Foxshade padded alongside Cinderfall as they went to the Gathering Clearing. The light gray she-cat was meowing about something, but he couldn't focus.

As they neared the Clearing, Flashstar spoke. "ShadowClan's here." His voice was taut with rage and worry.

As soon as Slatestar had jumped up on the Great Oak, Flashstar stepped forward. His words were hard and landed like pebbles in a pond.

"We have two new apprentices, Applepaw and Birdpaw. Frondwillow is Applepaw's mentor, and Thistlestripe is Birdpaw's."

After the other cats cheered, he continued, "We also have two new warriors, Brightpool and Spotfeather."

Pure relief swept through Foxshade. She was okay! She was made a warrior. Frostfang must've gotten the wrong pelt color! Flashstar was still speaking.

That's when Foxshade noticed that every single RiverClan cat looked worried. Sunpetal in particular was working her claws in the grass, her gaze full of anguish. She's Spotpaw's - no, Spotfeather's - mother.

Foxshade forced himself to listen to Flashstar.

The black and white tom was glaring at Slatestar. "Your warriors have fatally wounded one of my cats. You may notice Dewfern isn't here. He's at camp, tending to Spotfeather. She has two paws in StarClan now."

There was a little moan, and Foxshade numbly turned to see Brightpool, staring up at Flashstar with so much grief in her face it tore Foxshade's heart.

Slatestar was speaking now. "First, I will go on with my report. We have two new warriors, Cinderfall and Foxshade." She paused to let the cats cheer their names.

However, the only sound was the wind whispering.

Foxshade felt cold.

Flashstar is far more believable than Slatestar. She didn't even deny it. To them, ShadowClan is a murder-filled Clan. that's why no one's cheering.

Slatestar gazed around the clearing, looking incredulous. "You really can't be kind to two new warriors?"

Tension filled the air like smoke.

Then a tom stepped forward. Foxshade recognized him as Thistlestripe. He was shaking with fury, and his gaze burned into the ShadowClan leader's. "You might've killed one of my best friends. Spotfeather is one of the closest cats to me in my life. And she's a mouse-length away from death. Do you really expect me to congratulate your cats?"

The RiverClan cats stood up. Sounds of agreement rose from them.

"She's my daughter. If she dies because of your Clan, I'll personally make sure that we go back to only having four Clans," Sunpetal furiously yowled.

A she-cat from ThunderClan stood up. "We're not going to cheer for new warriors when they played a part in wounding a cat. Maybe your fox-hearted Clan would, but ThunderClan is honorable. If Spotfeather dies, we will mourn her like a Clanmate." It was Leafsong, and she was glaring at the knot of ShadowClan warriors.

Then Ashface stood up. "You are all being ridiculous. Leafsong, even if she dies, she's not your Clanmate. Warriors die all the time. Why should you care?"

"How dare you!" It was Poolpaw who spoke this time. The little apprentice was bravely facing the ShadowClan warrior, not giving away the slightest hint of fear.

Ashface took a step closer to the WindClan apprentice. "What did you say?"

Moonpatch, the deputy of WindClan and Poolpaw's mentor, ran over and protectively curled her tail around Poolpaw. "She said exactly what you deserve to hear."

Foxshade looked at the arguing cats, numbness still spreading over his heart. He looked back at the RiverClan cats and suppressed a shiver as he saw Stormclaw glaring at him with a look so filled of hate it made him want to cower like a newborn kit.

He remembered that the gray tom was Spotfeather's former mentor.

He turned his gaze to the other leaders. Duskstar, Silverstar, and Robinstar were silent. Maybe they'll stop this hating on ShadowClan?

Then that hope ended when he saw Silverstar turn and snarl at Slatestar.

Deep down, he knew his Clan deserved this hate. She might die. And it'll all be because of my Clanmates.

Looking around, he noticed that the other ShadowClan warriors didn't seem to have a flicker of regret. Most of them were on their paws, snarling and hissing at the cats from the other four Clans.

A yowl nearby startled him. It was Flashstar.

He had jumped down from the Great Oak and was prowling through the pathway that the arguing cats made for him.

He stood in the center of the Clearing and yowled again, "Who did it? Who might be responsible for her… death?"

The RiverClan leader's voice trembled on the last word, and Foxshade remembered that he was Spotfeather's father as well as her leader.

Silence fell. No cat spoke.

Then a ginger and white she-cat made her way to Flashstar. It was Ivynose.

She was limping heavily, and had many patches where her fur was torn off. "I was the other cat that was unfairly attacked. I saw everything. It was… him."

She pointed to Pinepelt with her tail. The ginger tom glowered at them as the RiverClan leader's gaze traveled to him.

"Fine. It's me. That's the truth."

Flashstar's eyes widened, and he charged forward until he was a mouse-length away from the ShadowClan warrior. For all his bravado, Pinepelt looked scared. His trembling legs confirmed it.

"Why did you do that?" Flashstar's voice was deadly quiet.

Pinepelt hissed, "Slatestar had us wait in the bushes. She wanted to prove a point that the stream is ShadowClan territory."

Slatestar leapt down from the Great Oak. "How dare you put me to blame?!"

It was too late.

Flashstar snarled and bounded to her too quickly for the gray leader to dodge. With a flash of his claws, her dark fur was slowly dyed red.