It was strangely beautiful.

The coils of red dancing across the sparkling surface, painting the water in a deep cherry shade. They matched quite well with the pink of her fur as they flowed in lazy circles around her submerged paws. Tiny tendrils, tugged by the gentle current, stretched out ahead of her, spreading the colours further with every ripple.

Yet to see beauty in such destruction sickened her.

Thrusting her head upwards, she gazed up at the clouded sky, her jaw parting slightly in a silent prayer. Let it be over soon. Let this stop.

A raindrop descended in answer, splashing onto the tip of her nose. Then another. She watched with a heavy heart as the grey clouds released a second barrage of weeping downpour, as if scorning her pointless prayer.

She'd never thought too much about the gods. But today, she could almost feel the weight of Luna's disappointed glare. The goddess was sighing with the wind at such a broken piece of her creation.

She let the weight of the rain hammer into her fur, gradually lowering her head until her snout sank beneath the water. The bottom of her jaw rested on the sodden earth. The rush of the stream gurgled in her ears, whispering harsh reminders of all her failures, all her mistakes, everything she'd done with her own claws.

It crossed her mind how easy it would be. To never surface. To simply lie here until her lungs gave out, and the water claimed her for good. Her spirit could ascend to the stars, and she could reunite with Felix. A perfect end to such a tragic story.

But it wasn't going to be her end. There was more for her to do on this earth. One last piece of vengeance, and then she could choose to be done with it all, if the moment came.

If she met Felix again now, she'd be too ashamed to even look at him. At least if she died alongside the wolf who had banished her twin to the stars, there would be some pride in her bloodied mistakes.

With that resonating thought, her survival instincts kicked in, and she lifted her head back into the open air. Her gulp for breath transformed into a shuddering sob as she choked on all the words lodged in her throat. All the evil that lurked within.

A sudden sensation prevented her second tearful outburst of the day. Gasping, she stumbled backwards, sitting down heavily. There was a tingling, like a strange jolting shock, zipping its way up her left paw. Lifting it out of the water, she spotted Kyra's gifted bracelet, dancing with pale glitter, and swept it off in one frantic motion.

The bracelet landed with a small splash, briefly clearing a path through the swathes of blood before scarlet swept over the surface once more. Kyra's voice crackled into her mind, muddled and disjointed by the distance between Felicity and the magical object. She scrambled further down the stream, away from it, and the voice faded altogether.

Yet she knew it was too late. Her mind had sensed what Kyra was using the bracelet for. And it was more than simple communication.

Another whimper escaped Felicity as she drew her forepaws up to her chest in the water, shivering not only from the soaking chills in her fur but also from deep, stabbing fear.

For there was nothing more frightening than the knowledge that soon, she would finally be speaking the truth.

Most of the blood had been dragged downstream by the time Kyra found her. Even with all the minutes she'd had to prepare, she still sat in the same position, dread persistently trembling her exhausted limbs. The heartfelt concern shining in her friend's eyes only pushed the internal claws of guilt deeper.

"Felicity!" Kyra called, dashing over. She splashed into the stream and pressed her snout up against Felicity's sodden fur. "What's wrong? You looked so scared, and then you attacked Mak, and-"

Cutting off her string of words, Felicity folded into her embrace, trying in vain to stop her involuntary shivers from cascading over her shoulders. Confusion flickered in Kyra's expression but she hugged back firmly. When they parted, her concern had turned fearful.

"Here, get out of the water," she said in the most commanding tone Felicity had ever heard her used. Nodding weakly, she obliged and dragged her aching limbs to the drier earth beside the stream. Reaching out a paw, Kyra brushed the dripping fur on her back, and as she did so Felicity felt the same tingle that had pulsed from the bracelet. Within a minute, she was only as damp as the pattering rain could manage.

"Now," Kyra added as she retracted her paw, "please, please tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me."

Not as much as I'm scaring myself. Lifting her gaze, Felicity stared up at the murky clouds. Sooner or later, Kyra would find out. After this second pair of murders, at the timing they had been, Mak was sure to figure it out. Or maybe a Thunderwylf investigator would match up the pawprints. Even if she had got away with this crime, the fire in her heart told her that it wouldn't be the last. The identity of Pynk couldn't go unknown forever.

Besides, she would much rather Kyra knew the truth about her parents' deaths. As painful as it would be.

So, after several deep breaths, she looked down again to meet her friend's worried gaze. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she held them back. After the story, she could cry all she wanted.

Though she knew she would cry alone.

"Kyra, you were so trusting when you told me about your past," she began, sliding a paw over to rest on Kyra's softly. "It's only right I pay you the same trust."

Nodding eagerly, Kyra shifted closer. "And I won't judge you," she promised. "Just like you."

"Right." Felicity dipped her head, suddenly doubting her actions. But no, it was necessary. However her friend would react. "You know the war that happened in my hometown, Borealton?"

Kyra inclined her head. "Yes," she said quietly. Not even she could find joy in the mention of war. "Lots of wolves from Moongarde went up to fight in it." Her eyes widened in realisation. "Did... did you..."

"I did," Felicity replied. "I fought in the war. Alongside my twin brother, Felix."

Eager interest glimmered in Kyra's eyes. "Twin brother? Wow, that's amazing! Can-"

"But he died." Clawing at the dirt, Felicity bowed under the weight of the statement. It felt overly sudden to throw it out so soon, but Kyra's words gave some part of her brain false hope. She needed to stop before the happy memories broke her, as they had many times before.

"Oh." Kyra's eyes also fell to the ground. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

What Felicity wanted to say was 'it's ok, I'm recovering' or 'it's been more than a moon and I'm getting used to life without him'. But she couldn't. Because it wouldn't be true.

Instead, she said, "I thought getting away from that place would help. But it hasn't. All the time, his death haunts me. Especially today." She used Kyra's shocked silence as time to catch her breath and calm her thudding heart. "Just before I... I attacked Mak, I saw this black wolf walk by. A Shadewylf."

Kyra was leaning into her now, trying to convey her affection through contact while words failed her. At the name, her jaw shot open. "The bad guys," she breathed. But then she shook her head as if dismissing the words. "But they're not bad anymore, right? The war changed that. Mak said some might move down south into places like here."

"No." Felicity clenched her fangs together. "They're not. But that one is. He killed Felix."

"How do you know?"

"I'd recognise him anywhere." She shivered again. "Especially the violet eyes."

For a moment, Kyra was still. Then she pressed her snout into Felicity's flank. "Oh, Felicity," she murmured. "Why didn't you tell us? We can help you!"

But Felicity flinched away. "There's... something else you should know," she said, unable to meet Kyra's eyes again. "Ever since Felix died, I've had this... darkness inside me. It's always so angry. And recently, it's... it wants blood." She finally looked back at Kyra, but then ducked her head again, the guilt shredding her heart.

She didn't look up for the entirety of her confession.

Throughout everything - describing her thievery, her plan for vengeance, and her deadly mission on the Toxiwylf - she refused to meet her friend's gaze. Even when she explained the stolen card from Abelard, her eyes remained fixed on the earth. She didn't deserve the sympathy that resided there.

It would all be shattered in just a few moments.

"After I saw the Shadewylf," she finished, her voice now cracked with emotion, "the darkness just took over. I had to find something... someone t-to kill. And I... I just..."

Finally, she looked up. Tears finally fell. Tears of her own betrayal.

"I killed your parents."

There it was. In a fraction of a second, Kyra's sympathy faded into horrified shock. Her jaw fell open. She staggered backwards, her eyes wide with terror.

The sight finally snapped Felicity's splintered heart.

A wave of rage rushed through her. Claws curling, she lunged at Kyra, missing her snout by a millimetre as she dived sideways and toppled into the stream. A shrieking yelp escaped her throat. She sprang up the other side, flattening her ears.

All this time, she had been Felicity's only release from the pain inside. But no longer. Now the darkness had driven her away, too.

Leaping to her paws, she tensed for another pounce, desperately fighting the urge. After a few moments, she finally managed to push the darkness aside. As much pleasure as the blood brought her, she could never kill Kyra.

Instead, her goal was another.

Turning, she sprinted away before her instincts swamped her mind and she could charge her friend again. It was taking over. She had to make it stop.

I've nothing to live for but this. My only purpose left.

The violet eyes, forever at the back of her mind, now danced in front of her eyes, blurring her vision. So many times in her dreams her claws had almost reached them. Today, they would finally pass through his midnight-black fur and draw out his murderous blood.

Even if it cost her life, she would give him the death he deserved.