ห—หห‹ โคฟ ๐™ฒ๐š‘๐šŠ๐š™๐š๐šŽ๐š› ๐Ÿท๐Ÿบ

DOVEPAW GASPED SHARLY. The horrifyingly familiar scent of Foxclaw hit the top of her mouth. She turned around to look at Badgertooth and whispered shakily, "It was Foxclaw."

ย  ย ย  Tawnyflight was wrong about one thing: Foxclaw's treachery has already begun.

ย  ย ย  Badgertooth tensed against her. "I must tell Lynxstar before anyone else. She will know how to handle this."

ย  ย ย  "No, I will." I want to be the one to show Foxclaw just a piece of the pain he's made me suffer today. She flicked her tail defiantly and left towards the Snowrock where Lynxstar sat, her tail curled gracefully over her paws as she sat, still and majestic. "I know who did it, Lynxstar."

ย  ย ย  "Who?" Lynxstar turned her piercing blue eyes to her daughter. "Who would do such a terrible crime? Was it a cat from MoonClan?"

ย  ย ย  "Surprisingly, no," Dovepaw answered. "It was Foxclaw."

ย  ย ย  Lynxstar's neck fur rose. Her eyes shone with fury, burning into Dovepaw with blue fire. "What? One of my cats? Why would they want to do that?"

ย  ย ย  Dovepaw shook her head. "I have no idea."

ย  ย ย  Lynxstar didn't seem to hear her. She stood up and addressed all of the cats of the Clan. "Cats of FrostClan! I have some shocking news. I have been told who killed Frostfeather."

ย  ย ย  "Frozenfang! It was Frozenfang! She begged you to let her become a warrior so she could kill our Clanmates!" Snowtail declared, her tail lashing angrily. She glared at the dark gray she-cat.

ย  ย ย  There was a snarl from Frozenfang, yet she looked scared and desperate. "N-no, Lynxstar, you've got to believe me! I would never do such a terrible thing. Please don't punish me. Please," she begged.

ย  ย ย  Yowls erupted from the cats of FrostClan. Foxclaw was looking up at Dovepaw with uncertainty in his eyes that said You wouldn't turn me in, would you?

ย  ย ย  Oh, yes, I would, traitor. Dovepaw gazed back at him. Something about his gaze made her feel somber and guilty, and she was almost ashamed. Don't fall for it, Dovepaw. She turned her head and focused on her mother once more.

ย  ย ย  "It was not Frozenfang."

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw was clearly fighting to stay calm, and hope rose in Dovepaw.

ย  ย ย  "It was Foxclaw."

ย  ย ย  Yowls of protest erupted from the Clan. Foxclaw looked shocked and hurt. Dovepaw could tell what he was feeling: betrayed, deceived, hurt. But I don't care about his feelings, because he doesn't care about mine. And he doesn't deserve my sympathy, anyway.

ย  ย ย  "So, in conclusion, we must take action." Lynxstar swept her gaze over the angry and bristling cats, her eyes hard and icy.

ย  ย ย  "Kill him! Kill Foxclaw!" Ashbreeze's yowl brought up a chant. Foxclaw flattened his ears, his gaze still rested on Dovepaw. But now his eyes were furious slits.

ย  ย ย  "That's enough!" Owlheart's yowl silenced the Clan. He nodded to Lynxstar.

ย  ย ย  "Foxclaw, is this accusation true?" Lynxstar asked, her voice gentle yet furious and menacing.

ย  ย ย  You have choice but to admit it.

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw gazed around at the cats, his fur bristling, and for a few heartbeatsโ€”which seemed like seasonsโ€”he mewed softly, "Yes, it is."

ย  ย ย  Dovepaw gasped. I was right all along! But still, I was so mouse-brained to be sure only now.

ย  ย ย  Furious yowls, now justified by Lynxstar, became louder when the news was out. Lynxstar yowled to silence them. "Then it is settled. We will not kill him, but instead we will exile him, and if he is found near or on our territory, you have the right to shred him."

ย  ย ย  I'll be the first!

ย  ย ย  Rosefeather's, Hollyfern's, and Gorseberry's faces were twisted with disgust and horror. Hollyfern's ears were flattened on top of her head and her tortoiseshell fur was spiked with anger. Rosefeather looked paralyzed with shock. Gorseberry just looked the same as his sister.

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw didn't move, nor did he make a protest. "May I say goodbye to a few cats first?"

ย  ย ย  Dovepaw bristled.

ย  ย ย  Lynxstar narrowed her eyes at the brown tabby tom. "Make it quick."

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw dipped his head in thanks and turned to Rosefeather, Hollyfern, and Gorseberry. They stared at him in disgust and disappointment. The hopeful look in Foxclaw's eyes faded to regret. "Goodbye," he meowed softly.

ย  ย ย  Hollyfern and Gorseberry glanced at each other, and backed away from their brother. "I imagine you would have killed Leafpaw that one day if you had the chance," Hollyfern hissed icily.

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw stared, wide-eyed. "I-I didn't ever have the intention to . . ."

ย  ย ย  You didn't have the intention? What in StarClan's name does that mean? Dovepaw leaped down from the Snowrock and sat down, her tail curled over her paws.

ย  ย ย  There was a loud hiss of hatred from Rosefeather. "Get out of my sight!" Rosefeather snarled. Dovepaw winced at the viciousness in the warrior's snarl. "You were never my son, but you were Sparrowfeather's son for sure! You're just like him: traitorous, sneaky, and a liar!"

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw's eyes clouded with grief.

ย  ย ย  Dovepaw wanted to agree out loud, but instead she kept her thoughts to herself.

ย  ย ย  "You wanted to kill Frostfeather! It was your goal! Don't say you didn't have the intention to 'kill Frostfeather!' I don't care how useless she was to you!" Rosefeather accused her son, her blue eyes shining with sorrow and disappointment. "You're just like Sparrowfeather . . ." Her voice cracked.

ย  ย ย  Hollyfern bared her teeth at Foxclaw. "And don't come back, you hear me? When I see you again, or if I do see you again, you will be crow-food!"

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw bristled, but he backed away and turned to Dovepaw, his amber eyes shining with hope. "Dovepaw, won't you let me say bye?"

ย  ย ย  Dovepaw looked him up and down. "You thought that I would fall for you," she hissed. "But I've learned my lesson. And there was a price to pay: This pain that you've made me feel . . . you kept your secret from me all of this time, and you expected me to keep loving you."

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw looked stunned. "But, Dovepaw, you said you still loved me after all of that earlier today. Did you really believe some starry cats that are probably just a figment of your imagination?"

ย  ย ย  "'Some starry cats?' What makes you say that? How could I keep loving you if you don't even respect my beliefs?" Dovepaw sunk her claws into the earth, fighting the urge to sink them into the tabby's shoulders.

ย  ย ย  "Look, I don't want to argue with you . . . I just want to say goodbye." Foxclaw stepped forward so that his cheek brushed Dovepaw's cheek affectionately. "I hope that you realize that I really do love you, and you really do want me."

ย  ย ย  Dovepaw's stomach flipped over when she realized that his actions were sort of making her anger melt away. Stop it! she silently scolded him. "Get away from me. I never want to see you again." She hissed and flattened her ears.

ย  ย ย  Foxclaw turned, his eyes shining with hurt, and fled from the camp. Dovepaw was almost sorry to see him go.

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