So here's the next chapter! By the way, have you guys ever heard of the Celtic Woman? Their music is so beautiful, it sounds like a bunch of angels are singing...Anyways, thanks flareon200, Willowpool, and Moonstreak1 for reviewing!

~Chapter 19~

Walls surrounded the four Clans, protecting them from the cold wind that blasted through the air. Snow had begun to fall during the night, and now Dawnstar was really starting to get worried.

Yes, there was plenty of mice in the barn to keep the Clans occupied, but how long would they be stuck in here until the snows ceased falling? She knew from experience how bad it was to travel in the snow.

Tawnypelt had taught her during a patrol that snow was slippery and could turn to ice if it melted and then froze again. Her own father had died from slipping on the ice and breaking his leg. He had not been able to travel back to camp before his last breath was breathed.

Whitewater's two kits, Sapkit and Flowerkit, were playing with Dovekit and Brownkit. Buzzardkit, Heronkit and Sagekit just looked on with round, curious eyes. The barn was warm enough that they didn't have to stick close to their mothers, and Dawnstar had heard from Swallowflight that her kits had just reached their fourth moon.

"Dawnstar, would you like to go for a walk?" Scorchfur's mew made her nearly leap out of her fur. She hadn't heard his approach.

"Sure," she replied, suddenly wondering what was going on in her deputy's mind.

They squeezed their way out of the tiny hole that made the entrance. No Clan would notice their disappearance, so Dawnstar guessed this was the best time to go out.

Her eyes gleamed as she watched the snow fall. The flakes were so delicate, and they glistened in the moonlight. The trees seemed to have a glow, and the air was dampened and silent. This was an alien world to Dawnstar.

She remembered when snow fell back in the pine forests of ShadowClan. There the patrols would catch sounds like woodpeckers, or see soft pad prints from creatures who had trekked through the snow.

"Wow," Dawnstar gasped as she watched it. A snowflake landed on her nose, and she observed it carefully.

It's edges were cut into several tiny areas. Around the middle, there was a shape in it that looked like a star. Dawnstar shuddered as she wondered what tiny creatures could possibly live in this thing.

"I wonder what are new territory will look like," Scorchfur murmured as he looked up at the sky. His fur had turned silver under the moonlight, and Dawnstar felt herself too choked to reply.

She took a deep breath and whispered, "I'm not sure." When he glanced at her, she flattened her ears in embarrassment. "Of course, I'll want to explore it myself," she added, puffing out her chest like she used to when she was an apprentice.

Tigerheart would be laughing his guts out if he saw me, she thought bitterly.

She wasn't used to these feelings she shared with Scorchfur. Dawnstar had never told him how she truly felt about him, and she suspected he never would tell her either. She guessed that he was wondering the same thing she wondered.

Was it against the warrior code to fall in love with a leader? She realized that there was nothing that said she couldn't, but something inside her said that it was. Perhaps it was just instinct.

"I hope there's enough space for all the Clans," Scorchfur meowed as he looked back down. "I mean, it would be bad if there wasn't."

His words suddenly hit home to Dawnstar. She couldn't imagine what it would be like if there wasn't enough territory for them. One of the Clans would just have to...No, it would be too disastrous.

"Yes," she replied with a flick of her tail. "It would be bad."

The two of them sat together until the moon disappeared beyond the mountains. Than, with the sudden chill of night, they disappeared back into the barn. No one would have even noticed they were missing.

Cinderstar had hid herself in a pile of hay with the rest of her Clanmates, while Weaselstar and Reedstar kept their Clans close together. ShadowClan were still fast asleep by the time Dawnstar reached her nest.

She curled up in it, and for the first time since they left the territory, she slept with Scorchfur.

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It took Dawnstar some time to register what was happening. It was morning, but no sunlight came to greet her. Instead, she felt bitterly cold. Wind howled in the distance, battering the barn walls like it was just a stick to be snapped.

She shook the piece of straw that had latched to her ear and looked around frantically. The rest of the Clans were waking up as well. Rocket and Rina were sitting in the center of the barn, staring around in dismay.

"What happened?" Dawnstar hissed through clenched teeth. She was fighting the urge to shiver, though it was so cold she felt nothing but pain.

Rocket shook his head, suddenly looking very worried. "The snow must have fallen harder than we expected," he replied in a grave voice. "Its made the roof collapse."

By then Dawnstar realized that snow had fallen into the barn. She saw that the kits were shivering with the biting cold wind, and their mothers were working desperately to keep them warm.

"Than it's no longer safe here," Cinderstar meowed. Her eyes gleamed with worry as she stared at Rocket and Rina's small frame. "Perhaps you two should come with us," she added, though her voice was filled with something that Dawnstar would not have expected from a ThunderClan leader. Suspicion rang deep under her tone.

"No," Rina said suddenly. Surprise flashed through every cat as she spoke. Her voice sounded worse than she looked. It sounded icy and bitter. "We will stay, but you must leave."

Rocket looked at his sister, but he said nothing to stop her. Dawnstar narrowed her eyes at the black tom. So she was the leader. Dawnstar had been surprised and suspicious when Rina didn't say anything the night before, but she guessed that Rina had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

"We weren't planning on staying anyways," Weaselstar growled venomously. His eyes flashed with rage as he glared at the loners.

Rina only flicked her tail and followed his glare. Her green eyes were cold and vehement as she glared at him. Weaselstar finally looked away, and Dawnstar stared at him in shock.

There was nothing they could do, except leave the barn cats in peace. Dawnstar just hoped with all her might that something happened to Rina. Something so terrible the she-cat would never see the light again.