A cat stood in the camp, their heart frozen over. Blue eyes showing no emotion.

Was it worth it? The cat asked themself.

Sure, they were now a high warrior under Thornflower's rule. But what did it cost?

Everything.

It cost the blossoming love with Flickerheart, the loyalty of Berrypaw (if he still went by that name), and the smart responses of Cherrypaw (or whatever her warrior name was now).

Now that they thought about it, the cat wasn't even sure if any of their three former friends were alive. The last they saw, Berrypaw and Cherrypaw were fighting Whitepaw and Cloudypaw, and Flickerheart was fighting Tundrastrike with Sunnyhaze's help.

Sometimes Froststrike wished they could take back the decision of joining the Dark Forest, of choosing power over loyalty, kin, and friends.

But Froststrike has made their choice. There was no going back. And now all they could do was hope that their friends were okay while keeping up a front of nonchalance and apathy.

Froststrike wished that one day they could see their friends again. Then, they immediately dismissed that thought. If they ever saw them again, it would be as enemies. Froststrike has betrayed them.

And there was no way to turn back now.