Sun sparkled on the snow piled at the edge of the camp.
Poolpaw blinked against the brightness, her head fuzzy with sleep.

"You missed the fresh-kill," Darkcloud called. The warrior was sitting in the morning sunshine with Rainpelt, Stormclaw and Dawnstripe.
Stormclaw was lapping gently at his fur. He paused and glanced up. "The dawn patrol found a gang of starlings and brought some home."
"A thaw's coming," Dawnstripe promised. "The wind smells less of SmokeClan pines and more of DawnClan. It'll bring rain before long."
Darkcloud tucked his tail more lightly under his paws. "Let's hope we don't have ice puddles in camp."

Poolpaw jumped as a bundle of fur tumbled toward her and skidded to a clumsy halt at her paws.
Icepaw.
The white apprentice straightened up, her fur ruffled, as Ravenbird and Amberpaw caught up to her.
Amberpaw's whiskers were twitching. "Nice battle move," she teased.

Poolpaw looked up sharply as she heard paw steps beyond the tunnel. Briarfang and Bluefeather trotted into the clearing, with Blackpaw and Snowheart at their heels. Their heads were high and their eyes bright; each cat held two small but plumb mice in their jaws.
Prey!
Poolpaw's belly growled again.
Blackpaw dropped his catch. "Briarfang uncovered a whole nest!"

The nursery had a scraping noise as Featherpaw slid out. Old pieces of bracken and moss were piled at the entrance and more clung to her fur.
"That's clean enough." Her eyes brightened when she spotted Blackpaw, and then the fresh-kill. "I haven't seen this many mice in a moon!" She raced across the clearing and nuzzled Blackpaw's cheek.
Blackpaw fluffed out his chest. "I caught three of them."

Flowertail wandered from the tunnel, nose twitching. "I smell mice." She picked one from the pile and gobbled it down.

"Hello Poolpaw."
Icefrost's mew made Poolpaw jump.
"Eat something," she meowed. "I'll take you out later for training."
She picked up a sparrow from the fresh-kill pile and carried it over to the nettle patch. Huddling in a crouch, she took a bite.

As she sat and waited for the flavors to seep over her tongue, she heard her sister's meow from the other side of the nettles.
"Get off!" Featherpaw was purring with amusement. "It tickles!"
Poolpaw prickled her ears.
A muted reply answered Featherpaw. "What do you expect if you sit on frozen burrs?"
"I didn't sit on any burrs!"
Poolpaw swallowed her mouthful, stood up, and started to creep around the side of the nettles.
"Well, how come your pelt's full of them?"
"It's not!"
"Sit still while I pull this one out." The other mew was hard to recognize, muffled by something.
"Ow!" Featherpaw squeaked.
"Got it!" The muffled mew broke into a purr. "Now you look ready to go on patrol."

Poolpaw sprang around the corner, knocking frost from the quivering nettles. Featherpaw spun to face her, her eyes wide.
"Oh...hi!"
Poolpaw was shocked. Blackpaw was sitting close to her sister with a tuft of white fur caught in his whiskers.
"Blackpaw was helping me groom my pelt," Featherpaw explained.

Poolpaw tilted her head left, signaling she wanted to talk to Featherpaw alone.
Featherpaw shifted her paws. "Why don't you check to see if the queens need you to gather some fresh moss?"
They exchanged a knowing look.

The moment Blackpaw had left, Poolpaw stared at her sister in shock. "So.. how long have you..?"
Featherpaw shrugged. "A few weeks."
"What's so special about him?"
"He makes me purr," Featherpaw meowed.
"I can see that!" Poolpaw purred.

Featherpaw's ears flicked. "Why are you so shocked?"
Poolpaw shrugged. "I guess.. I didn't really see you as the type of cat to fall in love."
Featherpaw purred. "He's just so dreamy."
Poolpaw did her best not to roll her eyes. Blackpaw is totally the defintion of dreamy..
Poolpaw purred. "Well, I'm happy for you, sis!"

On the far side of the clearing, Ashfall was finishing a vole with the elders. Suddenly she sat up. "I know how to keep your nests dry!" she meowed.
"How?" Stormclaw stared at her expectantly.
"There are thick, waxy leaves on a bush near the SmokeClan border," Rainpelt reminded them. "If we gather those and weave them among the old fern stalks, they'll stop the water getting in when the thaw comes."
Stormclaw purred. "It might work!"
Rainpelt was already on her paws. "I'll go collect some right now."

"Can we go, too?" Icepaw glanced at her mentor.
Ravenbird nodded. "The more paws, the better." He looked at Blackpaw. "Do you want to join the leaf-gathering patrol?"
Blackpaw leaped to his paws. "Yes, please!"
Featherpaw plunked at the snow. "Can I come?"

Bluefeather sat up and ran a paw over her whiskers. "A run through the forest will be good for us." She called to the IceClan deputy, who had settled in a cold spot outside of Silverstar's den. "Icefrost?"
"It sounds like a good plan." Icefrost was nodding already. "But make sure you're back for sunhigh."

Poolpaw watched the patrol leave, feeling hollow. No one had invited her. Icefrost had been right. She'd grown so bad-tempered lately, none of her Clanmates wanted to be with her.

She trodded toward the fresh-kill pile, grabbing a sparrow and putting it in front of her black paws. She took a bite of her sparrow, but could hardly swallow.

The apprentices's den shivered as Thornpaw nosed his way out. "Is that prey?" He blinked in the snow as he looked at the fresh-kill pile. His eyes brightened for a moment. Then he glanced around the clearing. "Where is Swiftwing?"
"Too stiff to leave their nest," Stormclaw told him. "This leaf-bare is no good for old bones."
"She must be hungry." Thornpaw scooped up the remaining mice and disappeared into the Elders's den. He emerged a few moments later with snow dusting his pelt.

Poolpaw could hear his belly growling. She nosed the remains of her sparrow forward. "Do you want the rest of mine?"
Thornpaw's eyes glowed. "Yes, please," he mewed. "I'm starving."

Once he'd finished and washed his face, he called to Ashfall. "You promised to teach me some battle moves!"
Ashfall nodded. "I haven't forgotten. We'll go to the frozen place. There'll be more room." She flicked her tail over Amberpaw's flank. "Do you want to come with us?"
"Yes!"

"Can Poolpaw come too?" Thornpaw asked.
Poolpaw blinked. Did he really want her with them?
"She can show us how it's done." Thornpaw looked hopefully at Poolpaw. "Please?"
Poolpaw nodded.

Icefrost got to her paws. "I think I'd better come with you." She stretched and yawned. "Three apprentices may be too many for one mentor."
Ashfall purred. "I'd welcome some help."

Icefrost led the way through the snow-muffled forest to the frozen place. It was a small clearing and the only spot in IceClan territory that had earth floor.

Poolpaw raced towards and across the clearing.
Battle moves would warm them all up!
She hadn't practiced as hard as she should since Raindapple and Whiteclaw had died, maybe helping to train her denmates would give her a chance to catch up.
"What do you want me to show them?" she asked Ashfall.

The gray-speckled warrior tipped her head to one side. "I think we'll start with Thornpaw."
Thornpaw darted across the clearing.
"He needs to learn to think before he rushes in."
Thornpaw skidded to a halt and turned back to his mentor. "But in battle, there's no time to think!"
"In a battle, planning is the most important weapon you have."

Ashfall looked at Poolpaw. "Can you do a half-turn belly rake?"
Poolpaw nodded. It was one of the first things Icefrost had taught her.
Ashfall padded towards the clearing. "Show Thornpaw."

Pausing to think her move through, Poolpaw squatted down. Focussing on how she would land, she ducked forward, turned like a snake, and twisted, raking her hind claws against the belly of an imaginary warrior before flipping back onto her paws.
"Did you get that?" she asked Thornpaw.
But Thornpaw already darted forward.
He turned, snapping back on himself too quickly so that when he tried to twist, Poolpaw could tell he'd lost his balance. His hind legs flew into the air, flailing like reeds in the wind, and he collapsed onto his flank, "Fox dung!"

Ashfall picked up Thornpaw by his scruff and dropped him onto his paws. "Where do you think you went wrong?"
"I twisted too early?"
"And...?"
"And?" Thornpaw echoed, frowning.
Ashfall switched her gaze to Poolpaw. "What did you do before you tried the move?"
Poolpaw wasn't sure what she meant. "I crouched down."
"What were you doing while you were crouching?" Ashfall pressed.
Poolpaw tried to remember. The move was familiar that she didn't really think about what she was doing.

Then she realized that, in fact, she did think about what she was doing. "I imagined my body making the move. Where I would finish, how I would move to get there."
"Precisely," Ashfall purred. "Does that make sense, Thornpaw?"
Thornpaw was already crouching, ready to repeat the move, but this time a look of concentration darkened his gaze. He hesitated just a moment longer, then lunged, turned, twisted, raked, and landed on his paws.
"I did it!" His mew was triumphant.
"Very good."

"Can I try?" Amberpaw was padding toward them.
"Do you want Poolpaw to show you again?"
Amberpaw shook her head. "I think I got it." She crouched. "But I have to imagine the move first, right?"
"Right."

Poolpaw tensed, willing her to get it right the first time. Amberpaw hesitated, then hesitated some more.
"Come on," Ashfall urged.
Amberpaw looked up at her. "But you said think before you move."
"Not exactly. Imagine the move, then do it," Ashfall instructed. "But don't waste half the battle planning it in your head."
"Okay." Amberpaw looked straight ahead, then leaped forward.

Her turn and twist were good, but Poolpaw could see that she didn't have the same strength in her hind legs as Thornpaw.
"Not bad," Ashfall commented. "Your timing is great."

Thornpaw pushed in front of his sister. "Can I try it on Poolpaw?"
Ashfall nodded. "Good idea."

Poolpaw took a few paces backward, preparing for Thornpaw's attack. When she faced him, she realized how broad his shoulders had grown. He was going to be a powerful warrior!
She braced herself as he rushed toward her and let him slip around behind her, do the snake-turn, then twist under her belly. He tried to rake her with his hind paws but she leaped up, out of the way, before they could touch her fur.
She was only just in time. He was fast, considering his size and and inexperience, and she landed panting on the ground, relieved she'd dodged his powerful paws.

Icefrost padded to join them. "You learn quickly, Thornpaw." She turned to Amberpaw. "I think you're just too worried about getting it right."
Amberpaw's eyes grew round. "But I want to be the best fighter I can be!"
"Try relying more on your instinct."
Amberpaw frowned. "You mean I shouldn't do the moves I've been taught."
"Not exactly." Icefrost tried to explain. "I think you might be a better fighter if you use what you feel alongside what you've learned."

Poolpaw understood what she was trying to tell the apprentice. Rules were sometimes too restrictive. "Why doesn't Amberpaw try attacking me," she suggested, "as though I were an enemy warrior?"
"Good idea," Icefrost meowed approvingly. "You think you could try that?" she asked Amberpaw.
Hesitantly she nodded.

Poolpaw padded a tail-length away and turned, scowling her fiercest scowl. "Imagine I'm a SmokeClan warrior threatening the nursery," she growled.
Amberpaw dropped into a crouch. Her eyes darkened and she drew her lips back in a snarl. Poolpaw was impressed. The young apprentice actually looked dangerous.

Amberpaw rushed at her without hesitation. She was so quick that Poolpaw hardly had time to dart out of the way or plan her defensive moves.
Before she figured out where Amberpaw was going to attack, the apprentice was gripping her back, scrabbling at her spine with vicious hind paws.
Instinctively Poolpaw pressed hard against the ground, then surged up and threw Amberpaw off. She turned and lunged at the dark-ginger tabby, rolling her onto her flank with a well-aimed paw and raking her claws past her ear.

Amberpaw shrieked in surprise and scrambled away. Poolpaw froze. She smelled blood and saw with horror the nick she had made in Amberpaw's ear.

"I'm so sorry!" She hadn't meant to hurt the young apprentice.
But Amberpaw's eyes were shining. "That was great!" she mewed. "Can we try it again?"

Back in camp, the leaf-gathering patrol had returned with a pile of leaves as big as a hedgehog. Bluefeather was organizing the weaving of the fat waxy leaves into the roof of the elders's den.

"Amberpaw!" Dawnstripe's horrified mew sounded across the clearing. "Your beautiful ear!" She raced to her kit's side and started lapping at Amberpaw's ear. The nick was now caked with dry blood, and Amberpaw ducked away.
"It's okay!" she protested.

"Who did this to you?" Dawnstripe stared accusingly at Ashfall, then at Icefrost.
Poolpaw stared at the ground. "It was me," she mewed quietly.
"How could you?" Dawnstripe demanded. "I thought you were training, not fighting."
Icefrost padded to Poolpaw's side. "We were training for battle," she meowed. "Some accidents happen."

"But she'll be scarred for life!" Dawnstripe wailed.
"Good," Amberpaw mewed. "My first battle scar and I haven't even been in a battle yet!"
Dawnstripe closed her eyes and lifted her face to StarClan.

The rattle of stones on the ravine made her jump. Paws hit the ground and pounded toward the clearing.
Something was wrong.

"Invasion!" Briarfang exploded into the camp, his pelt bristling.
Braveheart raced in after him. "DawnClan has crossed the ice!" he yowled.
Blackpaw's eyes were sparkling with excitement as he shot into the camp. "They're trying to take Icerocks!"

Silverstar was out of her den in an instant. "Did you see them?" she demanded.
"They're swarming over the rocks!" Briarfang hissed.

"Bluefeather!" Silverstar called to the silver warrior to her. "You head one patrol. Attack from the far side."
"But that will mean going all the way around," Bluefeather argued. "This battle may be lost before we arrive."
"No, it won't." Silverstar curled her lip. "We'll hold them till you reach us. A second wave will finish them."
Bluefeather nodded.

"Take Bladewing, Ravenbird, Icepaw, Snowheart and Rainpelt."
Each cat stepped forward, pelt bristling as Silverstar called out names.
"Go!"
On Silverstar's word, Bluefeather's patrol pelted from the camp with the patrol bounding after her.

"Briarfang, Blackpaw, Featherpaw, Braveheart, Swiftfur, Duskwing, Icefrost and Poolpaw!"
Poolpaw darted forward.
"You come with me." Silverstar's green eyes shone like emeralds. "Ashfall, Crowclaw, Darkcloud, Dawnstripe, and Amberpaw. Wait at the top of the ravine in case DawnClan tries to attack the camp." She gazed around her Clan. "The rest of you, defend the medicine den. This might be a revenge attack."

Panic flashed through Poolpaw. Was DawnClan going to make IceClan suffer as they did? She pushed the thought away. It was too frightening.

Silverstar was already pelting toward the tunnel.
Poolpaw unsheathed her claws to better grip the snow.
Icefrost was a whisker ahead of her, and she followed in her paw steps, running faster than she had ever run before.

She had seen the DawnClan battle, seen how vicious warriors could be in the heat of the action. Panic threatened to swamp her as she scrabbled up the ravine with her Clanmates pushing behind her, sending stones and snow flying as they raced for the top.

Her lunge ached for air by the time they'd race through the forest and burst from the trees.
The sky was a stormy, dark grey in the sky and she could scent rain and lightning coming.. very soon.

Icerocks rose in the dark moonlight. Poolpaw could make out the familiar rocks she would hunt on.
Lined up on its summit was a row of DawnClan cats, silhouetted against the rain that starting falling onto the cats, making their pelts wet. Their heads held high and tails lashing.

Emberstar stepped from the ranks of DawnClan, his pelt drizzling from the rain.
"An ancient wrong has been put right!" he yowled. "These rocks are ours again!"
"Never!" Silverstar hissed. "IceClan, attack!"

Lightning struck as she yowled.