Dappled sunlight fell on the walls of the hollow, flowing through the branches of the warrior's den and glowing on the ginger pelt of Squirrelflight, who stirred and opened her eyes a fraction. The cat standing next to her, already awake, had a shadow of guilt and grief haunting his amber eyes, but he pushed it aside. "Come on," he mewed. "Dawn patrol. Cloudtail and Thornclaw are coming."

Squirrelflight scrambled to her paws, and gave her fur a few hasty licks. "Where are we going?" she asked Brambleclaw, who was already on his way out, stepping over Dustpelt carefully as though he was a sleeping fox - he's just as dangerous if you disturb his sleep, reflected Squirrelflight, amused. "Up towards the border with WindClan," replied Brambleclaw. "If you hurry up there might be time for you to hunt on the way."

Squirrelflight took the hint. Padding out of the den, she nodded a greeting to Firestar, who was just stretching and prowling onto the tumble of fallen rocks by the Highledge, and bounded towards the tunnel that led out of the hollow. Cloudtail was already there, his blue eyes impatient, and Thornclaw was just coming up behind them, his fur still ruffled from sleep.

The four warriors stalked out of hollow. Cloudtail pushed on ahead, saying, "I'm going to check out the stream. Don't want WindClan getting their hopes up..."
Thornclaw followed him, leaving Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw bringing up the rear, alone. The ginger warrior glanced at her companion. The shadow of grief was back in his eyes, and his tail drooped, cutting a path along the slowly falling leaves that showed Leaf-fall was beginning.

Squirrelflight didn't want to admit she knew why he felt like that. She's never been keen on his relationship with that cat from the start, but now... seeing what it had done to him... she wished Hawkfrost had never been born.
"Brambleclaw," she began gently, "are you OK?"

Brambleclaw turned his head away from her, and Squirrelflight felt her neck fur bristle. Surely he wouldn't fall out with her about this - not again? Not when Hawkfrost was dead and gone?

But, after what felt like moons, he answered her. "I... I don't know." His voice was a hoarse croak. "Sometimes I remember when we talked together, just as if we were real brothers, and Tigerstar had never existed..."

He faltered, and unsheathed his claws for a heartbeat before putting them away. "And then I remember him, telling me to kill Firestar... I know he doesn't deserve my greiving for him. But... but I have to, Squirrelflight."

He looked up at her with such an expression of pleading in his eyes that she felt dizzy. "Don't judge me on that, please?"

Squirrelflight shook her head. She was angry with him, but it didn't matter. She knew he still loved her, and Hawkfrost was dead - that was all over. "Of course I won't," she meowed.