Mudpaw trudged alongside Burntsun, his paws aching with numbness. They were heading to RiverClan. Why not ShadowClan first, it's obviously them! He saw the glittering frozen river through the dying reeds.

Squirrelstar pushed through the reeds, her tail flicking. She simply walked across the frozen ice, her fur flat. "We'll wait here," she meowed.

The rest of the cats walked across the ice, then stood on the other side, waiting for a patrol to pass. Mudpaw almost fell over, his whiskers and fur feeling like they'd freeze off. It's too cold, I'm going to turn into ice. 

"What's ThunderClan doing doing here?" A voice asked. 

Tidepool, Mistyfoot, and Lighttail were in a patrol. They padded towards the ThunderClan cats, their tails lashing.

"Care to explain why you're on our territory?" Mistyfoot hissed, flattening her ears.

"Calm down. If Squirrelstar is here then it must be important," Lighttail insisted. 

"You were ThunderClan once, of course you'd let them through," Mistyfoot snorted, her claws digging into the snow. 

"Mouse-dung. Lighttail has a point," Tidepool sighed. "Why is ThunderClan's leader here?" He asked, flicking his tail.

"We need to go to your camp, to speak directly to Flowerstar," Squirrelstar informed, lifting her chin.

"What is so important to speak about? Do you want our prey?" Tidepool asked, his ears flattening.

Mudpaw narrowed his eyes, his claws unsheathing. Just let us through, you flea-pelts!

"We must speak to Flowerstar," Squirrelstar demanded. "This is very important. We have a dying kit."

"Fine then. But it better be as important as that," Mistyfoot sighed. The RiverClan cats surrounded the ThunderClan patrol as they headed to the RiverClan camp.

Lighttail was next to Mudpaw. The small, pale tom looked at him. "What's happening in ThunderClan?" He asked.

Mudpaw narrowed his eyes. "Why do you care? You left ThunderClan, and you're in RiverClan now. Make up your mind. Unless you can't decide where your loyalty lies, fish-eater?" He taunted, whiskers twitching.

Lighttail flattened his ears. "At least tell me about my daughter," he growled, snout wrinkling.

"She's expecting kits. And she's in the nursery with a sick queen," Mudpaw informed. "Do you want her living in RiverClan with you?" He asked with slight hostility.

"No! I'm just worried about her, you mouse-brain! She's my daughter, what were you expecting me to feel?" Lighttail hissed, lashing his tail. "My close family is mostly gone. My brother, mother, father, and mate are dead."

"I don't really care about your life story," Mudpaw groaned. 

"We're related, you know. But I guess you don't care, ri-"

"You two, shut up," Tidepool sighed. 

Burntsun flicked his tail to Mudpaw. "Quiet down, please."

Mudpaw lashed his tail but didn't respond. They all walked in a freezing silence until they reached the camp. When they entered, Mudpaw could see RiverClan cats turning towards them, their fur bristling. Some cast friendly looks. Some of the warriors looked thin. Looks like they're starving too.

"Squirrelstar, what is the meaning of this?" A tortoiseshell she-cat slipped through dense reeds that covered a large gap in between two big looks. Flowerstar.

Squirrelstar padded closer, her tail flicking. "I have a question," she meowed smoothly.

"What is it?" Flowerstar asked, flicking her tail.

"Someone stole our catmint last night. Now we have a queen sick with greencough, and one of her kits has it really bad. We have no more catmint, so we're trying to find whoever took it," Squirrelstar meowed.

Flowerstar slumped her shoulders. "I'm sorry that's happening. I hope they get better, but I don't think anyone in RiverClan would have taken anything. We have a little bit of catmint, but we're using it to treat our sick elder."

Mudpaw scoffed slightly. "So you value an elder's life over a kit's?" He questioned. "That elder has been through life, but a kit hasn't! A kit-"

Burntsun smacked his paw on Mudpaw's head. "Shut up, Mudpaw! Don't ever talk like that again!" He hissed, lashing his tail.

"Young apprentice, did nobody ever teach you that every cat's life is important?" Flowerstar growled. "I said I was sorry that one of your kits is sick, and I genuinely do hope they recover. I'm not being selfish, but I must care for my Clan."

Squirrelstar dipped her head. "Thank you, Flowerstar, for your concern. It is unfortunate that Duskpelt is sick. I hope she'll recover."

Flowerstar dipped her head. "I hope you find your thief. May StarClan light your path, Squirrelstar."

Squirrelstar turned away, the rest of the patrol following after her. After a while of walking, they reached WindClan's border, and waited in the cold air.

"Mudpaw, that was really rude what you said back there. I should've made you apologize to Flowerstar," Squirrelstar sighed. "You know better."

"But a kit is going to die!" Mudpaw argued. "It isn't fair."

"Life doesn't always work out how we want it to, Mudpaw. You must respect Flowerstar's wishes. It is her catmint. And if Quartzkit dies, then the only the thief will be to blame," Squirrelstar meowed, rising to her paws.

Mudpaw lashed his tail. But... He wanted to add one more sentence into the argument, but he figured if he did, he'd get in trouble. After sitting in silence while freezing from the cold wind, a patrol of cats finally came by.

Flashfire, Woodpelt, Ravenstorm, and Harepaw padded over to them, Ravenstorm looking hostile.

"What is ThunderClan doing on our land?" Ravenstorm spat, immediately unsheathing his claws. His ears were flattening to his skull, his tail bushing up.

"Well, uh, S-squirrelstar is here," Woodpelt stammered. "It must be i-important."

"StarClan, stop stammering when you speak, mouse-brain!" Ravenstorm snapped, his tail lashing wildly.

Woodpelt shrunk back, her eyes dull with unease.

"We must speak to Gorsestar," Squirrelstar meowed calmly. "It's really important, so-"

"I don't care. Leave or these claws will make you," Ravenstorm hissed. "I'm the leader of this patrol."

"Come on, Ravenstorm. If it's important then they have a right to speak to Gorsestar," Flashfire pointed out. "We should-"

"Your matter will be spoken to me. If I feel it's important, then I'll deliver back to Gorsestar," Ravenstorm sighed, irritated.

Mudpaw unsheathed his claws. Let's fight him already! I'll claw that ego out of him! 

"Fine then, foolish young warrior. Since you're that stubborn... Someone stole our catmint last night. We wanted to take back our catmint, since we have a very sick kit," Squirrelstar explained.

"Well, no cat in WindClan would do that," Ravenstorm groaned.

"Did you steal it?" Mudpaw questioned.

Mossheart lashed her tail. "Are you sure? Are you not letting us speak to Gorsestar because WindClan took it?" She questioned.

Mudpaw stood straighter. She has a point. He glared at Ravenstorm. 

"Maybe ShadowClan took it. But it definitely wasn't WindClan," Ravenstorm growled. "Now leave."

Mudpaw shivered, his ears burning from the freezing cold air that ruffled his fur. He looked around. Come on, can a patrol please show up so I can go home and be warm in my nest? 

"Cold?" Burntsun questioned. "I know. Don't worry, I'll allow you to warm up in your nest when we get back."

"What a stubborn warrior," Mossheart snorted. "He needs to better himself, otherwise he might get changed back to an apprentice again," she joked.

"Don't waste time worrying about a stupid WindClan warrior," Mudpaw groaned. 

Before anyone could respond, a patrol of ShadowClan warriors rushed over, their tails already lashing and fur bristling.

Strikestone, Shadeshadow, Puddleshine, and Conefoot looked thin, their fur ruffled. "ThunderClan," Shadeshadow hissed, flattening her ears.

"We need to speak to Snowstar," Squirrelstar meowed. "Please don't be difficult like WindClan. This is really important."

Puddleshine shrunk back. "If Squirrelstar is here then it must be important. We should let them go to Snowstar."

"It probably isn't even important. They're probably gonna ask for our prey," Shadeshadow groaned.

"No, it must actually be important. I'll let them through," Strikestone meowed. "We have to finish our patrol, so Conefoot, I trust that you will lead them to camp."

"Alright," Conefoot meowed, dipping her head. "Don't try anything," she growled once her patrol walked away.

Mudpaw lashed his tail. "Why would we?" He growled. ShadowClan just thinks they're the rulers of the entire forest! He padded after the patrol, his whiskers quivering. Maybe they really did steal the catmint! 

After a while of walking through the pine-scented territory, a light snow began to come down. Mudpaw shivered even more, wanting to sigh out loud.

Soon, the cats arrived at the ShadowClan camp, and after setting just one paw in, they were met with hisses and growls, and annoyed meows and cries. Mudpaw rolled his eyes.

Conefoot ran ahead, and Snowstar and Scorchfur were immediately rushing towards them. Scorchfur bristled, his ears flattened and tail lashing, while Snowstar looked a bit calmer, with only a slow lashing tail.

"What's wrong? Why have you come here, Squirrelstar?" Snowstar asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Well, you see, one of our kits is sick with greencough. We had a decent amount of catmint, but someone stole our catmint last night. I don't want to wrongly accuse you, but our camp guard saw a cat running towards ShadowClan," Squirrelstar meowed, flicking her tail.

Snowstar looked thoughtful. "Oh StarClan," she sighed. "Flametail, come here!" She meowed.

Mudpaw froze. She's calling for the medicine cat! So did they really steal it? 

Flametail ran towards them, his eyes dull. He looked extremely tired, his fur messy. "Hm, what's ThunderClan doing here?" He asked.

"First, how are Applefur's kits?" Snowstar asked.

"They are recovering slowly," Flametail meowed. "I'm sure with more rest and treatment, they'll be recovered fully from greencough."

Snowstar was silent for a few moments. "Where did you get that catmint from again?" She asked.

"Spirepaw gave it to me. He said he went for a night walk and just found the catmint," Flametail meowed. "Why?"

Snowstar sighed. "Because last night, ThunderClan's catmint was stolen and they have a kit with greencough," she explained. She glanced at Conefoot. "Go get Spirepaw."

"So you stole it?" Burntsun questioned.

"I can't confirm that. Spirepaw shall answer honestly," Snowstar meowed, sniffing.

"Odd that our catmint got stolen, and then a ShadowClan apprentice randomly finds some," Mudpaw snarled. Of course ShadowClan would cover it up!

Squirrelstar flicked her tail over Mudpaw's ear. "I hope your apprentice is honest."

After awkward staring, Conefoot returned with Spirepaw. The black-and-white tom looked worried. Guilty!

"Spirepaw, are you sure you found that catmint?" Snowstar asked.

Spirepaw shrunk back. "I did. I was pretty lucky, r-right?" He stammered. 

Snowstar narrowed her eyes. "Spirepaw, are you telling the truth?" She asked.

Spirepaw slumped lower to the ground. "Yes, I'm so sorry. It was me, I stole the catmint!" He cried. "I'm really sorry, I am! But I couldn't let innocent kits die!"

Snowstar looked outraged, while Scorchfur growled.

"You're in huge trouble, Spirepaw. I don't care what your reason was for stealing, you should never have stolen," Snowstar growled, flicking her tail over his ear.

Spirepaw lifted his head, happiness sparkling in his eyes for some reason. "But isn't it good that Applefur's kits are saved?" He questioned. "I'm... happy."

"But Whitewing's kit is gonna die!" Mudpaw argued. "You selfish apprentice!"

Spirepaw flattened his ears. "You're Nightpaw's brother, right?" He prompted. 

Mudpaw ignored the apprentice. I just wanna claw that look off his face. His claws dug into the dirt.

"This apprentice will get punished, right?" Squirrelstar questioned.

"Just leave my camp before your apprentice hurts someone," Snowstar growled, her tail lashing.

Squirrelstar growled slightly, but turned away. Mudpaw stared after her, his tail-tip flicking. Is she just gonna give up?

 Snowstar lifted her chin. "Conefoot, Needletail, Juniperclaw, and Lioneye, escort these ThunderClan cats off our land!" She yowled.

Mudpaw bristled, his ears flattening as the ShadowClan warriors surrounded them. What's wrong with them? Are they mad with us because one of them stole from us? 

Needletail hissed. "Get moving, mouse-brains!" She demanded.

Mudpaw glared at the gray warrior, but turned away with his Clanmates. What is their problem?

As soon as the ThunderClan cats were away from the ShadowClan warriors, Mudpaw walked closer with Squirrelstar. "Are we going to fight them?" Mudpaw asked.

Squirrelstar gazed at the dull sky, her eyes fixed on the snow. "If Quartzkit dies, then we will."