Someone tapped her forehead and Crimsonpaw snapped awake to see Flarepaw's narrowed yellow eyes looking at her. She sat up abruptly, nearly falling over as a wave of dizziness wracked her tired, achy body.

Flarepaw muttered from where she stood before her. "How are you?"

Crimsonpaw sighed, looking away from her sister to the Monsterclan borderline. On her other side, Jaguarpaw was still sound asleep. "I'm fine." The red she cat whispered faintly.

"You're not fine." Flarepaw murmured, sitting down. "You're in pain."

"No I'm not."

"Not physically," her sister reached forwards and pressed her warm nose to Crimsonpaw's forehead. The slices on her back throbbed even more.

The golden she cat sat back and glanced behind Crimsonpaw's shoulder. "Bouncepaw and Falconpaw are here." She announced quietly. "Mother and father have told us all not to go near you, but we had to see how you were doing."

Crimsonpaw sighed as she was trapped between her two brothers. Their warm, dark pelts pressed all around her and she sank into their embrace with closed eyes. Bouncepaw's wings curled around her and he nuzzled her ear. Falconpaw gave her forehead a healthy amount of licks.

Finally, the two toms pulled away. Crimsonpaw found herself falling onto the ground as soon as the support disappeared. Falconpaw nosed her back to her paws before murmuring. "You'll be okay, Crimson."

Crimsonpaw still refused to speak, her eyes stuck on the ground. She wondered if anyone had spotted Pebblepaw's body yet. She wondered what the clan thought of her stupid mistake with her wings. But... She also didn't want to know; quite a large part of her wanted to run away from her life. Maybe she could throw herself onto the thunderpath and swiftly end her existence. Surely death would be easier than braving the terrors of life.

However, Crimsonpaw knew she had to keep going. For her siblings, for her clan, for Jaguarpaw. She had to fight through the pain, the grief and suffering. Then she would be a strong Flameclan warrior. She would prove everyone wrong. Crimsonpaw would be strong, not weak. Her name would be spoken of by the elders in the future, her story of bravery told to kits in the moons following her eventual death.

Her daydreaming was cut off when Jaguarpaw woke up with a soft, tired groan. The spotted tom rolled onto his other side with a yawn, looking up at the four siblings. "Uh.. Hai?"

Falconpaw sighed faintly and rolled his eyes. "Hello."

Jaguarpaw lowered his head slightly at the negative aura he was receiving from Crimsonpaw's siblings. They must've known about how he fed her the poppy seeds that caused her wing loss. Crimsonpaw felt torn between siding with her siblings or Jaguarpaw. She didn't want either of them to be upset, but she didn't know what to do. So she kept quiet.

"How was your rest?" Jaguarpaw asked, stretching a bit.

"Good." Crimsonpaw lied smoothly. She had actually ended up having a nightmare during her sleep, but she didn't dare mention it. She hated lying so much, but she didn't want them to worry. It wasn't like they could do anything to help her problems.

Bouncepaw wrapped his paws around Crimsonpaw. "Can you come back to camp with us? The clan misses you."

It took all of her self-control not to snort at that comment. The clan misses you. What a bunch of fox-dung.

Eventually, she took a deep breath and murmured softly. "Alright, let's go.."

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They arrived at camp to see the clan was gathered at the Highrock. Frozenstar stood proudly atop the large boulder, her ice blue eyes shining in the pale morning sunlight. "Today, we welcome Pigeonfeather and Thunderfoot as full warriors of Flameclan." The ceremony concluded, the clan cheering for the two new warriors. Has anyone noticed Pebblepaw's strange disappearance?

Crimsonpaw turned to walk into the apprentices den when she heard Frozenstar speak again. "And now we mourn for a brave warrior who lost his life last night. Pebblefur will be welcomed into Starclan as a full warrior."

She gasped. They had already found Pebblepaw? Why hadn't her siblings mentioned anything? Crimsonpaw looked at Bouncepaw and Falconpaw as they padded to her side. "You already found his body?"

"You knew already?" Falconpaw blinked, his blue eyes narrowing at her.

"Uh... No!" Crimsonpaw squeaked, darting away to leave the conversation but her brother's spiked tail held her back.

"What are you not telling us?" Her brother demanded, his voice deadly quiet so that they didn't bring attention to themselves in the crowded clearing.

"Nothing." Crimsonpaw hissed, pushing against Falconpaw. He wouldn't budge.

"Crimsonpaw." Falconpaw hissed. "Tell me what you did. Now!"

Crimsonpaw flinched at the harshness of his voice and backed away, afraid Falconpaw would hurt her. She stumbled into Obsidianpelt. Her father gave her a hard glare and she cowered into the ground, her amber eyes wide and fearful.

"Crimsonpaw." Bouncepaw waved his paw in her face and she reeled backwards, turning to her black and red brother. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing!" She gasped out before taking off out of camp, away from the glares of hatred and unwanted questions.

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