SPOTTEDSONG WHIRLED AROUND to face the sound of Cloudsky's panicked shriek.

"Frozenfang's not breathing!"

She knew that Frozenfang was badly injured, but almost the entire Clan was surrounding her motionless body now. Dovepaw and Badgertooth looked clueless for the first time. But they cautiously tried to see if they could do anything for Frozenfang. The rest of the Clan was restless. "Is she dead?" Spottedsong muttered to herself, inching closer to the scene. Blood stained the ground from the injured warriors. She stepped cautiously around it as she tried to see what was going on. But with all the cats crowding around her, she couldn't see what was happening. It was probably better that she couldn't. There was probably a lot of blood on the scene.

Suddenly anger rose in her. Who did this to Frozenfang? She didn't deserve such treatment! Spottedsong looked around at the cats of FrostClan. She looked for a guilty glimmer in their eyes or a nervous fidget from one of them. The battle had been with WindClan. But there was no WindClan scent on Frozenfang. Not that Spottedsong knew of. It had to be a FrostClan cat that had also fallen victim to the MoonClan cats. Then she caught Dawnsplash's eye. She gazed guiltily at the scene and her paws scuffled nervously in the dust. Was it Dawnsplash? That's impossible! She would never do something like this!

Dawnsplash looked up and met Spottedsong's gaze. Spottedsong looked away quickly, but Dawnsplash hurried toward her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I have something to do with this?" she demanded, her usually naive and tenderhearted self vanishing and being replaced with anger.

Spottedsong just blinked back at her steadily. "Come with me." She turned to the nursery where there was a space behind it that she and Dawnsplash could talk.

"Do you really think I'm going to obey a warrior that just barely left her apprenticeship? I don't think so. You can't make me," Dawnsplash hissed, her blue eyes flashing dangerously.

Spottedsong sighed. She would have to lie to Dawnsplash to get her to come with her. But if she told her half the truth, maybe Dawnsplash would still agree. "I know something that no other cat does. I need to tell you."

Dawnsplash hesitated, the anger in her eyes melting. "Fine. But just this once." She followed Spottedsong to the space behind the nursery. "What do you want?" she demanded immediately.

"You tried to kill Frozenfang!" Spottedsong growled. "I saw it in your eyes. You attempted to kill one of our Clanmates! That's a traitorous act, you know."

"I know!" Dawnsplash retorted. "I'm not mouse-brained. I had no choice. They told me—" She cut herself off, her eyes widening with fear.

"Who told you?" Spottedsong asked suspiciously. "MoonClan?"

Dawnsplash's claws slid out. Her ears flattened against her head. She curled her lip in a snarl. "Why would I tell you?"

Spottedsong didn't answer for a moment. This isn't Dawnsplash. She would never do this. Fear crawled in her pelt. "Come on. It was MoonClan, wasn't it? You don't have to be afraid to tell me," she urged.

Dawnsplash stared back at her, her gaze unwavering and menacing. "No. Now stop trying to get information out of me because you won't get it."

"Stop trying to lie. I know a cat who's with MoonClan when I see one," Spottedsong meowed calmly.

Dawnsplash lashed her tail and raked her claws against Spottedsong's cheek. "I said, stop trying to get information out of me! I don't have anything that will be of value to you."

Spottedsong growled, ignoring the searing pain in her face. "Fine. I'll leave. But just know that I know that you tried to kill Frozenfang."

There was silence from Dawnsplash for a long time before she snarled threateningly. "You're going to tell Lynxstar! I won't let you!" She lashed out again. Spottedsong felt her claws on her neck and then a sharp bat on her head. She twisted around, claws unsheathed, and batted at Dawnsplash's head. Dawnsplash let go of Spottedsong with a painful yowl. Spottedsong dashed out of the den, the world spinning. Skystorm rushed toward her.

"What in the world happened to you?" he asked, his voice shaking with worry. He let Spottedsong lean on him while she caught her breath.

"Dawnsplash is a murderer!" Spottedsong gasped painfully. She gazed at where Frozenfang lay. She's dead, isn't she? "Frozenfang is dead?" she asked.

"Frozenfang! She's okay!" Cloudsky yelped happily as if in response to Spottedsong, Spottedsong looked over at him and saw him embrace Frozenfang happily. The other cats in the Clan looked relieved but also very confused. It was rare—or it never happened at all, Spottedsong had no idea—for a cat to come back from the dead like that.

Spottedsong longed to come over to them and see if Frozenfang was okay, but she knew she had to get help. She glanced over her shoulder. Dawnsplash wasn't there. She couldn't even get a glimpse of her ginger-and-white fur in the brambles. When she looked back around she saw Dovepaw making her way toward her. She and Skystorn exchanged a few words before Dovepaw took Skystorm's place. But she couldn't hear their words over the terrible ringing in her ears.

Dovepaw led Spottedsong to a nest in the medicine den. She helped Spottedsong get comfortable in the nest. "Try not to move for now. I need to check these wounds out," she meowed gently as she began to get a horsetail poultice ready. Spottedsong flinched slightly when the poultice was applied. But she tried her hardest to be still. "You say Dawnsplash did this?"

"Yes," Spottedsong answered.

There was a long pause from Dovepaw. "Do you know why?" She began to wrap Spottedsong's wounds with cobwebs.

"I have an idea."

"Oh, yeah? What is it?"

"I was thinking that maybe she's struggling with the same thing as me. I asked her if she was working for MoonClan, and she seemed very . . . suspicious after that. But I can't be sure. And I think that she attempted to kill Frozenfang," Spottedsong explained.

"Okay. You and I can do more searching when I'm all done with everyone else's wounds. And when you're well enough to come with me," Dovepaw concluded. "Do the wounds hurt too bad?"

"They hurt, but I'll be fine," Spottedsong reassured the young medicine cat. "Thanks for asking, though." She laid her head on the side of the nest and closed her eyes, suddenly realizing how exhausted she was.

"Well, if it hurts, then you should have something to soothe it. And you should rest after wounds and a battle like that. Here, have a couple of poppy seeds," Dovepaw mewed, holding out her paw so that Spottedsong could take the seeds.

Spottedsong hesitated before taking it. The pain faded almost immediately. She laid down again. "Thanks," she mumbled, already slipping into sleep. Dovepaw responded, but Spottedsong couldn't tell what she said as she drifted off.

***

"Spottedsong."

Spottedsong woke up at the sound of a familiar voice. But no one was there.

"Come to the forest, Spottedsong," Moonclaw beckoned. Her voice rang in Spottedsong's head, creating unwanted confusion and disorientation. The world spun.

I have to rest! Spottedsong wanted to protest. She glanced around at the den. Dovepaw must have been in the apprentices' den. Badgertooth was curled up and asleep in the far side of the den. Frozenfang was in her nest, twitching as if she were having a bad dream. Spottedsong creeped out of her nest, her bones aching as she moved them. But she didn't want to suffer from voices whirling in her head all night. She would rather risk being caught with MoonClan. She snuck toward the dirtplace tunnel and escaped from the back. She ignored Moonclaw's voice, which spoke loudly and clearly in her head. Her voice might be in my head, but I won't let their evil ways get to my head. I will always be loyal to FrostClan. Nothing can make me change my mind. Besides, how could things get worse than this?

She found the forest where she first met Moonclaw. It was dark and foggy like always, but this time it seemed to be darker and less real. Spottedsong started to question herself. Was this place real? Was it just a simple figment of her imagination? She followed the path that led deeper into the forest. She kept doubting her actions and thinking that she should go back, which probably would have been the best decision, but something kept driving her forward.

"I see you made your way back."

Spottedsong hissed and unsheathed her claws, startled. She felt the fur on her neck rising. She turned around to meet Moonclaw face-to-face. Her heart began to race as she realized that Moonclaw was in just the right position to get Spottedsong trapped in her eyes again.

"Calm down," Moonclaw purred. "It's just me. I'm not going to hurt you."

"So you say. And I believe that. But Dawnsplash has been coming here, and now she's almost killed Frozenfang! And attempted and failed at killing me. You have something to do with this," Spottedsong snarled. "You and your Clan of dirty fox-hearts!"

"I told you already: I'm here because I was forced to be here. You still don't trust me, do you, Spottedpaw?" Moonclaw asked, her voice calm. She rested her tail on Spottedsong's shoulder.

Pushing Moonclaw's tail off of her shoulder, Spottedsong hissed, "I'm Spottedsong now."

"Ah. A strong, brave, noble warrior. The best cat you could be. I'm proud of you," Moonclaw meowed gently. Her voice felt like gentle waves lapping at Spottedsong. Like the sunshine that warmed her fur on sunny days. "You'll do great."

Spottedsong put on a mock smile. "Thanks. And I still don't trust you. You want to know something?" she asked, glaring at Moonclaw, willing her to agree.

"Sure." Moonclaw's voice was still calm.

"I feel like you're trying to get into my head. I feel like you're trying to . . . to manipulate—no—brainwash me into thinking that I'm a part of MoonClan and I'm completely loyal to—" A wave of uneasiness washed over her.

Spottedsong felt a twinge of annoyance when Moonclaw's eyes glimmered with amusement. "Ah, well, I might be, I might not. Your choice. Just know your choices will affect the future."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I'm not mouse-brained. I will always, always be loyal to FrostClan. I will always make the right decisions for my Clan. Nothing can change that," Spottedsong snarled, silently hoping that she was right. "Not even you and your so-called 'dominant' abilities."

"I never said that they were dominant," Moonclaw pointed out. She began to pace around Spottedsong, keeping her green eyes on her, unwavering. "When I first met you, you swore that you will always be loyal to MoonClan. And now you're changing it because you want to. Are you sure you still want to be here? Are you sure that you will always be loyal to MoonClan?"

Spottedsong gazed back at her, unflinching. I know something bad will happen if I keep denying it. I guess my only choice now is to lie. "Of course," she replied. "What makes you think I wouldn't be?"

Moonclaw nodded. "Alright."

An uneasy chill filled Spottedsong from ears to tail-tip. What if she was right when she said that I might change my own mind? That every time I lie to myself, I'm a step closer to really not being myself anymore? How can I prevent that? "What now, then?"

"You need to show that you are really loyal to us. And that takes several steps. Come with me," Moonclaw instructed as she began to make her way deeper into the forest, Spottedsong at her heels.

Spottedsong felt intimidated for the first time when she saw a huge brown tom on a tall rock, his cold amber eyes burning into her fur. Cypressstar. She glanced at Moonclaw. She was crouched on the ground, her nose on her paws. She looked up at Cypressstar again. He was looking down on her expectantly, his eyes cold. "Bow," he instructed.

Feeling deeply humiliated, Spottedsong crouched down next to Moonclaw and dipped her head. She didn't dare rise until she was instructed.

It felt like a moon had passed when Cypressstar growled, "Rise."

Spottedsong and Moonclaw stood up straight. Spottedsong didn't dare make eye contact with Cypressstar. She glanced at Moonclaw briefly before looking back at Cypressstar.

"Cypressstar, this cat, Spottedsong, has become a warrior and has sworn loyalty to MoonClan. I came here to ask if you would like to perform the ceremony," Moonclaw explained.

Cypressstar nodded approvingly. "Okay." He leaped down from the rock to stand in front of Spottedsong. "Then you shall prove yourself worthy. With blood."

"B-blood?" Spottedsong asked, eyes wide. "What do you mean by that?"

"If you're going to be a loyal and dignified warrior of MoonClan, you mustn't be scared of a bit of blood. No, I don't expect you to kill anyone. I expect you to draw your own blood so that I know that you are completely loyal and trustworthy," Cypressstar commanded, his voice cool. "Now."

Spottedsong felt a shiver run down her spine as she stood erect and looking Cypressstar straight in his cold amber eyes. Is this what all MoonClan cats have to do? She unsheathed her claws and held up her other paw. Her whole body was trembling, but she refused to show Moonclaw and Cypressstar. She refused to show them that she was weaker than they intended. She took her claw and pierced her pad, letting blood drip onto the ground. She looked at Cypressstar. "Is that it?"

Cypressstar's amber eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he gazed at Spottedsong's blood on the ground. "No."

As she gingerly put her paw on the ground, Spottedsong felt as if she had a stone in her belly, weighing her down whilst a wave of disappointment washed over her. "What is it?"

"A ceremony."

Oh, good. I was thinking it was going to be something like killing one of my Clanmates. "Easy enough," Spottedsong meowed confidently.

Cypressstar turned to the rock and leaped onto it, looking down on Moonclaw and Spottedsong. "Spottedsong, now that your own blood now nourishes the ground and the life of this Clan, do you promise to uphold your leader's commands and your loyalty, honesty, courage, and strength?"

Spottedsong glanced at Moonclaw quickly. The black-and-white she-cat was gazing at Spottedsong, worry clear in her eyes. "I do," Spottedsong responded hesitantly. Questions immediately began to whirl in her mind. Was this it? Was this the moment when she turned on her Clan and everything she loved? Was this the moment when Cypressstar and the whole of MoonClan snatched everything she loved from her claws, leaving nothing but a deep, dark hole of loneliness in her heart.

"Then, Spottedsong, I hereby proclaim you a warrior of MoonClan. I hope you continue to be loyal, honest, courageous, and strong for the rest of your days," Cypressstar announced.

Spottedsong felt like her paws were rooted to the ground. A wave of despair washed over her. She didn't want to be here, and now her situation was made worse by agreeing to do this ceremony. She wondered what would happen to her now. She dipped her head to Cypressstar, unable to speak.

"Now, there's one more thing," Cypressstar informed her, looking at Spottedsong, then Moonclaw, then back again. His gaze was more menacing than ever, though Spottedsong couldn't understand why. Maybe it was the terrible foreshadowing that they emitted when he looked at her like that. "You must set off on a mission that proves your loyalty to me."

"I just proved my loyalty to you," Spottedsong hissed. "Why should I set off on a mission to prove more?" Greedy fox-heart.

"You must kill one of your Clanmates," Cypressstar ordered evilly, his amber eyes gleaming with malice in the bright moonlight.

A rush of alarm now had its grasp on Spottedsong as she gazed into Cypressstar's evil eyes. She wanted to protest, but the challenging stare of the MoonClan leader and the pleading gaze of Moonclaw told her otherwise. "Fine," she growled. "Challenge accepted. How much time do I have to do it?"

Moonclaw's eyes flashed with alarm and she whispered something hurriedly to Cypressstar. His eyes flashed with the same alarm. Moonclaw stepped back and let him talk. Cypressstar's attention fixated on Spottedsong again. "Before I answer your question, there has been a change in the orders. You must kill a specific cat. One that threatens to stop us once and for all."

Spottedsong gulped. She had an idea related to who he was talking about. "Okay. I'll kill whoever you want me to."

"Good. Because I want you to kill the medicine apprentice of your Clan," Cypressstar snarled, his voice cold with evil pleasure. "Dovepaw."

Spottedsong's breath caught in her throat. No! I can't kill her, let alone anyone in my Clan. I'll end up like Sparrowfeather, Snowtail, and Foxclaw if I do. She glanced at Moonclaw, willing her to speak up. But the RiverClan medicine cat kept her mouth shut. Spottedsong focused on Cypressstar again. "Okay. How much time do I have?"

"I'll give you two moonhighs. And to make sure you do kill her, bring her body with you when you come here in two nights. If not, well, expect something unpleasant to happen to you," Cypressstar ordered.

Spottedsong hesitated, but then she nodded. "Of course. Anything for you."

Moonclaw let out a very small whimpering noise and Cypressstar nodded approvingly. He either didn't hear her or was ignoring her. "I know you won't disappoint me."