1

The north wind threw the steady fall of snow that had already struck the frostbitten ground into the air. A pile of powdery white snow was destroyed by the strong winds. The sun was not visible and the creatures of the wild knew not if it was day or night. The clouds were so thick that it looked as if it snowed there instead of the ground.

The strong cat shook the snow from her winter coat. It was as white as snow and she blended in well with her surroundings. She knew that she shouldn't be where she was but she stayed anyway. She needed to know where the other cat was going. She kept on watching him until he sat down and stayed that way as if he felt her presence. The back of his fur rose as a ghostly gray cat drew nearer to him. The she- cat saw something that horrifed her. The big tom had leapt from his position and sent snow everywhere. She could hear a shocked meow and a screech that sounded as if one of the cats were in pain.

The she cat darted from her position and leapt at the male cat that was attacking the gray cat. Suddenly she realized that it was her best friend, Ghostfur. Her sharp claws sank into the tom cats back. Her attack took him by surprise. He yowled and backed off from Ghostfur and tried desperately to get the cat on his back off. He suddenly fell backwards and the she cat was knocked out of breath. Her claws ripped out of his flesh and he growled. He turned to face his attacker.

The she cat quickly closed her eyes so she would not be spotted. It worked! The male cat looked around and saw no cat in sight, only paw prints. Ghostfur had quickly dug a hole to hide in so she would not get spotted. The male cat tore through the snow dashing off towards Shadowclan territory.

"Are you all right Ghostfur?" asked the she cat to the now snow covered gray cat. Her light gray stripes match Ghostfur's name. Ghostfur shook her fur roughly slinging snow at the she cat with white fur and kind greenish yellow eyes.

"Yes I'm fine, what about you, Snowpelt?" asked Ghostfur to her best friend. Ghostfur had been Snowpelt's best friend since they were kits. Ghostfur was suddenly reminded of a stinging cut on her shoulder. She turned her head from Snowpelt to clean the cut.

"We should get back to camp before were missed and also look out for Darkfoot." suggested Snowpelt. Ghostfur had finished cleaning the cut and nodded.

The two cats padded silently through the snow towards the Thunderclan camp. Snowpelt kept thinking, Why did Darkfoot attack Ghostfur and how did he know she was coming?

"Snowpelt look where you're going!" meowed Ghostfur as Snowpelt slammed into Sunningrocks. She felt slightly dazed as she looked around. Her head had hit a large rock that was bathed in sunlight. They were perfect to use when hunting for prey. Many mice and other small creatures ventured there to get the warmth on the rocks and to find the many seeds that fell for trees close by.

"Well that really hurt!" mewed Snowpelt. Ghostfur flicked her tail in amusement. The two cats soon entered the Thunderclan camp. They padded to the fresh-kill pile and took their share of it. Snowpelt chose a tiny rabbit that had barely any meat on it. In leaf-bare times were hard, the prey was nothing but bone unless you were lucky to scoop out a fat mouse or two.

The camp looked as if it were in the clouds. The Highrock was covered in a thick layer of powder snow. From the Highrock their leader, Sunstar, addressed the clan for meetings. Under the Highrock a den could be seen. This den was shaded by over hanging lichen. The lichen had grown on the rock to cover its dug out space. The leader slept in this den.

Over at the nursery it looked like a den made of snow. The twigs were covered in so much snow that you couldn't see them. A dark hole could be seen as a queen slipped into the nursery. The snow was trampled by the many paw prints that had been made by the queens. Snowpelt knew that it was actually very warm in there for the kits needed heat. The queens kept it warm by their body heat and so many of the queens had to stay inside the nursery.

The warrior's den was warm as well because of the thickly grown ferns and vines that survived the winter. Little snow ever got into the den unless an opening was found. There were quite a few warriors in the den and so the Clan was forced to dig out a bigger den. There were more kits and apprentices then the Clan had ever seen. Th e warrior's den was already a huge den but the cats were getting crowded. The little food they had was not enough for the Clan.

At the apprentice's den it was coated in snow but strangely it wasn't as thick as the rest. There were no trees to protect it so it was a mystery why the snow never let a lot fall on it. From the dark hole was a pair of glowing eyes. These eyes belong to an apprentice who had stayed as an apprentice for six more moons. Her name was Skypaw.

The middle of the Clan camp was coated in paws prints and snow. One cat had to hop up each time it tried to walk; the snow was deep and was starting to get trampled down.

Snowpelt looked up from her meal to see Darkfoot padding towards them. She quickly devoured her mouse and rabbit she had with her she didn't want to talk with that evil lump of fur. She picked herself up and darted into the warrior's den. Ghostfur quickly followed her inside. Both didn't want or needed to talk with Darkfoot so they started sharing tongues. When cats share tongues they groom one another and share the news of the day.

Snowpelt groomed Ghostfur while Ghostfur explained why she was where she had been. "Well first I went to go hunt for prey, then I thought, Why stay at Snakerocks and hunt when I could be at the clearing near Windclan territory where all the fat prey was."

"So then I turned around and headed there. As I was going I spotted Darkfoot. I started to say 'hi' but he leapt at me. That's when you appeared. Thank Starclan I thought I was doomed." Ghostfur added. "Why were you there?"

"As you know I wasn't supposed to go there until the next quarter moon because of me attacking a Windclan apprentice for no reason on their side of the border, as you guessed I went there." answered Snowpelt simply. She had finished grooming Ghostfur and Ghostfur finished grooming Snowpelt, so they were now talking.

"I also know why Darkfoot attacked me, he knew I-" Ghostfur was staring at the entrance of the warrior's den. She was lost for words. Snowpelt turned her head to see something that made her gasp. There in front of the den stood Darkfoot. His eyes showed nothing but emptiness.

"Ghostfur are you telling foolish lies to Snowpelt?" asked Darkfoot calmly. When Ghost fur didn't answer he glared at her and walked away.

"What were you saying?" mewed Snowpelt.

"I saw him at the Gathering with another cat he's in love with, the cat is from Shadowclan, to keep it secret he's killed two cats one from Riverclan and one from Windclan. I've also heard the cat from Shadowclan saying that she attacked Grayfoot with a patrol behind her. We don't know if he'll live." growled Ghostfur so Darkfoot couldn't hear if he was near. Snowpelt's tail was swaying back and forth and her eyes showed anger. Darkfoot was betraying his Clan and was in love with a stupid mangy Shadowclan cat, and killing others to keep it secret.

"Well I think that stupid, ugly, fat, crazy fur ball needs to get into trouble for once!" hissed Snowpelt.

"Yeah, and good name but I think it should be mangy, ugly, fat, stupid, crazy, kitty loser, traitor. That is what describes him." mewed Ghostfur with satisfaction in her voice. Snowpelt purred with laughter at the remark Ghostfur had said.