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A chill set into the morning as the sun broke through the cloud cover. It had snowed during the night and the whole world seemed fresh and reborn. A small head peaked through the opening of the Nursery and it's hazel eyes lit up. There weren't many cats up and the white snow was mostly left undisturbed. Willowkit had never seen anything so magical! The kit giggled and jumped out of the den, landing the cold stuff. She lifted up one of her paws and shook it, sniffing. "It's wet!" she squealed happily and bounded a few steps before looking back. Her small tracks were crisp in the fluffy snow and the young she-cat giggled again.

Joy filled eyes caught the glimmer of the fresh snow on the River Stone. It was beautiful. Sparkling just like the scales on a fresh fish. Willowkit laughed and bounded over to the stone. She panted, her breath coming out in silvery clouds, and looked up. Would she be able to get up there? Hazel eyes looked around to make sure no one was around. When she noticed no one was watching her, a mischievous grin stretched past her white whiskered.

She knelt down, gangly legs curled up in a pounce. Willowkit launched herself, raising up and landing halfway up the stone. She grunted and scrambled, snow falling beneath her. But she got a foothold and made it up the slick stone. The kit smiled, feeling like she had made a great achievement. She stood at the top of the River Stone and stuck her chest out. She was the just like a leader! Willowkit giggled and sat, lifting up her nose proudly. What would her gifts be? Probably something awesome like... "I am the snow leader! I can make it snow!!" the kit exclaimed excitedly and pawed at the snow in front of her, pushing it down from the stone. She laughed and jumped around the stone, clearing the snow and making it fall to the bottom. This stuff was so much fun! Why did the warriors complain about leafbare? It was awesome!

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r i p p l e t a i l

warrior, rainclan

Rippletail opened her eyes and blinked slowly, the chill of leaf-bare settling upon her once more. She had walked with Fishtail in her dreams, and the time spent there was still lingering in her mind. She stood up and carefully picked her way around the other sleeping warriors, flicking Speckledleaf lightly with her tail as she passed. The fresh-kill pile was on her mind (and stomach), so she hoped for a fish or two to eat.

As she exited the den, she heard the playful squeaks of a kit and the proud declaration.

"I am the snow leader! I can make it snow!!"

She mrrowed with amusement, thinking back to the first time it snowed when she was a kit. Her mother complained of the cold and asked the other queens to keep an eye on young Ripplekit so she could go talk a walk in the territory and warm up. Fishkit's mom agreed and sent the two outside to play in the snow. They spent the day rolling around and burying each other, kicking up snow and just being kits. Rippletail longed for that innocence again.

Something drew her back to the nursery, and whether it was the silly kit or the call of memories long past, she allowed it to pull her. "Hello, little kit!"