I bounded through the snow, feeling frost crunch underneath my feet and ice piercing my paws. I took off after the squirrel, hunger making me bone-weary after two days without food. I knew what Lionblaze would say. "You need to work on your technique." But I was starving. I caught a whiff of Clan scent and realized I'd strayed close to the border. ShadowClan. I felt a pang as the squirrel took off into ShadowClan territory. My paws itched to chase it. I knew I could catch it if I wanted to. Then I remembered Lionblaze's warning about the young cat-Blossomfall-who had been injured badly by a warrior.

I turned around and began following a scent trail-vole. I scented it near the stream, and pinpointing the prey, I almost pounced when another cat jumped in, biting the creature's neck. My fur bristled in surprise. I stared into a cat's eye. "Motor!" I exclaimed. "That was my vole!"

He glanced up. The former kittypet was a better hunter than most rogues in the area, even better than some warriors. "Well, Stripe, now that Marigold has a litter of kits…I have to hunt for all of us." He blinked at me. "You can take the vole. I already have a shrew here."

"You caught it," I insisted. But my stomach growled in protest. "Oh, all right. Thanks, Motor." I hesitated. "I didn't know Marigold was going to have kits!"

He ducked his head. "Yeah, well, there are five little ones. Two she-cats and three toms. Cute little things, you know."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I'm expecting."

"Really?" Motor exclaimed. I nodded uncertainly as he asked, "Who's the father?"

I blinked, not knowing if I should tell him it was a Clan cat. "Oh, just a cat," I said hastily. "He was here for a few moons. Left a couple days ago." I felt bad lying to Motor, one of the only decent cats I knew around here.

"A loner?" Motor curled his lip. "One came by and stole some prey. A ThunderClan cat caught him. Killed him on the spot for stealing a mangy old warbler. Prey's been scarcer this leaf-bare than I've ever seen it."

"Who killed him?" I asked quietly. Most of us knew the Clan cats. Motor and Marigold had both been invited to join ShadowClan, and Lionblaze always told me I was welcome to join the Clan.

Motor hesitated. "Some she-cat. Ivypool? She was complaining to me over the border that the WindClan cats were stealing prey and chasing hares over the border. This was oh, yesterday? She buried the cat so no one in her Clan would notice-it against the Warrior Code to kill cats, you know. Saw me there and told me to keep my mouth shut or I was next." The fur bristled along his spine. "How dare she? Anyways, she told me a few cats died. A ShadowClan cat caught this she-cat on their territory and she died of infection the night before. Then she said several kits died of hunger, and whitecough's in the apprentice den, and a warrior's got greencough and this elder has blackcough. The medicine cat already gave up on healing him." Motor shrugged. "Maybe a thaw is coming soon. I hope so. One of the kits already has a cough."

"Have you ever thought about joining a Clan?" I asked.

"Well, yeah," Motor admitted. "ShadowClan is okay. They let me take a tour of the camp to decide if I would stay or not. Some of the warriors were once rogues. There's a half-Clan cat-Tawnypelt. She's nice. Her mate's the deputy. Blackstar, the leader, is not someone you'd want to get in a fight with. They're good cats."

I shrugged. "ThunderClan sounds nice," I said casually.

Motor's eyes widened. "No, they don't. The old leader, Fire something, made them all kittypets and loners and half-Clan and softies. Now, Bramblestar has 'em driving out any strays in the territory. In leaf-fall, I was going to ask for some herbs for Marigold when she was expecting. This cat clawed my pelt off-it was Thornclaw, I think-and I still didn't get any herbs. You'd have to be friends with a cat in their Clan if you wanted to be accepted."

I shrugged. "What about the other Clans?"

"No. They aren't very…generous. ShadowClan is the best at the moment, and trust me-you don't want to live there. It's not as good as this." He yawned. "Well, Marigold will be wondering where I am. Good to see you, Stripe. Congratulations!" He hesitated and shot a nervous glance at the trees around us. He said in a lower voice, almost a whisper, "Be careful. Splash, Log, Reed, and Blast have been hanging around. Up to no good, I imagine. A lot of rogues and loners and even a few mouse-brained Clan cats left their home and joined them." My blood ran cold as he added, "I was in the spruce near the ShadowClan border and saw Splash talking to a ThunderClan cat, outside of the territory. They must be planning something." He shook his fur out. "Take the vole, and make it to your den quickly, before anyone else sees you."

I nodded. "But what would my brothers be doing with Splash?"

Motor gave my ear a quick lick. "Reed and Blast think it's better for hunting. I saw Reed with Splash, and he looked happy." With a purr, he added, "I think he's in love."

The thought was not as amusing for me as it was for Motor, but I knew he meant well. I picked up the vole and headed for the direction of my den. I wondered if Lionblaze would come tonight. As I was slipping inside, I caught a familiar scent. "Lionblaze?"

He purred in agreement. I saw sadness in his eyes as he entered, though. "Hey, Stripe. How are you?"

"Okay." I breathed in his warm scent. "I talked to Motor, a rogue near here. He said that he spoke to a ThunderClan warrior. He said that there's illness in your dens, and Blossomfall died of infection. He said a few kits did, too."

He looked somber. "It's true. Toadfoot killed her." A low growl rumbled in his throat. "I swear to StarClan, when I get my paws on him, he'll be sorry." He took a deep breath. "I was close to the kits. They were a…a friend's of mine. She lost her entire litter, and her oldest son has whitecough, but it's near greencough. Jayfeather doesn't know what to do with Spiderleg-he's the one with blackcough." Lionblaze sat down with a sigh. Cinderheart-she's the one whose kits died- is heartbroken. She's got more kits on the way, and she won't eat anything. I'm worried about her."

"How are you?" I whispered.

"Hungry," he admitted. "But you need the prey more than I do." I looked at him doubtfully and pushed the vole to him. "Eat. We can share. I don't even know when the last time you ate was. I don't think you even know. I ate yesterday. We can share."

He sighed. "Fine, Stripe." He nibbled on the vole. "Cinderheart would love this," he commented. "Vole's her favorite."

I stared at him, curious. "How do you know that?"

"Cinderheart and I have been in the same den since we were kits. She's only a moon or so older than me. She was friends with my sister, too."

I nodded. "My brothers are around here somewhere. Is your sister a warrior, or is she a-"

"She's dead," he answered hoarsely. I nodded and fell silent. He gave me a quick lick. "When are the kits due?"

"I'm guessing s few moons. It'll still be leaf-bare." I bit into the stringy vole meat and wrinkled my nose. "You can take the rest back to your friend. Tell her that it's crowfood, or something like that."

He looked dubious. "I'm breaking the Warrior Code by being here," he pointed out. "And for eating that vole. Do you know how badly some WindClan cats are punished for breaking the Warrior Code? Onestar doesn't want any traitors in his Clan. Bramblestar is better, and less suspicious, but…Dustpelt is very angry since the Dark Forest attacked."

I licked his ear. "I can tell you can't stay long. You're worried about your friend, and about you're Clan. You should go. I can hunt for myself. You can visit me later."

He opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it. "Okay, Stripe, if you're so certain…" I watched as he slipped through the forest, heading for his Clan.