Heartstorm shivered. 

              "Heartstorm, wake up," came a worried voice. He opened his eyes. Deerflame and Eelfrost were looking down at Heartstorm in worry. 

               "You ok?" Eelfrost asked, concerned. Heartstorm was too cold to reply. Deerflame helped him to his feet. "Took us a long time to find you."

               "It's starting to snow," Deerflame said. Heartstorm realised a thin layer of snow covered the ground. He followed his best friends back to camp. 

               "Why were you out there?" asked Deerflame. 

                "I er... wasn't feeling too good," Heartstorm replied. 

               "Why didn't you go to Frogleap?" exclaimed Deerflame. "Let's go right now." She marched forward. Eelfrost held her back. 

                "Hey, he doesn't want to go," Eelfrost said. "And he doesn't have to." Deerflame glared at him. 

                 "It's for his own good!" retorted Deerflame. 

                "He knows what's for his own good. And sometimes, Frogleap isn't," Eelfrost said, trying to hide a chuckle. Heartstorm gave a weak smile. 

                  "Yeah, it was something Frogleap couldn't fix," Heartstorm agreed. "Has Reedstar called a Clan meeting yet?" Deerflame and Eelfrost gave him a weird look.

                  "Why?" asked Eelfrost. 

                  "'cause er... 'cause...," Heartstorm trailed off. 'Cause I'm not deputy anymore... Heartstorm looked down. 

                   "Cos what?" asked Eelfrost. 

                  "I'm- can I tell you here?" Heartstorm said nervously. They stopped some way in front of the camp entrance. Light snow slowly fell. 

                   "What's wrong Heartstorm?" Deerflame questioned worriedly. "Are you sure you don't need Frogleap?" Heartstorm nodded. 

                    "I-I'm not deputy anymore," Heartstorm blurted. Eelfrost and Deerflame stared at him. 

                   "Why not?" Deerflame asked carefully, not really believing. 

                    "I- I.... promise me you won't tell anybody?" Heartstorm said. 

                     "Of course. If you don't want us to," Deerflame said. Eelfrost nodded in agreement. 

                  "Swear to me," Heartstorm said. 

                   "I swear," Eelfrost said, looking more worried now. 

                    "Yeah... me too. I swear," Deerflame stammered. 

                    "I killed Cinderstar," whispered Heartstorm. Deerflame's jaw dropped. Eelfrost looked shocked as if he didn't know whether to smile or be horrified. 

                    "You what?" Eelfrost asked. 

                    "I killed Cinderstar." Eelfrost nodded slowly. 

                     "Wow, well good job. Never would have had the guts for it," Eelfrost said. Heartstorm gave him a disbelieving look. 

                       "You killed her?" echoed Deerflame. "B-but how? When? Why?" 

                      "We were having a meeting. And she started talking about Goldenheart and Blizzardkit and how Stormpelt betrayed Brightheart. Right in front of me. I couldn't help it. I couldn't," Heartstorm was practically begging. Begging his friends to believe him. Begging them to understand. "I just... I just slashed her across her neck." There was silence. Heartstorm knew they were going to leave him. He didn't blame them. Who would want a murderer as a friend? 

                     "I understand," Eelfrost said. "I understand. I get it. I'd have been triggered too. I-I would've done the same." Deerflame didn't say anything. 

                    "I understand if you don't want to be my friend," Heartstorm told Deerflame bleakly. 

                   "I do. I do," Deerflame said. "Of course I do! I just- Ugh, I would've killed Cinderstar myself if I'd been there. I'm just so- angry! With her." Heartstorm was filled with warmth. He could never show how grateful he was for such great friends. 

                    "T-thanks guys. I don't know what to say," Heartstorm stammered. "I- I love you guys." Eelfrost and Deerflame smiled. 

                    "We love you too," replied Deerflame. 

                    "So, like, no offence to Cinderstar," Eelfrost said, turning back into his funny self, "but did she die a painful death? I mean, if you were going to kill her, you could've at least made it painful." Deerflame pursed her lips and Heartstorm burst into laughter. 

                     "It certainly seemed painful for her," Heartstorm said. 

                    "So how are you not deputy anymore?" Deerflame asked more seriously. 

                     "It's my punishment, from Reedstar," Heartstorm shrugged. 

                      "sorry," mumbled Deerflame sheepishly. 

                   "It's fine. It wasn't your fault," Heartstorm said. 

                   "But he's my father," Deerflame sighed. 

                   "I know, and he's the leader. He has to make hard decisions," Heartstorm said firmly. "You should not feel guilty." Deerflame didn't look so sure. 

                    "Let's get back to camp," Heartstorm said. They padded back into camp where Reedstar had already called a Clan meeting. Heartstorm grimaced and slipped behind the crow, hiding behind everybody, trying to keep out of Reedstar's sight. Eelfrost and Deerflame sat by him. Heartstorm spotted Silverdrop and the kits peering out of the nursery and he felt a pang of guilt that he had not told her and she would find out like this. 

                  "Cinderstar has passed away. Frogleap had predicted that she was to die in a few days but she has already passed on to StarClan... or the DarkForest. Heartstorm, our current deputy, has decided that he wants to- return to his old duties," Reedstar was saying. Murmuring and whispers broke out. Heartstorm shrank back into the shadows. 

                   "So, as he wishes, he will be back to his normal warrior duties and I will appoint a new deputy," Reedstar announced. "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors and our former deputy, Heartstorm, may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of RiverClan is Blacktail." Heartstorm watched happily as everybody cheered for Blacktail. He was happy for her. But this really meant he was not deputy anymore. He glanced at Silverdrop. The kits were frowning, Brightkit looked angry and Silverdrop whispered something into their ears. They scurried back into their den and Silverdrop turned her head to Heartstorm. He curled his tail around his hind paw. She had seen him. Eelfrost and Deerflame noticed and quickly slipped away. Silverdrop marched towards Heartstorm and he quickly pushed back into the bushes. She caught up with him. He made sure nobody else was watching. 

               "Why?" she asked. "Why'd you give up?" 

               "I didn't-" Heartstorm began. 

               "I know it was hard. I know being deputy was hard. But you were doing good. You were chosen, by Thornstar and Reedstar. And what does this show our kits? When it's too much, when it's too hard, to give up?" Silverdrop questioned looking disappointed. Heartstorm sighed. 

               "It didn't go like that," Heartstorm said. "I really was liking being deputy. It felt good, to help."

               "So?" Silverdrop said. 

                "I- I killed Cinderstar," Heartstorm said. 

                "You what?" Silverdrop gasped. Heartstorm gulped, hating the look Silverdrop was giving him. 

                 "I killed her. She was talking about my parents. Brightheart and Stormpelt... I just... I was so.. angry. I just killed her," Heartstorm explained, hoping with all his might Silverdrop would understand. She looked disgusted. 

                "You killed her," she whispered. Heartstorm wanted to cry. 

               "I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. 

                 "But why did you chose not to be deputy?" asked Silverdrop. 

                 "Reedstar's punishment," Heartstorm replied. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." 

                 "You shouldn't be... not to me anyways." 

                "I just- I was so angry."

                 "I understand." Heartstorm looked up. Silverdrop stared back at him, her eyes blue, perfection. She nuzzled him. 

                  "What did she say?" Silverdrop murmured. 

                 "Stormpelt cheated on Brightheart. She-she," Heartstorm trailed off, not wanting to think about it. 

               "Come and see the kits. They'll want an explanation. I know you can't tell them about Cinderstar but please make something up. Show them you didn't give up."