"Brambleshine is the new deputy of WindClan?"

Amberpaw sighed and shuffled her paws. "Yes. He is." Rosefrost shook her head in disbelief.

"I've never heard of a deputy being demoted. Resigning, yes, but downgraded.." She sighed, and then gazed at Amberpaw. "Rainstar better have her back covered,"

"What do you mean?" Amberpaw tilted her head slightly. Rainstar was a strong and intelligent she-cat, why would she need to defend herself?

Rosefrost sighed and shook her head, standing up and looking up at the moon. "Do you expect Firescar to sit back and look happy? He must be furious that he's lost all of his power and followers, escpecially with such a power-hungry mind," Amberpaw nodded, following her gaze.

The Gathering was the sunrise before, and Rosefrost was about to give Amberpaw her first night stalking lesson.

"It's a bit stupid, but a bit brilliant," her mentor had sighed. "You haven't learnt to hunt in the day yet, but by stalking without sight you'll probably be better at hunting with it."

Amberpaw shivered as they padded through the undergrowth. The snow wasn't heavy, yet it was cold. Rosefrost had explained that it wouldn't settle, as the ground was too thick with dew.

Amberpaw felt sorry for Flamepaw and Stormpaw, as they had inherited Pinewing's short fur, whilst she had received Aspencloud's thick coat.

Hurrying after Rosefrost, her eyes began to adjust to the darkness. She couldn't see as clearly as she could in the daylight, but he could make out the shapes of bushes and trees.

However, Rosefrost obviously knew the forest much more than her, as she was making her way around effortlessly, and with closer examination Amberpaw realised that she was using her nose.

Eventually, they reached somewhere Amberpaw vaguely recognised as the training hollow. Her paws fit into the dents made by many apprentices before her, and she breathed in excitedly.

Through the darkness, she could see Rosefrost turn around and face her. "Attack me." Her mentor ordered.

"What?!" Amberpaw exclaimed. "I can't see you." She heard Rosefrost groan, and listened to her explaining while stalking around her, blending in with the shadows that the trees cast. She could just see Rosefrost talking to the space where she just was, and smirked, knowing her distraction worked.

Remembering the stalk Dovepaw had taught her, she slid her paws along the ground slowly, keeping her tail high. When she was close enough to spring, she leapt onto Rosefrost's back, raking her paws down her sides, claws sheathed.

Rosefrost let out a shriek of surprise and swung round, knocking Amberpaw off. Rosefrost leaped on her, pinning her down and only letting go when Amberpaw gasped that it was her.

"You sneaky fox!" Rosefrost exclaimed when Amberpaw told her of her plan. "However, that was extremely clever to cause a distraction for me and then sneak an attack. Who taught you how to stalk?" Rosefrost questioned, tilting her head.

Amberpaw flicked her tail. "Dovepaw. He told me it was a good mouse stalk."

"Well, he's right. Mice can feel or hear even the slightest vibration or sound, so sliding your paws is an incredible technique." She lashed her tail, getting into a fighting crouch. "Come on, attack me again,"

Amberpaw took a deep breath and leaped at her, aiming for her face. However, Rosefrost took her leg and used it to flip her over. Amberpaw felt herself being pinned for a second time.

"That was amazing!" She gasped, twisting and heaving herself up. "Please teach me how to do it!"

As Amberpaw watched Rosefrost repeat the move, and with a jolt felt a rush if electricity pass through her. A thousand whispering voices grasped her fur, and she shrieked as she fell to the floor, desperately trying to shake off the muttering. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rosefrost leaning over her writhing body, and then all was silent.

-

Amberpaw woke in a dream-like state. Her first thought was that she was in StarClan, but the surroundings and her situation contradicted that theory.

All was dark. Spiked thorns pricked at her pelt, clinging to it, pulling her back. But somewhere inside of her, Amberpaw knew if she gave in to the darkness, the black sheen of water beneath her would consume her, and she would never see the light of day again.

She started fighting, pulling herself up. It was tiring, but the determination within her drove her on. She could now see a small light, the size of a single mouse hair. The tabby wanted to reach up and touch it, but tiredness covered her. She glanced half-heartedly to one side. She almost slipped and fell in horror.

Her mother was hanging from the branch with only a claw. She could see the claw ripping, threatening to plunge her mother into the never-ending darkness. Her mother didn't see her. Instead she said the words that would haunt Amberpaw for moons.

"Amber will fall for the heart so black.
Who's secrets and schemes shall ensure no lives come back."

"What does it mean!" She yowled. "Mother?" Her mother turned her head and gazed at her sadly.

"Oh, my dear Amberpaw," she whispered. Amberpaw reached a paw out to catch her mother, but she fell, taking Amberpaw's heart with her.

Amberpaw blinked and found herself in an equally dark place, but the scents were unfamiliar. However, Amberpaw let out a silent shriek of terror when she whirled round to see a massive dog looming over two trembling figures, one black and one grey. Amberpaw could only see their outlines, so she didn't see the true horror that lay in the scene.

-

Amberpaw woke with a jolt, and was surprised to see herself lying in a nest in the medicine cat's den, with a very worried Rosefrost standing above her.

"Oh Amberpaw! Thank StarClan that you're okay! I couldn't believe my eyes when you collapsed in the hollow, I thought you were dead!" She gasped, hopping from one foot to the other.

Amberpaw yawned. "Where's Pinewing and Cloudscar?" Amberpaw asked, getting to her feet unsteadily. Rosefrost's fur bushed out suddenly, and looked away from Amberpaw.

"Spotteddapple told me not to tell you, you're in shock as it is.." She stammered, and then sighed when Amberpaw flattened her ears. "They're part of a search party."

"Why? What's missing?" Amberpaw questioned cautiously. Rosefrost looked at some point behind her, and then snapped her gaze to match Amberpaw.

"Its more like who's missing," she meowed gently. "Flamepaw and Stormpaw left their nests last night, and they haven't returned,"