What am I doing.

The thought reverberated in Frostmask's head in time with her pawsteps as she trotted through the forest. It was so pitch black out, she had trouble not tripping over roots as she navigated around the pines. As if being a moonless night wasn't enough, the sky was also overcast, so the clouds blotted out even the little light the stars would've provided.

A bad omen? Frostmask fretted, casting a quick glance upwards.

She didn't have enough knowledge of StarClan to know for sure, but it seemed ominous nevertheless.

Maybe I am totally frog-brained.

Still, it felt too late to turn back now; she was already approaching the thunderpath. Leaving camp had been simple enough. She'd just made sure Autumnleap was soundly sleeping, so he wouldn't invite himself to come along into the forest with her, and walked past Murmurstep, the camp guard, with a friendly nod. Frostmask supposed in that way, she was lucky to be in ShadowClan— no one would think of questioning a cat who wanted to leave camp alone at night. Once she headed into the woods, she'd disguised her scent and headed straight in the direction of Fourtrees. Hopefully she'd be able to catch some prey on her way back to explain her absence, but if she didn't have the time, she could just say that the hunting was poor.

Frostmask hesitated at the edge of the thunderpath, casting a nervous glance from side to side. She couldn't see any monsters prowling around, but her heart still hammered with apprehension. She'd never crossed the thunderpath alone before. She had debated taking the tunnel instead, but Sedgestar still had the Clan keeping a careful watch on it, now that they knew SkyClan was aware of it… If she took the tunnel tonight, she might leave some sort of trace on it that her clan-mates would find, and she wasn't taking any risks.

Frostmask took a deep breath then plunged forward, her paws flying across the flat black stone. She shot into the bushes on the other side, coming to a stumbling, panting stop. No monsters had appeared, but her muscles were still trembling.

She waited by the thunderpath's edge until she was able to compose herself. The last thing she wanted was Paledusk seeing her frightened and disheveled. Frostmask twisted her head to rasp her tongue down her side to smooth her ruffled pelt.

I can't let Paledusk see any weaknesses. About myself or about ShadowClan. She reminded herself. I'm here to gather information about him, SkyClan, and May. But, I can't forget he's the enemy. He killed Swoopstrike and attacked Autumnleap.

Frostmask's claws slid out and a soft growl rumbled in her throat at the thought. She forced her claws away and gave her head a small shake.

But, I shouldn't be overtly aggressive. Or, else he might not tell me anything…

Once Frostmask was confident that she was calm, she began to prowl forward, towards the Fourtrees' hollow. She approached silently, crouching at the top of the hill and scanning the clearing below. Even in the near-total darkness, she could make out the lone white figure sitting near the base of the Great Rock. Frostmask's stomach clenched as her gaze settled on him. A part of her couldn't believe that Paledusk actually came.

A part of me can't believe that I actually came here either.

Frostmask slipped down the side of the hill, silently entering in the undergrowth that surrounded the clearing. She began to circle Fourtrees, every sense straining to make sure Paledusk was actually alone. But, as she crept through the bushes, she could detect no hint of any other cat. Once she made a full circuit around the hollow, Frostmask hesitated, gazing out at Paledusk in the clearing. He hadn't seemed to have noticed her yet; he seemed too busy gazing up at the top of the Great Rock as if he was raptly watching an invisible leader deliver their announcements. Frostmask studied him closely. He looked as he usually did— his white pelt immaculately groomed, smooth and unblemished besides the two scars on his face. There was the old crescent moon one on his cheek, and the new one slashing diagonally across his forehead and near his eye. Swoopstrike's scar. What had once been red and raw had already faded in the past few moons to just a thin furrow in Paledusk's fur.

This is my last chance to go back. Frostmask reminded herself.

But, her paws were already creeping forward into the clearing. Paledusk's ears didn't even twitch in her direction as she crept up on him, coming to a stop a mere fox-length away.

"Hello," Frostmask murmured.

Paledusk jerked, his green eyes going wide as he glanced over at her. But, the shock in his gaze quickly faded as he rumbled a brief purr.

"Frostmask! I didn't even notice you approach," he said, dipping his head to her. "But, I'm glad to see you decided to come."

Frostmask just nodded at him, her pelt prickling uncomfortably. Paledusk however, didn't seem to share any of her discomfort. His body was relaxed as he blinked at her.

"How are you doing?" he meowed. "I hope this cold hasn't chased away all of ShadowClan's prey."

Paledusk flexed his claws.

"The squirrels in our territory have taken to their nests, and it feels like all of the birds have migrated south for the winter," he said with a rueful purr.

Guilt flashed in Frostmask's chest. Prey in ShadowClan was hard to find. Why was she wasting time talking to this SkyClan cat when she could be hunting for her Clan?

Frostmask gave her head an almost imperceptible shake as she did her best to push the feeling away, not wanting Paledusk to read it on her face.

"Prey is still running despite typical leaf-bare difficulties," she said vaguely.

She'd knew she'd rather pull out her own whiskers than admit to Paledusk that ShadowClan was having trouble finding enough food.

Paledusk nodded.

"Of course," he meowed, before pausing for a moment. "…Well do you have an answer for me?"

Frostmask's ears pricked.

"An answer?" she echoed.

"To my proposal at the gathering. That we should be friends," he said, blinking at her.

Frostmask's pelt bristled warily.

"I don't know about 'friends,'" she said slowly. "'Friends' implies that I trust you… and that I like you."

Paledusk gave a bitter chuckle.

"Alright," he conceded. "You're right that trust and affection needs to be earned. Maybe 'friends' is too strong of a word then, for the moment. Allies, perhaps?"

Frostmask's tail twitched with indecision. Paledusk reclined back slightly.

"At the very least, are you open to getting to know each other?" he asked. "So we can at least see if those things are possibilities?"

"Yes," Frostmask said with a nod.

Paledusk purred.

"I'm glad to hear that. So, tell me about your life in ShadowClan," Paledusk said, his eyes bright with interest. "I remember seeing you with some apprentices last gathering. Are one of them yours?"

"Yes," Frostmask muttered again. "Lizardpaw."

Paledusk nodded.

"You haven't been a warrior long; it's a honor to be given an apprentice so early. Sedgestar must think highly of you," he said.

Frostmask shifted her paws and didn't respond beyond a nod. Another thing she definitely didn't want to tell Paledusk about was Sedgestar's betrayal.

"What other cats do you spend time with?" Paledusk asked curiously.

"Autumnleap is my best friend," Frostmask murmured.

Paledusk tilted his head to the side like he was trying to place the name.

"Autumnleap…" he repeated thoughtfully.

"He's a dark ginger cat with a white belly," she meowed as her eyes narrowed, a brief growl rumbling in her throat. "You've met him before."

Paledusk gazed out into the forest, still lost in his thoughts. It took a moment before realization sparked in his eyes.

Their gazes met. Paledusk's expression was calm.

"He was at the battle in SkyClan's camp, wasn't he?" Paledusk meowed.

"Yes," Frostmask said, her voice dangerously soft. "You almost killed him."

Paledusk blinked.

"Then you were there too," he said.

She nodded tensely.

"I saw you attack him," she growled. "And, I saw Swoopstrike stop you."

Her jaw clenched in pain.

"Swoopstrike was my mentor. And, you killed him," she rasped, unsheathing her claws to sink them into the ground.

Her tail began to lash, and the growl rumbled louder in her throat.

There was a part of her mind that said that she was getting too worked up. That this wasn't the plan. That she was supposed to stay calm. But, those thoughts were mere whispers, lost in the roar of her blood pounding in her ears.

Paledusk stared at her, as unmoving as if he was carved from stone.

"I'm sorry," he meowed. "I didn't know."

"'Sorry?!'" Frostmask echoed incredulously, letting out a strangled bark of humorless laughter. "You killed Swoopstrike and tried to kill Autumnleap, and all you can say is you're sorry?!"

Paledusk's gaze darkened slightly.

"I was defending my home," he said, a quiet growl creeping into his voice. "You just experienced a similar attack, surely you understand the feeling of desperation that sort of invasion causes. Drastic actions must sometimes be taken."

Frostmask snarled in response.

"You could've just badly injured him!" she growled. "You didn't have to kill him!"

"I know," Paledusk said in a low voice.

Frostmask's stomach clenched. Somehow that admission was worse than any sort of pathetic-excused denial. She arched her back, her fangs bared.

"Then why did you do it?" she demanded hoarsely.

Paledusk's green gaze was steady as he stared at her.

"Because in that moment, I was filled with a terrible pain and anger," he said. "I was enraged that my clan-mates were in danger, that SkyClan was under siege by two Clans. I was filled with a sense of injustice, and I wanted to make someone pay for it… I presume it's the same reason that you came to SkyClan territory to kill me."

Frostmask jerked, suddenly snapped out of her righteous rage and put off balance. She took a step back from Paledusk as icy dread ran down her spine.

"What?" she croaked, her ears flattening. "What are you talking—"

Paledusk shook his head, cutting her off.

"You don't have to lie to me, Frostmask," he meowed. "I'm not angry. You were hurting. I understand."

"But, I didn't—" Frostmask protested.

"But, you did," Paledusk said, tilting his head.

His expression was both partly amused by Frostmask's denial, but also seemingly confused by it.

"Why else would you've confronted me then?" he said. "I was in a remote area of the territory and alone. If you just wanted to talk to me, you could've done that at a gathering, which would've been a much less risky prospect for you. The other clue: I didn't hear you until you were in the trees right behind me. It's strange that I heard you then, when tonight you snuck up on me so easily. You must have let me hear you on purpose, but only after you'd already reached me… Why? The only explanation I can think of is that you stalked me silently at first, with an intent to harm me, but had a sudden change of heart."

Frostmask blinked, caught somewhere between horror and respect for his sharp observations.

"…If that's all true," Frostmask meowed, grateful that her voice came out steady despite the fact her head was spinning. "Then why aren't you afraid I'm going to hurt you now?"

"Excellent question," Paledusk said with a small purr. "Because that night, your emotions towards me were at their most intense. You had the location and the motive for a perfect kill-shot, and you didn't take it."

Frostmask clenched her jaw, realizing she just had a similar thought about Paledusk a few days ago, when she was worrying about if it was safe to meet him.

Her stomach flipped.

Frostmask gazed at Paledusk, silence falling between them. It was like she was somehow staring at a stranger and at her shadow at the same time. Uncannily familiar. She knew neither of them knew what this tentative bond between them would bring, but it seemed they were both willing to acknowledge one thing— they had missed their kill-shots.

"You have every right to still be angry with me for taking away someone close to you," Paledusk said, finally breaking the silence. "Just know that my actions didn't have malicious intent towards you. It was not meant to hurt you."

"That doesn't make the hurt any less," Frostmask growled, her fur still prickling.

"I know," Paledusk said with a nod. "I just ask that you keep an open mind going forward and try not to think the worst of me."

A hint of humor flashed in his eyes, making a crack in his serious demeanor.

"And, in return, I will do the same for you. Instead of spending each night with one eye open as I sleep," he said.

His tone was light and teasing, but Frostmask still felt shame prick at her paws. Did she really have any right to hold a massive grudge against Paledusk when she was the one that crept onto his territory with the intention to murder him in cold-blood? At least Paledusk had struck Swoopstrike and Autumnleap down nobly in the heat of battle…

"It's a shame we don't live in a more peaceful era," Paledusk continued after a beat of silence. "It would've made things easier for us."

"Is there such thing as a peaceful era?" Frostmask asked. "It seems like to me that SkyClan and ThunderClan are always fighting."

Paledusk stiffened slightly, and Frostmask felt her muscles tense in response. Maybe she had overstepped. She wasn't used to the delicate politics dealing with cats of other Clans required. But, then Paledusk flicked his tail and relaxed, letting out a quiet chuckle.

"You wouldn't be wrong," he meowed.

"Why is that?" Frostmask asked, emboldened by his response.

Paledusk settled down into a more comfortable crouch.

"It's a long story," he said. "ThunderClan and SkyClan have always had a rivalry. Some say it even goes back to the original leaders— Skystar and Thunderstar. They were kin you know; father and son."

Frostmask's eyes widened in surprise.

"A father and son ended up in separate clans? And, became their leaders?" she asked.

Paledusk nodded with a wiry twitch of his whiskers.

"See, the situation you and I are in isn't actually that strange or uncommon," he meowed, arching a brow at her. "Although Thunderstar and Skystar hardly saw eye-to-eye."

A dry purr of amusement rumbled deep in his throat as if he was laughing at his own private joke. Frostmask blinked, wondering if he was laughing at something he knew about Skystar and Thunderstar that she didn't, or if he was still thinking about her and his relationship.

"Anyway, the particular feud which plagues SkyClan and ThunderClan today is much more recent than Skystar and Thunderstar. Some seasons ago, the leader of SkyClan before Fennelstar was a cat named Darkstar," Paledusk continued. "Darkstar was a formidable warrior when he was younger leader, but as he aged and came towards the end of his nine lives... he began to lose his senses."

Paledusk's gaze darkened slightly, as if those words struck deeper than he was letting on.

Maybe he's thinking about Birdstrike...

"At one gathering near the end of his ninth life, Darkstar decided to give away a chunk of SkyClan territory to ThunderClan. At the time, it would've been about one fourth of our total land..."

Frostmask inhaled sharply, her ears jutting up in shock.

One fourth?! That'd be like if Sedgestar decided to give WindClan all of our territory between the marsh and the edge of the moor!

Paledusk nodded grimly, his tail lashing behind him as anger smoldered in his eyes.

"So you see, the reason we're at war with ThunderClan is because we are just trying to right a wrong of the past. SkyClan has already suffered for seasons because of the foolishness of one leader. Should we be doomed to suffer for generations more?" he said, a growl drifting into his voice.

Frostmask's ears flattened against her head as doubt nipped at her.

Is this really the truth? Or just something Paledusk and SkyClan made up to bolster their claim?

"No one in ThunderClan has ever mentioned that story to me," she muttered, but she didn't dare voice all her doubts.

Scoffing, Paledusk tossed his head.

"Why would they?" he asked, his gaze sharp. "Do you know why Darkstar made his decision? ThunderClan had just had several litters of kits born, and they claimed they needed more hunting grounds to feed them. Darkstar said that the clans should help each other out in their times of need, so he gave away our land."

Paledusk's gaze narrowed, his tail lashing even more violently as he stared out into the trees in the direction of ThunderClan territory.

"But, will ThunderClan repay the favor? Of course not. Now when SkyClan needs the territory back, Morningstar and ThunderClan turn a blind-eye to our troubles and act like they're the victims. They're a Clan of fox-hearted hypocrites," he spat.

Frostmask was quiet, watching Paledusk warily. After a long, tense moment, Paledusk's fur flattened as he tried to compose himself. He glanced back over at Frostmask with a more measured gaze.

"But, I understand if you don't trust the story," he said, giving a bitter twitch of his tail. "I'm from an enemy clan, after all. Still, I promise every word is the truth. Ask your elders about Darkstar. They will tell you the same thing I have. It happened before I was born, but from what I've heard, it was quite the memorial gathering. I'm sure that they haven't forgotten."

Frostmask cocked her head to the side.

"And, how does RiverClan tie into all this?" she asked. "Do they also have a bone to pick with ThunderClan? You didn't seem too fond of them last time we talked. I believe the term you used was 'slimy eel-hearts.'"

Paledusk chuckled and relaxed back, settling in as if to make himself more comfortable.

"There's no feud that I know of there," he meowed. "But, the one thing you need to understand about Willowstar is that she's as opportunistic as a fox. You might think that she's not aggressive. That she likes to keep RiverClan to themselves. But, at the first scent of blood in the air—"

Paledusk slammed one of his big paws against the ground, making Frostmask jump at the loud thump.

"—she's on it like that," he continued. "If it suits RiverClan, that is. That's how RiverClan ended up entwined here with the rest of us."

He dipped his head to Frostmask briefly and continued in a softer voice.

"Although I'm sorry ShadowClan has gotten tangled up in this mess too. Unfortunately, in Fennelstar's eyes, you've allied yourselves with our enemy." Paledusk's green eyes brightened, gleaming in the low light. "Although alliances can always shift…"

The fur on the back of her neck stiffened. Frostmask glanced away from him, breaking eye contact as she pretended not to hear the insinuation in his words.

I'm here to gather information and to learn about my mother. I have no authority to make new alliances and Paledusk has no right to ask me to do so… No matter how legitimate SkyClan's claim is or not.

"It must be difficult for ThunderClan to give away the territory they've used for seasons though," she pointed out mildly, trying to steer the conversation away from ShadowClan. "Several generations now have grown up thinking it's theirs."

Paledusk shook his head derisively.

"That way of thinking is exactly the problem with Clan cats," he said. "They are so traditionalist. Stuck in their ways."

He gave a soft growl.

"It's the thing that's always frustrated me about the Clan way of life. They are so unwilling to accept change. To think outside their narrow framework. So quick to distrust or dislike any cat even a tiny bit different than themselves."

Frostmask's ears pricked in surprise and interest. She'd never would've guessed that the stern SkyClan deputy had such relatively radical ideals.

Well I guess he did take a mate outside of his Clan… So, maybe I shouldn't be too surprised that he's not afraid to challenge the code.

Paledusk glanced at her, noting her expression of interest, and he continued.

"SkyClan is the only clan who's territory borders the two-leg place," he said. "So that means we have the most contact with cats who live outside of the Clans."

His bright green eyes lost focus for a moment; their intensity dimming as he drifted into a memory.

"That's how I met May," he murmured.

He blinked, and his gaze sharpened again.

"You think that having this contact with other cats might make SkyClan more tolerate to outsiders, but the opposite it true. Instead, they hate them more intensely because they view them as bigger threats. Rogues lurking at the border, greedy to snatch up our land."

He shook his head.

"But, they give no thought to the fact that these cats could help us. They could be potential allies or clan-mates even. Bolstering the clan instead of tearing it down."

Frostmask's brow furrowed. Since ShadowClan had never had problems with rogues in her life-time, she'd never thought much about cats outside of the clans as being threats or allies, beyond her own predicament as a daughter of a rogue of course. But, it was clearly something Paledusk had contemplated for a long time, and she could see the wisdom in his words.

"…Is that what you wanted with May?" she asked hesitantly. "For SkyClan to accept your relationship?"

"Of course," Paledusk said, glancing over at her. "But, SkyClan is too blinded with prejudice. They wouldn't change their mind, and I had to choose between them and her."

Frostmask dipped her head, a weird feeling of disappointment tugging at her belly.

I guess a part of me hoped not all Clans were like ShadowClan towards outsiders.

"What about ShadowClan?" Paledusk asked, seemingly echoing her thoughts. "How did they react when they found out I'm your father?"

"They… don't know," Frostmask murmured. "A pawful of cats know my father was a SkyClan tom. But, only I know it's you."

"You haven't told anyone?" Paledusk asked in a soft, sympathetic voice.

Frostmask glanced at him sharply.

"Have you told anyone about me?" she shot back.

Paledusk hesitated a moment.

"No," he meowed finally. "I'm worried about how my clan-mates would react."

Frostmask sighed and stared down at her paws.

"Me too," she murmured. "I think it'll just make them distrust me more."

"This is what I mean about the Clans!" Paledusk said. "You joined ShadowClan so young; you're practically ShadowClan born. And, yet they still whisper doubts about your heritage. Such senseless bigotry."

He scoffed, shaking his head.

"They waste your potential and leave you on shaky footing, worried that if you take one misstep they'd be at your throat like the fox-hearts they are," he growled.

Frostmask dug her claws into the ground as Paledusk's words triggered a rush of anxiety— the memory of Sedgestar snarling accusations at her in his den flashing in her mind. But, in combination with the anxiety, Frostmask felt an odd sense of relief.

Somehow, Paledusk, of all cats, seemed to understand her position in a way that none of her clan-mates had before. How could that be? Maybe his distance from ShadowClan gave him a clarity that her clan-mates did not have? Or did he just have more empathy for her situation because he had been mates with a cat outside of the Clans, so understood what it must feel like for her?

Frostmask blinked as another realization struck her.

Maybe it was good that Paledusk, a SkyClan cat, was the one that understood her situation best. She could talk openly with him about her problems without having to worry that he would think she was disloyal to ShadowClan… because he wasn't even in ShadowClan. She also didn't have to worry about him telling her concerns to any cat, ShadowClan, SkyClan, or otherwise, because in doing so he'd have to admit to meeting her and that she was his daughter, both things that she knew he did not want to do.

"…All my life I've tried my hardest to show them that I'm a loyal ShadowClan warrior," Frostmask said with a quiet growl. "But, it was never good enough for them."

Paledusk gazed at her sympathetically.

"You can't prove yourself to them because their fear of you isn't rational," he said. "You cannot fight irrationality with logic."

Frostmask dug her claws into the ground.

"So I just have to accept that this is how it is?" she said, clenching her teeth. "That I have to live this way forever?"

Paledusk flicked his tail towards her. He hesitated a moment before laying it against her shoulder in the faintest feather-touch. Frostmask tensed but didn't move away.

"That's a part of the tragedy," he said. "The clans are so stuck in their ways that forcing them make the tiniest bit of change takes as much effort as moving a mountain."

He pulled his tail away, curling it back around his paws as he gazed out at the dark forest. Frostmask was silent for a few moments, contemplating his words.

"…Then I do just have to accept it," she said in a low voice. "No matter how terrible or ridiculous."

"You remind me of my brother," Paledusk said suddenly, making Frostmask's ears prick in surprise.

"Slatewhisker?" she asked.

Now it was Paledusk's ears which pricked in shock.

"How do you know his name?" he asked, glancing down at her.

Frostmask shrugged, her fur heating under the sharpness of his eyes. She didn't want to tell him about her little investigation about him and May before she pieced together the full truth. After all, she still didn't really trust Paledusk. These philosophical musing with him seemed harmless enough, but she'd seen the intensity of his anger, and she wasn't sure if he would like knowing that she had been sniffing around.

"I've heard rumors about him before," Frostmask said, semi-truthfully. "Some cats say that he ran off into the two-leg place to become a kitty-pet."

"Lies," Paledusk hissed, digging his claws into the ground for a moment as the fur on his shoulders prickled.

After a heartbeat though, he forced his pelt flat again.

"Sorry," he said in a more even tone, although his voice was still tight with anger. "Slatewhisker and I were very close, and it enrages me to hear cats sullying his legacy with these rumors. Believing that my brother would give up his freedom to live with two-legs."

Paledusk shook his head in disgust. Frostmask tilted her head to the side.

"Why do I remind you of him?" she asked.

Paledusk's green eyes brightened as he was pulled out of the unpleasant thoughts.

"Slatewhisker was always an idealist," he said. "Seasons ago, SkyClan was having trouble with a group of rogues who lived in the two-leg place. He wanted there to be peace between the two groups."

Paledusk shook his head.

"Tragically though that was why he died," he said. "Against Fennelstar's wishes, he went on a diplomatic mission into the two-leg place speak to the rogues. But a fight broke out between them, and he was killed."

Frostmask's brow furrowed.

"If he died though, then why do cats think he ran off?" she asked.

Paledusk's brow furrowed, his tail beginning to twitch.

"His body was never recovered," he explained. "A dog or a two-leg got to him before we could."

Paledusk's gaze darkened.

"But, I know he died," he said in a low voice. "You see, I went after him when I noticed that he had left camp. I was worried he'd gone off to do something impulsive and bird-brained… and unfortunately I was right. I found him, but not in time. I saw him get struck down by the rogues. I tried to save him, but I was out-numbered. The rogues chased me off, and by the time I got back, his body was gone."

He shook his head suddenly as if to dislodge the dark memories. He glanced at Frostmask, his green gaze serious.

"I know I haven't regained enough respect or am worthy yet to give you any advice," he said. "But, I don't want you to suffer the same fate as my brother. Ideals are good, but one must also acknowledge the bounds of reality. It's usually best not to create waves…"

Frostmask's tail began to twitch. She wasn't sure if she like how intently Paledusk was looking at her.

"Right…" she muttered, hoping that answer would satiate him.

It seemed to work because good humor returned to Paledusk's eyes.

"You're a smart cat, though," he said. "I probably don't even need to be telling you such things, since you've had to take care of yourself for so long. You know better than to do anything rash— you're a survivor. Like your mother."

Curiosity pricked through Frostmask. She wanted to ask Paledusk more about May. She wanted to find out more about what she was like. How they met. Why they got together.

But, then Paledusk got to his paws before she could even open her mouth to ask.

"I should probably head back to my camp before I'm missed, and I'm sure you need to do the same," Paledusk said. "I hope I see you at the next gathering, but if not, I will be here again on the next new-moon if you wish to meet again."

Impatience and frustration nipped at Frostmask. She didn't want to risk meeting him again or trying to covertly speak to him at the next gathering. But, this meeting and the small, tantalizing bits of information she'd gotten from him about her mother only made her desire to know more about May and Paledusk stronger.

Frostmask cast a quick glance up towards the sky. She couldn't see any sign of dawn yet, but she knew that Paledusk was right about the night wearing on. She gave a small sigh of acceptance and rose to her paws.

"You're right," she meowed. "Goodbye."

Paledusk dipped his head to her.

"Goodbye. It was a pleasure talking to you, Frostmask."

Author's Note: I'm excited we got to see some more snippets into Paledusk and SkyClan today! Paledusk has been such a distant/mysterious character in the story so far, I'm happy we've (finally lol) reached a point where I can slowly start to peel back his layers. Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

Reviews: Brian.H.H: Thanks haha, I really enjoy writing Frost/Autumn's dynamic. And, yeah, you're right that Frost kinda has to go meet with Paledusk for the story to progress… (Also, how you called it "father daughter bonding time" made me laugh haha.) Ooo yes I like all your theorizing, but of course I can't comment on much of it at the moment. We did get the confrontation with him about Autumn and Swoop though, so I'm interested to hear your thoughts about that. I think that topic was too much of a big thing for Frostmask not to bring up to Paledusk during her first proper conversation with him. Although the slippery little weasel was able to pull a reverse card on Frostmask with that haha.

Guest: Aw thank you so much! If you do end up drawing any sort of art for any characters, definitely let me know! I'd love to see it!

Stacy Rockfall: Thank you! Yeah, I can't comment on what Sedgestar and ThunderClan might be planning right now, but they are definitely scheming. And, yeah poor Lizardpaw is feeling pretty insecure right now :(