On Thin Ice

 On Thin Ice 

We're all stuck in the middle of a frozen lake, every one of us. No one knows what to do and they're all panicking. Cracks split the ice around us, and eventually the ice will break and we'll all go down with it.

zero
Standing on ice is dangerous. You don't know when it'll snap under your paws and practically hand you over to the dark, cold depths. Being underwater is actually rather... peaceful. In a terrifying way. No one's there to disturb you while you're dragged deeper into the water. But gradually, that feeling comes to an end. A peaceful, eternal sleep awaits you. Unless you act.

My name is Wind Strike, and I am a loner living just outside of my old Clan's camp. I was once a warrior of GorseClan, but left right after my warrior ceremony. My siblings, Riverpelt and Stonetail, didn't come with me. Little did they know that if they'd joined me, they could have avoided a devastating future.

I often slip into GorseClan's camp to observe the cats, like I'm doing right now. I see Mintstar chatting with his deputy Nightheart. Cloudnose is sharing prey with Shadeclaw and Whiteflower. Adderkit, Acornkit, and Cherrykit are play-fighting near the nursery while their mother watches.

It's almost sad that a terrible fate awaits them. I'm almost sure they'll pull through. Almost.

I watch as a hunting patrol of four slips out of the camp. Two warriors and two apprentices. I casually pad after them.

The patrol's leader, Kitepelt, stops and turns to look at his patrol. The reddish-brown tom meows, "Alright, we'll split up. Mousepaw, you'll come with me. Robinpaw, you go with Ternfeather." The cats went their separate ways; Ternfeather headed for the moor, while Kitepelt left for the waterfall.

I quickly decided to follow Ternfeather and Robinpaw. I silently scramble up a tree and