Cinderbird was sick and tired of being escorted to camps like a wandering kitten caught outside camp. Stream had a smug look on her face, and it was all Cinderbird could do not to scratch it off.

She saw Duskblossom take a deep breath, and Cinderbird figured that Duskblossom was either mad at Stream for flirting with Rippleshade, or mad at Cinderbird for letting them get caught. Cinderbird could only imagine Berryoak's disapproval, Cloudfish's frown, and Daypaw's scorn that they were caught. Wherever Daypaw was. Foxclaw had said he thought she was right behind him, but the gray apprentice was nowhere to be seen.

Duskblossom's eyes seemed to light up with an idea. Cinderbird glanced at her sister, who flicked her ears at Foxclaw, and then back at Stream. Cinderbird understood. Stream was outnumbered, even though the silver she-cat was a huge cave-guard, sometimes skill can beat strength. Cinderbird nudged Foxclaw, flicking her tail towards Stream. Foxclaw nodded and he situated himself into a battle crouch.

Duskblossom let out a cry as if she stepped onto a sharp rock and Stream turned back to the Clan cats who were waiting for her.

"What are you doing?" Stream grunted as they threw themselves at her. "I'm helping you!"

Cinderbird stopped. "What?"

"Of course I'm helping you. Foxclaw will save the Tribe! We need him."

"That's not helping us!" Duskblossom exclaimed, looking at the silver tabby like she was stupid.

"Foxclaw will be sent to his death if you ask him to save the Tribe," Cinderbird added.

Stream's eyes glittered nervously. "It's the will of the Tribe of Endless Hunting," she mewed, looking small and unimportant.

Cinderbird scoffed. "Write your own story."

Foxclaw crouched and snarled, "This is pointless."

He jumped on the silver tabby, digging his claws into her back. Stream let out a shriek and fell to the ground. She tried to get back up and defend herself, but she was tiny compared to the fox-red tom.

Duskblossom stared at the fighting cats in shock, she hadn't expected the fight to escalate so quickly. Foxclaw landed a hard blow to Stream's head, and the she-cat slowly wilted to the ground.

"Right, that's taken care of. That'll give us some time before she wakes up again."

Duskblossom and Cinderbird exchanged a glance and shrugged.

"What's the plan?" Duskblossom asked.

"You'll go in and secretly tell the others you found me," Foxclaw suggested, "Cinderbird will stay with me and the Tribe will think you're looking for her or Daypaw, for that matter. StarClan willing, the plan works and we'll be out of these wretched mountains."

"Stream said the Tribe needed you," Cinderbird murmured, thinking hard, "What if the Tribe of Endless Hunting somehow forces you to stay. We know how StarClan works," she mewed, looking at her Clanmates, "What if their ancestors work the same way? They just want what's best for their Tribe."

"And we're doing what's best for IceClan," Foxclaw promised.

Cinderbird still remained skeptical. Or is he doing what's best for him?

Life trapped by the Graces had changed him. He wasn't the same loving cat before. Cinderbird hoped that going back home and life returning to normal would somehow change him back.

She could see that in Duskblossom's blue eyes she felt the same. What had the Graces done to him?

"So how are we going to get out of this wretched place?" Daypaw asked Autumn. "Are there any other cats here?"

The tortoiseshell shook her head. "All of the Graces are too much of a coward to face Thalia, but there may be a way out."

Daypaw glanced up. Their prison was a small cave, with the only way in or out a hole in the ceiling.

"Is that how we got in?" Daypaw asked, nodding towards the shaft.

Autumn nodded. "And that's the only way out."

"Well, surely we can climb up."

"You don't understand, do you? These walls are slick from water filling them up. That's why there's no other cats here. The water drowns them before they even have a chance to get out," Autumn darkly explained.

"Can we get out when the water fills the cave?" Daypaw asked, remembering her status as an IceClan cat.

"Only if you can swim," Autumn dryly chuckled, "And there's not much practice you can get here."

"It's okay," Daypaw insisted, "I'm a swimming cat! My Clan— that's what we do!"

"And if you can survive long enough to reach the top, the ceiling will probably crush you," Autumn tried to discourage her.

"It's worth a shot," Daypaw declared, "When's the next rain?"

"Probably tomorrow," Autumn shuddered, knowing her time was near.

"We can do it!" Daypaw announced, "And no Grace can tell us we can't!"

Autumn looked at the apprentice disbelievingly. "You're really going to try to do it?"

Daypaw nodded. Sure, she wasn't the greatest swimmer, but she could easily tread.

"And I can teach you!" Daypaw told her. "It's just like running! You use your tail for balance and you…move your paws."

So, she wasn't the greatest teacher in the world. Autumn could tell, she kept casting skeptical looks at Daypaw, who was trying to demonstrate in the terrible lighting.

"This is useless," Autumn declared, and flopped on her side after multiple tries.

"Hey," Daypaw nudged her with her nose, "Don't give up! We can do this, I know we can!"

Autumn groaned and repeated, "This is useless."

"Yeah, I know you've definitely told me that," Daypaw reminded her, "But it's okay. It's better than a freshly killed trout. Oh StarClan, a trout sounds so good. Ooh, or a pike," she moaned.

Autumn shot a 'should I be worried?' look at Daypaw's quickly escalated conversation with herself.

"Ahem," Autumn cleared her throat pointedly.

"Oh sorry. Did I mention how much I love fish?" Daypaw rambled. "And Fo—"

"Hey, snap out of it!" Autumn growled, "Sure, this stupid cave makes you go crazy, but at least contain it!"

Daypaw straightened.

I was going crazy?

Mistbriar barked out orders at Sagepond, who was staring at the pretty deputy.

"Hey, Sagepond! If you're going to look endlessly at something, make it ticks! The elders need their bedding changed, too," Mistbriar sweetly ordered.

The black-and-white tom nodded dreamily at her.

My StarClan, who can I set him up with? Ooh, what about… Flickershine! Yeah, I can see them together, she conceded.

"Flickershine!" she called, yelling at the dozing she-cat. "Sagepond is out getting mouse-bile. You can go get moss."

The black she-cat glared at her for interrupting her sleep, but nevertheless, bounded out of the camp in search of moss.

"Mistbriar!" Silverrose trotted up to her friend. "I have some news."

The deputy stared at the silver she-cat. "Yes?" she awaited eagerly.

"I think I'm expecting kits!" Silverrose announced.

"Oh StarClan, er, Sagepond isn't the father, is he?" Mistbriar nervously checked. After all, if he was, she had just tried to set him up.

"What? Of course not!" Silverrose exclaimed, excitement and fear in her voice. "Wha- we don't even spend time together."

"Who's the father, then?" Mistbriar interrogated her.

"I'll give you a hint. He's off on a journey," Silverrose tried to keep in her secret, but desperately failed, for excitement was taking over her eyes.

Mistbriar gasped. "Really? Oh, that's amazing!" She knew exactly the cat.

"You think he'll be happy?" Silverrose asked anxiously.

"Trust me, Cloudfish will be ecstatic," she reassured her.

Rando review time!
Mintflight0245- Ahh, thank you so much! I love Foxclaw, too. My only regret with him is that I didn't make his name more interesting XD (And, ooh, that sandwich was goooood. i had another one today, too. Peanut butter and jelly all the way!)

Milkdudaddict- Oh, thank you! That means a lot, but your favorite author should be Erin! She's WAAAAaaAAAAAy better than me. PS I love MILKDUDS, too!

Grayshadow Warrior- thanks so much for your review! lol, I did the random name picker like you suggested, and I got (CENSORED). I think imma go with that. Maybe. ArGh I dOn'T kNoW ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yup, and as predicted, snow was on the ground today! My gosh, can the weather make up its mind? Hopefully, next chapter we'll be out of the mountains, but hey, do I have a writing plan? nO! (i totally should have had a writing plan)

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Review! Thanks for reading, hope you like the story, and Happy (new year?) reading!

-Poppyfrost123 :)