Featherpaw trudged through ShadowClan territory, Stalkfire at her side. She was shaken by hearing that Tigerstar and Tawnypelt had died in a battle with rogues. 

Pine scent flooded her nose, and the pine needles slipped under her paws as she walked. Featherpaw shivered, wondering what would happen if they encountered the rogues here. 

Smokyflame lifted his chin, his nose twitching. "Ahh, mountain scent," he sighed, lifting his tail. He turned towards Featherpaw, his eyes bright. "Can you smell that fresh air?" He asked.

Featherpaw parted her jaws, letting scents bathe her tongue. She glanced upwards, seeing a looming shadow in the fog. "Is that the mountain?" She asked.

"Yes," Stalkfire meowed.

Stormgaze blinked. "I've never been to the mountain," she meowed. 

"I don't think any of us have," Peachfur meowed. "But I've been up some of it. The trail on the side of the mountain must take you all the way up," she meowed. "I've been up halfway of the trail."

A cold breeze stirred around them. Featherpaw shivered. She glanced forward, seeing that the pune trees thinned out. They were reaching the edge of ShadowClan territory.

"We're almost there. Then we'll rest at the Moon Cave," Peachfur meowed, flicking her tail.

The patrol was silent as they reached the edge of ShadowClan territory. They left the cover of pine trees and stepped into the open. Featherpaw heard the crashing noise of water and saw a waterfall. It fell from the way top of the mountain and crashed down into the pond. There was a steep rocky trail that curled up the mountain, and, peering through the fog, the trail curled around the waterfall and snaked up the mountain, out of view against the fog.

"I heard a tribe lives up there," Peachfur murmured. 

Featherpaw walked faster, her eyes bright. It was so beautiful. The sky was orange, and the clouds were pink. The sun was dipping behind the mountain. Night was settling. 

"Hey, Peachfur," Stalkfire called.

Peachfur turned.

"You and Featherpaw head up the trail, and we'll catch us something," Stalkfire meowed. He looked at Smokyflame and Stormgaze. "Come on, we can hunt." As the three cats turned, Peachfur touched her tail to Featherpaw's spine. "I'll lead you up the trail."

Featherpaw padded over to the trail, her paw planting on the rocky surface. It was rough, with tiny stones digging into her pads. She took another step forward, Peachfur at her side. "Don't worry, it won't crumble beneath you," she soothed.

"I should've went hunting with them. I'm so hungry," Featherpaw sighed. Then her ears pricked as she heard scrambling. She narrowed her eyes, seeing a mouse running down the trail. Didn't it see them standing there? She lunged forward, her paws catching the mouse. She killed it quickly with a bite to its neck. Easy!

"Wow, nice catch," Peachfur commented, sitting down. "I suppose we should wait here for them," she added, stretching. She leaned forward to lick her paw. 

Featherpaw glanced at the small she-cat. "Want some?" She asked.

"No."

"More for me," Featherpaw purred, taking a bite from the mouse. She relished the feeling of the warm juices gliding on her tongue. She chewed slowly, loving how amazing the mouse tasted.

Gray clouds hung in the sky, warning that rain would come soon. Featherpaw yawned, then got up. She stretched in her nest. Last night, the patrol had come back and they had headed up the trail to the Moon Cave. Featherpaw still felt tired. She couldn't sleep that well due to the loud sound of the waterfall, which was right outside of the cave. It was beautiful though.

"Good morning Featherpaw, sleep well?" Smokyflame asked. 

"Not really," Featherpaw sighed. "But I can still walk."

"Good, you'll need energy for our journey. We've got a long walk ahead of us," Peachfur meowed, stretching in her nest. "We should head out now," she insisted.

Stalkfire and Stormgaze padded forward, running through the thin waterfall. Featherpaw ran through it, shivering as her fur got damp from the waterfall. If this was what medicine cats had to deal with everytime, then she felt bad.

Peachfur and Smokyflame appeared behind her.

"We can make it all the way up the trail," Peachfur meowed. "It doesn't lead directly to the top of the mountain, but more like a flat space between those two points."

"How do you know? You've never been up the mountain all the way," Stalkfire pointed out.

"That is correct, but I've seen it in my dreams," Peachfur meowed. "Now let's go."