SPOTTEDSONG'S HEART ACHED as she watched Gorseberry sleep in the nest, stiff and barely breathing. Dovesong and Badgertooth told her that Ivyspring delivered a few fatal blows that could have taken Gorseberry's life before you could say 'mouse'. They said he was lucky he made it this far. But even though they tried to assure her that he was fine, she knew that he wasn't all the way healed, and he could still die. She wanted to leave so she didn't have to see him suffer.

But she couldn't take her eyes off of his unmoving body, just in case something happened when she was away. She trusted the two medicine cats, but she didn't trust that he would be okay if she left. The sun was beginning to set, and she knew she should leave, but she didn't leave. The two medicine cats, who were both extremely sympathetic, let her stay a little while longer.

When the time came, Spottedsong nuzzled Gorseberry affectionately even though she knew that he wouldn't be aware of it. "Please be okay when I come back," she whispered. She began to head to the den exit.

***

The next morning, Spottedsong woke with a start, immediately in a hurry to check on Gorseberry. She looked around the den before she slipped out of her nest and made her way to the den exit. On her way out, she accidentally stepped on another cat's tail. She stepped out of the way and murmured hurriedly, "Sorry!"

Rosefeather lifted her head tiredly. "It's okay. Where are you off to in such a hurry? I thought the patrols went out already."

"They did. I'm checking on Gorseberry," Spottedsong explained.

Rosefeather's gaze darkened. "You do that. I'll probably join you."

Spottedsong dipped her head and left the den. She felt despondent for the tortoiseshell she-cat. She seemed to be grieving all the time; she lost so much. First Leafpaw, then Sparrowfeather, then Foxclaw, and now Gorseberry was injured.

When Spottedsong came into the den, she saw that Gorseberry was awake. His gaze lit up when he saw Spottedsong. He opened his mouth to speak, but Badgertooth and Dovesong came into the den before he could speak. "Good morning, Spottedsong," Badgertooth mewed. His voice was thick with resentment. Spottedsong wondered why. "We have bad news."

Spottedsong heart sank. She looked at Gorseberry, who looked back at her, his gaze clouded again, this time with sadness. "What is it?" she asked, dragging her attention back to Badgertooth.

"Something happened in his throat when he was injured there," Dovesong explained. "He can't talk anymore. I'm sorry."

Spottedsong could hardly believe her ears. She looked at Gorseberry. "Is this true? Try to talk."

Gorseberry gave her a long stare and shook his head slowly.

"Oh, Gorseberry, I'm so sorry," Spottedsong murmured. She sat beside his nest and touched her nose to his ear comfortingly. "I don't love you any less, I promise."

Gorseberry looked at her thankfully, his gaze sparkling.

Rosefeather came into the den next. "Spottedsong told me she was coming, so I decided I would pay I visit myself."

Badgertooth looked at her, looking surprised. "Sure. It's great to see you again."

Rosefeather had kept herself isolated for a long time. Spottedsong had to admit: it was great to see her back around the camp.

Rosefeather blinked at him happily, then came up to her son and nuzzled him lovingly. "I'm so glad you're okay. Are you feeling okay?"

Gorseberry returned her gaze, obviously not knowing how to respond without the ability to speak except with a mere shake of his head.

Spottedsong watched nervously, not knowing what to say. But Badgertooth quickly intercepted. "He can't talk now," he told Rosefeather solemnly. "I'm sorry, Rosefeather. The blow that MoonClan warrior delivered did something to him."

Rosefeather turned her gaze to Gorseberry. "Oh, my poor kit . . ." She comforted Gorseberry with nuzzles and loving strokes of her tongue over his ears.

Spottedsong turned her gaze to her paws. How are we supposed to talk to each other? Or communicate, at least. She looked up at Dovesong, who watched Gorseberry and Rosefeather, her eyes clouded with emotion. Spottedsong hesitantly came to her side. "Are you okay?"

Dovesong nodded. "I'm just disappointed that I wasn't able to save him from this. It must be terrible for you two and him. And when Hollyfern sees this, I'm not sure . . ." She trailed off, turning her gaze to her paws. "I'm not sure what I'll do. And on top of that, I feel like he was all I had left of Foxclaw. I mean, there's Hollyfern, his sister, and Rosefeather, his mother, but still."

Spottedsong looked at her sympathetically. Dovesong missed Foxclaw so much. "I think she'll know that you did your best, and she won't blame anyone but Ivyspring for this," she told her. "Actually, I don't think so. I know so."

Dovesong blinked gratefully at her. "Thanks." After a moment's silence, she added quietly, "I have more bad news for you. But if this isn't the time, then that's okay."

Spottedsong heart sank. First Gorseberry's mute, and now Dovesong has even more bad news? "That's fine. What is it?"

Dovesong inhaled sharply. "So, do you know Shadowheart?"

"Yeah. He's my father. Why?" Spottedsong asked, secretly begging Dovesong not to tell her the rest because she thought she knew where the rest was going.

Dovesong met her gaze sadly. "He's dead. I'm sorry."

Spottedsong stared at her for a long time, wondering if she misheard her. Her father was dead? She felt like breaking down right then and there but didn't. No. How can he be dead? "What do you mean?"

"He was killed. When Cypressstar was questioning me. He wanted to show me what he would do to me if I didn't talk, and he also said that Shadowheart has betrayed him once too many times," Dovesong explained. "I don't think they even let him go properly. I wish I had his body so we could bury it like civilized cats, but I don't. I'm sorry."

Spottedsong let out a dry mrrow of laughter that didn't sound much like laughter at all. "I hardly believe we're civilized. And don't blame yourself for it. You were imprisoned. What could you do?"

"Okay. But this isn't about me. It never was. I know you never knew him, but I know that Tawnyflight told you and your brothers about him. . . ."

Spottedsong shuffled her paws. She remembered how Tawnyflight snuck them out as kits one time to let them meet their father. He was the kindest cat she ever knew. She couldn't believe that anyone would want to kill him. "I knew him. Skystorm and Cloudsky did, too." Spottedsong fell silent. "I can't believe he's really dead . . ."

"Who's dead?" Rosefeather asked worriedly.

Dovesong looked at her kindly. "I'll tell you later."

Rosefeather nodded and turned back to Gorseberry, who looked half asleep.

Spottedsong looked at Dovesong again. "Do Skystorm and Cloudsky know? They have to know."

"Mousetail said she would tell them. But you can check on them if you like," Dovesong suggested.

Spottedsong glanced at Rosefeather and Gorseberry before she nodded. "Sure."

When Spottedsong left, she heard Dovesong turn to Gorseberry and ask if his throat hurt. She felt a pang of sympathy for the tabby tom, who wouldn't be able to talk for the rest of his life. She figured it wouldn't be that bad, but the more she thought about it the more she knew how bad it really was.

Spottedsong found Cloudsky and Skystorm a few fox-lengths from the fresh-kill pile, sharing a thrush. They must have just returned from the hunting patrol. She approached them casually, but she knew from their low voices and dark gazes that they already knew about Shadowheart. "Hey," she greeted them as she settled down beside them. "I'm guessing you heard?"

Skystorm looked at her and nodded. "Yeah. Mousetail told us yesterday. How did you find out?"

"Dovesong just told me," Spottedsong replied despondently. "I can't take it. There's too much going on these days." She heaved a depressing sigh.

"You can say that again," Cloudsky agreed. "Did something else happen that we didn't know about?"

Spottedsong met her brother's gaze. "It's Gorseberry. He's mute now."

Cloudsky's and Skystorm's eyes widened in shock. "How?" Skystorm asked.

"The attack did something to his throat. At least, that's what Dovesong told me," Spottedsong explained. Rosefeather is in there now, so I'm guessing he's ready for visitors."

"Rosefeather needs some time alone with him. I'll bet she's devastated, just as Gorseberry must be. I think we'll visit him later," Skystorm answered.

Spottedsong nodded. "Okay. Also, I have a question. I don't know if you two will be able to answer it."

"Maybe we can," Cloudsky told her.

Spottedsong looked at him for a long time. "Okay. Do you two have any ideas for how Gorseberry can communicate? I want to help him any way I can, but I don't have any ideas."

Skystorm inhaled sharply. "That's a difficult problem to solve."

"That's why I asked you two," Spottedsong replied.

"I wouldn't call myself reliable, if that's what you mean," Skystorm muttered. "I don't know how to solve that."

Spottedsong sighed and looked at Cloudsky. "Do you have any ideas?"

Cloudsky shook his head. "Nope. But really, gestures mean everything. He can use those. They're just simple flicks of the tail or sounds that don't have to be made with a voice."

Spottedsong narrowed her eyes at him. "What if it's a specific question or statement? How is he supposed to communicate with us then?"

"Oh." Cloudsky looked at his paws. "I don't know."

Spottedsong sighed again. "I guess I'll figure it out. Thanks for trying, though." She got to her paws and prepared to make her way to the warrior's den where Hollyfern would have been. She wanted to make sure Gorseberry's last surviving littermate knew.

Instead of being at the warrior's den, Hollyfern was in front of the apprentice's den, helping Flypaw with some fighting moves. When Spottedsong came over, the two cats paused and looked at her curiously. "Hello, Spottedsong," Hollyfern greeted her.

"Hi. I have some news that may upset you," Spottedsong told her.

Hollyfern tipped her head to one side. "Okay. What is it?"

Spottedsong hated to break it to her. She had already lost most of her kin-and with a good attitude, too-and now she would lose part of what Gorseberry used to be. "Gorseberry isn't doing too well," she told her slowly, as if talking to an energetic and unfocused kit. "He can't talk anymore."

Hollyfern's eyes stretched wide with immense sadness. "No! He can't be. . . . How did it happen anyway?"

"His injury did something to his throat," Spottedsong responded. "You can go to the medicine den and ask. Rosefeather's there, too."

Flypaw was watching with wide eyes. "What happened?"

"I can tell you later," Hollyfern told the young tom. "In the meantime, training is paused."

Flypaw nodded eagerly and darted away to Icepaw, who was emerging from the elder's den after giving them some fresh-kill.

Hollyfern purred. "He's such a good apprentice," she told Spottedsong. "No wonder Ashbreeze looked so disappointed when she retired."

"I bet," Spottedsong agreed. She walked side by side with Hollyfern to the medicine den.

Rosefeather was just leaving when Hollyfern and Spottedsong came in. She greeted Hollyfern by touching her nose to her daughter's, radiating her motherly affection for her.

Hollyfern looked wistful as she watched her mother go. Spottedsong wondered why. Perhaps it was because Rosefeather seemed like a totally different cat now. She always had since Foxclaw died.

Instead of greeting them excitedly like she always did, Gorseberry was asleep in his nest. Hollyfern rushed to his side, and he stirred. He lifted his head sleepily. His gaze brightened when he saw Hollyfern, and they nuzzled each other lovingly.

Spottedsong's heart ached for the two of them. They had been best friends since they opened their eyes as kits. They had lived in blissful harmony before this. Spottedsong had hoped that the two of them, their carefree and happy spirits, would never have to suffer through what she and her Clanmates had. Her hopes had been fulfilled for a long time before this.

Spottedsong turned her attention back to Hollyfern and Gorseberry. "If you think about it, it's not that bad." She was trying to assure him.

Gorseberry gave her a long, exasperated stare.

Hollyfern seemed to understand completely. "Okay! Okay. I get it. Well . . . how do you think you're going to 'talk'?" She glanced at Spottedsong hopefully before looking at Gorseberry again.

Gorseberry shrugged.

"I guess we'll just stick to this for now," Hollyfern conceded. Then she let out a mrrow of laughter. "This is so weird. I feel like I'm talking to myself."

Gorseberry sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked at Spottedsong with a look that said She's ridiculous. Spottedsong let out a mrrow of laughter.

"At least you can still make sounds! I mean, half of the way we talk is just sounds, right?" Hollyfern suggested hopefully.

"Well, some sounds require more effort than just a sigh," Spottedsong reminded her.

Hollyfern looked at her. "Huh. I guess I never thought about that."

Suddenly Gorseberry looked despaired, and he buried his muzzle in his bedding. Hollyfern turned to him and nuzzled him again, yet this time it was more comforting than happy. "I'm so sorry," she told him. "We'll make the best of it, though, okay?"

Gorseberry looked at her and nodded, his green eyes shining.

Spottedsong settled down beside him and nuzzled him on the other side. "Yes, we will."