DarkMoss gave the tom another glance, he was looking at her with his dark blue eyes.
"You won't have to do anything. I won't tell anyone. But don't expect me to forgive you." DarkMoss finally said after what seemed like moons of silence. The sun was on the brink of vanishing at any moment, and the nearly full moon would arise.
"Thank you, DarkMoss." Thistle leaned over but DarkMoss scooted away from him.
"Why do you still think I still trust you? You killed my clan mates and my apprentice." Thistle held his head low while DarkMoss laid down.

"I have one question: why?" DarkMoss asked him. They had been sitting there in awkward silence for what seemed to be many long days.
"I wanted to protect myself and you, so I did what Birch said. Which was to help her take over BirchClan, so she could have more cats to lead." Thistle explained to her.
"You didn't have to listen though."
"I did. She would've found out and killed me any anyone she found out that I loved."
"Was Fox apart of this at all?" Questions had been bouncing around in DarkMoss' brain since that morning of Branchwalker's death.
"Yes, Birch has sent him with me to help or to send reports back. Thankfully, he found Sootnose and forgot about everything. He was apart of one death though."
"Who's was it." DarkMoss had a hint of sorrow in her voice.
"Stormclaw's. We knew she was a very smart cat, so it took the both of us to lure her away from her hunting patrol." Thistle admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I knew you weren't going to be happy about it, and I thought you would have me exiled." A light shiver kept DarkMoss from drifting off into sleep. She had forgotten that Thistle's fur was shorter and wasn't as thick as DarkMoss'.
"Let's head back to camp. I know you're cold." DarkMoss told him.
"We can stay here if you want, I'm not really cold."
"Nope, come on." DarkMoss stood up and nosed Thistle up to his feet. "Including, the clan would be wondering where we are."

DarkMoss walked into camp, Thistle still shivering. Cats where still gathered around Branchwalker's limp body. Snow covered the backs of the cats still gathered. Most of the cats where in their nest by now. DarkMoss lead the way to the warrior's den. She curled up in her nest, as close to Silverpatch's as she could get. Thistle got in and laid down on the other side. DarkMoss faced away from him, facing toward Patch instead.

***

DarkMoss paced in front of the nursery. A full moon had the clearing brightly lit. It had been a few days from when DarkMoss had figured out Thistle was the murder. Hollowkit, Sapkit and Whitekit where in the elder's den with Finchwing. The orange and black queen had decided to take her kits to the elder's den so Silverpatch could have room to breathe. She was kitting right at that moment. Blacktip and Patch where in the queen's den, the rest of the cats where either still asleep or waiting for Silverpatch.

More snow had fallen, in some drifts it was up to her belly. DarkMoss tried to peer into the den, but she had no luck. DarkMoss tensed as she heard Silverpatch scream again. She was worried for her friend and her kits.
"Five healthy kits!" Blacktip called out as she left the den. DarkMoss pushed her way through the crowd. After a tail flick from Patch, she walked in. Silverpatch was laid on her side, five beautiful kits at her belly.
"Is she doing okay?" DarkMoss whispered to Patch.
"Yep, two she-kits and three toms." Patch pointed to the two she-kits, one was a smaller black and white kit and the other was a pure black kit with white on her nose and on her back leg. The toms where a dark grey with white paws and tail tip, one that looks like Patch and a pure black one with a short tail.
"There so cute. Do they have names yet?"
"Not yet."
"Okay, I'll check in on you guys in the morning. If you need anything, come get me." DarkMoss told Patch before squeezing her way into camp and into her nest. Sleep didn't manage to find her so she when hunting. She padded out of camp, nodding to Sapwisker, the new deputy, and Emberstream. A cold gust of wind sent a chill to her bones. Hopefully there's something out that I can catch. She opened her mouth, a faint scent of squirrel was in the breeze. She followed the scent to the lake, near the large willow tree.

The squirrel was up in a large pine tree, for some reason not in it's nest sleeping. DarkMoss climbed up the tree as quietly as possible. The squirrel had built it's nest in the middle of a branch close to the top of the tree. DarkMoss made her way on the Branch, trying not to scare the squirrel that was sitting next to it, flicking it's tail. The squirrel looked back at DarkMoss, panic going through it's eyes.

DarkMoss darted after the squirrel when it took off to another tree. She leapt after it to a small oak tree, then into the willow. DarkMoss chased it down the tree and down to the ground. It's light body could stand on the snow, other than when it jumped in which it sunk a bit. DarkMoss on the other hand had to jump to gain any sort of speed. Luckily, the squirrel dove into a bush and stayed there. DarkMoss crept up slowly, finding the squirrel close to the edge. She leapt and snapped it's neck. Warm blood filled her cold mouth, blinding her sense of smell with the scent of the squirrel.

DarkMoss padded into the camp with the squirrel in her jaws for Silverpatch and Patch. She headed to the nursery to see Patch, Silverpatch and their kits as well as Finchwing's kits. Patch lifted his head as DarkMoss dropped off the squirrel.
"This is for Silverpatch when she gets up." DarkMoss whispered to her. Patch just lowered his head. DarkMoss took another look at the small kits before heading to her nest, sleep taking her quickly.