It was much too cold for leaffall, at least in Phoenixwing's opinion. Already her bones ached for a taste of the sunlight that had nurtured them for so long, for something besides endlessly despicable cold.

Nightsky and Sunstrike walked together, talking and purring.

Phoenixwing wished Rivertail would talk to her more, but he was always working himself too hard for the clan. With Flametail dead, he had been taking double duties. Phoenixwing didn't know the tom, she hadn't seen him since apprenticehood and barely remembered his name until he died.

It was just one more thing to feel guilty about.

Couragepaw and Lightningpaw were both busy setting out lots of moss for the elders. Their mentors, Windfeather and Ivywhisker, were both helping. The cozy dens seemed much more appealing to Phoenixwing than standing out in the cold, yet there she was, silent and extremely bored to top that.

Why was she out there? Ripplefoot.

Ripplefoot should've been there as she had planned, when the sun rose over the horizon, but it was now coming over the trees and he still wasn't there. She stretched out from ear to tail, masking her impatience in calm grace.

Ripplefoot ran from the forest, huffing. "I'm here, Phoenixwing! Ready to start our training!"

"Why were you up so early? And why-" She looked him up and down, "Are you covered in mud?"

"Well, you see, I was um, getting training in when I sort of kind of fell in the mud and..." Ripplefoot explained hastily.

Phoenixwing growled, "Oh never mind. We all know where you've really been."

Ripplefoot's face flushed red as the lilies over Fire's grave. "You're SAYING it too loud..."

She ignored him and headed past the bushes on the way out of the camp. Ripplefoot kept close to her feet until they came to the old clearing hollow. It was grassy, but Phoenixwing couldn't help but feel like something had been lost since she was an apprentice training here, or a mentor called to duty.

It was forlorn now, the old scars magic closed to her.

"Weird, right?" Phoenixwing muttered.

"Yeah... Just days ago I was an apprentice here and now I'm a warrior... so much to think about."

"So, training." Phoenixwing said bluntly.

"Um... I fight like Silentpelt would, you try to counter me and switch?"

The two circled each other, and then Ripplefoot ran at her, swiftly going under her, raking his claws and getting back on his feet on the other side, covered in dirt.

Phoenixwing ignored the pain and went straight for his side, causing him to fall back but not falter. He tried to get altitude on a log and jump over Phoenixwing, but he fell flat on his face.

"I'm pretty sure that Silentpelt wouldn't do that..."

"Shut up." Ripplefoot got to his feet.

His fur bristles and he lunged for Phoenixwing, this time going for a mock killing bite. Phoenixwing lurched forwards, and his teeth bit solid shoulderbone. "Ouch."

He spit out a tooth.

Phoenixwing smirked. "Surrender?"

Ripplefoot nodded through the pain.

"Next time, if I win, you have to tell me where you were this morning."

"I would never lose to Silentpelt's foxhearted tactics. You're on."

His pride, as usual, would be his downfall. Phoenixwing wasn't so quick to give up. She wasn't fast enough to dive under Ripplefoot, so instead she faced him head on. Ripplefoot saw her coming and knocked her back, and then pounced on her, but she had her hindpaws ready to kick him back into the air and across the clearing.

Sufficiently hurt, Ripplefoot huffed in pain while his stomach throbbed and turned.

"So?" Phoenixwing asked.

"Mistfeather. I wanted to tell her... I was ... a warrior."

"You NEED to stop seeing her!"

"It's sort of late for that."

"Why?"

"She's kind of having my kits..." Ripplefoot snapped out of his daze and realized he'd said far too much.

Phoenixwing looked down at him dully. "You son of a fox."

Ripplefoot groaned. In fact, he did look like a fox- even more so than when Phoenixwing first recognized the similarities. "You won't tell anyone, right?"

"And lose my blackmail? No way." She chuckled.

Phoenixwing felt something cold rocket up her spine. She turned around, but no one was there. She looked up. It was snow. In leaffall?!

It was impossible, yet there it was, falling all around her.

The two cats walked back to camp, confused and amazed. The kits were playing in the fluffy white snow, squealing in delight.

Moonstar was shivering, unamused.

"It's a sign." she muttered. When no one heard, her she yelled, "It's a sign from StarClan!"

Everyone turned to her, curious.

"The prophecy has to be fulfilled, or we will all perish in snow."

"What prophecy?"

"Moonstar, are you okay?!"

"Icy winter pierces hearts,

powerful as frozen darts,

Two strong cats shall brave the storm,

born to keep their clanmates warm.

Fire and water against the snow,

when the world turns ten below,

end the winter, end the fight,

shatter the moon to make things right." Raindrop said to the assembled warriors.

"Winter has come. But what is there to fight?" Moonstar asked.

The cry came up from all the warriors. "RAINCLAN!"

"Who has killed our warriors?"

"RAINCLAN!"

"Who will we attack in three day's time?!"

"RAINCLAN!"

The cheers penetrated the night air, warriors dancing and clawing at the snow. Phoenixwing, knowing that the snow was to bring famine, went out to hunt. Along the river, she saw a silver fish, right below the reflection of the moon.

Her paw slid out, and the fish flopped on dry land. The reflection was distorted and faded away.

Shatter the moon...