"Ashenfang! Come with me on a sundown hunting patrol, will you? First we need to find Mossylight and Toadpaw." Icefrost called to her sister across the camp.

   Ashenfang looked up from licking her paw, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. Icefrost chuckled. When Ashenfang gained composure, the young black she-cat replied,"Sure! I think Mossylight is in the warrior's den."

  "Okay, I'll look." Icefrost found Mossylight curled up tightly, and almost didn't want to wake her. But then the deputy remembered that Mossylight really did need to come hunt, and sighed, before nudging her awake.

  "Go away, Troutjump, I'm trying to sleep!" Mossylight replied to the disturbance, thinking it was her sister.

  "It's not Troutjump, and WindClan is attacking!" Icefrost mewed gruffly.

  At this Mossylight was instantly awake, and jumped to her paws. "What? Where?!" Icefrost laughed again.

  "Just tested to see what would get you up. Now that I know for sure you are loyal to your Clan and awake, let's go on a hunting patrol! Have you seen my apprentice?"

Mossylight huffed. "I haven't seen Toadpaw lately. Last I knew he went out for a evening walk."

   Icefrost thought for a moment, reflecting on how Toadpaw, her apprentice, only went for walks to clear his mind. I wonder if he is doing okay, she wondered. Then to Mossylight, mewed, "Let's start and see if we catch him while he is out."

The two she-cats squeezed out of the warrior's den, then the deputy called to Ashenfang to say it was time to go. As Ashenfang hurried over, Icefrost repeated what she planned about Toadpaw. Only after they had caught mice and two fish, did he appear limping drowsily but anxiously down the shore. When he noticed the group and his mentor, he hurried toward them. Now that he was closer, Icefrost could see scratches along his flank and fur missing from his belly.

   "What happened to you?!" Icefrost rushed to his aid and started to clean her apprentice like his mother, Petalfur, would.

   "WindClan... attack... heading for camp..." Toadpaw panted. He seemed to relax as he collapsed in the presence of clanmates. Mossylight gave Icefrost a look that seemed to say "are you sure you were just waking me?" Icefrost responded with a look of "I thought so."