A/N-Thank you to all who reviewed! Here's chapter 1!

Chapter 1: Patrol

RiverClan

Icepool woke from her nap. Snowlight and Fireshadow across from her shifted in their sleep. Icepool prodded their sides with a silver paw.

"Up!" she growled.

Fireshadow grunted angrily. She glared at Icepool. Icepool sneered at the she-cat. Snowlight had to step between them to keep a fight from happening.

"Guys, Leopardstar told us to be nice," Snowlight meowed.

Icepool shrugged. She and Snowlight padded out of the den. Fireshadow stayed inside, still grumbling about Icepool's behavior.

"Why does she act like she rules over everyone?" she asked herself. "Just because I'm the daughter of Hawkfrost and Swallowtail, doesn't mean I'm mean and bad." She sighed and trotted after them.

"Hey, Fireshadow!" Sparrowpaw squeaked.

"Hey, Sparrowpaw." Fireshadow wasn't in the mood for talking. She followed after the other she-cats half-heartedly. She got the feeling someone was following her, too. Fireshadow swung around, scaring Sparrowpaw out of her fur.

"S-sorry, Fireshadow. But Leopardstar told us to go on a patrol together with... uh..." Sparrowpaw's voice trailed off.

"With who?" Fireshadow demanded.

"Snowlight, her apprentice, Icepool and her apprentice," Sparrowpaw finished.

Fireshadow raised her head. She snorted. Them? On a patrol? Snowlight was her friend, but Icepool? No way. She'd rather live in ThunderClan than be insulted by her.

"COME ON!" Icepool screeched.

Fireshadow's tail twitched. Sparrowpaw looked at her happily. "Let's go," Fireshadow sighed.

Icepool was waiting at the entrance of camp with Snowlight and their apprentices. Fireshadow glanced around. She couldn't believe that she had to go on a patrol with the moodiest she-cat in the Clan.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Icepool hissed. She loped out of camp, followed by her apprentice Wheatpaw.

Snowlight shook her head. She gave Fireshadow a look of empathy, then followed Icepool and Wheatpaw, leaving Fireshadow and Sparrowpaw alone to follow.

"Coming?" Sparrowpaw mewed, beginning to trot after them.

"Yeah," Fireshadow mumbled.

WindClan

Onestar coughed and sneezed violently. His sides heaved as he fought for air. Barkface raced in, followed closely by Honeypaw. Ashfoot sped in not long after.

"Onestar!" she panted. "Shall I send a warrior to tell Leopardstar?"

Onestar coughed again. "Y-yes. Send the best warrior," he wheezed.

Ashfoot nodded. She spun around and raced out of the den. Onestar's sickness was getting worse. Leopardstar was the only ally they had since the rogue incident. Which warrior? she thought. They are all experienced, but most are out of camp.

"Ashfoot, what's wrong?" Moonstream's soft mew broke through her thoughts.

Ashfoot skidded to a halt. Moonstream! "Onestar... Onestar needs a warrior to go tell Leopardstar that he is very ill."

"I'll do it!"

Ashfoot almost laughed. "No, I need an older warrior."

Moonstream huffed. "I'm fifteen moons old. I think I can handle it."

Ashfoot closed her eyes. "Fine. But be careful."

Moonstream nodded. She loped out of camp. Beepaw, her apprentice, watched her mentor leave. She looked heart-broken. Ashfoot padded over to her.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

Beepaw looked at the deputy. "Moonstream said she was going to take me out to train."

Ashfoot smiled. "I'll train you. I haven't had an apprentice in a long time. I think I can take care of another today."

The apprentice brightened up. Her eyes shone with happiness. She nodded and followed Ashfoot out of camp to the training field.

With the Patrol

Icepool led the patrol down to the stream. Sparrowpaw was chattering away at her mentor and Snowlight. The other two apprentices were talking with Icepool about what the other Clans were to RiverClan. Rainpaw's eyes were wide, while Wheatpaw scoffed.

"Well, why don't we get rid of them?" he meowed.

"Because then we would be like Brokenstar, Tigerstar, or Scourge. And that would be terrible," Icepool answered. "Of course, Hawkfrost would be a likely candidate for that."

"You shouldn't talk about your deputy that way!" Fireshadow spat. She had heard the whole conversation, and was very angry with Icepool.

Icepool snorted. "Well, he's the son of Tigerstar and a rogue! And you remember what happened with him and that WindClan warrior Mudclaw!" Her tail twitched as she added, "And you're his daughter, so I wouldn't be surprised that you would defend him."

Fireshadow glared at her. Snowlight hissed at their actions.

"Stop it!" Snowlight's fur was on end. "I thought Leopardstar told you to get along, for StarClan's sake!" She watched the other two with smoldering amber eyes.

Icepool sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that with the Clans so tense I feel as if anybody could turn on us." She cast a sidelong glance at Fireshadow.

Fireshadow gave a curt nod and continued down the slope. Sparrowpaw followed her mentor. Wheatpaw never left Icepool's side. Rainpaw strayed to the back of the group. Snowlight took her place beside Icepool. They all trotted in silence.

Suddenly, a black figure jumped in front of them. Fireshadow crashed into it. She spat out dirt and sand.

"What was that for?" she coughed.

"Sorry! I was going to the RiverClan camp to – "

"WindClan scent!" Wheatpaw hissed. "What do you want?"

The WindClan warrior's mouth was open, her eyes were wide. "Oh! I need to give a message to Leopardstar from Onestar!"

Icepool pushed her way to the front. She frowned. "Hello, Moonstream." Her blue eyes flashed.

Moonstream looked at Icepool, narrowing her eyes. "Likewise, Icepool. May I have an escort to the RiverClan camp to deliver my message?"

"You may." Icepool turned and gestured with her tail for them to follow. She made no sound as she trotted up the slope. Mice, rabbits and a vole had been killed on their way back to camp. Icepool stopped.

"Stoat; back up," she ordered.

The stoat climbed out of the river water. He sniffed the air, then went back in. Icepool signaled to them to keep going, but be careful.

"What was that thing?" Moonstream asked softly, stepping into the water cautiously.

"A stoat. It's very dangerous." Fireshadow peered into the hole that it went in. She stepped back and into the group again. "Nothing. Probably eating."

Sparrowpaw started to chatter again. Rainpaw was complaining about how her paws hurt, while Wheatpaw plodded along in silence. Icepool kept Moonstream busy by telling her what types of animals there were in RiverClan territory. Fireshadow and Snowlight listened to the other two apprentices.

"I can't wait to soak my paws in that ice water!" Rainpaw breathed.

"Did you know that the water in the stream runs through that Twoleg bridge?" Sparrowpaw's eyes were huge. "I once saw a fish jump out and land on the shore! But then it flopped back into the water... But I know I saw it! It was shiny and huge!"

Rainpaw gave a small smile. She sighed as they reached the RiverClan camp. "Finally!"

Icepool rolled her eyes. She led Moonstream up to Leopardstar's den.

"Leopardstar!" she called. "Got a messenger for you!"

Leopardstar meowed, "Both of you come in!"

Icepool nodded at Moonstream to go first. The silver she-cat was right on her heels as Moonstream entered the small den. Leopardstar sat near the back of the den, her paws tucked underneath her.

"What is the message?" Leopardstar shifted a little.

"Um... Onestar has fallen ill with blackcough. He has decided to address your Clan as an ally until he died. But, since his time is near, he has told us that WindClan is in the paws of StarClan only. Ashfoot will not succeed his place unless..." Moonstream paused for breath, "unless you agree to become ThunderClan's ally."

Leopardstar raised her head. "Alright," she agreed. "And tell Onestar that his warrior did well in giving me the message."

Moonstream nodded gratefully. Icepool watched her leave.

"You do know what you have agreed to do, Leopardstar?" she asked, lowering her head to Leopardstar's.

"I have agreed to make peace with an enemy. And I am not happy with it, but WindClan did need another leader besides that stupid Onestar. He's too young to understand what it means to be a leader!" Leopardstar spat, rising to her paws.

"Icepool, send a patrol out to attack WindClan at once!"

"Yes, Leopardstar." Icepool dipped her head and left. She smiled as she realized her leader was choosing her over the deputy, Hawkfrost. "Snowlight! Fireshadow! Get two more warriors and gather your apprentices! We are attacking WindClan!"

Snowlight and Fireshadow nodded and sped off to find two suitable warriors. Wheatpaw raced toward his mentor.

"I'm coming too, right?" he meowed.

"Yes. Then we'll see how well you do with your new warrior name after the battle," Icepool replied, still smiling.

Wheatpaw smiled evilly as well. He sat beside his mentor, waiting for the others.

With Moonstream (5 minutes until RiverClan reaches WindClan)

Moonstream raced toward her Clan border. She was almost there. Suddenly, she crashed into another WindClan warrior on accident. She gasped.

"Are you okay?"

The warrior nodded. He got up hurriedly. "Didn't you hear? RiverClan is coming to attack us!"

Moonstream gasped again. "I was just there! They never said anything about attacking us!"

"They were never our allies! They just lied to us!" the warrior cried.

Moonstream nodded and continued to race back to camp. The warrior, who she now recognized as Weaselpelt, raced alongside her. Their pelts briefly touched before they burst into camp.

"RIVERCLAN IS COMING TO ATTACK US!" they yowled simultaneously.

The warriors began to group up with apprentices and other warriors. Beepaw leaped out behind Moonstream.

"RiverClan is here!" She was covered in blood and scratches. "Get ready!"

Weaselpelt murmured, "Where's Ashfoot?"

Beepaw looked at him with a mortified gaze. "They killed her," she whispered.

Both Moonstream and Weaselpelt were shocked. They took a step back and raced to help the others get ready. But it was too late. RiverClan flooded into the camp. They were being led by Icepool, the warrior next in line for deputy position.

"ATTACK!" she screeched.

Warriors from both sides flung themselves into battle. Icepool and Moonstream pushed their way to meet each other.

"You," they growled. Icepool raised her paw above Moonstream's head and...

O.O.O.O.O.O

A/N-Cliffy! Sorry, I had to! Anyway, did you like it? Yes? No? Please tell me in your review!