The clan's uneasy muttering of horror and surprise filled the camp, occupying the silence. The unlucky few that saw Hotpaw's small, limp body soaked in blood talked the loudest, however; Dappleberry and Emberpelt couldn't seem to shut up about how awful it was, and how terrible a sight that it was to bare. Nightfoot, Thrushtail, and Nutpatch remained quiet, no matter how they were begged for details. Swanheart had thrown up on sight and was in her den, trying desperately to sleep- but, a part of her wished she was already asleep, and it had all been a dream.

A loud, commanding voice echoed through the camp.

"Nightfoot!"

Nightfoot looked up, his green eyes shaking with the rest of his trembling body.

Shimmerstar flicked her tail towards the entrance of her den. For a laid-back, sweet, generous cat, she was awfully strict and stern, her eyes slitted into a glare. Nightfoot wouldn't be let off easy.

He pushed through the crowd, pelt burning, and entered the leader's den, following her deep inside.

"Tell me every bit of what happened." She demanded of the tom.

Nightfoot seemed as if he wanted to know what happened himself; he shook violently recalling the past events, remaining silent.

Shimmerstar sighed. "I know it's hard. But you've got to understand, we've got a claw-less, gashed, half-dead apprentice in the medicine's cat den and I need to know why. You were her mentor for the day; tell me what happened."
"She climbed a tree… I… egged her on. Told her to climb it. Swanheart told her not to, but she didn't listen… she didn't have too, I was her mentor… but Swanheart was so much smarter, knew something bad would happen… Hotpaw climbed it, and Nutpatch and Thrushtail came... and then… The owl. It just… yanked her out of the tree... I saw her claws being ripped out of her paws and falling to the floor… the owl cut her with its own claws… dropped her. Just let her fall… so sickening, the thud… she was bleeding so much! It was my fault!"

"It wasn't your fault. It was the owl's," Shimmerstar laid a tail-tip on the shivering tom's pelt, eyes brimming with sympathy.
"Yarrowtail… Is going to hate me. I killed his apprentice!"
"She's not dead," Shimmerstar whispered soothingly. "She's not dead."

Darkpaw entered the camp with a rabbit in her mouth triumphantly. She was taken aback by the heavy tenseness surrounding the camp- everyone was so dark and quiet. Something terrible had happened, and Darkpaw knew it right away. The blood scent in the air wasn't just from the dead rabbit she'd caught.
Darkpaw began to walk into the camp, catching the eyes of all who looked at her. She stopped as her mother, Dappleberry, pardoned her to the side, a dark look in her green eyes.

"Mom," Darkpaw dropped her rabbit. "Someone's hurt."

"It's your little friend, Hotpaw," Dappleberry flattened her ears to her head. "She fell out of a tree."

Darkpaw drew in a sharp breath. "Mousebrain," she scoffed.

Dappleberry slapped her tail across Darkpaw's mouth roughly. It was considerably loud, echoing through the silence. "I hope no one but me heard you say that, but even for you, Darkpaw, that was horrible! Don't be so disrespectful! Hotpaw's going to die!"

Hotpaw's going to die.

Darkpaw felt shock wash over her, letting her mouth hang open, stunned.

It was like that in the entire clan for a few seconds, before Darkpaw shut her mouth, then opened it again to say: "What should I care? It's her fault, anyway." She picked up her rabbit and turned away to the fresh-kill pile, trying to ignore her mother's disappointed gaze burning into her back like fire.

"Darkpaw, would you mind taking that to Lakelight for me, please?" Fawnleg pleaded with her once she got there. The fresh-kill pile was especially measly these cold leaf-bare days. Spring would be here shortly, and this brought relief for everyone in the clan. They weren't starved, but there wasn't a day where they weren't hungry, and everyone was on edge. This whole Hotpaw incident didn't help.
Darkpaw groaned, not liking being ordered around from someone that wasn't her mentor, but obliged. She dragged to the nursery, bending down and sliding through the rocks.

Heavy milk scent filled her nostrils, taking her aback. It gave her fond memories. She instantly recalled the first day in the nursery she could remember…

"Hi, hi, Darkkit! My name's Hotkit! We should be friends, OK?"

"Okay," Darkkit mewed, blinking softly.

Breezekit leaped over his sister, getting directly into Hotkit's face- even though she was 4 moons older, she was a runt – the only of her litter to survive – and just his size. "Be friends with me, instead, Hotkit! I'm a lot better than Darkkit!" he pleaded, blue eyes gleaming as he rocked a grin.
Darkkit bit her lip, curling her teeth into a pout. "No way! She asked me, first. Right, Hotkit?!"

"Hold on! I, the amazing Hotkit, pledge to be friends… with BOTH of you!"
Darkpaw narrowed her eyes, feeling her pelt turn hot. Why had she been so desperate to be friends with such an annoying kit?
"Darkpaw? Is that a rabbit you've got, there?" Lakelight's smooth voice sounded, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Yeah," Darkpaw dropped it at the queen's paws, cocking her jaw to ease the soreness of pulling such a heavy animal. She turned to see Swiftflight dozing off in the corner, her heavily pregnant stomach so big it looked as if it would burst.

"Thank you so much," Lakelight purred with a smile, "Do you… want to see the kits? I'm sure they'd love you."

Darkpaw shook her head. "No thanks." She turned to leave, when something soft brushed her tail.

She looked back to see a soft, fluffy brown paw laying on her tail, belonging to a small brown tabby kitten. Its eyes were just barely opened, but still staring up at her expectantly. Their small body was radiating warmth.

"Weaselkit seems to like you," Lakelight chimed, full of affection for her kitten.

Darkpaw couldn't take her eyes off Weaselkit. The small kitten removed her paw, then placed it back on Darkpaw's tail; then put both on it. In a soft, sweet moment, Weaselkit gave a happy gurgle sound – the sweetest sound to ever fill Darkpaw's ears.
"I should be going now," Darkpaw pried her tail from the kit's grasp, turning away and pulling herself out.
"Hey, Darkpaw."

Sweet Starclan! Why were so many people trying to talk to her today?

"What?" she snarled.

"Sorry to disturb you," Podfrost replied, her blue eyes sparkling with anger, "But I need to ask you a favor. Would that be alright?"
"Yeah, it's fine," Darkpaw swallowed. Podfrost's tone was friendly, to ease the stress of the clan, perhaps, but her gaze was piercing and deadly. "What do you want?"
"Can you tell me what Hotpaw's favorite things are? Her favorite prey, flowers?" Podfrost asked. Her threatening stare softened.

"Why?" Darkpaw asked defiantly, the tension cracking in her voice.

Podfrost stepped forward, lowering her voice to a whisper. "For Hotpaw's mourning service."
Darkpaw blinked. "Is she really… dead?"
"Not yet," Podfrost closed her eyes. "But soon. My brother tells me he's having troubles getting her to breath. The chances she'll survive are slim to nothing. She won't stop bleeding. Won't start breathing."

Soon.

She'll die soon.

"You see those white flowers by the riverbank, Darkpaw?" Hotpaw asked, brown eyes shimmering.

"Yes, I can see them," Darkpaw hissed, "I have eyes!"
"They're called lilies," Hotpaw ignored Darkpaw's hostility rather than fire back the usual retort.

"I know that." Darkpaw rolled her eyes.

"They're my favorite." Hotpaw stopped to look at them.

"Wow, that's so great for you!" Darkpaw exclaimed sarcastically.

"I'm going to go pick some." Hotpaw turned and ran to the bank, fluffy tail flowing behind her.

"Dang it, Hotpaw! You're such a mouse-brain, stopping a patrol for some stupid flowers!" Darkpaw scoffed.

"Look!"

Hotpaw was coming back, eyes shut in glee, mouth curled into a smile. In her mouth lay brilliantly white, fresh lilies, shining as dew dropped off them. She looked… happy. Peaceful…

"Lilies. She loves Lilies. Her favorite prey is owl."

"Her favorite prey… owl?"
Darkpaw rolled her eyes softly. "She loves the rare taste of it. Says it's a real treat to her."
"Right… well. Thank you, Darkpaw. And next time," Podfrost leaned forward once more, "Show your superiors more respect." Podfrost's tone was icy and serious, and Darkpaw couldn't help but wince slightly.