Prologue

There was nothing around the two cats but a forest of ice. Every barren tree was coated with with it, turning the ordinary woods into something otherworldly as the branches glistened in the sunlight. It was as beautiful as it was cruel and unforgiving.

The frost left nothing untouched, a constant reminder of the indiscriminate brutality of nature, and the two cats were certainly not spared from the savagery.

The she-cat's normally thick, fluffy white coat was ragged. The once beautiful grey point coloration on her face, tail, and paws appeared dull and dirty. Her ribs jutted out from under her thin coat, and her blue eyes were sunken deeply into her skull.

"Please, we need your help," the grey-and-white she-cat begged.

She took a step towards a fluffy white tom, the frozen grass crinkling under her paws like glass. The tom blinked his green eyes and tilted his head to the side.

"Why?" he asked with a yawn, his breath leaving a foggy trail through the air.

"'Why?'" the grey-and-white she-cat echoed incredulously, her eyes widening. "We're starving!"

The white tom swept a cursory gaze over the she-cat's thin form, but then he twitched his whiskers, appearing disinterested.

"That's not my problem, May," the white tom meowed.

May's blue gaze narrowed in outrage.

"What do you mean, not your problem?" she hissed through her fangs.

"This has been one of the hardest leaf-bares in memory," the white tom meowed, his brow furrowing. "We're all hungry. Rumor is that ThunderClan has barely any prey left at all."

"I don't care about ThunderClan," May said, shaking her ears in confusion.

"Well neither do I," the white tom said with a snort. "Mangy mice-munchers, all of them."

May's tail twitched.

"Don't change the subject!" she hissed.

The white tom heaved a sigh.

"Look, May," he said. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do for you."

For a moment, May could do nothing but stare at him in shock as his words sunk in.

"If you do nothing, then I will die," May said with a low growl, her tail lashing behind her. "You do realize that, don't you?"

The white tom was quiet, glaring at her with his sharp green eyes. Pain clawed inside of May's chest at how distant his gaze looked.

"I will die and so will Frost. Your own kit, Paledusk! She's the only one left!" May snarled, her voice breaking over the last few words.

Paledusk was still silent. He did not even give a tail twitch to betray his thoughts. The silence stretched on between them, and May felt a heavy weight sinking in her belly.

"I can't believe you," she whispered, clenching her jaw.

She flattened her bristling fur with difficulty. There was no point to it. He was larger than her, stronger, and better fed. It wasn't like she could fight him anyway. Paledusk rose to his paws to pad over to her.

"I'm sorry May. I really am," Paledusk meowed in his deep voice. "Things are just really hard in camp right now. Prey is scarce. The deputy is ill... SkyClan can't spare food for two more mouths to feed."

Fury rushed through May at his weak excuses.

"And, you can't let your precious clan-mates know that you fathered kits with a rogue!" she spat.

Paledusk blinked, his face expressionless.

"The Clan must come first, May," he rumbled.

"Mouse-dung!" May hissed.

"Come on, don't be like that," Paledusk meowed, coming over to May to press his pelt against her's.

"I thought you loved me!" May cried, pulling herself away from him and digging her claws into the frozen ground.

Paledusk was silent again, his green eyes as cold as the ice around them.

"I thought I did once too," he said.

May's eyes narrowed to furious slits.

"The blood of your children is on your paws," she said, her voice low.

"So be it," Paledusk meowed, turning away. "I won't lose sleep over the death of some kits I've never met."

"Go eat deathberries, Paledusk," May spat, her paws trembling with anger and her chest aching as her heart shattered beneath her ribs.

Paledusk's tufted ears pricked, and he stopped walking.

"You better run, May," Paledusk growled quietly from over his shoulder. "A patrol is coming."

May froze in place. She could hear the distant sounds of cats pushing their way through the bushes, then some yowls as they picked up an unfamiliar scent.

Her scent.

"A trespasser!" The faint cry drifted over to her.

Paledusk whipped around, facing May again.

"She's over here!" Paledusk shouted, baring his teeth at May. "It's a rogue."

May's fur bristled as panic surged through her.

"What are you doing?!" she spat, cowering down and backing away from him.

She could hear the SkyClan patrol approaching, crashing through the undergrowth as they sprinted closer.

"Where are you Paledusk?" someone on the patrol cried.

Paledusk curled his lip up at May in an ugly snarl. With a battle-cry, he sprung at her, flashing a paw out to score his claws through May's flesh.

May cried out as searing pain ripped down her shoulder, then she turned tail and took off.

Her legs shook as she ran, panting and bleeding. But, she couldn't slow. She could hear Paledusk and the rest of the SkyClan patrol behind her, only a few tail-lengths away. Finally, she reached the scent markers, shooting over them and into the unclaimed territory beyond.

"Yeah, stay out, you prey-stealer!" a SkyClan cat shouted from behind her.

"Mangy rogue!" another jeered.

"If I see your face around here again, I'll rip your throat out," Paledusk snarled.

May ran, her head bowed and blood streaming down her side.


This forest was unfamiliar. Towering pine trees framed the world around May. She could still make out the green color of their needles beneath the layer of ice. The color seemed strange; out of place for winter. It didn't seem possible that these trees could still be alive despite the cold.

May felt like she was barely clinging to life herself. Her paws were numb and aching, and her shoulder wound was still dripping blood. But, May had a tiny, fluffy creamy-white kit at her paws. May was all she had in this world, and she was all May had left too. So, the she-cat silently clenched her jaw and continued onwards. No matter what, she had to keep going for her.

"I'm tired, Mama," the tiny kit squeaked, teetering on unsteady legs.

"I know, baby. Just a bit further," May meowed.

It was hard to encourage her daughter when she was so exhausted herself. Every step she took felt like a league. Her legs trembled and her breath was laborious like she had been running for days.

"Are we going to see Daddy?" the tiny kit said, stumbling along beside her.

"No we aren't," May said, closing her eyes briefly as burning anger and pain washed over her. "Your dad is..."

May glanced down at her kit and felt the words get stuck in her throat. Her kit blinked up at her with huge pale blue eyes. May could see the faintest hint of grey on her kit's nose. She knew it would darken in these coming moons, along with the fur on her tail and paws to the same grey on May's face, tail, and feet.

If she made it through these moons.

Her kit looked skeletal, with ribs that poked out under her downy, soft kit-fur and eyes that seemed much too big for her sharp, bony face, and teetering stick-thin legs.

"Don't talk," May murmured, bending her head to nudge her kit forward with her nose. "Save your strength for walking."

"But, I don't want to walk," the kit cried. "I'm so hungry Mama. And, cold. I want to sleep."

A rush of panic flashed through May.

"You can't sleep!" May said, whirling on her kit.

Her kit blinked hard, stumbling backwards and onto her haunches in surprise. Her kit let out a faint whimpering cry, which hurt May more than her aching paws, bleeding wounds, or the pangs of hunger in her belly combined.

"I'm sorry, Frost. I'm so sorry," May cried, wrapping herself around her kit.

She pressed her thin coat to Frost, trying to offer her as much protection from the cold wind as she could. Frost nuzzled into her fur, and May pressed her muzzle to Frost's head. Underneath the sharp bite of ice and snow, she could still scent Frost's sweet kit-smell. May took a deep, trembling breath of it and held it in her lungs. She didn't want to breathe out, in fear that this could be the last time she ever smelt that sweetness.

"You can't sleep, baby. If you sleep, you might not wake up," May whispered, her shoulders shaking as she forced the words out.

"Like Rain and Snow?" Frost whispered into May's pelt.

May trembled in grief. She screwed her eyes shut, thinking of Frost's brothers— her dead sons. She saw their tiny, stiff forms in her mind. Killed by hunger and the cold before their lives could even properly begin.

"Yes, Frost," May whispered.

"Don't worry, Mama," Frost mewed, peering up at her. "I'll never leave you."

"Sometimes you don't have a choice, baby," May whispered, her voice choked up as she stroked Frost's fur with her tail.

"I smell trespassers!" a voice cried from nearby, causing May's head to jerk up in fear.

May looked over and saw a patrol of cats stride out of the shadows of the pine trees. A light brown tabby tom with long legs was at its head. A silver tom dappled with black spots and stripes was at his side. Behind him was a ginger she-cat and a smaller black tom. May didn't even rise from the ground to meet them. She didn't have the strength left in her body. Instead, she just wrapped her tail around Frost, hiding her from sight.

"Get out of here, rogue!" the dappled silver tom snarled, looming over May.

May cowered down, tucking her tail more tightly around her kit.

"Put your claws away, Swoopstrike. Can't you see she's not a threat?" the light brown tabby said to him, his voice mild. "She's all bones and fur."

"She's trespassing!" Swoopstrike protested, but he obeyed, taking a step back and sheathing his claws.

May blinked.

"...I know I'm on ShadowClan territory," she broke in, her voice hoarse.

"You do?" the light brown tabby said in surprise, turning away from Swoopstrike.

"I came here because I need your help. Please," May begged.

"You don't seem to be in good shape," the light brown tabby commented, gaze flickering over her ragged pelt. "But, why have you come to ShadowClan for help?"

"I—I thought ShadowClan might take me in," May stammered.

"We don't take in strays," Swoopstrike said, his tail tip twitching.

May's gut twisted in dread as she gazed up at them with wide blue eyes. Were all clan-cats so heartless? Would ShadowClan drive her away too?

"Please," May begged again. "I have a kit."

She moved her tail to reveal Frost by her side. During the few moments that the ShadowClan patrol had appeared, her exhausted kit had fallen asleep on her flank. She twitched faintly as May touched her nose to her head to make sure she was still breathing.

"She won't make it much longer. Her litter-mates are already dead," May meowed, her voice pleading. "I can't find food; I don't have the milk to feed her. I can't lose her too."

The ginger she-cat on the patrol padded up to May and Frost. May tensed as she approached, but she didn't move away. Her gaze was full of sorrow and empathy, which made May sense that she was a mother too. The she-cat gently touched her nose to Frost's side.

"The poor thing," she whispered, her green eyes round with pity.

The ginger cat straightened, turning to the light brown tabby tom.

"We have to help them, Sedgestar," she meowed. "They won't last two more sunrises on their own."

"Sedgestar?" May meowed, her eyes widening as she turned back to the tabby tom. "You're ShadowClan's leader?"

"...You seem to know an awful lot about our customs for a rogue," Sedgestar meowed, his voice slightly wary.

"Her father is a clan cat," May murmured, nodding towards Frost as her heart sunk with shame and betrayal at the thought of Paledusk. "He taught me some things... like how all the leader's names end in 'star.'"

"A clan cat? A ShadowClan cat?" Sedgestar asked, tensing as his amber eyes flashed.

"No," May meowed quietly, her ears flattening. "SkyClan."

"Ah," Sedgestar said, relaxing slightly. "Who?"

May was silent, her jaw clenching.

She couldn't make herself say his name.

Even though at this moment, May would've loved to claw Paledusk's lying pelt off, she couldn't deny the fact that a part of her still loved him, and she hated herself for it. She hated that she couldn't out him to ShadowClan's leader without a second thought.

Paledusk had told her that the Clans were enemies, always fighting with each other. What pain would be given to Paledusk if Sedgestar found out he broke the rules of the Clans? Would it get him killed? Would ShadowClan and SkyClan fight over it?

"Why haven't you gone to him in SkyClan?" Sedgestar asked, dropping the question for the moment.

May lashed her tail.

"They won't have us. Her father is who did this to me," May muttered darkly, nodding towards the wound on her shoulder.

Sedgestar took a few steps towards her to get a better look at the cuts. May flinched away as he approached, half expecting him to hurt her as Paledusk had, but he didn't lay a paw on her.

"Don't worry," Sedgestar growled, locking his gaze with May's after glancing at her wound. "ShadowClan is not so dishonorable. You and your kit are welcome to stay with us for now. We will take you to our camp."

May felt a surge of relief in her chest that shook her down to her bones.

Frost would be alright. Her last kit would survive.

May's throat closed up in emotion.

"Thank you, Sedgestar," May gasped, stumbling to her feet. "I will do whatever it takes to make this up to you."

Frost's eyes flickered open, and she mewed weakly as her mother's warm side against her vanished. A sudden surge of weakness rushed over May, and she swayed on her paws, almost falling over before Sedgestar stepped in, allowing her to steady herself on his side.

"It is our pleasure...?" Sedgestar meowed, blinking at her questioningly.

"May," May said.

"May," Sedgestar repeated with a nod, his amber eyes kind. "Emberflower, will you carry the kit?"

The ginger she-cat scooped up the kit, gently securing her scruff in her jaws.

"She's so light," Emberflower gasped, her brow furrowing in concern.

Sedgestar glanced over at the tiny kit in Emberflower's mouth.

"And she is?" he asked.

"Frost," May said. "Her name is Frost."


The Ancient Clans

Allegiances:

Cats outside of Clans:

May— a thin, fluffy grey-point she-cat with blue eyes (former mate: Paledusk. Mother of Frostkit)

ShadowClan:

Leader: Sedgestar— a light brown, long legged, tabby tom with amber eyes (mate: Emberflower)

Deputy: Grovepelt— a pale brown tom with a greying muzzle and green eyes

Medicine cat: Clearstream— a fluffy light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Elmclaw— a dark tabby tom with green eyes

Warriors: Emberflower— a ginger she-cat with green eyes (mate: Sedgestar)

Apprentice: Beepaw— a black tom

Darkpelt— a black tom (mate: Larkfoot)

Apprentice: Hootpaw— a grey tom

Weaseltail— a brown tabby and white tom with amber eyes and a long tail (mate: Redclaw)

Kestrelmoon— a pale cream tom (mate: Amberberry)

Dustleap—a light ginger tom

Apprentice: Thornpaw— a brown tabby tom

Dawntail— a fluffy grey and white she-cat

Marshnose— a brown tabby tom with a white muzzle

Fogfur— a fluffy grey tom with green eyes

Snakeeyes— a sleek white she-cat with a blue eye and a green eye (mate: Rowanheart)

Apprentice: Leafpaw— a grey tabby she-cat

Swoopstrike— a dappled silver tabby tom with green eyes

Dappledpelt— a tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Rowanheart— a ginger tom (mate: Snakeeyes)

Queens: Larkfoot— a pale tabby she-cat (mate: Darkpelt. Dampkit— a black tom, Dewkit— a grey she-cat)

Redclaw— a tortoiseshell she-cat with dark ginger patches and green eyes (mate: Weaseltail. Pinekit— a black she-cat with amber eyes, Poolkit— a black and white tom with amber eyes, Autumnkit— dark ginger and white tom with amber eyes.)

Amberberry— a golden she-cat (mate: Krestrelmoon. Mosskit— a pale cream she-cat, Murmurkit— a pale golden she-cat)

Adopted Kit: Frostkit— a fluffy tabby grey-point she-cat with tufted ears, blue eyes, and white paws (Raised communally by the Queens.)

Elders: Treefur— a dark brown tom with poor eyesight

Greytail— a grey she-cat

Flymask— a black and white tom

SkyClan:

Leader: Fennelstar— a pale brown tom with bushy fur

Deputy: Robinsong— a tortoiseshell she-cat with a ginger belly.

Medicine cat: Swallowfur— a blue-grey she-cat

Warriors: Paledusk— a fluffy white tom with tufted ears and green eyes

Sparrowheart— a dappled brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Yewpaw— a dark brown tabby tom

Cloudleap— a long legged grey and white tom

Brokenbranch— a ginger tom with a bend in his tail

Mapleflight— a dark ginger tom

Stormfang— a grey tom

Poppyfur— a tortoiseshell she-cat

Suneyes— a grey she-cat with bright amber eyes

Queens: Doepelt— a light brown tabby she-cat (Larchkit— a light brown tabby she-cat, Aspenkit— a grey she-cat, Oakkit— a grey tabby and white tom)

Elders: Birdstrike— a heavily scarred, pale grey and white she-cat

RiverClan:

Leader: Willowstar— a grey tabby, sleek furred she-cat

Deputy: Perchpelt— a brown tabby tom

Medicine cat: Pebblestripe— a dark grey tabby tom

Warriors: Violetfur— a black she-cat

Stoneripple— a grey tabby tom

Apprentice: Turtlepaw— a brown and white tom

Waterwhisker— a fluffy ginger and white she-cat

Heronfur— a brown tabby tom

Ospreyscar— a brown and white tom with a long scar down his side

Wavepelt— a grey she-cat with long, wavy fur

Rainspot— a dappled black and white she-cat

Apprentice: Murkpaw— a black tom

Queens: Reedheart— a tortoiseshell she-cat (Otterkit— a dark brown she-cat, Hailkit— a white and grey she-cat)

Sandpelt— a pale ginger she-cat

Elders: Fishtail— a white and grey tom with a long tail

Sleekclaw— a nearly blind, once beautiful tabby she-cat

ThunderClan:

Leader: Morningstar— a pale grey tom

Deputy: Leafstorm— a ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat: Pearnose— a dark brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Fallowpaw— a pale brown and white tom

Warriors: Pineclaw— a dark brown tom with a big rip in one ear

Beechfur— a brown tabby tom

Apprentice: Rockpaw— a grey tom

Fernclaw— a tortoiseshell she-cat

Acornear— a brown tom

Apprentice: Juniperpaw— a grey and cream tortoiseshell she-cat

Nettlepelt— a dark grey she-cat with spiky fur

Apprentice: Foxpaw— a ginger she-cat

Birchtail— a grey and white tom

Brambledapple— a tabby and white she-cat

Queens: None

Elders: Mothwhisker— a brown tom with a lot of patchy, greying fur

WindClan:

Leader: Rabbitstar— a light ginger tom with large ears

Deputy: Wheatfur— a golden tabby she-cat

Medicine cat: Falconpelt— a brown tabby tom

Warriors: Tumblefox— a ginger tom

Apprentice: Eaglepaw— a golden-brown tom

Slatepelt— a grey she-cat

Runningfoot— a dark tabby tom

Oatbreeze— a tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Volefur— a pale grey tom

Pounceclaw— a black tom

Nighteyes— a black and white she-cat with blue eyes

Stormcloud— a grey tabby and white tom

Queens: Thrushleap— a tan tabby she-cat (mate to Rabbitstar)

Elders: Harepelt— a brown tom with a grey muzzle

Deerdash— a long-legged tabby she-cat


CHAPTER UPDATED IN MAY 2020

Author's Note: To give a little bit of context for this story, it takes place following the events of one of the stories from the field guide, "Battles of The Clans" (which I headcanon to take place approximately 15 years before SkyClan is forced to leave the forest.) Just to give a quick re-cap, in that story the clans are going through a horrible winter, and Morningstar, ThunderClan's leader begs the other clan-leaders for food, and they refuse him. Then rather than let ThunderClan starve, Morningstar goes to battle with WindClan. So, the leaders of the Clans in this story, as well as some ThunderClan characters like Leafstorm, Pearnose, and Mothwhisker are canon characters, but practically everyone else are my OC's. I hope you enjoy!