"Get up."

Mistybreeze woke abruptly to a paw prodding her shoulder. She had been dreaming she was back in the nursery, playing with Coldkit and Bloodkit while Diamondrain watched them lovingly. She had purred and cuddled into her mother's soft warm fur. The dream felt bright and happy. But now, she had been forced back into a gloomy reality. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking up toward Revengeheart, though she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. You knew they were going to kill Diamondrain too. 

"We're going to meet with the others." Revengeheart glared down at her. Beyond his white body, the first light of dawn was appearing over the pines. 

Taking in her surroundings, Mistybreeze remembered she had been sitting vigil by Diamondrain's body in the camp clearing. But obviously she had fallen asleep. Guilt flooded over her. I'm supposed to stay awake the whole night! Can't I do anything right as a loyal warrior?

Lifting her head, she stared solemnly at Diamondrain. Her mother's body lay stiff, her soft fur ruffling gently in the breeze. Not far from her, Coldpebble was crouched, still awake, though his blue eyes were heavy with tiredness and grief. Beyond him, she saw that Crowmask was sitting at a far distance, staring at his former mate. She was surprised. Did he sit vigil all night? 

Not far from Diamondrain lay Brownstripe's body. His three daughters sat beside him, eyes dull with loss. With them sat Depthstar, and even Blackstorm. Mistybreeze felt sick to her stomach at the sight of the black tom pretending to grieve, when he himself had lured his brother to his death.

"Come on!" Revengeheart hissed impatiently, and Mistybreeze hauled herself to her paws. She had never felt so weak and emotionally exhausted. 

Just then, the Clan elders, Buzzardglare and Bluerain, emerged from their den. "It's time for their burial," Bluerain meowed quietly, her blue eyes soft with sympathy. "Would any of you like to come help?"

"I will." Depthstar slowly stood, looking away from his son's body. Creampaw stepped to his side with a tiny nod. Tinypaw and Honeypaw pressed their heads into Brownstripe's tabby pelt, saying goodbye for the last time. Beyond them, Blackstorm caught Revengeheart's eye, twitched his tail, and slipped away out of the camp. He'll be joining this meeting too.

Crowmask stepped forward. "I'll help bury Diamondrain." He hesitantly glanced at Coldpebble. "If that's okay."

As her brother slowly nodded, Mistybreeze took a step forward. "I'll-"

"Don't worry, you don't have to if you don't want to." Revengeheart's broad shoulder suddenly pressed against her, and she started. "Let's go for a walk in the forest," He suggested, his tone gentle with fake sympathy. "We'll get through this together."

Frustration burned beneath Mistybreeze's pelt. She wanted to tell him to go eat fox dung and let her stay to help bury her mother. But there was no arguing with him, especially when so many cats were around. "Fine." She muttered. 

Coldpebble was watching, his eyes narrowing. "You can stay if you want, Mistybreeze."

Revengeheart flashed the dark gray tom a glare. "She doesn't want to."

"How do you know what she wants?" Coldpebble lashed his tail.

Don't argue with him! Mistybreeze silently pleaded. I don't want to lose you too! She tried to look calmer as she met her brother's irritated gaze. "I'm alright," She meowed quietly. "A walk in the forest would be nice." She swallowed. "I'll say goodbye now." 

Taking a few pawsteps forward, she crouched and pressed her nose into Diamondrain's cold fur. The fur that had once warmed and comforted her in the nursery. "I'm so sorry..." She breathed. "I love you. I hope you're safe in StarClan." Taking in her mother's scent one last time, she backed away and raised her head.

"Come on." Revengeheart swept his tail around her. "They'll take care of her."

Mistybreeze cast one last glance over her shoulder as Coldpebble hauled Mistybreeze's body onto Crowmask's shoulders. Then she sighed and allowed Revengeheart to guide her into the forest. 

As soon as they were out of sight and earshot, he swished his tail away from her and grunted. "Great, now we're late! And I still have to fetch Bloodfur."

She didn't respond as they carried on through the trees. So he's really going to drag him into this... Poor Bloodfur.

Soon they reached a small clearing, where the others were already gathered. "Ugh, I wish I didn't have to stay awake all night with dead cats!" Blackstorm was complaining to Mottledface. "But Depthstar would have bothered me about it."

Foxshadow rolled his eyes as he picked dirt from his claws. His dark amber eyes flicked to Revengeheart and Mistybreeze as they neared. "Finally!"

"Sorry." Revengeheart glared at her. "We got delayed. Where is Poisonedsap?"

"In the camp." Swiftstalker appeared from the undergrowth, his blue eyes dark with worry. "She's talking to Cougarfoot about having more kits."

Revengeheart nodded. "Good. The more kits, the better." He glared at Mistybreeze briefly, then went on. "I'm going to find Bloodfur. Make sure to act surprised when he shows up." When the other cats agreed, he headed swiftly into the bushes and disappeared.

Mistybreeze sighed quietly and sat down in the shade of a pine tree, further from the others. She felt drained. She became aware of a cat sitting beside her and glanced over, relieved to see it was Swiftstalker.

"Did you at least get to say goodbye?" The black and white tom asked quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

She nodded, and it was silent for a moment. "Thank you for being there last night." She murmured. After Revengeheart had threatened her, Swiftstalker had joined her for a while and walked her back to camp, where she spent the night with Diamondrain's body. "I can't believe she's gone."

"I understand." Swiftstalker looked downward, his blue eyes dull. "I went through the same when Maplefur died."

Mistybreeze remembered how the day Swiftstalker had been apprenticed, his father, Maplefur, had been found dead, killed by ThunderClan warriors. Though recently, she had learned the horrifying truth, that Maplefur had been killed by Deserve's soldiers, or Clan allies. She was fairly certain now that Poisonedsap herself had killed her own mate.

"I'm so sorry." She felt heartbroken at the loss of her mother. She could only imagine how he had felt losing his father as a kit.

Swiftstalker hesitated. "At least you still have Crowmask."

She shook her head. "He was never involved in our lives." She said quietly. "I never really had a father."

Her friend nodded. "I get it. I never really had a mother." He muttered.

They sat in silence while the others spoke to one another. Just then, Revengeheart stepped out from the undergrowth. Mistybreeze didn't look up, but knew by his scent that Bloodfur was with him.

"About time!" Blackstorm exclaimed. He then narrowed his eyes at Bloodfur, remembering he was ordered to act surprised. "What's he doing here?"

"Bloodfur has decided to join us," Revengeheart declared. Swiftstalker's fur bristled, as if truly surprised Revengeheart had been successful in recruiting him.

Mistybreeze found the courage to glance up at Bloodfur. The cat she had once called her friend stood beside Revengeheart, his red tabby pelt slightly ruffled. His yellow eyes were dull and clouded with a look of pain, frustration, and anger. He looked completely different from the kit she had played mossball with. She dropped her gaze, unable to look any longer. He must have been hurting after yesterday... What did Revengeheart say to get him on his side?

"You've made the right choice," Mottledface purred, and Blackstorm nodded.

"Do any of you believe I'm a murderer?" Bloodfur demanded, his tone harder than Mistybreeze expected to ever hear from him. It reminded her of Revengeheart's voice. Only laced with the anger was a rasp of pain.

"Of course not." Swiftstalker spoke up near her. "You'd never harm anyone." The others agreed.

Mistybreeze was genuinely puzzled. You want him to help with murders! Could Bloodfur really be so blinded by anger, he'd become exactly the thing he wants to avoid?

***

That day, Revengeheart had led the group onto WindClan territory, to steal prey and try to provoke a battle between the Clans. Mistybreeze had guiltily participated, and even Bloodfur had fought the WindClan warriors who challenged them.

It was night now. Clouds drifted across the quarter moon in the sky. Mistybreeze sat alone in the forest, looking down at a mound of freshly disturbed earth. Coldpebble had told her where they had buried Diamondrain. She wanted to visit her mother's resting place. She closed her eyes, relaxing in the silence of the night. 

Are you watching over me, Diamondrain? She wondered, lifting her gaze to the few stars twinkling between patches of clouds. Do you blame me for your death? It is my fault... If I hadn't become mates with-

"Mistybreeze."

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Revengeheart's voice sounded behind her. Her fur bristled in surprise, and she turned to face him. "Yes?"

"What are you doing out here?" He demanded. "I was waiting for you in the warriors den."

She knew he didn't come out to find her because he missed her company. He wanted her near him at all times. "I wanted to visit my mother." She muttered. I don't need your permission to go anywhere.

"Ah." He cast a brief glance at the mound of dirt, then returned his attention to Mistybreeze. "Look, it's been long enough." He lashed his tail. "I want kits. We need kits." A growl rumbled in his throat.

Unease churned in her stomach. But she stood and glared at him, angry that he would pester her about this at her mother's grave. "I don't want kits right now." She growled, trying to keep her voice from trembling.

Revengeheart's amber eyes flashed angrily in the darkness. "I'm sick of playing this game!" He hissed furiously and began circling her. "I've been patient with you for moons!" He stopped, standing over Diamondrain's grave, and dug his claws deep into the dirt. 

The sight of such disrespect made Mistybreeze's head pulse with anger. "Stop that!"

"No, you stop!" He snarled, his white fur bristling along his spine. "I'm not taking no as an answer. If you're going to be completely useless to me, you might as well hang out in StarClan with your mother!"

Revengeheart crouched, his eyes narrowed to slits, and her blood seemed to freeze. He's going to kill me! She unsheathed her claws, ready to fight, though she doubted she stood a chance against the bloodthirsty warrior.

She flinched back in shock as a dark shape shot out from the darkness between her and the white tom. "Enough, Revengeheart!" Swiftstalker hissed, glaring at him. "Why would she ever want to have kits with you when you treat her like dung?"

Revengeheart's eyes blazed with fury. "Mind your own business!" He spat at his brother. With a snarl he leaped, and Mistybreeze gasped as the two brothers locked into battle, hissing and clawing at each other. 

The fight only lasted a moment before Revengeheart pushed Swiftstalker to the ground, baring his teeth. "You'd better figure out where your loyalties lie, brother. Stop getting in my way!" He dug his claws into his shoulders before releasing him. He glared over his shoulder at Mistybreeze when he stalked away. "You agreed to become my mate! Start remembering what that means." With that, he disappeared into the darkness.

Mistybreeze stared after him, slowly calming herself. He was gone. For now... He's never going to leave me alone about this. She turned as Swiftstalker pulled himself to his feet. "Thanks for that," She meowed quietly, padding toward him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Swiftstalker said, though he winced as he stood and gave his shoulder a few licks. He raised his gaze. "Are you?"

Mistybreeze found herself staring at Diamondrain's grave. A wave of pain and sorrow washed over her as she thought of not just her mother, but the situation she was in. All I ever wanted was to be a loyal ShadowClan warrior. To spend time with my friends, and a cat who loved me. Instead, I'm involved with murderers and being pressured to have kits. "No." She whispered. "I'm not okay."

The black and white warrior quietly sat beside her. "I never wanted to be a part of all this either." He meowed. "But I was born into it. In Poisonedsap's eyes, me and Revengeheart are just weapons." He paused. "I want to protect ShadowClan from her. But I don't know how."

Mistybreeze hesitated before speaking quietly. "She killed Maplefur, didn't she?"

The tom seemed to flinch a little, glancing about nervously to make sure no cat was nearby. "Yes." He whispered after a moment. "I saw her do it."

She was startled. She suspected Swiftstalker might have been told the truth about his father's death, but never thought he could have witnessed it himself. "I'm so sorry... You were just a kit." She blinked. "Why haven't you told Depthstar?"

Swiftstalker looked at his paws. "When I was a kit, Poisonedsap threatened to kill every cat in the nursery if I told anyone. And Poisonedsap is clever. If Depthstar confronted her about it, she would change the story, and she has enough cats in the Clan who would back her up." He paused. "Do you remember in the battle with ThunderClan, Poisonedsap told everyone she killed Hickoryroot to protect me?"

When she nodded, he scoffed. "That was a lie. Revengeheart killed him for the sake of killing him. One less ThunderClan warrior."

Mistybreeze remembered how she and Coldpebble had admired Revengeheart as he bragged about the battle, boasting and showing off his shoulder scar. He'd enjoyed the battle and bloodshed. She shuddered. How could I have been so wrong about him?

"I'm sorry you're in this mess, Mistybreeze." Swiftstalker said quietly. "If I could get you out of it, I would." He sighed. "But I can't even free myself from it."

She felt a pang of sympathy and touched his flank with her tail. "I'm glad you're here. It would be much harder to cope without a friend."

Swiftstalker gave a small purr. "It's been a long long time since I've had a friend. I'm glad we can at least confide in each other." It was quiet for a while, the silence broken occasionally by crickets chirping in the night. "I'm worried about Bloodfur."

Her heart sunk at the mention of their old friend. "Do you think Revengeheart and the others will change him?"

"I hope not." Swiftstalker lifted his gaze to the night sky. "I remember the days we'd play mossball together." He broke into a small purr. "He was my best friend."

Mistybreeze's heart warmed as she retrieved her memories. "He played with me and Coldpebble too. We had so much fun." The warmth faded. "We couldn't wait to train as apprentices together. But then one day, he said he wanted nothing to do with us."

"I wanted to keep being his friend." He said. "But Poisonedsap hated it. And the more time I spent with her followers, the more danger I knew I was putting him in." He sighed "So I had to shut him out."

"Well... Now the three of us are together again." Mistybreeze meowed solemnly. "Trapped in this mess." As she and Swiftstalker sat together, staring at the stars, she wondered what StarClan thought of them. Do they consider us traitors and hate us? Or do they believe we stand any chance against Poisonedsap? Or are we destined for darkness?