𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐘 ──── 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯.

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚟𝚒.

SPOTTEDSONG WHIRLED AROUND to face the sound of Cloudsky's panicked shriek.

"Frozenfang's not breathing!"

She knew that Frozenfang was badly injured, but almost the entire Clan was surrounding her motionless body now. Dovepaw and Badgertooth looked clueless for the first time. But they cautiously tried to see if they could do anything for Frozenfang. The rest of the Clan was restless. "Is she dead?" Spottedsong muttered to herself, inching closer to the scene. Blood stained the ground from the injured warriors. She stepped cautiously around it as she tried to see what was going on. But with all the cats crowding around her, she couldn't see what was happening. It was probably better that she couldn't. There was probably a lot of blood on the scene.

Suddenly anger rose in her. Who did this to Frozenfang? She didn't deserve such treatment! Spottedsong looked around at the cats of FrostClan. She looked for a guilty glimmer in their eyes or a nervous fidget from one of them. The battle had been with WindClan. But there was no WindClan scent on Frozenfang. Not that Spottedsong knew of. It had to be a FrostClan cat that had also fallen victim to the MoonClan cats. Then she caught Dawnsplash's eye. She gazed guiltily at the scene and her paws scuffled nervously in the dust. Was it Dawnsplash? That's impossible! She would never do something like this!

Dawnsplash looked up and met Spottedsong's gaze. Spottedsong looked away quickly, but Dawnsplash hurried toward her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I have something to do with this?" she demanded, her usually naive and tenderhearted self vanishing and being replaced with anger.

Spottedsong just blinked back at her steadily. "Come with me." She turned to the nursery where there was a space behind it that she and Dawnsplash could talk.

"Do you really think I'm going to obey a warrior that just barely left her apprenticeship? I don't think so. You can't make me," Dawnsplash hissed, her blue eyes flashing dangerously.

Spottedsong sighed. She would have to lie to Dawnsplash to get her to come with her. But if she told her half the truth, maybe Dawnsplash would still agree. "I know something that no other cat does. I need to tell you."

Dawnsplash hesitated, the anger in her eyes melting. "Fine. But just this once." She followed Spottedsong to the space behind the nursery. "What do you want?" she demanded immediately.

"You tried to kill Frozenfang!" Spottedsong growled. "I saw it in your eyes. You attempted to kill one of our Clanmates! That's a traitorous act, you know."

"I know!" Dawnsplash retorted. "I'm not mouse-brained. I had no choice. They told me—" She cut herself off, her eyes widening with fear.

"Who told you?" Spottedsong asked suspiciously. "MoonClan?"

Dawnsplash's claws slid out. Her ears flattened against her head. She curled her lip in a snarl. "Why would I tell you?"

Spottedsong didn't answer for a moment. This isn't Dawnsplash. She would never do this. Fear crawled in her pelt. "Come on. It was MoonClan, wasn't it? You don't have to be afraid to tell me," she urged.