It was early in the morning and camp was silent. The first snow of Leaf-bare had fallen during the night turning the camp white. Aspenclaw sat in the middle of camp enjoying the beauty of it. The brambles surrounding the nursery stirred as a little brown nose poked out. The owner gave a little shriek of delight and leaped out into the snow. The snow came up to the little kits knees. He gave another joyful yowl and began throwing clumps of the cold white stuff all around. Aspenclaw purred in amusement. He stopped purring as he studying the playing kit more. This wasn't a kit from his clan. He stood and looked around confused. This was definitely his camp although things were different. The bank near the warriors den was solid but Aspenclaw remembered it being washed away in the floods the green-leaf before last. And the tree that had fallen three seasons ago has upright once more.

The bushes rustled again as the kits mother stepped out of the nursery. Aspenclaw's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the queen that stepped out. It was Petalwing, his mother. She gave her fur a quick shake and fluffed up her fur against the cold. The little kit scooped up some snow and threw it at his mother. She hissed as it hit her in the face. She shook her head trying to clear off the snow.

"Aspenkit! Quit that!"

Aspenclaw looked at the scene horrified. This was his kit-hood. He was watching himself as a kit before his father's betrayal. At the moment Aspenkit was crouching low in apology. Petalwing's eyes softened and she spoke softly and with love. "Come on little one. Let's get inside before we freeze to death. I'm sure Dewkit and Fernkit are wondering what we're up to."

Aspenclaw whipped around as he heard noise coming from the old warrior's den. Iceheart was just leaving and he trotted over to the fresh kill pile. Aspenkit spotted him and raced over.

"Iceheart, Iceheart!" The kit squeaked as he raced to his father. Petalwing followed quickly after him looking a little nervous. The kit took no notice of his mother's unease.

"It's snowed Iceheart! I've never seen snow before! It's so amazing! I never thought..." Aspenkit was cut off by Iceheart's low growl. He turned to Petalwing.

"Aren't kits supposed to stay in the nursery? They just get underfoot," he growled as his eyes darted angrily to the confused Aspenkit.

Petalwing gathered Aspenkit up in her tail. "I'll try to keep them out of your way, Iceheart," she mumbled not meeting him in the eye. Iceheart flicked his tail and growled, "Yeah, you better do that." He turned and stalked away back to the warrior's den. Aspenclaw could see the hurt in Petalwing's green eyes. She nudged Aspenkit towards the nursery.

The world shifted as Aspenclaw watched his mother take his kit self to the nursery. For a heartbeat, Aspenclaw was left standing alone in darkness. Just as he was starting to panic, the camp came into focus again. Now the camp was in full Leaf-bare. The fresh-kill pile was lower than normal but there was still plenty to eat. Aspenkit, Dewkit, and Fernkit were by the fresh-kill pile poking at a dead fish when Iceheart burst into camp with the body of a dead warrior. His amber eyes were gleaming with anger and another emotion that Aspenclaw couldn't quite place.

The camp seemed to explode with yowls as other cats noticed the big brown warrior and the warrior, Halfleaf, in his jaws. All around him, Aspenclaw felt cats move around him. They couldn't see or hear him. He tried to push forward to get a closer look at the scene only to find an impassible barrier in front of him. He looked around and noticed Aspenkit sitting with Petalwing a short distance away. He realized he was tied to the kit. Aspenclaw could only see what Aspenkit could see.

The yowls of the clan continued to grow until a yellow cat yowled a call for silence from a tree above camp. A much younger Waspstar leaped down from the tree and approached Iceheart, bristling.

"What happened here?" He asked, his amber eyes gleaming. Iceheart set down Halfleaf spoke loudly so every cat in the clearing could hear him.

"It was Thunderclan!" He announced loudly. Shocked yowls and cries rang through the camp until Waspstar silenced them once more with a hiss. He nodded at Iceheart to continue.

"I was by the Thunderclan border when I heard the sound of cats fighting. I raced over but I was too late. The Thunderclan mouse-hearts were all ready bounding away."

The clan was in a shocked silence. Only Waspstar seemed to have his wits about him. He leaned over and sniffed the fallen warrior. "There's no trace of Thunderclan scent on his body." Aspenclaw saw a look of fear flash in Iceheart's eyes, but he shrugged. "I had to cross the river to bring him back, the scent probably washed off," he meowed smoothly. "But Thunderclan don't even share our border!" A warrior called from the group. "Why would they come all this way to kill a cat?" Another cat piped up. "He was supposed to be hunting by Windclan border. Isn't that father for the Thunderclan cats?" More and more disbelieving mews came from the gathered group and this time Waspstar did not stop them.

Aspenclaw could see Iceheart growing more and more anxious. To other cats it probably looked as though he were getting angry. He let out a furious yowl. "Why in Starclan's name Thunderclan did this no cat knows." Cats stopped their conversations and turned their attention back to him. He continued, "All I know is that they did, and we need to strike back now." He said the last words to Waspstar with a heavy hint. Waspstar looked at the ground in deep thought. Aspenclaw knew that Waspstar knew Iceheart was lying. He had told that to Aspenclaw himself when Aspenclaw was a 'paw.

Waspstar shook his head in confusion. "We will investigate further, but we will not attack Thunderclan yet." He glared at Iceheart as Iceheart let out an angry yowl. "I will not attack a clan unless I'm sure they are guilty." As he spoke, the world started to fade once more and again Aspenclaw was left in darkness.

When the darkness lifted again, it was Green-leaf. Aspenclaw spotted Aspenkit, Dewkit, and Fernkit sitting by the queen Redshade. Petalwing was out for a walk. He turned towards the camp entrance and waited for Iceheart to bring in the seemingly dead body of Petalwing. It wasn't a long wait. Iceheart burst into camp with Petalwing looking dismayed. "Shadowclan attacked my mate!" He called attracting the attention of all cats in camp. Reedpaw was the first cat over. Having only just started her training, she hesitated before she began poking and prodding Petalwing. Aspenkit let out a horrified wail as he discovered his mother lying bleeding on the ground. He tried to run to her but Redshade held him back. She looked equally as horrified as the kit.

"She's still alive!" Called out Reedpaw. She beckoned a few warriors closer with her tail. "Take her to the medicine cat den quickly!" They hurried off leaving a distraught looking Iceheart behind. Aspenclaw glared at him even though he knew Iceheart couldn't see him. He knew Iceheart was faking being upset. Aspenclaw jumped as he felt himself being pulled away. He turned to see Redshade leading him and his brother and sister into the den. Aspenclaw followed them while casting glances over his shoulder at Iceheart who was talking to the other warriors. Aspenclaw knew that he was spinning the tale of how he tried to save his mate from Shadowclan.

Time jumped forward and Aspenclaw found himself back in the clearing. Cats were gathered around the clearing casting anxious glances at Iceheart who was sitting in front of the leaders den. Aspenclaw glanced around. It was the same day as before, but late in the evening. He realized that by now the medicine cats and the leader would have spoken to the injured Petalwing and discovered Iceheart's betrayal. He turned his attention back to the leaders den as Waspstar slowly walked out. He had just lost one of his lives after saving an apprentice from a fox. But Aspenclaw suspected that was not why the leader looked so tired. Reedpaw and the former medicine cat, Whitetail, followed him out, both looking grave.

Waspstar didn't have to call summons because every cat was below anxiously waiting to hear what Waspstar had discovered.

"As most of you know by now, Iceheart claims to have discovered his mate had been attacked by Shadowclan. But we talked to Petalwing and we now know that was a lie. Iceheart attacked and tried to kill Petalwing trying to frame Shadowclan." Cats let out hisses and growls aimed at Iceheart. Iceheart himself sat calmly in the clearing as cats scooted away from him. Only his eyes betrayed his fury. Waspstar went on.

"Further more, we have evidence that Iceheart also killed Halfleaf trying to start a war with Thunderclan." More furious yowls ensued and Waspstar looked at Iceheart. He seemed to Aspenclaw to be more sad than angry. "What do you have to say for yourself Iceheart?"

Iceheart stood and faced the cats around him. "Riverclan should have been the best clan. We are the strongest and the most well fed. We should have all the territories." The gathered cats looked at him, shocked. Iceheart shook his head. "But you are all too weak. You could never have won the forests and moors." A few cats called out or hissed, but most stayed silent. Iceheart looked at them all and a violent gleam entered his eyes. "I suppose it would have been worth it to watch you all die."

Chaos followed his remarks. The whole clan was staring at him bristling. One warrior tried to leap at Iceheart, but Waspstar batted him aside. He glared at Iceheart, but spoke calmly. "Iceheart, you are banished from our clan. May you starve and die a horrible death." Aspenclaw winced a little at his leader's words. They were very harsh, but it was a little understandable considering this was his clan and Petalwing was his sister. Iceheart turned and walked out of camp as his former clanmates called him names and hissed at his retreating flank. Once more the world turned.

This time Aspenclaw found himself in the medicine cat den. Aspenkit was calling out to Petalwing. Aspenclaw remembered this point in his life. After leaving the meeting, Iceheart had turned around and snuck into the nursery. He had murdered Redshade, Dewkit, and Fernkit. As he had turned to Aspenkit Waspstar had come out of nowhere and driven him off at the cost of one of his lives. The clan had been terrified the rest of the night. The next morning a Thunderclan patrol brought back the body of Iceheart. He had foolishly tried attacking their camp. Fortunately the Thunderclan leader, Oakstar, already knew some of Iceheart's treachery from discussing Halfleaf's death with Waspstar.

That was almost a moon ago from when Aspenclaw was now. Aspenkit was almost an apprentice and Petalwing was very sick. Then, everyone believed her wounds were what was killing her. Now, Aspenclaw knew that was only part of the reason. Petalwing wasn't getting any better because she didn't want to. Mentally, she had never recovered from Iceheart's attack. Aspenclaw looked down at Aspenkit pleading with his mother. Reedpaw and Whitetail were on their way to Moonpool so they were alone.

"Petalwing, please don't die! I don't know how to survive without you!" Silently Aspenclaw willed the kit to let her go. He would be better off. But he knew that he couldn't change the past. Aspenkit's wails grew louder. The little kit was so distraught, he didn't even notice the shadows appear by his side. The shadows were unrecognizable. But Aspenclaw knew who they were. It was Iceheart and Specklenose, an old medicine cat from Riverclan who had tried to poison an enemies water supply.

Specklenose gently nudged Aspenkit who jumped in surprise.

"Wh-who are you?" He asked. Specklenose walked slowly around him. "My name is Specklenose, and I can heal your mother." Aspenclaw's heart dropped as he saw hope in the kits eyes. "But," continued Specklenose, "You have to do something for us in return." She meowed motioning to the shadow next to her. Aspenkit looked between them both. "What do I have to do?" He asked quietly. Specklenose grinned. "Someday you will help us cause a ruckus among the clans. You will do everything we say." Aspenclaw shook his head. He had actually found a loop hole for that. He realized as long as they hadn't put it in the pact he could choose whether or not to do it. Saving Mellowsky for example. Aspenkit thought for only a moment before nodding his head in agreement. "You can never tell anyone what has happened here or anything about our agreement," Specklenose told him. She placed her nose on his head and a shiver went down him. Then she moved over to Petalwing. She placed her nose on her and Aspenclaw and kit watched their mother's infected wounds clear and close. Aspenkit looked overjoyed while Aspenclaw was sad. He knew that his mother would never love him again and that should would die anyways a short season later.

The world shifted one last time and Aspenclaw found himself at the lake on the shore near where he found Mellowsky. He sat down and started thinking about what he would do for the rest of his spiritual life. He wasn't in Starclan or the Darkforest. He supposed he was stuck somewhere in the middle. Everything was calm here.