WaterClan - Vaporeons

Leader: Pebblestar*

Deputy: Raindrop*

Healer: Reedfin (Aquapaw)

Warriors:

Ripplethorn, Splashtail, Creekshine, Puddlenose, Rapidwind, Riverfern, Mistyeyes, Waveheart

Queens:

Brookstone

Apprentices:

Driftpaw, Finpaw, Floodpaw, Aquapaw

Kits:

Rushkit, Bluekit, Streamkit, Shellkit

xxx

LeafClan - Leafeons

Leader: Blossomstar*

Deputy: Vinetalon*

Healer: Leppafur

Warriors:

Fernsong, Chestopond, Berryfrost, Flowerfall, Greenclaw, Dewstream,

Grassybrook, Bloomingtail

Queens:

Ivydust

Apprentices:

Pechapaw, Rawstpaw, Twigpaw, Meadowpaw

Kits:

Seedkit, Petalkit, Cloverkit

xxx

MoonClan - Umbreons

Leader: Jetstar*

Deputy: Shadowfoot*

Healer: Umbraspots

Warriors:

Shademoon, Blackshine, Onyxheart, Dreadpool, Sootstorm, Goldentooth, Duskpelt

Queens:

Nightrain, Slateriver

Apprentices:

Darkpaw, Ghostpaw, Ravenpaw

Kits:

Ebonykit, Sablekit

xxx

FireClan - Flareons

Leader: Burntstar*

Deputy: Heatspirit*

Healer: Torchstep (Burningpaw)

Warriors:

Flamepath, Scorchedfoot, Redfang, Ashblossom, Blazingheart, Flickernose, Charredfur

Queens:

Emberleaf, Cinderpool

Apprentices:

Burningpaw, Flarepaw, Scarletpaw

Kits:

Blazekit, Lavakit, Smokekit, Flamingkit, Coalkit

xxx

SunClan - Espeons

Leader: Shootingstar*

Deputy: Lightfang*

Healer: Echowind

Warriors:

Dawnpath, Rayspots, Morningfoot, Spiritcloud, Marbletail, Glowingfur, Silenteyes

Queens:

Brightleap, Shiningleaf

Apprentices:

Risingpaw, Everpaw

Kits:

Shinekit, Aurakit, Silverkit, Shimmerkit, Daykit, Flashkit

xxx

IceClan - Glaceons

Leader: Hailstar*

Deputy: Aurorapetal*

Healer: Freezefire (Windpaw)

Warriors:

Icytail, Blizzardeyes, Frozenclaw, Sparklingpool, Squallsong, Chillyfern

Queens:

Frostwater, Meltingflame, Snowdrop

Apprentices:

Glacierpaw, Windpaw, Flurrypaw, Crystal*

Kits:

Breezekit, Sleetkit, Floekit, Howlingkit, Frigidkit

xxx

LightningClan - Jolteons

Leader: Thunderstar*

Deputy: Staticriver*

Healer: Skystare

Warriors:

Cloudflower, Chargedust, Sparkfur, Zaptalon, Stormcloud, Runningstorm, Yellowblossom

Queens:

Shockfire, Strickenwing

Apprentices:

Boltpaw, Voltpaw, Joltpaw

Kits:

Strikekit, Ragingkit, Ampkit, Crashkit, Rumblekit, Currentkit*

*Pokémon is shiny.

Starpaw awoke to a pit of dread sitting like a cold stone in her belly. Leftovers from last night, no doubt, she thought with an internal sigh.

However, there was no time now for self-pity. It was time to take care of Windrush's Berry garden. And Starpaw had absolutely no idea what to do or where to start.

"No harm in asking for a bit of help," Starpaw assured herself aloud, rising from her nest and stretching out like a Persian.

"Did somebody mention me?" Sparklingpool piped up from her nest across the den. She rolled over, betraying being awake to stare expectantly at Starpaw.

"If you think you're supposed to be help, I suggest you think again!" Starpaw was cheerfully able to be genuine when she was in her element of witty banter.

Sparklingpool allowed a smile to crack the stark, expressionless sheet of ice that was her face. It seemed to Starpaw as though the key to this Pokémon was through teasing humour. Noted.

"Actually, Crystal, I'll have you know I have been assigned to the healer duties before when there were, well, insufficient healers for duties. I know a thing or two about growing Berries."

A day out with Sparklingpool?!

Ignoring her conscience's screams of No! Don't do it!, Starpaw nodded her assent. She needed the help and she really didn't even know any of Crystal's other Clanmates well enough to ask them. Sparklingpool would have to do. Windrush's words from many sunrises ago rang clear through her head, so significant were they at this moment: Sparklingpool hasn't made a lot of friends beyond her littermates...

Maybe all the vain she-Glaceon needed was a true friend?

"Yes," Starpaw responded, feeling much more sure of herself, "I'd like it if you helped me with the Berry gardens."

Sparklingpool squinted a little, unsure if Starpaw was for real. Then her face defaulted back to Sparklingpool's trademark self-confident scowl. "Well, don't get too used to it. And be grateful, for Arceus' sake! Pest."

Sparklingpool would be Sparklingpool, it seemed. But still, Starpaw could tell she'd surprised the other Pokémon when she sincerely thanked her for her time and energy. And as the two Glaceons left for the gardens, Starpaw mused to herself in wonder:

Huh! Even the Sparklingpools of the world are tolerable if you're genuine and you fight with the weapon of good spirits! Dually noted.

"Since this is supposed to be your job, what do you think you should do first, genius?"

Starpaw stared at the Berries in front of her. They looked succulent and lush, not to mention absolutely fine on their own. "Gee, I don't know, Sparklingpool. They appear to be very well-conditioned to me."

"Wrong!" Sparklingpool snarled, getting all up in Starpaw's face. "Do you have eyes? Good, then look here. At the snow, stupid!"

"I see it," Starpaw replied in a measured tone.

"And...?" Sparklingpool prompted impatiently.

What about it? Am I supposed to be looking for soil? There's no soil here! Starpaw wanted to wail. Is this some kind of joke? I grew up in the Clan territory known for rich soil!

"I'm not just going to give you the answer. Start guessing!"

"Uh..." Starpaw murmured loudly, stalling for time, "first I need to dig up the snow to get to soil?"

Sparklingpool's mouth slid from a sly smirk to a frustrated frown. "We don't have soil in IceClan, Starkit."

All set to hastily correct the she-Glaceon from using the name of her former identity, Starpaw was many shades of surprised when what flew out of her mouth instead was: "It's Starpaw."

Sparklingpool looked so confounded by her companion's idiocy that she just sat down, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

"I mean, it isn't really, I'm not really Starpaw, it's just a silly little thing I made up in my head," Starpaw felt the need to babble, realizing it only made things worse.

"You need to freeze the bases," Sparklingpool mumbled.

"The... pardon?"

"The Berry plant bases!" Sparklingpool snapped.

So, apparently Sparklingpool was just going to give her the answer. Instead of questioning the other Pokémon, though, Starpaw took her advice and began kicking snow partially up the base. It was the best way to freeze it that she could think of.

Suddenly, an icy blast of sharp wind bit past her, searing her pelt. She leapt around in hurt and surprise. "Sparklingpool, was that you?"

"Just trying to help out the plants. You, inconveniently, were in the way." Sparklingpool licked a forepaw lazily. She'd moved to an icy rock to sun and groom herself. The gall.

"If you want to help out me or the plants, leave," Starpaw grunted, feeling another irritated mood coming on.

"Suit yourself." Sparklingpool leapt, cat-like, down from the rock and surreptitiously vanished into the backdrop of the snowy prairie.

"Oh, Gastly curses!" Starpaw swore, using familiar MoonClan terminology. She hadn't heard the phrase used once since she'd been... what? Initiated into IceClan? Forced to join IceClan? She ignored Sparklingpool's behaviour - who cared anyway if that bratty she-Glaceon helped her? - and immediately felt the tendrils of self-pity take a hold of her again.

Nope, not this time. I've got a job to do. No time for personal woes.

So, she took care of the Berries herself, doing the best she could to "freeze the bases" like Sparklingpool had instructed in her short period of mentoring. In addition, she removed all of the dead leaves hanging like... well, dead leaves. Lastly, she collected all the Berries the plants had dropped, figuring this had been what Sparklingpool had meant when she'd first asked Starpaw to look at the snow.

Starpaw trotted home at sunhigh, her mouth full of swaths of Berries, the evidence of all her hard work. As she was bounding through the snow towards the IceClan camp, something popped out from a large pile of snow in front of her, surprising her and causing her to drop her Berries.

"Oh, no!" Starpaw cried, angry at herself for spooking and glancing ahead to see exactly what it was that had unexpectedly startled her.

A blueish-gray Pokémon with a lithe body and two sharp claws at the end of each hand sneered back at her. Now, what was this? Then, Starpaw remembered who she was and decided to have a little fun.

"I am a noble IceClan warrior, who protects and defends the kingdom of this snowy hinterland! Bow before me!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. No warrior I ever heard speaks to me like that. I bet you's just some rogue Glaceon new to these parts that thinks royalty would be a nice place to be," the Pokémon replied, the red feather-like object atop its head flicking in mildly interested annoyance.

Humph. Starpaw would make this Pokémon believe her. "Cheeky fellow! What is your name? Do I need to see you back to camp to answer to Hailstar?"

However, the Pokémon just laughed. "What does it matter to you? Mama always warned me never to talk to rogues. Dangerous, she'd tell me. You dangerous, Glaceon?"

"I'm dangerous when I have to be. I'm a warrior." She said this, but Starpaw had to admit, she didn't feel much like a warrior at the moment, kneeling pathetically to pick up her fallen Berries.

In response, the brazen Pokémon had the nerve to flash out a clawed paw and snatch one of the Yache Berries from the ground. Equally quickly, it popped the Berry, much to Starpaw's horror, right into its mouth.

"Well, whether you's a warrior or not, Mama's gonna be happy I was able to steal from you. Sneasels like us don't like Glaceons like you. Y'all think you's royalty or something." The Pokémon scooped up an armful more of various Berries and sped off with astounding speed, calling over its shoulder as it went, "Give my regards to IceClan!"

"Thief!" Starpaw spat into the now still, silent air after the Pokémon - Sneasel - had gone. Only a meager amount of Berries were left, hardly enough to justify bringing all the way back to camp. But if she brought nothing back with her, some Glaceon would be bound to wonder where all the harvestable Berries had gone.

Never again, Starpaw thought, will I ever take on these healer duties. I am a warrior, and if I can't even convince a stupid Sneasel of that, then I've really got to step up my game.

"That's it?!"

Well, that was inevitable. Starpaw had been expecting that, at least. She'd elected not to tell the Clan leader about the run-in with the Sneasel for fear that it might delay her becoming a warrior. Some things were better left unsaid.

"Yes. Hopefully there will be more next dawn when I check again Hailstar."

The Clan leader looked puzzled, but he nodded agreeably. "Yes, I'm sure that's just the case. I mean, it isn't like it's your fault, Crystal. That's fine. Good, good. You can put these in cold storage in the healers' den."

A chill rippled through Starpaw's pelt when Hailstar had told her it wasn't her fault. She was pretty sure the feeling was only guilt for not telling her leader the entire truth, but was there any way that he could know what had really happened?

Unless he has nothing better to do with his time than to stalk you and make sure you're not getting into trouble, Starpaw reprimanded herself. Sorry, Hailstar, but you don't need to know everything this time.

Starpaw left Hailstar's den for the cold storage. Asking the aid of Snowdrop, who was nearby, to provide her with a couple of Icy Winds to preserve the Berries, she ensured that the delicacies were tucked neatly away.

Now it was time to learn an Icy Wind technique of her own, to avoid further embarrassment of having to ask another Clanmate for freezing assistance next sunhigh as well.

Yup, I'll do better next sunrise.

She hoped.

A/N: Well, I'm back at it! This was maybe a tad shorter than I would've liked, but I needed to get back into my writing again after my little leave of absence. Sorry about the wait!