I was born in an earthy hole beneath a tree. I remember the roots curving around the hole, as if they were keeping it safe. My father left before I was born, and my mother hated me.

I was the only tom in a litter of five kits. I had four sisters, one of which died before she opened her eyes. My mother blamed me for stealing all the life from my dead littermate. I was strong, handsome, and bright, and any other she-cat would be proud to have me as a son. My mother wanted all her kits to be she-kits, and she had me.

When I was three moons old, she taught me the basics of hunting and fighting, how to build shelters, and all the navigation she knew. On the day I became four moons old, she kicked me out of the den, saying she never wanted to see me again.

I followed the North Star, having no wish to stay and disobey her orders. I had never been treated right there, so I was always the least comfortable and warm, and the last to get something to eat. I travelled on through a forest, then across a river and off across a grassy field. After a few days of walking, I came across a large, rocky gorge.

I slid down the slope, and found a group of cats. They were nice to me, and wanted to train me as an apprentice. They were called SkyClan, and they told me all about four other Clans.

I was interested in the other Clans, so they told me all they knew. I learned that the four Clans were WindClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan. I followed the river, as they told me, and found a patrol of cats. They took me to a camp, and I found out that these cats were ThunderClan. I became a warrior, although I kept my rogue name.

After a few moons of being a warrior, I went out hunting at moonhigh by the RiverClan border. There, I saw a beautiful white she-cat with sparkling sky-blue eyes. She looked up at me, and I knew at once that this was the cat I was meant to be with. I could tell that she felt the same about me, from the way her eyes grew wide and an emotion seemed to rise in her. Her name was Icepool.

After that, we began meeting every night. Soon, she told me she was having kits, so we ran away together.

We had three kits. One was a curious white she-kit with blue eyes, just like Icepool, named Frostkit. One was a black and white tom with yellow eyes, named Shadowkit. The last was completely black with blue eyes, named Skykit.

We lived there for many happy moons, until our kits grew up and went away to forge lives for themselves. Icepool became lonely and sad after that. She wanted to go back to RiverClan. I went with her when she left our home.

We crossed back through the forest and took a shortcut through ThunderClan territory. That was our mistake. As we were about to cross into RiverClan territory, there was a rustle behind me.

Suddenly, a red and orange cat leaped onto Icepool and sank his teeth into her throat. I lunged forward, pulling him off her, and kicked him away. I heard him scrambling off through the foliage, but I didn't care. Icepool was trying to speak to me.

She told me to bring her body back to RiverClan and to give her love to her parents and littermates. She asked me to find our kits and tell them what had happened, as well. I told her I would, and she closed her eyes and slipped away.

I did as she asked, and brought her body to RiverClan, telling them what had happened. Then, with a heavy heart, I set out beyond WindClan territory to find our lost kits.

I found out that Shadowkit had been killed by a fox, and spent a night at his grave. Skykit had settled down in a mountain cave with a mate, and had four kits. I told her about Icepool, and she grieved for her with me, but needed to get back to her newborn kits. Frostkit had found a den far up north, where it snowed many times a year. She was sad as well, but wasn't as close to Icepool, so she got over it quickly enough.

I decided to try and settle, but it never worked out. I kept trying to stay in one place, but found myself moving after a moon or so. I was lonely, wishing I had Icepool by my side.

Soon, as I passed by the Clans, I found out about a WindClan cat called Nightwhisper, who was Icepool's sister, half RiverClan and half WindClan. I knew she would be almost just like Icepool, so I spied on her, but lost hope as soon as I found out she was having kits. She would already have had a mate.

I decided to travel to the grassy fields next to the mountains. I stayed there for a while, but after about four moons, I knew I needed to go to the forest. I had to move from the fields.

The next few days were spent preparing for the journey. When I was finally ready, I caught a mouse for the trip, and set off. By sunset, I reached the forest.

I found a clearing, carved a hollow in a tree, and settled in for the night. The next morning, I carved out the rest of the tree, found the large branches there, and wove some sticks together to make a platform. All that day, I worked on the sleeping platform, finally finishing as the sun dropped beneath the horizon. I ate a vole and settled in for the night.

The next morning, I covered the platform with moss and began marking my territory. I decided to try to stay there for at least four moons, just like in the fields. That evening, I patrolled the border closest to the Clans, and saw a small, white bundle.

At first, I thought wildly of Icepool, that she was back, but realized this cat was way too small. She still had her fluffy kit fur. As I watched, she crawled to the small, muddy pond and drank. The wind shifted, and I smelled the WindClan on her.

I attacked, thinking of an invasion, but didn't kill her because she reminded me of a younger Icepool. As I crouched there, pinning her down, I smelled Nightwhisper on her. This could be one of her kits. She had longer legs and a fluffy tail, but other than that, she looked exactly like Icepool.

I decided to care for her as if she was my own, like she was Frostkit, Shadowkit, or Skykit. Her name was Snowkit, and I decided that I needed to make sure she grew up to be her own cat, an independent and yet caring role model, just like Icepool.

I gave her a warrior name and followed her to the Clans. We stayed in WindClan and prepared to battle the foxes. I know I am old, and am willing to die to save my mate's kin.

She has grown into all I wanted, and even exceeded my expectations. Her name is Snowfall. She is all of my life, and so she must survive. If I die, so be it. This is the story of my life.