𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 ──── 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯.

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚟.

DOVESONG LIMPED ALONGSIDE Goldenheart, following Moonclaw and Blizzardpelt. As they made it further and further into the wide expanse of land, Dovesong got even more tired. She was struggling to cope with her useless hind leg and struggling to keep up with Moonclaw and Blizzardpelt, who led them restlessly down the plains. The sun was beginning to sink into the horizon, but there was no Twolegplace in sight like what Luna had said. "Goldenheart?" Dovesong mewed softly.

     Goldenheart looked at her. "What is it?"

     "Do you know what happened to my leg? I just realized a few days ago what happened to it, and I've been struggling to walk around with it. . . ." Dovesong trailed off.

     Goldenheart's eyes widened, as if she forgot that Dovesong didn't remember anything. "I never really heard the whole story," Goldenheart explained. "But all I know is it happened a few seasons ago."

     "Oh. I was thinking it happened during the flood," Dovesong figured.

     "No way. It would have hurt way worse then," Goldenheart told her. "You should be happy that your leg didn't break then. Losing all your memories is bad enough."

     "Yeah. I wish I remembered. I wish I remembered everything. The good, the bad, and the in between," Dovesong mewed wistfully.

     Moonclaw seemed to overhear because she fell into step beside them and said, "I don't know if you want to remember anything. I would give anything to forget."

     "You would think differently if it actually happened to you," Dovesong sighed. "Besides, what happened to you? Luna told me a few days ago that she knows a few troubled cats, and she mentioned you."

     Moonclaw stiffened, her eyes flashing with alarm. "Now that's something you don't want to remember. I wish I never told Luna anyway."

     "Okay. I won't ask," Dovesong meowed.

     "What is all of this about?" Blizzardpelt demanded over his shoulder. "We're here to go on a journey, not to chit-chat!"

     Moonclaw began to bristle. Goldenheart laid her tail on Moonclaw's shoulder and murmured something but Moonclaw ignored her. "Maybe if you knew what we were talking about you wouldn't have said that!" Then she sighed, but in a mocking manner. "Maybe if you were even remotely interested in what I have to say, you wouldn't be so ugly toward me."

     Blizzardpelt bristled. "Maybe if you were never so submissive all the time I would have never treated you like this!"

     "Do you have any idea what I had to go through before I finally agreed-unwillingly-to work for MoonClan? If you knew, you would be more sympathetic! But then, you always see the bad side in every cat," Moonclaw retorted, venom laced in her voice.

     Dovesong stiffened when she watched the two cats fight. She exchanged a glance at Goldenheart, who was also watching with wide eyes and with fur that bristled with alarm.