Author Note: Hi everyone! My name is Caitlin, aka Howlsong. I'm thrilled that you want to know more of the ZephyrClan history, and invite you to read all of the parts included. This isn't an action story-it is a summary story of sorts, so you will find that the story is written in the third person omniscient point of view. All of these events (save the ones before IceClan was started) actually happened in our roleplay community on Instagram, which can be explained on this account's bio. The writing below can be a bit choppy, but it accurately explains the clan history.

The cover art for this story was made by my dear friend, Frostgaze, on Instagram. For some reason it won't let my type his username, so hopefully he will comment and you can see it soon. The story was written by Courtney, aka Goldeneyes.

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For some reason, it isn't letting me post the link to the IceClan Territory and Camp maps, but if you go to this account's information, there is the clan website url that you can copy and paste into another tab. If you go to the drop-down bar, you will see a page called "IceClan Territory + Camp Maps" :)

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All reviews are highly appreciated! :D

~Welcome into our world~

Part 1: From Pine to Ice

Deep in the heart of a rich, luxurious forest lived a group of strong, healthy cats. They were stocky and fierce, as solid and unchanging as the trees that their clan was named after-PineClan. Howlsong and Goldeneyes, sons of the popular deputy, were on dusk patrol with a few others when a vicious pack of coyotes attacked the clan camp, killing every cat within.

The patrol arrived back and couldn't believe the horrifying scene-broken bodies and blood strewn everywhere. Howlsong and Goldeneyes, after witnessing the grotesque body of their father, Ambereyes, found their mother, Snowspots. She lay outside the nursery entrance, having tried in vain to protect the helpless kits. The white and gray splashed warrior told her children that in order to survive, they must travel north. After their mother perished, the devastated toms, along with the other survivors, set out on a journey. The group included Goldeneyes and his mate Nightstorm, Howlsong, Ferndapple, Pebbledawn, Sandstripe, Oakfall, and Greenpaw.

For endless moons they traveled, the air around them turning more and more frigid as the progression continued. One night the cats settled down to sleep in a massive tree with huge icicles hanging from the bare branches. Upon touching noses with the large masses of frozen water, the cats had dreams of StarClan. They saw all of PineClan encouraging them and congratulating them and telling them that they'd finally found a home. Filled with a renewed hope, the cats made camp in the icy forest and began to explore the territory. It was the start of something incredible. On top of the happiness of finally finding a place to settle in, Nightstorm announced that she was bearing Goldeneyes's kits.

All of this time an argument was brewing between the two brothers. Being son of Ambereyes, the deputy of PineClan, the choice was obvious that one of them was to be leader of this group, but who? Howlstar or Goldenstar? Howlsong was muscular and stocky, excelling in the field of compat. He did not easily trust others, and oustide of his small group of loved ones, the black tom was often sharp-tongued and harsh. Howlsong was also very brave and courageous, always trusting in his own instincts and daring to do what most cats would not. On the other hand, Goldeneyes was lean and swift, long limps and tail aiding the cat in hunting and climbing trees. The white tom was known for his generosity and kindness, easily trusting others and always giving them a second chance, whether they deserved it or not. Goldeneyes had a good temperament and was agreeable with almost any cat, never letting his anger or other emotions control him.

Either brother seemed like a splendid choice for leader, and so for a long amount of time nothing was decided. Eventually, Goldeneyes consented to let his sibling lead them. As the group of cats all went together to the Icicle Tree, the tree that had the icicles that the cats had origionally discovered, to get Howlsong's nine lives, tragety struck. The massive black tom lead the group, and due to having lived in the forest all of their lives, the cats had never seen any twolegs or thunderpaths. They had passed the later on their way into the new territory, but there had been no disturbance. This time around a huge metal monster came careening around the corner, and Howlsong, in the middle of the Thunderpath, was paralyzed with curiosity and fear. All of the other cats were off of the dangerous path, but Goldeneyes leaped at Howlsong just in time, sparing his brother from the blow but severely damaging the white tom. As Goldeneyes lay on the side of the thunderpath bleeding out, it was decided that in order to save his life, the white tom would become leader and receive nine lives.

With Goldeneyes, now Goldenstar, leading them, the cats thrived, adding to their camp and catching a good amount of prey. They adapted to hunting in the snow and ice, utilizing their territory to their utmost advantage. The happy times lasted for many moons, and Nightstorm continued to grow closer to bearing Goldenstar's kits. However, devastation struck again.

Greencough ravaged the cats, slowly killing them off one by one. It was unavoidable, and soon all of the remaining PineClan warriors were incapacitated, unable to move due to their sickness. Meanwhile, Goldenstar was distraught. The thought of losing his brother and mate and unborn kits was hard enough, but on top of that he knew that while all of the ones he loved perished, the white tom would only lose a life. He would recover while they could not, and the cat would be trapped in this frigid wasteland alone, the bodies of his friends strewn around him. The leader lost his faith in StarClan then, unable to do anything but wait for himself to lose a life and the others to die.

Eventually, it did come to pass-Goldenstar awoke gasping, his second life ripped away. Only two besides him remained-Nightstorm and Howlsong. Determined and desperate, Goldenstar, with his newly regained strength, set out to try and find catmint, the only known cure for greencough. He looked and looked and looked and just when all seemed lost, the leader stumbled upon a miracle-behind a waterfall was a small cavern full of all kinds of plants imaginable, somehow preserved from the cold. This was later known as the Miracle Den, and it would be where medicine cats of IceClan would go to gather herbs. This place restored the leader's faith in StarClan. Goldenstar did indeed find catmint...however, there was only enough of it to be consumed by one cat. Back at the camp, the white cat stood trembling, catmint clamped in his jaws, in front of the two black cats, each unconscious. It was then that he had to make the hardest decision of his life.

As you know, it was Howlsong that Goldenstar chose to save, and the brothers decided that they would start anew. The cats found all of the loners and passing cats that they could, telling the travellers to spread the news that a new clan had been formed. IceClan.