Blackfrost sat alone on a small ridge overlooking the lake. It was past moonhigh now, and the claw-slice in the sky was almost invisible. Gazing up at silverpelt, Blackfrost felt a tear slip down her cheek. But these tears were real, unlike the ones from before, when she convinced the clan that the same murderer from before must've killed Eaglestar.

I killed my own father! What next? Birdflight?

She sank to the ground and closed her eyes tight.

I wish Stormpelt was here. He would know just what to say.

"Blackfrost?"

Stormpelt?

She turned around, only to find out that the cat was actually Nightwind.

Of course! Stormpelt is at the Moonpool getting his nine lives from Starclan. I wonder if they're giving them to him? Do they know what he and I have done?

"What do you want?" Blackfrost hissed at the black tom.

He shrank back as if he was struck by unsheathed claws. "I-I was just wondering what was wrong? You seem a little depressed."

Blackfrost rolled her icy blue eyes. "Of course I'm depressed! My father was just killed by some cat! And I don't know who it was!" As she talked, her voice turned from annoyed to distressed. "I don't know what to do! We weren't even that close, but I'm taking his death worse than anyone esle!"

Because I killed him.

"I know. Even though you try to hide it, everyone can see right through you." Nightwind murmured, sitting closer to the grieving she-cat.

Blackfrost leaned against him, not remembering that she hated him so much.

For a while, the two cats sat and watched the lake lap up against the pebbly shore, over and over. It was calming and ominous at the same time.

"I don't think Stormpelt should be leader. After all this, he's not ready." Nightwind whispered.

Blackfrost lifted her head, anger filling her entire body, blinding the sadness and pushing it down farther. "What did you just say?" She growled. "Stormpelt has worked his paws off training to be deputy and leader! And you don't think he's ready?"

She lifted her paw, claws unsheathed, and scratched the warrior across his face, narrowly missing his eyes. "Take that as a warning, flea-pelt!" Blackfrost spat.

Nightwind flinched and watched as the only she-cat he ever cared about stalked away from him, farther than ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Blackfrost!" A voice whispered as a paw shook her. "Blackfrost, wake up! I need to tell you something."

Blackfrost lifted her eyelids to see the cat was Stormpelt. He stood above her in the warriors den. "I'm--coming." She grunted, pulling her weary body up. Something wasn't right, but she didn't mention it to Stormpelt.

The two cats left camp, under close watch of Thorntail, who was guarding the camp entrance in case of an intruder attack.

They both headed straight for the lake overlook, not pausing to talk on the way.

"Okay...so, I have some sort of bad news." Stormpelt meowed.

"Oh no!" Blackfrost gasped. "Did starclan not give you your nine lives?"

"Well...no." Stormpelt answered, "But I did get them."

"Really? How?" Blackfrost was astonished at the fact that she was right about Starclan's reluctance to help someone evil.

No, not evil. We are doing this for the sake of our clan.

"The Dark forest cats." Stormpelt's voice was low, as if he was scared of being overheard.

"What? Stormpelt! Your not evil!"

"No, I'm not. But, Blackfrost! They actually understood why we're doing this! And no one else ever has understood me--or you--like that before!" Stormpelt was smiling now.

Blackfrost suddenly realized something. "Stormpelt! What if the reason Tigerstar and Brokenstar and Hawkfrost and all those others did those things was actually to help the clans?"

"Yes! That must be it! Blackfrost, you're a genius!" Stormpelt laughed. "And its 'Stormstar' now!"

"Of course, Stormstar!" Blackfrost laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nightwind watched the two cats from behind a pine once again. He knew all of their plans. Blackfrost killed Adderstar and Pebblestream. And Stormstar killed Eaglestar.

The black warrior was torn between telling the clan, and keeping his loyalty to Blackfrost.

I won't tell. For now.