Something cold and frosty landed on Wolfpaw's back, making the apprentice jump in surprise. He turned to see a pile of white stuff on the den floor. Wolfpaw looked out the apprentice's den to see the camp was covered in the same white cold. Wolfpaw recognized the cold air. The air he knew when he was born. Snow. Wolfpaw remembered feeling the cool air enter the nursery and seeing white land. Hazelnose kept him and Foxkit in the nursery until the snow melted and Wolfpaw's sister got sick.

Meadowpaw and Poundpaw pushed past the older apprentice and tumbled playfully in the snow. Poundpaw threw a wad of snow at his sister while she jumped around camp. Wolfpaw stepped out as warriors stepped out as well. The sun was beginning to shine through some brambles beside a fallen tree near the elder's den.

Wolfpaw looked to see Glaregaze, Poppystream, Stripeclaw, and Twitchwhisker walk out the warrior's den and stretch with yawns. Not wanting to slow the patrol down, Wolfpaw went to the fresh-kill pile and quickly ate a small scrawny mouse. The other warriors ate their share and made their way out the gorse tunnel.

Wolfpaw pushed through the snow with his short silver paws, trying to ignore the cold. He had grown used to Hazelnose's warm fur and the lovely days of new-leaf. He prayed this would be a fine leaf-bare, where prey wasn't as low.

Breaking from his thoughts, Wolfpaw realized Poppystream was walking with Glaregaze rather closely. Was his mentor sharing tongues with the ginger she-cat lately? Wolfpaw had been thinking of his father more than anything these pass few moons. Would new kits be brought to ThunderClan? With Berrybush, Foxkit, and Hazelnose dead, ThunderClan was going to need new warriors soon.

Then again, Glaregaze didn't really show much interest for kits. He even snapped at Wolfpaw a few times as a kit. Was the old tom willing to have kits? Wolfpaw didn't want any other cat to pained that their father never paid attention to them. One kit suffering was enough.

Suddenly, Wolfpaw could hear two voices talking not too far from where the patrol stood. They sounded low and their wording was so simple. The scent was strange as well. Were these dogs Wolfpaw was scenting? Should he tell his Clanmates? Twitchwhisker was the deputy, he'd probably know what to do.

"Um, Glaregaze," Wolfpaw mewed softly.

"What?" Glaregaze shot his apprentice a look.

"Uh... I think I smell dog..." Wolfpaw announced. Twitchwhisker and Glaregaze shared a look before the grey and white tabby deputy raised his head and opened his mouth to smell the air. He immediately turned away with a cringe.

"There are definitely dogs not too far from here." Twitchwhisker agreed.

"Should we go investigate?" Poppystream asked, her for beginning to bristle.

"No," Twitchwhisker answered to Wolfpaw's dismay, "they seem to be staying where they are, let's just continue with the patrol and I'll let Adderstar know when we get back to camp."

Wolfpaw lowered his head as the warriors made their way toward ShadowClan's border. He looked back to where the dogs were and followed after.

Wolfpaw made his marker and turned back to the rest of the patrol. Twitchwhisker was still eyeing the way they had come and where the dog were heard. Was he regretting not telling Adderstar when he heard? Or, not going to investigate what the dogs were doing?

Poppystream was looking around nervously and pressing close to Glaregaze. The grey tom glided his stripped tail comfortingly down her back as he eyed each frosted leaf that floated down to the ground.

Wolfpaw strained to hear if the dogs were still there, talking simply about bones and treats. He could hear laughing back that way. Meadowpaw and Poundpaw, he assumed. They were still playing with the snow, trying to hide the chill in their voices. Diamondeyes and Russetclaw were trying to get their apprentices to listen, but their laughing drowned out their orders. Wolfpaw prickled as the dogs voices silenced and were replaced by the sound of crunching snow.

"We have to go back!" Wolfpaw cried, pushing past the older cats. "The dogs'll attack our Clanmates!" 

"Wolfpaw!" The silver apprentice ignored his mentors yowl and bounded through the snow. He relaxed a little, hearing the fast pawsteps of his Clanmates behind him.

Despite having short legs, Wolfpaw realized he was running too fast for the warriors to keep up. Having the skills of all Clans could come in handy after all.

The low growling of the dogs was getting closer as the cats bolted to where the younger apprentices were playing. One of the big stupid creatures jumped out, snarling and startling Poundpaw and Meadowpaw, who pushed their flanks to a tree shaking. Diamondeyes and Russetclaw let out terrified yowls. Wolfpaw shifted over and bolted up to a rock that sat just behind the dog. The memory of Midnight giving him the power to speak other animals came over Wolfpaw. If there was a time to use it, it was now.

"Get away from them!" Wolfpaw barked. Meadowpaw and Poundpaw looked at their denmate in shock while the dog turned to face him. "Get lost you mutts!"  The other dog came out a bush to see what was going on.

"This is our territory!" The first dog growled, baring his huge yellow teeth. "We'll take it by force if we have to!"

"Get lost or I'll show you just how fierce us cats can be!" Wolfpaw threatened, unsheathing his claws and baring his teeth.

"You?" the dog's partner tilted its head. They both shared a look then let out howls of laughter. Wolfpaw suddenly remembered how small he was compared to all the others. He looked back to see his Clanmates stare at the scene before them in awe. Even Glaregaze looked surprised at what his apprentice was doing. They couldn't understand him, or the dogs. They didn't understand what he was doing.

"Get lost," Wolfpaw began, using all the courage he could muster to keep from making his voice shake, "or I'll kill you!" Wolfpaw lashed at the dog in front of him, blood splattering the snow from the scratch Wolfpaw inflicted on the big creature's nose. The dog staggered back with a yelp while its partner stared in terror. Wolfpaw let out a snarl that made the distance turn tail and bolt back to their nest, their tails between their legs. Wolfpaw decided to chase after until he saw them in their place. "Now don't come back, or I'll cut you even deeper!"  Wolfpaw yowled, returning to his natural born cat language.

Calming his breathing, Wolfpaw slowly turned to see his Clanmates had followed after, trying to catch their breath.

"W-Wolf... Paw..." Glaregaze gasped. "Where'd... You learn-"

Meadowpaw and Poundpaw pushed past Wolfpaw's mentor and slid to Wolfpaw's side.

"Wolfpaw, you saved us!" Meadowpaw praised, her eyes shining.

"That was incredible!" Poundpaw meowed in agreement. "We would have been crow food!"

Wolfpaw lowered his head in embarrassment. He didn't want to be treated like the only hero. He only did what he was supposed to. His Clan was in trouble and if the dogs wouldn't listen, then Wolfpaw was going to use force.

"He what?" Wolfpaw listened closely to the discussion Glaregaze was having with Adderstar in the leader's den. Halfmoon and Lightpaw had left when the sun was beginning to set behind the trees. Glaregaze had gone to Adderstar's den to talk about Wolfpaw's encounter with the dogs.

"He barked like a dog to the dogs," Glaregaze had repeated his report, the usual stern attitude, "it was the strangest thing I've ever seen." there was silence for a split second when Glaregaze went on. "I've seen you and Halfmoon keep a close eye on him, there is something you're not telling the Clan, what is wrong with Wolfpaw?"

"There is nothing wrong with Wolfpaw!" Adderstar snapped. "There are some things best kept hidden, until Wolfpaw is an experienced warrior we are not to say a word!"

"He's lost a mother, a sister, and StarClan knows Goosetail is no father!" Glaregaze hissed. "What else does he need to experience?"

"Go away, Glaregaze," Adderstar growled, "you are dismissed!"

"But- "

"Now!"

Wolfpaw moved away from the entrance as he watched his mentor storm out the leader's den and out camp. Poppystream shared a look with Stripeclaw before following after the grey warrior. Wolfpaw lowered his ears as he looked at the cats around him. Normal. All of them would lead normal lives as warriors while he would gain powers from StarClan so he could be the best leader of ThunderClan.

"Hey, Wolfpaw!" Wolfpaw flinched at the excited mew of Meadowpaw, who was standing next to him. "Will you go for a walk with me?"

Wolfpaw looked at the light grey she-cat, trying to relax. "Uh... Sure..." Wolfpaw padded through the snow to the gorse tunnel with the younger apprentice behind him.