Poolpelt felt ice pierce her heart as Feathershine slumped to the ground, blood spreading through the grass.

Mouse took a step back, her paw covered in blood and looking down at Featherfall in horror. "I...I didn't mean to.."

Rage and fury pulsed through Poolpelt as she launched herself at Mouse, pinning her to the ground with her sharp, unsheathed claws. "YOU!!"
Mouse looked in horror. "I-I-I didn't mean to! I swear!"
Poolpelt snarled. "Too bad."
She raised her sharp claws, ready for the kill.

Wait...
Why does this... seem so familiar.

Memories flashed in Poolpelt's mind.

Lightning cracking...

"FIGHT, YOU COWARD!"

"You don't know what I want!"

"You were always a fool, Sunpaw. Thinking I would merely attack you. No, I'm here to kill you."

"Well that sucks, I was starting to like you."

"I don't see why this is necessary, I don't want to hurt you."

"I DO! YOU KILLED THEM!"

"Say hello to StarClan for me."

She shook her head.
She was doing it again.. it was happening all over again.
I'm turning into Darkfrost..
She was having too much hate and anger in her..
I don't want to be that cat ever again..
Maybe.. Revenge should never be the answer.. but.. forgiveness.

She then lowered her paw and leaped off of Mouse, giving Mouse the chance to run away, speeding off as fast as a rabbit.

She then whipped her head towards Feathershine.
"Feathershine?" She bent down and nudged her sister with her black paw.
The pale white warrior didn't respond, just lay limply on the grass as blood leaked from her throat more.
"Come on," Poolpelt urged. "We have to get back to camp. We've got to report those rouges."

A thin trail of blood rolled from Feathershine's mouth.

"I'll help you," Poolpelt offered.
She grasped Feathershine's scruff and began to drag her into the forest.
"Try your paws," Poolpelt begged through her mouthful of fur. "Once you're walking, you'll feel better."
Feathershine's body slid over as they started entering back into the familiar IceClan snowy environment.

Oh, StarClan. We'd should of never found those rouges.
They'd be home by now, Featherkit bouncing with excitement at seeing her mother back.

"Poolpelt?" Briarfang's mew sounded through the snowy trees.
Poolpelt let go of her sister and stared at the brown tom, her mind blank.
Briarfang had come.
Everything would be fine now.
Springleaf was with him, and Crowclaw and Braveheart.
They'd know what to do.

Her Clanmates swarmed around her.
She felt their pelts brushing here as they leaned over Feathershine.

"A rouge attacked her," Poolpelt explained.
Her voice sounded as if it was coming from far away. "Rouges were hunting squirrels in our territory and we fought them off, and one attacked her."

"Braveheart" —Briarfang's order was brisk— "check that the rouges are gone and aren't coming back."
As Braveheart raced away, Briarfang grasped Feathershine's scruff.
"Be careful!" Poolpelt cautioned, heart lurching. "I think she's hurt."

She felt Snowheart's tail drape over her shoulders.
"Come on," the white she-cat murmured, coaxing her forward. "Let's get back to camp."

Poolpelt's black paws, numb with shock, stumbled over the snowy forest floor.
She's hurt. She's just hurt.

No matter how many times she repeated the words in her mind, her heart had recognized the scent of death on her sister.
She knew Feathershine was dead, and with each step the horror grew stronger, until grief threatened to swamp her.

"Just keep walking," Snowheart whispered, pressing closer.
"I told her she'd be back with Featherkit," Poolpelt mumbled.

At the top of the ravine, Briarfang laid Feathershine down and faced Poolpelt. He stared steadily at her until she blinked away the haze of grief and looked into his eyes.
"Poolpelt?" His mew was gentle.
"What?"
"You must tell Featherkit."
Poolpelt flinched. "Why me?"
"Because you love her," Briarfang told her. "I'll tell Blackfrost and make the report to Icestar."

Blindly stumbling, she managed to reach the bottom of the ravine.
She padded into the snowy clearing and past her Clanmates, who knew nothing of the tragedy, who still believed Feathershine was still alive.

She slid into the nursery. "Featherkit."
"You're back!" When Featherkit turned around and looked delighted, Poolpelt holded back tears escaping when she saw the striking resemble of Featherkit and Feathershine.
She glanced behind Poolpelt. "Is mom with you?"
Poolpelt took a deep breath and she tensed to stop her black paws from shaking. "Come outside, little one," she mewed.
"Has mom got a present for me?" Featherkit chirped.

Shadowkit stopped chasing Robinkit's tail. "Can I come, too?"
"Just Featherkit," Poolpelt told him, thanking StarClan that he listened for once.

Featherkit followed her out and she led her to a fallen and ducked in among the snowy branches.
"What is it? Where's mom?" She squeaked. "Is she playing hide-and-seek?"

"Come here." She wrapped her tail around her small body and pulled her close, sheltering her beside her belly.
She bent over her, shielding the sight of Briarfang carrying her mother's body into camp.
She felt her heart crack. So much pain.

"Feathershine won't be coming back."
Featherkit looked up at her. "Till when?"
"Ever."
"Why not?" Featherkit stiffened. "Doesn't she like me anymore?"
"She loves you very much," Poolpelt promised. "She'll always love you. But she's with StarClan now."

Featherkit put her head to one side. "Can I visit her?"
Poolpelt shook her head.
"Flowertail and Owlpaw visit StarClan all the time," Featherkit argued. "I can do it, too."
"It's not that easy."

With every word, Poolpelt felt herself getting more and more lost.
How would she ever make her understand without breaking her heart?
She gazed into her blue eyes.
The pain of Feathershine's death was not hers alone.
She was going to have to break her heart.
"She's dead, Featherkit. You won't see her anymore. You won't smell her or hear her or feel her fur next to yours ever again."

Ashfall nosed her way through the snow-filled branches. "I'll feed you and you'll share my nest with Splashkit, Robinkit and Riverkit," she soothed.
Featherkit spat at her. "I don't want your milk or your nest! I just want Feathershine!"

She pelted past the queen and galloped into the snowy clearing, stopping beside her mother's body. "I'll live out here now, with you," she squeaked, pressing her nose into her cold fur.

Poolpelt cowered into the snow-filled branches, raw with grief.
"I'll sit with her," Ashfall murmured, turning away.

Blackfrost stormed past her, forcing his way into the snow-filled branches. "How could you let it happen?" he yowled at Poolpelt. "She should have been in the nursery with Featherkit!"
"I-I'm sorry."
"How could you even think of letting her put herself in danger when she had a kit to look after?" Blackfrost hissed.
Poolpelt stared hollow-eyed at her sister's mate.
He was right.
This was all her fault.

"Leave!" Icestar appeared behind Blackfrost.
She held a branch aside with her shoulders, leaving room to get out. "This isn't helping any cat," she growled.
Blackfrost backed away, throwing a last angry glance at Poolpelt.

Icestar squeezed in beside her. Her eyes shone with sorrow. "Briarfang told me."
Poolpelt stared at her black paws. "I can't lose Feathershine as well as Whiteclaw and Raindapple. Why did they both have to die?"

Icestar shook her head. "Only StarClan knows that."
"Then StarClan is stupid and cruel!"

"Life must go on." Icestar pressed against her. "You have other Clanmates."
"Not like them. They were kin!"
"Your Clan depends on you as much as Feathershine and Whiteclaw and Raindapple did. More so."

"I don't care!"
Icestar brushed her tail down her flank. "I know you do care. And I know you won't let your Clanmates down. You must go on, hunting and fighting and living for your Clan."
When she didn't reply, she licked her between the ears and padded away.

Poolpelt dug her claws into the snow and glared up at the pale gray sky, crisscrossed with snow-filled branches.
What was the point of being in a Clan when you couldn't keep your most precious Clanmates safe?