She barely noticed the forest tom limping away with the other one, Cloudy looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Nothing, nothing, nothing.

But wait.

Winter glanced up desperately, and saw Cloudy standing in front of her. How she longed for his touch, his comforting words…

"Cloudy…"

"So Scourge died." His voice carried an edge to it.

"Yes…"Comfort me…

"That's too bad. I was hoping he would stay alive at least to see what a great job I did." No longer was his voice soft and melodious. Instead, it was venomous, and carried a menacing gait. His eyes hardened into chips of ice.

"Great job?" What was happening?

"Yes, but of course, you wouldn't know," Cloudy sneered. His face contorted into a wicked sneer, his fangs bared in a gruesome snarl.

Confused, Winter snapped, "Then tell me!"

"You really don't know who I am, do you?" Cloudy snickered, "You know nothing about me at all!"

Winter hissed, and waited for him to go on. Fear clutched at her heart.

"You love me don't you?" Cloudy said.

Winter's head snapped back, eyes wide in alarm. It had been so long since she put on her emotions for display so freely. But this was Cloudy… right?

"Wha--?"

"I know, I know," the object of Winter's affections sneered mockingly, "I was just so innocent you couldn't resist me."

Feeling some of the old anger coming back, she hissed, "So what?"

"The cat you loved is no more. In fact he never existed!"

Winter's heart beat rapidly in her chest, fear, shock, pain swirling inside of her. What was happening to her?

"It was all orders from Scourge. He thought you were getting too strong, so congrats on getting his noticing," Cloudy sneered, "I'm his secret weapon. I can be whoever I want. I have no name, but I go by Cloud for its shapelessness and ability to become anything.

"I can watch someone, and see who their perfect match is. Who they would love irrationally and unconditionally. I stalked you for about a moon, and I saw that you craved a cat who was the completely opposite of you, kind and innocent and naive. I'll bet you never even knew that.

"I guess opposites do attract. And that love can break the strongest of all. So, you do love me and I was right. I guess I hadn't gotten rusty after all."

Throughout Cloud's revealing of his true self, Winter stood stock-still. Her life was shattering all around her, all in one day, one moment. How could this happen? She had been tricked?

"Well?" Cloud sneered, "Are you so shocked you couldn't move?"

Winter tried to summon a growl, but couldn't even manage a squeak except for a gasp of pain. Cloud laughed, a grating sound, holding traces of what it had been but never was.

"Then he told me once I was sure you loved me, I had to kill you. But you are stronger than me, but considering that you love me, maybe this won't be too hard."

He leapt at Winter, and reached for her throat. Winter's old instincts kicked in, shoving him away and scoring her claws down his muzzle. He gasped in pain and looked at Winter with wide eyes, "Why did you do that? That hurt."

She started, and blinked. In that moment, Cloud lunged again, and gripped her throat with his jaws. She hissed and attempted to bat him away, but he had been hiding his strength as well. Blood poured out of her wound and she felt the world growing dark.

In a way, she was happy she was going. What was the point of her living, anyways? Both reasons had been taken away, one never there in the first place. Perhaps it would be satisfactory dying at Cloud's claws. She remembered his kind eyes, his gentle face… was it all a trick? Yes, yes it was…

Winter felt no more pain—she had already grown used to hurt when she was a kit. The numbness was creeping up on her again… Sometimes when Scourge or Reaper or Viper went too far, she would close her eyes and block off all feeling.

Nothingness was bliss.

Nothing was left. No more revenge… No more love… No more pain…

Suddenly, Cloud was gone.

She looked up to see a huge dark grey tom fighting with Cloudy. Was that forest cat back? No… it was another rogue. Finally, there was a shriek of pain, and a gurgle, and the small body fell limp. The new cat turned around, covered in blood—Cloud's blood.

Winter was beyond feeling anguish; it was all she had at that moment. Instead, she groped for a new emotion, surprise.

"Who are you?"

The large grey tom turned around, showing a face torn with battle scars. Three scars closed one eye forever, and thousands more ravaged his face and body.

"My name is Basilisk," he meowed, in a deep and guttural voice, "I have heard much about you, Winter."

His eyes narrowed, "I'm surprised you let this Bloodclan scum get to you."

Winter's coldness was back and she meowed, "That's none of your business."

She tried to get up, but found that the blood she had lost was taking its toll. She tottered, and managed to brace herself so she would not bow in front of this new cat.

"Not too bad," Basilisk chuckled, "Considering all the blood on the floor is yours."

Indeed, much of the crimson puddles scattered upon the forest grass was hers, spilled by Cloud, one whom she thought she loved. Her feelings were all a lie fabricated by Scourge. The hatred sparked up again, pulling at old wounds.

"The forest cats might be coming back soon, so you should get going," He paused, seeming to think about something, "You can come with me. In your weakened state, any enemies you made might catch you unaware. I could escort you to a place I know."

"No one will catch me unaware and I need no escort!" Winter growled, but the moment the words left her mouth she knew she was lying through her teeth, and Basilisk knew it too.

He wasted no time on words and bowled Winter over. She yelped in pain, then dodged again as Basilisk struck again. The third time she dodged, she leapt backwards into a tree, knocking herself down. Blood gushed out of her wound and she was unable to dodge the fourth strike of Basilisk. His size did not hinder his speed, which was faster than Winter had ever seen. But, if she weren't injured she could easily match his strength.

"You call this not needing an escort?" Basilisk hissed, claws at her throat.

Winter said nothing but grimaced. Anything she said would either be lies or desperate.

Basilisk got off of Winter and growled, "You had better be glad I haven't killed you yet. I could easily do that right now."

Again, Winter stayed silent.

"Probably, if you weren't so gravely injured, you could kill me in no time," he meowed. Winter gave Basilisk a questioning stare.

"The only reason I didn't kill you on sight was because I need you and your strength and hatred of Scourge."

"What do you mean?" Winter snarled.

"Come with me, and I shall show you The Hidden."

A/N: Yay! Quick update! :D