Fern awoke in the back of the den, the scent of rain filling his nostrils. The bitter tang of the rain and the gloomy, dark clouds seems to mourn the death of Blue.

As soon as Fern woke up, he realized the day before. The thoughts gave him a headache. A pain radiated from his paw. He wanted to just way in his nest and rot. That was his plan, after all.

Russet lifted his head to see the what the rustling from Fern's nest was, and spotted Fern. It looked as if all the emotions from yesterday hit Russet just then.

Why couldn't it have been me?

Hunger stabbed his belly, and Fern then remembered he didn't eat at all yesterday. Sorrow was enough to fill his belly then.

Swift Blossom lifted her head from the front of the den and made eye contact with Fern. Fern rose to his paws, his joints stiff as he carefully meandered through the sleeping animals.

Swift Blossom ducked under the entrance of the den as Fern came up next to her. "You're up early. How are you holding up?"

"Uh, " Fern sighed, stretching out his tired limbs. "I mean, better. Not, y'know, great but I guess there's nothing you can do."

"We didn't bury her yet. You still have time to say goodbye." Swift Blossom looked calmly at Fern.

"Why didn't you bury her?" Fern tilted his head, the stench of rain filling his nose even stronger now.

"Russet wanted to sit vigil with her. They were really good friends."

"Oh. I'm, uh, going to get some prey."

Fern didn't want to see the body. He didn't want to think about never feeling the soft touch of her fur or listening to her musical voice ever again. It was too much to bear.

Fern looked at the pile of prey, seeing a familiar fish and flinching at the sight of a mouse. The mouse reminded him of Blue too much. He decided, in the end, to grab a shrew.

The shrew seemed as soft as Blue's pelt but was in reality tough and chewy. Mouse was his favorite prey, before what happened. That vicious vision clawed his mind for the first time again.

𖠇 𖠇 𖠇

It was late into the middle of the day, rain had already fallen and the bitter stench stuck in the air. The forest floor was damp and the clouds in the sky were dark, but lighter than before.

Suddenly, Ebony called a meeting. She stood tall a few tail-lengths from the den, her black pelt matted and dirty but her eyes shone with a strange, determined light. "May all animals gather to this group meeting!"

The animals slowly trickled from all sides of the clearing and out of the den. Fern slipped out of between two shaded trees and sat at the edge of the clearing, next to Pale Light.

"Do you know what's going on?" Pale Light leaned over to Fern, but didn't make eye contact.

"No." Fern's voice was hoarse, it had been a while since he talked this morning with Swift Blossom. She was a kind animal.

Pale Light nodded and focused on Ebony, glancing quickly over at Fern. His fur was clean and his calming eyes were bright and hopeful.

"Blue's body was buried just before the rain began this morning." Ebony's gaze swept over the clearing, her voice strong.

Fern shuddered at Blue's name and his pelt rippled. Please don't mention her again.

"During burial, Timber noticed a piece of fur stuck between Blue's claws."

Warm hope surged through Fern's veins. Maybe the killer could be caught. . . at least I hope so.

"The fur was light gray, mottled with white. Brown fur flecked the end. It was soft and probably fur from the tail."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd and Russet gave Fern a nervous glance. Who. . ? Suddenly, a thorn-like claw of realization sliced through his brain painfully.

"Fern. Explain yourself." Ebony barked, Fern rising to his shaky paws with a retort on his tongue.

"I did not kill Blue." Fern's eyes hardened, but Ebony returned the gaze. Her yellow eyes seemed to be burning his pelt.

"I would say that as well," Ebony licked her jaws. "Now, explain yourself."

A moment of silence crushed any confidence Fern had, until Russet shot to his paws from the other side of the clearing. "I trust Fern!" His fear-scent could be detected all across the clearing.

Ebony's gaze turned to Russet, his paws shaking like his body was too heavy to hold up. "And why is that?" Ebony's words sounded like a venomous fang sinking deep into Russet's flesh.

"Did you s-see him when she died? He was an absolute wreck!"

"And then can you exain how the fur got there, delicately placed between Blue's claws?"

Russet gave a pause, staring at Fern. Russet's eyes pleaded Fern to redeem himself, but he couldn't bring himself to speak, he had every word to say but his throat was closed and his mouth was as dry as an old tree's crusted bark.

The fur she was talking about was the fur from when I got snagged on the brambles! Some. . . thing put it there against me. Why can't anybody piece this together that Timber's a liar?

Ebony gave him a hard stare and opened her jaws, and Sparrow stood up. She wasn't shaking, and her voice was still. Her green eyes were solid. Has she stood up to a leader before?

"You need to trust Fern."

"What authority do you have?" Ebony's eyes blazing and her fur was prickled. Her tail lashed and her claws were exposed.

"More authority than you! Pathetic, you are!" Fern noticed her claws unsheathe. "Blaming a loyal animal for the murder of Blue!"

"All the evidence is there. Fern, you are exiled from my group. I never want to see your scheming snout in my forest again," Ebony raised her chin. "And if any animal want to go with him, you can. Have fun."

"I'm going with Fern!" Sparrow hissed, leaping towards Ebony with outstretched claws. She landed square on her shoulders, knocking her to the ground. "So am I!" Russet yowled over the yelping of the scattering crowd, holding his chin high as animals ran.

Dust clouded around them, while Timber separated them. "Sparrow! We need to go." Fern barked, heading towards the trees.

"Wait for me!" Pale Light was on his light paws, running towards them. Darkened Hope and Flame looked questionably around, and followed Pale Light a few tail-lengths behind.

Fern looked back, seeing Timber with his eyes narrowed at the two brothers. Ebony was stood with one injured paw and her back arched, comforted by Whisper and Swift Blossom.

Russet was slinking towards Fern and Sparrow from the edge of the den, his muscles rippling below his ginger pelt and his amber eyes sharp.

Sparrow padded on Fern's flank, a small patch of fur missing. Beinging up the rear, Pale Light stood next to Darkened Hope, who brushed flanks with Flame. Russet padded absentmindedly along beside Sparrow.

So, are we rouges? Is this what it feels like to be rouges? A comfortable silence fell between the group, and Fern focused on the comforting noise of paws brushing through the grasses.

The sun blazed above, lighting up the group. Sparrow must be missing Whisper and Leopard and her kits. They were close. Flame wasn't missing Timber, something happened a long time ago and they grew distant.

I bet Blue would be ashamed. But, if she was here, she wouldn't be dead. And I wouldn't be blamed. It was the first time he thought of Blue since Russet and Sparrow stood up for him.

Cooling winds buffeted Fern's filthy pelt. Ahead, a large grassy plain and mountains soaring above their heads. The future has so much to hold, but they would go through the future together.