𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐘 ──── 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯.

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚟𝚒𝚒𝚒.

MOUSETAIL WATCHED, LEANING into Skystorm, as Blizzardpelt and Owlheart led Spotted-song and Dawnsplash away to the prison. The air seemed cold, even on a hot day like this. Skystorm stared after them, his green eyes clouded with despair. Mousetail could understand. Spottedsong was his sister. He couldn't possibly be able to take this calmly, considering how much of a sympathetic personality he had.

"I'm sorry," she murmured to Skystorm. "I know this must be a shock and a pain to you. It was unpredictable."

Skystorm just sighed in reply. "Yeah, super unpredictable. But it makes sense. So many other cats have been affected like this by MoonClan, so why shouldn't she? She was always destined to be part of their games. I mean, I think it's MoonClan. It only makes sense. I shouldn't be so surprised."

"Don't say that. You have every right to be surprised, or angry, or hurt. She kept it a secret from you. She shouldn't have done that." Mousetail gave his ear a comforting lick and pressed close to him. "I'm going to check on Dovepaw. Do you want to come with me?"

"Oh, no, that's fine. Thanks for the offer, though," Skystorm meowed.

Mousetail nodded, touched his nose with hers, and swiftly strode to the medicine den. She peeked inside and saw Dovepaw lying completely still on a moss nest. One side of her face was bandaged, and her shoulder was swathed in cobwebs. Frozenfang was resting in a nest behind her. The strong reek of wounds and herbs sent Mousetail's head spinning, but she ignored it and went in. "Hi, Dovepaw. How are you doing?"

"Fine. I'm disappointed that I don't get to go to the Gathering," Dovepaw responded quietly. She looked sad about something. She turned her gaze to her paws again. Mousetail inched closer, curious to what it was.

"It's something else, though, isn't there?" Mousetail asked. Dovepaw looked up at her again, looking agitated. "You can tell me. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."

Dovepaw studied her silently, her blue eyes thoughtful. "I don't think I should tell. It's Spottedsong's secret. I think she told me because she thought I wouldn't live to tell anyone."

"Sure. But she's in prison now. You can tell me, and her secret's safe with me," Mousetail promised.

"I'm not going to tell you. If I told you, her life could be in danger. I haven't trusted you with secrets ever since you told Lynxstar that I was meeting with Foxclaw again," Dovepaw explained, clearly trying hard to keep her annoyance secret.

"That wasn't a secret because I didn't agree to keep it a secret," Mousetail answered. "Besides, I didn't think about how it would affect you before I went ahead and told her. It was my mistake. I promise I won't do it again. Just tell me what you know."

"No."

"Please?"

"For StarClan's sake, will you just leave it alone?" Dovepaw snapped finally.