SPOTTEDSONG WAS DREAMING. She was in a beautiful landscape with pure white snow falling from the sky and stars twinkling in the sky. The moon was nearly full. It hung from a crow-black sky, shining beautifully onto the ground. It released a peaceful sort of aura that soothed Spottedsong. She lay in the snow, the cool crystals sending a chill that would surprise most cats, but along with the landscape, it soothed Spottedsong.

     But she couldn't help but feel like someone was watching her.

     Spottedsong looked over her shoulder at the forest where someone was bound to be hiding out in the brambles, but no one was there. She was still haunted by the feeling that someone was watching her. She stood up and walked over to the bushes. "Hello?"

     "I've been trying to reach you," said a voice behind her. "I was told to share this message with you." Spottedsong whirled around and met Moonclaw face-to-face. Her heart leaped in her chest when she found herself trapped in her bewitching green gaze. "Why have you given up on completing your task?"

     "I haven't given up. I was imprisoned and I ran away. There was no way I could try again. Really, there was no way I would kill Dovepaw. She's my friend. I can't kill her." Spottedsong looked at her paws in shame. She knew what was expected of her, but after almost killing Dovepaw, she couldn't bring herself to do it again.

     There was a sympathetic murmur from Moonclaw. "Look at me," she mewed gently. Immediately Spottedsong looked up at her. "You must do this. I can help you."

     Horror now had its hold on Spottedsong. She held Moonclaw's gaze, terrified at the thought of what she would do. Of what they would both do. Will I really end up killing Dovepaw? I can't! But then, Moonclaw will make me. Do I really have control over my own life anymore? "H-how?"

     Moonclaw let out a sigh that shook. Spottedsong couldn't help but wonder if she was scared of herself and what she could do. "I can summon her. Now that I've met her I have a way of doing that. When you are in the forest, I can send her to the forest to find you."

     "Where in the forest? How will I know where to find her?" Spottedsong asked, unable to keep a tremble out of her voice.

     "I will send her to the river that leads to the lake. The one closest to the MoonClan camp. You shall be there tomorrow at moonhigh, when my power is most powerful and you will have a better chance of succeeding. Do we have a deal?" Moonclaw asked.

     "Is there some sort of price I don't know about?"

     "No. I am simply trying to help you not get killed. So, do we have a deal?"

     'Trying to help me not get killed'? What in StarClan's name does that mean? Will I get killed if I don't succeed in killing Dovepaw? Is her death really that necessary? "Okay. We have a deal."

     Spottedsong woke up in her nest. For a moment she thought she was back in the FrostClan camp, in the warrior's den, but she saw Foxclaw sleeping a mouse-length away in his nest. He lifted his head tiredly, his amber eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Are you okay? You were muttering to yourself."

     Ugh, did I really mutter in my sleep? What did I say? "Oh—yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream."

     Foxclaw hesitated before he snuggled up in his nest again. "Okay. Goodnight."

     "Goodnight." Spottedsong curled up again and drifted into an uneasy and shallow sleep.

***

     Spottedsong followed Foxclaw through the forest, her fresh-kill in her jaws. She tried desperately not to show her weariness; she had barely gotten a wink of sleep last night. She had stayed up thinking about what Moonclaw had told her. Today at moonhigh, she had to go to the river and wait for Moonclaw to summon Dovepaw.

     This time I don't have a choice but to kill her. Otherwise I'll have to suffer the consequences. Spottedsong felt a shiver rush through her. She quickly looked at Foxclaw, who put down his catch and asked, "Are you okay? Is this about your dream last night?"

     "I said I'm okay. It was just a dream. I'm not a kit anymore," Spottedsong mumbled around her piece of prey. She stormed past Foxclaw, not wanting him to ask any further questions. She would disappoint him even more later tonight, anyway. There was no point in disappointing him now. She found their den and put her prey in a small hole in the earth that they made. Then she walked over to her nest and slipped into it. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep; she felt heavy from sleep deprivation.

     She listened as Foxclaw walked into the den and dropped his single piece of prey next to Spottedsong's. "Hey, really, are you okay? I have been worried about you all day."

     Spottedsong looked up at Foxclaw with gratitude. "Yeah, I guess I have been a little stressed today. I didn't get much sleep last night because of the dream I had."

     Foxclaw settled down in his nest. His amber gaze was tense with concern. "And what was the dream about? You seem to be very shaken by it."

     "I . . . I don't feel comfortable talking about it." How would he react if I told him I was going to have to kill Dovepaw tonight? "It's not important."

     Foxclaw's eyes softened. "You can tell me. I promise I'll keep it a secret."

     Spottedsong looked up at him again. "I know you will. But this is different. It . . . it's about Dovepaw."

     Worry flashed in Foxclaw's eyes. "Then I have to know!" he exclaimed, his voice tense with worry again. "Please, tell me."

     Spottedsong sighed and looked at her paws. I can't tell him. It's too hard. How will he react? "I don't know if I should share. It's a touchy subject."

     "For you or for me?" Foxclaw asked.

     "For you."

     "I can handle it." Foxclaw was now sitting beside Spottedsong, his fur slightly brushing hers.

     "I . . . Uh . . ." Spottedsong looked up at him, still wondering how he would react. Would he tell her to leave? Would he hurt her in any way? "I don't know."

     Foxclaw sighed. "That's okay. I hope you can tell me soon, though."

     Spottedsong smiled at him. "Thanks for being so thoughtful," she mewed.

     He shrugged as if he did nothing special. "Of course. You seemed to be very distracted today, so what else could I do but worry?"

     Spottedsong purred. "I don't know what else." She gazed into his sweet, caring eyes and began to wonder if it really was okay to tell him. He loves Dovepaw so much. I would hate to ruin it for him. As she thought about him and Dovepaw, she realized that she was also beginning to have feelings for him. She didn't want to kill Dovepaw mostly because it would hurt him so much.

     She silently hoped that she would find a way to get away with not killing Dovepaw.

***

     After a long and well-needed nap, Spottedsong realized it was nearly moonhigh. She looked around for Foxclaw, but the brown tom was nowhere in sight. His scent was fresh on his nest; he must have left not too long ago. She sighed, disappointed that he would be confused as to where she went when he came back from whatever he was doing.

     Spottedsong left her nest and the den and progressed to the river where Moonclaw said she would send Dovepaw. Whatever that means, Spottedsong thought with a shudder. What was Moonclaw going to do to Dovepaw? Spottedsong hated to think about how her friend would suffer tonight. If she would at all. Maybe the plan wouldn't work out as anticipated. Spottedsong hoped she was right about that.

     This is a mission of loyalty. Spottedsong heard the voice in her head, loud and clear. Her heart began to race in her chest. Foreboding shadows seemed to settle over her. Do not fail me now. Her head began to spin as the voice's last words echoed in her mind, giving her an odd sort of feeling.

     My loyalty does not lie with MoonClan. Spottedsong tried to push the voice away by reminding herself of what she was really working toward. It lies with FrostClan. It lies with Foxclaw. It lies with what is right. She was racing to the river now. The wind breezed through her fur and whistled in her ears. She was glad that nature had blocked the voices out.

     When she reached the river, she sat beside it quickly, out of breath. She looked at the water. Its gently moving current showed her reflection, gently rippling as the water moved it. That is who I am. Not a MoonClan pet. Spottedsong thought of the word pet with disgust. She wasn't going to be some sort of toy that they could control to do their evil deeds. They can fetch someone else to do that. Immediately she thought about Dawnsplash. Was she okay? Was she still in prison? Was Lynxstar still punishing her for something she didn't mean to do? Mousetail had said that Lynxstar was in a bad mood.

     Spottedsong looked up when she heard a twig crack. Then she saw white fur in the bushes. She's here. It's time to make the final decision.