*EDIT: Tallflower was Yellowstar's sister, not her mother. Also her name wasn't Tallpoppy. Woops!!*

"I need your help," hissed Weaselclaw. "I'm so glad I found you and not some other cat. We don't have time for formalities."

Yellowstar narrowed her eyes. She was still shielding Fallensnow with her body.

"I don't smell any other cats," said the white queen. "I think it's safe."

"Come over the border, then, Weaselclaw. I don't need to say if you try anything, I'll shred you?"

"Obviously." Weaselclaw stepped inside the border, casting wary glances behind her. Yellowstar could smell her milk, and see the way her belly hung. She must be desperate to come with her kits still suckling.

"Now, tell me exactly why such a proud Clam as yours would come to FireClan for help."

"We have to get rid of Scratchface. The Clan is divided. Not because they like him. Even Flitbird doesn't like him anymore, since he killed those elders. But they won't follow me because--" She laughed dryly. "Well, I abandoned them, didn't I? I was a fool. Of course I know that now. He's leading our Clan to its doom, Yellowstar. He wants to launch a raid on TallClan. He's already started pushed his luck at their borders, testing their strength with petty skirmishes."

"StarClan above," said Fallensnow.

"Must every generation birth a cat like him? Who would even want to own the entire lake?" Yellowstar shook her head. "Forgive me for speaking so frankly, Weaseclaw."

"Nonsense. I admire frankness. In fact, without the frankness of one of your warriors, I'd never have had the courage to do this."

"One of my warriors?" Yellowstar tilted her head.

"That scarred-up new warrior, Mapledawn. She came to me at night and told me to my face I had to take my place back. Snuck into my camp, into the nursery, disrespected the warrior code, disrespected me… And possibly saved us all."

"Mapledawn?" Hissed Fallensnow. "But Frecklefang said--"

"Frecklefang said a lot of things." Yellowstar shushed her with a tail twitch. "Mapledawn did this? You're certain?"

"Yes. I'd met her once before. She caught Sunsplash and I meeting one night, when it was still disallowed."

That confirms it. Mapledawn had already told her about that encounter. She's telling the truth. And that means Frecklefang isn't.

"What exactly do you want FireClan to do?"

"Help me drive him out. I don't want to kill him, but he can't stay in my Clan."

"Your Clan?"

"It always was my Clan, Yellowstar. I have been a fool, but I'm trying to fix things and I can't do it alone. I have a few cats on my side, but with the kits…"

"We will give your kits shelter. Redpoppy is due soon. But I don't know if I can risk any warriors right now, Weaselclaw." It went against everything she'd been taught as leader, but she had to admit it: FireClan was too weak for war. "Troutstar and Swiftstar are very capable cats. They may listen and give aid. I will give your kits shelter, but you must give me a few days to decide to join the fight. Can you do that?"

Weaselclaw glowered for a moment, then sighed. "I suppose I can't expect you to risk your cats. Especially after Scratchface killed so many… I fear I have a debt to you for that, too. I will wait until full moon for your answer, Yellowstar. Meet me here the night before the Gathering." With that, the russet queen disappeared into Shadow forest.

"Yellowstar," said Fallesnow urgently. "What will you do?"

"I must consult Paletuft and Cloudstep about it. Your daughter always gives excellent advice," she added with an affectionate purr. "But first… We need to get back. It's time I had a talk with my former apprentice."

Fallensnow sighed heavily. "Good luck." They headed back to camp at an even speed; Fallensnow looked tired from their earlier romp. "I don't know what happened with that cat. Even as a kit she was a pawful… Yellowstar, don't forget, I'm not just a queen. I'm one of your senior warriors. You can always call on me for advice."

"I just might do that, Snow."

Fallensnow chuckled. "Snow. You haven't called me that in seasons--Flower."

Yellowstar blinked in shock. Her warrior name had been Yellowflower, partly in honor of her sister, Tallflower, who'd died fighting off a fox.

"You haven't called me that since--"

"Since I made a decision that made a lot of sense at the time, but which wasn't from my heart. And which I now regret." Fallensnow turned away, obviously embarrassed, and started walking faster.

"Are you saying--Snow, do you mean--"

"Hush. I have to talk to Downtail first. I'm sorry I brought this up, now of all times." She barked an awkward laugh. "You have pressing matters to attend to. Maybe tonight, we could?"

"Tonight." Yellowstar kept her eyes forward. "In my den. No pressure."

"No pressure." They were nearing the camp now. Fallensnow gave her a formal little nod and headed in the direction of the warrior's den. Downtail followed her inside.

Yellowstar swallowed hard. No pressure. She shook herself, trying to clear her raging emotions. For the time being, anyway. Frecklefang. That's what I have to think of now. Where was the she-cat? She spotted Acorntail sharing a mouse with his new apprentice. They were both laughing at something Skypaw said.

"Acorntail."

"Yellowstar? Did you need something? A report on Skypaw's progress?" Acorntail stood abruptly. The gray-and-white she-cat blinked curiously, and fearlessly, up at her leader.

Yellowstar chuckled. "It's her first day, Acorntail. I'm sure she's doing fine."

"I saw the whole territory!" Squeaked the little she-cat. Yellowstar gave her an approving nod.

"Acorntail, have you seen your siblings? I need a word with them."

Acorntail shrugged. "Wrencatcher and Frecklefang left with Dapplecreek a little white ago to hunt. They should be back soon."

"Thank you."

Yellowstar padded to sit alone by the fresh-kill pile and eat a thrush while she waited. She felt a tingle of guilt at eating when she hadn't hunted since the morning, but her mind was so full of other worries that she soon forgot her guilt. She let herself get caught up with the steady rhythm of Clan life; Cloudstep was calmly and evenly explaining herbs to Freezekit by laying a few leaves out under the sun, pointing to each one, and asking the apprentice to name them. Jaggedclaw called Acorntail to follow him to the training clearing for a quick battle demonstration before sundown. Redpoppy lay in the sun, her swollen belly slowly rising and falling, while her mate groomed her fur with half-closed eyes.

"Frecklefang. Wrencatcher." The two young warriors followed Dapplecreek into camp, their mouths full of prey. "Come with me. You can eat afterward."

Wrencatcher dipped his head, doing well to hide his alarm. Frecklefang was a different story. Her amber eyes flickered with--ambition? Greed? Self-satisfaction? Maybe all three.

Yellowstar just raised her tail and led them out into the forest. Her den would be too cramped. She'd intended to do this in front of the Clan, with witnesses, but seeing the camp's peacefulness, she couldn't bear to disturb it. "Paletuft," she called when she saw the long-furred queen coming out of the dirtplace, "guard the camp."

The she-cat nodded gravely. Maybe Fallensnow told her already. She took them to a small clearing, far enough from camp that they wouldn't be overheard, but not so far that Yellowstar couldn't… Call for help? Is that really what I'm expecting? She shook herself and straightened her necklace of prey bones on her chest.

"I wanted to talk to you two in private before I brought this up before the entire Clan," Yellowstar began.

"Is it BlackClan? Are we launching an attack?" asked Frecklefang with thinly veiled relish.

"Silence." Yellowstar's mew was low and severe. The young warriors' eyes widened and it seemed like even the forest turned silent in trepidation. "Frecklefang. I just met Weaselclaw, and she had a very interesting story for me. Surely you didn't think your lie could go on forever? You didn't think I wouldn't find out the truth?"

"I was telling the truth," the she-cat hissed.

"I believe my sister."

"Weaselclaw's story verified my suspicions. It was given freely without any pressing on my part. Mapledawn was in Shadow forest that night to try and help the Clans by making Weaselclaw take back her place as leader. Mapledawn's always taken liberties she didn't necessarily have a right to--she did sneak out of camp and cross borders--but it was for the greater good. Which begs the question." She leaned down, slow and deliberate, until she was staring straight into the she-cat's eyes. "What did you have to gain from lying?"

"It drove her out!" The she-cat yowled. Her eyes were bright with defiance; the fear had fled. "She's no good, Yellowstar. No good! A danger to the entire lake. You don't understand. Wrencatcher, tell her."

"StarClan warned me about her," the tom said in a low voice. "Said she would betray her Clan."

"You're letting young love cloud your eyes. She has never betrayed her Clan."

"I didn't know what it meant exactly, either. But I have to trust StarClan. And then she didn't save Frecklefang--"

"--Because I gave her orders to protect our only medicine cat." Yellowstar was trying to be fair, to make them understand, but these two denmates were truly testing her.

"She'd disobeyed custom before, though. She took Paletuft's role in battle. But she wouldn't disobey orders for me--for my sister? There's not a loyal bone in her body. That StarClan cat was right."

"Because of her, Cloudstep survived. Frecklefang is young and fierce. Cloudstep is even older than me, and not a warrior. She made the choice that was best for her Clan. It was an impossible decision, Wrencatcher, but she did what was best for all of us. That's loyalty. That's what a leader does. That's what StarClan would want."

"StarClan told me not to trust her!"

"No! One cat does not speak for all of StarClan." Yellowstar's claws uncurled from their sheaths. "Wrencatcher, you tried to murder a Clanmate. Don't think I have forgotten that. And Frecklefang, you deliberately lied to your leader and drove a Clanmate out. If we weren't so desperate for warriors, I would exile the two of you right now. I'll have to be satisfied with what punishment I can dole out as leader. For the next moon--yes, a full moon--you will be on apprentice duties again. I want you to give special attention to helping Cloudstep. His paws are full training Freezepaw, so you'll be responsible for collecting herbs, bedding, and really anything he asks of you. And you will, of course, see to your parents' needs in the elder's den. I'll be talking to them about this, of course." If they don't respect their leader, maybe they'll listen to Rabbitleap.

"That's not fair--"

"Silence, Frecklefang. I feel for Rabbitleap and Birchnose. I know they raised you to be decent cats. Hopefully you will learn some loyalty in the next moon. Go now. I expect you to get started immediately."

Yellowstar spent a few moments alone in the forest after Wrencatcher and Frecklefang left, both of them radiating defiant anger--mingled with fear.

"StarClan," she whispered. "You came to Wrencatcher. But you won't come to me? I have to lead your Clan. How can I do that without all the facts? What is Mapledawn?"

As she stared upward, a peal of thunder sounded. But there were no clouds.

I know what I must do. After I speak to Rabbitleap and Birchnose, Cloudstep and I are going to Moonpool. The days of StarClan's stoic silence are over.

Of course, there was one other thing waiting for her tonight. Oh, Snow. The day had taken so much from her; StarClan's mystery, her warriors' disloyalty, and the encroaching threat of Scratchface... However tonight goes, I will be glad for my old friend's company. Although maybe--hopefully--friend was not strong enough a word.