Ebonywind shivered as she lay in her nest. Leaf-bare was affecting her clan greatly. Her belly growled and she recalled she hadn't eaten at all that day.

Beside her, Flamefall lay, her eyes twitching in her sleep. She was thin as well, although not as thin as Ebonywind.

She tried her best to sleep, but hunger kept her sleep away. She opened her eyes once sunlight started streaming into the den and padded out wearily.

If I can't sleep, I might as well hunt.

Ebonywind left the camp, still shivering. She sniffed the cold air. Nothing came to her.

"No prey, huh?" A mew said behind her.

"Rosedusk! You scared me!" Ebonywind replied.

"Sorry," Rosedusk replied cheerfully.

"How are you so happy?" Ebonywind said, cocking her head.

"Don't tell anyone," Rosedusk lowered her voice quickly. "But Jaggedstrike and I have been mates for a while and I'm going to be having his kits!"

"Finally!" Ebonywind exclaimed. "I thought it'd never happen!"

"What do you mean?" the she-cat asked.

"Well, everyone can see you two are deeply in love!" Ebonywind purred.

"Is it that obvious?" Rosedusk's ears flattened.

"Yes!"

"Oh, wow," Rosedusk swished her tail, happy again. "Thanks for telling me."

The two parted ways, Ebonywind back to camp and Rosedusk to find Jaggedstrike.

"Let all cats gather before me!" Rowanstar yowled.

Ebonywind perked up, interested. He hadn't been specific, so the kits in the nursery were bounding out eagerly.

"We are shutting off all connection with other Clans!" he called, his voice ringing with irritation. "Leaf-bare is affecting us badly, and we cannot manage to go to Gatherings. We cannot let other cats onto our land, or they will steal prey!"

"What?" Ebonywind mewed in shock.

We can't cut off the Clans! StarClan doesn't want that!

But looking at her Clanmates, she had to admit that his words had some truth.

He's right. We can't manage the journey to the Gathering.

A few days passed, a full moon being one of them. They had ThunderClan cats at the border, asking why they didn't come, but Ebonywind's Clanmates had just ignored them. RiverClan hadn't been as nosy yet had still tried to talk to them.

Ebonywind glanced at her chest, licking down a stray piece of fur. Her ribs were visible, as were her Clanmates. She was distracted from her grooming by a loud yowl.

"What is it?" she sprang out of the den, bristling.

A body lay in the center of the camp, dead.

"Gingerstorm..." Ebonywind breathed. "Oh, StarClan!"

The ginger tom's brown spots had already dulled, and his eyes were blank.

"He was too hungry," Rowanstar announced, his voice sobered. "We will have our vigil for him tonight."

The next morning, Ebonywind woke to see Gingerstorm's family still sitting there sadly. She shook her head and looked for Flamefall.

The deputy usually woke up earlier than all the other cats, but today, she wasn't anywhere to be seen. Ebonywind checked inside the warriors' den and saw her old mentor's gray fur in the back of the den.

"Flamefall! There you are!" she mewed indignantly. "Where've you been?"

Flamefall didn't move.

"Flamefall?"

She still didn't wake.

Panic seized Ebonywind. Fear for her mentor ran inside her body and she hurried to the body, feeling it.

It was cold and limp.

Flamefall was dead.

"No!" Ebonywind yowled out, letting out her pain.

Trembling, she carried the deputy's body out to the clearing, grimly telling the other cats what had happened.

"She died of the cold," Ebonywind explained to Rowanstar.

"Flamefall was a dedicated deputy, a wonderful mentor and a loving mother," Rowanstar coughed slightly. "It is a pity she is gone, but she runs with StarClan now. I now say these words before her spirit, so she can hear them. The new deputy of ShadowClan shall be Cloudstalk!"

"Cloudstalk!" Ebonywind cheered the warrior on through shadowed eyes.

"Slategaze will be Foxpaw's new mentor," Rowanstar continued after a pause.

"As of now, half the Clan will be leaving for a brief period so we can spare the prey in our territory for the weaker cats. These cats will be leaving. Cloudstalk will be leading you. Cloudstalk, Ashblaze, Frostdapple, Pinestone, Slategaze, Foxpaw, Speckleflower, Spruceheart and...Ebonywind, please leave the camp."

Ebonywind gave a little jump when she heard her name but dipped her head, nonetheless.

She padded in Cloudstalk's wake, following her new deputy away from the camp. They reached the back of their territory and Ebonywind sniffed the air cautiously.

"Sniff, then go," Cloudstalk said quietly.

Ebonywind took in one last breath of ShadowClan's forest then stepped across the border.

Cloudstalk, Pinestone, Spruceheart, Slategaze and Foxpaw went to scout out the unfamiliar territory, while Ashblaze, Frostdapple, Speckleflower and Ebonywind hunted. They managed to catch two rabbits and a skinny squirrel. Cloudstalk's patrol soon came back and they journeyed over a couple hills to a sheltered hollow nearby.

"This is good," Ebonywind remarked.

"Foxpaw found it," Slategaze boasted. "He's going to be an amazing warrior."

The red tabby tom looked embarrassed, so Cloudstalk saved him. "Foxpaw, you and Ebonywind share the squirrel, Ashblaze, Frostdapple and Slategaze, you share one of the rabbits and Speckleflower, Spruceheart and I will share the other rabbit."

Ebonywind dipped her head in agreement and dragged the squirrel over for her and Foxpaw to share. Foxpaw took a bite then pushed it over to her, and she repeated the generous action. They kept going for a while until the squirrel was gone. Foxpaw buried the bones and they strode over to Cloudstalk.

By now, everyone else had finished eating, and they were discussing where to sleep.

"Pinestone and I can sleep under a bush," Spruceheart offered.

"It'll be too cold!" Pinestone complained, his thin fur plastered to his sides from the fierce wind.

"Hmph," Speckleflower snorted. "As long as I'm warm, you all will survive, since I'm the best."

"Speckleflower," Cloudstalk said warning.

"Ashblaze and I can share," Frostdapple suggested.

"No, Frostdapple, you need to sleep with Ebonywind, I don't want to sleep with her!" Ashblaze growled, casting her a glare.

Ebonywind winced. "I don't mind if I sleep out in the open."

"No, Ebonywind. We need warriors, otherwise we won't survive," Cloudstalk said, her voice inching towards a growl.

"How about you all sleep under the rock overhanging and I'll sleep in the cave?" Speckleflower insisted.

"Speckleflower, no!" Cloudstalk snarled. "No more arguing! I know we're all cold and hungry, but if you all shut up then I can figure something out!"

Poor Cloudstalk, Ebonywind thought. First day as deputy and this much stress.

"How about this, Cloudstalk," Frostdapple spoke up again. "Ebonywind, Slategaze, Foxpaw and I sleep under the rock overhanging, while you, Ashblaze, Speckleflower, Pinestone and Spruceheart share the cave?"

"No, it'll be too crowded!" Speckleflower hissed.

"Spruceheart can go under the overhanging, since Foxpaw's only an apprentice," Cloudstalk ordered decisively. "I suggest you all save your energy, since we're all going hunting at dawn."

She stalked off angrily to the cave and Pinestone shrugged before heading after her. Ashblaze and Speckleflower glared at Ebonywind some more before heading towards the cave. Ebonywind and Frostdapple curled up together while Slategaze, Spruceheart and Foxpaw flopped beside each other.