The last day autumn was here before the longest night on earth would start for Frost-clan. The still shattered clan cats watch on as the sun began to rise for the final time.

"How long will the sun stay up for?" Asked Dapplefur.

"Only for a few moments." Mewed Gorsefeather.

"Then the long twilight will begin." Onefoot mewed as the sun began to set.

"The longest night we will ever see." Mewed Dustfoot as they began to move to the heart of the thick forest.

The longest night on the land, has its dangerous results, freezing tempertures. The minus fifteen degree temperatures will freeze a thin cat on the spot and kill it instantly. However, some creatures such as the wetas can cope with the cold by allowing themselves to become frozen. During their journey, Longstripe wanted to show Dapplefur something.

"See that above us?" He mewed as the red, green, and blue lights as he and the she cat looked up.

"Yes I do." She mewed.

"Those are called the Aurora Australis, the southern lights." He responded as the lights danced across the very dark sky giving it life to look like it was being controlled.

"It looks so perfect." Dapplefur responded.

"Just like you." Longstripe mewed as he gently licked the she's cheek. "You were the first cat I've met and Onefoot's training has made you the way you are."

"Thanks." Dapplefur mewed. "I wish Muttaburra was still here to see this." She mewed talking about her other friend.

"Yet he and his caravan will eat out the heart of the forest. Maybe next summer you tell him." Longstripe mewed as Specklepelt padded up and said.

"I hate to break your romance of your ship in this fanfic, but we need to get moving if you want to freeze your pelts off." She mewed as the two cats decided to follow her back into the undergrowth. Above the sky, the southern lights continued to whip and flicker of the dark and silent forest.

Two days later and it was pitching black. But their large eyes can see the light from the moon and distinguish objects around them. Frost-clan was still active but this year the ground was frozen solid and it was hard to scrape a living from the soil.

"I think we're lost. Dustfoot mewed as he looked at the frozen pond tapping it lightly with his paw.

"The lake must be frozen solid this year." Fireleaf mewed as she gave the pond a tap scraping up some of the ice. It was clear the Borealis Alligator was deep in hibernation to even care.

"How long does this last for?" Asked Dapplefur.

"Not for too long." Lynxpelt mewed as he was trying to remember the way to the heart of the thick forest.

"Looks like we're going to freeze out here." Fernleaf mewed with hopelessness.

"We can never give up hope; it has to be there somewhere." Lynxpelt mewed. "Dapplefur, the clan rests with you, you." He mewed sarcastically.

"Well that was the most inspiring yet most clichéd thing he said in this entire fanfic. And he had stolen my sarcastic manners." Fireleaf said annoyed that an elder was trying to take her personality.

"Well it's not like Rosepetal will get her paycheck anytime soon." Mewed Longstripe.

"Well there goes a way to ruin a running joke." Mewed Tigerfoot.

"Well Longstripe's only got one stripe. We should have named him Onestripe. Gorsefeather mewed.

"That wasn't nice." Onefoot mewed.

"Quiet!" Dapplefur shouted. "We need to get a move on or we'll freeze to death." She shouted as she tried to tell them that their fighting was going nowhere.

"But how we do not know the correct route to the heart of this forest." Fernleaf mewed.

All of the sudden, a spirit of a white cat with dark blue eyes floats down from the Aurora Australis and begins to talk to Dapplefur.

"Froststar is that you?" She mewed.

"Yes it is me." Froststar's spirit mewed.

"How do we get to heart of this thick forest? We're lost." Dapplefur mewed.

"I know the way there, follow me." She mewed as she began to lead the tan she-cat with black bands around her.

"Okay everyone follow me." Dapplefur mewed to the angry cats and they followed her.

Dapplefur knew she had to save her clan from the cold, but without a leader to organize on what to do, she knew it was her turn to lead because the fate of her clan hangs in the balance. They push deeper into the forest.

When they reached to the heart of the thick forest, many other clans have congregated here to where this area would rarely freeze over. And Frost-clan knew they had to keep active to maintain their body temperature. All the cats have made it through seeing that the cold winter wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"So we stay here until spring comes." Said Longstripe licking the she cat's cheek again.

"Really?" Asked Dapplepaw.

"Yes, this area rarely freezes so it's a perfect place for the clans to gather for the winter." Longstripe mewed to her as they all settled down as they began to wait.

It has been two months with no light and another cold snap forces Frost-clan to take action. They learned as a group they huddle together and drift into a state of sleep. In their suspended movements, their bodies could resist the effects of the cold, but they couldn't stay like this for more than a couple of days.