Prologue

The new moon shone no light on the ShadowClan camp as the last patrol of the day returned from the forest. A chilled breeze ruffled the pelts of the three cats, as they came crossing the clearing to report to Beatenpath. He had yet to go to Mothermouth, but it was a new moon, and the moon had to be present to travel. The three cats stopped outside the leader's den, and one went inside, allowing the other two to leave. Once dismissed, the black warrior turned to go back to the warriors' den, and the brown pelted warrior followed behind him. Seizing the opportunity, a white she-cat intercepted the black tom at the head. Taken by surprise, he straightened up, raising his tail. The white she-cat's blue eyes gleamed in the low light as she greeted him, "Hello Wolfsong!"

The tom gave a small smile and returned the greeting, "Hello Icepool." He then turned to the brown warrior and nodded, "You can go ahead into the den. I'll be in to discuss the rogues with you in a moment."

The head of the brown tom nodded and turned around, heading back into the den. Icepool gazed up at Wolfsong and purred, "How did the patrol go? What's this I hear about rogues?"

Wolfsong shook his head, "Nothing I can't handle. It's just some rogues thinking they can set paw on our territory."

Icepool flicked her tail, "Oh come on, and I'm a warrior, too! What's going on?"

Yellow eyes turned on blue as Wolfsong spoke, "I told you, it's just a rogue problem. Don't worry about it."

The white she-cat was taken aback, but she just nodded and replied, "Okay… if you say so…"

Wolfsong dismissed her reaction with a flick of his tail, and then continued, "Besides, by the looks of it, they'd easily rip your throat out. Your skills don't match theirs entirely."

Icepool was stunned by the tom's words, and she flattened her ears to her head, "Who gave you crowfood this morning?"

"Well…" The black tom meowed, thinking, "You were on the dawn patrol," he accused.

The white she-cat lashed her tail, "Cut it out, mousebrain! Freshly caught food isn't crowfood! You just have bad eyesight!"

The tom chucked, then purred at Icepool, "Oh? So is that why I asked you to be my mate?"

Speechless, the white she-cat glared at Wolfsong. She groped for words, and then growled softly, "Must've been my mistake to agree…"

Wolfsong smirked and raised an eyebrow at his mate, "Oh? So that's where this conversation is going, isn't it?"

Icepool was silent for a moment, and then meowed with an edge to her voice, "No one's making you stay…"

The black tom's expression darkened in the already-black light, his yellow eyes burning in the freezing leaf-fall air, "Then I hope you're happy." And with that, he started to around to head back into the warriors' den.

The white she-cat sighed heavily, "Wolfsong…" She began as he was turning around, "I'm expecting your kits." She stated bluntly.

A look of surprise flashed across his face, but then he shook his head, "They're not my kits. Not anymore." And he turned his back rudely on Icepool, heading into the warriors' den.

Blue eyes fell to the floor as Icepool looked at her paws. She passed the warriors' den on her way to the nursery, and she heard a soft-spoken discussion about rogues crossing the border. She snarled silently to herself as she entered the nursery, and then collapsed to the floor. Flattening her ears, she curled up tight to try and get the best sleep she possibly could.