The next morning Puddlepaw woke up stiff and miserable. She stretched half-heartedly, opening her tiny jaws into a yawn. She noted that Spiderpaw was still beside her, and she couldn't help but give a small smile. The happy feeling only lasted a moment as the pile of russet fur before her came into view. She knew that this was the last time she would ever see her brother, and she wanted to cry. But the tears didn't want to come. The she-cat figured she'd cried herself dry last night. Now wasn't a good time to cry, anyway. She had a journey to take part in.

She stood up, arching her back in a prolonged stretch, pausing a moment to watch the sun rising over the twoleg nests. Without the trees, the sunrise just wasn't as pretty as Puddlepaw was used to. She wondered briefly what the sun looked like I the forest. She knew she would miss the red rocks bathed in dusky light. She didn't suspect there would be anything like their old camp in the forest.

Puddlepaw's spirits lifted slightly as she saw some prey leftover from last night. She wasn't exactly in the mood to go for a hunt. She picked up a dew-soaked mouse and shook it out a little, watching the small droplets sail through the air in shining arcs. She lay down right there, not having the energy to go back to her brother and to Spiderpaw. Taking a bite, Puddlepaw sighed as she chewed mechanically, her mind wandering.

Everything was going to be different now, wasn't it? Up until now Puddlepaw just expected that life in the forest would be just like life in the gorge. It was just catching up to her that that was so far from the truth. It took Beetlepaw dying for her to see that. Nothing was going to be the same in the forest. They'd been neighbors with other cats, they would have to stay in a confined territory, and so many cats would be missing. The thought was terrifying to Puddlepaw.

It was then that Puddlepaw noticed other cats getting up around her. She gulped down the last few bits of her mouse, standing up. She saw Ravenstar shaking out his pelt from the morning dew. She knew that with the SkyClan leader up, they'd be leaving soon. She wasn't deceived there. Ravenstar cleared his throat loudly.

"We'll all be going back to the river to travel the remainder of the way to the forest. It'll be safer that way," the large black tom announced.

The gray apprentice nodded as if the leader needed her consent for the idea. Ravenstar didn't even look at her, which didn't surprise Puddlepaw in the least. The tom simply headed towards the river along the thunderpath. At least they would have to go under the eerie bridge now.

Puddlepaw followed as Ravenstar led them onward. She noticed Smokestripe and Copperspots staying behind. She followed their gaze to Smudgenose and Gingerflight, who were carrying off Beetlepaw. The burial ceremony. The warriors must have been ordered to see the elders back to the rest of the camp once the apprentice was safe with StarClan.

Fighting the urge to ask to stay behind with the other four cats, Puddlepaw padded after the departing group of cats. She spotted Spiderpaw in the back of the group. He wasn't talking to anyone, so the fluffy gray she-cat decided to walk with him.

"Hey," she mewed quietly. She wanted to look at him, but the nervousness mixed with her unhappiness kept her eyes fixed on her paws.

She was hurt when Spiderpaw didn't utter a sound. She was mortified of looking up at him, but she knew she had to. As she did, she didn't even know why she was so scared. Not only was the black tom not even looking at her, but he was trotting faster to get away from her.

Puddlepaw sped up to be beside him again. "Hi," she said, repeating the greeting. This time she let her eyes fix themselves on to his pelt. She tried to force him to look at her with her mind. Look at me. Look. At. Me. StarClan, just look at me! Please… The pleas weren't working in the least. If anything, they were egging the tom on to keep going. Puddlepaw let him get ahead. Or rather, she herself fell behind.

What happened to the Spiderpaw from last night? Why was he so suddenly ignoring her? At least before he had been talking to her—treating her like a friend. Now he acted like the two didn't even know each other. Puddlepaw felt a jolt of hurt in her stomach, causing her to stagger.

By then, the group had made it back to the river ditch. Puddlepaw half-skidded down the slick grass, not having the drive to hold on to the ground with her claws. She nearly tumbled into the rushing river, glad that she hadn't. She didn't know how to swim, and falling into the river would not exactly be a capital way to start off the day of journeying.

Spottedpaw noticed something was up with her sister as the gray she-cat nearly somersaulted into the water. She padded over to Puddlepaw, concerned. "What's wrong?" She asked gently.

"Nothing," Puddlepaw muttered, shaking her fur as she stood up from her stumble. She started to walk as Spottedpaw pulled her back with her tail.

"I know something is bothering you," Spottedpaw told her. "I was your little fall there. The Puddlepaw I know would have never slid down something. She's always aware of what's going on, but you've got your head in the clouds or something."

Puddlepaw should have known better than to try and lie to her sister. But she still didn't want to give away her feelings. "It's nothing, seriously," Puddlepaw mewed, attempting to move on again.

"No, it's not," Spottedpaw persisted. "What is wrong with you?"

Sighing, Puddlepaw stopped struggling to keep walking. Turning to face her sister, she wiped the smile she had plastered on her face for the other cats off. "Spiderpaw, happy?" She meowed irritably.

"S-Spiderpaw?" Spottedpaw asked incredulously. "What about him?"

"I like him, ok?" Puddlepaw told her. "Please stop asking questions."

"And?"

So much for no questions. "And obviously he doesn't like me back," Puddlepaw retorted. "Now leave me alone."

Puddlepaw turned on her heel. The rest of SkyClan was barely in sight. She was about to break into a run when Spottedpaw opened her mouth again.

"B-but I saw you last night. You were purring and he was licking your fur, and—"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Puddlepaw shouted, not wanting to be reminded of the moments from last night. She was facing Spottedpaw again, her fur bristling. Her claws were fighting to unsheathe themselves, but Puddlepaw kept them in her paws. "I don't want to talk about it."

This time Puddlepaw broke off running. She could barely make out the group of cats far ahead of her. She raced alongside the river, listening to the rhythmic drumming of her paws as they struck the grassy bank. She tried not to hear anything else, but she could tell that Spottedpaw was pelting after her, her delicate paws landing lightly on the grass behind Puddlepaw.

She stopped suddenly as they neared the group. Spottedpaw skidded to a halt in front of her, barely managing to not crash headlong into her sister. Puddlepaw knew that Spottedpaw had something else to say, but the tortoiseshell she-cat was silent.

"Spit it out," Puddlepaw growled.

"Fine. Why does it bother you so much?"

Why did it bother her so much? What was the big problem? Puddlepaw didn't have to think long about that one. It was obviously Mistpaw and Lionpaw that were making her bitter. The two were perfect for each other. Puddlepaw could see them flirting at the back of the group, both head-over-heels for the other,

"Mistpaw and Lionpaw," she meowed sourly. "The two just hit it off. They can't see anyone but the other, and they just flirt all the time. And what do I get? A few pathetic moments while crying over our dead brother and then immediate rejection. Isn't my life just peachy?"

Spottedpaw let her mouth hang open, taken aback. "I-I didn't realize. I-I'm worry I hurt your feelings. I-I hope it gets better."

Puddlepaw softened a little, feeling a tad better after ranting. "Thanks," she said graciously. "I-it means a lot that you care, you know."

The tortoiseshell she-cat nodded. "We should get back to the others," she decided, nodding towards the moving mass of cats that were slowly leaving the two behind.

"Yeah," Puddlepaw agreed. The two sisters paced themselves to run alongside each other, their paws hitting the ground at the same time as they returned to their Clan.