Red led them along the cliffs and Amberclaw didn't even shiver once, while Rustfern looked as if he was freezing his fur off. "You should've joined us," Ebonywind flicked her tail at him playfully.

"Definitely. It's helping!" Amberclaw nodded.

Red glanced back, clearly amused. "In the mountains, it's not much as sneaking up on your prey, as Dawnmist showed us. We stay still and blend in. Although Rustfern, was it? Your dark ginger fur won't be helping you."

Amberclaw stayed silent, her back to a stone wall. A rabbit hopped by and she pounced forward, catching it immediately. It didn't even know she was there!

"Amazing!" she mewed as they walked through the tunnel. The three cave guards and the other hunters had the prey in their mouths. They had managed to catch three rabbits and an eagle.

"I know right?" Red laughed. "You're really good at this!"

Amberclaw puffed out her chest and glanced at Rustfern, who was looking surly and unhappy. He hadn't managed to catch anything.

"What happened to you?"

Dawnmist, Ravenflight and Blackshine had been waiting for them and they eyed Ebonywind and Amberclaw's fur with disgust.

"It's helpful, trust me," Ebonywind purred. "I didn't feel the cold at all!"

"Me neither. And we hunted so well!" Amberclaw gestured to the eagle.

Rustfern didn't say anything.

"We have to go. The Tribe wasn't the right place," Dawnmist interjected.

Now that Amberclaw looked closely, she could see that both Dawnmist and Ravenflight looked exhausted. Clearly, they had been arguing passionately with Stoneteller.

"Alright," Amberclaw agreed.

"That's so sad, though! I was certain it was the Tribe!" Blackshine groaned.

"Me too," Ebonywind sighed.

"Red, hopefully we'll pass back this way," Amberclaw addressed the she-cat. "You were good company."

"You too, forest cat," Red smiled.

A pang of sadness shook Amberclaw before she squared her shoulders and eyed Dawnmist. "Let's go."

The left the cave, the scent of sadness thick in the air. In the short time that they had been there, all of them, save for Rustfern, had made friends. Red had been a good cat.

I never knew her full name.

They kept travelling through the day, and at sunset, they settled down in a grassy field, much to Ravenflight and Blackshine's delight. They had left the mountains after walking about literally every stone and pathway. At least, that's what it seemed like.

Relieved to be out of the mountains, Amberclaw dove into the river, clearing her fur of mud and dust. She sensed Ebonywind padding in the shallows.

"You really love swimming," Ebonywind remarked.

"I used to hate it," Amberclaw purred. "But I learned to like it."

"I suppose I could, too," Ebonywind went deeper.

"Careful! You might-"

It was too late.

Ebonywind fell into the river and Amberclaw rushed to her, diving down to save her.

They returned to the camp a while later, both soaked to the bone.

"What happened to you?" Ravenflight questioned.

"Ebonywind fell in," Amberclaw shivered.

"Since we're going to be here for the night, let's change the mood," Blackshine suggested, ever the positive one.

"Stories?" Ebonywind scoffed. "I'm going to hunt. Amberclaw, want to come?"

Amberclaw was torn between fixing her relationship with Ebonywind, which was mending slowly, or listening to Blackshine and the others' stories. She hesitated before nodding. "Let's go."

They returned to the cave at nightfall, Amberclaw carrying a bird and Ebonywind dangling two mice by their tails. As they entered the cave, Dawnmist's voice washed over them.

"It was really hard, honestly," the ginger she-cat murmured.

Amberclaw shared looks of confusion with Ebonywind but they sat down nonetheless, silently passing the prey out.

"I'm sorry, Dawnmist," Ravenflight meowed. "You shouldn't have had to go through that."

"Go through what?" The question escaped from Amberclaw.

"My time of grief. After...Demonclaw's death, I felt as if there wasn't purpose in the world. I left the Clans for a bit. I met the Tribe and the Dynasty of Truth."

"What's the Dynasty of Truth?" Ebonywind pressed.

"A group of peaceful cats. They were nice to me. I had a friend there, and it broke my heart to leave her, but I had to," Dawnmist explained.

An idea formed in Amberclaw's head, but she stayed silent, wondering. Ebonywind was clearly having the same thoughts as her, as she asked, "Did they live in the mountains?"

Questions crowded Dawnmist's face at the unexpected question before understanding lit up in her eyes. "Yes! They lived in a ravine, this huge crack in the ground."

"What if, they're the mountain cats?" Amberclaw mewed excitedly.

"That's true, after all, it wasn't the Tribe," Ravenflight agreed.

"Yes!" Blackshine crowed, his ears perked up eagerly. "Now we know where we're going!"

"Do we, though?" Rustfern growled. Amberclaw noticed that the tom hadn't spoken a word since they left the mountains.

"What's up with you?" she retorted.

Rustfern turned his head away, hissing in exasperation. Amberclaw ignored him and turned to Dawnmist. "Do you know the way?"

"Not really," Dawnmist's tone was sad. "I was injured and dying when they found me. I don't remember how I got there, but I do remember where they found me. I can take us there; it isn't far from here."

We're almost there. The journey is ending.

"I wonder what we'll find," Amberclaw wondered softly.

"The Dynasty are very kind," Dawnmist promised. "They'll share their home and food for a moon without us taking a test."

Alarmed, Ebonywind let out a sharp hiss. "What test?"

"Nothing, you just have to answer some questions truthfully. They have a StarClan as well, but just one cat. This great white tom called Truth." Dawnmist answered before her eyes closed peacefully. "I'm going to get some sleep."

"I agree. We should be up at dawn tomorrow," Ravenflight dipped her head.

Amberclaw stood at the mouth of the cave, looking into the brightening sky. Red leaves rained down on her and she felt a chill in the wind. We will succeed, she promised herself. Negative thoughts creeped in and she tried to shake them out.

Leaf-bare is coming. It's already leaf-fall. We must find the Dynasty of Truth before tragedy strikes us.

"I thought I'd find you here," Ebonywind's voice mewed.

Amberclaw turned to her, her eyes pleading. "I didn't imagine this journey to be so hard."

"I know," Ebonywind wrapped her tail around Amberclaw. "But it's changed us for the better. You're more calm and confident. Blackshine has matured greatly. Dawnmist has a chance to revisit her old friends. Ravenflight gets to explore the world with us again, just like when we were apprentices. And I get to fix my relationship with you."

"What about Rustfern?" Amberclaw murmured. "I feel like he's so distant these days."

"I don't know," Ebonywind admitted. "Ever since the mountains, he's changed, too. We'll find a time to talk to him."

Amberclaw shared a purr with her sister and they gazed towards the sunrise together.