Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I needed reviews, but I'm back! Here's chapter 13!

Fire can melt the snow as well as save it -- Me

Chapter 13

"Amberflame will be your mentor."

The words repeated over and over in Snowpaw's head. Amberflame. Her mentor. At first, it was totally madening. But, when she whipped around and faced the she-cat that was once a rouge, Snowpaw saw the affection and hope in her eyes. Snowpaw softened her gaze. Amberflame cared about her...Wait. Someone really cared? Someone besides Cinderfang?

Snowpaw turned back to Icestar, her eyes twinkling happily. With a curt nod, Snowpaw dashed to the side of her mentor and the two pressed noses. Amberflame purred loudly, happiness in her gaze. It was weird to Snowpaw how the two had come to like each other so quickly.

Icestar leaped down from the rock, and when Snowpaw turned around, she disappeared into her den, and, Cinderfang followed, his eyes wide with worry. He glanced at Snowpaw, gave her a reassuring ear flick, and followed her.

"So, how was that?" Amberflame said suddenly, forcing Snowpaw to turn around. Snowpaw cocked her head in question. "I mean, Icestar giving you for me to mentor." Snowpaw flicked her ear and nodded.

"Yes, and it was...unexpected," she added suspiciously. Amberflame purred nervously and looked away. "I thought so."

"Okay, drop it." Amberflame growled, flicking her on the shoulder with her tail. "I can't help it. Your a likeable apprentice." Snowpaw purred, her eyes lighting up.

"That reminds me...How did you know Perish?" Amberflame's gaze became cold and she looked away. For a moment, Snowpaw figured she hit a nerve, and for once, not on purpose. "Maybe.."

"No." Amberflame said coldly, though not inpolitely. "Let's go train, and I'll tell you." Without seeing if Snowpaw agreed, Amberflame picked herself up and padded toward the training hollow. Curiously, Snowpaw followed her, her gaze thoughtful.

Amberflame was sitting at the edge of the training hollow, her tail wrapped around her paws. Snowpaw approached her and Amberflame looked up from the dust. Her gaze was...odd. Snowpaw had never seen something like that...except in her own gaze down by the river. Shivering, Snowpaw sat down and waited, knowing not to rush the she-cat.

"It happened 2 moons ago, before I came to ThunderClan," Amberflame started, looking into space. "We were a small clan calling ourselves TreeClan. There were only 13 cats in the entire clan. One day, when I returned from hunting for my kits, I walked into the camp to...to see blood. And bodies." Snowpaw saw the image clear in her mind, and she shivered. "My own kits were gone, and every other cat was dead. Everyone of them. But at the time, I didn't know that. I was racing toward our leaders den, and about the time I approached it, a white she-cat crawled out, and I chased her away, before blood stained her coat. I was devestated. I ran here, where you caught me." She paused, her eyes clouded with pain. Snowpaw looked away.

"I'm...I'm sorry," she meowed hoarsely. Amberflame was silent. She suddenly stood up and turned around.

"Never mind. The past; I don't worry about it." She stretched and padded to the other end of the training hollow. "Now, show me what you got." The twinkle was back in her eyes, and Snowpaw's returned as she stood up and faced her. She knew this wouldn't be easy.

Suddenly, Amberflame bolted forward, and Snowpaw cried out in alarm, jumping out of the way in the nick of time. But, Amberflame turned around easily at her speed and crashed right into Snowpaw, sending the white apprentice flying. As Snowpaw landed and scrambled to her feet, Amberflame chuckled.

"You must be-" Amberflame stopped and opened her mouth. Cocking her head curiously, Snowpaw sniffed the air as well, only to get a famliar and haunting smell. The smell of Perish. Without a word, Snowpaw and Amberflame dashed back to camp. In the middle of the clearing stood the famliar tom Firesight, surrounded by the entire clan of snarling and angry cats. Icestar came running from her den and yowled, dispersing the crowd. Firesight turned his gaze down in respect before looking back up. Snowpaw saw the flash of anger in the she-cat's eyes.

"What are you doing in ThunderClan?" she snarled, fur bristling. Firesight winched slightly before he cleared his throat. Snowpaw glared daggers at him.

"Perish has exiled me from FangClan," the tom annonced, feeling not the least bit anxious under all the glares of cats. "I came here, mostly to warn you of her plan. She coming at sunrise tomorrow to attack the camp!" Yowls of outrage sounded throughout the throng of cats, and Icestar silenced them with her tail.

"A battle? So be it." She growled, eyeing the tom. "As for you-" She looked directly at Wolfwind, Pantherblaze, Snowpaw, and Amberflame. "You're prisoner here. Your four, lead him to Amberflame's old prison." She glared at him again. "And we'll be watching you." With one last glance at her cats, she disappeared into her den.

Snowpaw, Wolfwind, Pantherblaze, and Amberflame got to there paws and led the new prisoner to his new 'home'. As she passed by Firepaw, she saw the flashing of fear in his eyes before he slowly headed toward the apprentices den. Snowpaw looked back to Firesight. He was glaring at the tom as he disappeared, and Snowpaw gave a snarl. He turned away. There was another whisper in Snowpaw's ear, and she wondered how she would discover what it meant.

Fire can melt the snow as well...

---End of Chapter---