Poolpelt was shocked, too shocked to reply to his threat.
The real Blackfrost would never threaten a Clanmate..

She only ignored his threat and rolled her eyes, "Well, there's no prey around, so let's head back to camp."
She spun around and raced back through the snowy forest, snow crunching beneath her black paws.

"Back so soon?" Icestar was scrambling to the top of the ravine when she reached it.
Poolpelt looked at her with her mouth-half open, still unable to explain of what Blackfrost had said.
"No prey?" Icestar pressed.
How could she tell her about Blackfrost's threat? Who would believe that a loyal warrior would say such a thing to a Clanmate? She hardly believed it herself.

"Prey was poor, so I came back to early to spend time with Featherkit."
Icestar tipped her head to one side. "I'm glad," she meowed. "You'll be good for her."

She paused. "You seem like your old self today."
Do I? She stared at her, hoping it was true.

"Go and see Featherkit," she told her briskly. "I reckon by the time she is made an apprentice, you'll be ready for an apprentice of your own. Helping raising Featherkit will give you some worthwhile practice."
"Th-thanks." Poolpelt was caught off guard by the IceClan's leader's warmth.
She was afraid that she'd done nothing to earn it.

She slid her black paws over the edge of the ravine and jumped down.
"Next time, though, don't give up on the prey!" Icestar called after her.
"I won't!" she promised.

Featherkit was fast asleep when she poked her head in the nursery.
"She was tired after her feed," Ashfall apologized. "I think Blackfrost wore her out."
Poolpelt nuzzled her gently and she rolled in her sleep and rested her small paw against her muzzle.
It was as soft as snow.
Poolpelt breathed in the scent of her—so like her sister and backed out of the nursery.

"How's the prey running?" Braveheart's mew surprised her.
"Not so good."
"Where'd you go?"
"Tallpines."

Braveheart glanced past her shoulder at the nursery. "How's Featherkit?"
"Fine."
"She's lucky to have you to watch out for her."

"I don't know." Poolpelt looked at her black paws. "I've not done too great so far."
"You've had a lot to deal with." His gaze grew soft. "I think you'd make a great mother."
Poolpelt opened her mouth, searching for words, her ears hot.
Braveheart realized what he said and a large blush spreaded across his face.

"There's Amberleaf!"
Relieved to see her denmate padding past with a shrew in her jaws, Poolpelt bounded away and fell in beside her.

Amberleaf dropped the shrew on the fresh-kill pile. "You and Braveheart make such a great couple."
Poolpelt backed away. She'd been hoping to escape embarrassment, not make it worse. And she still didn't know who her heart belonged to. "He's sweet, but we're not a couple." Yet.
"Really?"

"I'm too busy with Featherkit to worry about stuff like that," Poolpelt muttered.
"But you must have time to look for a mate, and Braveheart is obviously interested in you."

"Feathershine's kit is more important," Poolpelt insisted. "Now that she's got no mother, it's up to me to look after her." There was this uncomfortable feeling that Blackfrost may not be the best influence for Featherkit. There was more to being a Clan cat than fighting and chasing off trespassers.

Amberleaf was still chatting. "I've just seen Rainpelt," she reported. "She's in the medicine den. Says she's too sick to eat. Maybe she'll stop being Clan deputy?"
"What?" Poolpelt snapped from her thoughts.
"Icestar will have to appoint someone else."
Poolpelt blinked. "Hawkflame?" The dark brown tabby warrior would be pleased.

"Or Briarfang?" Amberleaf suggested.
Poolpelt narrowed her eyes.
The deputy needed to have wisdom as well as courage.
Not that Briarfang was frost-brained, but he saw only as far as the battle and never beyond.

"Maybe Blackfrost."
Amberleaf's new suggestion made Poolpelt gasp. "He's too young!"
"He says he's going to be the youngest deputy the Clans have ever seen."
"No way."
"He talks about it all the time," Amberleaf meowed. "Deputy!" She snorted. "As if Icestar would give him the chance to lead us all into battle at the flick of a tail!"

Rigidly keeping her feelings for Braveheart out of her mind, Poolpelt rummaged through Stormclaw's nest and plucked out the last ragged scrap of moss.
With no apprentices in the Clan, the younger warriors were taking turns cleaning out the elders's den.
Since Poolpelt had returned early from her morning patrol, she had volunteered to see to the elders by herself.

"Thornwing's going to bring fresh bracken later," she told him.
"Well, I hope it's not too much later," Stormclaw complained. "You've hardly left me anything to rest on."
Swiftwing purred. "You've got plenty of padding to keep you comfortable till then."
It was true; after a prey-rich greenleaf, Stormclaw was fatter than ever.

"I promised Owlpaw I'd check you for ticks as well," Poolpelt meowed.
Stormclaw shook his broad head. "We can do that ourselves," he assured her.
"But what if—!"
"If we find any, I'll go to Owlpaw for the bile myself."
"Thanks." Poolpelt was grateful.
She wanted to be out in the snow forest patrolling and hunting for her Clan.
She had a lot of catching up to do.

Just then, however, Icestar called from outside the Elders's den. "All cats old enough to drift in the snow, gather below the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Poolpelt let out a purr of amusement when she saw Splashkit, Robinkit, Dovekit, Berrykit, Riverkit, Lakekit bundling out of the nursery to find out what was going on.
Shadowkit was already in the middle of the snowy clearing, gazing up at Icestar, when Poolpelt padded toward the center of the clearing.

Swiftfur and Ashfall were padding out of the nursery, their kits wiggling out beside them, bright with excitement.
Springleaf and Snowheart were on their paws beside the frozen nettle patch.
Thornwing and Ravenbird hurried to join their Clanmates.
Briarfang had been stretched outside the warriors's den, and padded down to join his Clanmates, and Dawnstripe had been chatting with Crowclaw and Bladewing at the edge of the snowy clearing.
They all came to join Flowertail and Owlpaw, who sat beside Bluefeather with their tails wrapped neatly over their paws.

As Poolpelt settled beside Amberleaf, she noticed Rainpelt, thin and trembling, crouched on the deputy spot on the Highrock.
The Clan stared expectantly at the IceClan leader.

"Clanmates, it's time to welcome a new apprentice." Icestar said, her eyes fixed on Shadowkit.
Duskwing quivered with pride.

"Shadowkit, step forward."
Shadowkit nodded and did so.
"Shadowkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shadowpaw."

Poolpelt leaned forward, eager to know who his mentor would be.
Only that morning, Icestar had hinted that Poolpelt was nearly ready for her own apprentice.

"Blackfrost will be your mentor."
The black warrior padded forward, tail high, and pressed his muzzle to Shadowpaw's head.
"Shadowpaw! Shadowpaw!"

Amberleaf leaned closer, her breath warm in Poolpelt's ear. "Now he's going to be even more convinced he'll be the next deputy," she whispered.
A shiver ran down Poolpelt's spine and started feeling an odd twinge, as though she were about to go into battle.

Something small brushed behind her.
She turned to see Featherkit, who had crept away from her denmates. "I'm glad she didn't make Shadowpaw your apprentice," she mewed. "I want you to be my mentor."

Poolpelt glanced at Icestar.
She was watching, eyes narrow. She nodded as though agreeing with Featherkit.
She would be a mentor soon.
But would it be soon enough to let her become the next Clan deputy?
Her belly tightened when she saw Rainpelt padding uneasily back toward the medicine den.

Icestar dipped her head. "I have one more announcement," the IceClan leader meowed.

"Darkcloud, step forward."
Darkcloud padded forward as Icestar went on.
"Darkcloud, is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go to join the elders?"
Darkcloud dipped his head. "It is."
Icestar purred. "Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."

Poolpelt blinked.
She hadn't realized Darkcloud was so old, though now that she thought about it, she realized the black tom tom often trailed at the back of the patrols and brought home smaller and weaker fresh-kill than his Clanmates did.
For the first time she noticed flecks of gray around the warrior's muzzle.

Darkcloud dipped his head. "I am grateful to my Clan for giving me the chance to serve them this long, and for the peaceful life I will have as an elder," he meowed formally.

His Clanmates steamed around him, brushing muzzles, flicking tails.

Shadowpaw shouldered his way through the crowd and touched his nose to Darkcloud's. "I'll take better care of you than any other apprentice!" he promised.
"That won't be hard," Amberleaf whispered. "Considering he's the only one."

Poolpelt's whiskers twitched in amusement, but she couldn't help admiring the young tom's eagerness, remembering how much she'd resented the dull chores like cleaning out dens.
Shadowpaw was certainly determined to live by the warrior code.

"Finally—!" Icestar had one more announcement— "while Rainpelt is ill, Hawkflame will stand in as deputy."
Briarfang nodded to his denmate and Hawkflame puffed out his chest.

"Rainpelt will return to her duties once she's recovered," Icestar added.
Uneasy glances flashed between Briarfang, Springleaf, Snowheart, Ravenbird and Hawkflame.
Clearly the senior warriors weren't as certain of Rainpelt's recovery as their leader was.

Flowertail stepped forward. "I need help gathering herbs," she announced.
"Poolpelt?" Flowertail tipped her head to one side. "Would you come?"

Poolpelt glanced at Icestar, waiting for permission.
The IceClan leader nodded.
Anxiety fluttered in her belly.
Why had Flowertail picked her?

She felt less than comfortable as she followed the golden dappled she-cat into the snowy forest.
Did she want to talk about the prophecy?

Perhaps StarClan had told her about her meeting with Goldenfur, and the feelings he'd stirred in her that she had been trying so hard to ignore.
StarClan, after all, saw everything.
Why wouldn't they share it with the Clan's medicine cat?

"I see you've taken an interest in Featherkit," Flowertail observed as they climbed a snowy slope.
"She's my kin," she mewed.

"I'm glad you're watching out for her," Flowertail went on. "She's got a good heart, but young kits are easily influenced."

Was she warning her about Blackfrost again?
She wanted to ask her straight out, but didn't dare.
After all, Blackfrost was a loyal warrior who'd done nothing but protect and feed his Clan.
Her worries might sound weird.

"Have you thought about the prophecy?" she asked.
So she had remembered!
She nodded.
"Good."

Flowertail stopped beside a small, leafy plant that smelled zesty.
Poolpelt wrinkled her nose as Flowertail began to tear off leaves with her paws. "Harvest it like this," she ordered. "Don't use your teeth, or your tongue will be numb for days."

Poolpelt nodded and began to pluck the leaves.
They were surprisingly strong for such lush-looking leaves, and she found herself having to tug hard to pull them up.
Flowertail padded to a smooth silver birch and started tearing off stripe of the bark with deft claws.
The strips curled in a pile beside her on the snow.

"Have you thought of becoming the next Clan deputy?" she asked, without looking around.
Poolpelt hesitated. Should she admit her ambition? She was still young. Would she think she was greedy?
"So you have," Flowertail concluded. "That's good."

"But I don't even have an apprentice yet," Poolpelt pointed out. "There's no way Icestar will make me deputy. I'm too young."
"Rainpelt won't die yet," Flowertail rasped. "There's still time. But you're going to have to work for it."

Poolpelt wasn't convinced. "There are so many warriors more experienced than me. Briarfang, for example."

"Icestar wants a cat with youth and energy to serve beside her." Flowertail peeled off another curl of silver bark. "If she wants advice, she can go to the senior warriors any time she likes. She doesn't have to make them deputy for that. Her deputy must be a cat she feels she can train—a cat who is not set in old ways, a cat who is open to new ideas."

"Someone like Blackfrost?" Poolpelt ventured.
Flowertail growled. "That young warrior is the reason you must become deputy. Blood lies in his path. Flames lies in yours."

Poolpelt stopped pulling leaves as she felt the medicine cat's gaze burn her fur.
She was staring at her, her eyes ablaze. "You must concentrate on nothing else!" she hissed. "What could be better in this time of bitter frost than a blazing blue fire? Your Clan needs you. Don't let anything distract you!"

Did she mean Featherkit? Surely not!
She had only just encouraged her to help raise the young she-cat.
But what else could she mean?
Goldenfur?

"Take these herbs back." Flowertail pushed her curls of bark onto Poolpelt's pile of leaves. "And leave me in peace."

Dizzy with surprise, Poolpelt hardly tasted the tang of the herbs as she grasped them in her jaws and padded unsteadily back to camp.

Was this part of the prophecy?
If only Feathershine were alive, she could talk to her about it.
Feathershine might make sense of the medicine cat's warnings.
Even if she didn't believe them, her honesty might help Poolpelt untangle the jumble of emotions seething in her belly.

A dark brown tabby flashed through a swath of frozen ferns ahead.
Braveheart.

"Hi!" He greeted her warmly. "Can I help?"
Her mouth full, Poolpelt nodded and dropped some of her load.
Braveheart picked it up and headed away to the ravine.

Poolpelt wondered if he'd been waiting for her.
She felt admiration purr in her throat, but it felt like there was a strong pulse in her heart that stopped her from showing any affection for Braveheart.
Goldenfur.

They bounded down the ravine and took the herbs to the medicine den.
Dropping them at Owlpaw's paws, Poolpelt spotted Rainpelt's damp pelt poking from a nest hollowed the medicine den.

"Is she going to be okay?" she whispered.
"These herbs should help," Owlpaw replied.
Rainpelt won't die yet. Flowertail's words rang in Poolpelt's ears.
But there had been urgency in the medicine cat's words.
Rainpelt wasn't going to live forever, and she had to be ready.

Braveheart was waiting for her when she emerged from the stone tunnel. "So, who do you think will be our next deputy?"
Poolpelt stared at him in shock. Had he overheard her talking with Flowertail? "What?"
"Well, Owlpaw only said the herbs would help. She didn't say that Rainpelt was going to be okay."
He hasn't heard anything. Thank StarClan.
"I guess."

"Blackfrost's got his heart set on it," Braveheart went on.
Poolpelt tensed.
"But," Braveheart mewed thoughtfully, "there are plenty of senior warriors to choose from. Hawkflame is the logical choice."
"Unless Icestar prefers youth to experience." Poolpelt founded herself using Flowertail's argument.
Braveheart glanced at her. "I hadn't thought of that."

His nose twitched as they neared the fresh-kill pile.
Two juicy sparrows lay on top. "You hungry?"
Poolpelt shifted her black paws, relieved to see Amberleaf eating alone. "I'd better keep Amberleaf company," she meowed quickly and, grabbing a sparrow, hurried to join her friend.

She passed Briarfang and Briarpool in the usual spot beside the frozen nettle patch, sharing a squirrel.
They spent so much time together now that most of the Clan were waiting for an announcement about kits.

Poolpelt continued through the camp.
Bluefeather and Snowheart were alining the outside of the nursery with pebbles.

Ashfall had brought Featherkit out of the nursery and was washing her.
"Hello, Poolpelt!" she called, trying to duck away from Ashfall's tongue, but Ashfall pulled her back and held her still with a firm paw.

Amberleaf looked up as Poolpelt approached. "I have never seen any cat look so disappointed," She was gazing at Braveheart, who looked lost beside the fresh-kill pile.
"Shut up." Poolpelt didn't need to be reminded of the guilt she felt when she left him.

A memory flashed in her eyes.

"Haha! You got in trouble with Mom!"
"Shut up."
"You said a bad word!"
"It is not! I hear Swiftfur say it all the time!"

Poolpelt shook her head and flung her sparrow on the snow and lay down.

"What is wrong with you?" Amberleaf demanded. "I wish I had a cat following me around like that."
Poolpelt rolled her eyes. "Amberleaf, getting a mate is the least of my worries."

Amberleaf's gaze sharpened. "You have your eyes on the deputyship, don't you?"
Poolpelt's ears burned. "So what if I do?"
Amberleaf shrugged. "Well, not many cats get to be deputy, so don't miss out on other things while you're waiting."

Shadowpaw burst through the stone tunnel, his eyes bright.
Blackfrost padded after.
They must have been training.

Shadowpaw was still bursting with energy. "Can we practice those battle moves again?" he asked his mentor.
"Practice by yourself for a while." Blackfrost padded to the fresh-kill pile.
"But who am I going to fight?" Shadowpaw called after him.
"Use your imagination," Blackfrost growled back.

Shadowpaw glanced around the snowy clearing.
Poolpelt stiffened when the young apprentice's gaze came to rest on Featherkit, dozing beside Ashfall in the afternoon sunshine.
Relief flooded her as his gaze moved on.

"I could fight a whole Clan of enemies," he boasted to no cat in particular.

Darkcloud was padding snow across the snowy clearing. He looked up. "DawnClan had better watch out," he purred.

Duskwing trotted down from the warriors's den. "You're back," she meowed happily. She sniffed her son's pelt. "Any injuries?"
"Not yet." Shadowpaw sounded disappointed.
"But I learned a new move. Watch this!" He kicked his hind legs in the air, then landed with a twist and a slash of a forepaw.

Robinkit, Riverkit and Splashkit had slid out of the nursery to watch the young tom.
Splashkit's eyes were huge and round with admiration.

"Very good!" Briarfang called from beside the frozen nettle patch.
Hawkflame nodded. "I couldn't do better."

Poolpelt narrowed her eyes. The strength in the young tom's shoulders was impressive.

Only Flowertail didn't look up to admire Shadowpaw.
She hunched tighter over her fresh-kill. "I'm sorry, StarClan," she muttered. "That cat should not have survived. This was never meant to happen."

Startled, Poolpelt looked around.
None of the other cats seemed to have heard her.
Only her.

Does Flowertail believe that Shadowpaw should have died?