Fire and Ice

Chapter 1

Skyfall shivered against the cold. Her flame-colored pelt was still light from greenleaf; it would take a few more moons before it was thick enough to keep the cold out. She shuffled her paws on the cold ground. The sky was gradually growing lighter as dawn approached. After many moons as an apprentice, she was finally a warrior.

She replayed yesterday's battle in her head. Brokenstar's glittering eyes in the shadows, hissing threats, before fleeing into the trees after his traitorous companions. The remaining ShadowClan cats had been grateful for ThunderClan's help in ridding them of their cruel leader, and for the peace ThunderClan promised them. Brokenstar had not only brought chaos to his own Clan—he had also driven WindClan from their home. He had been a dark shadow on the Clans since even before Skyfall was brought into the Clan.

But for Skyfall, there was a different shadow plaguing her mind: Tigerclaw, ThunderClan's deputy. Her pelt trembled as she thought about the dark warrior. The deputy had terrorized his former apprentice, Ravenpaw, to the point he was forced to flee the Clan in fear of his life. Ravenpaw had told Skyfall that it was Tigerclaw who murdered Redtail, the old ThunderClan deputy, in the hope he would be made the next deputy. . . which, eventually, did happen.

Skyfall was forced to tell the Clan her friend was killed by a ShadowClan patrol. If what Ravenpaw said was true, it was best Tigerclaw assumed he was dead and not beyond Clan territory.

Skyfall shook her head and looked sideways at Graystripe. The gray tom helped her get Ravenpaw out of ThunderClan without question. His fur was ruffled against the cold. Skyfall guessed he was also looking forward to the warm days ahead, but she didn't bother asking. Clan tradition demanded silence on this night. It was their vigil—the night when a new warrior stands guard for the Clan and reflects on their new name and status.

Halftail was one of the first cats to wake. Skyfall could see the old tom moving sluggishly around his den. She glanced toward the warriors' den on the other side of the clearing. Through the thick branches sheltering the den, she could make out the broad shoulders of Tigerclaw as he slept.

At the foot of the Highrock, the lichen covering the den rustled as Bluestar pushed her way out. She stopped just outside of the shadow and sniffed the air before moving on, her gray pelt glowing in the dawn light. She needs to know about Tigerclaw's treason, Skyfall thought. Like the rest of the Clan, Bluestar mourned the death of her deputy believing he had died honorably in battle, killed by the RiverClan deputy, Oakheart. Skyfall had hesitated for far too long. Tigerclaw was becoming too much of a threat and the Clan needed to know they were harboring a cold-blooded murderer.

Tigerclaw slipped out of the warriors' den, padding over to Bluestar. His tail flicked urgently as he whispered to her.

Skyfall bit back her usual greeting. Until another warrior came to relieve them of their vigil, she had to stay silent. Impatience grew in her chest. She needed to speak to Bluestar immediately. But for now, all she could do was nod respectfully to the two cats.

Beside her, Graystripe pointed with his nose towards the orange glow peeking over the horizon.

"Glad to see dawn, you two?" Whitestorm's deep meow took Skyfall by surprise. She hadn't seen the white warrior exit the den. Skyfall and Graystripe nodded.

"It's all right; you may speak now. Your vigil is over." Whitestorm's mew was kind. He had been angry with them before the battle yesterday, believing they'd run off on their own. But he still fought beside them against ShadowClan.

"Thank you, Whitestorm," Skyfall purred. She stood and stretched her stiff legs. Whitestorm purred back, sitting down as his kits stretched each leg in turn.