Chapter Two

"Alright, attack me" Stormfrost meowed, watching Cloudpaw standing on the other side of the clearing.

Cloudpaw bounded toward Stormfrost. The older tom ran to meet him head on but Cloudpaw leapt to the side and butted his flank against Stormfrost's flank. Stormfrost slid in the sand and scrambled to keep his balance as Cloudpaw continued attacking. The white apprentice slipped under his mentor and tangled his paws. Stormfrost felt heavily and grunted. For a few moments the two wrestled before they broke apart, Stormfrost panting heavily.

"How was that?" Cloudpaw asked.

"Just…fine" Stormfrost panted. His longer pelt was covered in sand.

"Are you okay?" Cloudpaw asked, pacing closer.

Stormfrost leapt on his apprentice and pinned him down. "Yes, I'm fine" Stormfrost meowed playfully, "but you look like you're in a bit of a situation."

"Get off!" Cloudpaw meowed, writhing like a playing kit.

"Stormfrost!" meowed several voices.

The grey warrior looked around and saw Nightcloud following her kits into the hollow. Stormfrost let Cloudpaw get up and they shook their pelts clear of snow and sand. Cloudpaw glanced at his mentor.

"This isn't a good time Nightcloud" Stormfrost meowed. "We're in the middle of something."

"I can see that" the black queen responded lightly, sitting and curling her tail over her paws. "They shouldn't be too much trouble though. I just came to ask you something."

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Stormfrost asked politely.

"I would like you to keep an eye on my kits tonight" Nightcloud meowed. "They seem to like you and I get to go to my first Gathering in moons. I haven't been to one since two moons before I had kits!"

"Sure Nightcloud" Stormfrost meowed, dipping his head. "Is that all?"

"I believe so" Nightcloud meowed, watching her kits tumble in the snow with Cloudpaw. "How's Cloudpaw?"

"Fine" Stormfrost meowed. "When will your kits get mentors?"

"Another three moons I believe" Nightcloud meowed. "I love them to bits but I'm starting to get restless."

"Well you should enjoy the Gathering then" Stormfrost meowed. "Hawkkit, Leafkit and Tawnykit will be fine tonight."

"I hope so. It'll be their first night alone" Nightcloud meowed, sounding a bit worried for her young kits. "Palepelt and Tallheart offered to entertain them so Rainpelt could rest tonight. If you wouldn't mind just making sure they don't wonder off."

"Sure" Stormfrost meowed.

"Kits, stop it" Nightcloud meowed sharply.

Cloudpaw was writhing under the three kits, batting them with his paws as he struggled to stand up. "Help Stormfrost! I'm being overrun!" Cloudpaw called playfully.

"If you can't handle kits then I'm a hopeless mentor" Stormfrost responded.

Cloudpaw stood up and shook, sending Tawnykit and Hawkkit tumbling to the ground. "You're a great mentor Stormfrost" Cloudpaw meowed instantly, bounding back over to the older cats.

Nightcloud's eyes glittered.

"Mother can Stormfrost be my mentor?" Tawnykit asked.

"No I want him!" Leafkit mewed.

"No I do!" Hawkkit meowed.

"None of you can have him" Cloudpaw meowed. "He's my mentor."

Stormfrost flicked the white tom with his tail tip. "You can go back to camp Cloudpaw; I didn't have too much more to do for today unless you feel up to a hunt."

"I'll hunt" Cloudpaw meowed.

"Alright then, we'll hunt" Stormfrost meowed. "Go see if Squirrelfur and Amberheart would like to join us."

Cloudpaw dipped his head and bounded up the slope and back toward the ravine to find the two she-cats Stormfrost had named. Nightcloud watched her kits tumble through the snow.

"What do you think Stormfrost?" Nightcloud asked softly. "What do you think of Tawnykit and Leafkit?"

Stormfrost watched the tabby and Tawnykit chase Hawkkit in several circles before tackling him. "I can't really say Nightcloud. They don't know any better and besides, you shouldn't talk to me about them. When the time comes, talk to their mentors."

"But you saved them" Nightcloud murmured. "I'll never forget you giving me those two when they nearly joined their mother in StarClan."

"I couldn't let them die" Stormfrost murmured. "As long as they don't know, they can become loyal and faithful to ThunderClan, the way Spottedpool intended."

"But what about Ashstar?" Nightcloud asked. "It's safe in RiverClan now."

"Would you really give them up?" Stormfrost asked, eyeing the queen.

"No" Nightcloud admitted. "But still, they have RiverClan blood. There is no drop of ThunderClan blood in their veins. They aren't even half clan. We actually stole them and what if their real father wants them?"

"As far as RiverClan knows, Spottedpool's kits are dead" Stormfrost meowed shortly. "And her body is buried in ThunderClan. She had no loyalty to RiverClan after Fallenstar did that horrible thing to her. It will never be safe for her or her kits in RiverClan. I'm sure Fallenstar still has loyal cats willing to rid the clan of any hint of Spottedpool including her kits. It's Risingstar's order that the forest think her kits died in the battle."

Nightcloud gazed at him. "You speak like an elder Stormfrost, did you know that?"

"Besides" Stormfrost meowed, "There's no ThunderClan blood in my veins but I can't imagine living another life."

Nightcloud nodded and touched her tail to his shoulder as Squirrelfur and Amberheart padded into the clearing followed by Cloudpaw. Nightcloud signaled her kits and nodded to the warriors before leading them back to camp to get dry and warm.

"What was that?" Amberheart asked.

"Nightcloud is concerned about Tawnykit and Leafkit" Stormfrost mewed. "She wanted to ask me something. Don't worry; you're still the most beautiful she-cat in ThunderClan." Stormfrost licked her ears.

"Where will we be hunting?" Squirrelfur asked.

"I was thinking around Jagged Tooth, just to make sure Ashstar doesn't try anything funny."

The ginger she-cat nodded and led the way toward the River followed by Amberheart, Cloudpaw and Stormfrost.

Stormfrost shook himself as he padded into camp with a scrawny vole in his jaws. The hunt with Squirrelfur, Cloudpaw and Amberheart hadn't been very successful. Squirrelfur carried a small squirrel, Amberheart caught two mice and Cloudpaw had narrowly missed a rabbit. They left their fresh kill and Stormfrost let Cloudpaw go rest while he found Runningfoot sitting with Poppypaw. Nearby Streampaw was sharing tongues happily with Ripplefur. Since the RiverClan deputy had left his clan become loyal to ThunderClan, Streampaw had been friendly to him.

"Hi" Poppypaw meowed. "Not much luck with the hunt?"

"No" Stormfrost meowed. "Whatever we catch is so small…"

"Let me guess, most of the good prey is too fast for you?" Runningfoot teased, flexing his long limbs, perfect for catching fat rabbits and squirrels.

Stormfrost batted at Runningfoot's ears.

The three cats shared tongues, Runningfoot listening intently to Poppypaw. Stormfrost however didn't pay much attention to them. His mind began wondering into the depths of the forest. His stomach turned into a knot as he felt pain beginning to flare across his neck. Something was happening. Rootpaw's voice filled his ears, "The fallen star will fall and the rising sun shall set and new storms shall break and wash away the blood of the lost."

Stormfrost leapt to his paws, startling Runningfoot and Poppypaw. Stormfrost bounded toward the camp entrance, bounding into the forest toward the thunderpath. If someone called his name he didn't hear it. If someone was following him he didn't care. Someone was in trouble. Stormfrost could almost feel Fallenstar running behind him. He could almost hear Fallenstar vowing to kill him, vowing to rule the forest. This only made Stormfrost move faster, kicking up clouds of snow. When he reached the thunderpath he froze.

Icestorm, the wise deputy of ThunderClan was lying dead in the snow. Blood turned the snow scarlet. He neck was slashed and there were several deep gashes along his flanks and shoulders. The snow was kicked up and gouged showing a battle had taken place. Stormfrost could smell Fallenstar and looked around warily, half expecting the grey lion-like tom to jump on him and kill him.

Nothing happened.

Stormfrost ran to Icestorm, crouching beside the white tom. "Icestorm? Can you hear me?"

There was no use to his efforts. Icestorm's eyes were glazed and his body was cooling rapidly. Icestorm was dead.

"StarClan honor him" Stormfrost murmured.

"Stormfrost what's going…?" meowed a voice.

Stormfrost knew it was Risingstar and Runningfoot, startled by his sudden dash from camp as if a badger was on his paws. Stormfrost only continued to stare at Icestorm, hoping that the tom would suddenly wake up and make everything okay again but he knew that was impossible.

"Fallenstar killed him" Stormfrost choked. "I felt it."

Risingstar let out a small wail of distress at seeing her lifelong friend dead at her paws, his blood covering the snow. Runningfoot stood rooted to the spot, staring at the white deputy.

"We must take him back to camp" Risingstar murmured. "The clan must grieve for him."

Stormfrost and Runningfoot carried their deputy carefully back toward camp, both with heavy hearts. Their grief however, was nothing compared to Risingstar's. Icestorm and she had shared a long friendship through a long life. Icestorm had always offered guidance to the entire clan and had always been there with wise words of comfort and content. When they entered camp behind their leader baring Icestorm's body, there was an instant uproar. Cats yowled for answers and some let out wails of grief. Stormfrost didn't hear them. Instead he put down Icestorm near the highrock, numb disbelief spreading through him like poison.

Amberheart bounded forward and pressed her head to his shoulder, knowing no words that could comfort him. Runningfoot sat beside Poppypaw, both of them staring blankly at Icestorm.

"Cats of ThunderClan" Risingstar meowed, her voice thick with sorrow, "we must now gather to grieve for our loyal deputy, Icestorm. Icestorm is yet another cat slaughtered by Fallenstar."

"Why don't we hunt him down?" Thornheart growled, shock in his sharp green eyes. "We can't let him hunt us like prey! If Ashstar had had the guts to kill him before he banished him then this wouldn't have happened!"

"We have no fight with RiverClan" Risingstar snapped.

"Someone has to pay" Frostfoot growled, flexing her claws.

Stormfrost stood up. "Someone will pay Frostfoot. When the time comes, Fallenstar will pay for his crimes against StarClan by killing in cold blood. If Ashstar had killed him in cold blood not only would Ashstar have died but he would have sunk to Fallenstar's level and that is not the way StarClan intended things to go."

"We can't just let ourselves be hunted" Mossflower agreed but her voice was softer then Thornheart's and Frostfoot's.

"We won't" Risingstar assured her. "But Stormfrost is right, in StarClan's own time they will show us the true path we were meant to follow."

Risingstar's eyes rested briefly on Stormfrost. He knew he had dreams of StarClan but he had told no one of Rootpaw's words about a rising sun setting. Stormfrost had the haunting thought that Rootpaw meant that not only would Fallenstar die but Risingstar would also die.

"We must appoint a new deputy" meowed the black and white elder, Tallheart from where he sat beside the blind pale she-cat named Palepelt.

"Yes" Risingstar meowed. "I say these words before the body of my fallen deputy" Risingstar meowed, looking at the sky. "StarClan light my path and show me the true deputy of ThunderClan."

Silence fell over the clearing. Every cat seemed to be holding their breath as they watched a shiver pass through Risingstar's body making her ginger pelt ripple smoothly.

"The new deputy of ThunderClan has been chosen" Risingstar announced. "The new deputy chosen by StarClan is Stormfrost."

Stormfrost was frozen, staring in disbelief at Risingstar. Everyone was surprised. He was hardly a warrior and now he was deputy! Chosen by StarClan. Stormfrost wondered faintly if Rootpaw had appeared to Risingstar to guide her to choosing him. Maybe StarClan did have great things in store for him. Slowly Stormfrost stood up and touched noses with Risingstar.

"Thank you Risingstar" Stormfrost meowed. "If my path was chosen by StarClan then I must follow it."

Cheers went up at his words. Cats bounded forward to touch noses with him and meow their congratulations. Stormfrost saw Stoneheart standing nearby looking like he would burst with pride. The kittypet he had helped make into a warrior was now deputy. Stormfrost padded over to his mentor and dipped his head.

"Thank you Stoneheart" Stormfrost murmured. "I'm not sure how I'll do this. I'm hardly a warrior."

"Like you said, StarClan will light our path" Stoneheart meowed comfortingly. "You have been chosen by StarClan to speak for them and lead the clans to peace, that much I'm sure of. You speak words only StarClan could give a cat they truly approved of."

Stormfrost purred his thanks and saw Amberheart and Runningfoot still looking surprised. He padded over to them. Amberheart purred loudly and twined her tail with his, pressing her soft golden fur against his. Runningfoot still looked frozen with surprise and pure shock. Stormfrost watched his brother.

"Are you alright Runningfoot?"

"I'm fine" Runningfoot meowed, snapping himself back to reality. "Congratulations Stormfrost! Who knew you'd end up deputy?"

Breezecloud, Squirrelfur and Ripplefur came to off their congratulations as well. Stormfrost was still slightly dazed when Risingstar padded over to him. "I'll leave tomorrow's patrols with you then as well as…Icestorm's burial" she meowed.

"Right" Stormfrost meowed, nodding.

Risingstar left for her den. Greyfoot went after her.

"Okay, Squirrelfur can you and Thornheart bury Icestorm after everyone's said goodbye?" Stormfrost asked as the cats began pressing their noses to Icestorm's body.

"Of course" Squirrelfur meowed. "Don't be harsh on Thornheart. A lot of cats are older then you and get jealous when young cats become deputy."

"It's okay" Stormfrost meowed.

Stormfrost couched beside Icestorm and touched the old deputy's body. "Help me get through this" Stormfrost whispered before standing up and thinking out patrols. Stoneheart and Frostfoot volunteered to lead out the dawn and sunhigh patrols but Stormfrost needed a night patrol for the next day. Stormfrost spotted Ripplefur and signaled the tom over.

Ripplefur came without fuss. "It's hard being under the command of another cat" Ripplefur admitted. "But surprisingly you're doing fine Stormfrost."

Stormfrost nodded, thankful that Ripplefur understood the sudden shock of being named clan deputy. "Can you lead a night patrol tomorrow?"

"Sure" Ripplefur meowed. "Who should I take?"

"Mossflower and Runningfoot should be enough" Stormfrost meowed. "I was thinking of Amberheart and some of the apprentices taking care of hunting tomorrow."

"Sounds about right" Ripplefur meowed, nodding in agreement. "You're lucky Stormfrost, you have allies in your clan, friends. In RiverClan no one wanted me as deputy because I was a little more outspoken the most of the older cats would have liked."

Stormfrost flicked his tail uneasily. "Are you okay being here without Goldenpaw?"

Ripplefur's blue eyes darkened with brief grief at the reminder of her death. "I'm learning to get along" Ripplefur meowed softly. "Streampaw is a big help, so are the others. Thornheart and Frostfoot don't quite trust me yet but that's what I expected. It's just after hearing she was dead I couldn't stand staying in RiverClan. I'd seen too much of what Fallenstar could and would do to cats that crossed his path, like with what he did to Spottedpool…"

Stormfrost flicked Ripplefur's flank with his tail tip. "Go tell the others that they have night patrol before they start planning hunting and training" Stormfrost ordered. "Things will get better someday."

Ripplefur nodded and headed over to find Mossflower and Runningfoot. Stormfrost wondered over to the highrock and sat at the base, looking up at the stars. He heard cats whispering final goodbyes as Squirrelfur and Thornheart prepared to take him to his final resting place. He didn't look; he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead he kept his gaze locked on the almost-full moon. Even though he could smell Rootpaw's herb-rich scent he didn't look around. If Rootpaw was guiding Icestorm to StarClan that was fine with him. Icestorm's body was gone from camp and so was his spirit.

"Stormfrost?" Amberheart meowed softly, touching her nose to his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"It's a lot to take in" Stormfrost mumbled, still not looking away from Silverpelt. "I…I don't know if I can do it."

"Icestorm had to learn how to do it at one time" Amberheart meowed softly. "He had to learn how to control ThunderClan and make them listen. If he could do it, so can you."