"Don't let your shadow fall on the water," Rapidstar meowed calmly. Splashpaw moved herself back a little. She was sitting very still beside the river, waiting for fish to appear. Her sister had come back from the Moonpool last night, tired and exhausted from the journey. Splashpaw had stopped Dewpaw before she entered the medicine den, and asked her what was wrong. But Dewpaw had just shaken her head.

"Now, when you do find one, dart your paw in and swoop it out. Then keep it away from any water source, like the river, or that puddle over there," her mentor instructed.

"Okay, Rapidstar." She settled herself comfortably next to him. A few heartbeats later, she spotted a pike swimming towards her down the stream. When the fish was a fox-length away, she swooped her paw in, clawing the fish near its gills. She tossed it away from any waters and killed it swiftly, with a quick bite to its neck.

"Well done," Rapidstar praised. Splashpaw beamed with pride.

"Can we eat it here?" she asked.

"No," Rapidstar replied sternly. "The queens and elders eat first. We must bring it back to camp for them." Splashpaw nodded. As she was about to stand up and trek back to the RiverClan camp with her mentor, she felt the cool breeze of leaf-bare.

"Leaf-bare must be coming soon," she realized, dropping her fish so she could speak.

"Yes. Leaf-bare is upon us. But we will stay strong," her mentor responded. Splashpaw sat back down. "The other clans believe that when the river and fish freeze, we lose all our prey."

"But... don't we?"

Rapidstar shook his head. "Not all of it. We still have ducks, geese, mice, and sometimes water voles and water shrews."

"But don't they all hide underground?" Splashpaw questioned. "Or in the trees on ThunderClan and ShadowClan land?"

"Exactly." Her mentor had gotten up and started walking towards the RiverClan camp, so Splashpaw took her fish and followed him. "But the other clans face that same problem. So therefore, we are not the most affected by leaf-bare. All the clans are affected equally."

"Oh," Splashpaw mumbled, the fish still in her mouth. She followed Rapidstar in silence the rest of the way back to the camp. As they neared the entrance, Splashpaw noticed Snowpaw with Eelstorm near the fresh-kill pile. Snowpaw layed a trout on top and Eelstorm laid down a water vole and a heron.

"Now," Rapidstar's mew made her jump. "take your catch to the fresh-kill pile, right next to where Snowpaw is with his mentor." Splashpaw nodded. As she drew closer to Snowpaw, her heart started beating fast, and her legs got all shaky. What's wrong with me?!

Splashpaw finally arrived in front of the white tom. She dropped her pike on top of his trout.

"Hey," Snowpaw whispered, making her jump.

"Uh... hi?" Splashpaw responded, keeping her voice low.

Snowpaw smiled. "I want to show you something tonight."

"Okay." Splashpaw shrugged. "When?"

"Moon-high." Snowpaw turned around at Eelstorm's call. "I have to go," he murmured. "See ya."

"Bye." Splashpaw sighed. She had sounded like a fish-brain. Snowpaw whisked away with Eelstorm to go gather something. Pebblepaw was leaving with Reedmouth to go hunting. Rapidstar was heading towards his den for a little break, and Silverpaw was training with Tawnyfang. But where was Dewpaw? Splashpaw decided to check the medicine den. She was surprised to find only Bluemuzzle, who was treating Ripplemoon. The dark gray she-cat had recently gotten too close to the ShadowClan border and attacked by two foxes.

"What do you want?" Bluemuzzle snapped. "Stop standing there and say something already."

"I- uh... Dewpaw-" Splashpaw stuttered. "Where's Dewpaw?"

"I sent my apprentice out to collect celandine with Snowpaw and Eelstorm," the medicine cat answered. "Minnowtail went with Ripplemoon to the ShadowClan border, and the fox slashed her eye. She needs some celandine for her eye, and we're out."

"Does celandine ease shock?" Ripplemoon asked. "If so, I could use some."

"No, minnow-brain. It's used for soothing damaged eyes. Thyme is for shock. Yet you need none."

"Can I go?" Splashpaw pleaded.

"Go where?" Bluemuzzle had walked farther into the den to fetch more herbs for Ripplemoon's scratches.

"To fetch the cela- the celad- the herb that Dewpaw is fetching," Splashpaw managed to get out. The herb had an unusual name and it was hard for her to pronounce it correctly.

"You have my permission, if it makes you leave," Bluemuzzle scoffed. "But you need to check with Rapidstar."

"Okay!" Splashpaw called behind her shoulder, as she had already raced out of the den.

Splashpaw tripped on roots and pebbles on the camp grounds as she stormed into Rapidstar's den.

"Rapidstar!" she exclaimed. "Rapidstar! Rapidstar!"

Rapidstar replied with a soft moan and groggily lifted his head. "Yes?"

"Bluemuzzle sent Dewpaw to gather some sort of herb with Snowpaw and Eelstorm," Splashpaw meowed, practically glowing with excitement. "Can I go with them?"

Rapidstar sat up. "Did they already leave?"

"They left a few moments ago," Splashpaw replied.

"Very well," her mentor agreed. "But you'll need a warrior to go with you. Fetch... Hawkswoop. Fetch Hawkswoop from the warriors den." The RiverClan leader laid back down, setting his head over his paws.

Giddy with excitement, she ran like a WindClan cat across the camp and into the warriors den. Hawkswoop was helping her father with expanding the den.

"Splashpaw," Frondcloud greeted. "What is it?"

"Rapidstar sent me to fetch Hawkswoop so I could go with Snowpaw and Dewpaw and Eelstorm to gather an herb for Bluemuzzle who's going to give it to-"

"Woah, slow down there," Hawkswoop chuckled, holding his paw in front of Splashpaw's face. "You're talking as much as Dewpaw! I'm coming, I'm coming." Hawkswoop laid down the reeds and feathers on the ground in front of Frondcloud.

As Splashpaw walked out of the den with Hawkswoop, her heart suddenly lurched at the sight of a fern tunnel. That was the same fern tunnel she had used when she snuck out of the camp with her littermates as a kit. She remembered that day like it was yesterday....

"Dewkit!" Silverkit called. They were at the river now, yet Dewkit was falling behind. "Come on! Stop being so slow!"

"I'm coming, hang on!" Dewkit squeaked.

Splashkit wasn't paying attention to them. She was watching a baby fish in the stream, continuously losing its mother. Everytime the mother fish would swim even a little farther, the little fish panicked and started swimming in circles. Then the mother fish would draw closer, letting the baby fish know it was okay, and stick closer. Some time after, she'd occasionally swim ahead, and it started all over again.

"Come on, Splaskit!" Silverkit nudged her and ran back to fetch Dewkit, who was watching the sun as it slowly rose over the river.

Some time later, they came to the edge of WindClan territory. They sat until you could finally see all of the sun in the sky.

"This is boring." Silverkit sighed. "No patrol is coming. Let's just go home. Lakefern will be looking for us anyways."

"Yeah," Dewkit agreed. "She'll have our pelts off for sure."

Splashkit nodded her head in agreement. As she turned around, she heard a WindClan cat yowl, "I smell RiverClan!" Splashkit froze. She saw her littermates had done the same. Silverkit and Dewkit turned around to find Shallowpelt, the WindClan deputy, leading a hunting patrol. Berrystep, Heatherstem, and her apprentice, Dirtpaw, were with him.

"Oh, kits!" Heatherstem exclaimed. "They're just kits."

"Kits who will grow up to be warriors," Berrystep sneered. "We should get rid of them, Shallowpelt."

Shallowpelt turned to Dewkit and Splashkit. "What are you two doing here?"

"Two?" Dewkit asked, perplexed. "There's three of us."

"I only see two of you," the WindClan deputy replied.

"But- our brother Silverkit, he's here too!" Splashkit put in. She turned around and found her brother no longer standing in the same spot he was in. Where could he have gone?

"Stop playing games, silly kits," Dirtpaw spat. "Heatherstem, we should chase them off."

"No!" Heatherstem turned to Shallowpelt. "They don't pose any threat right now! Please, don't chase them off. We should escort them back to camp."

"But Heatherstem," Berrystep protested, "they could have other warriors with them. Maybe they're planning an attack!"

"We're not!" Dewkit yowled stubbornly. "We just got lost. We wanted to watch a WindClan patrol hunt!"

"We will escort you back to camp," Shallowpelt decided. "No, don't protest. That's final." Splashkit clamped her jaws shut. As the patrol escorted them back to camp, Splashkit spotted a large boulder. Big enough for a kit to hide behind, and big enough for a kit to be hidden when running in a certain direction.

"Dewkit!" Splashkit nudged her sister.

"What?" Dewkit asked.

"Look." Splashkit motioned with her tail towards the boulder. "That's how Silverkit got away."
"That slimy fox-heart!" Dewkit scowled. "When we get back, I'll rake my claws down his pelt so hard, he'll never walk again."

She didn't. When they got back, Lakefern came frantically running out of the nursery with Silverkit behind her.

"Is what your brother tells me true?" Lakefern growled. "Did you sneak out?"

"No!" Splashkit exclaimed. "Well, yes, but-"

"THATS ENOUGH!" her mother yowled. "You two." She pointed at Splashkit and Dewkit with her paw. "Nests. Now."

"Alright, if you're just going to stand there all day," Hawkswoop mewed, interrupting Splashpaw's thoughts, "I'm going to go back to help Frondcloud."

"No, I'm coming!" Hawkswoop chuckled and stayed in the lead the rest of the way.

. . .

"Splashpaw!" Dewpaw exclaimed, dropping the celandine in her jaws. "Did you come to help?"

"Yeah," Splashpaw replied. "Hawkswoop came with me."

"Well, we're glad you're here," Eelstorm mewed. "We've found lots of this herb that Bluemuzzle requested."

"You're still collecting?" Hawkswoop asked.

"Yes," Snowpaw answered. "There's lots. We need a few extra jaws."

"Well, here we are!" Splashpaw blurted out. "Sorry, I mean... yeah, we're here."

"Mmm." Her sister nodded, just standing there.

"Where is the best place to pick?" Hawkswoop asked, shattering the silence.

"Over there, behind that patch of pebbles is the best," Eelstorm recommended. "Snowpaw, why don't you show them?" Then he turned back to the patch he was already at.

"Okay, follow me." Snowpaw lead them down the rocky path towards the patch of celandine.

Suddenly, out of the blue, Splashpaw dropped on the ground. Her legs felt broken, her breath was wheezy, and she could only see black.

"Splashpaw?" Hawkswoop turned around to find the she-cat on the ground.

"Splashpaw!" Snowpaw ran towards her, a quiver in his mew. "Hawkstorm, is she alright? What do we do?"

"I don't know. StarClan help me; I'm no medicine cat!" Hawkswoop panicked. "Fetch Dewpaw. And tell Eelstorm to race back to camp and fetch Bluemuzzle!" Splashpaw was still able to hear her surroundings, even though she couldn't see. She could hear Snowpaw's pads as they raced back up the hill, then back down again with Dewpaw at his side. She smelled her sister as she came closer.

"Splashpaw?" Dewpaw's whiskers quivered.

Splaspaw tried to talk, but the only thing that escaped her throat was a low moan. Oh StarClan, what is happening to me?!

"What in the name of StarClan is happening to my sister?!" Dewpaw almost shrieked. "Did you two do something to her?" she added, growling.

She thinks it was Snowpaw and Hawkswoop! Dewpaw, no! Splashpaw pleaded in her mind. Stop thinking that, Dewpaw. It's only because you're afraid!

"We didn't do anything!" Snowpaw cried.

"Dewpaw, calm down." Hawkswoop raised his voice. "I turned around, and your sister had collapsed on the ground."

"Dewpaw-" Splashpaw groaned. She tried hard to get a word out, but that was the only word her voice would allow. "Dewpaw, Dewpaw...."

"Splashpaw, I'm here! I'm here. You're going to be okay. You HAVE to be okay!" Dewpaw demanded. "Bluemuzzle's coming. And so are Lakefern and Frondcloud."

"Snowpaw-" Splashpaw managed, getting out another word. She moved her tail around until she found the white tom's paws. "Snowpaw."

"Snowpaw, get over here." At the sound of Dewpaw's stern mew, Snowpaw walked towards the two she-cats.

"What? Am... am I in trouble?" the tom asked nervously.

"No. My sister wants you near her," Dewpaw replied.

The last thing Splashpaw heard was Bluemuzzle, Rapidstar, Eelstorm, Lakefern and Frondcloud coming down the path. And the last thing she felt was Snowpaw's pelt pushed against hers, before she succumbed to the darkness.