When morning arrived the next day Dixie brought Snakeshade another mouse before he set off. They didn't speak much while they ate, but the pretty she-cat kept sending glances his way every so often.

The sun was already pretty high in the sky as Dixie led him to the other side of the horse place from where they had met the morning before. They came to the fence and beyond it he could see the marsh lands and the river where he would find RiverClan's camp. His plan was that if WindClan wouldn't help him, as they had chased him out before even giving him a chance to talk, then maybe RiverClan would.

"Well," mewed Dixie softly, looking at her feet, "I guess this is goodbye."

It was obvious she was sad to see him go. Snakeshade himself felt a deep ache in his heart when he thought of leaving the pretty she-cat and the comfortable barn where life was easy. Though it wouldn't be that simple. Life rarely is. He had to move on, something had to be done about Viperthorn and ThunderClan, he just couldn't leave them that way.

"It doesn't have to be goodbye," Snakeshade meowed, pressing his nose into her cheek. A purr emanated from her and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he pulled away he meowed, "Think of it as a 'see you later'."

Dixie left with a wave of her tail, and Snakeshade crept under the wooden fence. He took a few steps forward and could smell the scent lines of RiverClan's terriory. So he sat down and waited. It was sunhigh by the time a patrol came into view from the direction of the lake shore. They trotted along a few tail lengths away from the fence. As they drew closer, it seemed the head of the patrol noticed Snakeshade and their demeanor changed. Their ears flattened and they all began to run in his direction. He could identify the head of the patrol as Ospreyheart, a pale tom with dark grey patches. His apprentice Perchpaw was at his side. The rest of the patrol followed closer and he recognized Chirptail, Reedsong, and Lionstrike.

They all came skidding to a halt in front of him, and he forced himself to remain calm.

Ospreyheart looked him up with narrowed eyes before speaking.

"What is a ThunderClan cat doing all the way over here, and on RiverClan territory?" he asked. The other cats had their tails raised and their backs arched, as if anticipating a fight.

Snakeshade swallowed back his nerves, willing his heart to calm itself. He was worried the RiverClan cats would pick up on it.

"I need to speak to Crowstar," he meowed, glad that his voice didn't give anything away, "It's urgent."

Ospreyheart glanced at the others. Chirptail whispered something to him, while Lionstrike glared at Snakeshade. A lone warrior, especially on such an odd part of the territory wasn't going to be trusted easily. However, he needed them to take him to Crowstar. She was the only chance he had. With the tension his Clan had been having with ShadowClan it was unlikely they would help him either.

After a silence that stretched on forever Ospreyheart eventually sighed and nodded.

"Okay," he meowed, "We'll take you."

"You better not be up to anything!" Reedsong hissed.

The patrol moved in around him. Ospreyheart took the lead, and Lionstrike fell in behind Snakeshade. Chirptail, Perchpaw and Reedsong moved to his sides. The little tabby apprentice was watching him with wide green eyes. He couldn't quite read the expression, but she kind of looked like a rabbit who was about to be caught. They moved out, heading deeper into RiverClan's territory. Snakeshade had never been this far into their territory, let alone be anywhere near their camp. The only glimpse he ever got was during the full moon gatherings, but that was from the lakeshore in the gloom of night. Now, during the day, RiverClan's territory was almost as open as WindClan's, though there were streams and marsh that covered a lot of the land.

The scent of RiverClan grew stronger the longer they walked and he assumed they were nearing the camp. They pushed through some brush, and just ahead two streams cut through the ground. The sounds and smell of RiverClan came from the middle of the two streams though nothing could be seen past the bushes that surrounded the island.

Ospreyheart paused at the bank of one of the streams and looked back at Snakeshade. "Will you swim?" he asked.

Looking at the water, Snakeshade slightly shuddered. He didn't care for water, though Adderstar had taken him and Viperthorn to the lake shore when they were kits and taught them how to swim in the shallows. He had told them it was important to learn how to maneuver in all sorts of territory, just in case the need arose.

"Yes, I can swim," he responded after a moment. A look of surprise crossed Ospreyheart's face but he nodded then led the way across the stream.

Snakeshade picked his way carefully into the water. As it came up to his belly fur and then covered everything but his head, he felt his breath come out in a gasp. The water was cold and he wasn't use to the feeling of it soaking his pelt, but he fought his way through it, trying not to look like a drowning kit in front of the RiverClan cats. He pushed forward with powerful strokes, keeping his head above water.

They all filled out on the opposite side and pushed through the bushes. Immediately, they were greeted by the sight of the RiverClan camp. Three elders were sunning themselves on the side of camp, in front of one of the bramble dens which Snakeshade guessed was theirs. Two apprentices were practicing moves in the center of camp and a few warriors were resting around the edges. Some of the warriors were watching the apprentices with humor glinting in their eyes.

As the patrol walked through camp, every cat stopped what they were doing and stared. Ospreyheart gave a small growl at the apprentices who stopped their fight and scurried away. He also instructed Perchpaw to go with them which she quickly obeyed and ran off to her denmates.

"Wait here," Ospreyheart instructed, casting a glance at Lionstrike and Chirptail before adding, "Don't let him leave."

The comment stung Snakeshade's pride, as he would never try to escape or cause problems for another Clan, but he understood the caution. The grey patched tom padded away and into a den under another bramble thicket that must belong to Crowstar. After a few heartbeats the tom emerged with the black RiverClan leader.

Crowstar's sleek black fur shined in the sun, and her amber eyes narrowed as they settled onto Snakeshade. She padded up to him and bowed her head.

"Greetings, Snakeshade," she meowed politely, "What brings you to RiverClan?"

By now, the whole of the Clan were gathered around camp. All of them were staring at the scene before them. The apprentices all clustered together, the others asking Perchpaw what was going on. He could hear the elders muttering off to the side as well, all of them sounded cross about being woken from their naps.

"Greetings, Crowstar," Snakeshade returned. He bowed his head as well. "I was actually hoping I may speak to you in private." His pelt prickled at the sound of growls and mutters from the watching cats.

"The matter I have come to discuss is..." he searched for the right word, "sensitive."

He watched Crowstar's face as she contemplated his words. His heart began to pound as he waited.

"Normally," the black she-cat meowed after what felt like forever,"I would say that whatever you have to say can be said in front of my Clan, but I will heed your request."

The protests were almost deafening as every Clan raised their voices. A yowl from Crowstar ended their cries almost as soon as they had started.

"Troutbelly," Crowstar called into the crowd.

A silver tabby tom pushed through his Clanmates to stand at his leader's side. Snakeshade recognized him as RiverClan's deputy; he had seen him at the gatherings with the others at the base of the tree. He bowed his head to Crowstar.

"Give these pigeons something to do, then join me in my den," she meowed to her deputy who nodded and then began to assign patrols for his Clanmates.

Crowstar beckoned him forward with her tail and led him towards one of the bramble thickets. She made her way into her den and came to sit at the back. It took him a moment to adjust to the new space. After a few moments Troutbelly padded in and moved to Crowstar's side.

"So, what is it you need to discuss with us, Snakeshade?" she meowed when he rested back on his haunches.

The brown tabby warrior took a breath to calm his nerves before launching into the story of how ShadowClan attacked ThunderClan's camp, the death of Tawnyhaze, and then Viperthorn's coup of the Clan and Snakeshade's banishment. Telling the events out loud made his heart ache at the memory. Since he had been chased out of his territory, he hadn't really spoken of what had happened. As he spoke now, the RiverClan leader and deputy's expressions turned to ones of suspicion to shock. When he finished, he waited for one of them to speak.

"Well..." Crowstar meowed at last, "That is indeed troublesome."

"I need your help," Snakeshade responded, "I can't go back to my Clan and I can't let Viperthorn take leadership. I don't know what his end goal is, but I know it will end badly for all Clans around the lake."

Troatbelly looked at his leader, looking as if he wished to say something, but held his tongue and waited for Crowstar to speak.

"We will need time to discuss and consider your request, Snakeshade. I can not jump into anything that could put my Clan in danger," she meowed carefully, "and as you have nowhere to go, I will permit you to stay in RiverClan's camp until we have come to a decision."

Relief washed over him like the waves of the lake and he felt his shoulders sag. "Thank you, Crowstar," he meowed with a dip of his head.

Crowstar returned the gesture before turning to her deputy. "Please inform Swallowtail that she will have a guest in the medicine den tonight," she meowed.

Troutbelly nodded and pushed his way out of the den without a word. Silence followed the deputy's departure and Snakeshade felt his paws twitch restlessly on the ground, despite his weariness.

"If you are telling the truth, and Adderstar is indeed dead...then I am sorry for your loss." Crowstar's words surprised him but he was grateful for it.

"Thank you," he meowed. "He's deeply missed..."