I stared at her frozen body, tears tracking down my face. Her fur was tattered and a look of shock and disbelief forever etched into her black face. I leaned over and closed her eyes with my tail. I can't believe I killed her. My own best friend. "I'm sorry, Starnight." I pressed my nose to her body and licked her cheek. "Forgive me, because I can't forgive myself." I turned and ran away from her body. Thunderclan will find her soon. I stopped by the lake and crumbled down on the shore. The water washed over me over and over and over. "Starnight? Where are you?" "Bramblestar! I've found her. She's dead!" I buried my face between my paws in a moment of grief as I listened to them. "I'm sorry, Raccoonfur." "She had kits for crying out loud!" "I know." "Wait, Whitewing, I smell Riverclan." A feminine voice rang out softly among the trees. "Do you think one of them killed her?" "I don't know." "Well, let's find out where the trail leads." The thundering of paw steps snapped me to my paws. I can't let them find me! I turned tail and fled along the shoreline heading for unknown territory past Windclan.
A small bundle of fur shot out from Riverclan's border. "Minnowtail! Where are you going?" I looked back at my little brother. "I killed someone, Foxpaw. You need to stay away from me. I love you" I leaned in and licked his head before pelting away from him. "Wait! Will I ever see you again?" I didn't answer but kept propelling my legs forward. He doesn't need to be blamed for what I've done. It's better if I stay away from the clans and let them think I died. Foxpaw managed to catch up to me. "If you killed someone then why are you running?" I spun to a stop and glared deep into his eyes. "Because the cat I killed was Starnight, a Thunderclan queen. My best friend. A mother." Foxpaw took a step back and I winced slightly before remembering that this is what I wanted. "Wh-What?" I sighed and paced away from the clan territories and Foxpaw followed. "I murdered someone. I don't even know why I did it. She was my best friend since our first gathering. I'm a killer, Foxpaw. I killed a mother just like someone killed ours. I don't want you to take the fall for me. So don't tell them anything about me. Do you understand?" He nodded, tears tracking down his russet cheeks. I leaned in and nuzzled him one more time. "I will always love you, Foxpaw, but this is something I have to do on my own." I picked him up by the scruff of his neck and placed him back in our-his territory. "Stay, little brother." I turned and streaked off. My tail was the last thing to be seen by any cat watching as I disappeared over the hill.
I stared forlornly back towards the Riverclan camp as the sun touched the sky. I looked up at Silverpelt and stared at the last warriors. Starnight if you are up there, please forgive me and show me what I did. I don't remember! I turned away from the crest I was standing on and walked further into rouge territory. It has been about three weeks since I left. I still can't forget how I murdered my friend nor can I forgive myself. I would be better off dead. The clans would be searching for me. No doubt they all thought I was the murderer. I can't blame them. I was. I just hoped I could forgive myself before I did anything. My stomach grumbled and I sighed. I haven't been able to find a stream to fish in nor have I been able to catch anything worth eating since I left. "Hey, you." I twisted my head around to see a white and brown she-cat looking at me from under a patch of heather. "Who are you and what are you doing on my territory?" I faintly heard mewling in the den she made out of an old Badger's den. She had kits so it was no wonder why she was so edgy. "I'm Minnowtail, I'm from-was from Riverclan. I left because I did something I can't forgive myself.