The snow had been falling thickly now for the past two days. All the land visible was covered by a think blanket of white, and the river had frozen over. ShadowClan was seemingly silent, most of the cats sheltering in their dens for warmth. Occasionally a cat would return from hunting, bringing with it prey for the fresh-kill pile, but all they could catch these days was close to crow food. Morale was low, since many cats before had been lost in the season of leaf bare. Many cats feared for their health during these hard months.

Stolenheart sauntered out of the medicine cats den sighing. Another kit had been lost to whitecough, and there was still nothing she could do to help others that may get the illness. Two of Redwing's kits already had greencough, and Stolenheart was dreading the worst.

She flitted over to the leaders den.

"Enter" Came the cold voice of the ShadowClan leader

"Nights tar, another kit has died from the whitecough. And I'm worried for Redwing's kits. They already have the greencough, and I still can't find a way to slow the whitecough." Stolenheart mewed sadly. Nightstar sighed, but otherwise seemed unmoved.

"And how is Blackstorm?" Nightstar asked

"He isn't getting any worse, but he is still not getting better" Stolenheart said. Blackstorm was the clan's deputy, and it was very troubling to see him so ill. Stolenheart knew that if the clan lost its deputy, then Nightstar would struggle to name the next in time for the moonhigh. Nightstar sighed

"Very well. Please try your best to keep him well" He said, giving a dismissive nod. Stolenheart padded up to Nightstar and licked his ear comfortingly

"Don't worry. We will come out of this just fine. ShadowClan has suffered many losses over the years, but we always thrive." She said softly, before leaving the den, and making her way to the fresh-kill pile. She picked up a couple of thin looking mice and took them with her back to the medicine cats den. Placing them next to Blackstorm she said

"Here. You need to eat. We're out of catnip so I'll go out and get some. Will you be alright for a bit?" She said, kindly. Blackstorm opened his mouth, and began chewing one of the mice. He gave a nod as he did. Stolenheart gave a small smile and left the den again.

Stolenheart left the camp, and headed for the Thunderpath. She knew that the best place to find good catnip was around the two-leg place, but unfortunately, that meant getting close to the ThunderClan border. Luckily, she was travelling with the wind, so her scent wouldn't be picked up. For the moment, she travelled at the edge of the Thunderpath, stopping abruptly and crouching in fear every time a monster passed. As the two-leg nests came into her view, Stolenheart checked the Thunderpath, to make sure no monsters were approaching. When she was sure it was clear, she darted as fast as she could across the path, and was safe on the other side. From here on she had to take more care. If there was a border patrol out, even if they didn't smell her they might still see her. Stolenheart kept herself low, and moved slowly through the thickest bushes she could find. Soon she could smell the tallpines and she knew she was almost there. She relaxed a little as she saw the fence coming into view. She stopped before it, and looked to the top. She crouched down, ready, and pounced, landing gracefully at the top. She checked around to make sure that no two-legs were watching, before hopping down again. Stolenheart knew the place where catnip grew, and quickly made her way over to the bushes. She picked many catnip leaves, stuffing as many as she could hold in her mouth. Resisting the urge to chew on the catnip, Stolenheart bound up the fence once more, and set of back to her camp.

Cautiously, Stolenheart stalked past the ThunderClan borders, keeping her ears alert, since her mouth was stuffed with catnip, and she would not be able to smell a patrol. Just as she was close to the edge of ThunderClan territory, the winds changed. Stolenheart felt it and she panicked. If she didn't hurry, a patrol would smell her, but if she moved to fast, they would hear her. Taking steps as lightly and as quickly as she could, she raced towards the Thunderpath. She looked both ways down the path, and took one step to begin crossing, when she heard a noise.

"There! I knew I could smell ShadowClan!"

Stolenheart tensed. She was caught. She whirled around to see a patrol of three coming towards her. She recognised the first cat as Fireheart, the ThunderClan deputy, but not the second and third cat.

"She is trespassing!" Said the same cat, one behind Fireheart

"I know Darkstripe. I'm not blind." Fireheart said to the cat. "But what, may I ask, are you doing here?" Fireheart directed this at Stolenheart. She dropped the catnip from her mouth and spoke

"I came this way to find catnip" She said boldly. It was Darkstripe who spoke again

"But there is plenty of catnip in your territory! You have no need to come through ThunderClan!!" He hissed.

"That may be, but after the snow of leaf-bare, it is withered, dead and quite useless. I mealy came through your territory to pick some from the two-legs place, where it grows."

"Well what do you need so much for anyway?!" The third cat demanded

"For our deputy. He has been ill for days with greencough. Catnip is the only thing that helps, and it is my duty as medicine cat to make sure he gets it." Stolenheart said with dignity. Fireheart looked puzzled

"Medicine cat? I thought Runningnose was your medicine cat…"

"He was our medicine cat. But our clan thought he was doing a sub-standard job. It was because of him that so many of our kits have already died from whitecough." Stolenheart said coolly. The other cats seemed stunned. Fireheart less than his patrol mates

"I'm sorry for your loss. But you are still trespassing." Fireheart said, readying for a fight.

Stolenheart smirked

"Oh am I? Have you not looked around you?" She said, stepping towards the patrol. "All the while you have been talking; I have been slowly stepping backwards. Towards the Thunderpath and ShadowClan territory." She smiled malevolently. "It is now you who is trespassing."

The ThunderClan patrol looked around, all in turn gasping. They were as Stolenheart had said, now on the Thunderpath. All three cats quickly bounded back off the path, and back into their territory. Stolenheart sauntered towards them, retrieved the catnip she had placed by the paths edge, turned and left, her tail swishing high, mocking the ThunderClan cats.