An eerie silence followed Pantherstep's approach. Ashleaf soundlessly rose to her paws, fear churning in her belly. The darkness of the coming evening cast shadows on the medicine den, making the black tom's malignant stare ever so more frightening. 

After what seemed like a moon, Pantherstep spoke, "Loudpaw," He hissed menacingly, so low it was almost a whisper, "Doesn't she mean anything to you?"

Ashleaf's mew seemed to be muted. She parted her jaw, but not a word came out. Instead, she backed away slowly, her tail thrashing and her teeth bared defensively.

A low growl escaped Pantherstep's throat, "You know, I don't understand you, Ashstar. One sunrise, you're the bravest, most loyal warrior StormClan had ever seen. The next you're a ruthless traitor."

Ashleaf froze, her veins turning to ice. "Y-you dare call me a traitor? You're the one who openly defied me only a few sunrises ago," She stared at him with shock, fury, and sheer disbelief.

"I saw you at the battle. I brought you there for StarClan's sake! You deliberately refused to fight! Why wouldn't you fight against MeadowClan?!" The black warrior spat, jaws frothing, "Obviously, our leader's had some sort of association with MeadowClan that forced you not to fight!"

Ashleaf felt her jaw drop. "No, Pantherstep, that is not at all what happened!" She gasped, her green eyes widening.

The black tom's eyes still glittered with rage, "Oh?" He growled, "Then what happened?"

StarClan help me! Ashleaf thought. What could she say? She obviously couldn't tell him the truth. Snowsong had assured her of that. But what could she tell this suspicious warrior? 

"Well?" He hissed.

"I-I can't tell you," She croaked at last.

Pantherstep reared up, his fur bristling. "I knew it!" He spat, "Traitor!" Pantherstep leaned back on his haunches and prepared to spring. He leaped up, claws unsheathed, and Ashleaf darted out of the way, bewildered.

Ashleaf gasped for breath. "Please, Pantherstep, stop," She choked out between heaves, "Stop this, immediately."

"No," He snarled, crouching down to pounce again, "I hate you!" He leaped once again towards his leader and Ashleaf dodged the blow by only a whisker. 

"Why?" Ashleaf cried in anguish.

Pantherstep froze.  "Why?  Have you forgotten all the times you've tormented me as a kit? You're cold and ruthless and horrible! You should have never been deputy, much less leader! You've done everything you possibly could to make my life miserable! You let my apprentice off without punishment! You broke my best friend's heart! Now, you're betraying the Clan! The real question is, why hasn't StormClan seen how big of a fox-heart you are?!"

The harsh words hit Ashleaf with a blow harder than a monster on the Thunderpath could ever give. Her mind wrapped around what Pantherstep had said. She had bullied him as kits? Why had she been so cruel to him? Is that why he was so hostile towards her? A wave of guilt washed over her. It appeared that before she lost her memory, she was a heartless, belligerent, arrogant, and cruel warrior. 

But she wasn't like that now, and nothing would ever be the same again.

"Pantherstep," She whispered, dipping her head in submissive shame, "I'm...s-sorry!"

Pantherstep's eyes widened incredulously in surprise and horror, "Sorry? You? No. I don't believe it for a heartbeat!" 

"Please," She whimpered imploringly, "I'm not a traitor. I swear."

"LIAR!" Pantherstep lunged towards her again and grazed her flank with his claws. Beads of blood splattered the dry earth in the medicine den. Ashleaf hissed in pain. "I'm getting revenge for all you've done to me," He growled, "It's time for you to pay!"

The warrior sprang upon her, claws unsheathed and teeth bared. Terrified, Ashleaf cowered underneath him, narrowing her eyes and bracing for impact. Despite Pantherstep's small size, the force with which he hit her knocked the breath out of Ashleaf. Claws raked her underbelly and he rolled her onto her back, leaving her stomach exposed.

Hastily Pantherstep had Ashleaf pinned to the ground. Ashleaf panted, her belly heaving and blood streaming from her scratches. Her eyes stretched wide with terror. Was Pantherstep going to kill her?

But, instead of going in for the death bite, Pantherstep just watched her. It took Ashleaf a few moments to realize that his eyes betrayed none of the anger he'd shown before, only wonder.

"So I was right," He muttered at last, "There is something wrong with you."

"W-what do you mean?" Ashleaf hissed.

Pantherstep's whiskers twitched. "You didn't fight back. Back when you were deputy, if I had said one word out of line, you'd have me mauled to bits! Ashstar, you're twice my size and strength. What is wrong with you?"

Ashleaf gulped. "N-nothing," She mewed softly.

Suddenly, anger flashed again in his amber eyes. "Fox dung!" He snapped. "Since you've come back from the Moonstone, you've changed! You've turned soft! You used chastise every cat who came in your view! Countless battles you've fought! Now you're such a coward, you won't even fight Rosestar, your worst enemy!"

"I was stuck in here the whole time," She said through gritted fangs, thinking quickly, "I was injured in battle, and I had to come to Snowsong's den. I didn't know that Rosestar was out there and that she would take Loudpaw!"

Pantherstep's lip curled. "Oh, so that's what happened," He snarled, "Then tell me. If you were in here the whole time, how did you know what happened to Loudpaw?!"

Oh...Ashleaf thought, her pelt burning with embarrassment, Didn't think of that...

"Ha," Pantherstep snorted, "Now you're lying straight in front of me. I'm getting sick of this; I've had enough. You're going to tell me what's wrong with you."

"And if I don't?" Ashleaf tried to muster up all the courage she could summon.

Pantherstep flexed his claws, obviously proud that he had won mastership over his leader, "I know your weakness. You won't fight back. If you don't tell me, I'll simply have to force it out of you," and at the word force, he bared his teeth as if in warning. 

Ashleaf inhaled sharply as images of pain and blood flashed through her mind. No. She could stand up to him. "No," She mewed simply.

The midnight-black tom growled dangerously. Pulse quickening, Ashleaf ducked into the defensive crouch. 

However, the impending fight was interrupted with a sharp yowl from the entrance of the den. "STOP!" Snowsong cried, "That's enough!"

"Snowsong?!" Pantherstep and Ashleaf meowed in shock at the same time. 

"Fox dung! She saw everything!" Pantherstep hissed, "What are you doing here?!"

The medicine cat's eyes flashed in annoyance. "Well, first of all, mouse-brain, this is my den if you haven't noticed. And, I don't exactly need StarClan to tell me what's going on here."

Ashleaf opened her mouth to protest, but Snowsong silenced her with a flick of her tail over her mouth. "Out of my den," She snapped, "I've got cats to treat. I don't need to listen to kit fights while I'm trying to save Wisetail's life." 

"Wisetail's-" Pantherstep began.

"Yes, he's gravely injured," Snowsong shot back bitterly, "If you'd stayed in the battle instead of trying to challenge your leader, you would have known."

"But-"

"Pantherstep, out of my den. Go reconcile your Clanmates. However, if you utter a word about what has happened in this den, I swear by StarClan's sake I will have you rent to bits by the next sunrise." She murmured coldly, amber eyes blazing, "And, Ashleaf, I'd like a word with you."

Pantherstep, who had begun to exit, whipped around, fur bristling in alarm. "Ashleaf!?" He gasped, "D-did you just call her by her warrior name?!"

"Out!" Snowsong hissed. She thrashed her tail multiple times. After he left, she turned to Ashleaf, gaze darkening. "Ashleaf, your Clan is in chaos. You saw how Pantherstep reacted. StormClan blames you for Loudpaw getting taken! Why didn't you run when I told you to?!"

"I-I couldn't leave every cat behind to get hurt! I don't know why; I-I just couldn't!" Ashleaf cried, internally chastising herself. "What do I do now?" Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Darkstorm and Redear are bringing Wisetail into the den. Mousepaw's got a gash in her side. Lilyblossom has a wrenched shoulder. I can't even imagine how many other scratches and wounds there are. You're going to have to leave. When the Clan arrives, they'll all be asking about you. I'll tell everyone you're helping me gather spare herbs while you go to the Great Clearing. Wait there and I'll meet you when things settle down."

"W-what about Pantherstep? What if he tells cats that you're lying?" 

"He won't," Snowsong answered with a snort.

"How do you know?"

Snowsong's whiskers twitched in amusement. "I'm the medicine cat. He has to listen to me. And, he's terrified of me in the first place."

"Why?" Ashleaf demanded.

"I'm his older sister!" Snowsong purred, "He knows not to try and skirt around my orders!" Ashleaf's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, don't act like it wasn't obvious! Him, Mudfoot, Oakkit and I are all kin!" She signaled towards her rear side where her brown splotches and stumpy tail lay.

Ashleaf wondered how she hadn't noticed before. Even though Snowsong was white, Mudfoot and Oakkit were chestnut brown and Pantherstep was black, they each had brown spots and markings, a stumpy tail and bright amber-colored eyes.

The tabby leader inhaled slowly, "Snowsong, what should I do about Pantherstep?"

"There's only one thing to do at this point," Snowsong replied, "He already knows too much. He needs to know the truth."