Jaypaw woke up, smells flooding his nostrils. Crisp, frigid air shocked his eyes open. The weather hadn't been this cold last night. Jaypaw gasped, jumping to his feet. The ground around him was coated in snow; he, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw were sleeping out in the open. Jaypaw didn't know where he was, but it certainly wasn't the moorland or ThunderClan territory. Rocks jutted out of the ground, peeking above the thick layer of snow.

He pressed his paw against Lionpaw's shoulder, shaking him violently.
"Come on, wake up!"

Lionpaw's amber eyes opened. "Wha-"

"We're somewhere different. We went to sleep and woke up in a completely different place again," he explained.

Lionpaw raised his brow even higher. "Um... I'll wake Hollypaw." He bent over her, jolting her awake.

"Did it snow last night?" She sprang to her feet.

"Let's get somewhere sheltered before we get into whatever this is," Lionpaw suggested.

The three surveyed the strange environment, looking for somewhere to shelter. All Jaypaw could see was white. Being born in late leaf-bare, Jaypaw's only memory of snow was the coldness than hung in the air and clung to his body. It felt like it had lived inside his skin. The snow itself had frozen his whiskers and paw pads until Nightcloud had dragged him inside the nursery. 

"I see a rock we can hide under. Follow me," Hollypaw called, trudging through the snow.

The building snowstorm billowed around them. Jaypaw's feet fell into the furrow she left behind, instinctively letting her trail guide him.

They hid under an overhanging rock, which provided very little shelter. The wind blustered against Jaypaw's face, whipping snowflakes into his fur.

"So...we've wound up somewhere completely different again. How are we supposed to figure out what StarClan wants if they keep whisking us away to new places?" Lionpaw cried over the storm and Hollypaw's purr.

"Something tells me StarClan knows even less then we do," Jaypaw said.
Hollypaw's droning purr rose to a rumble. Jaypaw glared at her. "Are you still dreaming? What do you have to be purring about?" He snapped.

She turned to him, smiling. "Don't you see? We're in the mountains! Made of rock, covered in snow...it's exactly how Tawnypelt described it to me. I was right! That ancient tribe became The Tribe of Rushing Water!"

Jaypaw snorted. "And Heatherpaw told me you were smart! So what, they went off to the mountains and that's where we are. We don't know when this is and if the ancient cats are here. Or if this is even the mountains that they were going to. Mountains all look the same."

"Maybe to you, you can't see!" Lionpaw interrupted, laughing at his joke.

"Why would we wake up in any other mountains than the ones the cats we were just with were travelling to? It makes perfect logical sense."

"We're dealing with StarClan. There's nothing logical about any of this," Jaypaw snapped. He shivered; the bitter wind bit at his fur, covering him in a light layer of snow. "Can we at least find somewhere we're not going to get snowed on?"

"I think it's best if we stay where we are. There doesn't seem to be any other shelter nearby and I don't want to walk out in that blizzard." Hollypaw backed against the rock.

Jaypaw looked at Lionpaw for support, but he was still laughing. "I wish I never woke up this morning," Jaypaw grumbled.

Lionpaw's laughter died. "I think Hollypaw's right. Sure, it's a bit cold here, but it's the only shelter we have."

Jaypaw glared at them both, tail tip twitching. "I'm going to find a better place to shelter."

"It's not safe!" Hollypaw objected. "You'll freeze out there."

"Why don't you just sit in here with us and wait for the storm to last. We can relax and talk instead of worrying about this prophecy for a little while," Lionpaw said.

"I'd rather freeze to death than do that." He stood up and stormed out. He regretted his decision immediately as snow pounded down around him. He wobbled as he walked, fighting against the wind that threatened to blow him off his feet. 

Battling the storm, its wails morphed into a howl, baying an angry song into the sky. The snow mounted upon the ground, forming a wall that Jaypaw had to wade through. Out on the moor, Jaypaw was used to digging through stone and mud to clear tunnels, but he hadn't had to fight against a mountain of snow just to walk. The snow spiralled around him, so thick he couldn't see where he was going. That's nothing new. It clogged his claws, his fur, and his whiskers. Jaypaw was a cacoon, confined in an icy covering. He'd never known cold quite like this. Flesh peeled off him in ribbons, while the cold formed a second skin underneath it.

He sunk into the snow, not able to battle against the wind and the snow any longer.

"At least the storm will be dying soon," a tom said, voice stifled by the snow. Jaypaw pricked his ears. Someone was here!

"If we're going to find a new home, you can't worry about storms! Come on, Jackdaw's Cry, at least try to be brave," a molly joked.

Their voices faded off into the distance. Jaypaw knew this was his best chance of finding out what was going on. He took off after them. Snow clogged his body down, trying to listen out for the voices muffled by the storm. He strained for the faintest of sounds, following them until his legs were numb.

A thundering noise echoed. Jaypaw stared. A wall of water fell from the sky, descending onto the ground below. It roared, calling out his name. This was the waterfall Crowfeather had told him about. This was the home of the Tribe of Rushing Water.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" One of the cats from earlier snarled.

Jaypaw turned. He met the glaring gaze of a black tom.

"I'm-" Jaypaw stopped. He didn't know this time or which cats he might meet. "I'm Breeze."

"I haven't seen you around the mountains before," the tom said. His expression relaxed. "You must be freezing in this storm. Follow me." He turned, long tail fanning out behind him.

Jaypaw followed him, knowing where he was being taken. Crowfeather had spoken of a wall of water he'd walked behind. He followed the cat in front of him.

"I'm Jackdaw's Cry," he said. Jaypaw barely heard him, in awe of the water thundering around him. His claws clung to the slippery rocks, paws skidding. Jaypaw's gaze never left the waterfall, terrified he would fall in. Water pelted down around him, coating his fur in spray. The rocky path opened up into a cave, cold and drafty. Jaypaw's eyes spun as they adjusted from the brilliant white of the snow to the darkened cave. A warm ginger tabby bounced up to Jaypaw and Jackdaw's Cry.

"So this is the snow hare you ditched me to find?" She teased. She turned to Jaypaw. "Who are you? We don't get many outsiders here in the mountains."

"I'm Breeze," he replied.

"Well, I'd better go tell Stoneteller. She'll want to see you." The ginger trotted away.

"Are you hungry?" Jackdaw's Cry asked.

Jaypaw felt the hunger for the first time, gutting him from the inside out. "I wouldn't mind some prey." He glanced at the fresh-kill pile, where only a lone skylark lay. "If you have any to spare."

Jackdaw's Cry turned away, voice gruff. "Sorry, we don't have much. It's the Frozen Water season."

"Here he is, Stoneteller!" Jaypaw turned at the ginger tabby's cry.

Jaypaw turned, his body going stiff and tense.

The cat standing before him was skinny, her bones jutting from her body. her fur was bedraggled but still looked soft. She was small, sunken in around her skeleton. But her scent, like an open sky and sweetgrass, was unchanged. Despite how much she'd changed, it was undeniable she was the same cat he'd seen only yesterday, but time had passed. Half Moon looked old, like she'd speak in the same rasp as Tawnyfur.

She tilted her head to the side. "You look like someone I used to know, though I can barely remember him now. Do you know a cat called - ah, what was his name? I think his name was Lion?"

Jaypaw nodded, throat drying up. "Uh...no, don't know a Lion."

"Hmm," she replied. "I could've sworn he looked like you, but I only knew him for a few days before he and his siblings deserted us. As far as I can remember, any silver tabby could look like him!" She cleared her throat. "So, are you new around here?"

Jaypaw sat down, relief colouring his body golden. "Uh, yeah. I've been travelling around the mountains a bit. By myself," he added. He could get away with Half Moon not being able to recognise him, but he knew he wouldn't be so lucky if Lionpaw and Hollypaw showed up.

Half Moon smiled. "You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you like." She sighed, looking at the fresh-kill pile. "I'd offer you prey but I'm afraid the kits need it. Hunters will come back soon."

Jaypaw nodded. Taking a breath, he asked "What's it like living in the mountains? I'm thinking of settling down here."

Half Moon sat down next to him. "It's...hard. Prey is scarce, and it's always freezing. But it's worth it." A smile warmed her face. "The snow, the water, and the mountain provide what we need. We're isolated from predators and we're protected. It's a tough life, but the tough can handle it." She looked at him, squinting. "You can always join us. As some of the tribe will be leaving, the remainders of us need as many cats as we can."

Jaypaw sighed. The old tribe lived where the Tribe of Rushing Water lived. Hollypaw was right.

"Why are some of the tribe leaving?" He asked.

"The tribe is overcrowded and starving. This land cannot support all of us. Many of the younger cats aren't as connected to this land as the older cats and I are. They see a life of hardship and struggle, not having experienced the journey here, or the joy we felt when we found our new home. They weren't here for our perfect first moons... they didn't see what guided us here," Half Moon said.

Fallen Leaves. Jaypaw shivered as she referenced his friend.

"Where are they travelling to?" Jaypaw asked. Maybe this is what StarClan wanted - for him to bring these cats back.

Half Moon didn't say anything for a moment. "They don't know. I had a vision of a trail lit by a golden sunrise. It showed me where they needed to go, wherever that may be." She met his eyes. "Visions must seem strange to you, but they're sent from the spirits of our deceased."

"Yeah," he replied with a snort, "never heard of a cat having visions before."

Jaypaw knew he needed to share this with Hollypaw and Lionpaw. "How about I go and hunt? Your tribe needs prey."

Half Moon shook her head. "The storm is too dangerous for an inexperienced cat. Stay in here with us until it passes."

It's not too dangerous for me just because I'm blind! The words rose in Jaypaw's throat before he coughed it down. He wasn't in WindClan. He wasn't blind here. Half Moon wasn't making excuses based on his condition.

He nodded and turned around. Eyes bore into his pelt, snaking through his body like worms. He turned to the side, sitting away from everyone, wrapping his tail over his paws.

Thudding pawsteps caught Jaypaw's attention. He turned around, seeing a grey tabby kit.

"Hi!" He said. "I'm Jagged Peak. Who are you?"

"Breeze." Jaypaw drew his tail in closer to him.

"Where did you come from?" Jagged Peak asked.

"Far away." Jaypaw snapped.

"But from where?" He persisted. "Did you come from where the sun trail goes?"

Jaypaw shook his head. "I don't know where the sun trail goes."

Jagged Peak looked put out. "I don't want to leave the mountains. It's home! But some of my friends are going, like Falling Feather. I want to know where they're going," he said.

Jaypaw didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing.

Jagged Peak was relentless, and kept talking. "So did you come with anyone or did you come on your own?"

"I came on my own." I wish.

"That's really brave. It must've been lonely," He said. "I would miss my brothers if I was on my own." 

Jaypaw shook his head. "It wasn't. I like being alone."

Jagged Peak sat back. When Jaypaw continued to ignore him, he bounded away to join another kit. Jaypaw breathed out a sigh. He could have some peace. He rolled onto his side, hunger pains shooting through his body. Whispers vibrated through the ground, singing birdsong and keening calls. Jaypaw pressed his ear against the ground, heart beating. The whispers pulled at him, grabbing with outstretched paws. He sat up, looking in the direction they'd come from. A small cave sunk into the wall. The whispers were coming from there.

Jaypaw followed them, crossing the cave, trying to ignore the feeling of eyes on him. Standing outside the cave, tremors resonating through the earth below, Jaypaw peeped inside. The pull he'd grown so accustomed to, the pull that had faded into an ache now burned him from the inside out.

Slipping a paw inside, he froze. The whispers became voices, became screaming, gusting around him. Jaypaw flattened his ears to his head, trying to shut out the noise. It drummed against the inside of his skull, bouncing around in his head. He tried to dig his claws into the ground to steady himself, but the rock underneath him was solid. He swayed on his paws as the voices pulled him in all directions.

Jaypaw snapped open his eyes. To brave the storm of whatever was going on inside this cave, he needed Hollypaw and Lionpaw. He was where he was meant to be. But be wasn't with who he was meant to be with.

Darting out of the cave, he ran across the ground. The waterfall loomed in front of him. Jaypaw's feet slipped against the soaked ground around the waterfall, the water drenched his pelt. Jaypaw's foot skidded sideways, knocked out from underneath him. His entire body slid, but he forced himself to his feet.

Breaking away from the path, Jaypaw was immediately met with the wind and the snow. It pushed him back, budgeting his fur. The wind was a wall, impenetrable. But Jaypaw's will was stronger, immovable and unstoppable. He pushed forward. The wind had stripped the scent from the ground, the monochrome snow covering any distinguishing landmarks about this mountain. Jaypaw was used to relying on his other senses. He pricked his stinging ears, searching beyond the howl of the wind for any signs of life. Twin calls cried, suffocated by the storm.

"Lionpaw, Hollypaw!" Jaypaw called back.

The three cats continued to call each other's names, running around in circles. Jaypaw squinted, seeing an orange shape highlighted against the grey and white sky.

"Lionpaw!" He bounded towards Lionpaw, snow spraying in all directions. Beaming, Lionpaw pounced on him, knocking him to the ground.

"We thought we'd lost you forever," he cried.

Jaypaw struggled to get up. He strained against Lionpaw's bulk, but couldn't even make him budge.

"StarClan wouldn't let us lose a prophecy cat," Hollypaw declared, striding up to the two. But her tail quivered, and relief streaked her voice.

Lionpaw flopped down beside Jaypaw in the snow, pressing himself against him. "It's so cold."

Hollypaw stood over them, hesitating. She leaned down over Jaypaw, licking his ears like a worried mother. "Don't do that again," she said furiously. "We were so worried."

At that moment she reminded Jaypaw so much of Nightcloud, he let her keep licking his ears.

"Where did you even go?" Lionpaw asked.

Jaypaw closed his eyes. "I started walking, and then I met these cats. They took me to a waterfall with a path behind it."

Hollypaw gasped. "The Tribe of Rushing Water!"

Jaypaw nodded. " And guess who their Stoneteller is?"

"How would we have any idea who it is? Just tell us!" She begged.

"Half Moon," he said, opening his eyes. "You were right."

Hollypaw purred, paws kneading the ground with delight. "StarClan must want us to help these cats if they've brought us to them twice!" 

"We have to go to their cave. I heard something. These whispers were calling to me, and I followed them to a cave. They kept getting louder...they're so important. But we're all part of this prophecy." He looked away, not wanting to meet their eyes. "I'm sorry I ran off. I need you guys with me to solve this prophecy."

Lionpaw bumped against him, smiling. "I care about you too, mousebrain."

Jaypaw opened his mouth to explain that was not what he'd said, but looking at the other two, he decided to keep quiet. He was stuck with them whether he liked it or not, and at least they were decent cats. He shuddered to think of what it would've been like if someone like Boulderpaw had been part of this prophecy with him.

Hollypaw jumped up. "Let's go to this cave! We've got to figure out this prophecy."

Jaypaw heaved himself to his feet. "Okay, but you two will have to sneak in. Half Moon recognised me, though she called me Lion. If all three of us go in, she'll know who we are. Problem is, there's only one entrance."

"Oh. Yeah, that's a problem." Lionpaw said.

Hollypaw looked up at the sky, green gaze lost in thought. "Tawnypelt told me that the tribe covered themselves in mud when hunting...that wouldn't work now because the ground is covered in snow. But how about Lionpaw and I covered ourselves in snow and walked into their cavern. As long as we stayed away from anyone, we would just blend in, right?" 

"It's the only option we've got," Jaypaw replied. "Let's just go."

The three trooped back through the dying blizzard, fur coated with snow.

Jaypaw went through the waterfall path first, each footstep as tentative as if he were treading around patches of thistles. Looking back at Lionpaw and Hollypaw, he yowled over the roar of the waterfall. "I'll find a way to cause a distraction! Then you guys can sneak in."  Entering the cavern for a second time, several cats looked up as he walked through. 

"Hi, Breeze! Where did you go?" Jagged Peak asked, trotting over to him. 

"I tried hunting," he grunted. 

"Did you catch anything?" he asked.

"Obviously not," Jaypaw snorted. Was this kit stupid? He knew he needed to draw attention away from the cavern entrance. He couldn't make a scene, because he needed to sneak off too. He stared at Jagged Peak, an idea beginning to form. Kits always captured attention. Could he persuade Jagged Peak to do something that would distract the Tribe? 

"Jagged Peak," he hissed. "You think it was brave of me to travel on my own?"

Jagged Peak  nodded. "Yeah! You travelled a long way by yourself. I bet you fought off tons of eagles!"

Jaypaw dipped his muzzle towards him. "Do you want to be brave too?"

Jagged Peak nodded. "I'm already brave!"

Jaypaw pointed to a large rock. "See that rock over there? Do you think you can climb it?" 

Jagged Peak's eyes lit up. "Of course I can! Quiet Rain never lets me, but I've always wanted to climb it!" He ran over to it, beginning to scale it with ease.

This immediately caught the attention  of an elder. "Jagged Peak, get down from there! You could fall!"

As several cats paused to watch the kit, Jaypaw's stare fixed on the cave opening, where he saw Lionpaw creep in.

"Where's Hollypaw?" He whispered as Lionpaw reached him.

Lionpaw blinked. "She's right behind me!"

"Yeah Jaypaw, I'm here!" Hollypaw whispered, peeking out from behind Lionpaw.

Jaypaw, Hollypaw and Lionpaw crept into the cave while the tribe cats persuaded Jagged Peak to stop climbing. Jaypaw glanced over at Hollypaw. He knew Lionpaw was big and could easily have hidden her smaller frame behind him, but he could've sworn that for a moment, she wasn't there at all. The whispers were even louder this time, their voices amplified, as if every star in the sky was screaming at him. The voices swirled around him like the blizzard that had raged outside. It entered his body, filling every crevice inside him until all Jaypaw could think of was the noise. He fell to the ground, ears flattened to block out the calls. As Jaypaw screwed his eyes shut, the screams began to recede, retreating to peaceful whispers again. 

Jaypaw opened his ears and eyes, gaze falling upon his companions. Hollypaw picked herself up off the ground, meeting Jaypaw's eyes. Lionpaw stood strong, legs wide apart in a battle stance, but his face was calm as he adjusted to the volume. Jaypaw looked around, noticing for the first time that another cat was with them. This cat's pink skin sagged from its skeletal body, ribs and spine protruding from its body. The cat turned its bulging, clouded gaze on Jaypaw. Rock, the cat he'd seen in the tunnels, who owned his stick.

"Rock? You called us here?" Jaypaw asked. 

Lionpaw bristled as he stared at the grotesque tom, not acknowledging Jaypaw's words. Hollypaw flashed him a look. "You know this cat?" She asked.

"I did," Rock replied, ignoring the other two.  

"And the cats we saw, the cats who became the Tribe of Rushing Water, are the cats you came from?"

"No, I come from cats from a time before the ancient tribe," he said.

"Who?"Jaypaw pressed him.

Rock ignored his question, instead sweeping his gaze across Hollypaw and Lionpaw. "At least you don't come alone this time. The prophecy of Four is not the destiny of a single cat, and you must all rely on each other to fulfil it. Though it seems one of you is missing."

"W-we haven't figured out who the fourth cat is yet," Hollypaw spoke up, drawing closer to Rock. "We know they have to be a RiverClan cat, but none of the apprentices are the fourth cat. Jaypaw tried, so it must be someone unexpected. Only the three of us woke up to this time." 

Rock nodded in response to Hollypaw. "You must find the fourth cat soon if you wish to fulfil this prophecy. The fate of the Clans relies on all of you."

Jaypaw gulped. The fate of the Clans?

"I only wish the fate of the Clans didn't rest in such stupid paws," he growled, staring at Lionpaw. 

"He's blind, how can he see me? Is he like you?" Lionpaw turned around, whispered to Jaypaw.

"He still has ears and a nose, you know." Jaypaw rolled his eyes. 

"Even a cat without a nose could smell your fear scent," Rock walked closer to the three cats. Jaypaw walked towards him, closing the distance between them. With a nervous exchange of looks, Hollypaw and Lionpaw followed.  The four of them sat down together, Lionpaw edging as far away from Rock as he could.

"What's happening to us?" Jaypaw demanded. "Why are we in the mountains with the Tribe of Rushing Water?"

"To understand the prophecy of four, you must first understand where it came from," Rock replied. 

Hollypaw leaned in closer to him, ears pricked. "So the prophecy came from the Tribe of Rushing Water? Do we have to save them?" 

Rock snorted. "No. You have such a limited view of time. Everything is a circle." 

Lionpaw looked from Hollypaw to Jaypaw, bewildered. Jaypaw scrunched his nose, trying to understand what Rock was trying to tell him. 

Rock sighed. "You'll find out soon. But understand that the ancient cats who became the Tribe of Rushing Water, the Tribe, and the Clans are connected. They are one, always have been, always will be."

"So why are we here then?" Jaypaw spat. "We've been dragged away from our Clans in some weird and long dream. We're told we're powerful and in a prophecy but we know nothing! How are we supposed to do anything when StarClan won't tell us anything?"

Rock glared at him. "You have a huge task ahead of you. No one is just going to tell you the answers, so get used to using your brains." He shook his head. "But I'll tell you one thing. Your task is in your own time, in your future. But to understand that future, you must understand the past, where everything came from. You need to learn what you're fighting for."

Lionpaw's eyes widened. "What we're fighting for?"

A stone dropped in Jaypaw's belly. The prophecy felt heavier now that he had to fight for something. More real.

"It's time for the next part of your journey," Rock croaked.

Darkness lapped at Jaypaw's vision, a sinking feeling in his gut pulling him to the ground. 

"Oh, not again," groaned Lionpaw. 

No matter how forcefully Jaypaw tried to keep his eyes open, they shut, his world growing dark once more.