" He agreed, his paws hopping one-by-one in glee as he felt so impatient that he just wanted to do it right now.

"Off you go, then," Leafstar meowed, watching as Rootpaw instantly turned, raced down the camp and approached his mentor, Egg.

Sunhigh was long past by the time Rootpaw headed toward the ThunderClan border. A small vole dangled from his mouth. He felt his mouth watering as the vole was entwined with his jaws, but shook his head, furrowing his brows down at the fresh snow that crackled as he kept on padding down the undergrowth. This is for Bristlepaw, not for me! The trees were thinning as they continued padding down the clearing of the small undergrowth, the branches were filled with small, growing leaves from the tips, though it was only when Rootpaw had narrowed his eyes and peered through the leaves. The patrol that was with him was small, but it had Mintfur, a gray tabby she-cat, and Tinycloud, a small white she-cat, as well as Egg.

He had gotten permission from Egg to hunt one piece of prey for Bristlepaw, but even though Rootpaw had told Egg that he didn't need to come, he had insisted on coming along. Even though Egg didn't sound aggressive, there was a little hint of annoyance that was around the corners of his kind blue eyes. The pungent scent of ThunderClan mingled through his pink nose, and the three cats halted around the edges of SkyClan territory.

"Let's stop here," Tinycloud hissed, letting out a few panting breaths as she sat down with her tail curled around her paws. "A ThunderClan patrol will be coming soon."

Rootpaw dropped his prey, and sat beside it in a shelter of a clump of bracken with his tail curled around his forepaws. Looking out into ThunderClan territory, Rootpaw could feel excitement churning through his stomach as he thought of giving his prey to Bristlepaw, and seeing the joyful look on her face. Suddenly, he could see that through the territory, the snow had fallen heavily onto the branches of the trees, which were slightly weighing down as the large piles of snow lay atop of it. He wrinkled his nose, he realized he could barely scent any prey around the undergrowth, making fear twist through his chest as he thought of Bristlepaw and her clanmates, all starving in the camp.

To his relief, it wasn't long before he could hear rustling on the ThunderClan side of the border, and three ThunderClan warriors appeared from the darkened shadows that lurked across the undergrowth of ThunderClan from a copse of elder bushes. Rootpaw didn't recognize any of them but he thought he had seen them in the very first gathering he had been to, along with Needlepaw.

"What are you SkyClan cats doing here?" a pale tortoiseshell she-cat hissed, her neck fur bristling as she glared at Mintfur. "What do you want?"

Mintfur dipped her head politely at the tortoiseshell. "Poppyfrost," she murmured. But Rootpaw could see that beneath those calm, blue eyes, he spotted a sudden flash of fury echo through her blue eyes. "We have come to—" 

"Prey!" A black she-cat with a darker stripe running from her forehead, and all over to her fluffed up tail, spat out with her fur bristling as she stared at the vole dangling from Rootpaw's jaws. "They have stolen prey!"

Tinycloud flinched, her eyes glowering defensively down at the black she-cat. "Hollytuft, do you really think we'd ever steal your prey?" She asked, her eyebrow raising. "We aren't prey-stealers, don't worry." Hollytuft's fur relaxed only a bit, and she narrowed her eyes to slits as she stared suspiciously at Rootpaw. The small yellow tom flinched as she did, her sharp gaze piercing through his chest like a sharpened-thorn.

"As I was saying…" Mintfur glared down at Poppyfrost. "We have come to give you a gift after one of your warriors has saved a clanmate of ours." She finally finished her reply, drawing her lips to a soft, amused smile as Poppyfrost widened her eyes.

A mottled brown tabby tom flattened his ears as he poked his head through a gap between the two larger she-cat's, confusion, yet sudden fear exploded through his green gaze as he stared up at the gray tabby she-cat. Hollytuft slowly dipped her head a nod.

"This way. Don't you dare even make one step wrong, or we'll throw you in the twoleg nest where dogs live." A tall, white she-cat hissed, narrowing her eyes down at the gray tabby she-cat. The patrol spun around from the smaller one, and began to pad down the undergrowth where the trees had thinned around the clearing.

Rootpaw scrambled after the SkyClan patrol as they began to follow the larger patrol of ThunderClan cats, his paws tumbling across the snow, and sending flurries of snowflakes as he did. His blood was fizzing with excitement as he lowered his pace to match with the patrol, puffing his chest out. Oh, I can't wait to get this prey to Bristlepaw!

Chapter Text

The last of the border patrols had just left the camp, and the last remaining cats were milling around the warriors' den. Squirrelflight was emerging from the small clumps of gorse that shrouded around the medicine den, Twigbranch bounded across the camp, and right beside her was the black-and-white tom who was Toadstep, sharing tongues with the taller, slim gray she-cat. Stormcloud was laying beside the twisting brambles that tendriled around the edges of the fresh-kill pile, while Sparkpelt sat in front of the tom with her tail curled around her paws.

Bristlefrost sat around the middle of the main-clearing. She couldn't understand how her clanmates could be so cheerful, when she had been rejected by the only cat she loved. She furrowed her brows as she stared down at the snowy ground, her eyes glistened with hatred for the white-and-orange tom. The sun was lighting across the blue sky that was cleared above the clouds that had drifted across the bright orb. The clouds had grown a dull gray as they blocked up the clear blue sky, just like how Bristlefrost's heart felt as it was ripped out and broken into pieces.

"Hey, Bristlefrost." Cherryfall murmured softly from behind the pale-gray she-cat. "Want to go hunting? You've been feeling a little down lately." She gave a small, sympathetic smile at the young warrior, her yellow eyes churning with pity through her kind gaze. "Stemleaf is coming with us."

Bristlefrost stiffened, her heart dropping hard down onto her chest. She whipped her head over at the ginger she-cat, her blue-green eyes glowering down at Cherryfall. "No!" She hissed. "Like I'd ever go with that foxheart!"

Cherryfall's fur bristled across the back of her neck, her teeth gritting to a small snarl. "Bristlefrost, that's just immature of you!" She growled. "Maybe you're the foxheart." The ginger she-cat turned around from the pale-gray she-cat, and padded down the camp.

Bristlefrost felt a huge, painful pang of guilt swell through her stomach as she watched Cherryfall skidding across the old snow into a halt in front of Stemleaf, opening and closing her mouth as a way of speaking with the small tom. Bristlefrost glared her piercing, blue-green eyes right at Stemleaf, hoping it would just somehow make him disappear from her sight. Stupid Stemleaf! She thought, fury bursting through her chest.

Okay, Bristlefrost, I get it. Stemleaf is the worst, but that doesn't mean you have to keep sulking and whining about it!

Like you'd understand, Bristlefrost retorted, her paws digging through the soft, yet piercing cold snow beneath her. You never fell in love with someone, I can tell. You just became an apprentice before you died.

Suddenly, silence dragged across her mind as she had accused the small she-cat of that. It was a long moment that made Bristlefrost feel like she had made the small apprentice disappear, and she felt guilt clawing through her chest as she thought she had upset the small she-cat.

Have I ever told you my name? The apprentice suddenly replied in a blank tone, sorrowness twitching her mew. You know what, you don't need to answer that, I already know. The apprentice gave a long, sudden pause. My name is Rainpaw.

Rainpaw? Bristlefrost widened her eyes as they kept gazing intently down on the snow, which left deep pawprints across the ground. …What do you look like…? She reluctantly asked, pricking her ears as interest sparked through her eyes.

Like I'd ever tell you that, Rainpaw hissed through what seemed like gritted teeth. I've already told you my name, you don't need to know anything else about me.

"Hey, Bristlefrost, want to go hunting with us?" Twigbranch called out over to the young warrior, her brightened green eyes blinking with a glimmer of desperation across her gaze. "Rosepetal, and Shellfur are coming!" She gave a small smile at the pale-gray she-cat.

Bristlefrost was about to open her mouth to give a small tort, but she snapped her jaws shut, holding her bitter tongue down. "Err… No thanks, there was a… thorn in my bedding…" Bristlefrost gave a small mrrow of a suspicious chuckle.

Twigbranch drew her lips to a widened frown, and turned her head over to Bristlefrost's former mentor, Rosepetal. She murmured softly through the lithe cream she-cat's ears, and Rosepetal dipped her head a small nod. The cream she-cat ignored Bristlefrost's cries of protest as she padded over to the she-cat, and dragged her into a secluded spot between the outer branches of a den and the wall of the stone hollow.

"What's going on?!" Bristlefrost asked, bewildered.

"What is going on with you ?!" Rosepetal challenged her, the fur of her scruff bristling with irritation. "I've seen you, Bristlefrost. How could you say something like that about Stemleaf?! I know you're more mature than this, Bristlefrost! He is your clanmate, you can't say something like that! Even a kit would know better than to insult a warrior! And ever since you became a full warrior, you've been lashing out at clanmates, and you have been moping around the camp every day! Being a warrior was your dream , Bristlefrost. Why are you acting like this?"

Bristlefrost didn't want to reply, she felt too embarrassed to even murmur it out. Her former mentor would get angry at her for lashing out at her clanmates for a stupid reason. Rosepetal would think Bristlefrost was being ridiculous, mooning over Stemleaf and thinking it was the end for her when he had rejected her. But her feelings were so sharp, so overwhelming, that to horror she found herself pouring everything out to her former mentor.

"I really like Stemleaf," she admitted. "I've liked him since I first became an apprentice, and when he was around eight moons." She attempted to swallow back her next words, but they were forcefully pushed out of her mouth. "I thought he was nice, a great fighter, amazing… He has shiny green eyes that just make me want to get waved away…" She shook her head, her blue-green eyes glaring down at the small clearing around the camp. The grass was filled with damp, morning dew that soaked against her pads. "But, this whole time, he wanted to be mates with Spotfur . And I just feel… Angry. I wish I could control it, I really wish I could. But I just… can't…"

Rosepetal let out a soft sigh, shaking her head slightly. "Bristlefrost, I understand that you are furious at Stemleaf, and that you can't control your anger, but you have to understand that you can't take all that anger out on clanmates." She blinked down at the pale-gray she-cat. " Even Stemleaf. And it's okay if he rejected you, it's a part of clan life."

Bristlefrost furrowed her brows at her mentor, her paws trembling viciously as her claws dug deeper into the dirt beneath her paws. "Whatever! You wouldn't understand!" She gritted her teeth to a snarl, her eyes bursting into furious hot flames. Bristlefrost scrambled to her paws, and turned away from the she-cat to drag her paws down the main-clearing of the camp. "Bristlefrost, wait!" Rosepetal yowled out at the she-cat, but Bristlefrost was already brushing against the gorse ferns that shrouded over the warriors' den, pushing herself through the entrance. She padded over to a mossy nest that was around the right corner of the warriors den, and laid down with her paws tucked underneath her chest above the nest.

This is all Spotfur's fault! If she didn't get in the way of our relationship, if only she didn't get in the way of my life ! Her thoughts were just filled with anger and hatred, her claws flexing as the gray-and-white she-cat flashed through her mind. Why does it have to be this way…? Why couldn't Stemleaf just pick me…

Suddenly, the thorn tunnel of the main entrance to the camp rustled as the gorse bushes were pushed aside for the new border patrol to step through. Bristlefrost felt sort of reluctant, but she spun her head over to the entrance of the warriors' den. Right in front of the entrance was the exit to the camp, the clumps of fern shrouded around the right corners of the main-entrance, with gorse bushes lined around the other corners, and thorns tangled around the twisting vines that edged around the entrance.

Dewnose, Poppyfrost, and Hollytuft pushed themselves through the thorn barrier that guarded around the edges of the main-entrance, with Flipclaw and Whitewing at their heels. As Bristlefrost twitched her nose, she whiffed a strange scent that lingered around the ThunderClan cats that were padding through the main entrance, wrinkling her nose as the horrible scent grew stronger. It seemed like other cats had scented it, too, and a lot of cats turned their heads over to the thorn-barriered entrance.

Suddenly, a small, yellow pelt appeared through the darkened shadows that lurked inside of the thorn barriered tunnel, and pushed themself through the gorse bushes that were shrouded around the corners of the entrance. Bristlefrost's eyes widened, surprise shone through her blue-green eyes as three cats emerged from the thorn tunnel. The SkyClan cats were Egg, Tinycloud, and Mintfur. The smaller yellow tom that stood still with widened eyes filled with fear was in the front of the small patrol, a share dangling from his mouth. Rootpaw. Bristlefrost flattened her ears, scrabbling to her paws, and scrambling down the clearing and over to the entrance of the warriors den. She pushed herself through the gorse that shrouded the corners of the entrance, the loosened twigs around the edges brushing against the back of her fur. She skidded to a halt as she was outside of the den, the snow dragging across the ground as her paws skidded.

"What is this? What are SkyClan warriors doing in our camp?!" Berrynose's hiss rang across the main-clearing, glaring with firey hostility down at the four cats.

Bristlefrost silently agreed with the tom, her fur bristling as her eyes glowered down at the gray tabby she-cat who was Mintfur. Her eyes drifted across the she-cat, and stopped over at the small yellow tom. Of course, of course! She gritted her teeth to a snarl, her paws forcing down hard onto the soft snow, leaving deep pawprints on the ground. Stemleaf dipped his head a small nod around the edges of the clearing at Bristlefrost, beckoning his tail over to her with a small smile. But Bristlefrost just whipped her head over to Stemleaf and gave him a piercing, cold glare, her ear twitching as the cool breeze swished through her soft pelt.

Hollytuft padded away a few paces from the patrol, halting as she emerged from the clump of fur that had clamped around the main entrance. "Bristlefrost! This apprentice wants to see you!" Hollytuft turned her head over to Rootpaw, and glared at him with narrowed eyes that thinned to slits as they did.

Rootpaw flinched, his paws trembling as Hollytuft's piercing gaze burnt right through his yellow pelt. Bristlefrost suddenly felt a twinge of guilt claw through her chest as she spotted Rootpaw's frightened gaze drifting across the camp, yet curiosity rose beneath his green eyes. She then shook her head, and dragged her paws down the main-clearing, her brows furrowed down at the yellow tom.

"Well?" Bristlefrost hissed, gritting her teeth to a furious snarl. Great, just when things get bad with Stemleaf, I have to deal with a stupid SkyClan apprentice.

Rootpaw ducked his head down onto the snowy ground, and opened his jaws to drop down the small shrew. The shrew fell onto the snow, thumping against the ground, and sending small flurries of snowflakes that splattered down onto the ground. "Bristlepaw—"

"It's Bristlefrost now," her throat rumbled out a low, fury-filled growl.

Rootpaw blinked up at she-cat, his tail-tip lifting up as he drew his lips to a soft smile. "Bristle frost ," he corrected himself, sitting down onto the snow with his tail curled around his paws. "I've brought you this shrew to say thank you for saving me from drowning in the lake. I wanted to repay my debt by helping your clan, and bringing you this piece of prey I caught by myself."

"I can hunt my own prey!" Bristlefrost snapped, making Rootpaw flinch back, his paws shivering as the cool breeze whipped through his yellow pelt. "I don't need your help, I don't need—" She broke off as she gazed right beside her, and spotted her clanmates gathering around the two cats, and eyeing the shrew hungrily, as if they would leap right after it and devour it. My clan needs this.

Bristlefrost let out a small snort. "Thank you, Rootpaw," she choked out, her eyes glowering down at the tom, and her burning gaze shot through his pelt. "I can catch my own prey, but the ThunderClan elders will be grateful to share this."

Bristlefrost glimpsed over at his soft shade of green eyes, which shone with joy as the sunlit all over the dull blue sky, with the clouds slightly graying as they drifted over the bright, burning sun. "Oh, thank you Bristlefrost!" He sprang eagerly to his paws, hopping up and down like an enthusiastic kit.

Bristlefrost dipped her head down, and grabbed the shrew, clamping it between her jaws. She lifted her head, the shrew dangling from her mouth. She dipped her head in respect at the senior warrior who was Tinycloud, standing a few paces back from the small SkyClan patrol. Bristlefrost flattened her ears as she watched the SkyClan patrol spin away, and push themselves through the gorse bushes. Rootpaw brushed against the thorns dangling from the twisted vines, and disappeared into the shadows that echoed across the thorn tunnel.

Bristlefrost's thoughts instantly shot back to Stemleaf, her heart sinking deep into her chest. He should've chosen me, I should've been the cat he'd love forever! Not Spotfur ! She turned away from the thorn tunnel, and she halted as she found Graystripe and Mille, drowsily laying beside each other on a small rock ledge that sat right below a few branches, with sticks of wood sticking out from the bark. Brackenfur laid with his paws tucked underneath his chest beside Cloudtail, while Brightheart's head laid lazily down on Cloudtail's shoulder.

Bristlefrost wearily padded over to the five cats, flattening her ears as she skidded to a halt in front of the rock ledge. "Is that for us?" Brightheart rasped, fluttering her eyes open, but keeping her head leaned on Cloudtail.

Bristlefrost's eyes clouded with misty sorrow as they paused right at Stemleaf, who was padding right beside Cherryfall with a gray mouse dangling from his jaws. She shook her head, breaking her gaze off of the tom. "Y—yeah, it is." She stammered blankly, lowering her head down in front of Brightheart and Cloudtail, and then opening her jaws to drop the shrew down.

Graystripe licked his lips, and beckoned his tail over at Mille. The light gray tabby she-cat opened her eyes drowsily, and she twitched her nose as the scent of the shrew coated her nose. She scrambled to her paws, and leaped down from the rock ledge.

Bristlefrost snorted, turning her head away from the elders, and padding down the camp with her blue-green eyes growing wearily as she stopped right in the middle of the clearing. She sat down with her tail curled around her paws, her gaze frozen intensely at Stemleaf who was dropping his catch, along with Cherryfall, on the fresh-kill pile. Her heart fluttered like butterflies flying along the undergrowth, her eyes shining with such love as she stared at the tom. Stemleaf… if only I could change your mind. She paused. I will change your mind.

Suddenly, Alderheart burst through the entrance to the medicine den, letting out heavy pants of breath as his gaze searched frantically around the main-clearing. "Squirrelflight!" He called over to the dark ginger she-cat, who was sitting down in front of Molewhisker, opening and closing her mouth as she spoke with the solemn tom. She whipped her head over to her son, her eyes suddenly filled with fear that quivered through her pupils.

"It's Bramblestar," Alderheart began as Squirrelflight raced after him, skidding to a halt as she reached the tom. "H—he's breathing, but his body is growing colder and colder every day!"

" What ?!" Squirrelflight yowled out, her eyes glistening with panic as she burst through the dull, darkening entrance of the medicine den. Bristlefrost widened her eyes, but suddenly her thoughts were whirling around with images of Stemleaf. Stop thinking about Stemleaf! This is a terrible time to think about Stemleaf!

Bristlefrost suddenly spotted cats scarily padding over to the entrance of the medicine den, stopping as they reached the entrance to take a small peek. Bristlefrost flattened her ears, panic rose through her stomach to her chest. She dashed across the clearing, pushing herself through the clumps of fur. She managed to push herself to the front of the clearing, and as she glanced right beside her, her heart burst into flames as she spotted Stemleaf standing right beside her.

Flipclaw whimpered softly beside Bristlefrost, and his head leaned onto the shoulder of Thriftear, whose eyes were somehow solemn, and brave-looking. How is Thriftear like that…?

Her gaze searched through the mouth of the den, and her eyes widened as she spotted Bramblestar's brown tabby fur blending in with the growing darkness that edged around the medicine den. Alderheart's paws pressed onto Bramblestar's fur, with Squirrelflight letting out a wail of panic as her head shoved gently onto Bramblestar's back. His breathing was shallow, his raspy, slow pants echoed around the medicine den.

Suddenly, Thriftear voiced out all of her clanmates' dark thoughts; "Is Bramblestar going to die…?"

"Squirrelflight… listen to me…" Bramblestar's chest heaved as his tail lashed, he spun his body around to glance up at Squirrelflight, whose green eyes glistened with sorrow. "I've had a terrible dream…"

Alderheart opened his mouth to speak, but Squirrelflight's tail cuffed around his muzzle. "Let him speak." She murmured, her paws digging through the brown tabbies fur. "What is it, what was the dream, Bramblestar…?"

"I saw the clans fighting one another," he went on, his voice strengthening slightly. "Everything was chaos… The sky was dark—no stars twinkled around the black night sky. Only a thin claw-scratch of a moon. And even that faded, the cats that were fighting were gone. I could only hear their howls and screeches."

Squirrelflight's jaw dropped open as her eyes widened down at her mate. Her expression was filled with fright as her gaze clouded with misery. "There were no stars…" She murmured, her bushy tail curled closely around her mates tail, wrapping them gently together.

"Is it true?" Bramblestar mewed. "Has StarClan abandoned us?"

Alderheart's eyes widened with terror as he stared down at the large tom, then he glanced up at Jayfeather, who sat beside his former apprentice with his expression faded to mingled anger and panic.

Alderheart flattened us ears, glancing over at the entrance that was filled with crowded cats. She let out a small whimper, and turned her head over at Bramblestar. Squirrelflight frantically shook her head at Alderheart, but he raised his tail for silence. "Yes, Bramblestar. Our medicine cats have not received any messages or visions from StarClan." He meowed. "It has been like this for a while now."

"So it's true," Thriftear muttered from under her breath. Flipclaw quickly lifted his head away from her shoulder, and whipped his head over at Thriftear with his eyes widened in panic and fear.

Bristlefrost felt a jolt in her belly as if a rock had been thrown at her. I had no idea! She thought, guilt, yet fury carrassed through her belly. That's what Rainpaw meant by StarClan being gone, of course! I thought that she was just being dramatic, but no! StarClan is gone! She turned her head over to Stemleaf. Was that why StarClan hadn't made me and Stemleaf together? Maybe they were planning on that, but with their absence, they couldn't do it! She suddenly had a glimmer of hope shine through her eyes as she stared at the tom.

"The medicine cats decided we should say nothing!" Jayfeather spat at him. "Alderheart, you agreed not to tell anyone about this when we told you!"

"You can't hide StarClan's abandonment toward the leaders!" Bramblestar yowled. "Or anyone! Everyone should know about this, it's far too serious. Alderheart, you were right to be honest." His chest heaved again, his back arching, as if he was struggling to stay conscious. His voice rasped as he continued, "I'll remember you were honest, when no other cat was."

What does that mean? Bristlefrost thought, tipping her head in curiosity. She stifled a gasp when others did, murmurs arose from the gathered cats that clumped around Bristlefrost.

"Action must be taken," Bramblestar went on, still in a throaty tone.

"What kind of action, Bramblestar?" Squirrelflight whimpered, her tail wrapping around his, intertwining their tails together. "Please, tell us what you want us to do…"

Another spasm shook Bramblestar's laying body. "Squirrelflight… Tell the leaders… You must get back in touch with StarClan!" Bramblestar suddenly lay limp, though his shallow breathing let his belly rise up and lower itself down.

Squirrelflight nodded, but before she could move, another convulsion shook Bramblestar, and he reared up from his nest. His paws were lashing as if he were ready to attack another enemy. His head was thrown back, his jaws stretched wide in a silent wail. Then he went back limp, collapsing down on his side onto the nest to lie unmoving among the moss and bracken.

Chapter Text

There is a darkness in the clans… Shadowpaw's vision was blurry with trickles of fur moving along the brown clearing. Pain rose everywhere through his paws, he felt the indescribable pain of blood loosening from the soft grip of poultice with cobwebs splattered along his wounds. He could barely hear anything, and he couldn't even feel his hind legs. He tried to think of something, but he couldn't, the pain was just too distracting. He just wanted to die and go to StarClan already, the pain was too unbearable.

A gray, blurry motion appeared through craggy green, mixed with white blurry movements. He needed to get up, he needed to tell everyone his vision. But he couldn't move, even when he tried. He felt his eyes grow weary, drifting from closed-to-open. No, he couldn't sleep. He needed to tell Tigerstar.

I need… to… tell… Spire…

Muffled noises rang through his ears as he slowly, yet wearily opened his yellow eyes. The pain still lingered horribly across his pelt. He needed his mother to help him, he needed Spire or Cinnamon to save him from this horrible, unbearable pain. The noises felt so panicky, but why? A gray, blurry motion was moving back-and-forth right around the small tom. Where was Dovewing? Was she here, helping Pouncekit and Lightkit learn how to hunt? Or was she curled up beside him, licking ferociously across his pelt?

Blood was again loosening from his dark gray pelt, a blurry red motion moving across his fur, and drifting onto the weird blurry green right below him. Rest now, Shadowpaw, he could suddenly hear a deep voice ringing through his head. For great events are coming.

Oh, yes, that's right. He wasn't with the guardian cats anymore. He was now a medicine cat apprentice in the medicine den, with Puddleshine as his mentor, and he got to have a vision of codebreakers with a flashing image of his mother at the end of the list of cats.

But weren't they on their way to the moonpool?

He felt his eyes grow weary as a brown, blurry motion was racing over to the medicine cat apprentice, a loud, muffled noise ringing through his ears. But he drifted his eyes closed, feeling the overall terrible pain once again. If he was going to die, he might as well die peacefully.

He slowly fluttered his eyes open once again, his vision was getting less blurry as a shape of a cat was racing over to the young tom, their head nuzzling ferociously at Shadowpaw with such love. He could feel the softness of the cat's tail rested gently on Shadowpaw's back, her paws pressed viciously onto the tom's fur.

Shadowpaw slowly opened his mouth, pain was rising through his whole body, but he didn't care. "...Dove…wing…?" He rasped out, his breath shallow with pain as he felt his body grow cold, along with his paws finally twitching. The shape of the cat was filled with a pale-gray color, and Shadowpaw could easily recognize that pale-gray cat.

The she-cat opened her mouth a wail of panic as she lifted her head with her ears pricked. The voice was muffled, though. The she-cat still looked blurry, but not to the point of it being a weird clump of color. "I…want…to…" His voice broke off as a sharp pang of pain echoed through his throat, and his head dropped down onto the soft nest below him.

"Stay alive! Please!" Dovewing's wailing was finally heard through his ears, but he was already drifting his eyes closed to have another rest.

He slowly, yet wearily opened his eyes, his vision growing less blurry as a brown tom with white splotches was sitting in front of a herb storage with mouths in the holes of the dirt walls. Dovewing's raspy tongue dragged across Shadowpaw's gray tabby pelt. Even though his sharp pang of pain was edging away, he still couldn't feel one of his hind legs.

The muffled voices were only heard clearly through his right ear, and he somehow couldn't move his left hind leg. "Dove…wing…" He rasped out, his frantic, slow breaths were shallow as he opened his jaws to speak.

"He's alive!" Dovewing's mew echoed through Shadowpaw's right ear, scrambling to her paws, and staggering over to Puddleshine.

Puddleshine's eyes shone with joy as he whipped his head over at the limp body of Shadowpaw resting on the nest, yet his stomach was shallowly rising up and down. Puddleshine raced over to Shadowpaw, skidding to a halt as he reached the small tom.

"Can you get up, Shadowpaw?" Puddleshine murmured, lowering his head to stare down at the small tom.

Shadowpaw could barely see through his left eye, yet a small splatter of brown fur trickled through his bad eye. His paws twitched, testing to see if he could move them, and then they stopped for a moment. Shadowpaw struggled his head up, which trembled as his gaze drifted up over at Puddleshine.

The brown tom winced as he stared over at Shadowpaw's right hind leg, making Shadowpaw tipping his head with confusion surrounding his gaze. As he turned his head over to his hind leg, his eyes widened as he realized that his leg was crippled and damaged badly, with splatters of red blood appearing through his leg. Shadowpaw let out a wail of pain, and sorrowness dropping his head down onto his nest. "My leg! My leg! I can't feel my leg!" He yowled.

Dovewing widened her eyes, and lowered her head onto his fur, digging her muzzle through his pelt to comfort her son.

A long, jagged bloody-scar ran through his pelt and all over to his tail, though the green liquid of poultice rubbed against the blood. Cobwebs lined against the poultice, wrapping his scar gently. Shadowpaw's eyes shivered with emotion, his eyes widened to slits as his head dropped down over at the mossy nest. He let out small, shock filled breaths of panic.

"I'll go get poppy seeds, hold on Shadowpaw!" Puddleshine breathed, whipping himself and racing down over to the herb storage.

"You'll be fine…" Dovewing muttered. "Just stay put, Puddleshine will save you, Shadowpaw…" She lapped her tongue across his pelt, flattening his bristling fur.

"Alright, now try to move." Puddleshine instructed.

It had been a half-moon ever since Shadowpaw had gotten his injury, and Puddleshine had told the small tom that his leg would be permanently crippled. Shadowpaw's left ear was healing slightly, he could hear a bit of noises through his left-ear like the chirping of birds ringing through the pine-trees of the undergrowth. His left-eye could still barely see, and Shadowpaw already knew that it was permanent. Puddleshine had been training Shadowpaw on how to move on a crippled leg, and so far Shadowpaw got to stand up.

Shadowpaw lifted his forepaw forward, and lowered it down into the dirt ground of the medicine den. He then began limping back-and-forth around the medicine den, joy fluttering through his chest. "I—I'm doing it!" He rasped, skidding to a small halt.

"Congratulations, Shadowpaw!" Puddleshine purred, drawing his lips to a soft smile. "Now, let's go exercise outside, it's about time you get some fresh air."

Shadowpaw dipped his head a nod, excitement rose from his stomach to his chest as he thought of finally breathing in the fresh-air of the ShadowClan camp. He limped down the clearing of the medicine den, and pushed himself through the clumps of gorse ferns that shrouded the edges of the den. He emerged from the dull shadows of the den entrance, and his eyes shone with joy as he sniffed the air of the camp. Cloverfoot was in the middle of the clearing, assigning patrols to the cats that had gathered around her. Sunbeam and Blazefire laid beside each other with their paws tucked underneath their chests, except Sunbeam curled her tail around Blazefire's back.

Dovewing was pacing back-and-forth around the snow, pawprints laying around the soft snow. She halted, lifting her head up with her eyes shining with love and affection as she stared at the small tom. She scrambled over to Shadowpaw, and skidded to a halt in front of him. "Oh, thank StarClan you're okay!" She rasped her tongue around Shadowpaw's forehead. "Tigerstar and I have been worried sick for you."

"Speaking of which, I need to tell him something!" Shadowpaw sprang eagerly, only to clumsily drop down onto the snow on his side, his crippled leg twinging with small pain.

Puddleshine padded after Shadowpaw, emerging from the shadows of the entrance to the medicine den. "Take it easy, Shadowpaw." He murmured.

Shadowpaw staggered to his paws, his tail straightening across the air. He whipped his head back to Dovewing, his lips drawing to a smile. "Please? It's really important."

Dovewing hesitated for a moment, but dipped her head a small nod at the small tom. "Be careful." She mewed, lifting her head forward to bury her muzzle on top of his forehead. She lapped her tongue around his fur one last time, and Shadowpaw pushed himself between her and Puddleshine, scrambling down the main-clearing of the camp.

The gentle dip of the morning dew soaked around the prickly green grass, which brushed against his pads as he continued to limp down the clearing, twitching his nose to test his tracking skills. The scent of ShadowClan still lingered through his nose, but there was a hint of mouse around the undergrowth that stood above the hollow. He felt his paws crunching against the snow, and he shivered as they did. Gray, dim light shone through the leaders' den, which was a small tree stump with a mouth in the middle. Shadowpaw pushed himself through the gorse that was clamped around the corners of the den, and watched as Tigerstar's head jerked up.

Tigerstar's amber eyes widened with astonishment as Shadowpaw halted in front of him, shifting his paws nervously as his father stared at his crippled hind-leg. "Oh, Shadowpaw!" He scrambled to his paws, racing over to the small tom, and rested his muzzle on top of Shadowpaw's forehead. "Are you okay? Does the injury still hurt?"

The dark gray tabby shook his head. "Barely," he murmured under his breath.

"Shadowpaw, while you were asleep, the medicine cats decided not to go to the half-moon meetings anymore." Tigerstar mewed. "They have been getting more and more sick, so they have decided to go contact StarClan in the next season."

Shadowpaw shook his head, making Tigerstar's paws pace back a few steps away from his son. "Tigerstar…" He mewed, his eyes glimmering with fear as his gaze drifted over to the brown tabbies eyes. "I have a message for you… from StarClan."

Shadowpaw limped down the tree-bridge that lined across the path to the gathering island. The frozen lake came into view from the side of the bridge, which shone with light as the moonlit dimly down at the ice that coated around the lake. The stars that were supposed to be twinkling brightly across the black vast pool of the sky, were shining darkly as Shadowpaw glanced up.

Pouncestep padded along the tree-bridge right beside Shadowpaw in case he'd clumsily slip through the bridge and fall down onto the deadly, solid frozen lake. He turned his head over to his sister, and dipped his head a small nod. I can walk by myself. He thought gently. Pouncestep stared at him for a moment, then gave a small, reluctant nod, slowing her pace down.

The full moon rose high above the clouds, though the light that spilled out of the moon was darkened by the gray, misty clouds. Shadowpaw leaped down from the bridge and onto the snow right below the log, only to clumsily drop down onto his stomach, letting out a small oof !

Lightleap jumped down from the end of the bridge, and dipped her head down to prod him with her muzzle. "Come on, get up." She muttered, worry stricken through her gaze. "Tigerstar is going to claw my ears off if he sees you like this!"

Shadowpaw staggered slowly to his paws, his left forepaw almost slipping through the damp snow. "You're my sister, he'll understand," he mewed.

Lightleap rolled her eyes. "And you're his favorite out of all of his kits!" She mewed, though behind her amusing tone, there was a flash of jealousy that glinted through her yellow eyes. "Come on, let's go."

Shadowpaw staggered down the small clearing, his chest surging with guilt as his eyes were frozen right at his sister. If only Tigerstar liked us all equally. He thought desperately, muttering the same exact thought under his breath. He let out a soft, deep sigh, then he continued to limp down the clearing. He pushed himself through the thorn bushes that were guarded around the gathering island, the brown solid thorns brushing against the side of his pelt. He wriggled through the gorse, and squeezed into the gathering island.

Snow had covered most of the clearing, with cats uncomfortably shifting their hindquarters around the snow that coated around the grass. Puddleshine pushed himself through the gorse that clumped around the corners of the thorn bushes, and beckoned his tail over at Shadowpaw as he paced ahead of the small tom.

Shadowpaw followed Puddleshine down the clearing, his paw stumbling clumsily across the snow as he did, sending flurries of them around the air. He pricked his ears, he could hear winces of pity as they gave the small apprentice a look, with his long jagged-scar, to his crippled limp hind-leg. He flattened his ears, he didn't want to hear them, he didn't want to listen to what they mewed about him.

Shadowpaw clambered up the small, thin stone ledge, and as he reached the top of the ledge, he sat down beside a gray tabby she-cat with his tail curled around his paws. Alderheart gazed at the small tom with pity flashing through his eyes. Is it because of my injury? He thought, turning his head over at the dark ginger tom. Alderheart drew his lips to a soft smile, dipping his head at the small tom, and then lifting it back up with his chest puffed out.

"Ahem," Squirrelflight cleared her throat from the second highest branch. "Let the gathering begin!" She scrambled to her paws, her bushy tail sweeping over the leaves that drooped low above her, filled with damp melted snow. "We have a new warrior amongst our ranks," she announced. "Bristlefrost!"

Shadowpaw followed Puddleshine's gaze over at a pale gray she-cat, who stood still with her chest puffed out, and her eyes shining with determination as cats cheered for her name. Oh, that's my cousin. He reminded himself. He had visited Bristlefrost a few times before, once where he snuck out of camp and followed a mysterious mist that shrouded around the dark pine-forest, he was racing over to it, only to realize he had travelled too far, and had crossed the border to RiverClan. Bristlekit was in front of him, apparently she had snuck out, too. He shook his head, drawing his lips to a smile as he proudly gazed at Bristlefrost. She turned her head over to a white-and-orange tom who sat beside a gray-and-white she-cat, and suddenly her blue-green eyes twisted with furious jealousy 

"That is not all," Squirrelflight yowled. "We also have two new apprentices, Flamepaw and Finchpaw!"

A black tom ducked his head in embarrassment as cats crowed his name, while a black tortoiseshell she-cat lapped her tongue around his shoulder as a way to assure the tom. But Shadowpaw stiffened as Flamepaw spun his head over at the medicine cat apprentice, and widened his amber eyes in fear as he noticed his scars. They're not scary… are they?

"Well, now it's my turn," Leafstar announced, her tail lifting with the tip of it flicking back-and-forth. "Prey is running well in SkyClan, and a new apprentice was made. Wrenpaw!" She pointed the tip of her tail over at a small, golden tabby she-cat with bright green eyes. She stood high on her paws, puffing her chest out as the cheers for her name spilled all over her.

Mistystar dipped her head. "Prey is running poorly in RiverClan, but we are still strong!" She mewed, but as she turned her head over at Leafstar, she furrowed her brows with a hint of jealousy flashing through her eyes. "Curlfeather, who isn't in this gathering, has given birth to three kits; Graykit, Mistkit, and Frostkit."

"Graykit! Mistkit! Frostkit!" The crowd crowed all over the island. A gray tom with soft blue eyes dipped his head respectfully as cats crowded around the tom to congratulate him on his new litter of kits. He must be the father. 

Harestar blinked down nervously at the clumps of fur that had shrouded the clearing, and took a small, deep breath. "WindClan has been doing horrible." He announced. "Prey is running scarcely, with the blizzards and lightning. Everyone is starving in my camp, so we ask one of you clan leaders to lend us some prey."

"With all due respect, Harestar," Squirrelflight sighed. "The other clans do not have much prey, either. And we cannot let any kits or elders starve, so I'm afraid we can't give you any."

The scent of WindClan lingered through Shadowpaw's nose, though as his gaze searched around the clearing, he couldn't spot any WindClan warriors around the island. He hunched his shoulders a small shrug, flattening his ears across the back of his head.

Harestar opened his mouth to seemingly protest, but then snapped it shut and shook his head. He whipped his head back down to the crowd of cats. "Other than that, Heathertail has given birth to two new kits; Woodkit, a brown she-kit, and Applekit, a little yellow tabby she-kit." He raised his tail to stop the cats from cheering, yet. "Larkwing is also pregnant with Crouchfoot's kits."

"Woodkit! Applekit!"

A few cats disappeared through a few long grass clumps that shrouded around a small clearing, which smelled of a strange scent of WindClan. Shadowpaw widened his eyes, realizing where the WindClan warriors and apprentices were hiding. But why? The marsh reeds that were shrouded around the frozen, white powered long grass swished slightly against the cold wind that drifted across the clearing.

Tigerstar cleared his throat, and took a long, deep breath. "ShadowClan has some very important news to announce," he yowled around the clearing. "I suggest you hear what I have to say." He whipped his head over to the small, flat stone ledge. "Or what my son has to say." He added, his strickening, amber gaze frozen intently down at the dark gray tabby tom.

Shadowpaw flinched as cats turned their heads over at the tabby, and he saw some expressions of pity as they noticed his injuries, which made him feel a strange churning through his chest as he crouched low in fear onto the stone ledge. "I—I…" He murmured softly. Puddleshine nudged him gently with his muzzle onto the small tom's shoulder, making Shadowpaw shift uncomfortably around the stone ledge.

"Go on, spit it out!" A black tortoiseshell she-cat hissed, making a black-and-white she-cat whip her head over at her with a furious glare.

Shadowpaw swallowed, still dropping himself low onto the stone ledge, his drooping fur under his paws brushing against the soft trickles of snowflakes on the flat stone. "I've had a vision."

Gasps of breaths were let out of most of the cats' mouths, the tall grass from the far right clattering gently, with WindClan warriors emerging from the growing darkness that was casted from the tall grass. Crouchfoot, a WindClan warrior, widened his eyes as he halted right in front of the long grass. Shadowpaw took a small, deep breath. "I was struck by lightning," he swallowed, his eyes glimmering with fright as the thought of the white flashes of jagged strikes appeared through the dark, gray misty clouds.

"That explains about what happened to him," a tortoiseshell she-cat murmured from the back of the assembled warriors. "Poor thing."

"I—" He held his tongue back in defense of his disability around his hind-leg, and then let out a soft sigh. "Th—the voice said… 'There is a darkness in the clans that must be driven out'. I was in the moonpool cavern around the time this happened, when the blizzard was happening out there…"

"No, no!" The brown tabby she-cat who was Leafstar shook her head. "You are dreaming things, apprentice. There is no way that you have had visions!" Her fur bristled as her eyes burst into furious flames, her claws digging into the wood beneath her paws as she stood still from her branch. "This is just your mind imagining things after the lightning strike. This gathering is over , dismissed."

Shadowpaw flinched deeper onto the stone ledge, his thoughts whirling in circles through his mind as he watched the SkyClan leader spring her hind paws down from her branch around the great-oak. He whimpered softly under his breath, hanging his head low as shame washed over the empty pit in his stomach. Puddleshine's tail-tip rested briefly around his apprentice's shoulder, his throat rumbling out a small, comforting purr.

Shadowpaw staggered to his paws, which aches sorely as he stood up from the small, flat ledge beneath his paws. He waggled his hindquarters, and leaped down from the stone ledge, only for his paws to slip through the soft snow, and then he dropped down around the side of his flank, letting out a small oof . Not again! He scrambled to his paws, his crippled hind-leg slipping over the soft, flurries of snow. Puddleshine paced down the island clearing, and Shadowpaw scrabbled after him, the cold wind whipping through his face as he did.

Though, as he was scrambling down the island clearing, he pricked his ears, and the small murmurs of the clan leaders echoed through his ears. "StarClan has been gone for far too long," Squirrelflight murmured under her breath. "It's time we save it."

"What about Tigerstar, and ShadowClan?" Leafstar asked, her head tipping curiously to the side.

"Are you kidding? No!" Mistystar rasped cooly, gritting her teeth back to a small snarl. "Something about their medicine cat apprentice just seems… off…"

Shadowpaw whipped his head back to the middle of the clearing, the leaves of the scarcely trees that filled the edges of the island scattering down onto the soft, snowy floor. The soft hoots of an owl echoed through the branches, making Shadowpaw flinch slightly as he continued to limp down the clearing, and over to the clump of gorse ferns that shrouded around the corners of the lined thorn bushes. Do they not trust me?

Chapter Text

The blustering wind flattened Rootpaw's fur to his sides and made his eyes water as he gazed down at the medicine cats assembled neatly around the edges of the frozen moonpool. The cascading waterfall that was supposed to send beautiful ripples down in the pool had been frozen to sharp-pointed icicles, sparks of ice poking through the frozen ripples. He couldn't believe that he had been chosen to watch the medicine cats figure out a way to break the ice that had coated the moonpool, along with his parents and his sister. Needlepaw sat down with her shoulders haunched uncomfortably as she stared intensely down at the frozen pool, making Rootpaw lift his head forward, and draw his tongue around her ear in comfort.

Turtlepaw sat beside Needlepaw, her eyes squinting down as the moonlit shiningly down at the frozen pool, scattering all of its light down all over the cavern clearing. Small rocks scattered around the edges of the moonpool, along with a little ant skittering on top of one of the rocks. "When are they gonna start?" The black tortoiseshell grumbled softly.

"Be patient, Turtlepaw." A sharp mew hissed softly from beside the tall she-cat, making Turtlepaw whip her head over at the voice. Her paws trembled as her eyes widened up at her mother, Reedclaw, who was raising her eyebrow down at her daughter. The reddish-brown pelt of Kitepaw poked out from beside Turtlepaw, turning his head over at his sister with his tongue stuck out.

Needlepaw and Turtlepaw had been… Friends…? I don't know how to describe it… Ever since Turtlepaw had shared tongues with his sister back when he went to give Bristlefrost his shrew, and Needlepaw had been feeling a little more comfortable around the she-cat for a while now. Though, she occasionally gave Turtlepaw a glare everytime the black tortoiseshell ever did a retort or a tease.

The cats were sitting down around the top of the hollow that surrounded the cavern clearing around the moonpool. Stalagmites that appeared through the roof of the cavern were dripping with wet, damp melted snow, trickling down at the stone ground. The stars that lit over the vast indigo sky that had washed below the moon were even more dull, and deepening then then the last time, and it made Rootpaw's paws shiver as he thought of Leafstar and Frecklewish's talk from a moon ago.

Rootpaw suddenly found himself glancing around the edge of the hollow, looking for one particular cat that he'd wanted to see for a while now. Where is Bristlefrost? He wondered, whipping his head down around a small, stone hollow beneath the top, which had the sticky scent of ThunderClan washing all over it. A dark ginger she-cat sat down with her tail curled around her paws over a moss clump right below the she-cat, the moss she sat on had infected around the stone walls. Suddenly, he widened his eyes. There! Small strands of pale-gray fur bristled over the edge of the bottom, though he couldn't spot the she-cat's face.

Needlepaw mrrowed a small laugh. "Looks like you got a crush!" she purred, drawing her lips back to a mischievous grin. "If only you could talk to her."

Rootpaw jerked his head back as embarrassment twisted around like a knot through his stomach, turning his head over at Needlepaw. "Don't pretend like I'm not the only one who likes somebody," he drew his lips to a smirk, mrrowing a small laugh as Needlepaw whipped her head over at Turtlepaw, and then spun it back to glare at Rootpaw.

"Be quiet, you two." Violetshine hissed from behind the two apprentices, making Rootpaw spin his head over at the black-and-white she-cat with an embarrassed expression widened across his face.

"S—sorry, mother," Needlepaw flattened her ears, lowering her head down to squint her eyes at the frozen moonpool. "What do you think they're going to do?"

Rootpaw hunched his shoulders a small shrug. "I don't know," he muttered. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Rootpaw suddenly wrinkled his nose, whiffing the scent of the whipping cold wind that had swished through the top of the hollow that edged around the moonpool cavern. There's no ShadowClan scent! He realized, widening his eyes as his gaze searched through the assembled cats that gathered around the moonpool. Where's the ShadowClan medicine cat? What was his name again… oh yeah, Puddleshine!

Needlepaw suddenly spun her head over at Turtlepaw, opening her mouth with murmurs arising from the two apprentices. Rootpaw was distracted as his gaze flitted over to a small, buzzing little light that fluttered its tiny wings around the air. Suddenly, he flinched as an earsplitting crack from below echoed around the cavern, making Rootpaw whip his head away from the small yellow light of the buzzing insect, and he looked down at the frozen moonpool. The medicine cats had paced back as wood crackling echoed across the clearing, making Rootpaw frantically glance around the clearing, his eyes widened as panic arose from his chest. Suddenly, a large swish of a brown blurry motion swiftly dropped from a large, oak-tree, and a loud ear-piercing thump landed through the hollow.

Rootpaw let out a yowl of fright as the thump cracked through his ears. Yowls of panic arose from the cats as well, while Needlepaw let out a loud yelp, and turned her head to bury herself into Violetshine's chest. Rootpaw wanted to do the same as well, but he resisted the urge to make himself look like a coward. He puffed his chest out, his gaze slowly drifting over to the cavern.

A large, yet long tree branch laid around the center of the frozen pool, blocking most of it. Sharp-pointed sticks poked through the long tree branch, strands of gray fur laid around the tips of the small sticks. "Help! Somebody help me!" A sudden yowl echoed through the cavern, and suddenly seven cat heads poked through the edges of the stone hollow, with Frecklewish looking up at the top of the hollow with panic stricken through her pale-green gaze. Though, the cat who yowled that out wasn't either of the SkyClan medicine cats, as they seemed fine.

"WILLOWSHINE!" A dappled, golden she-cat clambered over the small, neatly circled rocks that edged around the moonpool, and then her paws pressed hard onto the tree branch.

Needlepaw suddenly widened her soft, yellow eyes, which were filled with panic as she stared down at the cavern. "A medicine cat is stuck under the tree branch!" She yowled, her voice washed with panic, and also fear.

Mistystar, who sat beside Squirrelflight under the toppest edges of the stone hollow, scrambled to her paws, and launched her hind paws down the small edge. She leaped down from the edge, and then her paws skidded through the stone as she did, which sent dusty fragments of dirt flying out of the stone. Struggle-toned grunting suddenly rang through Rootpaw's ears, squirming sounds heard from under the tree branch. He widened his eyes, fear churning violently through his stomach.

"Willowshine, we'll get you out of here!" Mothwing rasped, her claws repeatedly scraping through the wood that covered the tree branch. "Just hold still!"

A dappled, dark gray-and-white she-cat sprang down from the bottom edge of the stone hollow, with her paws landing down at the dust-covered stone floor. Wait, that's Minnowtail! The deputy! Rootpaw realized as Minnowtail dragged her paws over to the tree branch, twitching her nose as she inspected it from bottom to top.

"The scent…" Minnowtail sneered. "The scent is filled with ShadowClan stench!" She gritted her teeth back to a small snarl.

Rootpaw gaped his jaws in astonishment, while Needlepaw stifled a small gasp. Breaths of gasps echoed through the stone hollow, with warriors of each clan turning their heads around the top of the stone hollow to search for any ShadowClan cats. Squirrelflight shook her pelt out, splatters of dirt flying out of her dark ginger fur. "So, is ShadowClan angry we didn't invite them?" She hissed, her tail fluffed out. "Where are you Tigerstar? We know you're here!"

"Ow, ow," Willowshine yelped in pain as Mothwing clamped her jaws around her former apprentice's scruff, and forcefully lifted her head back, the gray tabby she-cat sliding through the dusty stone ground. Frecklewish widened her eyes as she let out gasps of pants, and then she whipped herself around, and raced through the small hollow. She clambered her paws up the spiral path, rocks rolling down the path, and into the cavern. She reached the top of the hollow, her hind legs scrabbling across the spiral path, and climbed onto the top along with her forepaws.

"StarClan!" She yowled, her gaze planted firmly at the indigo sky, scrambling to her paws as they trembled violently. "Is this a sign? Are we not meant to break the ice? Please! Help us!" She let out panicked pants as her paws lowered down onto the stone ground, her ears flattened across the back of her head, her pelt prickling. "STARCLAN! SAVE US!"

"Someone find juniper berries or thyme to calm Frecklewish down!" Fidgetflake yowled from the cavern. "Right now we are trying to save Willowshine!"

Leafstar emerged from the darkness of the lowest edges of the stone hollow, glancing up at the assembled warriors circled around the edge of the top. "You heard Fidgetflake," she ordered. "Find thyme or juniper berries for Frecklewish!"

Rootpaw whipped his head over at two cats who had reeked of WindClan, hopping down from the top of the stone hollow, and then racing down the never-ending hills that had sloped the moorlands of WindClan.

Jayfeather padded from the casting shadows that had risen from the bottom of the edges, darkening the moonpool cavern beneath them. "The tree branch made a dent on the ice," he mewed solemnly as he glanced up at the top of the stone hollow, and then shook his head. "But we have not reached the water yet." He gave soft, furious grumbles as he flattened his ears.

"Well, we can't give up!" Rootpaw's heart leaped as Bristlefrost's voice echoed through the cavern, which kept pounding hard against his chest. "We have made this much progress with the fallen branch, so we might as well keep working on it!"

" ShadowClan more like," Leafstar hissed, furrowing her amber eyes down at the fallen tree branch, her neck fur bristling. "We can't do this, this is impossible!"

"Leafstar, you don't mean…" Tree murmured from under his breath, letting out a small, panicked sigh.

"We must give up."

Chapter Text

Bristlefrost sat under the casting shades of a small rock, her tail curled neatly around her forepaws as she wrinkled her nose to take a sniff of the dense undergrowth. Thoughts of Stemleaf sometimes appeared through her mind, and the thought of her and Stemleaf being destined to be together by StarClan, though because of their absence, they couldn't do it. Bristlefrost also couldn't concentrate because of the tensions rising in the camp, and with Bramblestar still lying motionless in the medicine den, her clanmates always had terrible, dark thoughts about the large tabby.

She dropped herself low to the snow beneath her paws, the fur of her underbelly brushing against the small snowflakes. She slipped through the snow of the undergrowth, pushing herself away from the shade of the rock. She twitched her nose as the scent of the oak-trees washed over it, she then opened her mouth to taste the scent of any prey.

Suddenly, the sweet scent of fresh-kill pricked through her mouth. Rabbit!

She crept along the neatly lined up shrubs that brushed against the side of her pelt, pricking her ears as noises of bushes rustling entered through her ears. She suddenly stopped around a gap between two shrubs, and her eyes widened as she gazed through the gap. A small, brown rabbit was rummaging its muzzle through a small undergrowth patch, with small juniper berries poking through the patch. She deepened herself a mouse-length away from the gap, squinting her eyes at the small rabbit. She waggled her hindquarters, and suddenly, after a small moment passed, she launched her hind-legs upward, and leaped up from the shrubs that laid in front of her. Her paws shoved against the squealing rabbit, and her claws sank deep into the rabbit's flesh. With one swift claw swipe around the neck, the rabbit let itself go limp.

Bristlefrost's throat rumbled out a small purr as she lifted her head, with the rabbit dangling from her mouth. I caught a rabbit! Rainpaw, are you there?

Silence echoed through Bristlefrost's mind, which made her raise an eyebrow. It had been a long while since she had spoken with the apprentice, it was since Rainpaw had told Bristlefrost her name. But now, only the empty void of silence rang through the pale gray she-cat's ears.

Bristlefrost scrambled to her paws, which ached painfully as she stood from the snow. I hope she's doing okay, she thought, flicking her tail closer around her forepaws. It's been a while, after all. She dropped her paws low to the ground, her tail straightening out as she twitched her nose to scent the oak-trees that lined across the dense undergrowth. She let out a snort from her nose, lifting herself up from the snow. Right, leaf-bare. Not that much prey.

The rabbit dangled from her jaws as she scrambled to her paws, and then began padding down the clearing. She pushed herself through a gap that widened between two oak trees, and slipped neatly through the gap. The tips of sticks that had grown from the trees brushed against Bristlefrost's fur as she slipped through the oak trees that blocked around her path.

The trees were thinning as she bounded down the dense undergrowth, glancing around the clearing for a lined dirt path that led to the camp. Her heart suddenly crackled like bursting fire as Spotfur flashed through her mind, and suddenly her eyes narrowed to thin slits as her pelt prickled with irritation at the thought of the gray-and-white she-cat.

Stupid Spotfur! She stole my future mate from me! She thought with indignation, her claws scraping through the snow furiously as she kept on padding down the undergrowth, snowflakes brushing against her white claws. I'll show her, I'll show her that me and Stemleaf were always meant to be together!

The trees crowded around the edges of the hollow that the ThunderClan camp was located in, with the birds fluttering their wings along the oak trees, and flapping through the leaves that had clumped around the branches of the trees. Around the corner of the hollow, Berrynose was rummaging his muzzle through the fresh-kill pile to search for any juicy, fat prey. Around the middle of the main-clearing, Whitewing, Stormcloud, and Flywhisker laid down around the clumps of snow that laid around the camp, sharing tongues with one-another.

Spotfur let out a deepened, weary sigh as her gaze searched around the clearing of the camp, her eyes grew tired as she felt as if she could lay down on her mossy nest and instantly sleep. It feels as if ThunderClan is growing more and more desperate each day…

The medicine den was a small, mini-cave that had a small mouth around the middle of the stone crevices, which seemed as if cats had to squeeze through the small gap. Ferns shrouded around the corners of the entrance, along with thorn bushes lined in front of the clamped ferns to guard the cave entrance. Her thoughts whirled as Bramblestar echoed through her mind, but she shook her head.

"Hey, Spotfur!"

Spotfur turned her head around the right edges of the hollow, with her eyes widened with fear as her fur bristled with the words intruder flashing through her head, but her fur smoothed down as she realized that the cat who had called her name was none other than Stemleaf, whose eyes shone with excitement as the sunlit through the hollow, with the dark clouds misting around the clear blue sky. The smaller tom bounded over to the massive she-cat, and stopped his tracks as she reached the gray-and-white she-cat.

Stemleaf is pretty nervous around me, for some reason. She narrowed her eyes down at the small tom, her tail lashing around the back of her fur as Stemleaf bounced to his paws with excitement fizzing through his prickled fur.

"I—I… um…" He murmured softly, shifting his paws around the snowflakes below his paws as he looked down.

Spotfur twitched her whiskers in amusement as he glanced back up at her, drawing his lips to a soft smile. And yet, even though he is sort of annoying… he's actually kind of adorable.

"Do you want to go hunting with me?" He asked, nervousness twitching in his mew as his eyes shone with affection as they paused around the she-cat. Spotfur opened her mouth to decline the offer, but the look on his face made her quickly snap it shut around her jaws. She hesitated, giving small murmurs that sounded as if she was rumbling to herself.

"Err… sure…" She murmured, scrabbling to her paws as she watched the small tom spring happily to his.

Stemleaf hopped around the she-cat excitedly, his eyes always fizzed weirdly as he stared at Spotfur from across the hollow of the camp, and yet glancing at it from up close made Spotfur shift her paws nervously as admiration shot through his green eyes.

"Um—let's go—"

The sudden frantic clatters of clumps of fern rang through Spotfur's ears, and she whipped her head over to the mouth of the cave, the cracks around the stone cave lighting up dimly as the sun washed all over the dirt hollow. Spotfur suddenly felt a burst of fear explode through her chest, her breath was shallow as she struggled to let out a small pant. Bramblestar is going to die. He's going to die, and with StarClan's absence, Squirrelflight won't be able to become the new leader of ThunderClan.

Jayfeather suddenly slipped through the clumps of shrouded ferns, the fronds brushing against the side of his gray tabby pelt. Spotfur felt a sharp pang of twisting fear as she spotted that, around his ear, was a small, freshly-cut nick around the side of his left ear. He let out a small grunt as he squeezed through the thorn bushes, and then padded down the camp with his teeth gritted to a small snarl.

"S—so, about hunting…?" Stemleaf suddenly broke in, making Spotfur gaze down at the small tom.

"Not right now, Stemleaf," she muttered under her breath, her chest heaving as Jayfeather scrambled over to Squirrelflight, who was sitting in front of Cherryfall. Probably talking about border or hunting patrols.

"We could just… talk, here," he mewed, tipping his head to the side with a curious expression widened around his face. "Is that alright with you?"

Spotfur turned her head over at the white-and-orange tom, drawing her lips to a soft smile as her gaze drifted down over at the soft, kind eyes of Stemleaf. His fur puffed out with snowflakes appeared out of his prickled pelt. "Sure," she mewed, dipping her head a small nod at the tom.

Jayfeather brushed along the side of Squirrelflight, whispering something through her ear with panic edging through his usually emotionless, blind eyes. Squirrelflight's green eyes widened to panicked slits, whipping away from Cherryfall mid-conversation, and to Spotfur's horror, raced over to the entrance of the medicine den with Jayfeather trailing right behind her. His paw stumbled as he pushed himself through the small gap in the medicine den, his tail disappearing into the casting shadows as he squeezed himself through the entrance of the medicine den.

Bramblestar… Spotfur's jaws widened in horror.

She glanced down at the snowy ground that laid beneath her paws, the snowflakes soaking her gray paws. Suddenly, an orange paw lifted itself forward, and gently shoved down on Spotfur's shifting left paw. "Are… you okay?" Stemleaf murmured gently, flattening his ears across the back of his head.

Spotfur sprang to her paws, flinching her left paw away from his. "I'm fine, I'm just tired!" She snapped, her pelt bristling as he gazed intently at her with his green eyes squinting. She shook her pelt out, droplets of morning dew splattered out from her fur. "I'm just tired." She repeated, though her mew was more gentle than before, with her pelt smoothing down as her eyes rounded as a way of relaxing herself.

Suddenly, the clumps of gorse ferns that shrouded around the corners of the thorn tunnel rustled gently against the thorn bushes that laid in front of the gorse. The thorns that were tangled around the twisting brambles that edged around the entrance shifted slightly as cats pushed themselves through the thorn tunnel, the sunlight casting down at the cats as they emerged from the darkened shadows of the tunnel. Bristlefrost halted as she reached the outside of the thorn tunnel, with a small rabbit dangling from her jaws. Spotfur drew her lips to a smile, but the pale-gray she-cat only returned a shooting glare at the spotted tabby, which made Spotfur flinch back. Mousewhisker, Thornclaw, and Eaglewing padded after Bristlefrost, emerging from the thorn tunnel.

What's up with her? Why does she hate me? Spotfur wondered, feeling as if her head was spinning with all of these thoughts whirling around her mind.

Stemleaf's throat rumbled out a small purr as his head lifted up to make his eyes pause on the gray-and-white she-cat, while Spotfur whipped her head over at the small tom with her blue eyes growing weary as they paused right at Stemleaf's excited, brightened green eyes.

"I need to go, hold on," she muttered softly, scrabbling to her paws with her soft, round tail drooping low to the snow, the trickles of snowflakes prodding against her fur.

"But—" He mewed, but snapped his jaws shut. He reluctantly dipped his head a small nod as his eyes shone with admiration. "Okay, I'll see you later then?"

Spotfur's blue gaze drifted over at the tendriling brambles that twisted around the edges of the fresh-kill pile, which look almost like a bird's nest, with the soft clumps of frost-covered bracken, along with the wooden sticks poking out from the nest. "Yeah, sure," she mewed as she spotted Bristlefrost padding over to the fresh-kill pile, and lowering her head down to drop her catch in the pile.

Bristlefrost lifted her head, but whipped it over at Spotfur, her narrowed eyes piercing through Spotfur's tabby pelt. The gray-and-white she-cat's paws trembled as she flattened her ears. Why does she hate me?

Bristlefrost crouched beside the fresh-kill pile, sharing a gray mouse with her mother, Ivypool. The pile was barely filled with enough prey to last for this day, and she was afraid that a warrior of her clan might starve to death. But, even after that, cats were gathered around the nest, devouring the prey that was left with it. Bristlefrost's rabbit was given to the elders since they were the most starving, but what worried Bristlefrost was that Millie didn't bother to eat, and she always kept saying to give it to the others, even though her ribs were showing through her pelt.

Bristlefrost shook her head, her thoughts snapping out from the dark, shady bits that mingled through her head. She ducked her head down, and clenched her teeth around the piece of the belly, lifting her head back to snap it out from the limp body of the mouse. She began chewing on the piece of belly, her thoughts whirling around her head, yet another, more worried thought shot into her mind. I wonder if Rainpaw is okay. She felt fright burst through her chest as the thought of her strange friend disappearing forever rose into her head, but she shook it off, and lowered her head down to bite off another piece of the mouse. Suddenly, she perked her ears up. The sounds of the gorse ferns clattering rang through her ears, alongside with the twisting brambles twitching slightly as the thorn bushes that lined in front of the gorse ferns were brushed aside. Bristlefrost turned her head over at the entrance curiously, and then her eyes widened as shock blazed through her blue-green eyes.

Shadowpaw and Tigerstar!

The small, dark gray tabby tom emerged from the thorn tunnel, his jagged scar zigzagging through his pelt. He halted as he reached the outside of the tunnel, spinning his head over at the main entrance of the camp. A brown tabby followed Shadowpaw, lowering himself as he wriggled his hindquarters through the small, main entrance of the camp. He brushed against the twisting, tangled thorns as he scrambled to his paws, his charming, yellow eyes searching around the dirt hollow.

Bristlefrost tensed as the memory of the falling tree branch echoed through her mind, her eyes widened in fear as her gaze paused right at the muscular, brown tabby. Could he possibly know about the moonpool meeting? Of course he would, the tree branch smelled of ShadowClan!

Lilyheart headed after the brown tabby, pushing herself through the clumps of gorse ferns that edged the entrance of the camp, with her fur matted with stains of brown dirt around her pelt, and over to her paws. Flywhisker reared after the small she-cat, letting out gasps of breath as she shoved herself into the clumps of fern, the fronds brushing against the side of her pelt. Finally, the gray pelt of Dewnose emerged from the casting dark shadows that entered into the thorn tunnel, his pelt bristling as he pushed himself through a gap between Tigerstar and a wall of the large, dirt hollow.

Squirrelflight slipped into the entrance of the medicine den, emerging from the small gap around the cave den. She scrabbled her hind-legs up the snow of the dirt hollow, sending flurries of them through the crevices that lined around the outer walls of the medicine den. She scrambled to her paws, her green eyes wary as she shot a glare right at Tigerstar.

"Greetings, Tigerstar," she mewed cooly, inclining her head reluctantly. "What do you want with ThunderClan?"

"I've come with an important message," Tigerstar announced, puffing his chest out with his teeth gritted to a wide grin. "I think it's best if you and I talk privately about it."

Squirrelflight shook her head, squinting her green eyes at the broad, brown tabby tom. "If you have a message, I think it's best if you announce it to all my warriors, Tigerstar." Her paws slid through the soft snow, sending dragging pawprints after her.

For a moment, Tigerstar looked taken aback. He hesitated; Bristlefrost could feel the tensions rising with the cats all around the main-clearing as they all thought of the same memory; the falling tree branch that had dropped down on Willowshine.

"Very well," Tigerstar purred, twitching his whiskers. "Now, I, and all the other leaders, know that Bramblestar is very sick because you've announced it in one gathering."

Squirrelflight dipped her head a small nod, her eyes narrowing to suspicious slits as they kept staring straight at the muscular brown tabby. "Yes, I have announced that," she mewed. "But what does that have to do with anything? We can't find a cure for his mysterious illness."

Bristlefrost felt her stomach clench as Stemleaf crouched down right beside her suddenly, his fur brushing against the side of her pelt. Oh, Stemleaf… She thought as he gazed after the massive, muscular she-cat who was Spotfur, stretching her forepaws wide open with her gaze glimmering with suspicion.

Tigerstar gave a small nod. "Now, you have dismissed my son's message with the… 'darkness in the clans'. But, what if I told you… that he had a vision that told him how to cure your leader?"

Squirrelflight's eyes widened with her gaze shimmering with amazement, her pelt bristling with excitement as she whipped her head over at the closest cat that was right beside her. "Fetch Jayfeather and Alderheart," she ordered Sparkpelt, who sat beside her mother with her tail curled around her forepaws. Sparkpelt gave the clan deputy a small nod, scrabbling to her paws, and turning over to the cave of the medicine den that lay still around the edges of the hollow.

"No cat has received a vision from StarClan for moons !" Brightheart put in, she was laying still on a small rock ledge with her pelt bristling, while Cloudtail tucked his head around her flank with his eyes lazily weary.

Tigerstar nodded. "Yes, but my son has." He mewed, the tip of his tail resting briefly around Shadowpaw's shoulder.

The whole clan waited in silence while worrying murmurs rang out from the small gap around the medicine den. Bristlefrost felt so confused she couldn't move, her mind racing and filled with half-formed questions. Though, her purr was filled with comforting warmth as Stemleaf turned his head over at her, and gave the pale-gray she-cat a small nod. 

"What's all this?!" Jayfeather demanded as he slipped neatly through the entrance, pushing himself into the gorse ferns that shrouded around the corners of the entrance, the bramble-screening brushing against the back of his fur from the edges of the gap.

Squirrelflight padded down the dirt hollow, the snow crunching loudly beneath her paws as silence emerged from the camp, with Bristlefrost's paws shifting nervously around the small, wide clumps of snowflakes that rose from beneath her.

She stopped her tracks in front of Shadowpaw, her eyes gazing down at the small tom with it narrowing to slits as she did. "All right," she began. "If Bramblestar were sick, how would you cure him?"

Shadowpaw's paws trembled slightly, his pelt bristling as he swallowed nervously. He flattened his ears as he glanced straight at the small she-cat. He opened his mouth, but ducked his head down as he felt too overwhelmed to speak. Tigerstar gave Shadowpaw an affectionate, yet encouraging nudge with his muzzle around the small dark gray tabby tom's shoulder.

"W—well…" Shadowpaw murmured, his mew twitching as he voiced aloud. "Bramblestar's illness is like a wildfire… I—it can't be snuffed out with treatment, it has to be allowed to b—burn out on its own…"

Squirrelflight's brows furrowed down at the small medicine cat apprentice as he finished. "And what does that mean?" She mewed.

"It's an unusual idea—" Tigerstar mewed, then broke off and beckoned his tail to signal for his son to continue.

Shadowpaw gathered himself up, and took a deep breath. He puffed his chest out as his yellow eyes drifted over at Squirrelflight, yet it shone with nervousness as the sunlit down from the dull, clear blue sky, and brightened down at the dirt hollow of camp. "You should take Bramblestar to a cold place on the moor," he told the dark ginger she-cat. "The colder the better, and somewhere where the wind currents are stronger than most. The sickness will get worse before he gets better, but after a while, he'll get better! You just have to trust me."

A long, disbelieving silence echoed around the main-clearing of the camp as Bristlefrost gaped her jaws open with her eyes widened with fear. The only noises that were heard was the sounds of the birds chirruping through the oak-trees of the dense undergrowth, with the leaves of the trees rustling as the birds flapped their wings repeatedly. At last Squirrelflight furiously shook her head, her teeth gritting down at the small medicine cat apprentice. "Are you serious?!" She hissed, her pelt prickling as she narrowed her eyes to slits. "Do you really think I'd let my cats drag out my sick mate out onto moor—not just any moorland, one where the wind currents are heavily strong—to freeze to death?"

Shadowpaw flinched, staring down at his paws that shuffled awkwardly around the snowy grass that pricked through his paws. "I—I guess not…" He murmured. "I'm sorry, Squirrelflight."

Jayfeather's fur prickled as his hostile glare shot at Shadowpaw. "No, of course not!" He hissed. "Now, Shadowpaw, I'm not blaming you for this. Obviously you're too young to actually try to murder our leader!" He turned his vicious glare over at Tigerstar, who flinched back as he did. "I'm blaming you ." He narrowed his eyes to slits as they paused at the brown tabby tom. "Maybe, his vision is fake! And Tigerstar is just trying to kill our leader so he can invade our territory!"

Jayfeather opened his mouth to continue, but Squirrelflight lifted her tail up for silence, letting out a small snort. "I'm not sure where Shadowpaw's visions came from," she hissed, though her tone was more gentle as she stared down at the small apprentice. "But the medicine cats couldn't even reach our ancestors when we made cracks in the frozen moonpool. So, obviously, these instructions must not be from StarClan."

Tigerstar's eyes narrowed. "What cracks?" He hissed. "What do you mean by that, Squirrelflight?" He suddenly stopped, widening his eyes as realization shot through his amber gaze, and suddenly they narrowed deeper into slits. "I don't remember that. Squirrelflight… did you not invite ShadowClan?"

Squirrelflight swallowed, as if she wanted to gulp her words back down, crouching low to the ground with the fur of her forelegs brushing against the snow beneath her paws. "I—" She let out a small sigh, and scrambled her paws back up, her chest heaving with nervousness as she shot a fierce glare at Tigerstar. "It was necessary—"

"Necessary to leave ShadowClan out?" Tigerstar interrupted her, his mew was hoarse, and it was filled with coolness as he furrowed his brows down at Squirrelflight. Silence, once again, echoed across the main-clearing of the camp as Bristlefrost held her tongue with her eyes widened. She wanted to hurl herself at Tigerstar and claw his face, it seemed as if he was going to attack the dark ginger she-cat who was their clan deputy. He gritted his teeth to a small snarl. "Oh, I see. It's because of my son, isn't it?" He scrabbled to his paws, spinning away from the small she-cat. "Alright, fine. Let your leader rot to death. Come on, Shadowpaw. We aren't needed here."

Tigerstar disappeared through the rustling of gorse ferns within a moment, his tail succumbed to the darkened shadows of the thorn tunnel as he padded up the slope of the dirt tunnel. Shadowpaw spun his head over at Squirrelflight, his yellow eyes shone with guilt as he did, and then turned back, limping into the gorse ferns that shrouded around the corners of the main entrance to the camp.

Chapter Text

With the patrol following in her pawsteps, Spotfur broke out from the trees that lined the undergrowth, and stood on top of the bank of the frozen lake that lay beneath her paws. The spit of land where the borage grew from curved out into the lake, like the curling amusement of a cat's tail. She let out a small yawn as the bags under her eyes grew wider as she felt herself grow more weary, but she shook her head, even though the burning sensation of wanting to sleep still tingles inside of her stomach. After Bramblestar's weird cure was revealed to ThunderClan by Shadowpaw, Squirrelflight denied it, and decided to send Spotfur, and other clanmates of hers, to find some borage to give to Bramblestar.

Spotfur halted, she could see that below her paws, a dark tangle of roots barred their way from the shore, with prickly thorns poking out from the twisting roots. The large she-cat's paw stumbled across the flurries of snow as she spotted the thorned roots, her gaze drifting over at the small stalks that poked from the snow around the curve. Ugh, how am I supposed to be a warrior if I get startled by stuff like thorns?

Cherryfall bounded right beside the gray-and-white she-cat, her tail tip sliding across Spotfur's side. "Are you okay?" She asked, her paws skidding to a halt.

"I—it's nothing," Spotfur mewed. She padded down the small clearing that was edging around the frozen lake, the gray waste of water drifting slowly up-and-down around the soft snow, and across the shore of the lake. The cats with her that were chosen to go were; Cherryfall, Mousewhisker, Stemleaf, Poppyfrost, and, unfortunately, Bristlefrost. The pale gray she-cat always gave Spotfur threatening glares for some reason, as well as her fur kept bristling everytime Spotfur kept padding past the small she-cat. Spotfur shook her head, twitching her nose as suddenly, a piercing cold washed all over it.

She wrinkled her nose, skidding to a halt with her tail lashing across the air as her brows furrowed in annoyance. "We don't know if the lake is too frozen," Cherryfall broke in, pacing beside Spotfur. "If we walk too far, then we could fall into the ice. Remember that SkyClan apprentice?"

Spotfur dipped her head a nod. "I was on the same patrol as Bristlefrost back then," she added, her mew twitching with nervousness as she could feel the pale-gray she-cat's blue-green eyes burning through her pelt. She felt a pang of guilt, as well as misery swirling together into a twisted ball. She shook her pelt out, the soaking water dropping into small trickles of drops.

Spotfur turned her head back at the cats that were at her heels, and she gave a quick glance at Stemleaf, whose eyes shone with admiration as he gazed at the massive she-cat. She flattened her ears, spinning her head back over at the large, frozen lake. Her paws were halted around drifting gray wastes of the last surviving water around the shore, flinching back as the cold pierced through her pelt like a sharpened thorn. The water is probably colder than the ice. Her paws trembled as the crisp wind whistled past her gray pelt.

"Bramblestar is very sick," Poppyfrost responded to her daughter's warning. "I know it's dangerous, but it's worth saving our leader."

Spotfur murmured in agreement. "We have to take the risk, or why are we here? But, Cherryfall is right about the ice, so we have to be careful. We should go slowly, and circle around to find other routes if the ice seems thin."

"That's a great idea, Spotfur." Stemleaf purred from behind her.

Spotfur spun her head back at the patrol, and as her gaze whipped over to Bristlefrost, the pale-gray she-cat suddenly drew her lips to a smile, and her eyes were painted with generosity with her ears perked up. Her fur was smoothed across her pelt. "Yes, that's a good idea," she mewed. "Follow me, but not too close, so we can spread our weight out."

Spotfur whipped herself over to the patrol of cats, and sat down with her tail curled around her forepaws. "Alright, let's split up." She decided. "Cherryfall can go with Bristlefrost, Mousewhisker with Poppyfrost, and…" Her blue eyes paused right at the white-and-orange pelt of Stemleaf, whose fur was prickling with excitement shone through his green eyes. "...And me with Stemleaf…"

Stemleaf sprang eagerly to his paws, and then he lapped his tongue around his chest in embarrassment as cats turned to stare at the small tom. Spotfur beckoned her tail over at the tom to signal him, and he almost instantly padded after the massive she-cat, a small purr rumbling in his throat. Spotfur scrambled to her paws, her eyes drifting over at the small patrol of cats. "All right, let's go." She ordered, twitching the tip of her tail back-and-forth.

Spotfur led the way out onto the ice, hugging the side of the spit of land, forcing her own paws not to twitch slightly in fear of the fragile ice beneath her. The patrol was stretched out across the whole lake, with Mousewhisker around the corner of the lake spinning his head around for any other borage clumps that weren't around the dangerous curve line around the end of the lake.

"It looks so beautiful out here, doesn't it?" Stemleaf mewed aloud, his eyes staring dreamily around the soft undergrowth that surrounded the frozen lake that shimmered as the sunlit across the clear blue sky.

"Yeah, sure," she replied, her eyes squinting intently at the wide clumps of borage around the curled land.

Spotfur felt she didn't have the time to have a conversation with any cat, she just wanted to focus on the mission at task here. I need to save Bramblestar, my kin! Even though technically her and Bramblestar weren't actual kin, her heart still ached sorrowfully around her chest as she thought of her adoptive grandfather rotting in the medicine den. She twitched her ears, the noises of birds chirping on their nests around the tree branches whistling through her eardrums. She suddenly stopped her tracks as the stalk of herb sat still around the center of the land of snow, mocking her as she felt so far away from the clump of borage. I need to risk it.

"Stemleaf, you won't tell anyone about this, right?" She spun her head over at the small tom, her eyes filled with desperation as they glimmered down at Stemleaf.

"The other clans? But why?"

Spotfur shook her head frantically. "No, about this," she suddenly felt horror widen around her blue eyes as she suddenly pushed her paws forward, and was racing down the huge layers of ice, her pads aching horribly as she felt the hard crevices around the ice.

"Spotfur, stop! No!" Stemleaf called, his voice filled with panic as he fervently panted with his green eyes widened to horrified slits. I'm sorry, Stemleaf! But I'll survive. Suddenly, her paws skidded to a halt. She gazed up over the edges of the snow that covered the surface of the frozen lake, the growth of trees surrounding the lake. Suddenly, a small butterfly fluttered across the air, the flapping of wings rested gently around her ears. A small clump of dried, yellow flowers laid around the corner of treetops with snow trickled around the petals of the flowers. He's… right… The forest is actually beautiful… She suddenly felt a relaxing sensation swirl around her stomach, her ears pricked as Stemleaf shut his jaws, his green eyes brightened with worry as a small smile appeared through his mouth.

Spotfur flattened her ears, his gaze drifting down over her shifting paws. What am I doing? I should go back, but it's too late, I'm already here. But I need to go back to talk with Stemleaf. Since when did you care about him? I—I don't know. A crack echoed over the soft rustling of leaves that were heard from the oak trees, and her chest heaved as the cracks that appeared were sounded from… below her own paws. She glanced down, and her eyes paused as horror was filled as cracks were creeping around her paws. Before she could turn to run away, suddenly, clumps of ice flew from the ground beneath her, and she was suddenly plunged into the icy-water of the lake.

Dark water, painfully cold, welled up over Spotfur's legs as scrabbled vainly around the slick surface of the ice, her claws scraping across the ice as she felt small drops of them ripple around her white claws. But, to no avail, she succumbed to the icy waters of the lake, her claws loosening grip around the ice. She was plunged into the lake water, the piercing, ice cold liquid of water washing over her spotted tabby pelt. Is this how I die? No, that can't be it. I didn't get to become friends with Stemleaf, I didn't get to apologize to Bristlefrost for whatever I did… I need her to tell… me… Her thoughts growed weaker as, suddenly, small ripples of bubbles formed out of her gritted teeth.

Her eyes drifted to a close, accepting her fate of death as her body lowered deeper into the icy water. Don't die, Bramblestar needs your help! She suddenly snapped her eyes open, her paws thrashed wildly around the water, imaging RiverClan cats and how they swam around the lake very often. But the cold sapped her strength, and there was nothing she could do. Suddenly, the waving forms of a dull orange splashed into the water, and desperately, white wavering blurs of motion thrashed heavily across the water. Spotfur squinted her eyes, but the water stung like thorns through her blue eyes, so she vigorously closed her eyes as she felt weary bags under them.

Teeth sank around her scruff, and suddenly, something was pulling her up the succumbing waters of the frozen lake. Or some cat . Her paws thrashed back around the water, grunts of struggle rumbled through her throat as her eyes drifted over around a brightening light around a small gap through the surface of the lake. Suddenly, her head broke through the lake, and she took in a loud, gasp of breath as she panted heavily for air.

The small body of Stemleaf's paws struggled around the surface of the ice as he was holding the large shape of Spotfur, squirming around the ice as he grunted. Spotfur's paws landed around the hard, cool surface of the lake, and she pulled herself upward. She turned her head back over at the small gap around the surface, and she lowered her head, then sank her teeth around Stemleaf's scruff, lifting her head up. She broke him out off the water's of the gap, and then dropped him down at the surface of the pool letting out pants of breath. Suddenly, images of the rotting body of Bramblestar in the medicine den appeared through her thoughts, and she whipped her head back over to the wide curve of land. Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed that the petals of the stalks of borage were dried up, and they were drifting down onto the snowy ground.

She suddenly landed hard on her side with a small thump , laying beside the small body of Stemleaf. She let out pants of breath as she felt the piercing cold of drifting water droplets dropping around her pelt, with her pelt drooping with damp cold water.

Stemleaf's tail suddenly brushed around Spotfur's flank, and she flinched in astonishment, whipping her head over at the resting body of the small tom. His stomach rose up, and then lowered down as shallow breaths of air came out of his mouth. Spotfur let out a soft sigh, her head dropping back down onto the side as she felt relief flooding all over her belly like cascading ripples of a waterfall. Cats of the patrol were racing over to her, thumping of paws rang through her ears. But, for now, she drifted her eyes to shut, her paws relaxing as she felt the soft fur of Stemleaf brushing against the side of her pelt.

Bristlefrost widened her blue-green eyes down at the resting bodies of the two cats, her eyes filled with shock, and yet fear panging through her chest as she stared down at Stemleaf. Her gaze drifted over at the gray-and-white pelt of Spotfur, and her brows furrowed slightly, yet still fright appeared in her chest. Sure, she had hated the massive she-cat for stealing Stemleaf from her, but she didn't deserve the same treatment as that SkyClan apprentice.

Her paws shifted around the hard surface of the ice, her pelt bristling as she widened her eyes around Stemleaf. Don't die, Stemleaf! Please! She thought desperately, her paws trembling as fear shook out from her pelt. We have to tell Squirrelflight about the borage.

Her paws numb from patrolling the border, Bristlefrost stumbled across the camp with her paws aching sorely as she had padded all along the territory of ThunderClan. The borage had died, and there was no way to cure Bramblestar. Except… for Shadowpaw's solution… She thought, but shook her head as she realized that her clan deputy would never even consider that.

Bristlefrost pushed herself into the gorse ferns that shrouded around the corners of the medicine den, slipping through the gap around the middle of the cave den. She squeezed into the gap, her tail disappearing into the dark shadows that emerged from the medicine den.

As she had entered the den, she skidded to a halt as she realized she had forgotten about how dark and droopy this den was. Wet vines tangled from the stone roof, drooping low around the twisting brambles around the roof. The herb storage rested around the stone walls of the den, with small mouths filled with herbs inside of them. Squirrelflight was pacing back-and-forth around the brown-tabby pelt of Bramblestar, whose pelt was growing more matted, with brown stains of dirt clumped around his spiking fur. Alderheart frantically rummaged through the herb storage, his pelt bristling as his yellow eyes whipped over at Bristlefrost.

She flinched back as Squirrelflight whipped her head over at the pale-gray she-cat, her eyes shone with desperation, and yet loce beneath her slitting pupils. "Do you have the herb?" She asked, scrambling to her paws with her bushy tail puffed out.

Bristlefrost opened her jaws to speak, but suddenly shut them down as Squirrelflight's green eyes narrowed menacingly down at her. "Th—the borage died, when Spotfur was plunged into the lake water." She murmured under her breath, lifting her head up as misery ached in her chest, worrying fervently for Stemleaf's life to be saved. 

Squirrelflight widened her eyes, her pupils trembling around her green gaze. She shook her head, whipping it away from the warrior.

"Squirrelflight," Alderheart mewed, his voice ringing with a tone of authority rising through his mew. "Bramblestar is dying, and we have no idea what will happen when a leader loses their life. Seeing that no cat can make contact with StarClan—except, well maybe Shadowpaw—we have to do it."

Squirrelflight lowered her head down, the back of her fur bristling as her ears flattened. "I—I…" She stammered quietly, curling her bushy tail around her forepaws as her paws flinched.

Bristlefrost let out a small, soft sigh. "So, Squirrelflight." She mewed. "What should we do?"

Chapter Text

Shadowpaw's muzzle rummaged through a mouth in one of the dirt walls of the medicine den, twitching his nose as the faint, tangy scent of a herb flitted across the herb storage. He pricked his ears, and his paws flinched as a loud cough echoed across the den. He lifted his muzzle back away from the holes around the dirt walls, the ripples of soil across his fur. He staggered to his paws, his left forepaw slipping through the damp, wet dewy ground of the dirt beneath his paws. He turned his head over at the bundles of nests that were stacked right next to each other neatly, the bracken poking through the moss.

The brown pelt of Grassheart was curled up around her nest around the left corners of the medicine den, a leaf wrap was right behind her curled back, with a few little trickles of seeds splattered around the wrap here-and-there. At least she chewed most of it. He shot a glance down at the matted, dark brown pelt of Ratscar. Twigs were revealed from his fur, with the leaves stuck to the tips of the long, small branches.

Shadowpaw pricked his ears as the rustles of bracken shrouded around the corners of the entrance rang through his ears. He spun his head over at the bramble-screened entrance with his eyes shimmering with curiosity as the sunlit through the gaps between the leaves of the medicine den roof. He flattened his ears across the back of his head as he spotted Puddleshine emerging from the brightened blue light that glimmered around the twisting brambles.

"Tigerstar is going to call a meeting soon," Puddleshine mewed as he halted in front of the entrance, the loosened brambles nudging against the back of his fur.

"Really? What is it about this time?" Shadowpaw asked.

"You'll see soon."

Shadowpaw shivered as he had heard the chilly rasping tone of Puddleshine's mew. The dark gray tabby tom suddenly realized what the clan meeting would be about as the images of Tigerstar storming out of the main-entrance of ThunderClan camp flashed through his mind. It had been two days since he had told the warriors of ThunderClan about his strange instructions from StarClan, and Tigerstar hadn't come out of his den for a while now.

Shadowpaw shook his head, snapping his thoughts back to reality. He spun around toward the entrance of the medicine den, and he limped down the main-clearing of the den. He pushed himself through the clumps of bracken that were cornered around the entrance, the cold frost that wrinkled around the tips of the stems brushed against his fur. As he emerged from the medicine den entrance, he suddenly shivered as he felt his paws crunch the snow beneath them.

"Let all cats slink away from the shadows, gather beneath the pinebranch for a clan meeting!"

Tigerstar laid down with his paws tucked underneath his chest on top of a large branch of a pine tree that overloomed the dull, blue sky that was gently lit up by the brightened sun that lazily lay around the blue sky. Shadowpaw limped down the main-clearing of the camp, his paw-pads were crunching the ripples of white snowflakes beneath his paws, and when he twitched his nose, the scent of fresh-kill appeared through the overwhelming scents of the pine forest undergrowth that surrounded the edges of the clearing. A few cats emerged from the entrances of their dens, mostly warriors. Worry prickled beneath Shadowpaw's pelt as he halted right behind the growing crowd of gathered cats, sitting down onto the snow beneath his paws, and curling his tail around them.

Shadowpaw spun his head over a small tree stump, which the white-and-brown pelt of Sunbeam laid on top of. She raised her head, her eyes growed weary as she opened her mouth widely to let out a small, silent yawn. She scrambled to her paws, her tail lifting up to the sky with her eyes shone with determination, and she sprang her paws downward from the tree trunk.

Shadowpaw let out a soft wince as Tigerstar's gaze flitted across the gathered cats, his forepaws flexing slightly as his tail flicked softly back-and-forth around the branch that he had laid down on. He suddenly shot to his paws, and as Shadowpaw squinted his amber eyes, he thought he had spotted his father's back fur bristling slightly.

Puddleshine sat beside his apprentice with his pale blue gaze flashing a bit of worry around his pupils, making Shadowpaw flinch slightly. Tigerstar narrowed his eyes deep into slits, and puffed his chest out as he glanced down at the gathered cats.

"Cats of ShadowClan, once again we have been a victim of a grave deception!" He paused. Murmurs of shock and disgust wormed their way through the crowd of cats, with a bit of pelts bristling. Shadowpaw ducked his head down, guilt flooded down like a huge wave of water around his stomach.

Tigerstar lifted his head. "Therefore," he went on. "I've decided that my only choice is to close our borders. We'll be doubling patrols around ShadowClan territory to make sure no cat even sniffs our borders. We'll also be renewing scent markers around the edges of the territory twice as often. And I'm sure I don't need to tell you what to do when a cat puts paw on our territory."

Shadowpaw's heart lurched as fear was clawing through his chest, with spills of sorrowness coming out as blood. He staggered to his paws, flattening his ears as he turned his head over at a long, tall tortoiseshell she-cat sprang to her paws, with her fur prickling indignantly. "Tigerstar, what exactly happened to make you do this?!" Tawnypelt, Shadowpaw's grandmother, asked.

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes to slits down at the tall she-cat who was his mother, the tip of his tail lashing back-and-forth. He lifted his head, flattening his ears against his head as he curled his lip. "That is none of your concern." He hissed. "Meeting dismissed ."

Murmurs suddenly arose from the gathering cats that broke off from the crowd. Gullswoop pushed herself through the clumps of fur, her pelt bristling as her eyes shone with fury. The bright orb of the sun that casted light across the dull blue sky, was now dipping down behind the dark, pine tree covered undergrowth. Shadowpaw felt his paws digging into the soft, white powders of snow, his pads coating with the white snowflakes.

Shadowpaw shook his pelt out, leaves that stuck to the tips of his fur were now scattering off, and drifting slowly down onto the soft snow beneath his paws. The brownish leaves were shrivelled up, snowflakes trickled around the stem that lined across the center of the leaf.

What are we gonna do now? We can't start war with the other clans!

He scrambled to his paws, his fluffy tail puffed out as he felt worry prickling beneath his pelt. He spun away, and began to drag his paws down the main-clearing of the camp. He needed to be alone now, and he didn't want any warriors turning their attention towards him. He limped over to the bramble-twisted main entrance of the camp, thorn bushes lined around the corners of the entrance. Clumps of gorse ferns shrouded right in front of the thorn bushes, the tips of the stems covered with the bluish-gray wastes of frost covered around them. He pushed himself into the thorn bushes, his heart pounding against his chest as the dangling of thorns brushed against his flank.

Leaving the camp right behind him, Shadowpaw let out a soft sigh as the leaves rustling from the dark pine trees echoed through his ears. The sun was now dipping behind the trees of the dark undergrowth, the dull blue sky darkening into a soft indigo, with no trace of stars appearing from the sky. He let out a soft sigh, he might as well go herb collecting on a beautiful night like this, with the vast darkness spilling all over the sky right above the small tom.

Shadowpaw's eyes felt so weary as he halted around lined up gorse bushes, with a light blue petal nudging out from the leaves of the gorse bush around the middle of the bushes. He crouched low around the middle of the dirt path, his eyes twinkled with interest as he blinked down at the blue petal poking out from the leaves. Is this borage? He twitched his nose, and suddenly a bitter scent appeared from the other scents around the dark undergrowth. Yes, this is borage.

He shook his head as the clumps of those herbs shot through his mind around one of the mouths in the herb storage. He lifted his head, letting out a small, soft sigh.

Suddenly, rustling appeared into his ears from a copse of thorn bushes around the edges of the ShadowClan border, making Shadowpaw flinch away from the lined gorse bushes that were right in front of him, and he shot his glance over at the territory over the border. We closed our borders! Should I tell someone? Do I tell Tigerstar? His bristling fur smoothed down slightly as a tall, yellow tom emerged from the casting shadows that appeared from the copse of thorn bushes, his nose wrinkling as he obviously noticed the scent of ShadowClan from across the border.

The tom was taller than Shadowpaw, but he looked almost like an apprentice. He shook his pelt out, and his fur prickled with his green eyes widening as they flitted over at the medicine cat's crippled, damaged hind leg, making Shadowpaw slightly furrow his brows.

"My eyes are up here, y'know?" Shadowpaw mewed, a small growl rumbling in his throat.

"I—I know." The yellow tom muttered under his breath, lapping his tongue around his chest as embarrassment shot through his gaze. "Sorry."

"What are you doing out so late?" Shadowpaw asked, tipping his head curiously to the side.

"I should be asking you the same question."

Shadowpaw lowered his head, guilt was swarming over his heart as his eyes slowly gazed over at the tall tom. "I was going outside for some fresh air." He murmured, his tail curling slowly around his forepaws.

"Oh," The yellow tom pricked his ears up, his fur smoothing across his back. "Are you Shadowpaw?"

Shadowpaw dipped his head a small nod, lifting it up to stare at the tom. "Yes, I—I'm Shadowpaw." He stammered, his eyes trembling in fear as Tigerstar appeared in his thoughts all of a sudden. "I suppose you're Rootpaw, from SkyClan?"

The yellow tom's eyes glimmered with small, pale lights across his green eyes as the moonlit down onto the edge of the border. The scent markers were suddenly shifting over with SkyClan stench, making Shadowpaw wrinkle his nose slightly. "Yes, I am." He finally mewed, his tail curling up as his whiskers twitched.

Shadowpaw felt his heart twisting in guilt as he resisted the urge to tell Rootpaw to step away from the border before ShadowClan found him. But they're probably asleep, right? The leaves of the trees rustled slightly as the crisp wind swept through the dense, dark undergrowth, making Shadowpaw flinch back as he glanced up at the night sky. The sky was now a full black vast pool, the stars that were supposed to be twinkling up brightly grew more darkened as Shadowpaw squinted his amber eyes up at the sky. The only thing that lit up in the sky was the moon, spreading its light down at the dense undergrowth of ShadowClan territory.

Shadowpaw turned his head back at Rootpaw. "Answer my question, what are you doing outside of camp in the middle of night?" He asked, the tip of his tail flicking back-and-forth across the snow beneath his paws.

"Nightly patrols," Rootpaw admitted, his left ear twitching slightly. "That branch that fell on Willowshine during the moonpool meeting made Leafstar really mad." He narrowed his eyes deep into slits as he gazed at Shadowpaw, making the medicine cat apprentice shiver slightly.

"What branch?"

Rootpaw's eyes widened as surprise flashed through them, his tail lowering down slightly above the soft snow on the grass. "The branch you sabotaged us with!" He rumbled. "Come on, weren't you there? Surely you've seen Tigerstar do that!"

Shadowpaw felt as if a sharp, slice of fear stabbed into his stomach, his ears flattening against his head as he thought of Tigerstar vigorously pushing down a large tree branch with his paws, along with a few other cats to put weight onto the branch beneath their paws. "Did that really happen? Back at the moonpool meeting?"

Rootpaw's gaze suddenly softened with sympathy, shining brightly as the moonlight soaked his yellow pelt. "Yeah, that branch was filled with ShadowClan scent," he mewed. "It trapped Willowshine, but she's free now."

Shadowpaw felt as if his heart was lunging up to his throat, his chest churned with a strange sensation of denial as he felt his tail drooping low to the trickles of snowflakes that clamped all over the dense undergrowth of ShadowClan territory, the pine trees overlooming the indigo sky above the drifting clouds. His paws trembled, would his father really have done this? No, that can't be true! Unless… His eyes rounded as he felt fear overwhelm his strange expression he couldn't even describe.

"I—I need to go." He stammered, scrabbling to his paws, while his damaged hind leg was limp against the snowy ground.

"Oh, okay," Rootpaw mewed, his voice filled with sympathy as his eyes gazed at Shadowpaw's fear-washed amber eyes. "I will see you at the gathering."

Shadowpaw dipped his head a farewell as he watched Rootpaw disappear into the lurking shadows that emerged as the black vast of sky had no sign of any twinkling stars among it. As his tail vanished into the copse of gorse bushes, Shadowpaw quickly spun around, and raced across the undergrowth, the trees growing as he kept doing so. Though, suddenly, his damaged hind leg suddenly was filled with a huge pang of pain. His forepaws stumbled across the crunching snow, and he slipped down over the ground, sending flurries of snowflakes around the air.

Stupid leg! His throat rumbled softly. If I wasn't struck by lightning… I would've been actually useful for once… He gave a low whimper, his tail slowly wrapping around the side of his flank. He just wanted to curl into a ball and sob quietly with all that happened around him. His damaged eye and hind-leg, the possibility of his father sabotaging the moonpool meeting before Shadowpaw had the vision from the mysterious StarClan tom, everyone around him giving him sympathetic and pitiful looks as they noticed his injuries… Every cat thought he was weird, so they left out ShadowClan entirely for the meeting.

He lifted his head, his ear twitching as he twitched his nose, the scent of SkyClan still lingering around the undergrowth. His eyes suddenly widened, an orange glow brightened around the white snow. He gave a small yelp of fear as surprisingly, a small plume of fire burst through the snowflakes, sending flurries of them whipping over his face.

Shadowpaw staggered to his paws, flinching back as the crackles of the waving flames echoed in his ears. He squinted his amber eyes down at the fire, and his eyes widened as the fire somewhat resembled a… cat. He dropped his paws low to the snow, the drooping fur of his underbelly brushing against the ground. He twitched his nose, the scent of the waving flames were stenched with SkyClan. The wavering flames blurred into two cats among the yellow tint of the fire, both narrowing their eyes at each other.

More cats appeared from the yellow blazing fires of the yellow tint, all of their eyes glowed a bright white that shimmered across the fire. Small yowls suddenly burst out from the warriors in the wavering fire, racing over at each other, until when they finally reached the enemy clan. They had combined together, and it swirled into a small circle that lit as the waving forms of the top of the fire crackled softly.

Codebreakers will leave the clans in ruin. The fire was then raging more fiercely, Shadowpaw widening his eyes which rounded as he felt himself let out panicked pants. The fire was consuming the bushes and the trees of the undergrowth, all disappearing into chars of ash, trickling softly down over the snow beneath his paws. He paced back, his tail was fizzing out as the fire was now swirling all over the pine trees among the undergrowth. Codebreakers must be dealt with.

His paws were warming up softly as the fire continued to burn the undergrowth, and his pelt prickled as he felt a burning sensation among his forepaws, and he leaped back with a yelp.

He closed his eyes ferociously, his paws digging through the snow which coated around his fur. He flattened his ears across the back of his head, he hoped this was all a dream. He just wanted to burst into the main entrance, and run over to his mother for comfort. He fluttered his eyes open, and his eyes widened as his gaze searched around the undergrowth.

The fire was gone. Everything looked beautiful beneath the black, vast pool of the night sky.

I have to warn Tigerstar!

Chapter Text

"Tigerstar, this is bad," Cloverfoot mewed, her tone edging with panic beneath her calm demeanor. "We don't know what this vision is about, it could lead the clans in danger! We need to do something fast." The gray she-cat was sitting down in front of the large tom with her tail curled around her forepaws. Shadowpaw cowered low onto the dirt beneath his paws, his ears flattening against his head. He, Tigerstar, and Cloverfoot were in the tree stump of the leaders' den, the wood brushing against his fur as he shifted closer next to his father, whose pelt prickled as he glared down at Cloverfoot.

"I am not going back to ThunderClan to warn them," Tigerstar hissed. "They can find out for themselves!"

"Tigerstar—" Shadowpaw murmured under his breath, his ears pricking up as he sprang himself up, and curled his fluffy tail around his forepaws. He quickly snapped his jaws shut when his father whipped his head over at the dark tabby, his amber eyes glowering furiously down at Shadowpaw.

"Tigerstar." Cloverfoot hissed, gritting her teeth back into a small snarl. "No matter what quarrel you have with ThunderClan, we should still warn them. If one clan falls apart, the rest will." She scrabbled to her paws, her tail curling up as her green eyes narrowed down at Tigerstar. "It is your decision, Tigerstar."

Tigerstar blinked down at Cloverfoot, his amber eyes narrowing down into menacing slits as the tip of his tail flicked across the dirt ground. "No." He hissed. "And that's final. If they want to know, they'd apologize for disrespecting me, and my son. In fact, all of the clans shouldn't know about it for siding with ThunderClan!" He gritted his teeth back, his paws shoving furiously through the dirt. "Get out of my den. Both of you."

Cloverfoot padded down the clearing of the tree stump den, and she approached the thorn-barriered entrance that lay in the middle of the wooden walls of the den. She pushed herself through the clumps of dull, graying bracken, the clamped frost brushing against the side of her pelt. Shadowpaw staggered to his paws, his left forepaw stumbling against the dirt, but quickly slipped back into balance. He turned away from the brown-tabby tom, his ears flattened across the back of his head as he limped down the clearing of the den. He pushed himself into the clump of shrivelled bracken that shrouded the corners of the thorn-barriered entrance, the snow beneath his paws crunching as he halted in front of the entrance.

Shadowpaw let out a small sigh. How am I going to warn the clans now? He scrambled down the camp, his gaze searching around the main-clearing as he continued to limp down. Pouncestep was laying down with her paws tucked underneath her chest around the edge of the hollow, her throat rumbling out a small purr as Hopwhisker, her mate, rasped her tongue around her back. He turned his head over at the fresh-kill pile, and spotted Spireclaw speaking with Berryheart, who sat in front of him with her tail curled around her forepaws.

He suddenly skidded to a halt, his paws stumbling across the snow as he quickly staggered to his paws. Cloverfoot stood still in front of the smaller dark tabby, the tip of her tail flicking back-and-forth as her piercing gaze rested around Shadowpaw's amber eyes. He felt his heart pounding in fear of what she could say to him, worry prickling beneath his fur.

"Meet me at moonhigh," she muttered under her breath. "We're going to warn the clans ourselves."

Shadowpaw widened his eyes, his paws trembling as Tigerstar's narrowed eyes shot through his head. "But what if my father finds out?" He murmured, sitting down with his tail curled around his paws.

"He won't ," she mewed, her neck fur bristling as her tail flicked across the snow beneath her paws, sending flurries of them across the air. "Not if we aren't careful." She dipped her head at Shadowpaw. "I'll see you soon." She spun around, and she began to trudge down the camp, her tail lifting up as her ears pricked.

Shadowpaw's jaws gaped, his fur prickling as he felt fright flooded down his stomach like a roaring, cascading waterfall, his tail flicking away from his forepaws. She is my deputy… But Tigerstar is my leader… But ThunderClan is in danger! His claws dug deep into the soft, trickles of snowflakes that clumped together around the soft ground of the hollow. He shivered, his paws trembling. I might have to help Cloverfoot…

Pouncestep fluttered her eyes open, the crickets chirps ringing through ears. The leaves around the walls of the warriors' den clattered softly against each other, the rustling of the trees that overloomed the edge of the hollow noising across the overgrowth that lay around the edge of the hollow. She felt her throat rumbling out a small purr as she felt the fur of a calico she-cat that was curled up right beside her. She turned her head over at Hopwhisker, drawing her lips to a small smile as her gaze halted at her mate. She dipped her head down, and lapped her tongue around Hopwhisker's head. Hopwhisker's bristling fur smoothed, and a small purr rumbled through the calico she-cat's throat.

A green bundle of moss appeared around the corner of the warriors den, and Pouncestep turned her head with a soft sigh escaping from her mouth as she flattened her ears. Lightleap was curled around the moss and bracken that were made with her nest, her tail flicking softly across the dirt below the nest. She's so troublesome! She wrinkled her brow, her tail flicking across the most bundle beneath her. She staggered to her paws, her ears pricking up as the noises of an owl hooted across the dark pine trees of the overgrowth. She shivered, her pelt spiking up as she thought of any of her kin dragged out of camp by an owl's talons.

Pouncestep slipped through small, lined gaps that opened around the edges of her clanmates' nests, her bristling, panicked fur brushing against Sparrowtail, who shuffled slightly above their nest in annoyance at the sudden disturbance. She padded along the nests of moss and bracken, her gaze searching around the clearing. But, suddenly, she skidded to an immediate halt, her tail puffed out as she felt worry churning painfully in her chest. Among the clumps of moss and bracken nests, was one empy one around the corner of the bramble barriered entrance. Cloverfoot is missing!

She felt her eyes widen into rounded, panicked pupils. She twitched her nose, hoping to catch the scent of the ShadowClan deputy anywhere around the den. Her ears perked up as, suddenly, a faint, tangy ShadowClan scent emerged through her nose. I know that scent from anywhere!

She pushed herself into the clumps of gorse ferns, the brambles brushing against the back of her pelt. As she burst through the entrance of the den, she felt a sudden dread that churned over her stomach, her paws digging through the snow that clumped around the dirt of the camp ground. The moon rose high above the clouds, lighting up the clearing of the camp. Pouncestep padded down the camp, her worried amber gaze searching around the dens that were laying around the edges of the hollow. She widened her eyes as her gaze halted around the main entrance of the hollow, her tail lashing as she spotted Scorchfur, guarding the entrance with his tail curled around his forepaws.

I need to sneak out through the dirtplace tunnel, Pouncestep thought. She turned around, and slipped down the camp. She was silent on her paws, the tip of her tail flicked across the snow as Scorchfur's disappointed gaze shot through her mind. The brown tom used to be her mentor, and he was not a great mentor at that. He was so mean! And he still is… He always keeps bossing me around, even when I'm now a warrior!

She halted around a few growing patches of thickets that blocked the way of a large hole with clumps of dirt emerging from the dark dirt tunnel. Her tail spiked up, her amber eyes widened into slits as, suddenly, a dark fluffy tail disappeared into the casted shadows of the dark tunnel, along with a dark figure of a small cat that appeared through the moonlit parts of the tunnel. Pouncestep felt sudden fear twisting around painfully inside of her stomach. Who was that? Why were they sneaking through the dirtplace tunnel? Maybe they were just making dirt, I'm overreacting.

But, a faint mingle of curiosity churned along with the huge painful pang of fear. Her paws twitched softly against the snowy ground, the crunching below her paw-pads were strangely quiet as Cloverfoot jolted in her head. She let out a soft sigh, and she dashed into the thicket patches that nudged against the side of her gray tabby pelt. She brushed past the clumps of overgrowing gorse bushes, and she pushed herself into the dirt tunnel, her pelt succumbing to the vast black shadows. Thorns from the edges of the entrance had sliced a few strands of fur from her tail as she bursted into the tunnel, but all she could remind herself of was her deputy, Cloverfoot.

She turned at a path that was leading over to the left of the dirtplace tunnel, the dirt around the roof of the tunnel rippling softly down at the wide clumps of snow. The scent leads to this path though… She let out a soft sigh. Patches of thicket were clamped in front of the entrance to the path, among those messily placed patches that scattered about, were ripples of brownish stains. When Pouncestep lifted her paw forward, and softly prodded the stains around the patches, she flinched it back as she realized what the reddish-brown stains were. It's blood…

Though, she slipped through the patches, and she padded into the entrance of the dirt path. She felt her stomach swirl as the soft noises of dirt rattling rang through her ears right above her. She flattened her ears against her head, she didn't want to hear them. The gray tabby she-cat continued to pad down the small dirt tunnel, as she had taken deep breaths, her chest heaved painfully. I can barely breathe in here… She suddenly skidded to a halt, she lifted her head up to glance over at the ceiling of the dirt tunnel.

The dirt above her was rustling, and a few clumps of them were ready to collapse. Pouncestep let out a small yelp, and she dashed down the tunnel that led down to the otherside of the dirtplace tunnel. She let out heavy, painful pants, her chest heaving as she barely felt air rushing through her fur. She raced down the tunnel, until when she had narrowed her eyes, she spotted faint moonlight shining down around the end of the path. Come on… StarClan, please don't kill me… 

Her paws felt the soft dirt of the end of the path, leaping her hindlegs upward. She reached the end of the tunnel, letting out heavy pants of breath as she could taste the scent of fresh, cold air. She winced as a loud crash of dirt collapsed down at the dirt path right behind her. She glanced up at the opening above her, her amber eyes shimmering as the moon rose high above the graying clouds. 

Her claws unsheathed, she lifted her paw up around a dirt growth, and she sank her claws deep into the dirt. Her hind-legs scrabbled around the dirt walls, but she couldn't climb up the tunnel that led to the entrance.

"Did you hear that?"

Pouncestep widened her eyes, her ears pricking up as she had realized who that voice was from. Shadowpaw!

"Shadowpaw! Help me! I'm down here!" She murmured softly, her claws scraping desperately across the dirt.

A small, dark figure of a cat hopped down over to the small opening of the tunnel, the moonlight illuminating the small cat. The dark tabbies pelt lit up as the moon shimmered around the tom, his amber eyes glimmering as he glanced down at the small hole that opened at the end of the tunnel.

"Hey, little brother!" She purred. "Do you mind helping me out of here?"

"Hold on, let me get something!" He mewed, worrying tinting softly around the edges of his mew. "Maybe Cloverfoot knows what to grab." Cloverfoot is with him?

Shadowpaw turned, and disappeared into the casting darkness set by the overlooming pine trees around the overgrowth. After a little while, a gray she-cat emerged from the shadows of the pineforest, the moonlighting up her soft pelt. Cloverfoot had a long, wide twig clamped around her teeth, her gaze rested on Pouncestep.

"Here, hold on to this," Cloverfoot ordered, ducking her head down so that Pouncestep could reach it.

Pouncestep's paws stumbled across the dirt as her hindpaws scrabbled around the walls. She lifted her left forepaw, and she dug her claws around the wood of the wide twig.

"Good, now try to climb with your hind-legs when I start to lift the stick up," Cloverfoot muffled softly.

Pouncestep dipped her head a small nod, and as Cloverfoot slowly lifted the branch up, the gray tabby's hindlegs scrabbled around the dirt around her, her claws scraping around the walls. She gazed over at the bright, beautiful moon that lit around the overgrowth below the vast, black pool of the night sky, the stars darkening above the gray clouds. As the branch finally rose on top of the snow beneath the trees, Pouncestep's paws lifted away from the twig, and she dug her claws deep into the snow until she could feel the dry grass below the snow.

Her hindlegs scrambled around the dirt, until it reached the edges of the opening. She lifted her hindpaws away from the hole, and they landed on top of the snow.

"Now, tell me." Cloverfoot hissed. "Why are you awake in the middle of the night?"

"I was just going out for some fresh air—I promise—but I noticed you were gone." Pouncestep explained. "So I tracked your scent over to the dirtplace tunnel, which led to the abandoned path, and the dirt collapsed behind me. Luckily I survived. And now I'm here."

Cloverfoot's brows furrowed as her piercing green gaze ripped through Pouncestep's pelt. "Well, I suggest you go back before I make you go on extra border and hunting patrols as punishm—"

"Cloverfoot, Pouncestep is my sister," Shadowpaw softly interrupted her. "We can trust her."

Cloverfoot paused. She seemed as if she was hesitating for a moment, her tail flicking softly. "Okay, fine, you can come with us." She mewed. "But if you tell Tigerstar, I swear by StarClan I'll—" she snapped her jaws shut when Shadowpaw brushed his tail against the side of her pelt in assurance.

"Wait—where are we going?" Pouncestep scrambled to her paws, shaking her pelt out, sending trickles of dirt flying out of her fur.

Shadowpaw opened his mouth, but quickly closed it, shaking his head. "No. You can't know yet," he murmured.

Pouncestep padded down the overgrowth of ShadowClan territory, the moon still rising high above the gray clouds. The trees were thinning as she had caught the scent of SkyClan, and suddenly, Cloverfoot halted around the border between SkyClan and ShadowClan. Pouncestep halted beside her deputy, blinking around the thinned oak trees that growed around the undergrowth of SkyClan territory.

"Should we cross it?" Shadowpaw suggested, making Pouncestep flinch as she glanced at the small tom.

"We have to, it is midnight, no warrior would patrol as of now." Cloverfoot mewed.

Pouncestep swallowed, her paws were trembling against the snow beneath them. What if a SkyClan warrior attacks us? No, you're being paranoid, why are we even doing this? Are we attacking them?

"Are you okay?" Shadowpaw murmured, his tail resting around his sister's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"I'm fine," Pouncestep replied almost immediately. "Come on, let's go!"

Pouncestep leaped her paws forward, and followed Cloverfoot down the undergrowth of SkyClan territory. The scent of SkyClan was now covering all the oak trees of the undergrowth, and she wrinkled her nose as the stench reached it. She spotted Cloverfoot turning away from an undergrowth patch between two gorse bushes, with thorns sticking out from the leaves of the bushes. Pouncestep bounded after her, letting out small, heavy pants. We've been walking for ages now…

Suddenly, a small yelp sounded from behind Pouncestep, and she whipped her head to look over at Shadowpaw. She widened her eyes, her heart pounding fast against her chest, as she had spotted Shadowpaw, her brother, crashing on the side of his head, his eyes were widening in fear. Right on top of the medicine cat, a small, white she-cat curled her lip as she stared down at Shadowpaw.

"ShadowClan warriors! They're trying to sabotage us like last time!" The she-cat spat.

Pouncestep felt rage burning inside of her chest as she stared at Shadowpaw's frightened look. She found herself, to her somewhat horror, forcing her paws to race over at the small she-cat, whose claws were nudging against Shadowpaw's cheek. Leave my brother alone! Though, she felt something hard thump against her side, and she dropped down onto the damp snow.

Pouncestep's paws staggered against the snow, whirls of them flying out of the ground, and blowing against her attacker’s paws. They didn't trap my legs! She pushed her hind-legs around her stomach, and she quickly shoved them up at her opponents belly. The SkyClan warrior fell on their side, and a groan of pain escaped from their mouth. Pouncestep sprang to her paws, spinning her head over at Shadowpaw to see if he was still pinned down, but relief swelled over her chest as she spotted Cloverfoot hurling herself at the small she-cat, making the warrior stumble back from the medicine cat.

Pouncestep spun her head to look right at the direction they were supposed to go, and she widened her eyes with fear flooding all over her chest, and over to her stomach as she had spotted two more warriors, and a black-and-white apprentice, with her tail lashing as she narrowed her yellow eyes deep into slits.

It's a whole patrol! We can't fight them off with just two warriors and a medicine cat!

Pouncestep let out a small yelp when she leaped out of the way as, Palesky, a black and white she-cat, sprang forward in an attempt to attack the gray tabby. The SkyClan she-cat landed on her paws, which skidded through the snow, and she whipped herself to glare down at Pouncestep.

Pouncestep spun her head over at Cloverfoot with a desperate expression. We have to retreat! Please Cloverfoot! The ShadowClan deputy turned to glance at Pouncestep, her green eyes shimmering as the moonlit down around the small clearing.

"Wait!" Palesky called from the dark oak tree that was right behind the SkyClan warrior, her tail spiked out as Pouncestep turned over to look at the she-cat. "They won't fight us."

As the moonlight illuminated the small white she-cat who was fighting with Cloverfoot, Pouncestep realized that the warrior was Tinycloud. She paced back a few pawsteps away from Cloverfoot, who was crouching down in front of an oak tree that slightly overloomed the black vast pool of the night sky with the large amount of green leaves. Shadowpaw was dropping low right behind the deputy, his eyes rounded with fear as he flattened his ears.

"How are you so sure about that?!" A pale brown tom hissed, he was among the three warriors that were cornering Pouncestep. His fur bristled with indignation as he narrowed his eyes at Palesky.

"They brought their medicine cat," Palesky responded with a hiss hinting around the edges of her voice. "And there are only two warriors. Why would they plan a surprise attack with just two warriors and a medicine cat on an entire clan ?"

The pale brown tom opened his mouth to let out a retort, but he quickly closed it, sitting down with his tail curled around his forepaws.

"Th—thank you, Palesky," Cloverfoot stammered solemnly, grunting softly as she staggered to her paws. "We need to speak with your leader, it is very urgent. We had to disobey Tigerstar's orders, so we snuck out in moonhigh." Pouncestep widened her eyes in surprise as she had spotted a few scratches around her cheek, and her flank.

Palesky hesitated, she narrowed her eyes with suspicion beneath her soft amber eyes. "...This way…" She replied, giving a curt nod.

Pouncestep spun her head over at Shadowpaw, who was sniffing around Cloverfoot's wounds, which glowed oozing red. What does Cloverfoot and Shadowpaw want to talk about with the SkyClan leader… and why…?

Chapter Text

The trees were thinning as Needlepaw and the patrol trekked back to the camp, her paws growing more sore as she kept padding down the undergrowth of SkyClan territory, letting out a few pants as she forced her paws to keep going. She felt her eyes growing weary as the moon rose high, she just wanted to flop down on her nest, and sleep for a moon.

Tinycloud, Nettlesplash, Reedclaw, and Palesky were also chosen to go on the patrol, with Palesky as the patrol leader. Needlepaw wrinkled her nose as the scent of pine stenched around the ShadowClan cats that were around the heels of the patrol. Ergh, gross! She thought, her pelt prickling slightly as her ears flattened against her head.

"I'm so tired," Tinycloud hissed from the back of the patrol. "The sooner we get back to camp, the sooner I sleep."

Reedclaw furrowed her brows as she whipped her head over at the small she-cat. "Stop complaining, we're all tired too." She murmured. "Anyways, we can't disobey Leafstar's orders. We cannot trust ShadowClan, ever since they sabotaged us with that branch."

Needlepaw winced, feeling as if she had just heard the ear-piercing crash from the long branch that fell on Willowshine, her paws trembling as she turned her head over at the three ShadowClan cats. A tall, gray she-cat with green eyes glowered down at Needlepaw, who flinched slightly. She flitted her gaze over at a gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes, who drew her lips to a soft smile as Needlepaw stared at the warrior. Needlepaw reluctantly smiled back at the gray tabby, her fur slightly smoothing down across her pelt.

The last cat was a small, dark gray tabby tom, with a long, jagged scar that reached all over to his fluffy tail. His left eye was slightly closed over his eyelids, and he had a damaged, crippled hind-leg. Instead of returning his amber gaze, he depressingly stared over at the undergrowth of oak trees. Needlepaw felt sympathetic for the small tom, her eyes glinting as the moonlight casted down at the patrol, her paws thumping against the snow.

I wonder what he is sad about… is it his injury? Or something about the branch? Does he feel bad?

"We didn't sabotage the clans because of some moonpool meeting!" The gray she-cat who was glowering her eyes down at Needlepaw broke in, gritting her teeth to a snarl. "We never sabotaged you at all !"

"Yeah, right." Tinycloud spat.

"Please, believe us," the gray tabby she-cat murmured. "I don't even remember that! None of us do! What evidence do you even have?"

Reedclaw wrinkled her nose. "The stench was filled with your scent," she hissed.

The dark gray tabby tom opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut and shot his gaze back to the oak trees.

"So? Tigerstar would never send his warriors to kill any warrior!" The gray tabby she-cat mewed. "He's a good cat, please trust me!"

"You're only saying that because he's your father," Nettlesplash sneered, whipping his head at the gray tabby with a piercing cold gaze.

Oh, she must be… Lightleap…? Pouncestep…? I don't remember, I've never spoken to her.

"Everyone stop talking!" Palesky hissed from the front of the patrol. "Stop arguing, or I'll swipe all of your muzzles clean off!"

Needlepaw flinched, fear swirling painfully along her stomach as she thought of Palesky clawing her muzzle. She shook her head as she felt Reedclaw resting her tail tip briefly around Needlepaw's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Don't worry, she won't actually do it," she whispered, her blue gaze filled with comfort. "And, if she does do it, I'll claw her face off."

Needlepaw drew her lips to a soft smile, blinking thoughtfully at her mentor. She turned her head over at a clump of gorse bushes, with a bramble barriered tunnel right behind the thorn tunnel of the entrance to the camp. She bounded through the shrivelled, frosted bracken right beside the gorse bushes, and pushed herself into the thorn tunnel.

As Needlepaw padded down the thorn tunnel, her thoughts immediately shot to the tortoiseshell pelt of Turtlepaw, and she shook her head with narrowed eyes. Stop thinking about her, you have more important things to care about!

Needlepaw emerged from the thorn tunnel, pushing her way through the clump of soft ferns around the corners of the entrance. The cool wind whirled into her fur, making her paws shiver. She flitted her gaze around the hollow of the camp, her tail lifting as she halted her gaze around the apprentices den. I really need to sleep, I feel like I'm gonna pass out!

Reedclaw emerged from the casting darkness of the thorn tunnel, her tail brushing against the side of Needlepaw's pelt. "You can rest now," she mewed. "You don't have any more patrols."

"Thank StarClan," Needlepaw groaned.

Needlepaw padded down the clearing of the hollow, her eyes growing weary as she thought of herself curled comfortably up around her mossy nest. She pushed herself through the entrance of the den, brushing past the thicket bushes clamped around the corners.

As she entered the den, she let out a soft, tired yawn. She spotted Rootpaw's yellow pelt around the edges of the den, with an empty bundle of a nest right beside his. She trudged down the den, slipped between the gaps around the nests of Kitepaw and Turtlepaw. She halted in front of her nest that was the one beside Rootpaw's, and flopped down around the soft mossy nest.

She curled herself around the nest, her round tail flicking closely around her hind legs. She closed her eyes, and she quickly drifted into dreams.

Needlepaw felt a prod around her stomach, but she let out a soft groan, and ruffled her paws around the nest beneath her in protest. Crickets chirruping from the overhanging trees that edged around the hollow rang in her ears. It's still night… don't tell me I have another nightly patrol…

"Pssst, Needlepaw!" Wait… that doesn't sound like Reedclaw…

Needlepaw fluttered her eyes open, and she felt her chest tighten painfully as she had spotted Turtlepaw, crouching her head in front of the small she-cat. Why is she waking me up this late? Isn't every cat asleep?

"Come on, I want to show you something!" Turtlepaw whispered, springing to her paws.

"Can't you ask Kitepaw to come with you instead?" Needlepaw muttered. She lifted her head, staring deep into Turtlepaw's darkened green eyes as the leaves of the overlooming oak trees blocked the moonlight casted from the vast pool of the night sky.

"No, you're more fun!" The older apprentice replied, her whiskers twitching as the cold wind drove through the open mouth around the middle of the den. "Come on, don't be a lazy mouse."

I'm not a lazy mouse! Needlepaw thought, her paws shuffling against her mossy nest. Quail feathers emerged from the bundle of moss from the nest, as the small she-cat had decorated it back when she was first announced as an apprentice. She staggered to her paws, a pang of fear suddenly drifting across her chest as she thought of her mentor spotting her and Turtlepaw sneaking out of the apprentices' den.

"Wait, where are we going, exactly?" Needlepaw blurted out. "You didn't tell me."

Turtlepaw was standing in front of the entrance for the apprentices den, and she turned her head over at the black-and-white she-cat with a widened grin. "Outside of camp, there's something cool I wanna show you!"

Needlepaw widened her yellow eyes, fear was now churning around her chest as she hopped off from her green nest. She narrowed her eyes up at the older apprentice, scowling with disappointment filling her expression. "We can't do that, we're going to get in trouble!" She whispered, her fur fizzing out. "Wait, do you want to get us into trouble?"

Turtlepaw rolled her eyes. "So? I'm super stealthy, and no one will see us in the dark with our dark pelts." She retorted. "And, no, I am not trying to get us into trouble."

Needlepaw squinted her eyes suspiciously at the dark tortoiseshell, who was flicking her tail in annoyance as she narrowed her eyes impatiently at the small she-cat. "Okay, fine." Needlepaw decided. "But if someone finds us, I'll… I'll…"

Needlepaw's breath hitched as, suddenly, she felt the she-cat's tail tip brush gently against Needlepaw's muzzle. "Stop talking," Turtlepaw teased, flicking her tail away from the small she-cat. "Now come on! I need to show you this before it's too late!"

Needlepaw and Turtlepaw padded down the overhanging undergrowth of SkyClan territory, copse of dead, dried leaves drifting apart from the branches of the scarce oak trees. Needlepaw stayed far back from the tortoiseshell, her paws trembling in fear as she gazed around the darkened undergrowth, and she flinched as a cricket chirped from an elder bush between two trees that were right beside her.

Turtlepaw bounded down the undergrowth with her chest confidently puffed out as she pushed her way through drooping, damp wet vines dangling from twisting branches above a clump of gorse bushes. Needlepaw nervously followed the older apprentice, shivering slightly as her paws were coated with trickles of snowflakes.

As she had emerged from the copse of gorse bushes, Needlepaw appeared around a clearing with an overlooming oak tree having its long, twisting branches blocking the beautiful moon that was now slowly dipping down below the trees. She halted as Turtlepaw stopped in front of the oak tree, with Needlepaw tipping her head curiously to the side. The small she-cat's eyes widened as Turtlepaw crouched low to the snow beneath her paws, waggled her hindquarters, and she leaped her hind paws upward, with her front claws digging into the wood of the oak tree overlooming the indigo sky.

She's climbing up the tree! Needlepaw realized, her fur bristling as Turtlepaw continued to keep hurling herself up, her claws digging through the bark as she had done. She twisted away from the trunk of the tree, and she had her paws landed on the lowest branch that was still, way high up enough to watch the night sky.

"Come on, Needlepaw!" Turtlepaw yowled from the tree branch, ducking her head to glance down at the small she-cat. "It's beautiful up here! Or are you too scared?"

"I—I'm not scared," Needlepaw stammered. "It's just… I don't know how to climb trees yet."

" What ?" Turtlepaw yowled, widening her eyes in astonishment as her gaze halted around Needlepaw's yellow eyes. "Did Reedclaw not teach you anything about climbing?"

"N—no, she did!" Needlepaw quickly yowled from the earth, her paws shifting as she felt embarrassment flood all over her chest, and cascading down all the way to her stomach. "I—it's just that… I'm not very good at it… even though I'm supposed to be, since I'm a SkyClan cat… But it's just… too hard for me…"

"Oh," Turtlepaw lifted her head, blinking down at Needlepaw with a tipped head. "Well, I can teach you how. I'm the best at climbing trees!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Turtlepaw purred, twitching her slim whiskers in amusement. "Just follow my instructions, and you'll be up here in no time!"

The ThunderClan medicine den looked almost droopy as the wet, dangling vines drooped low from the brambles twisting around the roof. The soft, soil beneath Spotfur's paws were damp as a small, bubbling ripple of a stream cascaded down across the den, and over at the end of a wall. Alderheart's paws rummaged through the herb storage, his eyes snapping back at the large she-cat.

"Alderheart, I'm fine." Spotfur insisted from her mossy nest, stems of bracken poking out from the green bundle. "You should be worrying about Stemleaf. His sickness is worse than mine."

"I can't risk it, you're gonna have to stay here for a few days," he mewed, a few stems dangling from his jaws as he turned around. "And Stemleaf was fed poppy seeds, that's why he's still asleep."

Spotfur let out a soft sigh, her eyes drifting over at the curled shape of Stemleaf, his soft pelt brushing against her own. Her paws shuffled slightly against her nest, guilt swarming around her stomach like bees buzzing around a hive. I shouldn't have been so reckless, then maybe Bramblestar's sickness would just go away. I'm the worst, I put my own life in danger over some borage. Now my grandfather is going to die because of me. He's going to die and it's all your fault. The last thought repeated tediously over and over in her head, her claws digging through the moss. Her vision felt so unclear, was everything her fault?

"...Spotfur!"

Spotfur blinked down at Alderheart, who was lowering his head down with his eyes deepening straight over the surface of her blue eyes. His gaze softened as he eyed her. "I need you to wake Stemleaf up, and make him chew this herb." He opened his mouth, and the stems thumped against the moss and bracken of her nest. Feverfew… Alderheart fed this to me last night.

"C—can't you do it?" Spotfur stammered, her eyes widened as she felt a painful pang of guilt flood her chest.

"You need to do it," Alderheart stood his paws up, his eyes trembling as he paused them down at the spotted tabby. "I can tell."

What if he hates me? Of course he would, you costed him his life! He could've died saving you!

Spotfur felt her eyes trembling down around her forepaws, which were shifting uncomfortably around her nest. She closed her eyes, her tail curled closer around herself. I'll do it, he needs it anyway. Even if he hates me, I have to be a noble warrior. She snapped her eyes open, and she ducked her head, picking the feverfew from the mossy nest. She sprang her head up, the stems dangling from her mouth.

"All right, I'll go now." Alderheart mewed, turning away from the she-cat. "I need to collect comfrey and chervil anyway, Jayfeather will be back soon." He squeezed through the enclosed entrance of the cavern, and disappeared into the shining light that was casted down from the bright sun, his tail following him through the cold, sunlit clearing of the camp.

Spotfur whipped her head over at the sleeping shape of Stemleaf, whose paws flinched slightly against the bracken of his nest. She let out a soft sigh, and lowered her head, prodding the small tom gently with her muzzle. She flinched her head away as the tom's eyes fluttered open, the sunlight coating his white-and-orange pelt.

"Erm—Alderheart said to give this to you," Spotfur muttered awkwardly under her breath, lowering her head down, and dropping the stems of feverfew over at his nest. "And I'm… sorry for being so reckless. I understand if you don't forgive me, because I almost killed you… But I just hope we can be friends."

Stemleaf lifted his head away from the moss and bracken among his nest, and a smile caressed around the edges of his mouth as he drifted his gaze wearily over at the massive she-cat. "I forgive you." He leaned his forehead against her chest, making Spotfur feel as if her breath was stopped.

Spotfur shifted uncomfortably away from the tom's forehead. "O—okay, now make sure to chew the feverfew."

Stemleaf lifted his head away from the she-cat, and dipped his head a small nod. "Okay," he murmured, lowering his muzzle over at the stems.

Spotfur wrinkled her nose as the scent of marigold coated the cavern that surrounded the den, her paws digging through the moss of her nest as Stemleaf stuck his tongue out, flattening his ears against his head. She shifted her blue eyes away from the tom, and she drifted them over at the enclosed entrance of the medicine den. Sunlight warmed the edges of the mouth, yet snow was thumping hard against the dried grass that grew beautifully around the ground of the medicine den.

"So… I never knew much about you," Stemleaf murmured as the silence grew around the den. "But… for some reason, I like you."

Spotfur whipped her head back at Stemleaf, who was laying his chin on top of his forepaws, his eyes gazing up at Spotfur's with a small glimmer of admiration. "But… Why do you like me ?" She murmured, widening her eyes down at the small tom. "We rarely talk, and I'm always on patrols and providing for my clan."

"That's why I like you," he replied. "You're smart, and you're a noble warrior, and you always want what's best for ThunderClan." Stemleaf lifted his head away from his paws, which were shifting against his nest beneath his paws. "And that's why I want to be friends."

Spotfur curled her lip to a smile, her round tail brushing past Stemleaf's side. "I want to be friends too." She murmured. "I just don't understand what I'm supposed to do with friends, I never had any since I was an apprentice."

"Well… I don't know how to explain it," Stemleaf flitted his gaze toward the herb storage, his tail flicking against the pointed grass. "You… talk with them, hunt with them, and just… well, have a fun time with them."

"Then I guess we could be friends then?"

Stemleaf nudged her shoulder with his muzzle, a soft purr rumbling from his throat. "Of course," he mewed. "That's all I can ask for."

Spotfur breathed softly in relief, her bristling fur smoothing down across her neck. She felt the cool air blustering around her long-haired fur, her tail sweeping away from her nest of moss and bracken. 

Suddenly, she widened her eyes as, growls of commotion echoed through her ears. She immediately sprang to her paws, her chest heaving as she felt as if she could let out dried up coughs. She swallowed, shaking her head as she turned her head through the tight space that was the entrance of the medicine den.

Stemleaf tipped his head, and staggered to his paws, his ears perking up as the rumbles of cats growling rang through the enclosed entrance.

I need to know what's happening! Spotfur thought, her fur prickling as she felt worry churning painfully around her chest. But I'm sick, no one will let me out of the medicine den. But I could peek through the entrance…

"Stemleaf, stay here," she mewed, spinning her head to glance at the small tom. "I'm going to see what all the commotion is about."

Before Stemleaf could protest, Spotfur slipped down the medicine den, her hind paws padding off her nest. She pushed herself against the shrouds of gorse bushes in front of the enclosed entrance, her muzzle poking through the wide open snow. She twitched her nose, purring as the fresh scent of air coated around the entrance.

After a few heartbeats, a low growl echoed through the tightened entrance, and as she flitted her gaze over at a large golden tabby, she spotted his tail lashing furiously. Is that Lionblaze? She drew her lips to a smile, thoughts of her kitself and her father tussling around the grass.

Her eyes widened as, around the bright, burning sunlight that shone across the fresh snow clearing, a tall, gray tabby she-cat narrowed her eyes into deep slits. A smaller gray tabby she-cat was turning her gaze curiously around the camp, examining the dens that edged around the stone hollow. The last one was a dark gray tabby tom, crouching his paws low to the snow with his fur brushing closely against the gray tabby who was examining the camp.

Spotfur realized that the cats that were surrounded by her clanmates were filled with the stench of ShadowClan, as she had whiffed the clearing curiously. Cloverfoot, Pouncestep, and Shadowpaw. Pouncestep stared right after the enclosed gap around the medicine den, and she widened her eyes into rounded fear, flinching back with her fur bristling. No! Don't let anyone notice!

Shadowpaw stood still on his short paws, his fur was drooping low across the fresh snow that was splattered around the dirt of the stone hollow. He turned his head over at the taller, fiercer gray tabby, who stood with her chest puffed out, and muttered a few words.

Alderheart had emerged from the thorn tunnel with Jayfeather around at his heels, a dribble of moss dangling from his mouth, along with dried comfrey roots. Jayfeather scrambled to a halt as he had scented ShadowClan, his fur prickling as he furrowed his brows at the direction of the three cats. Alderheart meekly flattened his ears, his fur bristling slightly as he had stared down at the ShadowClan cats.

"ShadowClan has come with urgent news that the clans must hear," Cloverfoot hissed as Spotfur's clanmates gathered suspiciously around the deputy, along with Squirrelflight, had stood in front of the deputy with a brow raised curiously.

Around the corner of Spotfur's eyes, she glimpsed Twigbranch's paws trembling, with Flywhisker brushing her tail comfortingly against her former mentor's side. Lilyheart stood beside her kit, Honeyfur, who had sat down with her tail curled around her forepaws, along with her eyelids growing weary as she stared at the small ShadowClan patrol.

"Alright then, spit it out." Squirrelflight growled, taking a small pace forward.

"Shadowpaw was gathering herbs down the forest…" Cloverfoot then described how fire burst from the snow, and showed warriors of what seemed to be two clans fighting. After they had merged and swirled together, fire was then raging violently across the trees of the overgrowth of ShadowClan territory, though, when Shadowpaw closed and opened his eyes after a few moments, the fire had disappeared.

Spotfur gaped her mouth, the tendriled gorse bushes shrouded close around her pelt shaking as he paws trembled. Is there going to be a war? Between all of the clans? This might mean that I have to go on extra border patrols just in case cats from other clans don't try to trespass. Definitely more hunting patrols, cats might try to steal our prey—

"Spotfur?" Stemleaf pushed past the gorse bushes, his pelt brushing against the spotted tabbies. She suddenly felt warm from all of her body, her paws halting suddenly as she felt Stemleaf's tail resting around her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I heard everything, you don't need to explain it to me."

"I know, it's just…" Spotfur breathed. "I'm scared for some odd reason… this might be my first ever war with the clans. What if I lose one or more of my siblings? What if Lionblaze or Cinderheart dies?" Her claws dug through the hard rock floor, her forepaws stretched wide in fear. "What if Squirrelflight or Bramblestar dies, and we don't have a proper leader? Or worse."

"That will never happen," he mewed gently, leaning the side of his head against her shoulder. "ThunderClan is strong, and so is Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, your parents, and everyone you love. Besides," he added. "You are strong as well, you could protect them."

Spotfur suddenly felt warm from ears to tail-tip once again, the strange panicked churning in her stomach soothed, her claws dug back into her paws.

Squirrelflight held her breath, her paws stood still as she postured herself. "Did StarClan say anything?" She muttered.

Cloverfoot turned her head at Shadowpaw, who sat down around the middle of the patrol, his eyes distracted by the wind blowing gently through the trees. Shadowpaw quickly spun his head back at Squirrelflight, his eyes suddenly grew tired as he spoke.

"I—" He dug his claws deep into the earth, his tail spiking out as she turned to stare at Cloverfoot, who tipped her head in curiosity. "StarClan said codebreakers would leave the clans in ruin."

Cloverfoot narrowed her eyes deep into slits, her fur bristled as she gazed deep into Shadowpaw's pelt, as if she was piercing it off. "I also have another vision to tell you all."

"Shadowpaw," Cloverfoot hissed, ringing across the clearing, and reaching the area of the medicine den. "Don't you dare —"

"I—it told me how codebreakers were amongst our ranks, and then cats were appearing out of nowhere. They were the codebreakers." He interrupted the deputy.

Spotfur flinched, her ears flattening as she gazed straight upon the small tom. Who are they? Are they my siblings? My parents? No. No! They can't leave the clans in ruin! No…

"Well who were they?" Squirrelflight mewed.

"They were…" Shadowpaw cowered his paws down, his tail drooping low as Cloverfoot gave him a disappointed glare. "Lionblaze," NO!

Spotfur flinched back, her chest heaving strongly as her paws trembled. "My father is a codebreaker! He's listed as a danger to the clans by StarClan!" She had remembered when she was a kit, she had always heard stories from them about the battle with the dark forest, and how they as well saved the clans from the mysterious place. With their popular status, she had thought that she needed to be like both of them, so she was always quiet and never spoke with the other apprentices, and she focused more on training rather than interacting with her mentor.

And now he was a codebreaker, a danger to the clans. One of the cats that were going to leave them in ruins. "I've spent all my life wanting to be like them! I wanted to be like them! But he's a codebreaker!" She shook her head, rapid pants gasping out of her mouth. "Th—that can't be true… that can't! No…"

"Spotfur…" Stemleaf whimpered, his muzzle burying into her soft fur. "I—I'm sorry… I don't know what to say…"

"...And it flashed through so fast I couldn't recognize the rest of them." Shadowpaw finished, letting out soft, shaky breaths.

"No! Squirrelflight can't be a codebreaker!" Sparkpelt growled from the back of the surrounded cats, her pelt prickled as she turned to glance up at the cleared sky, with the clouds slowly merging with each other. "StarClan must've made a mistake! That can't be true!"

Mousewhisker awkwardly felt silent as murmurs arose from the gathering cats, flattening his ears and then looking back at the dark gray tabby.

Spotfur couldn't speak, she didn't want to speak. She wanted the dried grass to just suck her into the earth, her claws scraping against the small stone ledge beneath the wide gap.

"I and Jayfeather believe in Shadowpaw's vision," Alderheart rose to his paws and spoke for his clanmates. "And we think that it couldn't be more important. Whether the fire means war with the clans or not, it would destroy the clans."

" I don't completely believe it yet, but I wouldn't argue with that." Jayfeather added. "It's just… there's something not quite right with these visions," Spotfur felt relief churn slightly around her chest, her shaking paws soothing against the stone ledge. That could mean the codebreaker vision is fake! "I don't think you're lying or making them up, Shadowpaw. I just think we have to look over this carefully."

"Right or not, it's all we have to go on," Alderheart quickly reminded his clanmate, his tail tip resting around Jayfeather's shoulder, making Spotfur quickly frown with her heartbeat quickening as she had fear rising. "Us, and the medicine cats have tried and failed to contact StarClan for a couple of moons now. Shadowpaw's visions are the only ones we have."

Spotfur shook her head, her paws digging deeper into the stone ledge around the widened gap. Shadowpaw's visions might be real, and your father really is a codebreaker. He will cause ruin to the clans…

…No… I will still love my parents and siblings no matter what.

Squirrelflight scrambled to her paws, her bushy tail lifting as she had blinked down at the small gray tabby, her tail flicking softly. "How are you so sure the codebreaker message was real? With the cats flashing through?"

"I don't know." Shadowpaw muttered. "I really don't know…" He let out a sigh. "StarClan sent it to me, I saw it with my own eyes. I promise you they're real."

Squirrelflight let out a small sigh, standing tall in front of the small dark tabby, her eyes drifting down at the tom. "We will discuss the codebreaker messages at a gathering," she decided, and murmurs of disagreement arose from the gathered cats. "But, Cloverfoot, tell your leader we ask for his forgiveness." She went on.

Spotfur paced back from the widened gap, the tendriled gorse rustling past her. She let out pants of breath, her paws shook as she felt her chest heaving, not because of her cold, but because of the codebreakers. She felt her hind paws stumble upon the soft moss of her nest, her paws still trembling.

Stemleaf sped after her, skidding to a halt as he reached her side, brushing his fur against hers.

She blinked down at the dewy grass that glistened beneath her paws, her eyes were suddenly weary all over again, just like before she had spoken with Stemleaf. Does that mean I'm a codebreaker as well…?

Needlepaw pushed through the bundle of gorse ferns that were shrouded around the camp entrance, which had a few strands of shivery frost around the fronds. Her paws tinged annoyingly as a small, spiky splinter stuck into her foreleg, her ears flattened against her head.

She hopped over the cool, icy snow flooded over the ground of the stone hollow, her pelt prickling from ears to tail-tip. "brr…" She murmured, sitting down with her tail curled around her forepaws.

Turtlepaw emerged from the thorn tunnel right behind her, Needlepaw suddenly felt warm as the older apprentice brushed her pelt against hers. "So how was my flawless lesson?"

"Horrible!" Needlepaw teased, purring as Turtlepaw nudged her hard with her shoulder. "Just kidding, it was great. I got a splinter from the tree though, I don't know how to get it out." She lifted her left forepaw, flipping it over to reveal a small chip around her pad.

"Oh, heh." Turtlepaw mewed awkwardly. "I probably should've taught you how to not get splinters from climbing." She shook her pelt out, snowflakes flying out of her fur and splattering onto Needlepaw's flank. "Here let me help, Frecklewish taught me how to get these out."

Needlepaw watched as Turtlepaw leaned down around her paw, and clenched her teeth around the sharp splinter. Needlepaw let out a small yelp as Turtlepaw slid it away from her pad, and lifted her head, spitting the splinter away.

"Now lick the blood!" Turtlepaw instructed, and Needlepaw quickly lapped her tongue around the glistening red that oozed out of her paw pad. "Did it stop bleeding?" She asked as soon as the black-and-white she-cat gently placed her forepaw down.

"Yeah," Needlepaw purred. "You were… really great at getting that splinter out," she added, suddenly feeling embarrassment boiling around her chest. "Errr… I didn't think you'd actually help."

"Oh, thanks." Turtlepaw replied, turning her head away from the she-cat.

"Where were you two?!" Needlepaw pricked her ears, springing her head up with her eyes widened in fear. Blossomheart, Turtlepaw's mentor, was stomping down the clearing, her pelt prickling as she furrowed her brows down at the two apprentices.

"Why do you care?" Turtlepaw hissed as Blossomheart halted in front of them, narrowing her green eyes into slits. "It's none of your business."

"It is my business!" Blossomheart retorted. "I am your mentor! Why were you sneaking out of camp with Needlepaw in the middle of the night?! ShadowClan cats could've ambushed you!"

"Whatever! I'm eleven moons old! I'm close to becoming a warrior. I can do whatever I want!"

"Needlepaw is eight moons old!" Blossomheart growled. "She's not old enough to go out alone—"

"I was with her! I would've protected her if there was an actual ambush!" Turtlepaw gritted her teeth back to a furious snarl. "Besides, she can take care of herself! She's not a kit anymore!"

Needlepaw buried herself into her fur, her paws trembling as she watched the two cats spitting back-and-forth at each other. She could've easily stand up for her if Blossomheart wasn't a fully grown warrior. She just wanted to race into the apprentices' den, and never come back out.

"That is enough !" Blossomheart yowled. "You keep getting yourself into trouble thinking your mousebrained decisions were a great idea!" She let out heavy pants, her fur bristling furiously as she burned her gaze through Turtlepaw's pelt. 

Needlepaw was astonished on how the black tortoiseshell was able to talk back to her mentor without feeling guilt, though only anger flashed through her green gaze.

"Why couldn't you just be like your father when he was an apprentice—"

"WELL HE'S DEAD! AND I NEVER MET HIM, SO I GUESS I WON'T BE LIKE HIM!"

Suddenly, Needlepaw felt guilt stricken through her pelt like a lightning strike, her eyes were shimmering with sympathy as she glanced up at the older apprentice. Turtlepaw's father… died…? 

She never knew who Turtlepaw and Kitepaw's father was, since she'd never seen them interact, but she suddenly felt a painful pang of guilt swarm all over her chest, and piercing through her heart.

Needdlepaw's clanmates were already emerging from their dens to see what all the commotion was about, along with Kitepaw, who was standing halfway around the entrance of the apprentices' den. Needlepaw ducked her head down when she noticed the yellow pelt of Rootpaw slipping underneath Kitepaw's belly so he could leave the apprentices' den.

Kitepaw's eyes flashed with guilt as he stared after his sister, flattening his ears, and then pacing back into the casting darkness of the den.

Violetshine flattened her ears as she glanced down at Turtlepaw and Needlepaw from a rock right beside the warriors' den, her gaze softening in sympathy.

Needlepaw closed her eyes, her tail drooping low to the crunchy snow beneath her paws as she spotted Reedclaw narrowing her eyes down at her apprentice, and then flashing down at Turtlepaw.

Needlepaw fluttered her eyes open, her gaze flitting over at the prickling tortoiseshell, who was crouching down with her eyes trembling. The black-and-white she-cat just wanted to comfort her friend, but how could she in a situation like this? Hawkwing was already slithering out of the entrance, his brows furrowing as he glanced down at the two apprentices.

"Sometimes I wish I had another mentor," Turtlepaw whimpered, her voice shaky as she scrambled to her paws. She suddenly raced down the main-clearing of the camp, and bumped past Kitepaw, sliding through the darkness of the apprentices' den.

Needlepaw felt her breath hitching, her ears flattened as she stared after Turtlepaw. I have to check on her.

"Look at me, Needlepaw," Blossomheart hissed, making Needlepaw whip her head back at the large warrior. "Don't think I'm letting this go. Tell Turtlepaw she is doing all of the apprentice duties. Tell her if she keeps doing this, I'll delay her assessment." No! Turtlepaw needs to become a warrior! It's her dream! "I'll let your mentor decide what to do with you ."

Needlepaw watched as Blossomheart turned and padded down the camp, her tail flicking back-and-forth as she approached Tinycloud and Creekfeather, who were standing uncomfortably around a small boulder laying around a clump of ferns that were overlooming it. Needlepaw was just frozen in place, she couldn't push her paws forward or anything, she just sat still as Reedclaw was padding down the camp and over to her.

This wasn't Turtlepaw's fault though…

She halted in front of her around lined patches of bracken that was shrouded neatly around the gorse, her eyes narrowing down at the small apprentice. Needlepaw shivered as she felt the snow succumb her paws, her eyes twitching reluctantly up at the pale tabby.

"Care to explain what happened?" Reedclaw hissed.

Chapter Text

Shadowpaw smoothed down the ThunderClan leader's fur and tucked his paws beneath him. The walls of the den he had carved out along with Cloverfoot and Squirrelflight in the snow rose a tail-length above Bramblestar's inert body. Following his vision, he had led the few chosen ThunderClan warriors to an exposed place on the moor that was awfully close to the WindClan border. Now, as he looked down at the sick leader, a shudder passed through him that had nothing to do with the biting cold; sheer panic.

He felt cold under his paws, and Bramblestar's pelt was so matted. He looks so close to death… He thought as he gazed over at the tabbies eyes, which looked almost motionless. Though, he could feel Bramblestar's belly rise slowly, so he was barely breathing.

Shadowpaw hadn't finished his training, but he knew this was a terrible thing to do to any cat, especially to clan leaders.

He still didn't tell his father about how he was going to cure Bramblestar's mysterious illness, he felt himself shudder as he even thought of confessing to Tigerstar about how he snuck out with the deputy to tell the clans about his vision. He'd probably be even more angry with the fact that I told Squirrelflight and ThunderClan about the codebreaker message.

As he stepped back, leaving the ThunderClan leader alone inside the den, he spotted Alderheart standing nearby, along with Jayfeather sitting down beside him, narrowing his eyes down at Shadowpaw. Pouncestep sat down beside her clan deputy, shuffling her paws across the snow as she gazed down at them.

Squirrelflight had insisted on bringing the ThunderClan medicine cats along with them. She herself had been taking the role as temporary leader for her clan, saying that if there was no news by dawn she'd come over here to look for herself.

Shadowpaw flattened his ears awkwardly, his gaze flitting down at the snow beneath his paws. He glanced up, and spotted Pouncestep with an encouraging beckon of her tail, signalling him to sit beside her.

Shadowpaw's tail lifted as he felt his lips drawing to a small smile, and he limped down the small clearing that was surrounded by the cats that were present. Honeyfur, and Hollytuft were the only two ThunderClan warriors present, sitting around the center of the surrounded cats. He sat down right beside Pouncestep, his tail curled around his forepaws as he felt a harsh, cool whirl of breeze waft over his pelt.

Pouncestep draped her tail over Shadowpaw's shoulders, her amber eyes flashed with a look of comfort. He felt slight warmth droop around his shoulders, though as he let out a small sigh, his breath blew into cool misty wind drifting across the open hills.

Oh, please let this cure work…

Moonhigh came and went, and Bramblestar only seemed to be getting worse as Shadowpaw slid into the makeshift den. His chest barely moved as he breathed, slow, shallow breaths. When he emerged from the den, and sat down with his tail curled around his paws, Alderheart, who had been standing beside him, had his eyes darkened with grimacing worry. Shadowpaw always tried to reassure the medicine cat, and the dark ginger tom would respond with a comforting nod, though worry still lurked beneath his pupils.

"He's too cold!" He cried out. "Isn't there anything we can do to warm him?"

"No," Pouncestep chimed in. "According to the vision, the coldness is one of the things that's supposed to cure him." Shadowpaw flattened his ears, shuffling his paws.

Glancing around at the other cats, Shadowpaw could see his own doubt and anxiety reflected on their expressions. Even Pouncestep and Cloverfoot were looking uncomfortable.

"We took an oath as medicine cats," Jayfeather stood on his paws beside Alderheart, his blind blue eyes glowering down at the dark gray medicine cat apprentice. "How can we sit here and watch a cat die?"

"So? Shadowpaw is a medicine cat, too," Pouncestep replied. "StarClan chose him to deliver messages, and he's been special since he was a kit!" She let out a huffed sigh, which blew into cool mist. "Besides, StarClan knows what they're doing. They wouldn't intentionally kill your leader."

Jayfeather's only response was a scowl, but he made no move toward the den where the ThunderClan leader lay dying.

Shadowpaw closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. He pictured himself huddling himself closely around his mother, he just wanted her to comfort him and to tell him that everything was going to be fine. But as he fluttered his eyes open, he just found himself shivering his paws around the wide open moors that hilled up and down across the earth.

"Were you asleep?" He turned his head over at Pouncestep, who was sitting around the direction to his right.

"I don't know," he muttered under his breath. "I must've been, because I feel tired."

Jumping up, Shadowpaw padded into the snow den to check on Bramblestar. When he stretched his paw and laid it gently on his chest, he felt a harsh, piercing cold shoot around his pad, and he leaped his paw away.

He isn't breathing!

Shadowpaw felt his heart striking through his chest, letting out heavy pants of panicked breath. He dug his paws through the snow that laid beneath his paws. I killed him! I murdered him! I'm a monster! I never should've listened to StarClan! He shook his head, forcing himself from panic. He swallowed back his pants, then thumped his paws around Bramblestar's chest once again. He never stirred, he didn't even twitch. Shadowpaw felt as if all the air had been sucked out of him from the snow den as he panted shallow, heavy breaths. I really am a monster!

His amber gaze trembled, his heartbeats felt as if they were pacing slower and slower. A stream of droplets streaking down over his cheeks, his paws trembling as he paused his gaze around the limp body of Bramblestar, his dark amber eyes were motionless and looked dull.

Forcing himself to move, he backed away from the den and turned, feeling tears dripping from the edges of his trembling amber eyes.

"Is he gone?" Cloverfoot whispered.

Shadowpaw tried to speak, but he couldn't bring out the words. Everyone will think you murdered Bramblestar.

At that moment, he wished he'd never come here, never poked his paws into ThunderClan's business with the help of the clan deputy. He felt like more than a failure—he felt like a murderer. As long as Bramblestar had been safe in ThunderClan's medicine cat den, there had never been a chance that he would have gotten better.

But now we'll never know.

Cloverfoot brushed past Shadowpaw into the den, and the medicine cat apprentice felt guilt clawing viciously around his chest, another ripple of tears streaming down from his amber eyes. A moment later, she slowly crawled out. By now all of the other cats had realized that something was going on and had gathered around, all watching curiously as Cloverfoot straightened up and let her gaze travel carefully over each of them.

"Bramblestar has stopped breathing," she rasped out.

Alderheart drew in a choking breath, while Jayfeather swung his face around to glare down at Shadowpaw, his tabby pelt bristling in anger. "How did this happen?!" He demanded. "You never said Bramblestar would lose a life!"

"I'm sorry—I'm so sorry!" Shadowpaw wailed, cowering down with his paws quivering violently beneath him. "I didn't know this would happen! I only did what StarClan instructed me to do!"

Jayfeather's gaze softened slightly in small sympathy, though anger blazed like raging fire. "He was supposed to get better than worse, correct?" He muttered. "If we didn't go with this stupid plan, then we could've let the sickness run its course, and he could've died peacefully in his own nest." He gazed around, lashing his tail in frustration. "Whatever made us believe this mousebrained vision anyway? Clearly this isn't from StarClan, it can't be Shadowpaw since he is just an apprentice… wait… what if this was ShadowClan's plan all along?"

At his words, Cloverfoot leaped up to her paws and put herself between Shadowpaw, who was sniffling quietly as his gaze glittered down at the wide snow beneath his paws, and the furious ThunderClan medicine cat. "Wait!" She ordered, her fur defensively standing on end. "This may not be what we thought Shadowpaw's vision might imply! When has StarClan ever been precise? Maybe this is what is meant to happen! Bramblestar has more lives, doesn't he?" Her green eyes quickly flitted over at Alderheart, who was staring down blankly at the ground.

Alderheart jerked his head up, and who also looked almost as stunned as Shadowpaw felt, gave a brief nod.

"Then we just wait for a little, or maybe a while," he hissed. "Bramblestar will visit StarClan, and then return."

"That isn't what Shadowpaw said would happen," Hollytuft hissed from the center of the gathered cats, her eyes glittering with grief as she eyed the snow den.

Pouncestep whipped her head over at her with narrowed amber eyes, her tail flicking irritably. "You have no reason to doubt my brother," she growled. "Why don't we listen to Cloverfoot, and just wait ?"

Grudgingly the other cats murmured agreement and settled themselves outside of the makeshift den. Shadowpaw's heart was racing, and he fixed his gaze over at the dark tabby curve of his back, all he could see among the piles of snow. But there was no movement from there.

"How long will this take?" Pouncestep asked, her whiskers twitching nervously. "I know Dovewing told me how long it was for Tigerstar, when he died and was made leader. But that was different. Usually… if a leader loses a life… How long…?"

"Everytime a leader loses a life it's been quick," Alderheart murmured under his breath, his eyes still focused down at the fresh snow. "But Bramblestar might be getting greetings, messages, and returning him to life. He should be back any moment now."

All the cats resigned themselves to waiting. Shadowpaw could feel nothing, not even the trickles of snow that had flashed a cold pang around his paws painfully as he stared at the snow den. He desperately wanted to believe that Bramblestar would come back, but this wasn't how he'd imagined how it would happen. And something was nagging at him, like an ant crawling around his skin.

What if the voice I've been hearing was wrong? If it is, then StarClan is wrong. Oh please, don't be wrong, don't make me lose faith in you! Don't make me a murderer…

Moments dragged by, seemingly endless. Every cat was silent, their tails twitching and their fur bristling. Shadowpaw held his breath as it had taken too long for Bramblestar to emerge from the den, but Shadowpaw guessed that no cat wanted to be the one to say so.

Finally a gray light began to spill over the moor, showing the medicine cats' faces growing more and more despairing. The sun rose, red and angry.

As if at a signal, Jayfeather rose to his paws and strode over to the den, moving his head side to side to scent the air. Shadowpaw felt his paws trembling violently beneath his forelegs, his ears flattening against his head.

Jayfeather let out a sigh, which blew into misty air. "Bramblestar is dead," he choked out.

"No! He can't be! No!" Honeyfur wailed, her eyes widening with despair lit through her gaze.

Alderheart, almost immediately, pushed past Jayfeather and crouched down beside his father's body. His soft sniffles echoed around the surrounding cats, and suddenly Shadowpaw dropped his paws low to the snow as guilt crashed right onto his back.

"This is all my fault, I killed him!" Shadowpaw wailed, his claws scraping across the fresh snow beneath his paws.

Cloverfoot was watching the ThunderClan cats gathering around the motionless body of the leader, wails of grief escaping from their mouths. "We have to leave. Now ." She mumbled as she crouched beside the small dark tabby, quickly jumping to her paws and beckoning her tail over at the medicine cat apprentice.

Shadowpaw felt tears drip from the edges of his eyes, he felt stunned, and just wanted to bury himself in the snow and never come back. Though, he staggered to his paws, his damaged, crippled leg stumbling against the snow, and making his paws drop down into a miserable crouch.

What have I done…?

Chapter Text

Bristlefrost felt as though the sun had fallen out of the sky. She couldn't imagine ThunderClan without their leader, Bramblestar; strong and brave, and wise enough to guide his clan through hardship.

And he must've had many lives, how could he lose all of them through this one sickness? Oh… if only he was still alive…

Bristlefrost's body was numb with shock; though she knew she was lying on her belly, she couldn't feel the ground beneath her, or remember settling into that position. She watched as her clanmates were clustered around Squirrelflight, who laid slumped near the entrance to the warriors' den. She had returned from the moors to give her clan the news of Bramblestar's death. Hollytuft was squeezing herself through the widened gap around the cavern of the medicine den, her ears drooped low as she had explained the news to Spotfur and Stemleaf.

Thriftear sat beside Bristlefrost's laying body with her eyes closed, and her head lowered down in grief, and yet also respect for her former leader. Flipclaw was sniffling around the other side of Bristlefrost, his head leaning close around the she-cat's shoulder. Oh, Stemleaf… is he grieving? Is he sobbing in his nest?

As Bristlefrost flitted her gaze back at Squirrelflight, she had remembered when her sister, Leafpool, had died only a few moons before, and how Squirrelflight spent some of her time in StarClan with her littermate. It was hard to imagine what Squirrelflight must be feeling as now, her mate had died.

Wondering if there was anything she could do to help, she wriggled Flipclaw off her shoulder, and rose to her paws and padded over to the gathered cats that surrounded the grieving deputy.

"Sure StarClan will contact you, Squirrelflight," Whitewing assured as Bristlefrost came within earshot. "We can't know why this is StarClan's will, but if you go there and show deference—show that you accept what happened—then surely they'll get you your nine lives and make you our leader."

"Yes, you have to go!" Sparkpelt, Squirrelflight's daughter, urged her, shouldering herself between Whitewing and Leafshade. Flamepaw and Finchpaw were poking their heads through the crowd of cats with curiosity flashing both of their eyes, a drooping wad of moss dangling from their mouths. "You can't truly become our leader until you have received your nine lives."

Squirrelflight shot her head over at Sparkpelt with a furious glower. "And what good did Bramblestar's lives do?" She snapped. "He's dead!"

"But you're still alive," Hazeltail pointed out. "And your clan needs you."

Squirrelflight's voice drooped to a low growl. "I'm not going anywhere until I've mourned Bramblestar."

The cats around Squirrelflight exchanged anxious looks. Bristlefrost knew exactly what they were thinking as if they had spoken with each other. Our leader is dead, and our deputy is too crazed with grief to take his place.

Oh, StarClan, Bristlefrost thought, her blue-green gaze sparking with light as the sunlit down at the stone hollow of camp. What will become of ThunderClan now?

Sunhigh was approaching when Bristlefrost plodded up the final stretch of moorland toward the snow den where Bramblestar lay. Thriftear, Rosepetal, and Ambermoon accompanied her, to bring their leader back to camp to sit vigil that night.

"Bramblestar…" Ambermoon breathed, a hint of sorrow edging her mew.

Thriftear stood with her chest puffed out, her eyes lit with solemn as she flitted her gaze toward the snow den, with a whirl of snowflakes collapsing atop of Bramblestar's forehead. "Enough talking, we must retrieve his body back to camp."

How can she act so… serious? And calm? I've been trying to act like Rosepetal ever since I was an apprentice…

When the cats stooped over Bramblestar to draw him out of the den, Bristlefrost could hear their sharp intakes of breath as they realized that his body was almost frozen solid. When she and her clanmates lifted him, she was surprised to feel out light he was, and saw her own surprise reflected in her clanmates' faces as they settled Bramblestar around their shoulders. Even Thriftear had a small flash of surprise lit through her green eyes, though her expression still remained calm. His illness had drained his strength.

Why would Shadowpaw allow this to happen? Bristlefrost wondered. He's my cousin—I thought I could trust him, when he was so nice when we both met outside of our camps.

But that was when we were kits.

Despair crept up on Bristlefrost as she helped carry Bramblestar back to the stone hollow. When the patrol maneuvered their burden through the thorn tunnel and emerged into the camp, every cat in the clan was out in the clearing, including the two only apprentices; Flamepaw and Finchpaw.

Flipclaw let out a small wail of grief as he shot his eyes over at the matted pelt of Bramblestar that was carried by the small patrol. Sorrelstripe slinked away from the casting shadows of the nursery entrance, shouldering her way between the shrouding gorse bushes. The five elders were sunbathing on top of a flat rock ledge around the corner of the hollow, all of their eyes rounding in distraught as they gazed up at the motionless body of Bramblestar.

Sparkpelt's gaze softened as they flitted down at her brother, who was lowering his head and letting out a small wail of grief. She draped her tail around the small tom's shoulders in a comforting gesture.

The assembled cats parted as Bristlefrost and the small patrol bent down and laid Bramblestar's body down above the paws of two senior warriors; Thornclaw, and Cherryfall. With her task finished, Bristlefrost wasn't sure what to do. Glancing around, she spotted her mother and father, Fernsong, Ivypool, and their two other kits, watching with sorrowful expressions, and ran over to them with a low cry of grief.

Fernsong nuzzled her close. "Are you alright?" He asked

Bristlefrost leaned into her father's familiar embrace, thinking how lucky she was to have two parents who loved her and her littermates dearly. If only Stemleaf could love me like they do…

"I don't know…" Bristlefrost replied. "What happens to ThunderClan now…? Will StarClan ever give Squirrelflight her nine lives…?"

No cat could answer her question, neither Thriftear or Flipclaw could.

"Bramblestar taught me so much as a kit," Lionblaze's words echoed across the hollow. "He took care of me, along with Squirrelflight. They both were like my real parents." His voice hitched in emotion, flattening his ears as he shifted his tail around his mate, who was huddling close with him.

Darkness had fallen, and all cats of ThunderClan had gathered to sit vigil for their dead leader, and clanmate. Alderheart and Sparkpelt sat closest, smoothing his fur with only one of their paws. Squirrelflight sat beside them on her former leader's other side, her head bowed. Lionblaze and Jayfeather sat nearby. Spotfur crouched in the circle of cats who surrounded them, listening to the tributes from her clanmates. Alderheart had told her that both her and Stemleaf had been healed from their cold, and could leave the medicine den.

Though, at that moment, Hollytuft had come in before they could both leave, and told them that Bramblestar had passed.

This is all your fault, if you weren't so reckless, you would've saved Bramblestar's life.

"I remember when we made the journey to the sun-drown-place," Squirrelflight's voice was low, but loud enough to reach the ears of every cat. "Bramblestar—he was Brambleclaw back then—was our leader. He was so brave, and yet he was so nervous about his position. Without him, we would never have made it there, much less survived to return to our clans to give Midnight's message."

A shiver passed through Spotfur as she heard Squirrelflight speak of that long-ago journey, the story the deputy had told Spotfur and her littermates, Flywhisker and Snaptooth, back when they were all kits. I killed Bramblestar, my father is a codebreaker… What next? I lose everyone I love?

"Are you okay?" Stemleaf whispered from beside her, his tail curled around his forepaws as he dropped his paws low to stare up at the massive she-cat.

I am a loyal warrior of ThunderClan, I won't be like my father, or do whatever he did to become one. I'm not a codebreaker.

"I will be," she breathed. "We must remain silent, this is a vigil."

The small tom opened his mouth to protest, but quickly snapped it shut and let out a soft sigh.

"Don't forget the great storm," Brightheart put in. "Bramblestar was a new leader back then, but he kept our clan safe until we could return to our home here in the stone hollow."

Sparkpelt pressed herself closer to her brother's side as his gaze trembled with his eyes shimmering. "We all loved him. Every cat in the clan. And he was worthy of it."

A desolate silence fell, broken after a few heartbeats by Jayfeather, who rose to his paws from where he sat near Bramblestar's head. "Bramblestar was—" he began, then broke off, shaking his head helplessly as if the words wouldn't come.

A moment later, Hollytuft rounded on Squirrelflight, her shoulder fur bristling and her neck stretched out. "Why did you let Shadowpaw and his clan kill him?" She hissed. "Where is ThunderClan now? We have no leader, and without a leader we have nothing. Did you learn nothing from your time in StarClan?!"

Spotfur's fur prickled as she narrowed her eyes at the black she-cat, her tail twitching back-and-forth irritably.

Murmurs of protest arose from the surrounding cats at Hollytuft's harshness toward a cat who was grieving. Let alone a cat who was a deputy for her clan. Spotfur shot a furious glare down at her older sister, who was turning her head away from the massive spotted tabby.

Spotfur could see the hurt in Squirrelflight's eyes, but the deputy remained calm, raising her head to confront the angry she-cat. "My time in StarClan is no cat's business but my own!" She snapped. "And we weren't much better off when Bramblestar was ill. I believed he was going to die. We all believed he was going to die. I had to make a choice, and I made it. And I will continue to do so as acting leader of this clan."

" Acting leader?" Hollytuft gritted her teeth back to a furious snarl. "What good will that do—"

"I believe that when leaf-bare ends, StarClan will be able to contact us through the moonpool once again," Squirrelflight went on. "And they'll tell us what to do to make all this right."

"Like the codebreaker message…?" Honeyfur called from the clustered cats.

"I'm not even sure if that's real," Squirrelflight growled. "ShadowClan probably made it up and used Shadowpaw as a way to scare us."

Spotfur suddenly felt a crashing wave of relief cascading down her chest, her eyes sparking as she flitted her gaze over at Lionblaze, who was burying his muzzle deep in Bramblestar's pelt.

Yet, there was still fear mingling around her chest as her gaze slowly examined the body of Bramblestar, and she felt grief clawing away the sense of relief. It's all your fault. He's dead because of you.

It's all my fault. He's dead because of me.

Hollytuft looked as thought she might say more, then closed her mouth with a snap and sat down among the gathered cats, and then closed her eyes in solemn grief. Spotfur was laying her chin above the shallow, clumps of snow beneath her laying body. She felt Stemleaf dangling his tail around her back in a comforting gesture, though the same warmth from when they were back in the medicine den wasn't there anymore.

The vigil continued, with more cats offering their tributes to Bramblestar. When it was Bristlefrost's turn, Spotfur cringed, lowering her head down behind Stemleaf's curled body to hide herself from the pale gray she-cat.

"He… was… a brave leader." Bristlefrost's words rang around the clearing. "I don't know much about him, but I know from stories that Bramblestar was the greatest leader anyone could ask for."

A few more cats shared their memories for their clanmates, and then every cat turned their head over at Spotfur. 

She let out a soft sigh. "Bramblestar isn't my grandfather, he was never my grandfather," she mewed, holding her breath as she steadied her voice to remain calm. "But I loved when he always visited me and my littermates in the nursery, and I was so excited to talk to him because of all the stories Cinderheart and Lionblaze had shared with me." She drew in a shaky breath. "He was a great cat."

Finally all the cats had spoken. A deep, reflective silence fell over the camp. Spotfur realized that she could make out her clanmates' faces more clearly, the sky was beginning to grow pale with the first light of dawn. A whole day had passed since they'd first learned that Bramblestar was dead.

The elders roused themselves, rising to stand around Bramblestar's body, ready to carry him out of the stone hollow to the burial place. Jayfeather rose too, moving closer to Bramblestar's head. Mille still lay around her side, her ribs showing through her skinny pelt. Oh… Millie… please eat in this terrible time… I don't want to lose any more cats…

"May StarClan light your path, Bramblestar." Jayfeather murmured, his voice so steady, his anger faded away. "It's time."

The elders stooped to take up their burden, but before they could reach it, a faint ripple passed through Bramblestar's body. Spotfur gasped, a faint glow of hope fluttering around her chest. Did I not kill Bramblestar? Is he actually alive?

Around her, her clanmates were staring too. At first, Spotfur could see that they had all shared disbelief; then, they began to look at each other, a gleam of hope kindling in their eyes. "Did you see that?" Some cats muttered.

Spotfur whipped her head over at Stemleaf, who had his green eyes widened with disbelief. "Did you—?" 

"Yes, I did," Spotfur muttered under her breath, her gaze flitting back to the matted pelt of Bramblestar.

"It…it could just be his body settling," Alderheart stammered.

Another ripple, stronger than before, passed through Bramblestar. Spotfur froze, hardly daring to breathe. "It can't be…" She whispered.

Bramblestar blinked and raised his head, his eyes vacant. After a moment he rolled onto his belly, and he turned his head to gaze at his transfixed clan, his eyes gradually focused. After a few more heartbeats, he rose to his paws.

Every cat stared at him, stunned by what they were witnessing. Some of them backed away in alarm, while Spotfur crouched still beside Stemleaf, who had been mouthing "What is happening?"

Honeyfur, Sorrelstripe, and Leafshade took a wary step toward him, as if he were a predator that night lash out at them without warning.

"What's happening?" Sparkpelt whispered the exact same phrase Stemleaf had mouthed.

After a moment, Bramblestar stretched out his forepaws, and arched his back in a long stretch, as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep. He… he's not dead… He didn't need the borage after all… Spotfur reminded herself. He looked a lot healthier too, his scruffy fur was now smoothed across his back.

Stemleaf told me that Shadowpaw said he'd get worse before he would get better, she realized. He's getting better. Yet Spotfur was hardly able to believe what she was seeing. What was with that sickness? He was dead for so long too…

Bramblestar padded across to Squirrelflight and dipped his head. "Greetings," he meowed. "It's great to see you again." His voice was smooth, it sounded as if he was fifty moons younger.

Squirrelflight pressed herself against him, and twined her tail with his. She was purring happily.

From behind Spotfur, she spotted Bristlefrost exchanging a look with her mother. "He's alive!" She exclaimed. "StarClan hasn't forsaken us!"

Spotfur breathed, her head leaning against Stemleaf's shoulder. She was too stunned to bring out any words, relief was yet again cascading down her chest like a small waterfall rippling down. Yet, another clawing of sorrow washed some away. That means Shadowpaw's other visions were true. We're having war with the other clans… and my father is a codebreaker.

Chapter Text

Shadowpaw was curled up around the moss and bracken of his nest, while Puddleshine was already up, busily sorting herbs. Yowls of disagreement erupted from the edges of the pine hollow around the leaders' den, and Shadowpaw was flattening his ears so he could muffle the anger in their mews. Cloverfoot and Tigerstar are arguing… 

Puddleshine turned his head to look down at Shadowpaw, his eyes were lit with sympathy. "Shadowpaw, just know that nobody is angry at you," he mewed. "Bramblestar dying wasn't your fault, it was that mysterious… StarClan cats' fault."

Shadowpaw whimpered, his paw flinching into his fluffy fur. "But it was my fault," he breathed. "I killed Bramblestar. I'm a monster!"

Suddenly, Snowbird slid into the entrance of the medicine den, her flank covered with a few oozing red scratches. "Erm—Puddleshine?"

Puddleshine sighed. "What happened?" He spun his head over at the pure white she-cat, who was shuffling her paws from side to side in embarrassment.

"I was trying to hunt a vole, but a thorn bush scraped my flank."

"Hm," Puddleshine whipped his head back at the sulking medicine cat apprentice, who fell silent as his eyes were growing weary. "How about I let Shadowpaw help you with that?"

"Oh… no, it's okay," Snowbird stammered. "You're the nearest to the herb storage, anyway."

Shadowpaw let out a soft whimper. Snowbird gave him a wary look as she passed him, she seemed more happy to deal with Puddleshine as he treated her and then sent her back to her warrior duties.

"See?" Shadowpaw wailed. "I'm a monster, and no one will trust me anymore!"

" I trust you," Puddleshine murmured, his tail brushing against his apprentice's in a comforting gesture. "I'm sure Tigerstar won't punish you."

A trickle of cats followed Snowbird as the morning light strengthened, all of them with minor problems, all of them even reluctant to look at Shadowpaw. Snaketooth actually let out a faint hiss, and then slithered away. What will Tigerstar do to me? Will he demote me and make me a warrior apprentice? Or will he… exile me…?

The day before, Pouncestep and Lightleap had tried to comfort him, but there wasn't much they could say. Shadowpaw could see in their faces that they too had begun to doubt his connection with StarClan. Do I even trust StarClan anymore? All my life I've done everything I thought StarClan would allow, but are they even good ? Are… they like the dark forest…?

What made it worse was that his grandmother, Tawnypelt, hadn't even moved from her nest ever since the news of Bramblestar's death travelled around the camp. She remained crouched still around the droopy darkness of the warriors' den, lazily dappling her tortoiseshell pelt. Shadowpaw longed to comfort her, so he forced his paws to stand from his nest.

"Where are you going?" Puddleshine asked as Shadowpaw limped across the den. "You can't go out there, our clanmates still don't trust you!"

Shadowpaw didn't listen, flattening his ears against his head as he pushed himself through the bundle of shrivelling fern. He slinked away from the entrance of the medicine den, the sunlight peeking around his fur. His paws forced himself to a halt, his gaze flitting over at a small pine tree stump.

Hopwhisker was lying beside her brother, Flaxfoot on the stump, her paws tucked underneath her chest. "I might go hunting with Pouncestep, she seems pretty down." Pretty down? She probably hates me…

"But then I won't have anyone to talk to," Flaxfoot flattened his ears. "Other than mom, but she's busy helping Cinnamontail."

Shadowpaw felt guilt shooting through his stomach, as he remembered that Hopwhisker and Flaxfoot were outcast by the clan for being the kits of a rogue by the name of Nettle. Pouncestep didn't tell me anything else about that rogue… He thought as he watched Hopwhisker spring her hind paws off the tree stump, her head whipping back at Flaxfoot.

"Look, I promise that I will spend more time with you later in the day," Hopwhisker assured. "But I need to check on Pouncestep right now."

Shadowpaw frantically shook his head, and then limped down the main clearing of the camp. He headed over to the warriors' den, which was covered with clumps of snow laying on top of the den.

Tawnypelt's tail emerged from the drooping darkness of the den, flicking weakly across the fallen snow around the ground of the camp. Shadowpaw halted, he felt guilt piercing through his heart as he thought of his grieving grandmother.

"T—Tawnypelt?" Shadowpaw whispered, his breath wisping into a cool mist. "Are you okay…?"

The flicking of her tail halted, and then it curled around and disappeared into the casting shadows. He whimpered softly as guilt churned around his stomach, his ears flattening against his head.

He limped down the small clearing surrounding the warriors' den, and he pushed himself through the clumps of gorse bushes, the loosened brambles nudging against his pelt. He narrowed his eyes as he poked his head through the entrance of the den, he couldn't spot his grandmother with all of the casting darkness cascading from the roof of the den.

Shadowpaw's eyes shot wide open as he finally spotted sunlight seeping through the gaps around the roof of the den, and Tawnypelt's tortoiseshell pelt lit slightly with spots of yellow sunlight.

"Shadowpaw…" Tawnypelt murmured, her head turning over at the small medicine cat apprentice. "Hello, dear." She drew her lips to a small smile as her gaze searched around his pelt.

"I messed up badly…" Shadowpaw mewed. "I'm sorry… I know I can't fix it… I killed your own brother…"

"Shadowpaw, none of this was your fault," she breathed. "You were just doing what you were told." She staggered to her paws, and for the first time in days, she had padded over to the small tom.

As she halted in front him, she gave him a reassuring lick around his ear. "Trust me. You are not a monster," she mewed gently. "And I believe that."

Shadowpaw rumbled out a low purr, his eyes flitting back at the comforting green gaze of his grandmother. He had forgotten how much time they used to spend with each other back when he was just a small, little kit. She'd taken him with her to the tribe because of a mysterious vision he had when he was only four moons.

Tawnypelt pricked her ears as the sounds of the shrivelling bracken rustled, and a casting shadow of a figure emerged from the light casted down from the bright sun.

Puddleshine? The medicine cat was nervously gazing down at his apprentice, his ears flattening against his head. "Come on," he urged. "ThunderClan warriors are here to see you."

Shadowpaw felt his heart pounding faster against his chest as his eyes shot wide with fear. He crouched his paws low to the ground, his amber eyes trembled as he froze his gaze around the sympathetic blue eyes of Puddleshine.

"Tell them, if they even think about hurting my grandson, I'll rip out their hearts from their chests." Tawnypelt hissed defensively from behind the fearful medicine cat apprentice.

"They're not angry with him, I promise," he immediately replied, his fur prickled as his eyes flashed a look of fear at Tawnypelt. "They… they have Alderheart with them. If a medicine cat is with them then they probably aren't furious."

Tawnypelt shot a look of disbelief. "Just in case," she growled. "I stay nearby, so no ThunderClan cat can hurt him."

"I don't want to speak to them!" Shadowpaw blurted out a wail, immediately feeling embarrassment burning over his ears all the way to the tip of his tail. "I really don't want to…"

"It will be all right," Tawnypelt reassured the dark tabby, the rasping feeling of her tongue drawing around his ear. "I'll be by your side, I promise."

Shadowpaw swallowed. He slowly rose to his paws, which were trembling with sudden painful fear as he rounded his amber eyes up at his mentor.

He ventured out of the den, blinking in the stronger light outside. Leafshade and Hazeltail were busily waiting for the apprentice, standing right in front of the main entrance to the camp. Tigerstar was hissing and spitting at Ambermoon, who responded with a low growl rumbling through her throat.

Toadstep was flattening his ears as he uncomfortably gazed at the hissing ShadowClan leader, Alderheart was sitting beside him, exchanging the same uncomfortable expression with him.

"Tigerstar, stop!" Shadowpaw blurted out, his fear clawing around his throat as his father whipped his head angrily toward the small medicine cat apprentice, snorting out a cool, misty breath that wavered across the clearing.

Cloverfoot was emerging from the medicine den entrance, her wounds from the skirmish with SkyClan was now poured with the poultice from marigold. "What is happening?" She hissed, though her eyes flashed with fear as she had spotted the ThunderClan patrol.

Tawnypelt pelted down the main-clearing of the camp, and her paws skidded to a halt as she had reached Tigerstar with narrowed eyes and her teeth gritted back to a furious snarl.

"Stop acting so immature!" She yowled.

"What are you here to do?!" Tigerstar whipped his head back at the small ThunderClan patrol, who were staring back at the leader with uncomfortable expressions widened across their faces. "Kill my son? Kill me? And then take over ShadowClan?"

"They're not here to do that!" Shadowpaw wailed, his ears flattening as he felt fear cascading like a shower of icicles around his stomach. "It's a patrol, and Squirrelflight isn't with them!"

Tawnypelt blinked thoughtfully as she glanced at Hazeltail, who seemed to be the patrol leader as she stood with her chest puffed out around the center of the cornered cats.

"We are here to bring great news," Hazeltail announced, her voice solemn, yet was lit with warmth around the edges of her mew. "Bramblestar is alive and well, Shadowpaw has cured him!"

Yowls of surprise and excitement echoed around the camp as his clanmates were gathering curiously around the patrol. Shadowpaw turned his head over at the corner of the pine hollow, and spotted Lightleap, and Pouncestep giving looks of pride and respect. Dovewing sat between her two daughters, and Shadowpaw received a loving, and proud look from his mother.

"We're so sorry for doubting your vision, young apprentice," Hollytuft called from the back of the patrol, her eyes shone with satisfaction as she eyed the small apprentice. "We've just been having a hard time with StarClan being gone for so long, and we almost lost faith.”

Shadowpaw’s heart was pounding hard against his chest, his eyes widening as he stared over at the small patrol of ThunderClan cats. He swallowed, his gaze trembling as he flitted over at Hazeltail, who dipped her head respectfully at the small dark tabby.

“Bramblestar has called an emergency gathering,” Hazeltail reminded Shadowpaw’s gathered clanmates, who were now turning their heads over at the medicine cat apprentice with proud looks on their faces. “I trust that you will be there tonight, Tigerstar.”

Tigerstar’s eyes were lit with slight fury as he stood still with his fur bristled. “...We will be there.” He finally breathed, his eyes narrowing to suspicious slits.

The ThunderClan warriors turned back at Shadowpaw, thanking him and congratulating him again, then took their leave, disappearing through the casting shadows set around the thorn bushes that were shrouded around each corner.

Once they were gone, his clanmates were crowding around him. “Good job,” Yarrowleaf mewed, her tail brushing in a comforting gesture along his flank. “I always believed in you, Shadowpaw.”

Shadowpaw shook his head in disbelief. He didn’t deserve any of the praise his clanmates were giving him, he had murdered ThunderClan’s leader. He dug his claws through the damp snow beneath his paws, sadness churning his chest. But that helped him live, didn’t it? His thoughts tried to reason, though his gaze was clouded with worry. And yet… This feels wrong…

Tigerstar was heading over to the crouching medicine cat apprentice, who flinched as his father halted in front of him with a proud look. “Congratulations, Shadowpaw.” He purred. Suddenly, his expression was more serious. “But; you still mustn’t tell the other clans about the codebreaker message. Got that?”

Shadowpaw shot his eyes wide with shock. Didn’t Cloverfoot tell him about me revealing the codebreaker message to ThunderClan? He whipped his head around the cats that were closed around him. His shimmering amber gaze stopped around the gray tabby she-cat, who gave him a very tiny nod.

He turned his head back at Tigerstar’s intimidating eyes, swallowing worriedly. He dipped a small nod, and the edges of Tigerstar’s mouth caressed into a smile. I shouldn’t tell him… But he’ll find out in the gathering, anyway.

Pouncestep was padding along the long treebridge that led over to the island, her heart was thumping with worry clawing around her stomach. She was worrying for her brother all day when she had been busy trying to complete her warrior duties. Her head whipped over at Shadowpaw, who had been limping around her heels with his ears dropping against his head.

She whimpered. She wanted to comfort her brother and tell him that he had saved ThunderClan’s leader, she wanted to tell him that he was the greatest medicine cat in all of ShadowClan.

The moon rose high above the misty, drifting dark clouds, the stars were still shining dully across the vast pool of the night sky. The frozen lake was shimmering as the moon was laying its light around the icy-coated water. She had hopped down from the end of the treebridge, and laid her paws around the soft grass.

She turned her head back at Shadowpaw, who was cautiously dabbing his left forepaw around the clearing that surrounded the entrance to the gathering island. He then leaped his one hind leg away from the log, but he clumsily thumped hard around his side, groaning softly.

Pouncestep immediately hurried after her brother, who was staggering slowly to his paws. “Are you okay?” She asked, her gaze examining the small tom.

“I—I’m fine,” he stammered, his forepaws shuffling embarrassingly along the stems of grass. “Come on, we have to go.”

Pouncestep let out a sigh, her ears flattening as she watched Shadowpaw scramble after his clanmates, who were now heading over to the thorn bushes that shrouded around the entrance. Hopwhisker and Flaxfoot had been assigned to stay and guard the camp along with the other cats who weren’t chosen, and it made Pouncestep feel a little irritated around the thought. They should’ve come, especially Hopwhisker… oh, Hopwhisker…

Lightleap was shouldering her way between Scorchfur and Snowbird, making Pouncestep’s heart twist with a slight pang of fury, her brows furrowing as Lightleap was now padding beside her sister.

As Pouncestep squinted her eyes around the brown tabbies dark, amber gaze, she spotted a flash of worry as Lightleap turned her head over at Shadowpaw, but the worried flash quickly disappeared as she whipped her head over at Pouncestep.

“Oh, hey,” Lightleap’s small smile drifted to a widened frown, the tip of her tail lashing as her gaze froze around Pouncestep. “I didn’t notice you were there.”

Are you blind?! Pouncestep opened her mouth as if she was about to blurt it out, but quickly snapped it shut as her gaze flitted over at Shadowpaw, who was looking back at his two sisters with an eyebrow raised. “Um, yeah. Hi.” She breathed out a murmur instead, her stomach twisting in supressed hatred.

Pouncestep thrusted her way through the bushes that led to the clearing, Lightleap now pacing slower to be around her heels. Cats were gathered around the island, sharing tongues and possibly news about their clans. She wrinkled her nose as the scent from the other clans lingered around it, stifling the urge to stick her tongue out.

The moonlight filtered brightly across the clearing, washing its light around Pouncestep’s gray tabby pelt as she continued to pad down the clearing.

“Hey, Pouncestep!” Called a cat among the murmurs from the many other ones that were crowded around the clearing. She whipped her head to see who it was, and relief flooded all over her body as she realized it was Flywhisker, sitting down around the corner of the island with her tail curled around her forepaws, and four more cats sitting around her.

Pouncestep bounded over to the crowded cats, her eyes lit up with excitement as she had approached the five cats. She halted, standing beside her ThunderClan friend. She sat down with her tail curled around her forepaws, and she flitted her gaze over at the other cats who were sitting beside Flywhisker. A golden tabby tom with a tooth poking out of his mouth drifted his gaze over at Pouncestep, and he gave a small smile, and for an odd reason, a flash of pity edged around his gaze. That’s Snaptooth… Why is he looking at me like that?

A mottled brown she-cat was amongst the cats clustered around Flywhisker to share tongues with her and her brother, and she was narrowing her eyes deep into slits as she spotted Pouncestep, and the gray tabby flinched back with a quick sharp thorn of fear. Why is Brindlewing so angry? What did I do?

Flipclaw was the third cat, and his eyes shot wide with fear as her gaze was frozen around him, his tail flicked closer around his forepaws protectively. And finally, the last cat was Hollowspring, his black pelt shimmered against the bright moonlight casting down around the clearing, his eyes blinking worriedly down at Pouncestep.

Pouncestep swallowed, now suddenly realizing the hostile and fearful glances from Flipclaw and Brindlewing. They probably know about Bramblestar dying, but how did WindClan know?

Risking a glance upward around the five thick branches that swarmed around the great oak, which was overlooming the vast night sky. Tigerstar sat with his posture straight, and his chest puffed out as he gave a small suspicious glance down at the large clearing of cats. Harestar sat around the lowest branch, narrowing his eyes up at one of the branches above his. When Pouncestep flitted her amber gaze around the highest branch, she felt her heart lurch unexpectedly as she spotted… ThunderClan’s leader, Bramblestar, sitting down with his fur no longer matted and stained with dirt. He looked more younger, his eyes were venturing across the crowd curiously, with his eyebrow raised as his nose wrinkled.

Just two days ago, he looked motionless, his whole body was limp. His eyes were pale when she had looked over at the snow den, and his fur was so scruffy and matted with dirt that was probably from ThunderClan’s medicine den.

But as of now, he seemed to look… like his normal self. “Let the gathering begin!” Mistystar’s words echoed around the clearing.

Pouncestep whipped her head over at the small rock ledge that contained the medicine cats of all clans. Shadowpaw was amongst them, laying with his paws tucked underneath his chest beside Puddleshine, his eyes closed gently, as if he was at peace while there was loud commotion erupting from the many cats. But how? How is he so calm?

“I am pleased to see you all again,” her gaze lifted back over at the brown tabby, his yellow eyes twinkling brightly as the moon lit around the great oak. “I’ve called this gathering to discuss what happened to me, and the messages Shadowpaw has received from StarClan. Would any of the clan leaders like to begin?”

Pouncestep gazed back at Shadowpaw, but he still laid still, his eyes still closed peacefully. For a moment she thought he was asleep, but she widened her eyes as she spotted a small twitch around the tip of his round tail.

“I will,” Leafstar responded at once, rising to her paws on a branch just right below Bramblestar’s. “I’m impressed with what I’ve heard, Tigerstar believes his son has a special connection with StarClan, and after what he did to help Bramblestar, I’m starting to believe he might have a point.”

“Does any cat think it’s weird that ShadowClan are the only ones who can speak with StarClan?”

Pouncestep whipped her head around the clearing, a sudden crackle of fury blazing around her chest as she turned her head over at the small rock ledge that contained all the medicine cats. Kestrelflight had risen to his paws, his fur standing on end as he whirled his head accusingly at Tigerstar.

“After all, if you think back, a lot of our problems started with ShadowClan.” Kestrelflight continued, turning his head away from the now furious ShadowClan leader. “They allowed Darktail in, and that caused their clan to fall apart. So, after a while, they had to merge with SkyClan.”

The gray tabby widened her eyes as he flitted his gaze back at Tigerstar. She hadn’t been born to see the whole fiasco with Darktail and the Kin, but she’d heard from the elders when she was a kit that he was a ruthless, and bloodthirsty rogue, that terrorized the clans.

She also remembered when Hopwhisker, back when they were apprentices, told her to leave her alone when they first met, because her father was a former kin member. She and her brother couldn’t choose their parents, and yet everyone ignored her! She suddenly felt anger raging furiously around her chest like fire growing wildly.

Murmurs rose from among the SkyClan cats as Kestrelflight spoke, a few of them giving hostile glances at some ShadowClan warriors.

Pouncestep was among one of the warriors who received one of the unfriendly glares, and she shot a glare back at a brown tom with ginger legs, who flinched as she did.

Mothwing moved to join the WindClan medicine cat, whipping her head with furrowed brows at Kestrelflight. “You’re one to talk,” she hissed. “Your horrible excuse of a former leader was the reason Darktail even bothered to attempt to destroy the clans.”

Clamor erupted from the clearing, some cats yowling their support for Shadowpaw, while others voiced their suspicions.

Pouncestep squeezed her eyelids shut, wishing she could do the same technique Shadowpaw was doing, her paws shoving forcefully into the snow that wisped across the island as the cool wind whipped through. She fluttered her eyes open as she felt a tail brush softly against her flank in a comforting gesture, and she turned her head over at Flywhisker, who gave her a reassuring look.

“Don’t worry, I support your brother,” she mewed, attempting to assure Pouncestep, but what the gray tabby really needed was for everyone to like Shadowpaw.

“Silence!” A yowl erupted from one of the branches around the great oak, the familiar voice of Tigerstar ringing through her ears. She travelled her gaze across the large clearing, until it reached the second lowest branch of the gigantic tree, where Tigerstar had been remaining on for a while. “Quiet! This is no time for arguments!”

Pouncestep relaxed a little, her eyes thinning into solemn slits. Tigerstar had stood on his paws, his tail bushed out with his eyes menacingly flitting around the gathered cats. Gradually the noise began to die down. “What does it matter if Shadowpaw is the only one who can receive messages from StarClan while the moonpool is frozen? It’s probably because his connection to his ancestors is strong.”

“Are you sure?” Frecklewish narrowed her eyes with suspicion lit through her gaze.

“Very sure,” Tigerstar replied simply. “All I know is that a leader was brought back to life, and that is thanks to my son.”

“There is one way to settle this…” Frecklewish decided, her tail twitching over at the highest branch around the great oak. “Bramblestar can tell us if he was in StarClan or not.”

Suddenly, every cat's gaze was now resting around the dark brown tabby, standing still around his branch. He flitted his gaze down at the assembled cats, the moonlight casting a faint glow around his amber eyes. Silence echoed around the island, only the quiet hoots of owls rang across the clearing from the tall oak trees.

Bramblestar opened his mouth. “Yes. I am quite sure I was.” He finally rasped. “My vision was dazed for a while, but after that I could see my ancestors.”

“Did they speak to you before they took up your next life?” Harestar asked, his eyes lit as the moonlight was now casting around his white-and-brown pelt.

“...Indeed.”

“What did they tell you?” Mistystar chimed in, her pelt bristling with anticipation.

Pouncestep took in a deep, hard swallow, her paws trembling fiercely.

Bramblestar turned toward Mistystar, his gaze suddenly unfriendly. “Mistystar, you have been a clan leader much longer than me. You know as well as I do that what passes between me and StarClan is not to be spoken of to any cat. It is private, and I for one prefer it to stay that way.”

Mistystar looked down at her paws, which were shifting embarrassingly. “Yes, of course. Apologies, Bramblestar,” she rasped, yet her gaze was flashing a small glint of frustration that quickly darkened as she lifted herself up. Was I imagining that?

“StarClan resorted me,” Bramblestar hissed. “That’s all I will say. I mean, why wouldn’t they? I am the only cat who has honered the warrior code.” His glance raked across the crowded cats, and around the corner of Pouncestep’s eye, she glimpsed some of them flinching back in sudden fear. “Why are you questioning me?” He demanded, his head whipping furiously down at the other leaders.

Pouncestep felt her heart pounding against her chest as she glanced back at Flywhisker, who had her greenish-gray eyes glistening with a shroud of worry. As they both exchanged glances, it seemed as if Flywhisker immediately found out what Pouncestep was thinking, and narrowed her eyes. She whipped her head back up at the great oak.

Pouncestep felt guilt swamping from her ears to the tip of her tail. But there’s something off about him, Flywhisker! She was about to yowl out, but caught herself just in time and clamped her jaws shut.

“We’re not. We believe you, Bramblestar.” Leafstar responded, her amber eyes flickering a small hint of worry, but calmness overwhelmed that small flicker. “But—”

“ But , for now, we have to accept that Shadowpaw is our only connection to StarClan,” Bramblestar interrupted her, his gaze piercing through the SkyClan leader’s pelt like a raking thorn. “At least, until the ice around the moonpool thaws.”

Pouncestep let out a small sigh of relief, feeling glad that Shadowpaw wouldn’t have all of this weight of responsibility on his shoulders. “Flywhisker—” But she snapped her jaws shut when the striped gray tabby slapped her tail over her mouth.

Pouncestep was sort of hoping the gathering would end now, since she could apologize to Flywhisker, but her heart slammed against her chest when she spotted that among the sitting cats, Tree rose to his paws.

A smaller yellow tom that sat beside Tree, gave his chest fur a few embarrassed licks, which made Pouncestep tip her head to the side in curiosity.

“Other cats besides medicine cats get visions, too,” he pointed out. “We shouldn’t assume they’re making it up if they’ve received a message from StarClan. And that doesn’t mean they are dangerous.”

“ Thank you, Tree.” Bramblestar replied, though his amber gaze darkened threateningly as they were fixed around the yellow tom. “And now we must discuss the way forward. Shadowpaw, you had a vision about a darkness in the clans, is there anymore you can tell us?”

Pouncestep felt a deadly chill wisp around her pelt, her paws shivering violently as her amber gaze travelled back at her brother.

He fluttered his eyes open, and he was scrabbling to his paws with his round tail curled around them when he sat down. A glimmer of worry appeared around the corner of his eyes, making Pouncestep have a strange churning around her belly.

“...No,” Shadowpaw lied, though he received a few hostile glances from the ThunderClan cats among the other clans. “Th—that’s all I know.”

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes deep into slits as he eyed the small medicine cat apprentice, and Pouncestep had to resist the urge to shield Shadowpaw from his piercing gaze. “Are you sure ?” His voice slithered across the clearing.

Oh… Who told Bramblestar about the codebreaker message?! She spun her head around the main clearing of the island, her gaze drifting over at the remaining ThunderClan cats that were chosen to go. She whipped her head, her heart pounding hard against her chest when her gaze stopped at Flywhisker. No, she wouldn’t do that.

“I—I’m sure,” Shadowpaw stammered, his amber eyes still around his shifting forepaws.

Bramblestar lifted himself back up, his chest puffed out. Though as the moonlight illuminated his gaze, Pouncestep spotted a shimmer of suspicion lit around his amber eyes.

“Then, we might as well discuss what the ‘darkness in the clans’ vision might be about.” Bramblestar went on, his amber gaze resting briefly at Tigerstar, who was bristling his pelt furiously. He glanced in Shadowpaw’s direction, and Pouncestep thought she had glimpsed the edges of his mouth widening briefly into a smile.

What does he know? Who told him about the visions?

After a moment had passed, the leaders exchanged bewildered glances, and then finally Leafstar staggered to her paws. “I could have answered that when Darktail was among us,” she meowed, and a shudder passed faintly through her forelegs. “But he is gone now, and we have no clue what the darkness could be.”

“Unless any clans might have taken in any rogues?” Mistystar rasped, her eyes flitting accusingly over at Tigerstar.

“Like we’re that stupid,” he replied, baring his teeth as he whipped his head back at Mistystar.

“Has any cat seen any traces of dark forest cats?” Harestar mewed, his voice hinting with nervousness in his tone. “Could they have returned to recruit more apprentices?” His eyes shot wide with a gleam of fear, his paws trembling violently.

“I don’t think so,” Willowshine replied. “If there were any, warriors would get mysterious scratches or scars. Plus, they probably fear us after the Great Battle.”

Pouncestep turned her head back at the gathered cats, and spotted a RiverClan elder; Mosspelt, heaving herself to her paws.

“I wonder if this message has something to do with the warrior code,” she began. “Bramblestar is right; he is one of the few cats who have honored it. But not every cat follows the code as strictly as they could. Not like in my younger days…” She let out a long, heavy breath, tucking her paws underneath her chest as she began to lay back down.

Does that mean I am a danger to the clans? For being with Hopwhisker? She shook her head vigorously. No. She’s half-clan, but Yarrowtail is the one who fell in love with a rogue. She refused to believe that Hopwhisker could ever be a danger, she would never let anyone hurt Hopwhisker, even if she was ‘the darkness in the clans’.

“A good point, Mosspelt,” Bramblestar praised, dipping his head respectfully at the elder. “That could be a possibility.”

“Then does any cat want to confess to breaking the code?” Mistystar asked, gazing out across the crowd of cats. “Maybe if we admit our wrongdoing, it will ease the way back for StarClan.”

Pouncestep found herself exchanging uneasy glances with Flywhisker, who immediately shook her head and whipped it back to the great oak. I should apologize to her after the gathering… No, this is an emergency gathering, there won’t be time to talk with the other clans.

After a long, excruciating silence had passed, Bramblestar cleared his throat. “Well then,” he meowed, “does any cat know of another cat who has broken the code? Would anyone like to speak up about that?”

Yowls of outrage suddenly erupted from the crowd of cats, which made a pang of pain echo around Pouncestep’s ears. Mistystar’s voice cut through the clamor; “What are you trying to get at?!” She hissed, her teeth gritting back to a snarl. “Do we want to live in Clans where we throw wild accusations at each other?!”

Bramblestar looked taken aback. “No, of course not,” he responded, his mew smooth and silky, his eyes wide with innocence. “All I want is to drive out the darkness that is threatening the clans. And how can we do that, if we just let codebreakers run around loose in our clans? What if that is making StarClan angry?” He paused, his gaze drifting distractedly around the gathered cats. He looked as if he were hesitating. “All of us talking about our connection with StarClan being broken because of the harsh leaf-bare, or the snowy blizzards, as if assuming we would hear from our ancestors again once the moonpool finally thaws. But how do we know that will happen? What if they don’t come back once it thaws? What if they don’t come back at all ? Just because we wouldn’t let these codebreakers atone for what they have done. Maybe they could be ‘the darkness in the clans’, hm?”

Tigerstar was gazing at Bramblestar, his gaze looking alarmed as they froze around the ThunderClan leader. “Is that what StarClan told you when you lost your life?” His voice sounded meek, as if he were too frightened to ask.

Bramblestar furrowed his brows, his frown deepened as he gazed intently at Tigerstar. “I thought I told you all,” he hissed softly. “That what StarClan told me is my own business, I’m just posing some questions that I feel the clans need to consider.”

Pouncestep felt her whole body shudder faintly as she thought about Hopwhisker, and suddenly she felt her claws slide through the patch of snow beneath her paws. Her blood was boiling with such anger at Bramblestar. What does he mean by ‘just because we wouldn’t let these codebreakers atone’?! What does he mean by all of this?! Does he want to drive codebreakers out?!

“Don’t forget about Shadowpaw’s other vision,” Bramblestar added. “The lake of fire that destroyed the clans. The war shown in the fires. It could mean that it is warning us of what is to come if we get this wrong.”

“It makes sense that StarClan might be upset about the code being broken,” Harestar meowed at last. “We’ve had some troubled times, so maybe we’ve been too forgiving in the past. And if that’s the case, we won’t be so forgiving in the future.”

“Then the only way to bring back StarClan is… What?” Leafstar added. “Find cats who are breaking the code and punish them? Will that actually work?” She turned her head over at Bramblestar.

“We will take it one pawstep at a time,” Bramblestar suggested smoothly, and surprisingly warm and reassuring, which seemed to have relaxed Flywhisker as her prickling pelt smoothed over. “All of you should think about the warrior code, and how it is being followed in your clan, before we meet again at the next full moon.” As his gaze travelled across the gathered cats, he paused around Shadowpaw with a glint around his amber eyes, making Pouncestep flinch her paw instinctively forward. He flitted his gaze back to the crowd of cats, giving a swish of his tail. “Meeting dismissed.”

Cats from other clans immediately began to depart, joining with their own clanmates to travel back to their camps. Pouncestep whipped her head around, her heart lurching as she spotted Lightleap pacing toward her.

What does she want?! Pouncestep dug her claws deep into the snow below her paws. She didn’t have time to argue with Lightleap, she needed to check on her brother.

“Pounce—” Lightleap began, but she stopped herself as Pouncestep sprang immediately to her paws, and turned away to pad after the flat stone ledge that was right beside the wider ledge that was supposed to be for deputies.

Puddleshine was now scrabbling down from the flat ledge, beckoning his tail over at Shadowpaw to follow. The medicine cat apprentice’s eyes shone with such guilt and fear as the moonlit around his dark pelt, Pouncestep wanted to wrap herself around her brother to comfort him.

She skidded to a halt in front of the stone ledge, and Shadowpaw lifted his head. He drew his lips to a smile, though his eyes glimmered worryingly.

“Do you need help?” She asked, remembering how clumsily he leaped down from the last gathering.

Shadowpaw shook his head. “No thanks, I can manage.” He murmured softly, already clambering awkwardly down the flat ledge, his crippled hind-leg stumbling and skidded across the snow as he finally reached the bottom.

“...I saw how Bramblestar was looking at you…” Pouncestep mewed hesitantly, remembering the anxious looks Shadowpaw was giving at the ThunderClan leader. “It was like he knew something… and it isn’t just about the codebreaker message…”

Shadowpaw whimpered softly, shifting his paws nervously with his gaze frozen down on the snowy ground beneath the two siblings. “I know… I felt that, too…”

“Shadowpaw,” Puddleshine suddenly called before Pouncestep could continue, his tail beckoning impatiently over at the small apprentice. “Come on! We’re going back.”

Shadowpaw nodded, limping slowly after his mentor. Usually Pouncestep would go sit down around a hidden corner of the island with her friends and gossip about what was happening in their clans… But this wasn’t a normal gathering; so of course everyone had to immediately get back to camp as soon as it ended.

Pouncestep took a deep breath, which wisped into a cool, misty breeze. The dark clouds were now drifting across the moon above them, and the twinkling, bright stars seemed darker than before, which gave Pouncestep a burst of fear around her chest.

But, suddenly, Hopwhisker flashed through her head. The gray tabby remembered the calico she-cat, who was more quiet and reserved, laughing when Pouncestep told her about the most embarrassing story of herself. Hopwhisker, giving her a loving glance, which warmed Pouncestep from ears to tail tip, even with the horrible leaf-bare.

She scrambled to her paws, padding after her clanmates who were now disappearing through the thorn bushes that guarded the entrance to the gathering island. All she could think of was racing after, and tackling Hopwhisker to the ground as soon as she went back to camp.

The only thing that stopped her, was thinking of the way Bramblestar’s menacing gaze broke through Shadowpaw’s pelt. She just felt her forepaws shuddering all the way to her forelegs as she thought of the ThunderClan leader.

What is he hiding…?

Chapter Text

Rootpaw had just finished carrying fresh bedding for Fallowfern when he unexpectedly heard his sister, who had been spending most of her time helping Turtlepaw with her punishment for sneaking out of camp and snapping at her mentor. He dipped his head farewell to Fallowfern, and emerged from the droopy darkness of the den.

Needlepaw was sitting with her round tail curled around her forepaws, lowering her head down with a sorrowful gleam in her usually excited yellow eyes.

Rootpaw padded after her, worrying for the black-and-white she-cat with his heart pounding hard. “What’s the matter?” He asked gently when he finally approached her, wishing he could wrap his tail comfortingly around his sister as he gazed intently at her darkening eyes.

“Violetshine and Tree want to talk to us,” she replied, forcing her usual enthusiastic tone in her mew. “Tree says it’s important!”

Rootpaw glanced around; but he couldn’t see either of his parents. He gazed back at Needlepaw with his eyebrow raised. “Where… are they?”

“Out in the forest, mouse-brain!” She mewed teasingly, giving him a small shove. Rootpaw felt hope flutter around his chest. Maybe Needlepaw is growing back into her usual self!

But, Rootpaw suddenly rolled his eyes at the mention of ‘Tree’ and ‘talk’ . What now? It was just like Tree, he reflected, not trying to reveal his irritation as he followed his sister through the fern barrier. So many cats had come back from the gathering, relieved that Bramblestar was alive and well, saved by the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice; Shadowpaw.

But Tree couldn’t let cats be happy. He had to be weird and find some way to bring cats down.

When he and his sister found Violetshine and Tree under the shade of the leaves from an oak tree that was just outside of camp, Rootpaw noticed that his mother was looking bemused at Tree’s serious look. His eyes were troubled as he gestured his tail over at his two kits to come closer.

Rootpaw froze, his heart beating swiftly against his chest. What was this about? But, he paced a few steps forward beside Needlepaw anyway, even though his mind was racing and his tail twitched nervously.

“I feel unsettled by the gathering last night,” Tree confessed, his breath hitched as if something lumped around his throat. Needlepaw had burrowed herself into the pine needles by Rootpaw’s side.

“But why?” Violetshine blurted out, looking bewildered, with her tail curling uneasily around her forepaws. “Everything seemed fine to me. Bramblestar is back!”

Tree gave her a stunned look, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Didn’t you hear what Bramblestar was calling for?” He asked. “He said cats should start accusing one another of breaking the warrior code.”

Violetshine still looked bewildered. “Why are you afraid? You follow the code, don’t you?”

Tree flinched in shock, his head lifting forward at his mate with his whiskers arched. “How could you say that?” He exclaimed, his fur standing on end. “Don’t you remember what happened with Darktail and his rogues? Don’t you remember when he punished innocent cats for breaking his horrible rules?” He hesitated, his gaze drifting down at his paws. Then he added, “...Like what he did with Needletail…?”

Violetshine’s expression was suddenly flooded with horror, and though she was struggling for words, nothing that came out made any sense. Who’s Needletail? Rootpaw wondered, then glanced over at Needlepaw, who had tucked her paws underneath her chest, the pine needles huddling around her. She looked as bewildered as he felt, and as the sunlight seeped through her pelt, a gleam of nerve flashed around her eyes.

Violetshine’s paws trembled violently, but she quickly shook her head, forcing her eyes to thin. “That was Darktail’s kin,” she responded. “It had nothing to do with the clans.”

“Not then,” Tree insisted. “Not yet.”

Violetshine let out a wavering breath, turning her head away from her mate. Unable to meet his gaze.

Tree’s gaze softened, flattening his ears, and giving a comforting lick around her ear. Who’s Darktail? What did he do to make Violetshine so… Disturbed? Tree then quickly whipped his head back at his two kits.

Tree’s tail-tip rested on Violetshine’s shoulder. “I just need you all to understand this,” he mewed. “We could all be in danger if we don’t come up with a plan, just in case Bramblestar decides to…” He trailed off for a moment, his gaze travelling over to a set of trees behind Rootpaw, which made him shudder from ears to tail. Tree shook his head, snapping his attention back to his kits. “Perhaps we should leave the clans? Become loners?”

Rootpaw felt his jaw open wide. “ Leave ?!” He blurted out without realizing it. “B—but… You can’t be serious!” He felt his stomach twisting and turning, fear flooding his entire body as he thought of setting out into the unknown. What if he and Needlepaw got attacked out there? What if he died?

Rootpaw glanced at Needlepaw, whose gaze had focused on the entrance to SkyClan camp. What did she think of this? Did she agree with Tree? Hopefully not.

Luckily, Rootpaw felt his prickled pelt relaxing in relief as Violetshine had shook her head. “No,” she hissed firmly, furrowing her brows at the yellow tom. “I can’t do it. I worked too hard for my kin. I could never leave Hawkwing, or Twigbranch.”

Though Rootpaw could see regret flashing in his father’s eyes, Tree gave an understanding nod. “Alright,” he finally mewed after a moment of hesitation. “I just… I get this strange fuzzy feeling whenever I see him. Like he is hiding something he doesn’t want us all to see…”

He shook his pelt out, sprays of snow flying out of his spiked fur, when he suddenly shot his eyes wide open, sitting back down with his tail curled. “I have another idea,” he suggested. “Let’s say, if something terrible happens, and Bramblestar is the cause of this, I could ask Leafstar if we could all leave to go to the old SkyClan gorge. That way we can all be safe, and be with the ones we love.” He paused for a moment. “We can even ask your sister to come with us.”

Rootpaw’s relief was swallowed up in anger. What? But I like being around the other clans! I can’t just leave! That would mean he’d be leaving Bristlefrost.

Rootpaw caught himself thinking of the ThunderClan she-cat, and immediately shoved the thought away from his head. He had to realize that he and Bristlefrost could never be together. It would mean breaking one of the rules in the code.

“We can’t leave!” Needlepaw exclaimed, springing to her paws with a look of shock, yet sorrow mingling around her glinting amber eyes. “Me and Rootpaw have never been to the gorge! And Leafstar worked so hard to finally get the other clans to accept her, and settle down in the lake territories.”

Again, Violetshine shook her head. “Twigbranch loves ThunderClan too much to leave with us,” she mewed. “So if she disagreed, that’d mean I’d have to leave my sister…”

“I don’t want to leave the other clans either,” Rootpaw chimed in, staggering to her paws with his brow furrowing at Tree.

Tree flicked his ears in irritation, but his bristled pelt had relaxed over his skin. “Okay,” he gave out a defeated sigh. “I understand that I have been outvoted. But, can we promise, as a family, to keep our eyes open? If things get bad in the clans, we’ll go. With or without StarClan. Do you agree?” He fixed his gaze over at Violetshine, as if that question was made specifically for her.

Violetshine’s bright eyes had trembled as she stared deep into his gaze for a moment, as if hesitating. “...Okay,” she finally replied. “I promise.”

From beside Rootpaw, Needlepaw dipped her head a small nod. “I promise as well.”

Rootpaw opened his mouth, but before he could give his agreement, he hesitated. What if things get bad in the clans? Would he leave to be with his parents and littermate, and possibly SkyClan? Or would he stay?

He dreaded the thought of leaving without Bristlefrost being at his side. But would he stay just for one ordinary ThunderClan she-cat?

She isn’t ordinary. She saved my life.

He hesitated for a short while, before lifting his head, and replying; “Okay, I promise.” He choked out. He knew this was a lie, but if he disagreed, he could potentially be leaving his entire clan, and his family.

“All right,” Tree’s expression calmed with a satisfied nod.

The meeting was eventually over, with every cat disappearing into the thorn barrier that hid the opening to the camp, but Rootpaw stayed out. He needed to clear his mind off these things, yet he really needed to consider whether he really wanted to leave his home.

He had padded deeper into the undergrowth, snow cascading down from the clouds drifting over the sun, which was now dipping below the lines of never-ending pine-trees. Icicles had been hanging from below the long branches, and snow had now buried all of his four paws.

He thought of the cat Tree had mentioned during the meeting to Violetshine. Needletail. He had reminded himself. What was all that about? He remembered seeing how his mother stiffened when the word had rang through her ears, the violent trembling…

He also realized how Needlepaw was probably named after that cat. He remembered how she looked nervous when she noticed her mothers horrified expression replacing her bewildered look.

What had happened with Needletail? Who even was she?

He travelled deeper into the undergrowth, now noticing the trees beginning to thin as he slipped between two shrivelling shrubs of thicket. He was lost in his thoughts, so lost he had almost ignored an eye-catching dark brown tabby on the other side of the clearing.

Rootpaw widened his eyes, opening his mouth to taste the scent of the mysterious cat, when he realized that… They had no scent. It took him a moment to recognize the distinguishing scars on the back of the cat.

“Bramblestar!” But what is he doing in SkyClan territory… and why can’t I scent him?

He decided to try again, opening his jaws to taste the air. No. He realized. Not even a trace of ThunderClan scent marking the brown tabby.

Bramblestar began to pad toward the small tom, tipping his head to the side in bewilderment. He halted in front of Rootpaw, dipping his head down to glance at the SkyClan apprentice.

Rootpaw let out a gasp of horror and realization. How could he not notice all the signs? No scent escaping out of the dark tabby, the way he could see clearly through Bramblestar’s pelt, which was the otherside of the clearing. The way Bramblestar looked as if he had been in a panicked state, with his pelt bristling in stress…

All signs led to the fact… That Bramblestar was a…

Ghost!

No, no… NO! I don’t have that power! He began to immediately whip himself back to the other direction from where he came, launching himself away from the thing. I. Am. Not. Like. TREE! He raced down the clearing, pulling himself through the shrubs of thicket bushes. His belly fur brushed the flurries of snow that had emerged as he kept sprinting down the now growing trees of the undergrowth.

Behind him, he could hear a strange voice; “Wait, kit! Please, come back! Please, help me…” It then trailed off as Rootpaw was finally out of earshot.

Chapter Text

okay so errrmmm I hate my rewrite!!!!!!!! it was never planned from the beginning and there were weird unnecessary stuff that i regret adding in and I JUST HATE IT I WANT TO REWRITET HIS DUMB SLOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i love writing and this rewrite, a tbc rewrite is cool to see, but I SHOULD HAVE PLANNED THE STORY BEFORE MINDLESSLY DECIDING TO WRITE AND PLAN AS I GO ON GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

anyways i'm keeping the old one here (even when I post the the new rewrite) for archiving reasons because I don't want to delete something and then regret later on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

k bye!!!!!!!! check out my ASC Rewrite tumblr blog which is a sequel to mask of lies!!!!!!!! https://asc-rewrite.tumblr.com
also follow the mask of lies blog!!! https://mol-tbcrewrite.tumblr.com