Chapter #18 The New Apprentice -

Creampaw rested her head on her little paws. Her best friend, Cottonpaw, by her side eating a finch. Creampaw was on her first day as an apprentice. Proud of herself for surviving her mother's harsh tones and such, she learned much as a kit. He much older sister, Blackrose was out with her daughter, Fogpaw, and it was getting late and cold. Creampaw's and Cottonpaw's mentors, Floodpelt and Spiderfang, were out hunting for prey. Cottonpaw got the last bit of food and winter was pinching at the cats coats and Creampaw's fur got a little longer everyday. Buckpaw soon padded into the den.

"Hello Cottonpaw, Creampaw, how are you two?"

Cottonpaw spit out some feathers, "Tired and cold, Spiderfang is making me train until I'm panting like a horrible and ugly dog!"

Creampaw snorted, when she watched her white, long-haired friend all she did was climb trees and chase mice.

Buckpaw sat next to Creampaw. "I'm beat, aren't you going to grab a bite of food?"

Creampaw sighed, "No more, Cottonpaw took the last of it."

"I see your point... The elders and Firestar ate already, if someone else brings in food, we could grab it."

Creampaw nodded and headed to the Elder's den, which was a hollow log covered with moss and some frost. Creampaw walked to where her mother usually was and she was currently sleeping, gray furs bristling her muzzle, a dead rabbit almost finished by the exit. Creampaw licked her head and left her alone. Yawning and hunger pinching her stomach, she saw Ravenwing and Stormpaw return, she saw they had two water voles, a magpie, and a plump mouse. Stormpaw gave Creampaw the mouse and winked, then padded after his father. Creampaw picked up the food, trying not to bite down on it and chew up it's flesh. Buckpaw saw her and padded over. She dropped it by her paws and they started eating.

When done, she licked her paws. She looked up and saw the moon in the bloody red sky. Floodpelt walked back into the camp, two mice in her mouth. She dropped them off and walked over to her apprentice.

"I see Leaf-fall is over and the snow will soon fall." The blue-gray she-cat sighed.

"Snow?" Creampaw asked. Just then a fluffy white dot fell on her nose, it was cold and in a flash, evaporated into a cool liquid.

"Snow, it's frozen water." Floodpelt explained, " StarClan sends it down to cover the earth, trees, and dead leaves, and when the snow goes away, it melts into water to feed new seeds and create more plants that are greener and healthier!"

"Wow," The cream-colored she-cat said as snow started to cover the camp.