Long ago, before the prophecy to find ShadowClan was even thought of, there was a much simpler time. Less forbidden relationships, less drama going on in the clans, less battles. Everything was peaceful. There stood four clans and equally healthy cats living in each.  Leaf-fall was coming to an end and the harsh cold from Leaf-bare was approaching, and fast. It was sudden and the cold season was long.
In this, you will read about the worst famine WindClan had gone through…

~

    “Silentstar. Do you want me to take out another patrol? Harewhisker just took a hunting patrol out, he took Goldentail, Spikefoot and Heatherbreeze.”

Silentstar flicked her tail-tip, the sudden ending of Leaf-fall and the abrupt beginning of Leaf-bare had surprised everyone. WindClan especially.
Most of the Clans would be stocked up on prey as of now, but the cold made the rabbits hide in their burrows and the birds fly south. Their main sources of prey. “Yes. Take only two cats with you, we have limited warriors as is.”
Birchback dipped his head and walked out of the yellowing tall grass and into the clearing. There, Silentstar heard Birchback call Clayfur and Stalkpelt and the trio padded out into the wide moorland that was now turning white by the ever falling snow. Silentstar looked up at the sky, it was a cloudy grey.

“I need to see Frozensight.” she whispered, cold air billowed out of her mouth as she spoke.

Standing up she made a b-line towards the medicine cat den, flicking her tail in greeting to the litter of Lilyfang’s kits who were playing and running around the snow. Horizionkit squeaked as Tigerkit threw a messy ball of snow at her flank, Fernkit jumped around Tigerkit, trying to knock her much larger littermate over. Lilyfang stood, watching her kits and dipped her head at Silentstar.

Milknose was sitting in the back of the nursery watching Lilyfang and her kits. Sparkkit was sitting up in her nest, watching.

Before long, the pale ginger queen appeared at her denmates side, the two she-cats smiled at each other, Milknose a more half-hearted response.
Sparkkit put a hesitant paw in the snow, before taking in out and shaking the small speckled bits that clung to her paw, before looking back at her mother.
Milknose smiled softly at her, purring kindly. Though her eyes were tired looking. "Sparkkit... Why don't you try and play with your denmates? I'm sure you'd have fun with them."
"Yeah! Sparkkit! Come play you lazy hare!" Fernkit purred, leaping out of Tigerkit's reach. The dark tabby growled playfully, turning towards his other littermate instead. Both Tigerkit and Horizonkit wrestled, kicking up speckles of frosty icy chill.
Sparkkit shook her head, "cold." She stated firmly, turning and hiding in her mother's thick fur.
Lilyfang purred, nuzzling her friends cheek. "Don't worry about her. She's still young, she's must not be used to the chilly leaf-bare air."

She smiled at Lilyfang's response. She loved kits though she swore to never have any of her own after her mate, Stagleap, was found out to be with a she-cat from RiverClan named Icestream and the two already had their own litter. Betrayed and heartbroken, she dropped his sorry hind like a piece of soggy prey and drove him out of WindClan like a dog. He lived in RiverClan now with his new family now, probably happier than her.

Peeking her head into the medicine cat den, she noticed Frozensight cleaning dirtied bedding.
“Hello Silentstar.” the silver-blue tabby mewed, flicking their tail-tip in greeting, “What can I do for you?”
Silentstar shifted her paws, “I was just wondering if you’ve spoken to StarClan recently… this leaf-bare will be terrible, I can just feel it and I need StarClan’s guidance.”
Frozensight shook their head, rolling up dirted moss and pushing it to the side.
“No, I haven’t. I’ve gone to the Moonpool meetings and since the beggining of leaf-bare, its all the same. StarClan seems to be quiet because all I get is dreams of chasing rabbits.”
Silentstar sighed, “I might have to go to ThunderClan and ask for… help from Hollystar.”
Frozensight looked up with widened icy blue eyes. “Hollystar? But I thought you two were having a quarrel between clans.”
“We are, but ThunderClan has enough prey to share. I patrolled on their border yesterday and a hunting patrol passed, their jaws were full of prey.”
The medicine cat blinked, “and if she denies?” they questioned.

Silentstar shook her head, worry stuck her in large waves. “Then I don’t know.” the leader admitted, “we need food to survive, all the clans know that! We lost two of Milknose's kits because of the weather...”
After a moment of silence, Frozensight spoke. “Speaking of Milknose, she came in early this morning and asked for more borage. She wasn’t producing enough milk for Sparkkit and I had to give her the last few leaves. They’ve grown thin, have you noticed?”

The silver tabby looked up, surprised, “no! I haven’t!” a fear scent filled the den, “StarClan please help.” the leader whispered.

•••

“Is this all?”

Silentstar rasped, staring at the prey the hunting patrol had returned with.

A scrawny mouse and crow lay at Clayfur’s large paws, the dusk patrol behind him pressing against each other for warmth.
“This is all we could find and catch,” Clayfur meowed, his voice shaking as he turned and looked over at Gorgepaw who was busy pressing against his mother, Heatherbreeze.

“Gorgepaw almost caught a rabbit but it jumped into its burrow before he could grab its tail.” Heatherbreeze licked her son between the ears, whispering comforting things as Gorgepaw whimpered into her thick but soft fur.
“It would’ve fed the whole nursery but the rabbits seem to be quicker this season for some odd reason, you really can’t blame him.”

Silentstar sighed, her tail hung low as she stared at the prey in dismay.
“You are all dismissed.” she mewed after a few heartbeats. The patrol immediately disbanded and went their separate ways. Reaching her head into the sky, she stared at the clouded sky watching to see if there was any sign of StarClan watching over them.
White speckles of snow fluttered down in a eerily still silence.
The sky a huge, grey cloud, the stars hidden. Silentstar could hear her heart beating in her chest.

“Silentstar. You're staring at the sky again, I can feel and see it.” ripping away from her thoughts she looked down at Frozensight, the half blind medicine cat was padding towards Tallrock, a trail of pawsteps imprinted in the snow followed them with a soft crunch as they purred.

“I'm still worried.”  the WindClan leader spoke, looking away and back at the sky, silently praying to see even a peak of Silverpelt.
“These days are growing shorter and colder and we are catching less prey by the day.”

Frozensight nodded, looking at the nursery. “Lilyfang’s kits haven’t come outside all day, Sparkkit tried going out but Milknose grabbed her and pulled her back in.” Silentstar sighed, “I can understand why, I had to force myself out of my nest this morning. It was too cold to move.”

Frozensight padded over beside the WindClan leader and put their paw on top of their leaders, tapping it comfortingly. “Silentstar, I'm thinking we should move the Elders into the nursery.” the silver leader blinked, “why?”
“more cats equals more warmth.”
Silentstar nodded. “Then we do just that. I’ll get some warriors to pack the nursery walls. It may be cold but I need my warriors moving around.”

Frozensight nodded, “i’ll go inform the elders. then” Silentstar watched the pale silver-blue medicine cat leave towards the elders den, Silentstar whirled around padding towards the warriors den. She pushed through the yellow heather stalks, Birchback was pressing into his mate, Rosethroat, as the dark ginger molly trembled. Other warriors doing the same for their denmates
“Silentstar,” her deputy mewed, looking up at her. “What can I help you with?”
“We’re moving the elders to the nursery and we need warriors to pack the nursery with brambles and such.”

Rosethroat lifted her head, eyes dull and nose running as she trembled, sniffling. “I’d help if I could.” she coughed, “but i think i’ve caught a fever.”

Silentstar shook her head, “of course. But if you’ve caught a fever, you can’t stay here.” Rosethroat nodded, going to stand up but crumbled down to her paws.  Birchback pressed against her, licking her cheek. His amber eyes wide and round with worry. “I can’t leave her, she needs me.”
“WindClan needs warriors… Birchback, help her to the medicine den. Goldentail,  Phesantflight, Boulderclaw,” all the warrior sat up as she listed off their names, “go patch up the nursery, and Twigheart and Spikefoot to gather supplies and if possible catch something.” All the warriors stood up and padded out of the den with no questions.

Birchback hauled Rosethroat to her paws and guided her outside of the den, letting her lean on him for support. Silentstar whispered a quick prayer to StarClan as Rosethroat passed her, she could smell the sickness wafting off of her. Silentstar dipped her head to the rest of the warriors and finally excited the den

Today would be a long day.