NOTE: This is an updated chapter. The previous version has been forever erased. Trust me, new readers, you'll be glad I replaced it.

Firepaw ran as fast as he could. The news he'd heard at the Gathering had shocked him, but he wouldn't be surprised if it was true. Brokenstar, the flat-faced leader of ShadowClan, claimed that Yellowfang was exiled for murdering kits. He decided that he'd leave ahead of everyone else and try getting the truth out of her peacefully. He arrived in camp and dashed into the medicine den, where Yellowfang lay in her nest.

"Hey, wake up!" he whisper-shouted.

Yellowfang opened her eyes. "What is it? I'm trying to sleep."

"Brokenstar says you killed kits," he told her. "That's why you're exiled."

Yellowfang's eyes narrowed in a scowl. "Lying fox-heart!" She sat up completely. With pure seriousness and sincerity, she meowed, "Firepaw, I didn't kill those kits. He did. He's just trying to blame it on me so that he gets away with it."

"Why would he kill kits? He's a leader!" His confusion showed through his wide gaze and tilted head.

Yellowfang didn't reply. Moments of silence later, multiple pawsteps could be heard rumbling into camp. Lionheart entered the den. The gray she-cat sighed and climbed out of the nest. She balanced oddly, having to hover her bad leg over the ground.

"Look, I'm innocent," she growled, unsheathing her claws. "I'll leave if you all don't believe me, but none of you are laying a single paw on me."

Lionheart lowered his muzzle to make more earnest eye contact. "We aren't making any decisions about our level of belief in Brokenstar's words right this moment. We know he's a cruel and brutal cat who could easily be lying, but you've clearly kept things from us that are well explained by his accusation."

"What motive would I have to kill my own siblings?" Yellowfang hissed. "I cared for each and every cat in ShadowClan as if they were my own offspring! Never in a thousand moons would I take a life, not even in self-defense. When I left the life of a warrior, I left the usage of my claws behind as well. I loved those kits, and I was devastated to hear of their murder. You all have to understand that it wasn't me who did it."

Lionheart nodded slowly. "I hear you, Yellowfang. Just come with me to the Clan meeting Bluestar's called. She'll make the final decision on whether or not you're to stay."

As Firepaw followed Lionheart and Yellowfang out of the medicine den, he felt his emotions conflicting. He wanted to support whatever decision Bluestar came to, yet he could feel a certain trust for Yellowfang within him that made him positive she was being honest. What would he do if she were to be chased away? He'd only known her for a few days, but he could tell that she wasn't a bad cat.

Firepaw took his seat in between Ravenpaw and Stormpaw, who had both come with him to the Gathering. The excitement he'd experienced had been washed away by the cruel, bold claim of Brokenstar. He felt his teeth bare at the thought of him. His instincts told him that the dark tabby leader couldn't be trusted, no matter what. Perhaps it was the stink of ShadowClan on his pelt. Or more likely, it was the clear lies he'd spoken.

"Yellowfang, you're called to testify against the accusation that Brokenstar presented at tonight's Gathering," Bluestar announced as Yellowfang stood before Highrock. Lionheart took his place beneath it, staring ahead with no visible emotion.

"The accusation that I'm a kit-killer?" Yellowfang huffed angrily. Her tail lashed from side to side.

"Correct. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty!" Yellowfang spat. "I didn't kill those kits. Never have, never will murder kits!"

Bluestar stood even taller. "Explain his accusation then. What motive is there for him to outcast you from your Clan, then lie?"

Yellowfang remained silent for a long time before answering quietly, "I have reason to believe that Brokenstar wanted me out for other reasons."

"Elaborate," Bluestar ordered.

"He thought that I threatened his role as leader," Yellowfang mewed simply. "That's all I'm willing to say."

"If you won't be transparent, then you have less of a chance of being allowed to stay," Bluestar warned.

Firepaw turned to Ravenpaw while they continued talking in front of the Clan. "What's going on?" he whispered.

"A trial," Ravenpaw responded just as quietly. "Whenever a cat does something wrong that's against the warrior code, they have to participate in one with the entire Clan as witness. I don't think other Clans do this, but it's an ingrained part of our culture. I remember right after Longtail's warrior assessment, it was gotten out that he ate prey as an apprentice before duties."

"So he got one?"

"Yeah. It was really short, though, since it wasn't all too serious and was in newleaf. He was declared guilty and given a moon of apprentice duties as punishment."

"Hush!" Mousefur hissed from in front of them.

Firepaw's ears lowered, embarrassed. "Sorry, Mousefur," he whispered to the warrior.

"Yellowfang, I insist that you broaden your point," Bluestar meowed, clearly having been trying this for the entire time Ravenpaw and Firepaw had been talking. "If not, you'll have to leave us - leave Clan life completely! We're the only Clan to do these trials; no other would even give you a chance after hearing Brokenstar. If you don't work with us, you'll be exiled."

"You are in my debt!" Yellowfang hissed. "You can't throw me out while I'm still injured. Your puny kittypet apprentice attacked me!"

"You were trespassing," Bluestar retorted calmly. "Firepaw had every right to withdraw his claws. We let you stay because you claimed that you'd left ShadowClan, not that you'd been exiled."

Yellowfang visibly fumed at Bluestar's words. She was silent for a long while. "Can't we do this in the morning?" she asked eventually. "Why keep all of these cats awake for no reason?"

"This isn't 'no reason', Yellowfang," Bluestar meowed. "These are serious accusations. For the sake of everyone's safety, we must delve into this issue immediately no matter the time. Now if you will, explain what you mean. Why would Brokenstar think you threaten his position?"

Yellowfang's orange eyes were averted to the ground. Silence wasn't broken for what seemed to be moons, and Firepaw wished she'd just say something; the thought of her being declared guilty was too much for him to bear. Luckily, she spoke.

"No one knows this, but Brokenstar more than likely knows that I found out," Yellowfang replied. "Raggedstar's second deputy, Cloudpelt, died in a WindClan border skirmish. Brokentail was the warrior to find evidence of eaten prey within our borders, which began the fight in the first place. Cloudpelt led the patrol, as deputy.

"Brokentail went too, since he'd found the evidence. But when I was trying to treat Cloudpelt, only to fail, he told me something. He knew he was dying, and he wanted to use his last moments to tell me the cat who had taken his life. Brokentail was the name he told me. I informed Raggedstar immediately after he passed, but he refused to believe that his son killed a Clanmate.

"Raggedstar informed me a while after Brokentail became deputy, in which he'd used his influence to force cruel punishments upon apprentices and start unfair battles against WindClan, that he believed me and wanted to replace Brokentail as deputy. He never got a chance, 'cause he spoke to Brokentail about his behavior first in hopes he'd change. Brokentail may have been told about my accusation and that I was the cat to say it, because he gave me looks that implied he knew. The next day, Raggedstar was dead."

The Clan was in awed shock from hearing this. Brokenstar was cruel and some would even go as far to claim downright evil, but any cat killing their Clanmate to further themselves was unthinkable to them. Firepaw envied them, cringing as he remembered the terrible, awful secret he kept. Ravenpaw beside him wore a pained expression, as if he'd been struck across the face.

"Thank you for telling us this, Yellowfang," Bluestar meowed to her. "I'm sure it must've been difficult revealing what you say to be the truth about Brokenstar. While it's certainly believable, you could be making this up just to get off scot-free from murdering kits."

"Bluestar, look me in the eyes and try telling me that you think of me as a murderer," Yellowfang mewed determinedly. "He killed those kits by being too rough with them in training. His framing act turned even my mother and littermates against me. My father and apprentice were the only ones to beg Brokenstar not to exile me.

"I was grief-stricken by the deaths. Marigoldkit and Mintkit were my little sisters. I cared for them as my own kits whenever my mother needed a break and wanted to leave camp. After I was exiled, I cried and cried for so long at all I'd lost!" Her voice had risen to a shout by this point as she finished her rant off with, "I can't imagine wanting to harm kits. They've just begun to live! Why should anyone take a kit's life?!"

Bluestar nodded and spoke slowly and calmly. "Of course. I trust your word, Yellowfang, but my opinion is not the only one that matters." The volume of her voice raised as she directly addressed the crowd. "ThunderClan, we will now take a vote! Remain seating if you want to exile Yellowfang, and stand if you want to keep her - even temporarily."

Firepaw stood immediately, and he felt Ravenpaw's soft black pelt brush his flank as he followed. He saw Whitestorm, Spottedleaf, Willowpelt, Stormpaw, Lionheart, Goldenflower, Frostfur, Brindleface, Cherrysong, and Lynxpaw stand. After a few moments, Runningwind, half of the elders, and surprisingly Tigerclaw followed. Graypaw looked at Darkstripe, who huffed while sitting proudly, and got to his paws with what seemed to be fear in his eyes.

"Then it's settled," Bluestar announced. "Yellowfang, you've been declared not guilty by the majority of ThunderClan! You may stay with us until you're healed, and you may earn full citizenship afterward if you so wish."

Yellowfang's mouth was open, and her round eyes were wide. "You actually let me stay," she breathed, laughing - not from humor, but from disbelief. "I heard so many ShadowClanners call this trial thing you all do toad-brained, and I believed them! Little did I know it'd basically save my life one day. Thank you, Bluestar."

Bluestar smiled down at her. "You're welcome, Yellowfang. I hope all will serve you with the respect and loyalty they show Spottedleaf. Firepaw, of course, will continue being your caretaker while you're recovering. If you want to make your stay permanent, don't hesitate to discuss it with Lionheart and I."

"And what do we do when ShadowClan inevitably finds out we're sheltering her?" Longtail boldly asked from his place beside Swiftpaw and Darkstripe.

"We defend ourselves and her," Bluestar replied. "And when the time is right, we reveal the truth that's been told. For the time being, however, not a single one of you is to discuss this matter outside of camp. We can't be too safe. We must get the timing correct to tell it."

And with that, she jumped from Highrock and silently dismissed the meeting. Everyone rushed to their nests, exhausted from either the Gathering or being awoken to come to the trial. Firepaw, however, sought out Yellowfang. He noticed that Stormpaw, despite his droopy copper eyes, tagged along. Ravenpaw simply stared after and retreated into the den.

Yellowfang stopped padding to the medicine den when she saw them approach. "What? Can't a cat get some rest?" Even her grumpy tone didn't sound fully upset; she was too overwhelmed with relief and happiness.

"I just wanted to say, I'm glad you're staying with us," Firepaw mewed, giving her a wide grin. "I wanted to vouch for you, but I also didn't want to interrupt. I'm sorry about what happened back at ShadowClan."

She shook her head. "Don't you worry your little ginger head, kittypet. I'm fine! I just wish that I'd done more against Brokenstar before he got to be leader. Can't change the past, though, so all I gotta worry about now is what you'll bring me to eat tomorrow. Better not be one of those terrible mice!"

Firepaw smiled a little. "I'll bring you a bird or squirrel. How's that sound? Variety's good for your soul!"

"You do that," Yellowfang told him. "I might even let you off without a complaint. Deal?"

"Deal. Goodnight!" He walked away happily, his spirits lifted.

Stormpaw had remained silent all the while, grinning sleepily. He didn't seem to care about Yellowfang too much, but it was clear he didn't want to see Firepaw hurt. When they settled into their nests, he yawned and spoke.

"She doesn't seem like a murderer," Stormpaw mewed quietly. "Not until she sees Brokenstar again, at least."

Firepaw laughed at that as he curled up. "Shush. G'night, Smudgey."

"I'm not Smudge anymore," he chuckled. "G'night, Rusty."

"G'night, furball."

"G'night, fireball."

"Fireball? What's that?"

"A ball made of fire, obviously!"

Now their giggling had raised to normal volume, and Sandpaw shushed them loudly. They silenced but shot each other grins. Within a few minutes, they were asleep.