Iceclan

Leader: Stonestar- solid gray tom with yellow eyes

Deputy: Fireblaze- orange tabby she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat(s): Leafripple- light brown tom (apprentice Parsleypaw)

Warriors:

Smalltail- brown and white speckled tom with a half tail

Brightpelt- dark brown tom with tan spots (apprentice Flintpaw)

Ashheart- speckled gray she-cat

Dewmist- black she-cat with white on her chest

Springflight- light brown tabby tom

Ambersong- bright-eyed ginger she-cat

Pigeonclaw- soft gray she-cat (apprentice Sagepw)

Scorchfeather- gray tabby tom with intelligent blue eyes

Skyheart- bouncy calico she-cat with evergreen eyes

Echoheart- light gray with black stripes; former rouge

Feathersight- white and gray tom

Apprentices:

Flintpaw- smoky gray tom

Sagepaw- black she-cat with light gray stripes

Parsleypaw- light brown she-cat with white splotches

Queens:

Dawnwhisker- gray and white she-cat

Shadebranch- tortoiseshell she-cat with dark eyes

Kits:

Cherrykit, Hollykit, and Duskkit (Dawnwhiskers)

Elders: Honeypool- soft brown she-cat

Snowybreeze- fluffy white she-cat with blue eyes

Chapter 1

Leafripple stepped outside into the brisk leaf bare air and sighed. What had been left of the herbs was gone. Leaf bare had been particularly harsh on Iceclan, and the ground bore no signs of new leaf coming soon.

From in his meadow he heard the calling of a meeting, and hurried down the steps to the camp.

"Today, two apprentices are ready to become warriors." Stonestar meowed over the Iceclan warriors. "Flintpaw and Sagepaw, step forward."

Leafripple took his place beside Parsleypaw, who was surprisingly not looking jealous at the thought of her siblings becoming warriors.

The ceremony continued, Flintpaw earning the name Flintsmoke, Sagepaw earning Sagewhisker, and while the clan chanted their names, Leafripple felt a stir of uneasiness creep into his spine. He turned around, just in time to see piercing blue eyes flash away.

Odd, he thought, then turned his head back to tall branch.

"We have not yet found Ambersong or Feathersight. They have been gone for a moon, and I am unsure if they are coming back." Stonestar was saying. Immediately there were yowls of protest. Ambersong was a popular cat, not one to leave out in the snow.

"We cant give up! They're Iceclan!"

"We should send out patrols!"

"We have to save them!"

Stonestar looked helplessly at the cats, and Leafripple knew he had to do something. He leaped onto high branch, and yowled over the cats.

"Be quiet! We have tried everything, but Starclan has not sent us a sign that they are alive."

Leafripple took a breath, then continued, "It is best if we pronounce them dead."

Springflight yowled, and tore across the camp to the exit, Scorchfeather on his heels. Skyheart looked sadly at her brother, while Cherrykit, Hazelkit, and Duskkit watched their father.

"I'm sorry," Stonestar said, voice cracking with emotion. "They were wonderful cats, and it's a true sadness I must pronounce them dead."



Chapter 2

Ambersong lifted her head to see black eyes staring at her. Too weak after a month to bother them, she turned away.

"She is weak. Won't last long,"

"Good," Feathersight's gruff meow rang out in her ears. For a moment, Ambersong thought she smelled a familiar scent: Scorchfeather's firewood, or Springflights fresh grass, but no. All gone.

"Stay away," she hissed halfheartedly at the nearest cat. He flinched away, but came back quickly.

"I can get you out of here," he whispered, looking around to make sure no one could hear him.

"Yeah right," Ambersong said gruffly. Why would this skimpy kitten want to help her? Wasn't their whole goal to take over the clans?

The kit shuffled his paws, then said, "I don't think Feathersight would be a good leader. My sister died because there wasn't enough prey. I heard that doesn't happen in the clans!"

The kit was so earnest Ambersong couldn't help feeling sorry.

"It's not always like that. Cats die." she said softly, and his ears drooped.

"Can I help you?"

She shrugged, and nodded up at him. "Alright. What's your name?"

"Rushed," he said quickly.

"Alright Rushed, what's your plan?"

Chapter 3

"Aarggh," Ambersong groaned, then to Rushed, "I don't think this is working."

"It will," he promised.

At that moment, a silver gray cat walked up, growling. "What do you want?"

"Ugghhh," Ambersing replied.

"I think she's sick. I should take her outside. After all, what use is a sick cat for ransom?"

There was a long pause, in which the two young cats held their breath. The plan wouldn't work if they couldn't get past Mist the gaurd.

"Alright," Mist narrowed her eyes. "I'll tell Feathersight."

Rushed hauled Ambersong up, and they staggered outside.

"Look sick," he commanded. At that, she started coughing and weezing.

"Just giving her some air," Rushed confirmed to the gaurds.

Once they were a suitable distance away, Rushed glanced back, then frantically started running.

"What's going on!?!" Ambersong cried.

"Their coming!" Rushed called back. Half running, half leaning on Rushed, she stumbled through the undergrowth while the sounds of cats chasing became more and more deafening.

"Their gaining!" Rushed shrieked with another look over his shoulder.

"Then we'll give them what they want," Ambersong growled, and turned abruptly to face her pursers.

"Are you crazy!" her partner whispered. "Run!"

Ambersong shook her head. "I'm done running."

Rushed looked helplessly at her. The odds were not in her favor, but he turned and bristled his fur to guard her.

As the first cats broke through the brush, they both launched and