Shadeberry flinched at her apprentice seeing her in the dark forest.

Perhaps she doesn't know it is the dark forest yet. She thought to herself nervously.

"Shadeberry?" Crystalpaw asked in disbelief, her tail tip flicking.

"Yes, it's me, I guess our dreams linked."

Crystalpaw blinked uncertainly and carried on staring at her mentor.

"It's nearly morning," Shadeberry reported and looked up at the dark sky.

"How do you know?" Her apprentice frowned a little, looking up at the night. There was no sign of stars, or even the moon.

"Because when there's no moon in the sky of this land, it means the sun is coming out." She explained, shuffling her paws, hoping she wouldn't ask any more questions.

But Crystalpaw only frowned more. "How do you know? Have you been here before? Why is there no sun and stars?" 

Shadeberry took a step back, overwhelmed by the questions, having no clue how to answer them all.

"Oh, because I've had a few dreams here before, and I don't really know why there is uh, no sun and stars." She looked away worriedly. If her apprentice found out what she was doing, she would be in big trouble.

"Oh. And, why does it smell like there are more cats in the bush behind you?" Crystalpaw pointed her muzzle towards the bush where Shadeberry had came out of.

"Oh, they are probably stale. Maybe from other cats who visit here in their dreams. It seems like uh, a popular place," she mumbled, getting annoyed at her apprentice. This mentorship wouldn't work out well if Crystalpaw kept nagging her about unnecessary things.

I mean, I could not teach her about death berries, then poison her. But that would be suspicious, and I think she already knows about them.

"Well, okay.. I'll try wake up now, bye!" Crystalpaw meowed, flicked her tail and closed her eyes. Within a few moments, she faded away.

"Phew. That was a very close call," Shadeberry breathed out, and Toad, Darkthorn and Maplefrost came out of the bushes, shaking out their fur.

"Yes, I don't know why she came here in her dreams. Do you think she would be willing to help us, or not? Maybe she can be evil too." Darkthorn suggested, looking around at the cats.

"I don't think so, she doesn't seem to have the heart of a dark forest cat." Maplefrost argued, stretching out into a long arch.

Well, I don't either. The only reason I work for you is because Darkthorn forces me to. Shadeberry thought to herself bitterly.

"You can kill her with your claws. It doesn't matter if you get exiled, we can still attack the Clans. We can attack their camps and the cats inside of them while they are at a gathering. Then plan an attack when they come back." Toad muttered, his mouth stretching into a wide yawn.

"Good idea, but I think Shadeberry should stay in the Clan a little longer, Toad." Darkthorn purred.

Toad shrugged.

"I better get back to reality. See you." And with that, Shadeberry closed her eyes and woke up in her nest.

"Shadeberry!" Crystalpaw's meow made her blink open her eyes immediately.

"What?" Shadeberry lifted her head and glared at her apprentice.

"It's Tigerstorm! He fell from a tree! He is trapped under a branch!" She panted, and Shadeberry got up quickly and shook out her fur.

"Great StarClan, why did you come to me if he needs help?" Shadeberry snapped, whirling around and grabbing every herb she needed.

Crystalpaw blinked, hurt. "You never taught me any herbs! How could I know?" She protested weakly, and Shadeberry felt a twinge of guilt.

They raced out of the den and out of camp, and Shadeberry dropped behind Crystalpaw, letting the apprentice lead her to Tigerstorm.

.~~.

"He should be fine." Shadeberry checked the sleeping warrior once more, then looked back up at Ashstar. His eyes twinkled with grief and worry, but it was swept away by Hope at the medicine cat's words.

"Okay, good. I know he is in good paws." Ashstar murmered, took one last glance at Tigerstorm, before turning and heading out of the den.

Now Shadeberry was alone with Tigerstorm.

She looked to the back of her den hesitantly. Crystalpaw had gone out to be taught some warrior skills by Mothsight, as Shadeberry was busy and she had to learn basic warrior moves inc axe she had to defend herself.

Shadeberry took a deep breath and padded over to her storage, grabbing a bundle of death berries.

She dropped them beside Tigerstorm, and he blinked open his eyes and sniffed.

"Will these help the pain?" He croaked, edging as close as he could to them.

"Yes, they will. These are juniper berries." Shadeberry lied, wanting the warrior to just eat them, and not ask random questions.

He narrowed his eyes. "I thought these are death berries. My brother Mosskit ate these exact berries off a bush and he died." Grief flooded his eyes at the memory.

Quick thinking, Shadeberry thought of an excuse. "You must still be dizzy. Don't worry, these will help you." She soothed, slowly sitting down.

Tigerstorm leaned forward and lapped them up with a flick of his tongue and began to chew.

"Ar-Are your sure Shadeberry?" He rasped, almost choking on the poison.

Shadeberry sighed, and rested her head down beside the warriors.

"I'm very sure." She purred, slitting her eyes.

"Your not s-sure, are you?" Tigerstorm swallowed them, before realising his mistake.

"Y-you tricked me! Ashstar!" He yowled in pain, his body shuddering.

No, no, no! Shadeberry quickly got to her paws. I'll pretend that was me howling.

"Ashstar!" She yowled, louder than Tigerstorm, looking down at the dead body, a deep ashamed feeling in her heart, buried away by the coldness brought to her by Darkthorn.

Ashstar took no more than a heartbeat before charging into the den and crouching beside the fallen warrior.

"Oh Shadeberry, what happened?" Ashstar cried.

"He-he didn't make it." She replied sadly.

"Oh why StarClan, why are you taking so many warriors from us!" He wailed out loud, looking up at the sky, which was covered by the branches of the den.

Shadeberry blinked, her tail tip flicking in fake grief, but not entirely forced, as part of her felt pain for the many cats she had poisoned.

Ashstar sniffed the body, before calling to his warriors to take the body to the clearing.

Shadeberry followed them out silently.