"We're here," Lillyfur mewed. Coal stared into the dark raging river, the water almost black in the darkness. Coal gave a nervous glance at the water.

"I'm swimming across that right now?" He said in a hushed voice.

"Yes, now!" Lillyfur meowed urgently. Coal stared at the water, and put one paw in. The icy water sent a chill up his spine as he put his other forepaw into the dark waters. He carefully picked his way through the torrent, icy water had crept up to his belly fur as he waded through the water. He had gotten halfway across the river. The rocks slowly slid away from his feet, tearing him off his feet. The current dragged him into the depths. He thrashed around, fighting to get to the top. Lillyfur plunged in after him, snapping at his scruff. Coal tried to let out a wail, his lungs screamed for air, but the water was too fast. Lillyfur grabbed him by his tail, he held back a squeal as she jerked her head and forced him to the surface. Coal took a large gasp for air, then scrambled to the muddy shore, Lillyfur slithered out just after him.

"B-brr!" He said as he shivered violently. Lillyfur just stared at him, her fur dripping.

"Good luck Coal," She mewed with a dip of her head. Coal nodded and dashed off, running so he could heat up quickly. Sleepiness seeped into his bones like water in his fur. He paused under a sycamore tree, resting his paws in the cold mud. He then darted off, his black fur melting in with the shadows.

"Coal!" A voice hissed. Coal spun around, but no one was there. He looked closely.

"Who are you?" He hissed.

"It's me! Cocoapaw!" The voice hissed. Coal spun around again, he narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"Where are you?" He hissed.

"Here!" Cocoapaw mewed and bounced to her feet, her brown fur had blended in with the muddy ground. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"Oh, hey Cocoapaw," Coal meowed and shivered.

"You look half drowned!" Cocoapw growled. She sniffed the air slightly. "You were in RiverClan. . ." She mewed. "Did they capture you?"

"No! No! They saved me from drowning, but to get back I had to cross that river," He explained. Cocoapaw nodded.

"They sent you off this late at night? What monsters!" She growled. Cocoapaw sank her claws into the mud.

"They were quite nice," Coal said quickly. Cocoapaw looked at him with disbelief.

"They were nice?" She whispered. "I'll believe that when Mistysnow stops using deathberries to threaten everyone!"

"Haha she'll never do that!" Coal mewed with an amused purr. Cocoapaw nodded in agreement.

"I had better get going. . ." Cocoapaw meowed.

"Me too," Coal said with a nod. Cocoapaw nodded and bounded off. Coal padded off towards his house. A twig snapped off in the distance, startling Coal. He looked around, carefully examining the ground as he crouched lower, hiding behind a small patch of grass. He watched as a brown she-cat stalked along the mud, headed to the RiverClan side. Wait! Who is that? He wanted to growl. A smaller tortoiseshell cat was following her. His wide green eyes darting from side to side, soaking in everything he was seeing. Wait! That's Hazelstorm! And that must be. . .Toadkit? Coal thought. Alarm made his fur prickle. Are kits aloud outside of camp? He got to his paws and opened his mouth to challenge Hazelstorm. Then closed his mouth and sank back into a sloppy hunter's crouch.

"Hey! Shallowfoot?" Hazelstorm hissed. Shallowfoot? Coal muttered under his breath.

"Hazelstorm? You came!" A tortoiseshell tom mewed. He bounced across a fallen log, crossing to ShadowClan side of the river.

"Yes, and I brought Toadkit," Hazelstorm purred and she twined her tail with his. Shallowfoot let out an amused purr as Toadkit stared up at them with question in his eyes.

"Is this my dad?" Toadkit squeaked.

"Yes my perfect kit," Hazelstorm mewed. Toadkit puffed up his chest at her words. Coal rolled his eyes. He's going to become so full of himself! He almost growled.

"Can he come with us? I want to show him the nursery! I replaced the moss all by myself!" He meowed proudly. Shallowfoot smiled purred. Hazelstorm wrapped her tail around Toadkit.

"No, he's from RiverClan. He can't go home with us," She meowed with a glance at Shallowfoot. Shallowfoot nodded grimly.

"Now, you shouldn't tell anyone about this. Okay?" Shallowfoot said and dropped into a hunter's crouch, the tom's eyes twinkled playfully. Toadkit squealed and hid behind Hazelstorm.

"Okay!" He chirped. Shallowfoot smiled and rose to his feet. Coal felt fear prickle his fur, Hazelstorm was stalking away from Shallowfoot. Shallowfoot was padding back to his side of the river. Coal shot up once Shallowfoot had gone. Hazelstorm jumped and hissed in surprise. Toadkit looked at him with wide eyes.

"Why are you here!" Hazelstorm snarled.

"I could ask you the same!" Coal spat back. Toadkit's fur fluffed up.

"Don't talk to my mom like that! She's going to shred you!" Toadkit growled, his eyes sparked with horror. Hazelstorm's claws slid out.

"Don't you even dare to tell anyone about this!" Hazelstorm growled.

"Who's going to stop me?" He retorted. Hazelstorm's fur fluffed up and she rose on her ankles. Toadkit's eyes flashed and he backed away, scrambling to find somewhere to hide.

"I will!" She snarled. Horror spread through him like wildfire. he didn't expect her to answer to the challenge, but before he could think she had flung herself at him, barreling him onto his back. She used her hind legs and tore at his soft underbelly. Pain gripped his stomach, his muscles screamed for him to run. He thrashed wildly as blood welled up on his caramel colored stomach. He shrieked in terror reached up with his hind legs, pummeling her stomach. she yowled in pain and jumped off. Coal scrambled to his shaky feet just before Hazelstorm made a second attempt to slam into him. He skidded away, slipping on the mud. Pain seared through his stomach as he ran. I'm no match for her! Not now! He thought in terror. He gripped the mud with his claws. Hazelstorm was lunging once more. He turned on her and swiped at her face with outstretched claws. He dragged his claws across her face, making a long scratch going from her forehead to her nose. She shrieked and backed off, blinking wildly to get the blood out of her eyes.

"Mommy?" Coal heard Toadkit wail. Coal's eyes flashed with sympathy

"Hazelstorm! Just quit it! You don't want to leave your kit to be an orphan!" Coal mewed desperately. Hazelstorm hissed her disagreement. Coal forced himself into a sloppy hunter's crouch, ready to spring at her. Hazelstorm reared up on her hind legs, and with a flash of a paw she knocked him off balance and he toppled over into a bush, they were nearing the thunderpath! Coal thrashed wildly to get out of the bush, his fur getting snagged by small thorns. He winced in pain as he stepped on one.

"Help Help!" He wailed as he saw Hazelstorm, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction.