(Cat above is Silkpelt)

Petalpaw shived as she padded through the forest, the snow frigid against her paw pads. A cold breeze blew, ruffling her fur. Leaf bare was upon the forest. Prey was scare, the leaves had disappeared from their branches.

Ravenfeather had sent her hunting and all she managed to catch were two measly mice, too small to fill up any cat. Knowing the cold would keep them in their nests, she padded around the twolegplace, hoping to find prey that took shelter there. As she made her way along the fence, she spotted a familiar brown and white splotched pelt.

"Hi, Morningfrost." She called.

Morningfrost turned and smiled at her, picking up the small bundle he carried. He padded over to meet her. "Hi. How's the hunting?"

"Not good." Petalpaw replied. "I've only been able to catch two mice. They're so small, none of our clanmates will be full from them."

"This leaf-bare's harsh." Morningfrost mewed. "Sagenose sent me to find catmint, but the cold has already destroyed most of the plants." He gently nudged the bundle. "This was all I could gather."

"How many cats are sick?"

"Just three." Morningfrost replied. "Silkpelt, Aspentail, and Duststripe."

Petalpaw's ears pricked with alarm. Duststripe was Gorsestar's son and the ThunderClan leader hadn't been himself even since the loner incident from Frogfang. Losing Duststripe would only harm Gorsestar more.

"Let's go back to camp." Petalpaw suggested. "I don't think we're gonna find more of what we're both looking for."

As a slight snowfall settled in, the two cats treked back to camp. When they slipped through the gorse tunnel, they saw a mass of their clanmates huddled around the medicine den. Soft, sorrowful wails could be heard amongst the crowd of gathered cats. Petalpaw dropped her catches of at the fresh kill pile before joining Morningfrost. She tried to look over her clanmates to see.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"It's Silkpelt." Firetail turned over his shoulder. "She's dead."

Petalpaw felt a lump form in her throat. Silkpelt had been her favorite out of all the elders. She always told the best stories and would let kits play with her tail. She watched Petalpaw and Tawnypaw practice theid "battle moves" when they were kits. She was one of the kindest cats any cat could know. ThunderClan wouldn't be the same without her.

Sagenose pushed his way through the crowd and made his way over to them. Morningfrost softly pushed the tiny budle of catmint to his mentor. Sagenose studied it for a moment.

"Would this have helped her?" He asked.

Sagenose rolled the bundle gently under his paw. "It maybe would've kept her alive for a little longer. But either way, I think it was Silkpelt's time." He laid his tail over his apprentice's back. "You found catmint and that's what I asked of you. Though Silkpelt's outcome would've been the same, you served you clan. I'm proud of you. If we ration this wisely, it should help Aspentail and Duststripe. Silkpelt had greencough, they only have whitecough."

Morningfrost nodded and smiled a little. "Thanks, Sagenose."

He said a quiet goodbye to Petalpaw then followed Sagenose to their den. Petalpaw made her way over to the apprentices' den. As she settled outside, she looked just as Marshpaw and Appleshade returned to camp. Dangling from Marshpaw's mouth were two measly mice, no bigger than the two she caught.

Once he had ser his catches in the fresh kill pile, Marshpaw walked over to the apprentices' den, watching the crowd of his gathered clanmates outside the medicine den.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Silkpelt's dead." Petalpaw replied.

To her surprise, Marshpaw's ears fell and his tail dropped behind him. He turned over his shoulder to look at the crowd. "She's dead?" He asked as if he hadn't heard her right. "Since when?"

Petalpaw shrugged. "I guess only a few minutes. I just got back from hunting so I just found out too."

Marshpaw sat down and wrapped his tail arpund his paws. "She was my favorite elder. Do you remember our favorite story she told?"

"About the Thunderstar and the first leaders of the clans." Petalpaw mewed. "I remember. We always loved hearing about how the clans started."

"I always dreamed I'd share that story with my own kits one day." Marshpaw continued. "I'd share all of Silkpelt's stories."

With his own kits? Petalpaw smiled knowingly at her brother. "So," she said. "you and Featherpaw?"

Marshpaw's ears pricked in alarm. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"I see you two coming back from training with your tails entwined." Petalpaw objected.

Marshall shifted on his paws. "Just don't say anything to her. I'm not ready to tell her."

"Your secret's safe with me." Petalpaw agreed.

Marshpaw rose to his paws with an embarrassed purr. "I'm going to see if Appleshade needs me for anything."

He bounded out of the den without waiting for a response. Petalpaw tilted her head to the side. She never would've imagined Marshpaw caring about someone other than himself. But then again, she thought, Marshpaw only hates me. And Featherpaw's not me.

Surely the light gray tabby she cat saw something good in her brother. Just because Petalpaw couldn't see didn't mean it wasn't there. After all, he was nice to her just a few moments ago.

Was there more to her brother? Was he hiding his true self, a kinder him? Or had Silkpelt's death brought out a soft side to him? Petalpaw looked over to where Marshpaw say talking with Appleshade.

Better question is....how long will it last?

____________________

A/N: Hey guys!! It's been awhile. I'm not giving up on this story. I love you guys and this story and its characters too much not to finish it.
I've been absent due to school, work and also just a little bit of lack of motivation. But I'm back now and so is my motivation. I have started college again, the new semester has started and I do work so I will try my best to get chapters out as I can :)