I have a big update: for those of you that don't already know, this story now has a blog! I decided to rewrite the first book on tumblr, because I wanted to put a lot more of my own worldbuilding into it and improve on my old writing. For now, I'm not planning on cancelling this story, but it's likely it won't be finished on here and that the story will continue instead from the blog. There will probably be more updates here for now. If you'd like to check it out, it's on tumblr as warriors-fireandwater!

Additionally, though, this and all other writing is going to be on hold, as I'm starting a new story for NanoWrimo. If you've never heard of it, it's where writers try to write a 50,000 word story just in the month of November. It's going to be a murder mystery that I'll be publishing shortly, so it would be awesome if you took a look at that too!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and to everyone who's followed/favorited this story! I hope y'all will enjoy the new version just as much.

Fireheart followed his Clanmates down the slope into Fourtrees. The night was cold, the coldest he'd ever felt, and he wondered how much longer it would be until snow fell.

From the looks of it, only ShadowClan had arrived to the Gathering so far. Russetstar was sitting at the foot of the Great Rock, speaking quietly with Tallpoppy, and the ShadowClan warriors were spread around the clearing. Grassfoot and Mosspelt had stayed home tonight, so he padded into the clearing with Silverthorn. Even though the tabby had snapped at him on their last patrol, they'd been keeping their shaky peace. Silverthorn was just on edge as before, though—even though Crookedstar had said he'd reached a decision a quarter-moon ago, he had wanted to wait until after the next Gathering to announce his plans.

"Biding his time," Silverthorn had remarked, irritably. "Probably just tired of arguing with everyone!"

But the tabby didn't say anything as they padded to the middle of clearing and looked around for familiar cats. After a moment, Silverthorn flicked his tail. "I'm going to talk to Ratscar and Wetfoot," he said. "You can come, I guess, but they don't like you very much."

Fireheart rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. There's a couple ShadowClan cats I wouldn't mind saying hello to." He wasn't lying—he missed Snowbird, even with how much of a nuisance she had been, and he was curious to see how Cedarpaw and Flintfang were doing. He hadn't seen either cats since the last battle, and had never thought to ask Snowbird about them.

"Fireheart!" a familiar, overzealous yowl rang out. "Oh, you did end up coming!"

Fireheart couldn't help but smile as he turned around to see Snowbird racing up to him. She gave him a friendly bump on the shoulder with her head as she stopped and let out a loud purr. Although she was still small and young to be a warrior, she had grown since Fireheart had seen her last. "You're starting to fill those paws," he chuckled. "How are you?"

"Great!" she meowed, eyes bright. "Everyone's been real nice ever since I came back. They love hearing about it. Ratscar was even a little less grumpy than usual when I got home." Snowbird let out a quiet sigh. "I still have to do some apprentice tasks, since I got made a warrior really early, but there's some new apprentices that are fun to hang out with." She straightened up and twitched her whiskers. "Do you think Bluefur will come? She was kind of grumpy, too, but I'd like to see her!"

Still talkative as ever, Fireheart thought. "Maybe," he replied, as he sat down. He remembered Cedarpaw and Flintfang, and glanced back at Snowbird. "Hey, there's a cat named Cedarpaw in your Clan, right? How is he?"

"Oh!" Snowbird looked around the clearing for a moment, before she nodded towards a small group of young ShadowClan cats. "He's over there with the other apprentices. He used to talk about you all the time. He thinks you're really cool."

Really? Fireheart purred quietly. He followed her gaze and watched for a moment before he spotted the young tom pouncing on a Clanmate's tail. He chuckled. "Well, I'm glad he's doing good too. I saved him from a battle once, you know."

"I do know!" Snowbird meowed. "Because it was all he would talk about for a moon afterwards!"

The pair talked about things of unimportance for another minute before ThunderClan appeared over the slope. Fireheart paused and looked up at them, eyes narrowed. Thistlestar stared down at the clearing for a heartbeat before he started down the hillside. A few warriors walked close to him, but many of the others ran down the slope to join the Gathering.

There was a clear change in the air as soon as they arrived, and both Fireheart and Snowbird noticed it. Nearby RiverClanners bristled and hissed, and the air was thick with tension and the scent of their anger.

"What's got your Clanmates' tails in a twist?" Snowbird whispered.

"ThunderClan has killed two of our warriors in the past moon," Fireheart growled. He couldn't resist the feeling of anger burning in his chest. Whiteclaw's death was an accident, but he had heard over and over about what they had done to Frogleap's body. "The first they threw in the river so it would be harder to find the body."

Snowbird stiffened, before she shrank back. She looked fearfully at a ThunderClan cat as they passed by, seemingly oblivious to the tension. "That's terrible," she murmured. "Sounds like something Brokenstar would do."

Yes, Fireheart thought coldly. It does. His gaze followed Thistlestar as the tom padded to the Great Rock and joined the leaders there. Crookedstar's cool expression betrayed nothing. What is he thinking? Fireheart wondered.

He tore his gaze away to see who else had come. There was Mistyfoot and Stonefur, Mousefur, Darkstripe, Tigerclaw, of course, a couple new apprentices… and then came Ravenpaw and Sandbird, at the back of the group.

Ravenpaw seemed to have caught his gaze, for he nudged Sandbird and then pointedly stared at Fireheart. Sandbird turned to stare at him oddly.

Fireheart shuffled his paws. Is she going to come over or just stand there like that?

She continued to stare for a few moments before she shook herself and padded towards Fireheart. Ravenpaw followed, looking confused.

Fireheart smiled as the pair approached. "So Tigerclaw didn't claw out your whiskers for almost falling off the gorge?" he asked, teasingly.

Sandbird glared, and he swallowed back a laugh. What's her deal?

Ravenpaw coughed awkwardly. "Hey, Fireheart. Didn't you save Sandbird from that?"

Snowbird looked at him, eyes narrowed. "What?" she demanded. "You did another cool thing and didn't tell me?"

"It kind of happened when my other Clanmate got killed," Fireheart muttered, and Snowbird flattened her ears as she turned to glare right back at Sandbird.

"What?" Sandbird demanded as she stared at the younger she-cat. "I didn't do it, and Ravenflight is a medicine cat. Save your anger for someone else." She turned her fierce look back to Fireheart. "Filling an apprentice's head with lies, huh?"

Fireheart ignored the jab and glanced at Ravenflight. "Ravenflight, huh?" he asked. "So you're a full medicine cat now? Congratulations."

Ravenflight didn't seem excited. "I kind of didn't have much of a choice," he muttered. "Seeing as our Clans aren't exactly getting along right now."

"And I'm not an apprentice!" Snowbird piped up. "I'll have you know I'm a warrior! A ShadowClan warrior!"

Ravenflight made an attempt to smile at her, but Sandbird and Fireheart both ignored her. "What?" Fireheart demanded. "Did I put a toad in your nest and forget about it?"

"You might as well have!" Sandbird burst out. "You're such a stupid furball. I don't even know why I came over here."

Ravenflight whispered loudly, "You said, and I quote, you wanted to 'rip his whiskers out'."

"Shut up, Ravenflight," Sandbird growled.

"You always talk like that to your medicine cat?" Fireheart shot back. "Yellowfang and Mudfur would have your whiskers for that."

"Who cares what that flat-face thinks?" Sandbird spat. "She couldn't even teach her other apprentice to cure a cold."

"Hey, now…" Ravenflight tried, weakly. Snowbird just looked back and forth between the two.

"Seems like ThunderClan just doesn't teach respect to their warriors," Fireheart growled. "But I guess that's not surprising, seeing as what you lot did to my Clanmate's corpse after slaughtering him."

Sandbird parted her jaws to reply, but no words came out. For a heartbeat, her claws slid out, but she sheathed them again and snapped her jaws shut.

"I think we should go," Ravenflight mumbled. "S-sorry about this."

Sandbird turned away and Ravenflight followed her across the clearing. She paused, said something to Ravenflight, and whipped back around. She hurried back to Fireheart, and for a heartbeat, he thought she would attack him. "You know what?" she hissed. Her voice fell to hardly above a whisper. "You want to hear about my side of things? Stay behind after the Gathering and I'll tell you exactly what it's like living with that leader." She turned around and raced back to Ravenflight.

What? Fireheart blinked, confused.

"That was weird," Snowbird whispered. "Are you going to?"

"Of course not," Fireheart quickly replied. That was against the warrior code—he thought, at least. He wasn't actually sure. The code said that he could have friends outside his Clan, but what were the rules about meeting them in a technically neutral territory? Great StarClan, why must Clan rules and politics be so confusing? He shook his head. Sandbird was Clanborn, so she wouldn't propose that unless it was okay. Right?

Before Snowbird could reply, a yowl from the Great Rock cuts through the air, and conversations drop. He hadn't even noticed WindClan arrive during his bickering with Sandbird.

Russetstar dipped her head to Tallstar. "Would you like to speak first?" she offered. "It has been moons since we've had WindClan present."

Tallstar's eyes narrowed in the slightest. "Yes," he says, smoothly. "It has been many moons since my Clan was chased from the territories."

Russetstar didn't flinch, however, and simply stared back evenly.

Tallstar wrapped his long tail around his paws. He twitched an ear before he spoke. "WindClan has returned to our rightful place on the moor," he says, voice cool. He betrays no anger, but Fireheart can't help but wonder if he feels it. We might have all brought them back, but it must be hard to sit in peace with ShadowClan after what happened. "I am aware that other Clans hunted on our lands in our absence. While I understand why this happened, such intrusion will not be tolerated by my warriors any longer. Our Clan has been able to regain our strength since our return."

Fireheart narrowed his eyes curiously. He's being very specific about their strength. I understand it, but has something happened?

Russetstar seemed to notice the same thing, and she cut in sharply. "Pardon me if I misunderstand, but you seem to imply 'such intrusions' have continued."

Tallstar gazed steadily at her. "My patrols have been scenting ShadowClan at the edge of our territory," he said, voice dark. "It makes me wonder why ShadowClan would agree to bring us back only to trespass on our land."

"Clearly," Russetstar growls, "You were not told that it was my wish to bring you home. I had to persuade the other leaders. You must have forgotten ShadowClan scent in your absence, Tallstar, because my warriors stick to the Code."

"My Clan seems to recall differently," Tallstar snaps. "Some of us still bear the scars of the attack used to chase us out."

"Please…" Crookedstar sighed. "Let's move on."

Russetstar lashed her tail. "I will not have my warriors accused of trespassing!"

Tallpoppy stood. "Our Clan only followed Brokenstar because we had to!" she shouted. "We banished those who truly followed his ways!"

Growls began to rise from the ShadowClan cats. Fireheart glanced down at Snowbird, who looked angry, but was quiet. "Has anything happened?" he asked.

"Of course not!" she hissed, keeping her voice low. "I don't know why Tallstar is lying."

"Excuse me," Thistlestar meowed, slowly. "If I may. Perhaps, Russetstar, you do not have as good a hold on your cats as you think."

Russetstar turned her furious gaze to the massive tom. "What?"

Tigerclaw stared up at her from his place at the foot of the stone. "We have been scenting ShadowClan cats as well," he growled.

"My warriors have not trespassed!" Russetstar snarled, bristling with fury. "I will not have lies spread about my Clan!"

Thistlestar seemed unfazed, and even lifted a paw to draw his tongue over it. "We know your cats have been crossing the borders. Dare you accuse my noble warriors of lying?"

It was ThunderClan's turn to yowl their protests. Crookedstar stood, frowning. "Everyone!" he tried to call. "Please, we must maintain the peace!"

Suddenly, the clearing was plunged into darkness. Fireheart bristled fearfully, utterly surprised and confused. What's happening? He leaned back to stare at the sky. Dark clouds, seemingly out of nowhere, had shrouded the moon and the stars.

"It's a sign!" A ThunderClan elder wailed.

"StarClan is angry!" he heard Graypool cry. "The peace has been broken!"

Crookedstar cast Russetstar and Tallstar a furious look. "Your fighting has brought this Gathering to an early end," he spat. "By the will of StarClan, this meeting is over!"

I don't understand! Fireheart thought. StarClan covered the moon?

Tallstar leaped down from the Great Rock without another word. Russetstar stared down furiously after him, before she climbed down the opposite way. Thistlestar sat there the longest, completely unfazed, before he neatly jumped down and flicked his tail for Tigerclaw to follow.

"I have to go," Snowbird murmured. Even she was sobered by the dark clouds overhead.

"See you," Fireheart replied, still keeping a wary on the sky above. Though his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, the clouds unnerved him. They had appeared out of nowhere and seemed not to be leaving.

He padded towards his Clanmates, but hesitated. Fireheart recalled Sandbird's request. What do I do? he wondered. I can't just tell them all I'm going hang back and catch up with a cat from an enemy Clan.

Fireheart looked over his shoulder to where the ThunderClan cats were grouping together. Sandbird stood at the edge of the group, staring pointedly at him. If I don't stay, it'll eat at me for a while, he reckoned. I'll make up an excuse and double back. Hopefully she doesn't think I left for good.

"Come along," Crookedstar growled. "We might as well get home as soon as we can." He led the way towards the slope, back the way they'd first come.

Fireheart followed, keeping to the back of the patrol. The cat closest to him was Sunfish, so he picked up his pace for a moment to walk beside her. "I'm going to make dirt," he told her. "I'll catch up. Just didn't want anyone to think I'd gone missing."

Sunfish nodded and yawned. "Alright. See you."

Fireheart nodded to her and slowed to a halt, until his Clanmates were far head. He turned around and walked as quickly as he could without running, and was soon back at the clearing. It was empty now—the cats had left as fast as possible. He walked to the center of the clearing, feeling out of place in the gathering place. It was almost eerie when it wasn't full of cats, especially so with the moon still covered by thick clouds. He sat down and watched the slope that headed towards ThunderClan. Is she coming back?

A few more minutes went by. Eventually, Sandbird's ginger pelt appeared at the top of the slope. She did!

As she hurried back down the slope, he stood and called, "I thought you weren't going to come back!"

"Be quiet!" Sandbird hissed. "There might be cats still near."

Fireheart heaved a loud sigh and sat down again. "Alright. What did you want to talk about?"

Sandbird sat down a fox-length away. He still sense a wave of anger from her, but he didn't understand why she was so moody. After a moment, she answered. "Why are you telling cats we murdered Whiteclaw?"

Fireheart narrowed his eyes. "Because ThunderClan did!"

"No, we didn't!" she shot back. "It was an accident and you know it. An accident that wouldn't have happened if your patrol hadn't attacked Bluefur."

Fireheart flattened his ears. She was right, but now she was acting like it was his fault! "I was with Bluefur!" he protested. "I tried to stop Leopardfur."

"Wow," Sandbird said, a thick note of sarcasm in her voice. "It's almost like it was a complex situation where the blame doesn't fall neatly on one cat—or Clan!"

"Well!" Fireheart tried, lamely. "She wouldn't have attacked if your Clanmates didn't kill Frogleap!"

It was Sandbird's turn to flatten her ears. "No cat wanted that to happen," she said, tone softening. "We all wanted to let you collect his body. Thistlestar forced a warrior to dump his body in the river."

It made sense, but it didn't make Fireheart feel any better. I doubt my Clanmates would be eased, either. "That changes nothing," he meowed. His tone wasn't as hard, either, but he wasn't relenting. "Frogleap had family. They're still grieving for him."

"Oh, mouse-dung!" Sandbird swore, harshly. "Every cat has family. You think I haven't lost family? I told you that I lost my father. Spottedleaf was family, too. Do you know how many cats ThunderClan has lost to RiverClan over the last few seasons? To ShadowClan? Yours isn't the only to suffer."

Fireheart didn't have a retort. He lowered his gaze and sighed again, softly. "Why?" he asked, after a moment. "Why does there have to be so much fighting? Why do so many cats have to die for pride and honor and strips of land?" The answer had eluded him since he'd first heard of the Clans. He understood that it could be necessary, like with Brokenstar, but sometimes it felt so senseless.

Sandbird stared hard at him. "It's more than just pride and honor and 'strips of land'," she meowed. "We fight for survival. So that our kits have a better chance for an easier life than we had. So they can grow old and have kits of their own. So the Clans can continue for generations to come!" she spoke passionately, and Fireheart felt a prick of guilt. "And yeah, some of it is for honor. What's a warrior without it? It's why we live by the Code! StarClan, Fireheart, I know you aren't Clanborn, but you can't be foolish enough to think territory is just useless pieces of land."

Fireheart felt himself deflate. Any last will to argue was gone. "I guess I hadn't thought about all that," he replied. "It's just… I don't know. There's so much loss for all of it."

Sandbird nodded. "I know. But it's how we live, even if we don't like it. ThunderClan doesn't exactly have such a bloodthirst like you probably think we do. There are cats that do, but not Clans."

"Like Thistlestar?"

Sandbird sighed. "Yeah." She stared up at the sky. An almost sorrowful look was on her face. "Like him."

Fireheart shuffled his paws. The cold was beginning to gnaw painfully at his paws. "Maybe we should go home," he said. "It's freezing."

Sandbird nodded. "We should. It's not… we just shouldn't be here in the first place. But it was… nice to talk." She stood and started to turn.

Without thinking, Fireheart quickly stood. "Wait!" he exclaimed. "Can't we just meet again?"

Sandbird looked back at him, eyes wide. "What?"

"Well…" Fireheart looked down. "It was good to talk to you. I like talking to you when you aren't just trying to rip out my whiskers. Why can't we talk more?"

Sandbird quickly shook her head. "No, we can't—"

"Why not?" Fireheart asked. "Cats can have friends outside their Clan. Talking won't hurt anyone. It's not like we're stealing prey or anything."

Sandbird stared at him for a long moment. She quickly looked back ahead and he watched her shoulders rise and fall as she took a breath and sighed. "Fine. I'll meet you at Sunningrocks tomorrow night."

Fireheart grinned. "Okay!"

He turned away and quickly hurried back to the slope towards RiverClan.

The following morning brought the first snow of Leaf-bare.

Fireheart awoke to see the white flakes falling silently through the mouth of the den. The den was warm with the bulk of bodies, but he could feel the cold air blowing in. He lifted his head curiously, but tucked his paws underneath him.

Heavystep was already awake beside him, watching the snow fall. He purred quietly and glanced at Fireheart. "You ever seen snow?"

"When I was a kit," he replied. "But I hardly remember it."

"Everything changes," Heavystep meowed. "Leaf-bare is so… quiet."

"Not with you two talking," Vixenfrost grumbled. She lifted her chin from where she was curled up with Shadepelt. "Is it dawn already?"

"Past dawn," muttered Loudbelly, without opening his eyes. "The patrol already left."

"Ugh," groaned Silverthorn. "Must everyone talk in the den while the rest of us are trying to sleep?"

Blackclaw, who had one of the center nests, raised his head and growled. "You youngsters are the ones talking. Get out and do something if you're so awake."

Fireheart prodded Grassfoot, who had a nest beside him. "Come on, lazy lump," he meowed. "Let's go fishing."

Grassfoot kicked him softly and rolled over. "Don't wanna," he mumbled. "Tired."

"You didn't even go to the Gathering," Silverthorn said, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. I'll go. Come on, Heavystep. These dormice can sleep in while we hunt."

"Hey!" Petaldust retorted, opening an eye. "Watch your mouth, Silverthorn. This dormouse won't hesitate to get up and box you over the ears."

"You'd have to get out of your nest for that!" Silverthorn shot back, but he hurriedly scrambled to his paws and left the den.

Fireheart and Heavystep laughed quietly before they got up and followed him. Beetlenose's soft snort could still be heard as they left. "The young warriors are noisy as apprentices, I swear!"

"Running from Petaldust, huh?" Heavystep teased. "Scared of her, Silverthorn?"

"I'm not scared," Silverthorn meowed. "But she would get up and box any cat over the ears, and you know it!"

Outside, it was much colder, and as Heavystep said, it was very quiet. There was no birdsong, no rustle of leaves. They could only hear the quiet flow of the river. The snow wasn't thick, hardly even a mouse-length deep, and the toms' paws crunched on it as they walked.

Crookedstar was sitting outside his den, Graypool beside him. The two old cats were looking up at the sky, but both averted their attention to the three warriors as they passed.

"Going hunting?" the leader meowed.

Heavystep dipped his head respectfully. "Yup. We're fishing. Hopefully the river isn't too cold for the fish."

"Well, good luck," Crookedstar purred. Graypool twitched her whiskers as though amused and nodded in agreement, but said nothing.

They went on, and passed through the reeds to get to the shore. "I'll go a bit downstream," Heavystep meowed.

Silverthorn flicked an ear in acknowledgement. The silver tom padded up to the water's edge and sat down. Fireheart wordlessly padded away, heading a few fox-lengths upstream to find a spot to sit. He gazed out across the river to Sunningrocks, and for a moment, he straightened up, feeling a little rush of excitement. He'd meet Sandbird there later tonight. It'll be nice to talk to her without fighting about something, he thought.

The toms had sat there for ages, waiting for fish, before Silverthorn finally let out a loud groan. "This is useless! It's almost sun-high, and we don't have anything."

Fireheart shook his head. "I haven't seen so much as a minnow!"

The reeds behind them rustled, and Leopardfur padded out. "I was wondering when you three would realize that you aren't going to catch anything."

"What?" Silverthorn demanded. "Have you been watching us like apprentices?"

Leopardfur snorted. "All of the senior warriors have been laughing since you left. Anyone who's lived through a Leaf-bare as a warrior knows fish all stay at the bottom of the river."

"No one told us," Fireheart muttered.

Heavystep padded up from his spot, looking confused. "What's going on now?"

"The fish are all at the bottom of the river and everyone thought it would be hilarious to let us waste the morning sitting here!" Silverthorn meowed loudly, clearly trying to restrain himself from yowling at his deputy.

Leopardfur smiled in the slightest—it was a rare sight. "If you want to catch fish, you'll have to dive in. Though I'm sure Beetlenose and Blackclaw will stop laughing if you come back with fresh-kill."

Heavystep growled. "I'm pushing Blackclaw in the river the next time I patrol with him!"

Silverthorn stared back at the river, a deep scowl on his face. "Well, I'm going to catch a fish and leave it in his nest!"

"Suit yourself," Heavystep muttered. "If everyone else is going to just sleep the day away, so am I!" He padded past Leopardfur, back into camp.

"Good luck," Leopardfur chuckled, before she turned away and followed Heavystep.

"Well?" Silverthorn demanded. "What are you going to do, Fireheart?"

Fireheart frowned. He didn't much like the idea of jumping in the river when it was this cold, but if meant shutting up two of the most agonizing warriors in the Clan, perhaps it would be worth it. "I'd like to wipe the smug looks off their faces," he replied, with a flick of his tail.

Silverthorn smirked. "Finally something we can agree on."

Both toms stared at the water, neither eager to be the first to head in. After a few moments passed, Silverthorn twitched his whiskers and sighed. "Well, let's get it over with."

The two toms trudged into the river. The chill gripped at Fireheart immediately, but he gritted his teeth and continued in until he was up to his neck in water. Silverthorn was the first to dive quietly under the water. Fireheart took a breath before he ducked his head under and pushed himself forward into deeper water. He forced his eyes open, despite the freezing water, to try and spot a fish. Silverthorn was already swimming down towards the bottom of the center of the river, and Fireheart followed, veering off slightly to follow the current. As he went deeper, he did spot a few scattered fish very close to the bottom. Though they seemed alive, they hardly moved any more than to hold themselves in place against the current. He surfaced once, taking in another breath, before he plunged under again.

Although the water was painfully cold, it was surprisingly easy to catch the docile fish. He only snatched up one large trout before returning to the shore to shake himself a bit drier and finish off the fish. Silverthorn took only a bit longer to return.

When Silverthorn had killed his catch, he dropped it at his paws. "Th-th-that'll sh-show them," he muttered out between shivers.

Fireheart found that he was trembling from the cold as well. "B-B-Blackclaw and B-Beetlenose a-are g-g-going to b-be s-s-so sh-shocked."

"I'm f-f-freezing," Silverthorn stuttered. "C-come on. I-I n-need to g-get dry."

Fireheart didn't reply. He simply picked up his catch and slowly followed Silverthorn back through the reeds. On one hand, he'd caught the fish, but on the other, he felt like his paws were about to go completely numb.

The Clan was only slightly more active than before they'd left. Reedtail and Shadepelt were talking quietly to Leopardfur outside the warriors' den, and Blackclaw was eating a piece of fresh-kill, but other than them, camp was still quiet.

"There's Blackclaw," Silverthorn growled around his mouthful of fish. He flicked his tail in irritation and led the way towards the warrior. The two toms padded over, and the older warrior glanced up before smirking.

"How was fishing?" Blackclaw chuckled.

Silverthorn practically threw the fish at him as he flung it to the ground. "Fantastic," he spat. "We figured we'd let you know how much of a great time we had, since we heard you just couldn't get over how hilarious it was that two of the most inexperienced warriors were the only ones up and providing for the Clan in Leaf-bare."

Fireheart could hardly resist laughing as Blackclaw's smile turned into a scowl. Silverthorn shook out his wet pelt again before going on. "I sure hope you rested those old bones well while we caught food for Graypool and the queens."

Fireheart dropped his catch and nodded along with him. It was impossible to not join in—he didn't think of himself as a petty cat, but Blackclaw had been one of his longest tormentors, and he finally had something to rub in his face. "It must be hard to be one of the most senior warriors in the Clan," he added. "At least you can rest easy knowing us youngsters are able to do the hard work."

Blackclaw sat up fully and curled his lip. "Remember who you're speaking to," he growled.

"Oh, I certainly do, old-timer," Silverthorn meowed, with a mocking dip of his head. "Don't worry yourself too much if you can't get up tomorrow, either! I've heard plenty from Graypool about how aching bones are such a pain. We're plenty able to catch fish for the Clan while you rest up in the cozy den."

Fireheart nodded again. "Oh, yes," he said. "No need to worry about keeping your strength up when there's plenty of young warriors to hunt for the Clan in the freezing cold."

Blackclaw let out a snarl, and Fireheart almost thought he would strike out at one of them. The smoky tom gritted his teeth before he whipped around and stalked towards Crookedstar's den.

As he disappeared inside, Silverthorn burst out laughing. "Hah! Did you see his face? He won't be laughing at us again anytime soon." He smirked. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Fireheart grinned for a moment. It did feel good to finally show up Blackclaw. But he quickly frowned as he stared at Crookedstar's den. "He's gone off to complain to Crookedstar, though."

"Ah, let him," Silverthorn said with a shrug. "What, is Crookedstar going to punish us for getting up before every other cat in the Clan and hunting? Yeah, right. Blackclaw is just going to make himself look like an even bigger fool."

I guess he's right. Fireheart looked down at his catch. "I'll take this to Mallowtail and Skyheart."

"Alright. I'm going back to the den. I'm freezing!" Silverthorn picked up his catch and padded towards the pile.

Fireheart watched him go. That wasn't so bad, he thought, before shivering again. But I am freezing. I'm getting back to my nest after I feed them too!