Hihihi! I'm on a sugar rush and won't be thinking so please don't mind it if this chapter's lame!

Guest: Don't worry, I'll tell you soon enough!

TheGhost129: Yeah, I agree

Chapter 8:

The strong gray tom stared boldly at her, yellow eyes glowing. "You seem to have a problem with it," he meowed smoothly, gaze traveling along Icestar.

"Tell me the truth, stupid tom," she spat. "Did you kill this cat, or not?" Braveglare met her gaze, boldly, unflinching.

"Of course I didn't," he sneered. "Why would I do low-life work like that? That job is for cats whose rank is way below mine." Icestar snarled threateningly, her claws unsheathing.

"You do realize when you could have killed this cat, you could have joined DarkClan." At those words, Braveglare's eyes widened, clouded, and he gasped.

"No! Please! No!" he wailed. "I'll do anything to become a member of DarkClan!"

"Then don't be such an ungracious brat," Icestar spat. "Respect the work you have to do. You should be grateful DarkClan even took you in! You should be grateful I'm sparing your life!" Braveglare crouched, head on paws.

"I'm sorry," he mewled painfully. "I wasn't thinking." Yes you were, Icestar scorned. No other cat would have pulled such a stupid trick except for a thinking cat.

Out loud, she meowed, "You may go back to DarkClan, but under strict supervision at all times." Braveglare's eyes widened in outrage. "Even when you go to the dirtplace."

"What?!" he screeched. "Insolent cat! I'll shred you to pieces! You will regret saying those words!" Icestar cleared her throat.

"Member of DarkClan." Braveglare shut his mouth, eyes wide. He nodded silently, and padded away. Icestar turned her attention back to the decaying carcass. It seemed so familiar. She sniffed it, drawing in the scent. Without a word, she hid it in a Twoleg den, and loped away towards camp.

LINE BREAK

"Thank the Dark Forest you're back!" Silver sighed, relaxing. She gazed into the apprentices' den, her tail swishing. "Braveglare came in commenting on how ferocious you were!" She lowered her gaze. "I wish he could talk to me like that."

"Well, only if you work hard," Icestar reassured the beautiful silver and black she-cat. "Now go, Pineglare's taking you and Braveglare out for an assessment." With a nod of gratitude, Silver ran off.

Icestar padded into her den, licking her paws to get rid of the filthy, muddy Thunderpath water. It was foul on her tongue, and sang of the…forest? Icestar sat up, her ears pricking, eyes wide.

That water came from the cat! This means…this means…

"Icestar!" Blossomsoul poked her head into the den. "Shadow has a hiccup!" Icestar jumped to her paws, remembering the black tom's frail condition last time she had checked in.

"Hurry up!" Icestar urged the tortoiseshell warrior. She overtook Blossomsoul and barged into the medicine cat's den, eyes softening with worry as Shadow absently tossed a moss ball around. "Feeling better?"

Shadow jumped around, eyes wide. "Oh, it's you Icestar!" He relaxed. "Thank goodness you came! I was getting so bored, I nearly shredded my nest!" Icestar began to lick his pelt. "Stop that!" He squirmed around. "I'm not a kit!" Icestar sat up, a tuft of black fur caught in her whiskers.

"You had a burr in your pelt," she purred. "Now, get better, and I can take you out for some more battle training." She paused. "You're way behind your sisters." Shadow sat up, pelt ruffled.

"No fair!" he whined. "I was the one supposed to be far ahead on training!" Icestar whisked her tail across the restless black tom's ears.

"Get some rest and I'll take you out tomorrow." Shadow perked up, and closed his eyes. In a few heartbeats, his breathing was slow and steady. Icestar left the den and began back to her den.

"Ah, yes! Icestar! Care to share a squirrel with me?" Pineglare was calling to her. The broad-shouldered ginger tom sat at the only dry corner in the camp, which was sheltered by a Twoleg roof. Icestar settled beside him, and didn't bother asking him to take the first bite. She was famished. In a few moments, the squirrel was gone, and she began to wash her paws in quick, neat strokes.

"Got to go," she meowed to Pineglare, getting up to check on Snow and Silver. No matter how much she wanted to curl up in her nest and rethink about the clues for the murderer of the strange cat, she needed to check on her Clan first. "Snow? Silver?" she called into the apprentices' den.

"Over here," a muffled voice replied. Icestar could barely make out the silver gleam of Silver' s pelt.

"How's training going?" she asked.

"Good." A head bonked softly into her chest. Icestar stepped back, and Snow shook out her ungroomed fur. "I still need help with the leap-and-hold move." Icestar nodded.

"Understandable. That is a very advanced move. Don't worry. I'll take you out tomorrow so we can practice," Icestar meowed. "I'll see you tomorrow." She headed off. Turning to the warriors' den, she hesitated. She wasn't in the mood to check on Braveglare, but still… Shrugging, she headed into her den.

As she sat, alone in the den, she thought to herself. Suddenly, her mind unlocked the darkest memory she didn't want to remember.

Flashback:

"Catch me!" Ravenkit squealed. Icekit charged forward, knocking into Ravenkit, as she laughed uncontrollably. Ravenkit joined in with her, his laughter deep, like thunder.

"Ravenkit!" A voice sounded behind them. "What are you doing with that horrid creature?!" Ravenkit whipped around.

"Playing?" he asked. "Why not, Sunshine?"

"Come with me," Sunshine snarled, throwing a hard glance at Icekit, who was watching silently. From behind the nursery, she could hear everything.

"Do not play with Icekit!" Sunshine snarled. "She is a monster and bad influence! You know what the warriors say!" Icekit flattened her ears to her head.

What did I do wrong? She thought.

"No! Mom!" Ravenkit snarled, his fur bushing up. "Icekit has done nothing wrong! What did she do to deserve this?! It was all lies! Lies! She is a great cat, caring, kind, the best kitten you've ever met!" His voice became pleading. "If only you'd see past what other cats say about her! Please, Sunshine! Give her a chance! Please!"

"I only see a monster who is destroying my black raven," Sunshine growled.

"Of course!" Icestar gasped, remembering. "How could I have forgotten?!"

Who had Icestar forgotten? Why was she hated in her Clan? Why did Braveglare fake his murder? Only way to find out…review!

~Wish (and Amberflower)