SharkPaw set down the new moss in the nursery. "Ew, there's snow on this one!" TimberKit complained. "It's the tiniest bit." Her mother, SandTuft, mewed calmly. "And did you see how much snow was out there? I'm surprised SharkPaw hasn't had the moss covered in it!" SharkPaw gave the queen a half-smile as LichenKit batted at her paws, mewing for someone to play with her. SharkPaw dusted more snow off the moss with a few swipes of her paw, said bye, and padded out.
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She walked around camp, not really knowing where she was going, but her mind was wandering more than she was. The gathering, the message from her dream a few nights ago, and the death of her clanmate was all she could think about. She looked around, noticing the rest of ShadowClan wasn't as stressed as she was. EchoFall and RavenTail were sitting outside the elders den, sharing tounges calmly. The two elders were watching SpotHeart and WoodWhisker clear out where the snow had fallen most. ShadePaw and BadgerPaw reluctantly helped them. ShimmerPaw was playing happily on the snow not far from them, until FoxLilly came and told her to help repair the elders' den. "Kits play in snow." she mewed to her apprentice, pushing a pile of sticks over to her. "Now lay these on top." SharkPaw sighed as SpottedStar called a clan meeting. I hope there's no more bad news. she thought as she padded towards the highrock. Suddenly, ShadePaw pushed passed her. "Out of my way!" he yowled, sitting down in front of the rock excitedly. Immediately, SharkPaw knew what he was so happy about. He thought this was his warrior ceremony, which was a possibility. SpeckledPaw ran up to them and sat down next to SharkPaw, and while she appreciated her friend, she wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with SpeckledPaw's energy. "Why are you so grumpy today?" he whined as more cats gathered around the rock. SharkPaw sighed. She didn't feel like complaining about all that's been happening at the moment. "Just not in a good mood." she mewed, ignoring some small comments SpeckledPaw made after. She noticed CharmTail sitting near the highrock, in front of the rest of the cats. SpottedStar flicked his tail for silence, and began to speak. "CharmTail has received a sign from StarClan." The leader mewed, glancing down at his medicine cat. Quickly, cats began murmuring and ShadePaw let out an angry sigh. "I will let her speak." SpottedStar continued. CharmTail stepped forward and pushed a large leaf forward. "A leaf-fall leaf? This far into leaf-bare?" SilverBreeze commented. "Not just any leaf-fall leaf." CharmTail mewed, trailing her paw gently across the leaf. "There is a line in the center. Splitting the leaf in two halves." SharkPaw squinted at the leaf. This was true, and one half of the leaf was much darker than the other. "I found this leaf while gathering herbs. Suddenly, a bit of snow fell on the leaf in this shape." The snow on the leaf was gone, but she flicked her red-tipped tail at a wet spot left on the leaf, which was in the shape of lightning in the sky. On the other side of the leaf, was another wet splotch, however in the shape of a pawprint. Not a cat pawprint, though. CharmTail flicked her tail at the other spot. "A dog pawprint on the lighter side, and lightning on the darker side. The message i'm getting is that a dog shall help our clan, and a thunderstorm shall greatly trouble it." Murmuring rose again, now louder and angrier. "Are you sure?" FoxLilly spat. "How could a dog help us?" "Yeah!" ShadePaw agreed, his tail lashing. CharmTail dipped her head. "This is what StarClan has chosen to share with me." "ShadowClan, quiet down!" SpottedStar silenced the cats. "We don't know much. But what we can do is prepare for a storm." "I agree." SilverBreeze meowed. "In this weather, a thunderstorm would be pretty bad to have." "Then some warriors and apprentices shall go prepare." SpottedStar mewed, annoyed. "SilverBreeze, send out a hunting patrol." The leader leaped down from highrock and padded off to his den. SharkPaw tried not to think too negative. I guess I'll get to at least do something. She was walking off to fix dens and clear snow, when she felt a cat nudge her. SharkPaw turned to see FinchNose behind her. "Come on, SharkPaw." she mewed. "Hunting patrol."
